Dear Colleague,

Welcome to the New England Library Association, your regional professional organization. NELA is rich in membership, with library workers, library appreciators, and library advocates from the six New England States and beyond.

Our members include people "seasoned" in the profession with years of experience from which to draw, workers new to the field bringing new ideas and new energy to us all, and everyone in between. Our members include workers in all types of libraries engaged in all aspects of field.

Together we can learn from each other; we can support each other; we can provide top notch library service to the people of New England; and we can carry the strength of our knowledge, support and service around the country, maybe around the world.

The Conference Committee will produce the best Annual Conference that we possibly can each year. NELA sections and committees will contribute to that conference and present information-packed one-day programs throughout the year.

We heartily welcome your participation in sections, on committees, and in our networking and communications. Contact me or any other NELA officer, section or committee chair, or your state representative and let us know how we can help you.

At the 2011 Annual Conference Navigating the New Normal we talked a lot about the challenges and opportunities that we as library workers and as individuals are meeting these days. Libraries make the world a better place. They have for a really long time, and they will for a long time to come. What could be better than to be working beside our colleagues toward that goal?

Mary Ann List, NELA President

president@nela1.org