by Karen Long, 3M/NMRT Social Committee Member
Not so long ago in a universe not so far away, 350 attendees socialized over food, drinks, and dancing at this year’s 3M/NMRT Social!
Embracing the magic of Walt Disney and the imagination of George Lucas, 3M set a memorable futuristic scene. The darkened ballroom was accented by colored lights, flashing star magnets, and a fulsome Hyatt Regency buffet that included sushi rolls, shrimp, dumplings, and cherry tomato hors devours. Around the edge of the ballroom were carving stations with ham and prime rib.
The Social award banquet honors the winners of the 3M/NMRT Professional Development Grant. Each year, the Grant Committee awards three New Member Round Table members with free attendance at the ALA Annual Conference, complete with airfare and lodging expenses.
The banquet also honors the recipients of the 2007 National Award for Museum and Library Service, which is granted by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to 10 museums and libraries for their outstanding community service.
The event commenced with the epic theme from Star Wars, which stirred the background as attendees recognized this year’s honorees. This year’s Grant winners were: Katie Dunneback, Consultant at Southeastern Library Services, IA; Deana Groves, Education Catalog Librarian at Western Kentucky University; and Kate Zoellner, School of Education Librarian, University of Montana-Missoula. The evening’s highlights also included an informative video focusing on the noble efforts of each IMLS winner. To view the video, visit 2007 National Medal for Museum and Library Service. As an extra bonus, 3M handed out 10 different gift boxes of free goodies for lucky guests.
After applauding the award winners and savoring the delectable food, librarians of the future got “footloose” on the dance floor with some tunes from the past! DJ Don Panzik played some 1970s and 80s favorites as everyone boogied down to “Brick House” and the “Electric Slide.” There was even some 1990s “Tubthumping.” To see more, you can go to this photoset on flickr. *
The 3M/NMRT Social is a great place for librarians and students to network and interact with fellow professionals! Of course, it would not have been possible without 3M, the NMRT Professional Grant Committee, chaired by Kate Hahn, and the NMRT Social Committee (Adam Haigh, Kimberley Bugg, Haiyun Cao, Karen Davidson, Reid Graham).
It is evident that librarianship continues to boldly go where it hasn’t gone before!
* Editor’s note: please add the tag “nmrtannual08” to all related photographs to make sure others can find them all.