Dear friends, Myself and my team of newly elected office bearers of KALA (Karnataka State Library Association) thank all those who have sent greetings and also all members of KALA for having reposed confidence in us and entrusted the important responsibility. The team is very cohesive with representation from different types of libraries including public, college, industry, school, research institute and university (library and department). Over the years KALA has seen many ups and downs. It has glorious history of having great personalities from public life, educationists, industrialists like late H. Narasimhaiah, S.R. Kanti and A.C. Devegowda as its office bearers. The erstwhile Mysore Library Association started by Dr. Ranganathan lead for establishing our Association in its present name KALA. There is strong professional link between Dept. of Public Libraries and KALA. We have a dream of making KALA as a model Professional Association with the following Agenda, set for ourselves, a few being already in the list of KALA objectives: 1. Increase the membership base 2. Make the Association its name worth - Membership and activities beyond Bangalore - Membership of Karnataka LIS people working out of state 3. Enrolling other professional people having strong link with LIS 4. Divisional/District representatives to reach entire state and beyond 5. Functional Committees and Special Interest Groups 6. Reviving monthly lectures/ Round table discussions 7. Organising Workshops and Seminars 8. Developing links with all State/National and other Library Associations including ILA, IASLIC, SIS, etc 9. Work closely with other local Associations like CLA, SLA, ITLA, BSLG and also SRELS 10. Set up a e-mail discussion group 11. Establish cordial and functional relation with Publishing industry and vendors 12. Take up the matter concerned to status of LIS profession in the matter concerned to salary, representation in different committees, etc 13. Setting up of KALA Web site 14. Reviving KALA News Letter 15. Generating revenue to meet the expenses of KALA Activities 16. Entrust young LIS professionals with the responsibility of carrying forward the KALA's mission and activities more vigorously 17. Prepare LIS Professionals to cope up with the Digital Era 18. Using KALA's good relation with Dept of Public Libraries, work with them for literacy at village level and promote library cause 19. Try to have it own office place for KALA 20. Associate with NGO's to promote school libraries We will come up with detailed action plan soon after we take charge of KALA. We thank all earlier Presidents, Secretaries and other office bearers for their contributions and support for KALA and its activities and seek their guidance in our endeavor. We seek suggestions, guidance and help from members of all forums and associations. Once again we thank all of you. I.R.N. Goudar President, KALA on behalf of all Office Bearers -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I.R.N. Goudar Tel: 91-80-25086081 Head, Information Centre for 91-80-25235315 Aerospace Science and Technology Fax: 91-80-25268072 National Aerospace Laboratories E-mail:goudar@css.nal.res.in Airport Road, BANGALORE-560 017 India http://www.icast.org.in/staff/goudar.html