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Dear EBSS colleagues,
Time flies in the blink of an eye. As I admire the beauty of cherry blossoms on campus, I realize that the spring semester is nearing its end, and my term as EBSS chair will conclude in a couple of months.

I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to know and work with so many dedicated and intelligent EBSS committee leaders. The numerous meaningful and impactful projects you undertake never cease to impress me. I am immensely proud of the strong commitment demonstrated by our committee members. Your devotion and enthusiasm are truly inspiring.

I would like to take a moment to extend my congratulations to our newly elected officers: Vice-Chair/Chair Elect Robin Ewing and Member-at-Large Jylisa Kenyon. Thank you for your willingness to step into the leadership roles, and I look forward to working with you as Past Chair in the upcoming year. I would also like to express my gratitude to James Rosenzweig and April Grey for the passion and commitment you have shown towards EBSS.

Since the publication of the Fall 2023 newsletter, there has been a continuous stream of exciting developments. Here are some highlights:

Despite being the newest in EBSS, the EDI Committee has been actively collaborating with other EBSS committees to integrate EDI initiatives into their programs or activities. The December 2023 EBSS Town Hall, co-sponsored by our Membership and Orientation Committee, serves as an example. Stay tuned for more EDI-focused programs to come.

In January 2024, we welcomed Kara Whatley (kwhatley@caltech.edu) as the ACRL Board Liaison to EBSS. The board liaison communicates feedback and concerns to the ACRL Board regarding ACRL policies and activities. Thanks to Kara’s advocacy, EBSS can now resume the travel grant/stipend program with APA. Thank you, Kara! In light of this exciting development, the Executive Committee has reinstated the Awards Committee.

Another committee change involves the merger of the Communications Studies Committee and the Electronic Resources in Communication Studies Committee. The Electronic Resources in Communication Studies Committee will become a subcommittee of the Communications Studies Committee starting July 2024. These two committees share a vision, and their merge will lead to mutually beneficial outcomes. Some committees intend to disseminate the results of their committee work through publications. The Instruction for Educators Committee’s Companion Document to the ACRL Framework for Higher Education: Instruction for Educators was recently featured in the April issue of College & Research Libraries News. Congratulations on a job well done!

The ACRL Leadership Council & Membership Meeting will take place at the Annual Conference in San Diego, California on Friday, June 28, 2024, from 1:00-3:00 pm followed by the ACRL Welcome Reception, from 3:00-4:00 pm. This in-person meeting is open to all ACRL members, so please feel free to join us.

This year, our conference program, Developing Data Literacy Champions: Building a Culture of Critical Engagement with Data, co-hosted by the ACRL Digital Scholarship Section, will be held on Sunday, June 30, 9:00-10:00 AM in San Diego Convention Center Room 32 A B. If you plan to attend annual in San Diego, we hope you can make the program! Some of our EBSS colleagues and I will be there. It will be wonderful to meet you in person.

Thanks to the Membership and Orientation Committee’s open volunteer recruitment sessions and the exceptional professional development programs offered by various committees to the broader library community, EBSS has successfully expanded its membership in recent years. Bravo!

Since last fall, our Vice Chair Ashlynn Kogut has been working with me to understand the needs of each committee and the significant work you undertake. Over the past couple months, Ashlynn has been diligently working on committee assignments for 2024-2025, a task that requires considerable thought, planning, and time commitment. A big thank you to Ashlynn for this labor-intensive and crucial work! If you volunteered to serve on EBSS committees and have not heard from us, please feel free to reach out to Ashlynn at ashlynn.wicke@gmail.com.

EBSS is one of the most active sections within ACRL. Through our innovative and robust committee activities, programs, and projects, EBSS has become a catalyst for the professional development of colleagues in our field. It has been a highly rewarding year working with all of you. My heartfelt thank you to Samantha Godbey for generously sharing your experiences in leading EBSS with me. Let’s continue our excellent work to help EBSS members thrive and shine.

Cheers,
Yu-Hui Chen
EBSS Chair, 2023-2024