Public Service Section, Annual Report, 2006

It is the purpose of the Public Services Section to promote and improve library services that direct contact between the library staff and the library user. The Section strives to support high standards of service with response to the needs of users in all library settings. This section also encourages the active exchange of ideas of its membership and strives to provide pertinent programs in providing public services in our libraries.

The Public Service officer positions for 2006 were Adam Haigh (Lander University) as chair, Briget Livingston (USC Columbia) as vice chair and Chris Vidas (USC Upstate) as secretary. The Public Services Section co-sponsored with the Bibliographic Instruction Interest Group a conference program entitled, “Did I Do That?: Body Language in Public Services”. The presenter was Phyllis Fields, a theatre professor from Coker College. She conducted exercises and talked about what our bodies can convey from the very simple to the complex. Over sixty participants attended the program. Due to the great success of the program, we are going to plan a workshop for sometime in the spring to take place in Columbia, SC. There were people who were not able to fit in the room or attended another one of the 2:30-4:00pm sessions who later expressed interest in hearing what Ms. Fields had to say.

Turnout for the annual business meeting following the program was small with four attending. There was an election of the officers for next year and they are Adam Haigh (Lander University) as chair, Chris Vidas (USC Upstate) as vice chair/chair elect, and Carrie Volk (Winthrop University) as secretary. No one else stayed for the meeting and there were no changes to the slate of candidates put forth on the ballot that was sent out via e-mail.

Respectfully submitted,

Adam Haigh