Greetings, OLAC members! It is an honor and a delight to address you in this, my first column as OLAC President.

I have exciting news. Our 2006 Conference will be held in Phoenix, Arizona at the Phoenix East/Mesa Hilton, on October 26-29. The theme of the Conference will be " Preparing for a Brave New World: Media Cataloging on the Threshold of RDA". Timothy Diel, of Arizona State University, and his committee are hard at work planning a stimulating program. The program will include the bedrock basic training in A/V cataloging topics, for which OLAC is so well known, as well as practical advice for dealing with emerging metadata standards and the very latest on RDA. Watch the OLAC Website and e-mail list for updates on the program and speakers.

I encourage you to make plans now, and to consider a longer stay in Arizona to take advantage of the multitude of natural and cultural sights in the area.

I would also like to take this opportunity to extend my congratulations and welcome to Steve Miller, our new Vice President/President Elect, and to Bobby Bothmann, our re-elected Treasurer.

In the upcoming weeks, our members will be seeing calls for candidates for OLAC office, OLAC committees, and nominations for the OLAC Award. Please partake in these opportunities to participate in OLAC. Our strength as an organization depends on an active membership.

If you are attending ALA in San Antonio, please consider fitting the OLAC CAPC meeting and the OLAC Membership meeting in your busy Conference schedule. Details will appear on the Website and on the electronic mailing list. It will be a good opportunity to hear the latest news on OLAC Conference, among all the other outstanding OLAC efforts!