News Library News Online

News Library News (ISSN 1047-417X) is the bulletin of the News Division of the Special Libraries Association. SLA Headquarters address is: SLA, 331 South Patrick St., Alexandria, VA 22314. The phone number is 703/647-4900. News Library News is published four times a year by the division. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited.


Managing Editor
Leigh Montgomery
The Christian Science Monitor
Boston, MA
617/450-2682
montgomeryl[at]csmonitor.com

Contributing Editors

PEOPLE
Jennifer O'Neill
The Florida Times Union
Jacksonville, FL
904/359-4184
joneill[at]jacksonville.com

LIBRARY PROFILES
Amy Disch
The Columbus Dispatch
Columbus, OH
614-461-5177
adisch[at]dispatch.com

TECH TIPS
Derek Willis
Washingtonpost.com
Washington, DC
dwillis[at]gmail.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS
An annual subscription to News Library News costs $30 (U.S.). Send all subscription correspondence to the managing editor.

ADVERTISING
To place advertising or to obtain advertising information, contact the managing editor at the address listed above.

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS
Copy for bylined columns should be submitted to the column editor. All other copy may be submitted to the managing editor.

Special Libraries Association assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by the contributors of the association's publications. Editorial views do not necessarily represent the official position of Special Libraries Association. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product by Special Libraries Association.


History of News Library News
by Barbara Semonche, July 2008
It has been 60 years since the launch of the Newspaper Division's initial bulletin. The first known editor was Milton Prensky of Pathfinder News Magazine, Washington, DC. The year was 1948. By 1956, the Bulletin stopped publication. It wasn't until 1977 that the publication of Newspaper Division was relaunched. It was titled "Short Takes." Barbara Newcombe with the Chicago Tribune was the editor briefly until Ellie Briscoe, then with the Contra Costa (CA) Times, took over.

By 1980 the newsletter's name changed to NewsLibraryNews and has continued publication to this day. It has become larger, more colorful, more newsworthy, better designed, and, since 1994 available on the News Division's web site . It was under NLN editor Ron Larson's (Wisconsin State Journal/Capitol Times) leadership that NLN went completely digital and began its online-only existance.

Looking back over the decades we recognize the previous edtiors. Here is a list. [Note: if there are errors, please notify me at bpsemonch(at)unc.edu so that I can make the corrections.]

News Division’s Editors
1977 (extant issue(s))Title: BulletinBarbara Newcomb (Chicago Tribune) Chicago, IL
Sum. ‘78/Fall ‘79 to 1980
(vol. 2:3 - vol. 3:1)
Title: Short Takes Ellen Wood (Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif.)
Win. ‘80-Sum./Fall ‘80 1981
(vol. 3:2 - vol. 3:3)
Title: NewsLibraryNews Diane Hunter (Atlanta Newspapers)
Win. ‘81/Spr. ‘81 1982
(vol. 3:4 - vol. 4:4)
Joan Stern, S. Shuster, J. Lundblad, P. Brown (Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles, CA
Sum. ‘81/Sum. ‘82 1982-‘84
(vol. 5:1 - vol. 6:3)
Bob Isaacs (News and Sun-Sentinel) Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Fall ‘82/Spr. ‘84 1984-‘86
(vol. 6:4 - vol. 8.3)
Barbara P. Semonche (The Herald-Sun) Durham, N.C.
Sum. ‘84/Spr. ‘86 1986-‘88
(vol. 8:4 - vol. 10:3)
Lany McDonald (The News & Observer) Raleigh, N.C.
Sum. ‘86/Spr. ‘88 1988-‘90
(vol. 10:4 - vol. 12:3)
Christine (Kee) Malesky (National Public Radio) Washington, DC
Sum. ‘88/Spr. ‘90 1990-‘92
(vol. 12:4 - vol.14:3)
Elizabeth Whisnant (Newsday) Long Island, N. Y.
Win. ‘92 to Sum ’94
(vol. 14:4 - vol. 16:4)
Mona Hatfield (The Advocate) Baton Rouge, La.
Fall ‘94/Sum. ’96
(vol. 17:1 – vol. 18:4)
Linda Henderson (Providence Journa), Providence, RI
Fall ’96 / Spr. ’98
(vol. 19:1 – vol. 20:3)
Catherine Kitchell (Bureau of National Affairs) Washington, DC)
Sum. ’98 / Spr. 2000
(vol. 20:4 – vol. 22:3)
Jennifer Small (San Antonio Express-News) San Antonio, TX
Sum. 2000 / Fall. ’02
(vol. 22:4 – vol. 25:1)
Leigh Poitinger (San Jose Mercury News) San Jose, CA
Win. ’03 – Sum. ’04
(vol. 25:2 – vol. 26:4)
Ron Larson (Wisconsin State Journal/The Capital Times) Madison, WI
Fall ’04 – Sum. ‘06
(vol. 27:1 – vol. 28:4)
Kathryn Pease (Newsday) Melville, NY
Fall ’06 – Spr. ’08
(vol. 29:1 – vol. 30:3)
Leigh Montgomery (The Christian Science Monitor) Boston, MA
Fall ’08 -
(vol. 30:4 -
Julie Domel (San Antonio Express – News) San Antonio, TX


News Library News
SLA News Division Home

Partially updated: 07/15/08
Alice Pepper
newsdivisionweb@yahoo.com