Do you know what the connection is between Sputnik IV and Wisconsin? Do you remember the aluminum Christmas trees and the colored light wheels of the early 1960s? Have you ever heard the story about the Christmas tree ship, the USS Rouse Simmons? The answers to all of these questions are in Manitowoc, Wisconsin where the next WAAL conference will be held. Manitowoc, a community of approximately 35,000, is located on the Lake Michigan shoreline between Sturgeon Bay and Milwaukee, approximately two and a half hours from Madison, an hour and a half from Milwaukee, an hour from Appleton, and one half hour from Green Bay. Its location makes it an easy travel destination from most Wisconsin locales. The conference site is located at the intersection of Interstate 43 and Highway 151.
A small, charming community whosehistoryis tied to Lake Michigan, Manitowoc provides numerous attractions to explore. Downtown Manitowoc offers the Wisconsin Maritime Museum with the SS Cobia submarine, the Breakwater Light facility, the Public Library, the Rahr West Art Museum, and the Beerntsen's confectionary, an old fashioned candy store known for its handmade chocolates.
Take this opportunity to make new acquaintances, to greet old friends, and to strengthen existing relationships with your counterparts. We invite everyone to participate in sharing their experiences, their knowledge, and their ideas with each other to provide better service to our campus communities. The spring is a perfect time for each of you to re-energize and renew yourself with the challenges of new ideas and new possibilities. Your colleagues are waiting for you to join them in Manitowoc! Please join us for the next WAAL Conference, "Winds of Change: Setting Sail for Manitowoc," April 16-18, 2008 as we explore not only the changes in our libraries and the profession but also the City of Manitowoc. Who knows, along the way we may also discover the answers to the questions at the beginning of this article!
Welcome from WAAL Chair, Louise Diodato