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by DULCIE MILLS
Photos by VERDE OTAARED
Machinima by PIA KLAAR
 On Sunday, November 15, RezLibris Magazine hosted a formal party at the Jazz Cat to celebrate one year of publishing a magazine for librarians and educators in Second Life. Music was provided by Radio Riel, a custom-made cake was shared with guests, and the publisher presented a speech (reprinted below) along with awards to the staff. The highlight of the evening was a fireworks display celebrating both the one year birthday of the magazine and the third Rez Day of its founder.
Anniversary Party Speech by Dulcie Mills
Before I begin, I'd just like to thank a few people for making this party possible.
First, I'd like to thank Vienna James, our PR Director who took a break from finishing her dissertation to help us set it up and designed the beautiful invitation poster, the podium I am using, and many of the other decorations;
I'd also like to thank Mucaro India, our new PR Assistant, who helped send out the invitations and selected the baker who made the beautiful and delicious custom cake which I hope you all will help yourself to a slice of later.
A big thanks as well goes to Clark Abismo, the founder of RezLibris, for creating the award trophies and for his patience with the last-minute adjustments he needed to make to their design.
Also, I want to thank Soleil Snook our DJ from Radio Riel who will be playing some great music for our listening and dancing pleasure.
 There are three reasons we are celebrating tonight. The last is a surprise that will be revealed later, but I can explain the first two now.
First, it's the one year anniversary that the first issue of RezLibris was published. It says a lot that a few of us have stuck with this huge project for what is such a length of time in SL.
I think we deserve a party just for that -- lol (and definitely some stiff drinks, ha ha).
Another reason we are celebrating, and I hope it will be a celebration and not a sad event, is the start of something new for RezLibris.
But starting something new also means ending something old . We had a lot of great plans, not all of which we could do, most of which we couldn't, but many of which we gave a darn good try.
We came a long way from when we first met as a small group after Clark Abismo's announcement on the Librarians of Second Life group's list.
We had some great people join and support us. Lorelei Junot, of course, was our biggest supporter as she has been for all the librarians on Info Island.
She granted us our office space which Sonja Morgwain has kindly continued.
Eirene Janus, our website manager, donated web space to us and has been maintaining it so excellently for us for a whole year.
Verde Otaared and Pia Klaar, our multimedia editors, have taken a huge number of photos and video for each story and worked hard to edit, process, and place them in the magazine in an attractive layout.
All the editors, writers, and contributors have worked so hard and devoted so much time to this project that I want to thank them all.
None of us made very much monetarily or had many compliments or feedback from the public, although we had some heartfelt ones and know you all appreciated our work.
Most of our rewards came from our enjoyment of sharing the wonderful activities going on in the library community and getting to know all the great people here better.
Recently, after suffering from some health problems, I began to realize that I could no longer keep up the time commitment and responsibility of being publisher for RezLibris,
so I announced to the staff that December would be my last issue but that I would be happy to continue to write and contribute if they decide to continue the magazine.
This has not been an easy decision because RezLibris has been like my child. But no matter what happens, I have enjoyed the experience and learned a lot from it, and I know all of the staff have, too.
Is there an animation for crying?
 Before I step down here and hope that you all turn this into a happy party and not a sad one, I want to call some people up on stage for awards because, even though we're not ending our story,
we are starting a new chapter, and I'd like to show my appreciation for what you've all contributed so far.
But I can't take credit for the Rezzie Awards.
The idea was Clark's that he thought of at about the same time Lori was planning the Golden Leaf Awards.
He wanted to have a celebration similar to the Oscars where a tribute could be paid to staff members for their work that wasn't always recognized even though it was always appreciated.
I am not calling everyone, although all members of the Board will get an award and also some of our writers and other contributors.
But since I don't want to spend too much time and some people couldn't be here, I am just calling a few people up.
It doesn't mean that any of the others contributed any less or are any less appreciated, so please understand.
When I call you, please come to the stage and click on the large RezLibris trophy next to me. It will give you a folder containing a smaller version that you can wear.
No long speeches are necessary, but feel free to say a few words if you'd like.
First, I want to call Lorelei Junot who we can't thank enough for all her support. Please come up to the stage for your Rezzie, Lori.
I would've called Abbey Zenith next who has been our most prolific writer of our AVL column.
But, unfortunately, due to a family emergency, she could not be with us.
Neither could our wonderful website manager, Eirene Janus. Both ladies are truly worthy of Rezzies and will receive one after the awards.
Now I'd like to call Verde Otaared, our Photo editor, who produced top quality professional photos for the magazine and recently started editing our Health and Science section.
Verde is also a wonderful writer and used to help me with the M2, too.
Please come to the stage and take your Rezzie, Verde.
 I'd also like to call Pia Klaar, our multimedia and Education editor, who took excellent machinima and edited our education section.
We have a Rezzie here for you, Pia.
Now I'd like to call Vienna James, our PR Director, who is just finishing her dissertation and helped put this party
together.
Please come up for your Rezzie, V.
Also to the stage I'd like to call Mucaro India, our new PR Assistant, who has been doing a great job so far.
Here is a Rezzie for you, Mucaro.
I'd also like to call Leeorie Alter, our contributing News
Editor, who was one of the original founding editors.
Our current news editor, Bookie Balogh, could not be with us tonight.
Come to the stage for your Rezzie, Lee.
We also have a rezzie for our fashion columnist, Hyacinth Cortes.
Please accept your Rezzie, Hy.
Another regular writer for us, Carina Gonzalez, can come to the stage now for her Rezzie.
Last but not least, I'd like to call Clark Abismo who thought of the crazy idea of starting a magazine for librarians in Second Life in the first place
and was as stubborn as I was to start it and keep it going this long.
Clark also designed the award, so I'm sure he'll be happy to get one - lol.
Please come on up for your Rezzie, Clark.
Now if all the Rezzie awardees can just come back on stage for one minute, I've asked Verde to take a group photo
and then we can start the party.
One final thing -
please set your view to midnight and join us in wishing Clark a Happy 3rd rez day!
Surprise, Clark. Your rez day is the third thing we are celebrating tonight.
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