What Does It Mean To Be Local?

If you have browsed the back cover of this Bulletin recently you might have noticed the slow but steady growth in local SIGCHI groups. There are now 25 local SIGs in various stages of formation. Three of them are in Europe and four of them are in Canada. Given the number, diversity and geographical spread of these groups it seems a good time to reflect on what it means to be a local group. By way of emphasizing the international flavor of local groups, the featured SIG in this issue is CHISIG (Australia). Although still in the process of determining whether to join CHI, CHISIG is representative of many of the issues facing local groups - distance from other groups and from a central organization, importance of retaining a local culture yet remaining part of an international group, attracting and keeping members.Physical distance is no longer a serious barrier to communication or collaboration. One of the technologies helping to bring groups together is the World Wide Web. In the "News and Views" section you will see that some local SIGs have begun publishing their own World Wide Web home pages. The addresses of these home pages will henceforth be included with the other contact information on the inside back cover.