SLA Blog

Former SLA Board Member Named Librarian of the Year

Dr. Jesus Lau, a former director serving on SLA's Board (2002 - 2005) was recently named Librarian of the Year at the 25th Guadalajara International Book Fair, the second largest in the world after Frankfurt.

The honor is the most prestigious award granted to a librarian in Mexico.

Dr. Lau is Director of USBI VER Library at the University of Veracruzana, Mexico, where he created the school's first online course for undergraduates in Mexico. The course enables distance education programs in 28 public and private universities of Veracruz.

Jesus is President of the Mexican Association of Librarians (2009-2011) and has authored more than 150 papers and magazine articles, as well as 15 books in the field of information. Apart from SLA, he is also active in the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA), notably founding its Information Literacy Section and coordinating the International Directory of Resources and Information Literacy.

On behalf of SLA, congratulations, Dr. Lau!

 

Task Force to Update SLA’s Competencies for the Information Professional

SLA President Cindy Romaine has appointed a task force of prominent SLA members to update SLA’s Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21^st Century. The task force will refresh and revamp this guide, giving information professionals a consistent grounding on which to base their skill-development and career growth initiatives. Members of the task force include:

Anne Caputo, Chair

Kate Arnold

Kim Dority

Susan Fifer-Canby

Karen King

Thomas Walker

Carolyn Sosnowski

SLA’s Competencies for Information Professionals are currently organized into three categories, each of which have in-depth points of focus, such as managing information organizations and applying information tools and technologies:

1. Professional Competencies relate to the practitioner's knowledge of information resources, access, technology and management, and the ability to use this knowledge as a basis for providing the highest quality information services.
2. Personal Competencies represent a set of attitudes, skills and values that enable practitioners to work effectively and contribute positively to their organizations, clients and profession.
3. Core Competencies anchor the professional and personal competencies. These two core competencies are essential for all information professionals. As educated professionals, information professionals understand the value of developing and sharing their knowledge; this is accomplished through association networks and by conducting and sharing research at conferences, in publications and in collaborative arrangements of all kinds.

SLA Connections will provide you with key developments as the process unfolds.

Vengeful Librarians

Librarians find things better than anyone, people should know this by now. It certainly seems that the United States CIA has caught on.

In a recent Associated Press exclusive, a team known as "vengeful librarians" are described as using Twitter, Facebook, the Web, and their natural sleuthing abilities to provide intelligence that is sought-after by the highest levels in Washington, D.C.

This intelligence machine pores over up to 5 million tweets each day, and cross references them with blog posts, local newspaper articles, and more. And of course, they come fully armed with master's degrees in library and information science.

Check it out!

 

A Global Disconnect?

In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, a seaman who has just returned from a long voyage recounts a scene in which there was "Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink." The same might be said of today's online environment--people communicating constantly, but not building a sense of community.

That's one of the key messages of the four theme articles in the October/November issue of Information Outlook, which is now posted on sla.org. The theme, "Working across Geographical Borders," practically invites discussions about how technology has rendered many national, cultural and language differences obsolete. But as Sean Smith of QUOSA writes in his article about the challenges facing global information vendors, "There is at least one drawback to using technology--it facilitates communication, but not necessarily connection."

Margaret Ostrander, manager of search at Thomson Reuters, takes a slightly different angle in her article about conducting user testing with clients in dispersed locations. "More than anything else," she writes, "a human connection is needed within a meeting. Absent the aid of Webcams or other videoconferencing technologies, simply having a picture of the person's face can help humanize a colleague who otherwise is a disembodied voice on the other end of a teleconference."

So, what can librarians do to build community in an increasingly wired world? Stephen Abram offers some suggestions in his "Info Tech" column. One, he says, is to give a gift.

"When working in different cultures or when attempting to gain introduction, trust, or entree, give a gift," he writes. "I'm not talking about a presentation piece of lovely Inuit sculpture--the gift should be appropriate and generous. Good answers, advice and information are gifts."

To read more about how librarians can work across geographical borders, read the October/November issue of Information Outlook.

 

If You Write It, They Will Come

How can librarians increase the profitability of their libraries? How can they improve students' understanding of the scientific research process? How can they increase diversity among library staff?

Every year, SLA members share their answers to these and other questions challenging the special library field. They do so by writing research papers and presenting them at the SLA Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO. The contributed paper sessions are among the most revealing and rewarding conference activities because they provide a glimpse into the issues, trends and initiatives that drive our profession and our future.

SLA is now accepting proposals for contributed papers to be presented at the 2012 Annual Conference. Topics for the papers must be related to the conference theme, "Practicing Agility in an Open World Economy," and should focus on putting ideas into practice. Proposals will be subjected to a blind review by a panel of SLA members, and the strongest proposals will be selected for development into full papers.

Proposed papers must meet these requirements:

• At least one author is a member of SLA;
• At least one author commits to presenting the paper at the SLA 2012 Annual Conference;
• The proposal is received by 12 December 2011;
• The paper has not been published in, or submitted to, any other publication or conference planning group; and
• The author(s) must be willing to sign a copyright assignment form that will permit SLA to use the paper in various formats.

To submit a proposal, send an abstract of your paper to Helen Losch at helenlosch@gmail.com. Abstracts should be 250-300 words in length, or roughly one page in 12-point text. In addition to summarizing the problem, apporach, results, and conclusions, the abstract should identify the core audience (academic, government, etc.) for the paper.

All applicants will be notified of the panel's decision on or about 1 February 2012. Completed papers and copyright assignment forms will be due 1 June 2012. Papers will be presented at the conference, which will be held 15-18 July 2012 in Chicago.

For more information about the conference, visit SLA's Website.

 

Membership Rewards

When you recruit a new member, you both can win!

Tell your friends and colleagues about your meaningful SLA experience, and invite them to join and reap the benefits of SLA membership.  New members and recruiters are eligible to win prizes and recognition. Recruit by 1 December for prize eligibility.

In the giving mood? Purchase the gift of membership for a fellow info pro for the holidays by entering their information for membership and completing the transaction. Be sure to list yourself as the recruiter.

For more information about recruiting new members, contact Michelle Garvin, membership recruitment manager, at mgarvin@sla.org or +1.703.647.4900, option 6.

Help build our membership community and end the year with a bang!  

Outsell Benchmark Survey Reminder

We would like to remind you to participate in Outsell's 12th annual Information Management Benchmark Study, covering industries, not-for-profit organizations, government agencies, and educational and healthcare institutions.

Members who complete the survey will be able to view the study results on the SLA Website.  This report will provide concrete benchmarks you can use to compare your library to peer organizations--use it to justify spending, hone your resource allocation decisions, and to provide your management with key metrics about your organization's vendor portfolio.

In addition, respondents can enter a drawing for an iPad2, a Kindle reader, or one of fifteen $25 Amazon gift certificates.

All responses are confidential.  The data will be analyzed and presented in aggregated form only.  Only one person from your organization should complete the survey.

Access the survey now. 
Username: Outsell
Password:  survey

The survey will close at 11:59pm PT on Sunday, October 9.  The deadline will not be extended.

Thank you for your participation in this important project, and a special thank you to those of you who have supported this research over the years.  If you have any questions about the study, please contact Karen Wilson at kwilson@outsellinc.com.

 

Nominate for 2012 SLA Awards

It's that time of year again--nominations are now being accepted for 2012's class of Rising Stars (sponsored by J.J. Keller) and SLA Fellows. 

Nominations for all other SLA Awards will be accepted starting 1 October. For more information, and to nominate, visit the SLA Awards & Recognition page.

**Please note the nomination deadlines:

• Stars and Fellows Deadline: 15 November
• All other SLA Awards: 1 December

Direct any questions to: jwalsh@sla.org. We look forward to honoring your winning candidates on-stage at SLA's 2012 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO; happy nominating!

Are You LinkedIn?

Not sure how to maximize the power of LinkedIn? Become better acquainted with this social networking tool by attending Click U's October webinars.

For more information about Getting the Most Out of LinkedIn: Advanced Searching and Features, Parts 1 and 2, with instructor Scott Brown, visit the Click U blog.

Updated: Your Chance to Win with SLA & NewsEdge Begins 4 Oct.

Compliments of our valued SLA 2011 supporting sponsor, Acquire Media, you'll have the chance to win one of four Amazon gift cards or an iPod Touch starting September 28th. Entry is simple, quick, and painless--and you'll be given the opportunity to enter through Facebook or using an alternative method as you wish.

The way the quiz works is simple. Provide your name and e-mail (not for marketing purposes), and you'll be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Gift Card. To win the grand prize (iPod), you'll have the opportunity to watch a short video--and learn useful info!--then correctly answer one question, making yourself eligible to win either prize.

Stay tuned for specific details; after a small delay, we're all set to launch on Tuesday, 4 October!   

 

                                

Several Pieces of the Puzzle

Recognition from management. "Face time" with senior leaders. Customers who consider you to be critical to their success.

Sound too good to be true? Not if you know how to advocate for yourself and your library team. That's the message of the theme articles in the September issue of Information Outlook.

From James Matarazzo and Toby Pearlstein's thoughts about using "key competencies" to elevate the status of the profession to Cindy Sullivan's tips for securing regular, personal interactions with senior leaders to Stephen Abram's advice on marketing your value and skills as an information professional, the September issue is packed with ideas about how you can ensure that your customers recognize and understand your worth. Add Anne Caputo's discussion of how Dow Jones decided that it could best advocate for librarians by creating a place for them to learn from each other, and you have several pieces of what Agnes Mattis calls the "much larger puzzle" of advocacy in her introduction to the topic.

The September issue also takes a look back at the SLA 2011 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO, which attracted more than 4,000 information professionals and industry partners to Philadelphia for four days of education and networking. An overview of the conference, excerpts from five Spotlight Sessions, and a description of a new video that made its debut at the opening session combine to give those who couldn't attend a taste of what they missed.

There's more, of course--examples of how to develop your own professional narrative, a study of how a university assessed the ways in which it provides library services for the sciences and builds science collections, and a provocative letter to the editor. So why wait for your hard copy to arrive in the mail? Start reading the September issue now!

 

An SLA 2011 Recap: Blogs, Videos, and Information Outlook

Few conversations that started at SLA 2011 ended with the conference. There's a ton of follow-up content on the Web, and you need only scan the (re)tweets from @sla2011 to consume reels of conference highlights.

The upcoming September issue of Information Outlook will include an overall recap, but in the meantime, below are several of the numerous highlights out there. This list is designed to grow--if you'd like a post included, shoot me a message at jwalsh@sla.org and I'll add the piece:

• Amy Levine's "Chasing SLA" for Legal Division Quarterly
• Alyson Avery's experience (Local Arrangements Co-Chair for Chicago 2012)
• Chris Cooper--Reflections from an Early Career Conference Award (ECCA) winner
• Deborah E.B. Keller on the Goverment and Military Unconference
• Hazel Hall - SLA Europe Information Professional of the Year
• Jamie Marie Keller's Conference Report for the Florida and Carribean Chapter
• Jen Wiley's "SLA 2011" (a student member)
• Jill Hurst-Wahl's "James Kane and Loyalty"
• Jill Hurst-Wahl's "Quick Wrap-up" for the Upstate NY Chapter
• Kama Sue Siegel's "SLA in Philly: One Librarian's Perspective"
• Lassana Magassa's summary of "Creating Groupies: Info-Pro Guerilla Marketing"
• Laura Woods' "Networking the American Way" for Legal Division Quarterly
• Lisa Chow's "SLA 2011 Conference Highlights from a Rising Star"
• Natalia Madjarevic (an ECCA winner)
• Ned Potter, ECCA winner's VIDEO
• Sam Wiggins (an ECCA winner)
• Sara Batts (a 2011 SLA Rising Star)
• Stephen Abram's "Getting Out in Front of the Curve" (slides)
• Zena Applebaum's recap for 3 Geeks and a Law Blog

SLA is an international organization.

Question #5: SLA is an international organization. How can SLA involve and reach out more to members outside of North America?

Hal Kirkwood
Candidate for Director, 2012 SLA Board

SLA prides itself on being an international organization of information professionals with chapters around the globe.  Discussions are held on international topics, sessions are presented focused on international resources, and some members from these non-North American chapters come to the annual conference.

It all feels superficial to me.  If we are truly to become international we must create and strengthen a global community of information professionals.  We have the tools and technologies. Now more than at anytime in the past, we can reach out and communicate, connect, and share with a colleague on the other side of the globe.  Technology is not the hurdle.

Our attitude is the hurdle.  We have to think globally.  We have to think differently.  And act accordingly.

SLA could host semi-annual global forums online using a mix of instant messaging, Skype, virtual environments, and web-based conferencing.

SLA and the divisions should continue to build upon the Click U portal for asynchronous instruction and learning.

SLA could work with the North American chapters and divisions to make an even greater effort to bring info pros from around the world to the annual conference.  This could then facilitate perhaps a conference within the conference, where these members present and highlight their successes and challenges.

There needs to continue to be development of international conferences (there have been a couple so far)..including holding the SLA Annual Conference in a non-North American city. Even if it means 'not' holding a conference in North America for a year so that members can save and plan for it.  This can only strengthen our depth of international connection and committment if we, the North American information professionals and librarians, actually go to these locations...to expand our perspective...and to experience the world out there across the oceans and borders; east, west, and south.

SLA and its North American members, if we are serious about being an international organization, must discuss and consider these issues.  We need to think about overreaching, and pushing ourselves...pushing our colleagues...pushing our way out of our comfort zones to create an even more connected association of international information professionals.

 

Is SLA an International Organisation/Organization?

Candidate Question 5: SLA is an international organization. How can SLA involve and reach out more to members outside of North America?

Finally, a hard question to answer and an important one. I don't know that the answer I give here is the right answer or even on the right track. What I do know is that this is a question that requires the input from our non-North American members and leaders.

While writing  Next-Generation Corporate Libraries and Information Services  and  talking with colleagues in Australia and the United Kingdom my eyes were opened. Information professionals in different countries face similar professional challenges.

• Communicating Value
• Getting and Retaining the Right Position
• Access to the best resources for continuous education and networking.

 

Working with our non-North American colleagues in the context of SLA forces us to face a couple of central challenges: Communication and Understanding.  The communication challenge stems from cultural and language differences.  Understanding is a more complex challenge.  SLA must work to understand what our non-North American members and leaders need.  Are resources needed to help members join and retain membership in SLA?  What are the barriers to SLA membership? Is it cost, is it value for investment, is it justification to upper management?  Or is it simply a question of members asking Why? What's in it for me?"

SLA leaders we must make the conscious effort to ask the correct questions. We must also listen carefully so that we can work towards addressing the issues that our non-North American members face. Assumptions will get us in trouble.

Challenges exist for local meetings for chapters in Australia/New Zealand and other similarly geographically spread out Chapters. SLA must understand the continuous need for these members to connect and keep the tools that meet their needs in working order. In addition to what does work, we must seek new opportunities that are affordable and practical. Listservs, webinars and Skype calls are just a few methods that may be useful.

Who knows what will help the members connect and continue their education? Our members reiterate that education, networking and advocacy are the key reasons for joining and retaining membership.I have no doubt that SLA can provide the tools and opportunities necessary to provide engagement, and advocacy in the international membership. The key to success is remembering SLA is more than an established North American organization – SLA is a growing International Organisation.

Constance Ard
Answer Maven
Candidate Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

SLA Reaching Out Internationally

Debbie Schachter: Candidate, Chapter Cabinet Chair Elect

Question #5: SLA is an international organization. How can SLA involve and reach out more to members outside of North America?

SLA is an international organization and as such, it should be as overtly “international” as possible. Even seemingly small indicators of SLA’s international understanding, as others have suggested, could include using international standards for date formats, using language that reflects an international perspective, and open discussion of economic or local environmental factors that impact our international members, are simple ways of showing that SLA is serious about being outwardly “international”.

There are a number of ways that SLA may want to address this challenge:
• Let’s ask the chapters and divisions what they need: start with more communication and an offer of support specifically for non-north American regions
• Ensure that concerns and issues from non-north American regions are brought to Board and staff for discussion and potential resolution – at the very least international concerns will be clearly heard and discussed even when there is no short-term solution
• Assist chapters to create small regional conferences, either virtually or in person, to build interest in SLA and to provide value to members who cannot attend SLA annual
• Publish more “international” news and information through our SLA communications
• In future, consider a location for an annual conference outside of the U.S. or Canada.

There are undoubtedly many ideas that our members from around the world would be happy to contribute. Perhaps this needs to become a priority for Board and staff in the upcoming years.

Big Data, Bigger Opportunity

Maybe you've heard the term "Big Data"--regardless, you'll want to check out this BIG infographic (source: Get Satisfaction). The term refers to data sets of sizes surpassing what current storage tools can typically accommodate.

A few highlights:

• Projected growth of data generated globally per year: 40%. Projected growth in IT spending: 5%.

• 15 out of 17 sectors in the United States have more data per company than the US Library of Congress.

• The 5 sectors that stand to benefit the most from capturing, analyzing, and utilizing big data (potential worth of that data): 
  • R & D ($108 billion), Clinical ($165 billion), Accounting ($47 billion), Public Health ($9 billion), and New Business Models like aggregation of patient records, online platforms and communities ($5 billion).

The opportunity: data explosion = demand explosion. Specifically, demand for:

• Talent: In a growing number of instances, there is a lack of skilled labor to mine and manage big data. The need to properly analyze data to make informed decisions is a demand that will grow along with the spike in data availability.
  
  
• Legal Support: because data can so easily be copied, intellectual property and copyright issues must be addressed, both immediately and far into the future. This will require the full attention of policy makers and information professionals knowledgeable in digital copyright issues and trends.
  
  
• Research: big data means big implications across multiple sectors. Use of inaccurate data will have serious repercussions locally and across the globe. Human talent will be crucial to making sure big data is managed properly, filling any holes before the data is released for widespread use.

View the full report here (source: "Big Data: The Next Frontier for Innovation, Competition, and Productivity." US Bureau of Labor Statistics / McKinsey Global Institute Analysis).

Links from this post:

• http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/2011/07/13/big-data/?view=socialstudies
• http://blog.getsatisfaction.com/
• http://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/publications/big_data/pdfs/MGI_big_data_exec_summary.pdf

 

SLA as an international organization

Question #5: SLA is an international organization. How can SLA involve and reach out more to members outside of North America?

Marilyn Bromley

Candidate for Director, 2012 SLA Board

 

David Meerman Scott wrote a FutureReady blog post on May 17 in which he said “The world works in real-time now. Speed and agility are an organization’s decisive competitive advantage. The mantra of the day is: communicate quickly. In real-time.”

I am convinced that SLA’s path to growth runs through the world outside North America, but to succeed in gaining and retaining new members in other countries and continents we need to be able to communicate quickly in real-time.

First, we must empower and support our non-NA chapters in their membership recruitment efforts, because the local relationship will always be the first and strongest connection.

Second, SLA needs to have the staff and technology bandwidth to provide extra support to our international members with custom, personalized help with GoToMeeting, Skype, podcast tools, blogs, YouTube, Flicker, and the range of social media tools in common usage today.  What about hiring a few really tech-savvy info pros who like to work from 10pm to 6am and offer them to our non-NA members as a free resource?

Third, as much as possible, help all chapters, divisions and caucuses provide audio and video casts of workshops either live or after the fact.  They also need to offer written transcripts, executive summaries and handouts immediately after the event.  If we can’t communicate in real-time, near real-time is absolutely essential.

Technology is bringing the world together.  Each of us can only act locally, but with global thinking we can ensure the success of our association and our profession.

Research is Alive and Well in SLA

Financial constraints may have put SLA research grants on hold, but not research itself. For proof, check out the contributed papers that were presented at SLA 2011 in Philadelphia.

The papers addressed a variety of topics, with titles ranging from "Libraries and Cloud Computing" to "Leading Future-Focused Scenario Planning Efforts in Knowledge Organizations." A paper titled "Communicating Value through Strategic Alignment," submitted by Melanie Browne of Maple Lead Foods in Toronto, was named the best contributed paper and is published in the July/August issue of Information Outlook.

To read contributed papers from past SLA conferences, click on "Events" on the menu bar of SLA's Website, then click on "Conference Presentations."

 

SLA Reaching Out Internationally

Question #5:  SLA is an international organization. How can SLA involve and reach out more to members outside of North America?
Deb Hunt - Candidate, President-Elect

SLA needs to engage all members, but especially those outside of North America, where we have rapid growth in member numbers.

We need to celebrate the diversity of all members recognizing cultural identities, while embracing common professional ground. We are all passionate about the work we do and that is a strong and powerful connector among us.

Here are some ways that SLA can better meet the needs of these members:

• be more agile with social media tools to meet members and potential members wherever they are, both geographically and technologically
• offer more online CE offerings through ClickU that are reasonably priced and given two to three different times so everyone (no matter their location) can ask live questions during the presentation
• encourage all members to submit proposals for CE webinars so we get a cross-section of members from all over the world
• more aggressively market the virtual annual conference to members outside of North America to interest them in attending the conference online if they cannot attend in person
• encourage active participation at the division level where geography takes a back seat to subject matter or discipline
• stop referring to seasons in the Northern Hemisphere (e.g. Summer) and use months instead (e.g. July) to be inclusive of all our members
• use explicit dates (e.g. August 5, 2011 instead of 8/5/11 which could mean May 8, 2011 in some countries)

 

 

SLA reaching out internationally

Catherine Lavallée-Welch- Candidate, Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

Question #5 SLA is an international organization. How can SLA involve and reach out more to members outside of North America?

The SLA members outside North America represent an incredible opportunity for the association for growth and diversity. But it’s not a one-way street, our international members must find value in their membership; if not, they will leave the association.

Serving our international members is difficult; being a member of the quite unique Florida & Caribbean Chapter, I’m well-placed to see how tough it is to reach our own members who cover one US state and some other 25 nations and countries in our geographical area. It is one of the challenges our Chapter wants to tackle as a participant in the SLA Loyalty Project.

As I said during the Joint Cabinet meeting in Philadelphia, I think Divisions have a great potential to serve international members. There are no geographic limits and there is a commonality of disciplines and interests. At the Annual Conference, I talked about a buddy system between members that have a similar cultural and/or language background. This could be extended to others, members who have an interest in another culture and interested in creating a relationship with a colleagues from Asia, Europe, Africa or Australia and New Zealand.

Facilitating the involvement of members outside North America is also important. Awareness in regards to time zones would be welcome when it comes to scheduling webinars or committee work. Every presentation or webinar should be archived. Meeting minutes should be distributed quickly. If computer access is difficult, maybe a system for print copies is necessary or using document formats that work well with cell phones.

It must be hard to be in an area where you’re the only or one of the few SLA members around. Extra support - logistic, financial or other - might be necessary from the Association to help set up events, workshops and other activities. These are the front window of the Chapters and a great recruiting tool. SLA being one of the rare international associations for information professionals, its global aspects and networking opportunities should definitely be things that need to be highlighted.

Finally, the best way to involve members outside North America and answer their needs is to ask! Let’s ask them what would be helpful and beneficial for them to remain members and recruit new members.

SLA Future Ready Video

In case you missed this Future Ready video at SLA's 2011 Annual Conference, which debuted in front of an audience of 3,000-plus, you can view it for the first time (or take a second look) on SLA's YouTube channel.

Remember: Future Ready means always taking that critical extra step of providing analysis to complement the data you've expertly located. Get inspired with Future Ready, and find the Mia Finder within yourself.

Share a link to this video with colleagues: http://youtu.be/y7BRHloOkxE

2011 President Cindy Romaine on set with the Future Ready cast and crew. This video was produced courtesy of Reprints Desk.

SLA reaching out internationally

SLA is an international organization. How can SLA involve and reach out more to members outside of North America?

David Cappoli
Candidate, President-Elect

From 1972 when SLA established its first units outside of North America with the Europe and Hawaiian-Pacific chapters, to SLA’s Global 2000 Conference held in the U.K., to the launch of the Australia and New Zealand Chapter in 2004, SLA has been an international association. SLA though should explore a number of options that would engage more members throughout the world, as well as reach potential members.

How wonderful it would be for SLA to host an annual conference outside of the U.S. and Canada, but the challenges would be significant. A good number of SLA members, coming mostly from North America, might defer attending such a conference due to difficult economic times that have constricted personal and professional travel budgets. And, vendors, uncertain of attendance numbers, may be wary to sponsor such a conference because their own costs for attendance would be high. But regional conferences focused on timely topics with the majority of the planning at the local level would appeal to members and non-members in or near the region, and could also attract North American members already planning to travel abroad.

Additionally, while travel from association leaders could potentially be affected due to budget cutbacks, virtual visits to chapters throughout SLA could be enhanced.  And since SLA is an international association and as such needs to have a certain level of round-the-clock availability, the timing of these virtual visits could be set by the local chapter so as to best accommodate its members – even if it is noon in London and 4:00am in Los Angeles. Prior to the “visits,” an effort could be made at the association level and locally to ensure that there are options for local members to participate in the leadership visit even if some members are not able to personally run virtual programming due to connectivity problems. This same model might also be used when staging virtual programming at the association level, such as the webinars from Click University, so that the “live” program is not always planned at a time most amenable to only North American members.

SLA can also encourage its units to jointly fund stipends for international members to attend the annual conferences.  These scholarships, such as the ones developed by the Business and Finance Division, SLA Europe, and the SLA Asian Chapter, can help lower the major cost of traveling to and registering for conferences.

2011 Candidate Speeches

Jane Macoustra - 2011 Candidate for Director

Question No 5: "SLA is an international organisation. How can SLA involve and reach out to more members outside of North America?"

As a member of the Boards of SLA Europe and the Asian Chapter, I am acutely aware of the challenges that can be experienced in bringing people together from geographically dispersed regions. Both of these Chapters have members in many different countries, and there are issues that could manifest themselves, so if we don't maintain contact with our members, they might leave SLA. So this question is highly pertinent to my current position.

On the HQ web site, as members, we have access to many resources - including a list of Unit Web Sites. Here: http://www.sla.org/content/community/units/chdivsites/index.cfm There are 56 Chapters, 27 Divisions (excluding sub-divsions and 10 Caucuses, and it occurred to me that we are not exploiting our own data to its fullest. Are we?

So, I thought about having an "Adopt a Member Month" on a global scale. I thought of this because I was unable to attend Philadelphia in person this year and I know that I missed out on some great face-to-face networking opportunities. I joined the new Virtual Group of Philly attendees, so I didn't miss out totally. I don't know how many others didn't get to Philadelphia, not even virtually, but they missed out even more. The way this might work would be to advertise a particular month, and ask all of our members to pick 5 people in that month to make contact with. But they must be people they have never had contact with or met with before, or that spoils the game.

Idea 1] We could use the Unit "classifications" to locate other members on the other side of the world and make contact with them as long as they are not already members of the same Chapters, Divisions or Caucuses.

So for instance, if you are in Bangalore, you could e-mail or skype a member in Italy, California, New York, London, Oman. Someone in the US could select 5 people completely out of their regional jurisdiction.

Idea 2] Because the above is somewhat messy and fragmented, we might ask all of the members in each region to reach out and contact someone in the same Chapter with whom they have never spoken.

Idea3] We ask all members with specific professional interests in Divisions and Caucuses to reach out and contact someone in the same Divisions and Caucuses with whom they have never spoken.

Not only could this be a fun idea, the global reach would get people interacting with each other and even involve a bit of friendly mentoring on the side. It would certainly be a conduit for making a global organisation just that little bit smaller, and people could write about their experiences for Outlook. I wonder what the end report of ineractivity between members would look like?......................now there's a thought.

SLA 2011 Service Project Results

We'd like to thank everyone that contributed to the SLA 2011 service project! By donating clothing items and accessories to the Philadelphia Dress For Success organization, we helped over 350 Philadelphians in need dress professionaly (and feel confident!) in future job interviews.
 
Special thanks also goes to members from the Philadelphia Chapter, who assisted with the logistics of the effort and made much of it possible. SLA has shown once again that together we can accomplish great things!

Interlending and Document Supply Conference

"Resource Sharing in the Digital Age" is the theme for the upcoming Interlending & Document Supply Conference, sponsored by IFLA and ALA.  The event will take place 19-21 September in Chicago.

The conference sessions will focus on interlibrary loan practices and services, plus other types of resource sharing including cooperative collection development, consortial borrowing, purchase on demand, and shared print repositories.

Specific topic areas include copyright and licensing, ethics, HathiTrust, and global implications of resource sharing.

Learn more on the conference site.

Knowledge Professionals Alliance Formed

The Dow Jones Knowledge Professionals Alliance was launched a few weeks ago at the SLA 2011 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO.

The mission:

"Via this community, we will learn from each other, share insights and techniques and strengthen our professional expertise."

You might like to check out answers to the first question ("Are social media sites sustainable business tools?"), provided by Janice Lachance (CEO, SLA), Daniel Lee (SLA Board of Directors), Scott Brown (SLA member, owner, Social Information Group), and others. What do you think? Weigh in with your own comments!

 

Attn: SLA Members - Let’s Make Our Voices Louder

SLA members are leading the way for special librarians and knowledge professionals.  As a member of SLA, you have committed yourself to staying on top of trends, networking with your peers, and you continue to educate yourself and your employer on issues that matter to you. 

Is there someone you know that should be an SLA member?  A colleague or friend that would be an ideal candidate for membership?   Please invite them to join.  Let’s increase our impact and make our voices louder.  Visit www.sla.org/recruit to learn how you can participate and win fabulous prizes.   

For additional information, contact Michelle Garvin at mgarvin@sla.org or +1.703.647.4900.

SLA 2011 Photos Now Available

Photos from the 2011 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO are now available. See instructions and guidelines below. If you are going to download or order printed photos, do so before mid-September; they will be hosted online until then.

Access Instructions:

• visit: www.thephotogroup.com (copy and paste into your browser)
• click the left box: online images
• enter your access code: slamembers
• images are categorized by event in the left-hand column
• clicking on a category will take you to a page of thumbnail images
• click an image to view the larger version. You will have the option to download the images, order prints, or add them to your Lightbox -- similar to an "add to cart" feature
• prices are reflected on the right side for ordering prints and downloading high-res photos
• you can also download a lower resolution photo by selecting download, then the "for web" option

Photo Credit:

• Credit should be given if any photos are going to be used in journals, publications, newspapers, or on your blog/personal website.
• For instance: "(c) The Photo Group 2011 - All Rights Reserved"
• Credit on Facebook, Flickr, or similar is always appreciated. Use where feasible.

Any questions? Contact jwalsh@sla.org

Enjoy!

2011 Candidate Speeches

Jane Macoustra - 2011 Candidate for Director

1. “Tell us about yourself and your primary candidacy message”.

Hello, My name is Jane Macoustra and I am standing as a candidate in the 2011 elections for the Directors’ position. I am from the UK, just south of London. I have been an information professional for 30 years, working in different industries such as oil and gas, investment banking, finance, law, compliance and taxation. In more recent times I have worked as a consultant, and I am currently an Editor for a New York publisher, creating a daily tax current awareness service for business users. My extensive work experience has taken me across the world, and I spent 2 ½ years with my young children working in Hong Kong.

I joined SLA in 2000, and attended my first conference in 2000 – in Philadelphia. BY 2001 I was in Asia, so I joined the Asian Chapter, and then its Chapter Board in 2002, as a Director. At that time the Chapter was small – just in its infancy. By the time I returned to the UK, I had gained a valuable understanding of the Asian culture and values. I’d been exposed to more than one Asian country, and could clearly see the diversity of such an amazing region. I became President of the Asian Chapter in 2005 and 2006 and during this time, I received very sound and solid assistance from HQ in the USA, as I brought a new Board for Asia together. Any time I needed advice, it was available to me. The Asian Chapter found a bigger voice under this new leadership, where the leaders came from Singapore, Tokyo, Australia, India and Hong Kong – and of course – the UK! Today it is a 300 member thriving community, spanning a large geographical region. In 2007 I was awarded the Presidential Citation Award for this work, but it wouldn’t have been possible to achieve such amazing results without a great team of people – the work of many.

Now, I work on the Board of SLA Europe. I can attend remote Board meetings when I can’t get to London, and SLA Europe – being another geographically dispersed community – utilises new technology to harness the communication systems available to it.

My primary candidate massage to you is that working for SLA is highly rewarding and enjoyable and affords me the opportunity to use the knowledge I have gained over the last 30 years for the benefit of others. I am standing as a candidate because I would like the opportunity to work as part of the leadership team, and offer others the same support and advice I received when I first joined SLA and became an active Board member. It’s my turn to give something back to you and work at a higher level for you.

Times are challenging for me on a personal level this Summer, and that is why I have a Virtual Component Conference Ticket, and won’t be attending Philadelphia in person. I’ll be leaving Skype on during the conference. My Skype ID is jane.macoustra. Connect and call me with any questions! I’ll be Twittering as “WorldResearcher” and you can follow me there, and I’ll be blogging on the SLA Blog and on Blogger at Jane’s Global Researcher Blog. It would be great to hear from you!

Question 2. The information industry is constantly changing (the players, the technologies, the information availability needs etc). Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures.

As an information professional of 30 years, my career began when office equipment consisted of paper records and a typewriter. I could never have guessed that so many changes and challenges would face Info Pros throughout their careers. Membership of SLA is a great resource for all members, and I personally find membership to be of massive benefit. As the resource offerings grow, I still find it difficult to look through the website and say "we don't need that anymore", because a particular service may be needed by one person, but not by another.

Let me give just 3 examples.

1. I note that Community of Practice is no longer with us. I don't find that a problem because we have so many new ways of communicating globally that it is now irrelevant. However, if it had been removed in 2006, the Asian Chapter would have been lost without it. We used it for our Board meetings.

2. The Committees and Councils are very relevant and important to our work, and we need to continue to provide their services to members, giving them a specialist section to look to for advice.

3. What about the hard copy of Information Outlook? Well, I can and do - read it online, but not every SLA member has electronic access. The person half way up a mountain in Bhutan with a library collection in his village, with intermittent (if any) Internet connection is going to value his paper copy. That's an exaggeration, but you know what I mean. It's called Timing. When do you call time on paper copies? Which members are most likely to be affected? Will they leave SLA if we change too quickly and too radically?

Arguments can be made for and against any one set of services in an exercise of priority setting. My vote for what *must continue* is SLA's ability to connect members to each other. SLA is the conduit for information professionals to have stronger global connections with each other and to be less fragmented regardless of the industry in which they work. Today, SLA uses important training techniques via features such as Click U, Wiki, Blogs, SLA TV, Second Life, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn et al -- tomorrow, the tools may be different. But we must always find ways to support members in working together on the many projects that enable them to contribute so positively to their organizations and thus to society.

People Are the Future

Almost everything today has a technology-based solution. This fact highlighted what was one of the biggest take-aways from my first SLA Annual Conference: the best information solutions walk around on two legs.

The idea of connection and service on a personal level played out in both keynote speeches, the few sessions I was able to pop into, and impromptu conversations and comments such as this one: “He was giving me materials I didn’t even know I was interested in, and on topics that I didn’t even realize related to my project.’” (Someone on the convention center support staff recounted this story to an SLA member during a chat between sessions on Monday.)

The member he was speaking to was quick to point out, “And that’s the best kind of librarian. They know what you want before you even do.”

I almost snuck away to write this exchange down, but realized it wasn’t necessary. It really stuck with me. Yes, we use technology all the time to improve our efficiency, and it’s a necessity to embrace its use. But no tech tool will ever be able to learn about people the way people can learn about each other.  “What kind of information aids this decision?” “How is that info delivered so this person will absorb the results most effectively?” These are questions that are answered by human beings.

We’ll be highlighting some of SLA 2011’s content in the September issue of Information Outlook. In the meantime, keep the blog posts, session slides, and #SLA2011 tweets flowing.

SLA 2011 Candidate Speeches

Hal Kirkwood, Candidate for Director.

Candidates panel June 12 at LDI
SLA Annual Conference, Philadelphia, 2011

Question 1:  Tell us about yourself and your primary candidate message

In 1993, a professor from the SLIS program at the University of South Carolina took a small group of students to the SLA Annual Conference in Cincinnati.  He was a strong proponent for SLA and wanted to expose us to the variety of options within the library and infromation science field.  This trip exposed me to a wealth of opportunities.  The overwhelming experiences of key-note speakers, sessions, vendors, (and vendor parties), open houses, and the incredibly bright and welcoming people.

In 1995, I attended the SLA Conference in Montreal, serving on a panel on innovative use of the World Wide Web.  As just a baby librarian, I presented on collecting links to free country resources to supplement our holdings; this was a necessity due to our small budget.  At the time this was innovative, now it seems quaint.

In Boston at the 1996 SLA Conference I attended a Business & FInance Division Board Meeting and proposed the need for a Division Website.  I thus became the first webmaster for the Business & Finance Division.  Since then I have served as the Indiana Chapter Webmaster, College & University Business Librarians Section Chair, Division Awards Chair, Session and CE Course Presenter, and Business & Finance Division Chair for the 2007 Denver Conference.

I have learned, shared, collaborated, connected, networked with librarians and information professionals from all over the world.  I have developed professional relationships and personal friendships that have proven invaluable in so many ways.

It is paramount that SLA strive to deliver on promised services.  The leadership must admit to and develop solutions for the current challenges facing our members.  We must provide the right tools and support for our members to succeed.  We must grow the membership by reaching out to new information professionals, mid-career professionals, international professionals, and professionals in related fields.

The feedback loop between the members and the Board of Directors must be improved and strengthened.  The Board must be responsive...ALWAYS.  The Board must empower our fellow members to succeed in their jobs...to succeed in finding their next job.  The importance of being a part of something larger is what SLA is all about. 

I have been a librarian for 17 years and this is my 15th Annual Conference.  I am the Assoc Head of the Roland G. Parrish Library of Management & Economics at Purdue University.  My name is Hal Kirkwood.

Question #2:  The information industry is constantly changing (the players, the technologies, the information availability & needs, etc.). Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures. What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready?

It would be simple to stand here and run through a list of SLA resources and services that we should keep or get rid of. The Association Management System should consistently work for the divisions and chapters; the SLA Web site could be streamlined and made more usable; strengthen the First Five Years project and perhaps develop a similar program for mid-career members...etc etc. 

However, what it means to me to be Future Ready is to accept the present.  A phrase that has garnered some press of late is The New Normal.  Are we now in a New Normal?  This serious economic downturn continues.  SLA Members are dealing with frustrating employment challenges.  All of us must cope with rapid, constant technological changes. 

Regardless of the specific services SLA is now offering we must:

• Be affordable.  The tiered membership structure is a start.  Perhaps a tiered conference registration should be considered.
• Leverage the strength of our members.  Continue the positive energy that comes out of the Annual Conference by developing initiatives and channels of communication throughout the year.
• Integrate members career activities with conference activities.  Make the benefits of membership clear throughout the year as SLA serves as a regular source of support and guidance for members.

There is, from my perspective, a disconnect between the Board and the regular members.  I am a regular member and if I become a member of the Board I will still be a member.  Any of you, potentially, could be here where I stand doing this, and none of us should forget that. We must focus on member benefits, member value.  Everything must answer the question 'how will this help the members?'

Whoever is elected to serve on the Board will have to make tough choices for the longevity of the Association.  To be Future Ready, we all must do things differently in this 'new normal' environment.

SLA 2011 Candidate Speech - Joint Cabinet Meeting

Catherine Lavallée-Welch- Candidate, Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

Question #1 Tell us about yourself and your primary candidate message

Bonsoir,

Je m’appelle Catherine Lavallée-Welch et je suis candidate pour la position de Division Cabinet Chair-Elect.

I have been active in SLA since 2000, right after starting my first job in the US. I’m a member of the Academic, IT and Sci-Tech divisions and a member of the Baseball Caucus. My home chapter is the Florida and Caribbean Chapter. I’ve held several leadership positions in chapters and divisions, notably as the Chair of the IT Division and Secretary of the Sci-Tech Division.

I’m currently the Director of an academic library. In the past, I’ve been a records manager, an information broker, an entrepreneur and I’ve developed Internet projects for the non-profit and co-op sectors. I’ve worked in my native province of Québec, Canada, the US and in Europe.

I’ve always felt at ease with SLA because of my varied background. I like the mix of corporate, government, academic and other work environments. I think we can always learn from each other, even if our environments differ.

The international aspect of SLA is another big attraction for me. When the world is your territory, the potential for growth is just simply formidable.

I think Divisions have the potential to attract more members from outside North America and, that way, increase membership in SLA. Because, and this is not a dig at Chapters - I have warm feelings towards them - too, I think it’s probably at the division level that members can experience the full range and the full diversity of SLA. There are no geographic limits as membership is based on discipline or interest.

How could we attract those international members and get them more involved? What services could be of particular interest? What kind of special support do they need? Online professional development archives? Networking? How about some mentoring? I was talking two years ago with with a European member who, like me, is a French-speaking info pro who immigrated to an English-speaking country. We were discussing if a buddy system could be set up between members that have a similar cultural and/or language background. For example, French-Canadian members could mentor new members from France. American members of Hispanic origins with new members from South or Central America. Could that help develop the feeling of engagement?

I think Divisions are so important to SLA; I think it’s when you’re engaged at the Division level that the sense of belonging is the strongest. If elected as Chair-Elect of the Division Cabinet, I would like to work to solidify SLA’s position as a truly international association.

 

Question #2 The information industry is constantly changing (the players, the technologies, the information availability & needs, etc.). Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures. What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready?

What an interesting question! And one that has far-ranging consequences for the Association!

What do members want from their professional association: traditionally, networking, training and career services.

Those needs might be different now because the sources of those services don’t necessarily have to come from an association. I can connect with other librarians through Facebook and Twitter. Multiple organizations and presenters are putting up webinars and slideshows online for free.

Well where is the opportunity for SLA? How to provide for these needs with an added value and in a Future Ready way?

For me, being future ready means being agile, being just-in-time, being open to change, being ready to learn, always.

I think for many years Divisions have been used to get a wide range of services and tools from HQ. Now that there are more financial, technological, environmental challenges, the association needs to be very strategic and flexible with which of those services, tools and functions it should offer. What gives the more bang for the buck?

It may be time for a certain change of relationship between the units and HQ. It may be time for the Divisions to become more involved, to become more of a partner for the association instead of just being a customer. In the long run, it can equalize us, unify us and strengthen the association as a whole if we partner on the things that really matters.

If you have attended the Leadership Development Institute, you have already heard other candidates talk about alternative models for the conferences. Can we look at the Leadership Summit as well? Can we make it virtual, with actual training for several board positions, which allow to reach not just the Chairs and Chair-Elects, but also the Treasurers, Secretaries, Webmasters, etc. those people who usually do not attend the Summit?

Divisions have already been active in professional development activities with online seminars or other events, sometimes in collaboration with other divisions, chapters and caucuses. This should be encouraged.

I’m a fervent user of social media and believe more emphasis should be given to those tools and to mobile technology. Should we still have listserves? Static lists of resources on our websites? A print magazine sent to every member?

The challenge is how to make SLA future-ready, like its members. And make it not only attractive, but irresistible. How do we make it meet the needs that our current members have *now* and, that way, attract new members at the same time. As Thomas Friedman said during his keynote address, let’s find our extra fruit.

Thank you, merci.

SLA Candidate Speeches

Candidates panel June 12 at LDI

SLA Annual Conference, Philadelphia, 2011

Marilyn Bromley, Candidate for Director

Question #1 - Tell us about yourself and your primary candidate message

My mother set a good example when I was growing up with her involvement in many organizations in our community. In 1978 I got my first library job running a one-person library for a consulting firm. Their research demands were intense, so I joined SLA and got involved in the DC Chapter because I knew I needed to network to succeed in my new job.

But I didn’t just join to network, I got involved.

I have been president of the DC Chapter and served two three-year terms as chapter treasurer.  I was Legal Division program planner for the Denver conference and have been their Awards & Grants chair for three years. I am currently Past Chair of the Social Science Division.  I have also been on several association-level committees including Finance, Bylaws, and Association Governance.

I began working at the BNA Library in 1983 and have attended every annual conference since 1984, demonstrating my commitment to SLA and the profession, my focus on continual learning, and my recognition of the value of member-to-member networking.

So, who will I be if I’m elected to the SLA board?

I’ll be someone who is approachable and a good listener… who is responsive and follows-thru…. Someone who is engaged and enthusiastic, who facilitates collaboration and good decision-making…. Someone who is a strategic thinker and helps to create the future by working with others. 

I want to serve on the Board as a way to give back to SLA and its members as thanks for all that I have gained through the years…  I want to “live the value” of membership to new members and non-members, and be a mentor and role model. 

SLA provides members with opportunities for continual learning and networking, opportunities to experiment with new technologies and new roles, to learn new skills, to learn how to network if you’re a new professional, to prepare for your Encore years if you’re not, to stay flexible and light on one’s feet, to make life-long friends … to have fun.  I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

 

Question #2 - The information industry is constantly changing (the players, the technologies, the information availability & needs, etc.).  Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures.  What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready?

 My company has recently adopted the agile approach to new product development.  Agile development ensures products are user-centered and solve a clearly defined user need.  Agile products require a flexible design because they are never “done” - they are continually measured and updated based on user feedback.  Agile team members are forward-thinking, adaptable, innovative, open-minded and committed.

 With the success of the Future Ready blog and the quality of the posts, it’s clear that many SLA members are “agile” thinkers and doers.  SLA, for many valid reasons, however, is not quite the model of an agile organization. 

In order to know what SLA should keep doing and what needs to be revised or eliminated…. according to agile principles…. members need to be asked.

Since that would take longer than 3 minutes, here is what I think…

The annual conference is a must keep - it is our premier learning and networking event.  The Info-Expo is a huge timesaver for members and provides our vendor partners with a large number of “qualified leads.”

Expand the virtual and unconference formats.  Having only one keynote speaker would allow additional time for sessions and unit meetings.

Hold CE courses only on Sunday morning, all should be half day only.  Other CE courses should be offered through ClickU OR offered to groups of chapters/divisions to sponsor as an in-person & virtual event.

Keep the chapter and division structure – so many members don’t attend the conference & the units are where most members connect with their colleagues.

Expand the student membership program – they are the future.  Get them before they graduate so that they stay members no matter where they end up working, either in a traditional or non-traditional job.  We need to provide more association support to chap/divs in this effort.  Keep the First 5 Council and get them more involved with student groups.

Information Today – publish it in PDF only, push the email link to all members.  Reduce the number of association-level blogs (by my count there are 8) to no more than 2 or 3.

Continue the Salary Survey and expand the usefulness of the Calculator.

the Resources  collection (on sla.org) – Survey what is important to members, keep only those which can be kept up-to-date, and eliminate the rest.

Career center – a valuable member benefit, publicize to all members thru email and encourage them to forward to their HR department for listing info pro jobs thru-out the company.

SLA 2011 Candidate Speeches

Ann Koopman - Candidate for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

Question 1:  Tell us about yourself and your primary candidate message 

I’d like to win your vote on the basis of my experience. 

While I’m also a member of BIO, IT & Academic Divisions, Sci-Tech is where I have done my division-level volunteering.  I’ve programmed 2 conventions for Sci-Tech, along with lots of local programs for my chapters. It’s fun and creative work.  For example, I started the popular “Science of…” series, now an annual event.   I’ve planned all types of events and stood on both sides of the podium.  I would bring a lot of planning experience to the leadership development events and to helping you with your plans.

While chair of Sci-Tech, I addressed our declining membership issues.  I asked our Awards Committee to start a new form of recognition of member milestones, studied our email list data and changed our communication patterns.  I raised money so our International Relations Committee could offer new travel support for our international students.  I reactivated and filled all of our committees to engage the next generation of division leaders, and reorganized our structure to cope with reduced allotment.  So when you need advice or want to talk about your great idea for your division, you’ll know I’ve been in your shoes.

Amazingly enough, I like to think about money.  I’ve owned a small business, run a political actional committee, led community coops, and served many terms as treasurer, business or budget manager for SLA Sci-Tech, Philadelphia Chapter, and an MLA/SLA multi-chapter regional conference, not to mention fundraising for 3 SLA conferences. 

I approach money constructively.  For example, when I first became its treasurer, the Philadelphia Chapter wanted to give an annual scholarship award, but was struggling with funding.  I convinced the chapter to start an annual auction program to fund an award endowment, chaired a committee to document award policies, and persuaded the board to adopt financial goals to fully fund the award for the foreseeable future.  Earlier today the chapter’s treasurer told me they’re going to reach their goal this year – they’ve raised $50,000! Hurray, Philly!  So when the Association Board or an individual division needs to talk about fiscal issues, I have a long record of positive development.

You’ve probably seen me tooling around the conference in my scooter, and may wonder about my ability to serve.  It’s true that I have had to fight my way back from some health issues over the last few years.  But I am back.  You won’t see me out dancing at midnight, and this voice is a bit hoarse, but when you call me, I’ll be ready to listen; when you need support, I’ll be there for you; and I can always find a way to be heard when I speak for my office.

 

Question #2:  The information industry is constantly changing (the players, the technologies, the information availability & needs, etc.). Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures. What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready?

SLA’s value lies in the building of relationships between members as professionals in a growing and learning community of peers.   As a community, we’ve agreed on basic things we want to do together:

• Continuous professional education
• Standards and accountability
• Advocacy for our interests
• Self-perpetuation through the development of new leaders and fiscal strength

These core goals won’t change, but how we approach them will necessarily change over time as technology evolves.

For example, I think a future ready organization needs to make sure its tent is big and its doors are open.  The more we can do to collaborate with others across the information professions, expanding our peer group beyond the MLS, the better.  I’m proud to have graduated from a library school and consider myself a librarian, but my degree is an MA and my job title is Editor.  I work with a whole variety of information and education specialists; our joint work is enriched by that collaboration.  SLA could be enriched by enlarging our membership scope, collaborating with other associations on the events we hold, and seeking common ground with information-related peers.   

We need to continue to experiment with alternative technologies for meetings and program content, as SLA and many of our divisions and chapters have already been doing, finding ways to bridge geographic and travel challenges, especially for our international members. 

That also means we need to constantly evaluate our financial support model so that our funding is less dependent on one annual event whose nature is clearly in some flux.  As an ACRL member, I saw the heavy marketing for this year’s “need to know” track to regional non-SLA members, and that’s a terrific idea, as is our experiment with a virtual component. We need many more such ideas.

All good communities are strengthened by transparency and effective communication.  We’ve been working hard on that with new website support, wikis, blogs and Twitter.  At the same time, we need to constantly work on outreach skills - developing unit leader public relations skills, modeling positive and supportive communications, and figuring out how to engage our new members so they get hooked on SLA, just like us.  

Invitation, acceptance of diversity, celebration, role modeling, sharing, collaboration, experimentation, engagement – these are the magic words of community building.  To have a successful association, we all need to be community organizers. 

Candidate Question #2 at the Leadership Development Institute

The information industry is constantly changing (the players, the technologies, the information availability & needs, etc.).  Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures.  What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready?

David Cappoli
Candidate, President-Elect

To move forward and be responsive, we, as the members of SLA, must evaluate every service, function and feature that our membership provides to us and decide what is required to help us succeed in our organizations, and what has run its course.  As an example, should funding for research development grants be funneled to another resource that benefits a greater number of members?  We need to determine what benefits are highly valued, and what we will continue to value, because any investment today must continue to reap rewards for us.

Specifically, we need to enhance SLA’s virtual presence, review the communication methods utilized by SLA, and we must look hard at the current conference revenue model to see if it is sustainable.

A more vibrant and robust virtual presence should enable us to learn and network when not at conferences or face-to-face meetings.  It should allow us to connect with one another when we need to do so.  A strong virtual presence should provide both a platform to support online programming at all levels, and a clearinghouse for the diverse webinars developed not just at the association level, but by all of the units as well.  Chapters and divisions are actively working on virtual programming that could easily appeal to those outside their units, as well as potential members.

We also need to review the many communication methods that SLA uses to connect with us, from Information Outlook, to a variety of discussion lists, to blogs, Facebook groups, and LinkedIn, to be certain that information is comprehensive and consistent.  And even though we are all accomplished information professionals, such clarity of communication will help us find what we need when we need it.

And finally, the conference revenue model … is it sustainable?  Beyond our commitments in the next couple of years, do we need to consider hosting major conferences every other year, regional conferences or joint conferences with other organizations as viable options?  Regional conferences, such as the ones staged by the Florida and Caribbean Chapter, have the appeal of requiring less funding and fewer days off for us to attend – though the planning and support for such conferences are still extensive.  And when I think of joint conferences with other organizations, the successful meetings put together by SLA Philadelphia with the Medical Library Association, come to mind.

To be nimble, agile, and responsive, we must be willing to evaluate everything that we do now; consider the importance of each piece; and, be ready to have the courage to make changes.  And this is a process which must occur very soon.

Thank you.

Candidate Question #1 at the Leadership Development Institute

Tell us about yourself and your primary message.

David Cappoli
Candidate, President-Elect

Good morning.  Before I begin, I want to thank the members on this year’s Nominations Committee for giving me the opportunity to be a candidate for President-Elect.

[Newspaper clipping demo using paper and venetian blind.]

When I joined the L.A. Herald Examiner’s Editorial Library in the mid-1980s, this is what I did on my first day of work – for 8 hours.  I was the first step on a news clipping’s route to the news archive.  I was the newbie at the Herald-Ex, and having been a journalism and sociology major in college, I took the only newspaper opening available in Los Angeles for someone really wet behind the ears.  After a while I began to ponder the world of news librarianship and graduated from clipping news articles.  The Library Director, Ann Sausedo, took an interest in me and invited me to join her at an SLA conference in Denver.  I had never been to any sort of conference before and I had a wonderful time.  And the piece that stuck with me the most about that SLA conference was not the great sessions that I attended – there were none on groundbreaking techniques for clipping a newspaper – or the exhibits.  It was the people.  The people who openly shared the diversity of their experiences.  The people who spoke with candor. The people who offered guidance.   It was about the people then, and it is about the people now.

And this is why, since being asked to run for President-Elect, I have focused on the terms renewal and engagement.  From students, to those new to the profession, to established professionals (notice how I did not use seasoned pros or war veterans here), to those near or in retirement, we as leaders need to connect to these people and engage their participation in SLA.  We can learn and benefit from all of their experiences.

Working with students at UCLA for some time, they continually invigorate me with their enthusiasm for the future even when faced with a tough job market as is the case in California.  Their grasp of new ways of thinking about age old problems reinforces my faith in the information profession, and their willingness to give even while immersed in course work astounds me.  But we need to help these students and new professionals by being the bridge between their education and their professional lives. And while we have begun to do so with the creation of the FutureReady toolkit, we can do more.  A study worth noting is the Workforce Issues in Library & Information Science 2 report released in 2010 that surveyed alumni in the first five years following graduation.  84% of these newly minted professionals held membership in a professional association, but only 18% held some sort of office in an association.  And more than 70% noted that they are willing to pay for their own continuing education.

While we need to tap those coming into the profession, we also need to engage our international network of experienced members to draw from their knowledge and leadership potential.  To do so, we need to look at ways in which the association can engender a greater sense of belonging, inclusion, and loyalty through more transparent and consistent communication.  One of the strengths of SLA has been the ease by which a member can develop leadership skills and this needs to be conveyed to those undiscovered experts.  Of special note is the SLA Encore survey which focused on those members who are retired or have been SLA members for more than 20 years.  When asked if they saw themselves actively involved with SLA going forward, 47% agreed.

SLA has always provided me with a rich network of support, professional development, and opportunities for growing my leadership potential, and I look forward to showing this value to new, continuing and potential members.

Thank you.

SLA Joint Cabinet Candidate Speech: Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

I am Constance Ard: business owner, information professional, volunteer, gardener and struggling fly fisherman. I am not unique. Each of us have a multitude of responsibilities and interests. We have chosen to give our time, energy and capacity to SLA because we get something of high value back for our investment. Relating that value is important.

In an age of interrupting technology that keeps us connected it is sometimes difficult to THINK. When I was asked to run for the board, I took time to THINK. I know that this volunteer job is an important one that has an effect on our members. I did not want to take it on unless I could truly give it the effort and ability necessary to be successful. So you may wonder what does Success look like for this position.

Success is working on behalf of the chapters to assist them in overcoming their challenges while balancing the realities of running the association's business. For me this means concentrating on a few key elements:

• Harnessing the Knowledge of our Chapters in an Easy to use method that allows leaders to benefit from our foundations.

• Bridging the generation gaps

• Using the right tools in the right context to serve our members.

Harnessing our knowledge means making the best practices, the known home runs and the known failures easily accessible. This leads to mentoring and developing new leaders and makes the organization more sustainable.

• There are generational issues on both ends of the spectrum

Librarians are learners. Our Encore members have a lot to give and a lot to gain. So do our Rising Members. We must embrace the knowledge and ideas of all members to continue providing High Value to the organization. This is a two way street that will lead to exciting opportunities.

• Using the right tools in the right context. Technology is not always the best answer. SLA's strength comes from it people. Many of our members feel that it is the personal connection that is most important. For some chapters, personal networking opportunities are challenging.

Working with Chapters to find a way to connect in a way that brings members together is an intriguing project and I love projects.

If we can work on these three things we will strengthen SLA.

The information industry is constantly changing (the players, the technologies, the information availability & needs, etc.). Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures. What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready? 3 Minutes

The education and networking must be preserved.

The method of delivering those opportunities probably needs to be reevaluated. The process has already begun with a spark from John DiGilio on Continuing Education. We should continue seeking ways to offer affordable education opportunities that are accessible to the members who do not attend the Annual conference. Webinars have been shown as an effective means of delivering valuable content in an accessible method.

Regional meetings are another method that can work. It is an opportunity to enhance the collaboration between Chapters, Divisions and even other information and knowledge organizations. And it provides that personal connection that our members want and expect.

A few years ago I worked with the Kentucky and Cincinnati Chapters and the Legal Division as well as the AALL Private Law Librarian Special Interest Section collaborated for a one day conference that had great content, excellent attendance and brought in new members, re-energized veteran members and recruited new volunteers.

We must not ignore the impact that these changes could have on our relationships with Vendors. I think there are great opportunities in this format and I think the Chapters can take the lead if they have a structure in place that makes the planning process easier.

We must market differently to attract more information architects, product developers and other non-traditional information professionals. We must do this at the chapter level in order to build that local base of membership.

In person networking for some chapters is a difficult challenge. We must understand which tools work and help the chapters take the best advantage of those tools.

Staffing – We must review the services offered to our members in light of the reduced staffing and their increased duties. What works? What doesn't?

Communication is a problem in this organization. The channels are multitude and the messaging is not necessarily consistent across all of the channels. Perhaps we need to reduce or revise how we distribute content.. When and how? Do we have a strategy for the new communication channels or are we just pumping information out without an end purpose in mind.

There are multiple challenges and multiple opportunities. Being thoughtful will help us find the right questions and the right Answers.

Constance Ard
Answer Maven
Candidate Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SLA 2011 Candidate Speeches

Deb Hunt - Candidate, SLA President-Elect

Question #1: Tell us about yourself and your primary candidate message.

Trends related to LIS employment show that in 2007, 15% of employers were not libraries and in 2008, that number jumped to 27%.  In this same study, an analysis of emerging jobs outside of libraries shows a wide variety of titles: emerging technologies librarian, usability analyst, information architect, and more. With these types of titles in mind, the skills required and requested by employers continue to expand and change, including web design and maintenance, taxonomy creation, knowledge of metadata standards, etc.

I’ve demonstrated my adaptability and flexibility as my career has taken many turns. A few years ago, I was laid off from my job at the Exploratorium after 14 years of working there. I was able to ramp up my consulting firm, but it was still a big adjustment. Over the years, my consulting work has evolved in a way that I think mirrors what I see happening in the job market for us as information professionals. When I started consulting many years ago, I mostly did value-added research and library design and automation. Soon my library automation clients asked me how they could organize their internally created documents so they would be as easily accessible as the library collection. That is how I added document and enterprise content management to the services I offer. Most of my clients are not libraries.

As Stephen Abram noted (I’m paraphrasing here): “LIS skills are good currency, but only for those with the flexibility and insight to exploit the opportunities. “

This is one of the reasons I headed up the creation of SLA’s 23 Things and its recent update. We have core skills and have resources to add to them and our value. We have the tools at our disposal to chart our career path rather than let others determine where and when we are needed.

We must add flexibility, insight, and recognition of opportunity to our essential core skills! We need to move outside our comfort zone and reflect on our accomplishments so we can communicate them to current, future and prospective employers or clients. Else, how will they know what we can do and what we bring to the table?

So why am I running for SLA President-Elect?
I bring proven leadership skills to this position. I have prior experience as a Director on the SLA Board of Directors, as Chapter President and in many other leadership positions in the San Francisco Bay Region Chapter and in SLA divisions. I’m an innovator as the creator and team leader of SLA’s 23 Things. The 23 Things contributed to a mindset change for SLA members and enabled us to embrace new technologies, new tools, get ahead of our users and to lead rather than follow. I know how to get things done, grow new leaders, and create and strengthen programs for our members.

I see my colleagues struggling with layoffs and job insecurity. Yet there are vast opportunities for information professionals and I want to see us benefit from those opportunities.

I’ve thought long and hard about how to express where we need to go as a profession and the phrase that best expresses this is career sustainability which I have adopted as my candidacy theme. Career sustainability is about growing in our jobs now and in future jobs as we continue to deepen our expertise and experience.

Many LIS jobs are not coming back or are coming back in a whole different way. We are all in this together in the challenging job market. We need to be resilient taking our skills with us no matter where we go.

I believe that we have much potential and energy to move forward to career sustainability. We can make change happen. No one else is going to do it for us. We have to be ready to leap off the edge into the future, not blindly, but prepared as much as possible while taking some risk to get where we want and need to be.

I’ve started a LinkedIn group called Career Sustainability and I hope you’ll join the discussion and share your questions and ideas there.

We can build on our past, but we must look ahead to the future. Like other professional associations, SLA is experiencing a downturn in member numbers but people will join and stay if it’s a sustainable and valuable professional association.

I’m passionate about what I do and what we can do as a profession. Together we can create a more healthy and sustainable future as we grow our skillset and shout from the rooftops the value that we bring to our employers, potential employers and clients. I would appreciate your vote for me as SLA President-Elect. Will you join me in this endeavor of career sustainability?

#2.  The information industry is constantly changing. Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures. What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready?

a. What should be changed?
We need to look at how other associations are thriving in this economic environment and learn from them. Then, we need to make some tough decisions of what works best for SLA and its members so that we are sustainable both as an association and as a profession.

Additionally, while professional development is a high priority for our members, the model of pre-conference continuing education courses is not working well.  ClickU low cost webinars such as the one Rebecca Jones recently did cost just $49 for members. The Illinois Chapter recently hosted a guest speaker and the cost to attend that webinar was $10. These low cost webinars often sell out and are just what our members need at a cost they can afford. And the SLA Europe Chapter provides valuable free continuing education podcasts in 15-minute segments that cover timely topics for our members. SLA needs to provide a way for our units to be able to easily present virtual professional development and to make those presentations available to all members.

Recently I did a presentation to the Silicon Valley chapter about the SLA website. It is so deep and full of information that most members do not realize what is there for them. We need to make the website easier to navigate and utilize analytics for what is used and what is not, so we can right-size it.

We need to be better attuned to our members outside of North America learning what they want and need from SLA so we can engage them more fully.

b. What should be preserved?
We need to preserve the transparency about what SLA is doing. The SLA staff and Board of Directors often work on important matters for a long time before they are rolled out to members. We need to make sure that members are as comfortable with and informed about these issues as the Board is.

The FutureReady 365 blog is an excellent example of a virtual meeting and sharing venue where we’ve heard from many members about topics ranging from change and how to manage it, to career agility and building our skillset. This type of sharing brings us together, showcases our strengths and areas for improvement, and most importantly provides solutions for us to be a sustainable profession.

SLA as a whole and SLA units need to continue to interact and collaborate with other information and library associations. I believe we can learn from their successes and also recruit new members, especially when we show them the ROI on our membership fees with member benefits such as the Alignment Toolkit, the 23 Things, the Futureready blog and ClickU.

The world has changed, our jobs are changing and we must look ahead to remain a viable organization and profession, identifying and acting upon growth areas and opportunities, for members who are new to the profession, in their mid or post-mid-career years or retired or nearing retirement.

 

SLA 2011 Candidate Speeches

Debbie Schachter - Candidate, Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

Question #1: Tell us about yourself and your primary candidate message.

I am an information professional with more than 20 years of experience working in a variety of environments and positions – from news librarian to IT support to Manager and Director roles in legal, social service and currently public library environments.

And I consider myself a lifelong learner.

I write and teach – I have taught special librarianship and currently I teach supervision in a library technician program. I also write a regular column on information centre management topics for Information Outlook.

I see great value in Associations and the role that they play in our careers, and I have been a member of SLA for most of my 21 years of practice. I am a member of the Western Canada Chapter, where I have held the position of president, Treasurer, Alignment Ambassador, Communications (webmaster) and fund Development, to name a few. I am also a member of the Europe Chapter, and the IT, Leadership & Management, and Academic Divisions. This year I am the Treasurer of the British Columbia Library Association and a Delegate representing Americas Regional Council to OCLC’s Global Council.

I see the enduring value of SLA to its members: I see the clear need to improve communications with our Chapters all over the world – to reduce isolation and improve the sharing of ideas and resources. This will enable all chapters, including the many geographically dispersed chapters, to attract, retain and better serve our members – especially in these difficult economic times.

Having been president of a geographically dispersed chapter, I understand the challenges that arise with communication, engagement, leadership development and volunteer recruitment. What resonates with members in one region does not necessarily do so in others. Our chapter leaders must be tenacious in their communication and chapter networking and promotion to develop a sense of connection – because members who feel connected will be more likely to contribute – through volunteering for Board positions, by hosting events or providing expertise for programming.

For many regions, the question may also be whether we should align ourselves more closely with allied association or professionals. This may improve the promotion of SLA to potential members, and increase the perceived value in membership.

There is no one size fits all in a global association, so we need to develop our leaders by effectively listening, responding, and sharing – with a focus on developing our innovative practices.

If I am elected, my role will be to help chapter leaders focus on what is effective in their own regions – sometimes by learning from others, sometimes by experimenting on their own. Support and information sharing are key aspects of special libraries and information centres, so we need to ensure we’re focusing these skills effectively on our chapter leaders and members.

 

#2.  The information industry is constantly changing. Living within this environment, SLA must be an agile organization able to adapt as the industry matures. What services/functions/features should SLA change and what absolutely must be preserved as we become Future Ready?

As I said in the first message, I see that there is enduring value of SLA to its members, such as in professional development, networking (communities of experts who willingly share their expertise), in leadership development, communication of issues, and advocacy.

I also believe we need to have the courage to change. While what SLA is experiencing is not unique to SLA, it does indicate a need for greater agility and responsiveness to our members.

Just as many of us use effective engagement techniques with our clients, we must do a better job of doing this with and for our members.

This means working more closely:  being more responsive to the different challenges of our international chapters, looking at retention and growth strategies for chapters impacted by the current economic situation, while creating a consistent strategy to attract and retain students and new professionals. We need better engagement with members to clarify the association situation and to ask the tough question: “given our new constraints, what do you think we should let go?” We must prepare members for the need for significant change by offering scenarios for the future that will help to focus member expectations.

I have had to do similar work when I have been on other association boards that have experienced financial crises in the past 5 or 6 years. The method was the same: examine the value of each service (member perceived value versus the cost of providing it), make some tough and realistic choices – but do it all with transparency and clear two-way communication with members.

We must clarify our vision of our core functions and competencies and focus on these.

The rules have changed – and with today’s economic situation, these changes are catching up with us. SLA has not stood still, yet attracting new members and retaining existing ones has become more and more difficult. Chapter concerns are often the same – difficulty finding volunteers, lack of student or new professional engagement, members losing work and discontinuing membership. Individuals taking responsibility for their professional development rather than their employer is a shift that many information professionals have not caught up with or don’t seem to value sufficiently.

How do we help chapters get out to members and potential members that their professional futures depend on their own willingness to invest in themselves?

These are the tough issues we need to address in our chapters and divisions before we can really answer the question of what should stay or what must go. I won’t profess to have all the answers but I do know that SLA must continue to evolve and change, and that our members and staff are already starting to point the way to the needed changes.

The SLA 2011 Conference in Philadelphia - The Virtual Conference Day 3

by Jane Macoustra, 2011 Virtually Present Candidate for Director

Hello. I'm back for the final time. During conference, we have had some amazing Virtual conversations - on topics related to the sessions we have been watching - and we have been able to chat away because nobody can hear us in the real world. We have chatted about the cartoons used by the session speakers and if they are copyrighted to use them; we discussed when we all passed our driving tests; asked about electronic feedback forms and electronic brochures (a la Hyram Smith's session) who the writers and authors are in our group; and what we all do/did as a second or even third career (Bruce Rosenstein). 

Today, we started the Virtual conference as we meant to end it: Virtual Dancing. If you saw the Closing General Session, you'll know what I mean. We - of the Virtual group - had a little surprise lined up! It seemed to be a good way to demonstrate how the Virtual Group has come together to enjoy our version of the conference. 

We have been tweeting and watching the tweets that have emenated from the conference-goers during and after the various sessions. There's a lot of (good/positive) intelligence out there on the ground about what people think of SLA 2011. 

I picked up on some points that flowed through the sessions that I saw (Wergeles/Drucker) that we need to be able to understand new analytical tools and transform data into intelligence. We also need to spend a lot more time thinking about our roles; turning thinking into a core competency and thinking about how we can continue to stay ahead in a world that is evolving so rapidly that we barely have time to take a deep breath as we try to keep up with so much new technology. 

Today we were treated to a session with Hyram Smith on the Power of Perceptions: Dealing With Change. Smith described the concept of the Belief Window and how it works. He used numerous examples of types of Beliefs to make his point to the delegates, describing good, better or harmful beliefs. Smith said that our prejudices are pre-judgements sitting on our Belief Windows. His message was that in order for change to happen we need to change some of our beliefs in the Belief Window. This session included some audience-participation exercises in groups, which the Virtual Group could not participate in. However, it was very good to be able to see the delegates when they got up to speak. I saw some of his message appear on Twitter, when he was describing 9/11: "Bad things happen to good people; pain is inevitable - misery is optional". It was a powerful message. 

The next speaker was Bruce Rosenstein who spoke on Creating Your Future the Peter Drucker Way, and he was talking about the framework that surrounds Drucker's work on the future. He said that we need to think about life and work and focus on the future and not the past; we should remain relevant, have parallel careers and acknowledge the value of continuing education. He pointed out that Drucker said that in his book on Asia that we all change over time and therefore we have a need to reinvent ourselves. Rosenstein showed an interview he did with Peter Drucker in 2005. 

The final message from this session that grabbed my attention, are Drucker's comments from the 2005 interview......."If you are single-minded and focussed on making money then you will make money.........happy and contented people live in more than one world............ If you live singularly for money you are more likely to be alienated from your children............if your goal is to make money, I pity you." These are more very powerful messages from the Master himself. 

The closing general session:  The speakers were extraordinary. The Board addressed the state of SLA from a perspective of their roles - looking at the last few years but also looking towards the future. Janice LaChance is an inspirational speaker and she covered the uncertainties in the workplace happening now and also in the future. When all the 2011 candidates for the 2012 Board positions were announced I could not stand up, because I was only Virtually there.  

When the Keynote speaker James Kane came on we - of the Virtual Group - were in bits. Fast as lightening, but a very smart delivery from a speaker, just floors me every time. As James Newman said to us, "Blink and you'll miss it". Kane is a behavioural scientist and he noted that exclusion is as powerful a tool as inclusion, and therefore our identity and the importance of connecting with those that you work with is part of our identity.

Finally, and I apologise if I am labouring the point here - but Virtual presence brought together a community. If you could view our chat you would would be able to see what came out of this community. We grew close through using the chat facility and looking at our personal profiles so that by the end of the conference, we felt that we knew each other and we felt in tune with each other. We hope you enjoyed the Virtual dancing as much as the real dancers, and as much as I enjoyed the Virtual conference. My thanks go to everyone involved in making it all happen.  

The SLA 2011 Conference in Philadelphia - The Virtual Conference Day 2

by Jane Macoustra 2011 Virtually Present Candidate for Director

Hello again,

Day two of the conference has started with another great panel of speakers. Please excuse my spelling; I'm from the UK, and can't attempt to "Americanize" my blogging. I'm going to highlight a couple of sessions today. This morning we had a session hosted by Ulla deStricker on Capitalising on Content to Grow Competencies. Ulla spoke briefly about how we should now be negotiating with business leaders instead of service providers.

There were three speakers, and a detailed Q&A session followed afterwards. Fred Wergeles spoke about using KM management tools to gain competitive insight and how to set an intelligence action plan, taking us through relation analysis and recommendation to management. He asked us to think about how we conducted research before the creation of the Internet. He demonstrated a case study using specialist in-house written software to analyse the relationships between connections, frequency of communication, the people in an organisation and also identifying all non-obvious connections to a particular project.  

Deborah Keller took us through how the Homeland Security agency used KM for library content, demonstrating their use of tagging to develop a network of people and identify connections in a large agency. She said they keep a repository of questions and resources that they can refer back to for analysis of future developments. The current project is to develop standard models agency-wide, using multi-functional portals. Finally, Deborah advocated the use of plain language instead of jargon, and using RSS to push content. 

Constance Ard spoke about one of her projects "Build me a Wiki" which she developed for a particular client. The practicalities she used to develop the Wiki included a clean up, and then defining the purpose of the Wiki. Other considerations that Constance addressed were costing issues and the risks attached to e-discovery. 

Questions followed, and these were answered by the entire panel:

What skills would you have liked when you started out? 

• Keeping up with new technologies; diplomacy and tact; learning to listen and communicate; top level management communication skills. 

What tools did you use in order to build those skills? 

• SLA, mentors, people in the organisation; clients; being treated like your opinion is valuable; read and study the same stuff as business leaders; continuing education; using social media to tap information from people you don't know. 

What skills are you looking for next and what advice do you have for people new to the profession?

• Understanding new analytical tools; turning data into actionable intelligence; manipulation of data; being a subject expert or a good generalist - which? Being the best you can be; budgeting and statistical analysis. Advice: continue to build your skills; use mind map visualisation; never stop learning; you can learn every single day.

Looking at SLA Core Competencies growth - what ideas do you have? 

• It is an evolving document; add thinking as part of the core competency; as work changes it (core) needs to evolve at a broader level; it should be flexible; look at competencies 15 years ago; what might they be in 20 years and what are the right here-right now competencies?

What makes us special? 

• We can do lots of different things and learn a lot of skills; that is what makes us different/special; we need to continue to be relevant, doing things within an adapting landscape. 

Later on in the day, we were offered the session by Mary Ellen Bates: Creating Groupies - Info Pro Geurilla Marketing. I've seen her live a number of times, and she was very lively virtually!  Actually she addressed us (the Virtual crowd) on a number of occasions. We were in the room with her. MEB asked what do you offer your organisation that is unique and do they need it? She picked up on negative stereotypes and the ways in which Info Pros can change perceptions of our industry. MEB addressed ways we can market ourselves effectively to demonstrate and express the value of offerings to an organisation. She said that volunteering to work for SLA helps to develop skills and give the Info Pro a higher profile. She provided the audience with good, solid advice, which I thought was particularly relevant to those who are new to the profession. Finally, she asked us (the Virtual crowd) if we were all in Bunnie Slippers! Check out the responses on Twitter. 

Today, we are again all interacting and talking with each other in the Virtual conference area and we have made professional network connections with each other. We have been tweeting so the delegates-in-person can see our input into the conference. This conference has brought together a new set of professionals who would not have met if it weren't for the Virtual conference side of Philly 2011. It is great to be a part of this particular group. 

 

SLA and Professional Growth

Chris Zammarelli, Candidate for the SLA Board of Directors

How has your work with SLA over the years helped you grow in the profession?

I've spent most of my time in SLA working on behalf of the Government Information Division, which has taught me a lot of valuable lessons about collaboration, leadership, and communication. Some of those lessons were learned the hard way, such as think and proofread before you hit send. Other lessons were easier to take in, such as organizing the efforts of DGI members to build the division's social media presence and the previous iteration of DGI's website.

I joined SLA before I had my degree, and even though I had been working in libraries for a number of years before then, I still had a lot to learn about the profession and about professionalism. As much as I learned about the profession in library school, I learned more about professionalism from SLA. That's how I got the skills I needed to progress and thrive as a librarian.

SLA 2011 Conference in Philadelphia - The Virtual Conference

by Jane Macoustra, The 2011 Virtual Candidate for Director

Today I joined my very first Virtual conference in Philly, as I was unable to attend this event in person. I found the software easy to upload, and attended my very first session, which was Stephen Abrams talk. This was interrupted by some technical problems at my end, but this isn't an issue as I will be able to go back and watch all the sessions later on, if I have missed anything.

I caught the Larry Prusak session, which was extremely good. He was speaking about the importance of cognitive diversity, knowledge management and the Wisdom of Crowds. He provided examples such as when Lehmans collapsed how many VPs knew it was about to go over the cliff edge. He spoke of Toyota's corporate model, and of Japan, China and India's changing global status. It was an incredibly interesting talk and I really enjoyed it. The questions that people posed afterwards were extremely good, covering knowledge within an organisation, the motivational factors in decision-making and taking deliberative time to consider questions, organisational behaviour and whether there is a corporate equivalent to transparency.

The quality of the Virtual Conference is excellent, and we have our techie guys to assist us. James Newman (hiding behind the screen at the front of the stage - we know you are there!) and James Sek in avatar mode in the theatre, have guided the Virtual delegates through using the software and they have been great! We have a choice of 2D or 3D access. The 3D version lets us use the virtual world with our own avatars, and we can move around the auditorium and the conference rooms. We can even sit down! In between the sessions, we are entertained with either earlier session replays or some music. Virtual conference allows us to talk with each other and brings us closer to the conference itself. The distance suddenly seems irrelevant because we are interacting with each other within conference and discussing what we are watching live. We are attending virtually from across the globe, but it actually feels like we are all together.

During lunch (my early evening) I joined all the candidates in the Exhibition Hall to meet and speak to the delegates. I was on Skype, and there was a computer erected in the candidate area, so I didn't feel remote and I could hear the conference buzz and talk to people. The connection was very good and I spoke to quite a lot of people. However, others were very shy about approaching me to say Hello, so I waved at them. Natasha Kenner set up the connection for me to interact live with people, and it was a very successful experiment! I've had a really good conference day, and it isn't over yet.

SLA Appears in The Wall Street Journal Factiva Ad

Dow Jones is proud to support SLA, and they've displayed this fact as part of a full page ad in the Wall Street Journal. The ad was featured in today's (Monday, 13 June) edition in section B, page 8. Check it out! SLA, as always, appreciates the support.

http://www.sla.org/pdfs/slafactivaadjune13.pdf

Conference Handouts

In an effort to reduce the number of unwanted printed copies of handouts, SLA will offer handouts online prior to and after SLA 2011.  Handouts are only available to those that have registered for the conference.

Handouts will be available through the online schedule.  Please log into the portal, then go to each session and the handouts will be available under the details.

If you are a speaker at SLA 2011 and you have not sent in your handouts, please contact the Events department at events@sla.org.

Session relocations and cancellations at SLA 2011

At SLA, we do as much as we can to limit the number of changes to room assignments that have been published in the final conference program.  However, changes do occur!  Remember that the online conference planner will have the most up-to-date information on session locations, speakers, and cancellations. 

And, there are other ways to keep up with changes. In the case of room changes, we will post a sign outside the "old" room notifying attendees of the new location. In addition to notes on the SLA Blog and updates through Twitter (follow @sla2011), session cancellations, updates, and room changes can be reviewed daily at the SLA Information Booth, which is located in the Registration Center in the convention center.

See you in Philadelphia!

 

Meet the Author and Have a Book Signed

Are you ready for your chance to meet an author or two?  Or six?

Not only does SLA 2011 bring you great learning opportunities, but you can meet the authors of several books in different subject areas:

Dr. Craig S. Fleisher, Business and Competitive Analysis
Ruth Kneale, You Don't Look Like a Librarian
Seena Sharp, Competitive Intelligence Advantage
Heather Hedden, The Accidental Taxonomist
Marcy Phelps, Research on Main Street
Bruce Rosenstein, Living in More Than One World: How Peter Drucker's Wisdom Can Inspire and Transform Your Life

Here's an idea:  signed books for chapter and division giveaways!

Most book signings take place in the SLA Marketplace in the INFO-EXPO at SLA 2011, booth 1321.  Check the author/book list for times and locations of all the signings.  

All books will be available for purchase in the Marketplace.

Breeze Through Registration at SLA 2011

There is a new process for registering when you arrive at the SLA 2011 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO.

Are you pre-registered?  Whether you are an attendee or an exhibitor, it's the same process!  When you arrive at the SLA Registration Center, you will see a bank of computers.  Use one of the computers to type in your name...it's that easy!  Once you confirm the retrieved information, you will be directed to one of two badge pick-up areas.  Proceed to the indicated area to get your badge and materials.  

Need to register onsite?  You can use the same computers to register, or if you need some extra time there will be two computers in the center kiosk that you can use.  You will then be directed to the badge pick-up area. 

If you need assistance from a real live person, don't worry...we have those too!  There is a staffed desk for onsite assistance for both attendees and exhibitors. 

Also, continuing this year, we will not be distributing Expocards for you to use in the INFO-EXPO.  Your badge will have a bar code that exhibitors can scan if you wish to share your information with them. 

Final note:  If you did not receive your e-mail confirmation, please call +1.801.523.6523, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. ET.

Final Conference Program Now Available

SLA 2011 is almost here, so be sure to plan your time at the conference with the 2011 Digital Final Conference Program.   

With the digital version of the program you can:

• Search events and sessions
• Bookmark pages of interest
• Add notes
• Click and contact exhibitors before the show
• Print only the information you need
• Send the program to your manager or colleagues (they'll really understand how busy you will be at SLA 2011!)
• Save the brochure to your desktop
• View the program on your mobile device

The digital conference program eliminates the need to carry around a large printed program at conference. But don't worry...attendees will still receive the pocket program guide, which contains event titles, speakers, and locations onsite.

See you in Philadelphia!

 

SLA and Professional Growth

Ann Koopman
Candidate for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

Question 4:  How has your work with SLA over the years helped you grow in the profession?

I first joined SLA for the mundane reasons of CE courses and tenure requirements, but quickly found the Indiana Chapter was a wonderful group of really smart people who cared deeply about our field.  I definitely wanted to hang with this crowd, and they welcomed me right in.  When my family moved to Philadelphia, the wise president asked me to register and greet Chapter members at our meetings -- I got to meet everybody.  If you ever get a chance to do that kind of job in any organization, jump at it!

Over the years, SLA has provided a succession of mentors when I needed good counsel, and opportunities to learn & practice leadership skills outside of normal work channels.   I’ve learned specific skills that I could apply to my work, especially as our technology has evolved over the years. Sometimes, SLA has also provided challenges, but those were usually accompanied by extra-deep bonding with fellow problem-solvers. 

SLA makes room for experimentation and expression.  Programming lets you explore & define topics and bring together fascinating people.  It lets you influence our group decisions about what we all need to learn about for the future.  I’ve just loved my years in conference planning.  Successful planners learn their unit traditions, but also learn that “we’ve always done it this way” isn’t enough.  We learn to do constant re-evaluation, to think constantly about better ways to achieve our goals.  Program planning can be strategic.

With the maturity of years, I also came to understand what it takes to support an organization like us, so I accepted more administrative roles, to “give back” after years of getting to do fun jobs.  Guess what?  Even fundraising can be fun when you’re working with a lively bunch of SLA members and our terrific vendors.  It turns out that "giving back" isn't a one-way flow -- every volunteer job carries its own rewards.  

So SLA has helped me to learn practical skills to succeed in my work life, and has provided a strong network of colleagues who are always there when I need support.  I’ve been allowed to play in the organizational sandbox and know that I have been able to build my chapter and my division into stronger units with my work.  SLA has given me the confidence of experience, which will continue to contribute to whatever role I play next.