SLA Blog

SLA 2012 Transportation

Check out the most updated Transportation page of the SLA Illinois Chapter's Hospitality Wiki.

They cover how to get from your airport to McCormick Place Convention Center, transportation within the Chicago area to McCormick Place, and other options for getting around Chicago.

Illinois Chapter Hospitality Wiki: http://sla2012.wordpress.com/

SLA Housing Office FAQ: http://sla2012.sla.org/travelhotel/housing-faq/

 

Trying to Keep Pace with SLA Members

Yesterday, the New Orleans Times-Picayune, one of the most storied names in the newspaper industry, announced that it would cease its daily publication schedule and instead print only three days per week--Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Advance Publications, the publisher of the Times-Picayune, disclosed that it was taking similar measures with three other daily newspapers, in Birmingham, Mobile, and Huntsville, Alabama.

These newspapers are simply the latest victims of a trend that has upended and reshaped the news industry. Printed publications incur significant production and distribution expenses, which for years were offset by advertising revenues and subscription fees. But ad revenues have been falling as new communications technologies have offered vendors more avenues for reaching readers, who have been deserting printed media for online sources of information.

Information Outlook has not been immune from these developments, and at the end of this year, it will join the large and growing number of publications that have moved entirely online. This change has been contemplated for a couple of years, but SLA has continued to print Information Outlook to allow members more time to become comfortable using online media to meet their information needs.

Articles and columns in Information Outlook have been available on SLA's Website for several years, but starting next year, the full magazine will be online. It will be accessible on mobile devices, searchable, and able to transmit RSS feeds. It will also allow readers to comment on, and join conversations about, topics addressed in articles and columns. In so doing, it will leverage the knowledge and ideas of SLA members and further enhance our efforts to build community through social media such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

SLA members have long been leaders in the information profession in using new technologies and adopting new methods to improve customer service. With its transition from a printed to a digital version, Information Outlook will take a big step toward trying to keep pace with its readers.

 

White House releases long-awaited Digital Strategy

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has unveiled the White House’s long-awaited digital strategy “Digital Government: Building a 21st Century Platform to Better Serve the American People,” (36 pages, PDF). This new mobile initiative is intended to reshape how government agencies utilize mobile platforms to serve the public.

The strategy is reinforced with a Presidential memorandum urging executive departments and agencies to make more information available on mobile platforms.

Read News Stories:

White House Mobile Strategy Might be a Game Changer

Digital government strategy marks 'unique opportunity'

Roadmap for a Digital Government

Explore Our Knowledge Management Courses

Click University's Knowledge Management/Knowledge Services Certificate Program has returned!

Join us in Chicago in July, where we'll kick off the newly-revised six-course program with KMKS101. Fundamentals of Knowledge Management and Knowledge Services (Saturday, July 14) and KMKS105. Change Management and Change Implementation in the Knowledge Domain (Friday, July 13).

Instructors Guy St. Clair and Dale Stanley will help students gain theoretical knowledge and practical skills during the full-day sessions. Participate in dynamic discussions and develop an action plan that you can implement in your own organization!

If you're ready for more, sign up for the remaining four courses, which take place online:

KMKS102. The Knowledge Audit: Evaluating Intellectual Capital Use  ::  August 13 - 29  ::  Course description and schedule

KMKS103. Knowledge Strategy: Developing the Enterprise-Wide Knowledge Culture  ::  October 15 - 31  ::  Course description and schedule

KMKS104. Networking and Social Media: Technology-Enabled Knowledge Sharing  ::  February 11 - 27  ::  Course description and schedule

KMKS106. Critical Success Factors:  Measuring Knowledge Services  ::  April 8 - 24  ::  Course description and schedule

Hope to see you there!  Have questions about the program or individual courses?  Contact Click University.

Want to give back at SLA 2012?

Here are a few ways you can make a contribution in Chicago!

Greater Chicago Food Depository
Saturday, July 14
1:30 - 4:30 pm

Join SLA Illinois at the Greater Chicago Food Depository for an afternoon of service to Chicago. Sign up now!  

Can't Make the Greater Chicago Food Depository excursion, but you still want to volunteer in the Chicago community? Stop by the SLA Illinois booth in the conference registration area to drop off a book or to donate money to Open Books. Open Books is a Chicago nonprofit that promotes literacy by providing books and literacy programs to students in grades K - 12. 

Chicago Books to Women in Prison
Wednesday, 18 July 
5:30 - 7:30 pm

Join the SLA Business & Finance Division and volunteer with Chicago Books to Women in Prison. Those who volunteer will be reading letters from women in prison, and selecting and packing items that fit their requests. By giving just a little of your time you can help incarcerated women in this country experience the world of books and reading. We would encourage participants to also bring a paperback book to donate to CBWP's inventory. The genres of books most needed are dictionaries, Wicca, lesbian literature, African-American literature, and Chicano literature. 

Chicago Books to Women in Prison is located at 3435 Sheffield Ave, #206A, Chicago, IL 60657.

After the project, there will be an optional no-host dinner at an area restaurant. Please send your name and contact information to Bobbi Weaver at  if you would like to participate.

Not coming to Chicago? While we will definitely miss you, you can still help CBWP from wherever you.  Please consider donating a needed paperback book to CBWP.  Better World Books, an SLA exhibitor, offers free shipping on all orders. A list of suggested titles with shipping info can be found here.

And, did you know...

Each year the Engineering Division does a raffle and donates to a local charity.  This year they have chosen Sit, Stay, Read.  Sit, Stay, Read brings dogs into inner city classrooms and community centers so that children can read to the dogs. Sounds kind of silly until you see that the children's reading gets much better! 

Candidate Question 3 – Gadgets

Question #3: What is the newest “techie” gadget that you have/would like to have, and how do/would you use it to improve the work relationship that you have with your primary clientele?

Joy M. Banks, Candidate for Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

 

My husband and I recently purchased our first tablet. If anyone read my FutureReady365 post, you’ll remember I have a “stupid” phone, so this is really my first foray into mobile technology. The tablet was purchased for home use, although I am looking forward to bringing it to conferences rather than lugging around my laptop. In exploring this new technology for the first time, I found that I am not a big fan of how abbreviated mobile display is. I am the type of person who likes to see it all, all the time, at first click.

 

My primary clientele is a tricky thing to define. My library and archives are closed to the public (I am in the tower of Bok Tower Gardens). Most of the reference questions I get are over the phone or via email, and only very rarely are the requests of any urgency. I also deal with an international patron base since most of the carillons in the world are in Europe. While in the Tower, live interaction with people is uncommon for me (I prefer if you picture Rapunzel rather than Quasimodo). The isolation would seem to lend itself to mobile technologies and apps, but I haven’t really found that to be the case.

 

The most recent “techie” gadget that I purchased for the library is a new scanner so we can start more productive digitization projects. It’s not very flashy, and it’s certainly not new technology; however, I am extremely excited about how I can expand the reach of our collections through its use. The more I can do to streamline the procedures we are developing to get the materials to my patrons faster, the better service I can provide. In moving forward, though, I must constantly remain aware of the technical abilities of my users so that I don’t isolate important user groups. Give me some reliable internet access, a phone that works, and electricity to keep everything running, and I can give you an outstanding library experience. I know there are those out there who do just that with even less.

 

SLA 2012 Future Now: A Panel Discussion

Be sure not to miss this event!

Wednesday, 18 July
3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sponsored by: Springer

Join us for a new and exciting panel presentation by leading information pros who will discuss and debate topics that were popular during the conference and will continue to be important throughout 2012. This highly engaging event will build on the momentum created by conference sessions and attendee interactions and will include content posted on social media platforms by conference attendees. This expert panel will address provocative and radical questions about our profession, our services and our value. You’ll explore challenging perspectives and ideas for our future, and you’ll walk away excited, inspired and re-invigorated about the profession’s possibilities.

Meet the Panel:

Scott Brown is the owner of the Social Information Group, and this year was named an SLA Fellow. He is a founding member of SLA's CI Division and a frequent speaker and instructor. Follow him on Twitter.

Sara Batts is the library services coordinator at Kirkland & Ellis International LLP. She is a past president of SLA Europe, the International Relations Chair of the Legal Division, an SLA Rising Star 2011 and SLA Europe Early Career Conference Award recipient 2009. Read her musings on Twitter.

Stephen Abram is vice president of Gale Cengage Learning. He is an SLA Fellow, and the recipient of the SLA John Cotton Dana Award, the AIIP Roger Summit Award, and the Outstanding Teaching Award at the University of Toronto iSchool Institute. Stephen blogs and tweets.

Lee Ann R. Benkert is the resource center manager at the National Security Space Institute. She tweets, too!

Susan Hildreth is director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Hildreth was president of the Public Library Association and served on its board of directors. She was also an elected member of the council that governs the American Library Association. She was a longtime member of the California Library Association and served as its president and treasurer. Susan is also on Twitter.

Meet the Moderator:

Donna Scheeder is Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, and is an SLA Past President. 

Come and hear what our panelists have to say about the information world!  See you there.

ACTA Dead In Europe

The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)  that many feared could do what the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) previously failed to, now seems unlikely to achieve any of its original aims, as it is declared mostly dead in the water - in Europe at least.

The declaration was made by Dutch politician and European Commissioner for digital agenda Neelie Kroes, who said that it was obvious from the thousands of people that were willing to protest throughout Europe, that ACTA was not something the people of the EU wanted. The treaty had been opposed by the vocal public because of the impact it would have on ordinary Internet uses and the high level of secrecy in which it was negotiated. They only way the text became public during the negotiations were through a series of leaked drafts.

Read more: ACTA As Good As Dead In Europe

Candidate Question 3: Techie Gadget

SLA Q: What is the newest “techie” gadget that you have/would like to have, and how do/would you use it to improve the work relationship that you have with your primary clientele?

A: Juanita Richardson - Candidate for President-Elect:

Given that relationships are the most important business "tool" today, any gadget that facilitates communication supporting those relationships is a boon.  For me, that gadget is my iPad. 

My iPad has replaced my laptop as my "go to" tool - the apps are limitless:  I use it to type notes (I have a bluetooth-enabled keyboard) to take down important details from presentations, document tasks, take minutes of meetings; I use it to keep in contact via Skype with work and family; I send and receive emails; my calendar is always up-to-date and keeps me on schedule;  I log time on Facebook, staying in constant communication with my network; I follow issues on Twitter; I look up things I need to know on the fly via Safari.  All of these apps help me manage my relationships in my work and family life - which are becoming ever-more entwined.  And, in my down time, I read books I've borrowed from the public library.  All that, and it weighs about half a kilo!  Next:  I will be able to speak to my gadget just like they do on Star Trek:  "Computer!..."

Candidate Question 3: Techie Gadget

What is the newest “techie” gadget that you have/would like to have, and how do/would you use it to improve the work relationship that you have with your primary clientele?

Stacey Greenwell, Candidate for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

I have long enjoyed experimenting with gadgets/new technologies, whether it was my Atari 2600, countless Apple products, my first Palm Pilot or the many PalmOS devices that followed, not to mention my reliance on Evernote, Dropbox, Kindle, and dozens of other apps across all of my devices today.  As much as I enjoy gadgets/new technologies, I am somewhat slower to adopt them in my work environment, as I feel strongly that a new gadget/technology needs to solve a problem, not that we need to find a problem for a new gadget to solve. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the cool factor of a new technology instead of thinking carefully about how the organization will benefit from its use.

Earlier this year I found a techology tool that solved a number of problems for the university library system where I work.  As Associate Dean, I need to collect data from a large number of individuals and library locations: public service statistics, strategic plan progress, quarterly report items, specific information about our instruction and assessment efforts, etc.  Others in the past had collected this information via paper forms, individual emails, a shared spreadsheet on the fileserver, a shared spreadsheet on SharePoint, a web-based survey, and all of these efforts were cumbersome, time-consuming, or problematic in some way.  I wanted something that was easy to use, eliminated multiple inputting, and transparent enough to allow any library staff member to run a report if needed.  Since January, I have been using Springshare's LibAnalytics to collect all of this data, and I am really pleased with the results.

Candidate Question #3 (Techie Gadget)

What is the newest “techie” gadget that you have/would like to have, and how do/would you use it to improve the work relationship that you have with your primary clientele?

(Kama Siegel, candidate for Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect)

As interested as I am in the latest gadgets, I work in a fairly low-tech industry. More accurately, it's not the industry itself that is so low-tech, but rather the tools that our employees use to accomplish day-to-day tasks. As an example, our ERP system -- which shall remain nameless -- does not work on smartphones or tablets, nor does it work natively with Apple products (much to the chagrin of our planners and designers, who almost uniformly have Macs at home). The people I work with are happy when I can promptly answer their e-mails by smartphone, or train them by webinar -- both of which technologies are pretty ho-hum. As much as I might personally be interested in them, cool gadgets are not going to make me a more effective employee in an industry that isn't super interested in being on the cutting edge.

Basically, I would answer this question with a plea to software designers: please assume that the users for whom you are designing will access the software on any available platform. That's the techie ability -- not gadget -- I'd like to see, which seems like a no-brainer. I assume, of course, that I don't have full knowledge about every available tool out there, but I also do my best to stay informed. It's possible that there are other transportation planning companies that are far outpacing their competitors by using a magical* spreadsheet that reads the minds of all planners and designers on a project, and are therefore able to complete far more projects than their peers. 

The people who make up my clientele are far more interested in learning industry news and collaborating with their peers (on Twitter, for example), and staying within their budgets, than in learning a new technology. But as with any population, there is a range of users, from early adopters to Luddites. Many of them balk at using their valuable (billable!) time learning use a new one, but that doesn't stop me from discussing tools that would make their work more efficient. Perhaps someday soon we'll agree on a new gadget that makes all of our lives better.

* "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." -- Arthur C. Clarke

Question 3: Techie gadget (Candidate Questions)

What is the newest “techie” gadget that you have/would like to have, and how do/would you use it to improve the work relationship that you have with your primary clientele?

Kate Arnold ~ Candidate for President-Elect

It’s a smartphone (android, iphone, Blackberry, whatever you prefer) to access content on the go. We live in a martini world (anytime, anyplace, anywhere) being able to consume information as and when you need it. I need to have a smartphone both as a consumer and as an information provider. What better way to experience your service than by consuming it!

In terms of improving the work relationship with primary clientele, I’ve got two examples from the last six months. Firstly, at Cancer Research UK we noticed an increase about a year ago in usage of our website, CancerHelp UK by mobile users. As our site was content heavy we decided to redesign it specifically for the mobile audience. By ensuring it rendered well on mobiles we supplied just enough information in a well laid out format. Thus ensuring everyone who needed access to our high quality information on cancer could access it and link up to our helpline services easily from their phone.  

Secondly, at National Children’s Bureau I’m working, with the media team, to raise the profile of the information centre/library to internal and external audiences as we have a unique collection of grey literature on children and young people in the UK. We’re using a combination of activities but my favourite is Twitter. We’re holding a day in the life of the library on NCB’s Twitter account (@ncbtweets)  on 23 May to highlight all the different things that happen in the library in a day. If it catches on, which I have a sense it will, then we may end up with a monthly slot and hopefully increased visitors.

Question #3: What is the newest “techie” gadget that you have/would like to have, and how do/would you use it to improve the work relationship that you have with your primary clientele?

David Stern - candidate for Treasurer

My techie gadget is a virtual gadget ... the Vyew collaboration software. Using just web browsers you can share material and simultaneously work together in your workspace on a whiteboard -- with images, text, presentations, and other materials. You can remotely communicate using chat, VOIP, or a webcam. You can also share screens in either direction to see what is running on the other person's desktop. All this for free for up to four simultaneous users. It can be used for so many interactive purposes, and allows for enhanced collaboration at a distance. This tool makes many other single-use gadgets unnecessary, or at least seem quite limited.

Why I joined SLA (Candidate Question #2)

Question #2: When did you first join SLA? What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

I joined SLA as a newly-minted professional, back in the mid-1990s. It may surprise some to know that it was not the first professional library association that I joined. I am proud to be able to say, however, that it is perhaps the best. You see, I had long been working in libraries (since the tender age of 16, to be exact) and I had long known what I wanted to do professionally. In my focused tenacity in pursuing that dream, I almost missed the chance to see, experience, and benefit from a much bigger picture. I had developed something that I now call "professional myopia". Luckily for me, SLA, with its diverse and active membership, was just the prescription I needed to cure it.

What is "professional myopia"? It’s that false sense of security you get when you fail to see the greater world in which your professional niche sits. It’s the illusion that you are an information island or that your work in some sort of professional vacuum. For me, it was actually the result of a focused tenacity on obtaining the career of my dreams. You see, I wanted to be a law librarian. So I took legal research classes (even went to law school!), took internships in various legal settings, and, of course, joined professional groups exclusively tailored to the law profession. Little did I know and less did I care, at that time, what I was missing in the greater information industry.

It was a great way to get started and to break onto the law library scene. But once my foot was firmly in the door, the safety bubble burst. To get my work done and to do it exceptionally, I needed knowledge, experience, resources, and contacts that extended well beyond the background and professional support network that I had worked so hard to forge. It was clear to me that if I was going to succeed in my career, I had to branch out in ways I had not before imagined. That was where SLA came in and turned my professional world around. When a trusted colleague introduced me to the Special Libraries Association, she did more than show me another group worth joining. She opened the door to a vast world of information professionals who were working together redefine client services and push the boundaries of what it means to be a librarian. In joining, I found more than a great place to network and learn, I found a true partner in my success.

I am happy and humbled to say that I have not looked back a day since. Thank you SLA!

John J. DiGilio, Candidate for Treasurer

Quietly Making Her Point

She's a self-described introvert, so it was only fitting that she wasn't mentioned until near the end of the article--several paragraphs after the discussions about Hollywood portrayals of librarians and how librarians score on Myers-Briggs personality inventories and why extroversion is considered the "ideal" personality in Western society. But Jill Strand finally got the attention she deserves, as Jennifer Bartlett cited her most recent "Market Share" column in Information Outlook and highlighted its networking tips for introverts.

Writing in Vol. 26/2 of Library Leadership & Management, Bartlett noted that studies of personality assessments show that a strong majority of librarians are introverted, thinking and judging. These characteristics are reflected in movie portrayals of fictional librarians (such as Marian Paroo in The Music Man), which show "positive" librarians as helpful and idealistic and "negative" librarians as manipulative and extroverted. While introverts have strengths in areas such as customer service, they typically are not natural leaders and managers, whereas extroversion is seen as a leadership quality.

Another challenge for introverts, Bartlett wrote, is networking. Bartlett pointed her readers to Strand's March/April column in Information Outlook, which posed four questions to SLA members and highlighted the most useful answers. The column also advised librarians to think of networking as a series of small steps rather than one large process, thus making it seem less daunting.

"I'm an introvert, and there are still times when walking into a room full of people I don't know scares the stuffing out of me," Strand wrote. "But the more I do it, the easier it gets (and the more people I get to know)."

Strand has overcome her introversion to the point that she has chaired SLA's Public Relations Advisory Council and served as president of the Minnesota Chapter. She started writing the "Market Share" column in June 2011. To read her latest column, click here.

 

Meet the Judges: The Agile Professional 'Snap & Win' Contest

Take a moment to learn about the judges of the Agile Professional Snap & Win Contest. Be sure to enter right here before June 11.

Julia Mair
VP of Marketing, Dow Jones Enterprise

With more than 25 years in the online information industry, Julia Mair currently leads the B2B marketing team for Dow Jones, including Factiva, Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.  Prior to joining Dow Jones, Julia led marketing activities for the academic publishing unit of LexisNexis, a member of Reed Elsevier Group plc.

How would you define professional agility? What does being professional agile mean to you?
The marketing profession and my industry (publishing) are undergoing rapid changes, driven by social and economic forces as well as technology. To me, being professional agile is trying to keep my eyes open to emerging ideas and marketing concepts – like new apps and social media markets. It is also important that my team remains professionally agile, so we must constantly question the way we think about our business, interact with our customers and conduct our day-to-day tasks.

Deb Hunt
Principal, Information Edge

Deb Hunt is currently the SLA President Elect and Principal of Information Edge which empowers clients to find the information they need to do their work. Information Edge specializes in document and digital asset management, knowledge services, professional research and analysis, and library design and automation.

Deb has written for Information Outlook, Freepint, Information World Review (IWR) and other publications and has presented at SLA, Internet Librarian and Createasphere.

How would you define professional agility? What does being professional agile mean to you?
My SLA Presidential theme is "Transform knowledge and expertise into strategic value." As information professionals we must add flexibility, insight, and recognition of opportunity to our essential core skills! We need to move outside our comfort zone into new career areas such as document management, digital and media asset management and knowledge services where there are ample career and earning opportunities. I continue to demonstrate agility as I leap off the edge into new career areas utilizing current skills while investing in continuing education to enhance and grow those skills. 

Anne Caputo
Executive Director, Dow Jones & Company

Anne Caputo is the 2010 President of SLA and works as an advisor and consultant to the Dow Jones Information Professional Market.  She is also an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maryland, College of Information Studies where she teaches a course in electronic information retrieval.

How would you define professional agility? What does being professional agile mean to you?
To me professional agility represents the ability to reinvent and refocus critical information skills to the demands of new jobs and new roles.  In the course of my career I have been a trainer, educator, marketing executive, project manager, professional association volunteer and leader and speaker at conferences and events around the world.  Each step required agility and openness to change and new opportunities. 

Mary Ellen Bates
President, Bates Information Services

Mary Ellen Bates is the SLA Division Cabinet Past-Chair and the owner of Bates Information Services, providing business research and analysis for over 20 years. She is a frequent speaker and the author of six books and innumerable articles on the information industry.

How would you define professional agility? What does being professional agile mean to you?
Being professionally agile means fully believing that I both need and want to continue to grow and challenge myself professionally. I assume that I always need to be learning new skills, whether that is creating and editing webinars, becoming proficient in a new application or just making sure I meet with other info pros at least once a month. That is why I so value all the virtual places where I can hook up with other SLA members.

DRM and the Wisdom of Robert Fulghum

Share everything.

Fans of Robert Fulghum will recognize this as one of the many lessons he learned in "the sandpile at Sunday school," along with play fair and say you're sorry when you hurt somebody. But judging from the advance interest in the SLA 2012 session titled "DRM: The Discussion Continues," some information professionals evidently feel that these lessons are lost on vendors of electronic documents.

"Ever ordered a digital document for an employee, only to discover you couldn't forward it?" asks Sabina Tannenbaum, a co-moderator of the session. "Been frustrated by single-user licenses when you're buying a document for general library use? Tried to maintain a historical archive of digital standards for ongoing research or project work?"

The session will bring together information professionals, digital publishers, and distributors for an open discussion about digital rights management issues. Tannenbaum hopes that the discussion will lead to "finding the middle ground" and identifying a common path forward.

The session will be held Monday, 16 July, at 4:00 p.m. To register for the conference, click here.

 

Why I belong to SLA

SLA Board Candidate Question 2: When did you first join SLA? What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

Tara Murray, candidate for Division Cabinet Chair-elect:

Professional associations have played an important role in my life since I joined a student chapter of ALA in grad school.

When I landed in a very specialized library at Penn State's Population Research Institute just a couple years after receiving my degree, I remembered my advisor telling me about SLA. My decision to join was made even easier when my predecessor in the job encouraged me to do so. I was not disappointed when I was warmly welcomed by my new colleagues at my first chapter meeting. Soon after, I was recruited to manage the chapter's discussion list.

The more involved I've become in SLA over the years, the more I get out of my membership. My chapter and division discussion lists continue to be valuable sources of information and advice. New channels like LinkedIn and Facebook groups have fostered lively discussions not tied to particular units. I look forward to each annual conference, both for the learning opportunities and to reconnect with old friends and make new ones. The leadership summits I've been able to attend have given me an opportunity to talk with and learn from SLA's leaders. In between conferences, I've been able to learn new skills through webinars offered by units through SLA's GoToMeeting account. My roles in my chapter and division have helped me gain confidence and develop leadership and public speaking skills. I feature these experiences prominently on my resume and have talked about them in interviews. In fact, SLA helped me land my dream job.

The Agile Professional 'Snap & Win' Contest, Presented by SLA and Factiva

Are you a masterful multitasker? An agile analyst? A limber librarian? You could win $1,000 when you prove it with a photo!

SLA members have always shown professional agility, through the diverse sessions produced for SLA's Annual Conference, the endless variety of roles filled and goals accomplished, and the success stories we hear all the time. To celebrate that agility, we're teaming up with SLA 2012 Platinum Partner Dow Jones & Company to launch The Agile Professional Snap & Win Contest on May 14.

The Scoop

For this contest, we’re asking you to submit a photo of yourself being professionally AGILE, adaptive, and flexible.

Perhaps your photo shows you filling a role at work that’s considered nontraditional. Maybe you’re leading a seminar or teaching colleagues how to use the latest, greatest feature of a search tool. Or, if you take the title at its literal meaning, the photo shows you doing yoga while reading your Kindle and dodging bullets. OK, so the last one is a stretch.

Use any editing tools you like (e.g., Instagram), or scan a Polaroid and upload it directly to SLA’s Facebook Page. It’s completely up to you!

Enter

Enter the contest through SLA’s Facebook Page anytime between May 14 and June 11. You can also enter through Twitter, by tweeting your photo and including #Snap2Win.

The Grand Prize Winner will be decided in late June, and his or her photo will be shared at the SLA 2012 Welcome Reception.

The Prizes

The Grand Prize Winner will receive $1,000 cash and a free year of SLA membership. The winning entry will be selected by our esteemed judges. All entrants will have the opportunity to vote for their favorites between June 14 and June 27.

Stay tuned for the official contest rules, which will be delivered to you on May 14. As always, let us know if you have any questions or feedback. And a special thanks to Dow Jones for making the contest possible and for all of their tremendous support of the upcoming SLA 2012 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO in Chicago, 15-18 July!

 

 

Making the Case for Marketing

It's been said that the two most dreaded words in the English language are you're fired. But if you're an information professional, here are two more words you never want to hear: cost center.

If that's how leaders in your organization view the library, you need to show them another side of it (and you). Louis Abramovitz, librarian at Wilkinson Barker Knauer LLP, will explain how to do just that in "Librarian as Entrepreneur: Contributing to Your Organization's Bottom Line through Marketing Initiatives," a session he's leading at SLA 2012.

"Think of this as your chance to change the perception your C-level execs have about you," Louis says. "You're not just a cost center. You're not just the licensing and copyright enforcement squad. You're way more than an information resources consigliere."

In his session, Louis will attempt to motivate you to seriously consider taking a proactive role in marketing efforts at your organization. He'll also share a few examples of project ideas that could make you even more indispensable to your clients.

"You can also think of this as a chance to develop portable skills," he says. "Any new skills you acquire in your current job can make you that much more marketable and valuable in your next position."

Be sure to catch Louis at SLA 2012 on Tuesday, 17 July, at 2:00 p.m. Not registered? Go to the conference site.

 

Question 2 – Why did you join SLA?

Question #2: When did you first join SLA? What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

Joy M. Banks, Candidate for Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

I joined SLA in 2005 as a student at the Clarion University of Pennsylvania. My professor for Introduction to the Information Profession required all of us to join both SLA and ALA as a class assignment (easiest A ever). As a student, it was an invaluable exercise to learn about both of these organizations and how I may fit into them as a future professional. I was elected the secretary to our student group and really enjoyed the trips to special libraries that we planned and the helpful nature of the professionals we encountered in the Pittsburgh Chapter.

I was only eligible for one year at the student rate, so I had to quickly decide which organization was the one for me. While I was going into the academic library field, a position not typically drawn to SLA (this was before the Academic Division), I ultimately determined that SLA met my professional needs better than ALA. The membership rate was more reasonable for me as a new professional who had to pay it with no institutional assistance. I appreciated the fact that SLA was an international organization filled with a wide variety of professionals who could all come together to share their knowledge. I also received great value from the various continuing education webinars that SLA offered for low or no cost to its members.

I am very glad that I have continued to invest in my professional life by maintaining my SLA membership. When I moved from a full-time job to a part-time job, I appreciated the tiered membership rates. As I’ve developed relationships with my peers through the organization, I have received advice and connections that are worth so much more than my annual rate. It took me a while to get to my first SLA Annual (New Orleans, 2010), but after seeing how much more fun we have together, I can’t imagine going very long between attending annual meetings. I appreciate the professionalism of the organization, the opportunities I have had to serve in leadership positions, and the friendships I have gained. I have a limited budget, and SLA is my one professional organization. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

#SLAchat: Intellectual Property Laws and Information Access

Today's SLAchat question:

Should information professionals continue to be guardians of intellectual property, or should they be concerned with access to information? What challenges do you face in balancing the two? 

Sara Batts is helping start this conversation. She's Past-President of SLA-Europe, an SLA Rising Star (2011), and the Library Services Co-ordinator at Kirkland & Ellis International LLP in London. 

Q: In a sentence, link, or picture, what’s your relationship with intellectual property?

Sara: Complicated: I respect authors’ rights, but I’m not sure we have a good balance between protection and promotion of content.

Q: What’s more important in your current role; proper handling of intellectual property, or generally enabling your users’ access to the proper information?

Sara: It’s sometimes more than a challenge than I wish it were between the two - I want to be an enabler, no-one likes a jobsworth, but equally, acting illegally is not something I am prepared to do.

Q: Any advice for someone looking to stay apprised of ongoing changes in copyright law (besides Click University!)?

Sara: Follow blogs and other places where conversations happen about this, in your own jurisdiction.

Q:  You work at an international law firm. What’s the biggest challenge this presents as a legal librarian?

Sara: It’s a balancing act to ensure that we provide a good service, and pass documents and information on to our lawyers when they need them - but still staying legal in our handling of copying and downloading. The two aren’t always compatible and it’s been known for a lawyer to be irritated by additional wait time or restrictions on use. 
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Share your own perspectives below.

PS - Today (1 May) is Law Day here in the United States!
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#SLAchat is a discussion series we hope you participate in by talking with your colleagues about topics that interest you. Send me an e-mail if you have a topic-idea for an upcoming SLAchat. 

Hotel and bus information for SLA 2012

Hotels in the SLA 2012 conference block have been filling up, and we've received many questions about using the housing bureau to make reservations.  We've also had inquiries about the policy for using the hotel shuttle buses.  We've developed a FAQ to address the most common questions.

So, what are the advantages of staying in an SLA hotel in Chicago?

• Door-to-door shuttle bus service between the hotels and the convention center
• Pre-payment for your hotel is not required
• You are guaranteed a room
• Hotels have been inspected by SLA staff for quality and safety
• Networking opportunities...most conference attendees will be staying in an SLA hotel
• Future housing and conference registration rates will remain competitive

Visit the FAQ for more information, or contact me if you have any questions.

Candidate Question #2 (When did you first join SLA?)

Question #2: When did you first join SLA? What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

(Kama Siegel, candidate for Chapter Cabinet-Elect)

I first joined SLA as a student, oh probably around 2003 or 2004. I was a distance-only student at Drexel, and I didn't really have a community of peers in Portland. I knew a few Emporia and UW students, but they seemed just as lost as I was, as far as how "real" librarians get together. I figured the best way to get connected -- not only to other students, but also to professionals -- would be to join some sort of organization. I wasn't interested in working at a public library, and while I still wasn't sure about academic libraries, I was already working at a law firm. The librarian at that firm suggested that I join both SLA and AALL, and so I did (hi, Laurie!).

Another reason I joined as a student is because a career change is difficult enough, but especially if you don't know what you're doing. The folks I met through SLA were not only welcoming, but also had great ideas about how to network, where to look for jobs, and how to connect with the larger community of information professionals.

I still belong because of the incredibly valuable connections I have made. I feel kinship with information professionals from all over the world. Additionally, I have forged relationships with vendors or their representatives, which often enables our chapter to offer that extra professional development or student event, or provides us with new ways of looking at resources.

I still belong so that we can reach out to those beyond our little circle of "informeds." I think about when I was a student and I don't ever want someone to be unaware of his or her organizational options. I am so proud to serve on an ORSLA Board that has worked very hard to communicate with non-members, non-info pros and students. When we see new faces at our events, and get positive feedback about our efforts, it makes us feel that we're on the right track.

Candidate Question 2: When did you first join SLA?

When did you first join SLA? What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

Stacey Greenwell, Candidate for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

As a new academic librarian in a non-traditional IT role looking for a professional home, I joined SLA in 2001 after attending my first SLA event, an excellent Kentucky Chapter program on virtual reference services.  I will never forget that event, partly because they served mimosas at the program (what a fun organization, I thought), but mostly because of the friendliness of the chapter.  I was immediately tasked with editing the chapter bulletin, and while attending the Leadership Summit in 2002, the Information Technology Division put me to work as Membership and Awards Chair.  I greatly appreciated how easy it was to get involved in volunteer leadership in SLA.

I joined SLA because of the leadership opportunities, networking, and programming, and that is why I still belong today.  I have long said that a professional organization is a great way to develop skills such as running meetings, planning programs, managing budgets, etc., as those opportunities are not always there at work, particularly early in one's career.  Volunteering is an excellent test ground for developing leadership skills and can provide a wealth of experience.  I value the network I have built in SLA, as I have friends around the world I can call on when I have a specific information need.  I continue find the subject-specific programming valuable and the leadership and networking opportunities essential.  I appreciate that SLA is such a nimble organization and changes to meet member needs; the formation and continued success of the Academic Division is a good example of that.  My involvement in SLA continues to be so rewarding to me personally and professionally.

Question 2: When did you first join SLA? (Candidate Questions)

When did you first join SLA? What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

 Kate Arnold ~ Candidate for President-Elect

 I joined SLA, and specifically the News division, in 1999 based on recommendations from two trusted colleagues: Annabel Colley, a fellow member of the AUKML (Association of UK Media Librarians), who waxed lyrical about the networking and learning gained from attending 1998 annual conference; and Nora Paul who taught an inspirational course on the changing face of news libraries. I knew I wanted to be part of a group that these two were associated with. So personal recommendation is an important recruitment tool.

Having joined SLA for the networking and learning opportunities I soon realised that there was also the option of volunteering at unit (SLA Europe) and board level. By volunteering I was given an opportunity to gain new skills and experience, which have been helpful for work and my career. In the last 13 years I’ve gained valuable experience in chairing meetings, delivering presentations, public speaking, leading teams and collaborating on major projects.

Networking and learning, the original reasons I joined SLA, remain important as factors for why I remain a member. My experience as a volunteer, at unit and board level, has given me plentiful opportunities to contribute to my development and that of the profession, both powerful reasons to remain a member.  

Question #2: When did you first join SLA? What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

David Stern, candidate for Treasurer

I joined SLA in 1982, when BRS and Dialog were the cool search tools, email was not ubiquitous, and there was no Internet. The telephone and Annual Conferences were how we networked. Round Tables were where we shared stories and best practices.

As a beginning science librarian there was only one place to meet the experts and learn the tools and techniques I would need to survive and to eventually develop into a better professional. SLA was where I was introduced to the best and brightest, and where I was adopted and given the opportunities to grow and help others over the years. Along the way I met many fascinating people, attended superb learning sessions, and saw many wonderful places.

Today I still learn a great deal, collaborate with  wonderful librarians and industry partners, and solve problems through "meeting" people in physical and virtual settings. SLA remains my lifeline and my most cherished professional network.

Candidate Question #2: When did you first join SLA?

SLA: When did you first join SLA?  What made you decide to join then, and why do you still belong today?

Candidate for President-Elect - Juanita Richardson:

JR: I joined SLA in 1988 when I landed my first job as Assistant Librarian at ScotiaMcLeod (an investment bank) on the advice of my boss, mentor and friend, Angie Devlin.  I had been aware of SLA but, being new to Toronto at that time, didn't realize how strong the SLA community was here.  I was - if you can believe it - a very shy young librarian and Angie convinced me that reaching out to the SLA community would be a great way to develop professionally and personally.  How right she was!  REASON #1: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

In less than a year, I was asked to take on my first "task" within the chapter:  I was responsible for thanking our speakers at one of the chapter meetings.  The speakers that evening included Stephen Abram, Rebecca Jones and Deirdre Grimes.  I don't remember what they talked about but I certainly remember how nervous I was.  I had never done any public speaking before!  I had already written out my little thank you speech - completely unrelated to anything they said, I'm sure!  - waiting my moment when I would have to step up.  At the podium, there were small gifts I was to give to each of our speakers to thank them.  I read out my little speech, without looking at anyone on the stage ... and raced away from the podium as quickly as possible ... leaving the gifts behind at the lecturn.  Fortunately, Stephen, Rebecca and Deirdre had the grace to simply help themselves to the gifts without pointing out my oversight.  Even more fortunately, this was only my first of many roles with the Toronto Chapter, culminating in Chapter President in 1995.  REASON #2: ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN A NO-RISK ENVIRONMENT.

Why do I stay?  That reason is the easiest of all:  REASON #3: SLA IS MY CONNECTION.  When I talk about our annual conference, I talk about the chance to get together with 5,000 of my closest friends.  I have discovered that that very vibrant, welcoming community exists far wider than just in my local chapter.  As a member of SLA, I am a part of an extended network of professionals who work in a variety of different environments within many different industries.  It is my pleasure to be connected to this community and to contribute to the vibrancy and good health of our association.

-Juanita

 

 

 

See Chicago's Sights

Are you going to SLA 2012?  Come see what's new, exciting, and decidedly different during a Saturday evening tour that explores Chicago’s highlights. From 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, 14 July, tour participants will experience vistas from the extraordinary Millennium Park, the glorious lakefront, and Navy Pier, Chicago's number one tourist attraction.

Chicagoans take great pride in their city's major contribution to world architecture. In the place where it all began in the 1880s, learn how modern styles evolved and produced the ever-increasing panorama of world-class structures. Buildings by Louis Sullivan, Daniel Burnham, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson, Helmut Jahn, and other greats line the downtown and neighborhood streets. Learn how the early city planners separated the buildings and the city's commerce from the beaches, parks and inviting lakeshore. Discover for yourself why over 30 million visitors each year say, "Chicago is my kind of town!"

A stop at the Willis Tower Skydeck, formerly known as the Sears Tower, is included in the tour.  The tower is a world-renowned building and a Chicago icon, and the the Skydeck offers spectacular views spanning up to four states.  It's a Chicago experience full of interactive exhibits and…The Ledge, a glass balcony extending four feet outside the 103rd floor of Willis Tower!  The Ledge provides never-before-seen views of the city. The eighth-tallest building in the world, the Willis Tower remains the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, standing 110 stories at 1,450 feet.

The cost for this bus tour is $45.00, and tickets can be purchased through the online conference registration system.  Buy your tickets now!

Only 2 Weeks Left Until the Early Bird Deadline!

The early bird deadline for SLA 2012 is Friday, 11 May. Don't miss this opportunity to save on conference registration costs!

Need to share information with your boss about the conference? The "Dear Boss" letter will help you explain the importance of this education and networking event.

Conference Highlights:

Register for SLA continuing education courses and you will add more value to your organization.

Keynote speaker Guy Kawasaki is sure to be insightful and inspiring. What ideas can you take back to your organization?

Stay up to date on best practices and add even more value to your conference experience by participating in the featured Spotlight Sessions.

The future is now… Are you ready? Register today!

Digital Accountability and Transparency Act passes House

The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act) passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on April 25th.The Data Act would require federal agencies to consistently report spending information on a new, searchable Web platform.

The legislation passed by a voice vote and will now go before the U.S. Senate. If it becomes law, it will establish standards for identifying and publishing electronic information about federal spending.

The federal government would need to spend $575 million over five years to create new structures and systems under the DATA Act, according to a Congressional Budget Office report issued last year.

Read full article: DATA Act passes House

Love SLA? Tell SLA!

Over the past several years, we’ve received kind words from many of our volunteers and members. We’re looking for more to add to our future communications.

What easier way is there to provide them than right here on the SLA Blog?

For anyone considering joining a community, testimonials by peers are the most resounding form of persuasion. Information professionals considering joining our community—whether it’s as a member, an Annual Conference first-timer, a networker at a local chapter function, or student at a Click-U Webinar—will make the most informed decision by hearing from involved members of SLA.

-Has SLA’s Annual Conference had a positive impact on your career? In what way?
-Did you find your job with the help of an SLA colleague?
-How has a Click University program enhanced your job search and/or performance?
-Did a visit to SLA’s INFO-EXPO hall result in you being armed with the tools that currently support your work?
-Has regular volunteer involvement provided you with new skills which enhance your career?
-How has membership in SLA been fun, invigorating and energizing?

Answers to all these questions will fit the bill, but don’t hesitate to tell us about your personal SLA experience. And, if it’s something you think we should improve upon, we’ll receive that feedback with appreciation as well.

Commenting on this post isn’t the only form of participating. We’re re-launching MySLA: The Podcast and would love to feature your SLA story there. You can also contact me to provide feedback directly.

 

870,000 Pictures are Worth...How Many Words?

The New York City Department of Records just announced on-line access to over 870,000 rarely viewed images. For the first time, photographs that were previously only accessible by visiting the archives offices in Manhattan are now available to the world.

This impressive database includes images from the largest collection of criminal justice evidence in the English speaking world, more than 800,000 color photos of every city building in New York, and over 1,300 rare depression-era photos of the Public Works Administration.

You can access, view, and order prints of the photos here. But you might want to wait a few hours, the site is experiencing temporary difficulties due to "overwhelming demand" at the moment (1:15 PM, EST, on 24 April).

For more information, read the AP story posted on Yahoo this morning. 

How do you plan to use the new resource? Which photos are must-shares? Let us know in the comments.

Knowledge Management: More than Distributing Information

It is evident today that it is not sufficient just to have the most advanced technology and distribute the information in order to have your audience digest and act on the information given to them. In this blog post by Paolo Mefalopulos, head of the Communication Program at UNICEF in India, he emphasizes that the current way that “knowledge is collected, organized, communicated and shared needs to be significantly rethought.” He provides insight and examples on how knowledge should be shared, stressing that the starting point of an effective KM system should be the audience instead of the knowledge itself. He also presents an interesting stand on KM stating that it should be conceived more as a communication and behavior change subject. He goes on to state that a knowledge management program that does more than collect and distribute information will influence the intended audiences. Check out the full blog post by clicking the link below. 

Knowledge Management is Not Mere Dissemination 

 

 

Copyright and Web 2.0

"All of the organizations I work for, and volunteer for, use Web 2.0 technology...so I want to be prepared."

-- CCM400 participant

I bet you've wondered (even just a little) about what copyright has to do with blog content.  Or social networking sites.  Or scanning that text or sharing a file.

If you want to know more about the copyright implications for digital content, then our next online course, CCM400, is for you.

In CCM400. Web 2.0 and Digital Content Copyright Issues, you'll learn about copyright protection in digital vs. traditional works, how to determine if a digital work is actually protected by copyright, what electronic rights are, what laws deal with digital copyright issues, and digital rights management, plus many other topics.

Dates:  26 April - 21 May  (course schedule)
Format:  3 online sessions, discussion list participation, and independent readings
Cost:  $395 for members | $495 for nonmembers  (discounts for members)

CCM400 is part of Click University's Certificate in Copyright Management program, but any course may be taken a la carte.

Register today for this invaluable course that will help you become the copyright guru in your organization.

Questions?  Contact Click University.

Advice to someone interested in a nontraditional career path

SLA Board Candidate Question 1: What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths?

Tara Murray, candidate for Division Cabinet Chair-elect:

The information profession is an evolving one and it is difficult to say what constitutes a nontraditional career for an information professional. I know from talking to fellow professionals at conferences that we have a wide range of job titles and responsibilities. Much of what we do - even those of us in relatively traditional roles - falls into the "I didn't learn this in library school" category. This is what makes the profession challenging and exciting.

Keep both your mind and your eyes open.

You may have started your training, or even spent a good portion of your career, with an idea of what your dream job is. The truth is that your dream job might be something you can't even imagine now, and you might have to create it yourself.

Evolve.

In a constantly changing world, you can't afford to be static. SLA offers many opportunities to keep up with the latest in the field and learn new skills, including chapter visits to member libraries and organizations, division programs at the annual conference, webinars offered through ClickU and chapters and divisions, and more.

Keep in touch.

Nontraditional careers usually don't come with a built-in network of information professional colleagues. (This is true for many traditional jobs in smaller institutions, too.) SLA provides that network. Whether you meet your colleagues at a chapter event, a networking event at annual conference, or a discussion on a social media site or discussion list, they help you keep up with trends, provide a sounding board for ideas, offer advice - and who knows, might just have a lead to your next career opportunity!

Resources to Enhance Your SLA 2012 Travel Experience

A convenient source of expertise to help you plan your SLA 2012 trip (and it's only going to expand over the next few months), is the SLA Illinois Chapter's Hospitality Wiki. 

Included are transportation options for getting from both the Midway and O'hare Airports to McCormick Place Convention Center, as well as tips for navigating the city once you're situated. The Sightseeing & Attractions section provides an overview of things to do while you're in town, and stay tuned for the Restuarant Guide that is sure to offer a top-notch cuisine choice for every palate and occasion. Follow @SLAillinois on Twitter for tips from the Chapter leaders who truly know the city.

The Chicago Visitors & Tourism Bureau Website is overflowing with information. The Bureau's staff of natives manages Chicago Like a Local, a dynamic blog that is home to dining tips, the latest Arts & Entertainment recommedations, hidden shopping gems, and more. They've also got a YouTube channel of videos overviewing different aspects of Chicago like this one about Transportation:

 

Question 1: Nontraditional Career Paths (Candidate Questions)

What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths?

Kate Arnold ~ Candidate for President-Elect

My tips for anyone interested in nontraditional career paths are based on my experience of non-traditional information roles over the last 10 years. If you follow these tips, understand and communicate your transferable skills, remain curious and market yourself then there are opportunities out there.

Skills audit – identify the skills you’re good at and enjoy. Think about how these skills will transfer out of your current environment into a new one. One way of doing this is to come up with stories of how you’ve used these skills, but remember that you need to communicate this in an effective way to non-librarians, so avoid jargon.

Networking  - if not already doing this you should be either virtually or face to face. It’s the best way to understand what other people do in their daily jobs, to get ideas of new sectors, new roles and job opportunities.

Volunteering – allows you to combine the previous two tips in one as you can learn a new skill, or develop an excellent example of using a skill, and network. If you’re not already doing this in SLA then why not? But don’t limit your volunteering to a professional association. Why not volunteer in your local community or in your organisation or company, you never know what might come of it

 

Question to Candidates: Non-traditional career paths

SLA: Question: What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths?

JR: Answer: There is no such thing as a non-traditional career path. Our background and training have provided us with the skill set to select, acquire, organize, manage and share information. While these skills are fundamental to a traditional library environment, they are also fundamental to any organization where data / information / intelligence / knowledge is at the hub of that organization's business. And in this knowledge economy - and in the face of the information explosion that is the Internet, more and more organizations have come to recognize the importance of information.

The pace of change combined with a sophisticated technical infrastructure to manage information has reached a stage where NOT having staff in place to manage not just the technology (the "pipes") but the actual content, the data, the intelligence, the "water" means that that organization is not capitalizing on the one quality that can differentiate one company, one university, one country from another: our intellectual capital.

This is our moment. The time is now to expand beyond our traditional environments and take on new challenging roles in career paths that are, in fact, the exact right fit for us.

Question 1 - Nontraditional Career Paths (Candidate Questions)

Question #1: What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths?

Joy M. Banks, Candidate for Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

In order to best answer this question, I think it’s important to define what I view as a non-traditional career path, since our definitions may vary. As someone who has been connected with public, academic, and now a special library, these are the institutions that I view as traditional. We have books and online resources, serve an identifiable user base, answer reference questions, and are generally defined as libraries. A non-traditional career would be one that isn’t necessarily in a library or even working with well-defined collections. When I think about non-traditional career paths for professionals in the library and information sciences field, I think of independent researchers, information architects, product sales representatives, and other positions involving new and emerging technologies.

Working with that definition, I think the foundations of library and information science programs prepare us for many more career paths than most realize, so my first bit of advice would be to recognize that fact. Both new and seasoned professionals should be able to evaluate their skill sets in relation to available positions to find how they may fit a non-traditional career. The best advice that I have for that would be to create a listing of every project you have ever worked on (in and out of your professional field) and assigning skills that were needed for each project. For example, I worked on a migration from Dewey Decimal to Library of Congress Classification. A listing of the skills I used on that project would include (but not be limited to) project management, spreadsheet manipulation, statistical analysis, supervision of student workers, data manipulation, and policy planning. Once a master list of your skills is established, it should be relatively easy to evaluate what career path may be best for you and to continue adding to the list as you develop and grow. This exercise may also produce some hidden talents that you didn’t realize you possessed. Remember, no experience is too small when thinking about career mobility. While interviewing for a job as a bank teller, I used my experience collecting fines in the library to prove I knew how to handle currency. How's that for non-traditional?

Any career advice needs to include the need to remain flexible in an ever changing job market and to never stop developing new skills and honing those skills you already possess. Continuing education is key to remaining relevant to the needs of today’s world. Explore the opportunities that SLA offers you through ClickU. See what other Chapters and Divisions are offering in terms of webinars. Look for local and regional connections so you can job shadow. By continuing to grow, whether currently employed or not, you show your future employer you commitment to your profession. That is a desirable skill no matter where you look.

CRS Report on the FDLP: Issues for Congress

The Congressional Research Service (CRS)  has prepared a 15-page report for the members and committees of the U.S. Congress regarding the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP). 

In the past half-century, information creation, distribution, retention, and preservation have expanded from a tangible, paper-based process to include digital processes managed largely through computerized information technologies.

The transition to digital information raises a number of issues of possible interest to Congress. The report discusses those possible concerns as they affect FDLP. These issues, which are in some cases interrelated, may not only affect FDLP, but also extend beyond the program to a variety of contexts related to the management of government information in tangible and digital forms. Issues include the following: maintenance and availability of the FDLP tangible collection; retention and preservation of digital information; access to FDLP resources; authenticity and accuracy of digital material; robustness of the FDLP Electronic Collection; and the costs of FDLP and other government information distribution initiatives.

Read Report: Federal Depository Library Program: Issues for Congress

Learn About E-Portfolios from Two Movers & Shakers

Join us in May for an exploration of e-portfolios: what they are, how to create them, which tools to use, and how to determine their impact.

Our webinar instructors are quite accomplished.  Lisa Chow and Sandra Sajonas are Library Journal Movers & Shakers, and Lisa is also an SLA Rising Star.  They are partners in People Interact, an organization that helps libraries and other groups become people-centered through user experience assessment and staff, leadership and career development.  You won't want to miss their presentation and the opportunity to learn from these two info pro leaders.

Using E-Portfolios to Showcase Your Work, Experience, and Skills
Date:  Wednesday, May 9
Time:  2:00 - 3:00 pm ET
Cost:  Free Webinar for SLA members

Register today!

Questions?  Contact Click University.

Question 1 - Nontraditional Career Paths (Candidate Questions)

What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths?

John DiGilio, Candidate for Treasurer:

Conventional wisdom has long been that good things come to those who wait. Well, these are NOT conventional times. In today's fast-paced, financially challenged market, good things come to those who go after them. This is as true of a rewarding career, especially a non-traditional one, as it is for anything else worth having these days. Taking an active role in SLA is just the first step in the chase. It opens doors to possibilities you may have never knew existed. However, once you get in the door, it is up to you to make the most of the opportunities. My recommendations are simple:

• Explore: SLA's divisions and caucuses represent the full breadth and extent of our profession. The information professionals who make up this Association come from fascinating and wildly diverse sectors of the industry. You won't know they are even there if you do not venture out to meet them. Just scan the list of units and you will be amazed at some of the groupings. Each one is an opportunity. Do not squander those possibilities, immerse yourself in them.

• Educate: Continuing education is a major component of what you get for your membership dollars. From Click U to sessions being offered by the various units. Again, you have to avail yourself of what is out there. If you want to know what some of your non-traditionally placed colleagues are doing, why not take the chance to hear it from them directly?

• Finally, Network. These one should speak for itself. But let me put it another way, "network like you mean it". It is not enough to show up at events. You have get in there and rub elbows with your colleagues. You will be as fascinating to them as they are to you, IF you give them the chance to get to know you. I have gotten every professional position I have ever held this way.

Good things may come to those who wait. But why wait? Do you have that kind of time? Being part of SLA is a golden opportunity to explore the frontiers of this profession. You just have to strap on your boots and get ready to stake a claim!

Question 1 - Nontraditional Career Paths (Candidate Questions)

What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths? 

Kama Siegel, Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect Candidate

The first thing I would suggest is to find a person whose job sounds interesting or appealing and grill them about it. Ask them questions, see if you can actually accompany them to work for a day, research their place of business. Sure, it could end up being a grass-is-greener situation, but sometimes the perfect opportunity falls into your lap.

My second suggestion is to get creative with your resume. If you want a nontraditional career, you need to think, well, nontraditionally. The skills you use in your current -- or any former -- position can be repurposed to fit the job you seek. Scott Brown of Social Information Group spoke to the Oregon Chapter of SLA (slides) last fall about how to take your existing "brand" and freshen it up. For example, consider the non-work skills you have, like coaching or playing the piano. Coaching translates to "leadership skills" and playing the piano requires "attention to detail."

My last suggestion is to network and retrain yourself. One of the best ways to do this is to join one or more professional organizations. If you're already a member, join multiple Divisions. Follow other Chapters' or Divisions' listservs. Use the free resources that SLA offers its membership. SLA's strength lies in its international membership, which encompasses a vast range of workplace locations and environments. One of my favorite things about the SLA Annual Meeting is that interaction when one person exclaims to another, "That's SO COOL!" about his or her job. And if you branch out of traditional library work, there are many other professional organizations that would happily welcome new members with complementary skills and interests.

Question 1: Non-traditional Career Paths

What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in non-traditional career paths?

Stacey Greenwell, Candidate for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

I would encourage any information professional interested in a non-traditional career to consider what SLA may have to offer in terms of learning, networking, and leadership opportunities.  In my own experience, my first professional position outside of public libraries was in desktop and server management in a university library’s IT department.  I had difficulty finding counterparts in other academic libraries, and thankfully several colleagues recommended I get involved in SLA’s Information Technology Division.  I quickly found others doing similar types of work in corporate, government, and academic environments. We found relevant programs to attend at SLA Annual Conference and eventually developed our own program, the IT Division’s Technical Support Roundtable, in order to further meet our learning and networking needs.

In addition to considering SLA’s variety of learning and networking opportunities, I would encourage those interested in non-traditional careers to think about building their leadership skills in SLA.  Speaking again from my own experience, I spent five years of my career as the lone librarian working with a group of IT professionals.  Serving as a volunteer leader in SLA helped me gain leadership skills that ultimately led to promotions and new opportunities.  Participating in volunteer leadership positions can build a variety of skills and help those in non-traditional roles stay engaged with other information professionals.

Meeting the Candidates Online: SLA's 2013 Board of Directors

Leading up to the election next fall, there will be a variety of opportunities to get to know your 2013 SLA Board of Directors Candidates.

If you haven't already, learn about the eight outstanding professionals by reviewing their bio's posted on SLA's Website.

Stay tuned to the SLA Blog where each candidate will be displaying their own expertise to answer several candidate questions. The first question and answer is already posted here. This one asks about nontraditional career paths and the advice that each candidate can offer to both new and seasoned professionals.

You also can easily follow and interact with the candidates via Twitter.

• Kate Arnold (for President-Elect) - @katefromUK
• Juanita Richardson (for President-Elect) - @TheJuanitaR
• Joy Banks (for Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect) - @joy_m_banks
• Kama Siegel (for Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect) - @kama_sue
• Stacey Greenwell (for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect) - @staceygreenwell
• Tara Murray (for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect) - @diylibrarian
• John DiGiglio (for Treasurer) - @iBraryGuy
• David Stern (For Treasurer) - @davidstern123

One of the best opportunities is simply talking with your candidates face-to-face. You can do that, too, at the SLA 2012 Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO during the Meet-and-Greet Candidates session on Monday, 16 July starting at 2 p.m.

 

State Spending Transparency Improving

Since it first began evaluating the websites of government organizations in 2010, the Sunshine Review has seen an evolution in the kinds of data public agencies publish online.

In 2010, only 41 public organizations of the more than 5,000 evaluated, qualified for an A grade from Sunshine Review, meaning they met at least nine of the 10 requirements on their transparency checklist. In 2012, 214 government organizations received the honor. Nearly 100 groups received a perfect 10 out of 10 evaluation in 2012, including cities, counties and school districts across the country. Two state websites, Massachusetts and Washington, were also awarded the highest distinction offered in the evaluation. Florida, Illinois, Virginia and New Mexico had the largest number of agencies taking home top honors.

Read full Article: State Spending Transparency Improving, Report Finds

Question 1: Non-traditional Career Paths

What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths?

David Stern, Candidate for Treasurer

I would emphasize taking advantage of the phenomenal networking and environmental scanning aspects within SLA. Members can interact with information professionals and vendors/publishers from all facets of the industry. SLA provides a great avenue to discover the latest tools, techniques and trends that will give you a competitive advantage over other entrepreneurs. You will meet industry leaders, movers and shakers, and other non-traditional information professionals.

You will find experts in key areas such as marketing, search tools, infrastructure design, metadata schema, solo librarianship, consulting, and many other related fields. Webinars and face-to-face meetings allow new and experienced visionary members to percolate and innovate, developing new perspectives that may lead to new services. You may even be able to start your own incubator such as a new Caucus or Division.

A last thought is to look outside the traditional services offered by libraries, seek out ways that organizations capture and share their information using new tools that complement control and hierarchy with flexibility and agility.

 

 

 

#SLAchat: Q & A with Ruth Kneale: Drupal vs. Wordpress

#SLAchat is a discussion series we hope you participate in by talking with your colleagues about topics that interest you. Send me an e-mail if you have a topic-idea for an upcoming SLAchat. We're kicking the first one off with a Q & A with our own Ruth Kneale: 

Q: Drupal or Wordpress?

Ruth: Drupal! 

Q: Which one feature, gadget, or plug-in does your preferred tool have that the other does not?

Ruth: The Drupal community is amazing. When I was comparing the two, WordPress definitely won the "easy to install" category, but the support for Drupal users to do more than a simple turnkey site is fantastic, and a large part of why I love it. I also find content addition and editing to be easier in Drupal than in Wordpress - the user interface is cleaner and generates a lot fewer questions by my content managers.

Q: In 2 sentences, a picture, or link, describe your experience with Drupal and/or Wordpress.

Ruth: I chose and implemented Drupal at my place of work, http://atst.nso.edu, and it went so well we're now rolling it out across all the NSO websites. I (of course) use Wordpress for the SLA websites (http://pam.sla.org, for example). They both have pros and cons - it all depends on your end-result needs.

Q: Do you have a crystal ball?

Ruth: I do, actually! (It's purple)

Q: Predict which tool will be around in 5 years, and which one will not? Why?

Ruth: I believe both will still be around and in use in 5 years, although not in the forms they are now.

Consider Ruth weighed-in. Now, what do you think?

note: more discussion questions will be asked next week, and we plan to cover a variety.

 

 

Info from SLA now on one blog

Dear Blog Readers,

Effective today, we are using the SLA Blog for all posts about the upcoming Annual Conference, Click University programming, SLA Board communications and candidate questions, public policy initiatives, career resources, and more. By providing the majority of our information through one blog rather than several, we hope our readers will enjoy a simpler, more streamlined source of SLA news and information.

The Leadership Connections blog, which helps us communicate with our volunteer leaders and those interested in becoming leaders within SLA, will remain active.

 

What You Should Know

Subscribing to Feeds – You can subscribe via RSS to specific categories of posts, as well as all of the SLA Blog content together.

If you want to be notified whenever a new post goes up related to one topic area, here's how:

• Visit the SLA Blog homepage and scroll to find the list of categories in the right margin.
• Select the category you are interested in, and the posts will display.
• Click the orange RSS icon to the right of the category name to get to the subscription page.
• In Firefox, you can select to receive updates via the “Live Bookmarks” feature. You might also want to set up a Feedreader, Google Reader, or Bloglines account to easily subscribe to feeds (copy and paste the URL of the subscription page in your feed reader). In Chrome, there are plenty of options for RSS subscription tools as well.

Note that you can also subscribe to all posts by RSS by clicking the "Subscribe to this blog's feed" link in the right margin.

Receiving E-mail Updates – You can be notified by e-mail whenever a new SLA Blog post is published. Simply visit the SLA Blog homepage and enter your e-mail address in the box in the right-hand margin and click the "Get e-mail updates" button.  Simple!

Going Forward – We’ll use this blog to post everything you should know about our upcoming events, programs, and initiatives. We’ll also begin using it as a place to discuss topics of interest, and we hope you'll weigh in with your own answers. Look for the first question on Friday, April 6, which will feature a Q & A comparison of Drupal vs. Wordpress with Ruth Kneale.  See you there!