I have recently taken over the role of SLA Representative for Germany and like many other colleagues I have been pondering the SLA name change. My thoughts on the matter have grown from being able to fit into a tidy e-mail, so I thought I would pen them as an open letter, which became a brief paper, and share them with all SLA members. (the entire letter/paper is available on slideshare as well)
As good fortune would have it, I met with Janice R. Lachance CEO of SLA on the morning after the name change was announced. Janice was about to give the key-note address at the annual conference of the German Society for Information Science and Practice (DGI). She mentioned the new name and asked me how I liked it. My spontaneous reaction was honest, telegraphed by a poorly concealed grimace and drew from Janice a suitable frown.
I mention this incident not to flag the likelihood that my days as the SLA Representative in Germany may now be numbered, but to emphasise that any reaction to such a big decision elicits both a visceral and a rational response.
Put in another way, it would be prudent to listen to both the belly and the brain on this one.
For my part, having now taken some time to look at the Alignment Project results to absorb the discussion and debate whizzing around the SLA listservs as well as reflect on options and alternatives, I now declare myself an enthusiastic supporter of the new name proposed by the SLA Board of Directors, namely the Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals.
Where with respect to the name, reason has triumphed over viscera; the belly however is still unsettled with respect to the proposed acronym, “ASKPro”. Like many other colleagues, I am not able to warm to the acronym.
Nevertheless, I believe that discomfort with the ASKPro acronym need not be a sufficient reason to reject the SLA name change proposal. Rather, with a little imagination and flexibility, the acronym can be polished into acceptance so that it too positively contributes towards fulfillment of the Alignment Project’s objectives.
In my open letter/paper I have set out my observations and thoughts on the proposed SLA name change, in an attempt to explain why I shall be voting for the recommendation of the SLA Board.
The comments and ideas are given in the hope that my meandering will provide a direction if not an actual route for others through this complex landscape. My earnest recommendation to all readers is that they acquaint themselves with the Alignment Project materials. That they contemplate and digest the evidence and in turn come to a considered decision giving weight to the reaction of both belly and brain.
The SLA Name Change: A View From Germany (full letter/paper)
It has taken a lot of reading and pondering, but I now support the name change. I realize that we will vote on the name only, not the shorthand "ASKPro." I suggest that the acronym "ASKP" would be much better. Many other organizations simply use their initials as an acronym, even SLA.
Posted by: Gloria Miller | 02 November 2009 at 05:21 PM