SLA Blog

SLA Board Member Deb Hunt Honored for Innovative “23 Things” Program

Deb Hunt, Principal at Information Edge in San Leandro, Calif. and a member of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) Board of Directors, was honored by Information World Review (IWR) magazine for her work on behalf of SLA to spearhead and implement the innovative “23 Things” program.

23 Things is a free, members-only, self-directed training program to help SLA members develop confidence and skills using a wide range of Web 2.0 tools.  Hunt was granted a first-time special commendation mention by IWR at its “Information Professional of the Year” ceremony in London on December 1.  “It was a highly competitive field but Deb and the 23 Things project really stood out,” said IWR Editor Peter Williams.

“When I began my term as a member of the SLA Board of Directors, I was asked by 2008 SLA President  Stephen Abram to choose a project to lead and I immediately suggested getting SLA members up to speed on Web 2.0 skills,” said Hunt.

Hunt recruited a small team of eager SLA members to assist in the effort, and SLA’s 23 Things was created. Working closely with her team, Hunt anticipated the need for a registration and survey process as well as a formal recognition for any member who completed the 23 Things.  One of the more effective aspects of the program was the manner in which participants were asked to immediately apply their learning by creating a blog to record the knowledge they were gaining.

23 Things went live in June of 2008 and it proved to be an instant success. Hunt continues to monitor 23 Things, a thriving program that now has 1,943 participants and is growing.

The 23 Things program is credited with attracting many new SLA members, and participants coming from all over the world, including the U.S., Canada, India, New Zealand, Australia, and several countries in Asia and Africa. Hunt also received a 2008 SLA Presidential Citation from Stephen Abram for her work on this innovative program for SLA.

The nominations were judged by a panel of previous recipients of this award.  The Information Professional of the Year award is annually organized by IWR magazine along with Incisive Media, the organizers of the Online Information conference, and was sponsored by the American Psychological Association.

Leadership Summit Early Bird Rate will Fly Away on December 22

Creating the Future

Register before December 22and get the early bird rate to attend the 2010 SLA Leadership Summit January 27-- 30 in St. Louis, Missouri.

If you're a leader, you simply must attend the 2010 Leadership Summit. You will learn practical skills to grow in your leadership role in SLA or other volunteer organizations which will then assist in elevating your leadership skills in your job. That translates to what today's employers are seeking in today's information professional.

In its centennial year, SLA has completed important alignment research and is now poised to implement its findings. The research has defined the perceived value of the profession and the association. Now is the time to create the future -- the future of your association, your unit, and your career--and make an important contribution to information professionals around the globe.

Learn from expertswho will show us how to navigate the new roads ahead, get answers to your questions, hear from your colleagues, and participate in an "unconference" where you can create the session that addresses your unique challenges and opportunities.

 

Reminder: SLA Rising Star and Fellows Nominations Due December 15!

SLA is now accepting nominations for all 2010 association-level awards!

In a change from previous years, the deadline to submit a nomination for a Fellow or a Rising Star will fall before the deadline for all other awards. These nominations must be received by December 15. 

Fellow of SLA- Presented to an SLA member to recognize leadership in their career as an information professional. Fellowship is bestowed on mid-career SLA members in recognition of past, present and future service to the association and the profession. (nominations for 2010 Fellows have closed)

The SLA Rising Star Award sponsored by JJ Keller
Presented annually to recognize new members who shows exceptional promise of leadership and contribution to the association and profession.  The award will be presented to an outstanding SLA member who has one to five years of professional experience as an information professional. (nominations for 2010 Rising Stars have closed)

The deadline to submit for the following awards is January 15, 2010:

• The Dow Jones Leadership Award
• SLA Hall of Fame Award
• Dialog Member Achievement Award
• Rose L. Vormelker Award
• John Cotton Dana Award

Nominate a colleague today!

Need some inspiration? Take a look at the videos about the 2009 recipients on SLA-TV 

(Note: Please make a copy of your nomination materials and form before you sumbit the online application. If you do not receive an email confirming your submission within 24 hours of sending in your nomination, please contact Cara Schatz at cara@sla.org to confirm that your submission was received.)

SLA Name Will Stay: Alignment of Association to Continue

Voting in record numbers, SLA members failed to approve a proposal to change the organization’s name to the Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals.  50 percent of those members eligible to vote participated in the referendum, with 2071 voting yes and 3225 voting no.

“The active discussions, online and in local meetings, are a testament to the passion and commitment that knowledge and information professionals feel towards their association and their profession,” said Gloria Zamora, SLA 2009 President. “This level of engagement will help make SLA and its members more effective advocates for the information profession in the years ahead.”

The name change proposal stemmed from the findings of the Alignment Project, an intensive two-year research effort aimed at understanding the value of the information and knowledge professional in today’s marketplace and how to best communicate that value. “Our name will remain,” Zamora continued, “but we will go forward with developing opportunities for our members to use the Alignment findings to demonstrate their contributions to the organizations that employ them.”

“Information and knowledge professionals are critical assets to the organizations that employ them, yet their contributions and capabilities are too often underestimated,” said SLA CEO Janice R. Lachance. “The findings of the Alignment Project research will guide SLA in developing services and programs that will more successfully position these professionals in the marketplace and attract the recognition and compensation they deserve.”

SLA members interviewed for "Beyond the Book"

SLA members Dennie Heye of the Netherlands and Stephen Kizza of Uganda were recently interviewed for the “Beyond the Book” podcast.  ("Beyond the Book" is part of the educational program of the not-for-profit Copyright Clearance Center.) The interview focused on the special challenges of information professionals in developing nations and the role SLA has played.

This is a good example of the global reach of SLA and how, through the powers of networking and online tools, SLA members are helping each other. Thanks and good job, Dennie and Stephen!

Alignment Step 2: Actions You Can Take NOW to Increase Your Value in the Workplace

These simple action items will help you put to work the valuable findings of SLA’s Alignment Project. 

Here is your second action item:

2.  Compare Strategies

Start by obtaining a copy of your organization’s latest strategic plan.  Don’t settle for whatever is posted on your Web site; ask the appropriate office, department or executive if it is up to date or under revision.

If the plan has changed, ascertain exactly how.  Have priorities been added or taken away?  Has the focus shifted? Think through and make notes about how those changes might affect your own priorities. For example, if your organization is dropping a product line or graduate program, what changes could you make to your portfolio of subscriptions, vendors, etc., as a result?  Should your knowledge management strategy be adjusted? Be sure to keep notes on the cost implications of these changes.

Now compare your organization’s strategic plan with that of your library or information center.  (If you do not have your own strategic plan, this is where to start.)  Are there disconnects? Does your strategy do the best possible job in supporting your organization’s priorities?  What can you do now to change that?  What could you do with additional resources?  Can you reallocate resources, either human or capital, to accomplish this?

With the information you have gained from these activities, draft a list of tactical measures you can take to better support your organization’s strategic plan.  Link each item with the strategic goal it supports.  Submit your list to your management and other stakeholders, seeking input on how well your tactics will support your organization’s strategic goals and suggestions for additional ways you can provide strategic support.

Volunteer for 2010 Leadership Opportunities, Strengthen SLA for the Future

For the last two years, Presidents Stephen Abram and Gloria Zamora have used the volunteer database to allow all SLA members the opportunity to express their interests in serving the association. It has proved to be a great success and brought many new faces to the forefront of SLA.

Because the appointment of committee and council members is one of 2010 SLA President Anne Caputo's major responsibilities and highest priorities, she wants to build on this initial success and encourage even more use of the volunteer database for the divisions, chapters, caucuses, board of directors, committees and councils. She will also use this system to populate workgroups or special task forces that may be formed during 2010.

To sign up for these opportunities, please use the Web-based form. The description and responsibilities of committees, advisory councils, task forces, and association representatives can be found on the SLA Web site.

Anne has asked a panel of colleagues to advise her in this process to ensure that the membership of our committees and councils reflects the great diversity we have in our association. Volunteers for opportunities other than committees and councils will be forwarded to the appropriate division, chapter, caucus or nominating committee without any vetting by the advisory group members.

There are some great opportunities coming up to implement the findings of the Alignment Project, and there is renewed energy around our name and the way we describe our value. Please join all of your colleagues who are already making a difference in strengthening SLA for a new generation of information professionals.

 

When Names Change to Protect the Future

A timely article by New York Times Columnist, Mary Tripsas, addresses why organizations need to look at their brand and their name and adjust them if the market demands it.   

"How a company responds to today’s tumultuous technological and competitive landscape depends greatly on how it defines itself or, in some cases, redefines itself.

Questioning a company’s identity, whether or not it results in change, is something that every organization should do."

Read the full article from 28 November New York Times