ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

submitted by Michelle Shands

Mission: To ensure operational efficiency through the deployment of competent staff and utilization of effective office and building services.

Priorities:

Recruit and retain a quality staff.
Develop and monitor a competitive compensation package.
Implement innovative, cost-effective office services.
Maintain the building operations in a cost-effective manner with minimal disruption to daily operations.
Provide superior customer service.
Increase the pool of staff candidates by utilizing online recruitment tools.

Develop online orientation sessions that allow for virtual office tours and completion of mandatory employment forms.
Define and implement cost-effective benefits to recruit and retain the staff.
Identify the changing competencies required of staff and develop training for such.
Improve communications with staff regarding strategies related to human resources and routine operations.
Establish fair, consistent, and measurable goals and objectives for each staff position.

Opportunities:

Cultivation of a staff that is diverse, forward thinking, and qualified to carry out the strategic objectives of the Association.
Downturn in the economy gives access to expertise at much more affordable salaries.
Flexible work environment
Development of comprehensive orientation, development, and training programs to maximize service to our constituents.
Utilization of integrated digital technology to increase the productivity and effectiveness of the products and services delivered to the membership and other constituents.
Enrichment of the benefits package to include greater quality of life benefits.
Deployment of knowledge management systems to develop and retain our intellectual capital.
Integration of technologies to link the office functions to the application of member services.

Challenges:

Ensuring operational efficiency in the current headquarters building given that the age, location, and structure of the building contribute to often costly and time-consuming maintenance procedures.
Continuing staff training and development programs which require substantial resources to develop effective training materials, implement programs, and monitor progress.
Ensuring that there are adequate resources to cover member inquiries as the Association expands globally.
Managing telecommuting to include issues relating to security, supervision, inclusion, file/document management, and communication; and ensuring that the workspace for telecommuters is ergonomically correct.
Maintaining a secure work environment.

Uniqueness:

The staff in this program are typically the first to meet all potential staff members. We are the ones who help candidates decide if they want to join the SLA family.
The quality of the programs that we provide the membership is influenced greatly by the individuals the administration department recommends for hire.
The administration department is the backbone for the success or failure of the Association. The operational decisions that we make greatly influence the quality and quantity of programs.
The administration department makes sure that the work environment is one that is as comfortable as possible since we spend more time here than we do in our homes.
Members’ opinions of the Association are based on their interactions with the administrative staff. We are the ones who reinforce the Association’s image.

TECHNOLOGY

submitted by Brian Weisman

Mission: To develop, maintain, and facilitate the implementation of efficient, integrated technology strategies that meet the needs of the Association and its members.

Priorities:

· Continue to reverse the negative perception of the IT Department.

· Continue to increase the level of service and communication both internally and externally.

· Continue to review and edit IT policies and controls.

· Mentor IT staff in the development of their career growth plans.

· Continue to analyze data needs throughout the organization and to our members, and streamline where necessary.

· Continue to identify and evaluate new technologies that are, or will be, important to our members.

· Continue the systematic upgrade and deployment of desktop hardware and software.

· Continue to enhance existing applications to increase office productivity and online access to SLA’s products and services.

· Maintain stability of existing applications and servers.

· Continue to measure success in relation to implementation and effectiveness of new technologies.

Opportunities:

· Take advantage of the economic downturn to buy expertise at competitive prices.

· Restore faith in SLA’s IT department.

· Perform a full-scale assessment of tools and services.

· Increase the availability of our products and services to our members and other constituents.

Challenges:

· Overcoming the negative perception of SLA’s IT department.

· Keeping staff and membership proficient with current and new technology.

· Integrating technologies with existing technology infrastructure.

· Implementing a successful IT department with limited resources.

· Implementing what is necessary within a limited amount of time.

· Meeting the needs of a diverse clientele whose technological capabilities and desires are also wide-ranging.

Uniqueness:

· Having an IT Department is not unique in today’s business environment. What is somewhat unique about SLA, however, is the importance and impact of technology on our members coupled with the challenges involved to effectively embrace and utilize technology.

Additional Comments:

· As SLA struggles with branding and defining products and services for our members, it is overwhelmingly agreed that one of the key benefits of membership is the networking opportunity that are provided by this association. To that end, Technology Services has been investigating products and services to enhance and better facilitate this key benefit. Products like SharePoint and Fusion Productions Communities would provide a good platform for the creation of virtual communities within our organization. These collaboration platforms would provide an integrated environment for our members to truly collaborate by engaging the entire unit to participate in the content of the community. These systems offer file sharing, group calendaring, message boards and chat in one integrated web site. We will continue to reassess and reorganize our current “information” offerings, implement technology that simplifies the process of becoming a member, and implement technology products that will add value to our membership. Strategically, the Technology Services Department will continue to evaluate new ways for our members to collaborate and network as we continue to effectively streamline internal and external processes to save time and money.

FINANCE

submitted by Scott Smiley

Mission: To serve as a financial resource and advisor to Association staff and leaders; be a customer resource for our members; ensure the integrity of financial data; and safeguard the Association’s assets.

Priorities:

Simplify and increase the use of e-commerce and access to financial data.
Eliminate unnecessary or outdated reports and procedures.
Increase the use of electronic funds transfer for both receipt and disbursement of cash.
Determine ways the finance department can better assist staff and members to be a more customer driven area.
Ensure the integrity and timeliness of financial data.
Enforcement of internal controls to safeguard of assets.
Maximize return on assets within investment guidelines.

Opportunities:

· Enhanced efficiency and accessibility offered by e-commerce.

· Provide additional reports and services to end-users.

· Utility of new technological tools will give is greater access for international members and greater ability to remotely access secure financial data.

Challenges:

Technology—this is two-pronged challenge. The first prong is staying ahead of, not on top of, the best and most useful technology. The second prong is deploying it appropriately and effectively.
Money—many of the technology improvements and products/services require somewhat substantial capital outlays. Cash flow continues to be a challenge for the Association.
Ensuring that staff knows that the finance staff need to be included in management discussions and that we are there to help them. I think we suffer from the “bean counter/rule enforcer” image of many finance departments. This, to some extent, is unavoidable because these are tasks that we must perform. Conversely, these same skills can also be deployed to help staff better manage their programs and to make their jobs easier.
Finding systems capable of performing all required tasks and integrating with each other at an acceptable price.
Encouraging membership to utilize e-commerce on a more widespread basis.
Implementing system controls for electronic approval processes, etc.
Developing an effective audit trail in an electronic world.

Uniqueness:

The most unique thing about the finance program is also the least understood and most overlooked. The finance department, probably more so than any other, knows what is going on in the Association on a broader scale than the others. This is especially true of anything having to do with the members, because everything related to the members flows through the finance department. While we are often the frontline to the member in many cases we are usually the last one invited to participate in discussions concerning programs, etc. I strongly believe this needs to change and that our frontline staff in this department, and others Association-wide, need to be more valued and more included and listened to.

MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

submitted by Linda Broussard

Mission: To convey SLA’s essential role in the advancement of constituents’ career development; identify and promote products and services anticipative of and responsive to constituent needs; and ensure the vitality of the Association by pursuing vigorous growth in the constituency from all facets of the information profession.

Priorities:

· Retention of existing members.

· Excellent customer service.

· Constituency development.

· Utilization of effective one-to-one marketing philosophy.

· Effective and thorough communication with, through both electronic and print media with print media directing both members and prospects to the web.

· Development of comprehensive means of obtaining and tracking prospective new markets.

· Identification of member and constituent perceptions and expectations through increased research efforts.

· Working closely with public communications to enhance the image of the Association and its constituents.

· Expansion of the Members-Only section of the website.

· Increased growth of SLA’s non-North American membership by offering more current and relevant information on the web.

· Increased conversion of student members to regular members.

· Expansion of SLA’s membership base through targeted marketing and segmentation efforts.

· Increased leadership participation in the membership recruitment and retention efforts.

· Expansion of the virtual membership base.

Opportunities:

· Partnering with related organizations to expand our reach and to share resources.

· Fiscal problems and declining membership of other associations may provide access to their markets.

· Enhanced customer service and member satisfaction.

· Increased global presence and international membership.

· Increased efficiency of membership staff.

· Increased public relations exposure.

Challenges:

· The strategic decisions resulting from our branding research are not known. It is critical to the long-term survival of the Association that we look to the future of the profession, re-tool the Association to focus on these needs, and deliver cutting edge products and services to meet those needs. Ambivalence can be a stumbling block.

· Encouraging members to utilize e-commerce capabilities.

· Delivering the capability for unit leaders to maintain accurate membership data.

· Language and time barriers attributable to a truly international association.

Uniqueness:

· The membership department engages with every member in some fashion throughout the year by marketing benefits of membership to current members; sending dues renewal notices to renewing members; welcoming and providing orientation to new members to the Association; and providing customer service on a daily basis. This ongoing interaction requires that the staff in the membership department remain current regarding each and every product and service as well as the calendar of events.

PUBLICATIONS

submitted by Les Shaver

Mission: To provide members with cutting-edge information through publications that will enhance professional growth and assist them to become change agents and leaders.

Priorities:

· Enhance editorial coverage and international voice.

· Enhance content through guest columnists from other industries.

· Anticipate and cover hot topics within the profession.

· Increase the use of the SLA website for publications.

· Enhance electronic advertising options.

· Explore co-publishing opportunities with other publishing vehicles.

· Maximize principals of electronic commerce.

· Create topic-specific databases.

Opportunities:

· Become more credible to higher-level information professionals as well as other key professional market segments.

Make Information Outlook more essential to the career development path of information professionals at all levels.
Increase our advertising income potential through electronic commerce.
Maximize the potential of our web capabilities to offer members with tailored, topic-specific information when and where they need it.
Develop an automated system that will generate correspondence by request (pro forma invoices, subscription renewals, claims letters, bulletin editors mailings, etc.) to allow the publications team to focus more on idea and topic generation based on environmental scanning.
Provide greater access to SLA publications through html, PDF, etc.
Improve content.
Reduce postage costs as well as the lead-time for printing and delivery with new computer-to-plate printing.

Challenges:

· Enriching content within an economically feasible model.

· Implementing effective software tools available to assist in the implementation of an electronic publication structure.

· Implementing the best practices of e-commerce to ensure success of the Publications program.

· Establishing appropriate checkpoints to ensure that the data we provide is 100% error free.

· Managing intellectual property rights for greater flexibility.

· Obtaining recognized authors and interviewees given the limited public recognition of Information Outlook.

Uniqueness:

· Information Outlook is a key publication for the broad-based constituency of information professionals. The value of Information Outlook Online has been enhanced by the addition of articles not found in the traditional print version.

CONFERENCES AND EXHIBITS

submitted by Alicia Dimaio and DeVonne Henry

Mission: To create the venue for education, networking, and knowledge sharing for information professionals as a catalyst to strengthen their competencies, enhance their image, and advance the profession.

Priorities:

· Develop a flexible structure that contributes to the growth and exploration of partnerships between information professionals, information providers, and information users.

· Create a forum to present the changes in the intellectual and economic value of information on a rapidly expanding global scale and the role that information professionals play in the information economy.

· Develop a program reflective of the latest trends and hot topics.

· Be the leading marketing avenue for information professionals by soliciting new companies to exhibit at SLA conferences.

· Strengthen and refine current areas of sales and promotion to vendors, enhance a vendor education series to benefit the membership, and offer new marketing vehicles via the web site.

· Utilize the conference as a means to affect a positive image of the Association and the profession.

· Create an environment that enables information professionals to meet, communicate, and collaborate in the process of building partnerships that enhance careers, organizations, and the communities in which they function.

· Encourage quality programming over quantity programming.

· Facilitate the use of technology to deliver sessions, both hands-on as well as web-based.

Opportunities:

· Create cooperative programming with allied groups, vendors, and trade associations to enhance all learning aspects of conference activities as well as enhance the image of the Association and the information professional.

· Achieve a better balance between the various aspects of conference activities: exhibits, educational programming, association business, and networking.

· Entice new market segments to the conference to assist in the growth of the conference, enrich the conference experience, and grow the membership/constituent base.

Challenges:

· Restricted travel budgets allow us to re-think the need to always meet in person.

Limited financial resources for the components of the conference that truly add value to the experience.
The planning cycle. The planning cycle to produce a conference, which includes site selection, marketing materials, and conference programming is done so far in advance that potentially successful options may be passed on due to lack of time to promote/produce the product. This hinders exciting new trends and programs to come to fruition at the conference, which could help attract new attendees in the future.

· Receiving the support of leaders and members as we transition to new delivery modes.

· Limited sponsorship available due to exhibitor financial cutbacks.

· High cost locations of the annual conference in comparison to the registration and exhibition fees.

Uniqueness:

SLA annual conference brings a large percentage of the membership from around the world together in one place for a concentrated period of time. At conferences, members have the opportunity and the time to converse with other information professionals who may have varying backgrounds or interests. This can lead to new avenues of knowledge sharing that may not necessarily be experienced on a local level or online. Attendees are also given a first hand opportunity to see new products in the industry that could advance their work and their careers.
SLA conferences help to confirm that a member’s interests coincide with what the Association provides.
Educational and networking opportunities for the profession and exposure to exciting new trends and products in the industry.
There is significant value to face-to-face interactions.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

submitted by Shelva Suggs and Lynn Smith

Mission: To help information professionals become more capable learners, more capable professionals, and more capable people.

Priorities:

Provide practical training for our members.
Assess and bridge gaps in knowledge, skills or expertise within the industry.
Increase the visibility of the profession through high-quality learning experiences that serve to position SLA as the premier professional organization for the information professional.

Remain focused on our “what’s next?” strategy for supporting learning and development.
Create and provide high-quality, affordable, and practical learning programs that meet the needs of the profession.
Develop partnerships with similar organizations, vendors, and companies to increase the resources available and to highlight the accomplishments of those within the profession.
Work with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to contribute knowledge and insights, which will add value to the SLA membership.
Determine, design, and implement strategies that support learning on an association-wide basis.

Opportunities:

· Take advantage of new technologies that enable the delivery of learning modules to fit a variety of learning styles.

· Build the capacity of information professionals to create their most desired futures through learning.

· Foster learning within the profession by designing and implementing just-in-time offerings.

· Set the standard for learning and development throughout the global community of information professionals.

· Build a platform for continuous development.

· Form partnerships to pool resources, create new income streams, and increase our visibility.

· Support the Association by generating revenue and making financial contributions.

Challenges:

The limited financial resources of members’ organizations toward professional development.
Assessing and meeting the real wants of our clients. Once the needs are identified, issues regarding fees, effective promotional strategies, and consumer disinterest arise.
Promoting the sessions effectively and reaching our break-even point.
Competition from vendors, universities, etc.
A very volatile market in which needs change quickly.
A declining dedication to traditional learning methodologies.
Lack of internal expertise on the use of new technologies for learning.

Uniqueness:

· SLA is positioned to provide “just in time” training, networking opportunities, and professional learning enhancements unlike any other organization.

PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS

Submitted by Anthony Blue

Mission: To raise awareness, visibility and appreciation for the information profession and to generate positive publicity and provide outreach to the Association’s publics.

Priorities:

Strengthen and enhance the image and credibility of SLA by raising visibility and awareness to business and society.

Position the Association as a leading resource for professionals in the global information community.
Develop and foster relationships with key internal and external audiences.
Promote the Association to key audiences by publicizing its initiatives, products, services, and events.

Expand the public’s knowledge of the Association.
Build the Association’s name globally.

Opportunities:

· Take advantage of current events and issues that affect the profession.

Persuade prospective members to join the Association by promoting a positive perception of the profession and the Association.
Deliver to the media that is anxious for packaged stories on the value of information professionals in business and in society.
Enact pivotal contributions of the PR program to assist with member retention to include providing members with PR tools to assist them in their own individual jobs; a forum for members to be recognized and honored for their achievements and contributions; a communications vehicle for information professionals to promote the profession, their organizations and individual jobs; and communications tools and vehicles for SLA program areas to promote their products, services and events to the membership.

Challenges:

· Balancing limited resources, i.e. keeping down costs and maintaining fiscal responsibility, while spreading our word.

· Developing and maintaining “cooperative” relationships with library and trade organizations, and the media.

· Seeking out opportunities to spread SLA’s message to an international audience.

· Identifying, evaluating and measuring the effectiveness of communication with targeted audiences.

· Developing feasible sources of income.

· Convincing the press of the value the profession has in an information-based society.

· Implementing new communication technologies.

Uniqueness:

The PR program is a unique entity because it targets and reaches a wide and diverse audience with specific messages and objectives in order to achieve the common goal of strengthening and enhancing the image of the profession and the Association.

PUBLIC POLICY

Submitted by Doug Newcomb

Mission: To give information professionals a voice in the legislative and regulatory process, to have an overall impact on information policy development around the globe, and to position SLA as a key source of public policy information.

Priorities:

Identify issues of importance to information professionals and to seek their input and participation in addressing them.
Educate our members on the legislative and regulatory process.
Provide our members regular, accurate, and timely updates on what is happening in Public Policy.
Establish a strong grassroots network in order to give credibility to our positions and to respond quickly to issues.
Accurately represent the views of our members to lawmakers, rule makers, and the judiciary.
Identify, research, and analyze the impact of changes to domestic and international law worldwide.

Opportunities:

The information professional’s voice is new and represents a broad constituency.
Build coalitions with other organizations as appropriate.
Assure constituents that we are representing their interests and working to enhance and elevate the profession.
Provide members a way to actively participate in the evolution of the profession, information management, and technology.

Challenges:

· With limited staff resources allocated to Public Policy, the challenge is to keep up-to-date with a plethora of issues and keep SLA’s name in the forefront. It will be essential to utilize to the fullest the Public Policy Committee and SLA members as a whole.

· Members do not necessarily place a high value on public policy although it is a critical function of the Association.

Uniqueness:

· The Public Policy Program gives members a sense and ability to exert influence over what happens in their profession. The program is uniquely positioned to place SLA as the leading voice of information professionals in public policy.

MARKETING

Submitted by Jeff Leach

Mission: To create and maintain a high level of brand identity with the Association

and its products, services, and programs.

Priorities:

Work with each program area to support their efforts with strategies to successfully market/promote their programs and to look for opportunities to cross-promote other related programs and services.
Work with each department to consolidate information on the web and expunge outdated links and content.
Monitor the SLA web site functionality by analyzing web statistics, conducting online surveys and polls, and staying abreast of the sites of similar organizations.
Work closely with the membership, technology, information services, and finance departments to develop, launch, maintain, and evaluate e-commerce initiatives.
Focus on further segmenting the membership and prospect databases to understand the market profiles of the various groups and individuals to include gathering information about interests, journals read, membership in other associations, reasons for joining, how they first heard of SLA, and communication preferences.
Develop promotional and incentive laden campaigns to get members and other constituents to participate in programs, membership, and conferences.
Continue with the branding efforts of the Association.

Opportunities:

A newly branded association offers an entrée into new markets.
Creation of new income sources for the Association.
Create growth in SLA e-commerce.
Refinement of the organizational and service brands.
Membership growth.
Re-establish SLA’s presence at non-SLA trade shows.
Cross marketing of programs and services to display our depth and value.
Collaboration with like-minded organizations.

Challenges:

Promotional efforts may overload members with too much information and future material may be seen as “junk mail” or “spam.”
Limited budgets are a part of the non-profit associations’ resources. Marketing is encouraged to find cheaper means of promotion other than direct mail, i.e., fax broadcasts and listserv postings. However, SLA’s database only has a portion of all members’ fax and e-mail addresses. As well, unsolicited faxes and e-mail promotions are viewed negatively by some members and nonmembers.
Costs of design and printing continue to rise each year.
The need to increase the perceived value of the profession, and subsequent need to persuade various publics, means advertising in expensive business and computer magazines.
Tracking each of our marketing efforts will need to be a vital part of future strategies and we will have to figure out an effective tracking system and a way to make sense of the data we collect.
We have to figure out how to continually check the pulse of our membership.

Uniqueness:

Because the marketing program works with each department, it has the ability to make other program departments aware of cross marketing opportunities.
The program is also unique in that it has to make sure the Association’s marketing efforts and materials have a signature look.

FUND DEVELOPMENT

submitted by Betsy Blume

Mission: To develop partnerships and funding strategies that support

the goals and objectives of the Association.

Priorities:

Know and understand how SLA meets the needs and desires of the community of information professionals.
Establish fundraising goals and plans for achieving the goals. Specifically, create a development plan that will help SLA to meet its short-term and long-term income needs through the annual campaign, sponsorships, and planned giving.
Enhance the professionalism of the program for corporate and member fundraising.
Articulate the mission and activities of SLA to vendors to encourage partnerships and explore how SLA's corporate partners can assist in the achieving the long-term and short-term goals of the Association.

Nurture the ongoing process of building SLA’s relationships with vendors, enhancing the advantages that members derive from the relationship, and satisfying the vendors’ goal of outreach to the membership.

Involve key constituencies in SLA's fundraising efforts as a means to develop an understanding and a sense of ownership of joint ventures and the fundraising process among donors, volunteers, and staff.

Ensure that development activities happen in a timely, efficient, cost effective, productive, and ethical manner.
Create research files on member giving potential.
Provide guidance, leadership, and support to staff, volunteers, donors, and community regarding philanthropic fundraising.

Opportunities:

To provide vendors who are looking for partnerships as a means to separate themselves from their competition with appropriate vehicles.
To connect the leaders of the Association to the vendor community in a very meaningful way
To increase SLA's non-dues revenue base.
To develop the strategic plan that will give SLA a broad base of member donors over the next five years.
To find volunteer slots within the association for corporate staff to participate in an appropriate way and to help build their support for SLA.
To create volunteer roles for members to participate in raising funds for SLA’s current and future needs.

· To raise awareness among the membership of the importance of contributions to the annual campaign and the Legacy club for the future of SLA.

· To improve the relations of SLA’s vendors and corporate partners with the Association.

Challenges:

SLA’s fundraising program will not be able to significantly increase revenue and make the best use of either the Corporate Partners Leadership Council, or the Annual Campaign Task Force, without an investment of additional staff and additional program support.
SLA's leadership and membership must be involved in the fund development program as leaders and volunteers of cultivation and recognition programs. This is the most effective way to increase participation in the annual campaign and the Legacy Club, as well as to lay the groundwork for future major gifts.
SLA’s board, leadership and executive director must become more involved in building relationships with SLA’s key corporate partners.

· SLA needs to resolve issues and concerns of headquarters and its units, related to inter-competitive fund raising.

Uniqueness:

· Fundraising provides income that helps the Association develop and implement new and innovative programs and services. Sponsorships, in particular, make new programs possible and membership more attractive, as well as help to promote the role of the information professional in business.

· Fundraising and sponsorship dollars are the most cost-effective dollars the Association can generate.

LEADERSHIP

submitted by Linda Broussard and Stephanie A. Russell

Mission: To develop leadership skills and support the activities of the Association’s leaders.

Priorities:

Develop leadership skills that support the activities of the Association’s leaders.
Effectively train leaders in their SLA roles and explore the potential for developing their leadership in the workplace and in society.
Expand the Leadership Knowledge Center.
Partner with units to better serve members.
Create tools to ease unit administration.
Partner with other organizations.
Work closely with public communications to enhance the image of the Association.
Guide leaders through organizational change, pending bylaws amendment approval.
Enhance communication between Association leaders and staff.

Opportunities:

· Expand learning opportunities through an SLA portal.

Provide greater accuracy and efficiency of web contact information.
Implement change more quickly to meet members’ needs.
Continue to build a Leadership Knowledge Center— a web-based, searchable, leadership-topic, compilation of unit best practices—to expand the opportunity to learn from others’ successes.
Add value to the membership experience by providing invaluable resources related to jobs and career advancement; by exchanging knowledge with peers both nationally and globally, and providing valuable research on current topics and trends.
Continue to streamline the governance decision-making process.

Challenges:

· Current economic environment impacts volunteerism in that people’s ability to demonstrate a direct bottom line value to their employers as related to taking on volunteer leadership positions.

· Changing demographics and the impact on volunteerism will require a changing model for volunteer opportunities.

Uniqueness:

· Leadership opportunities give members the opportunities to expand skills they do not get on-the-job in a non-threatening environment, to increase their network of key leaders in the industry, and to build their resume.

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE

submitted by John Latham

Mission: To facilitate the exchange of knowledge within SLA's global community.

Priorities:

· Develop Virtual SLA as the best possible vehicle for the exchange of knowledge within SLA's global community.

· Develop best practices databases, message boards, discussion lists and chats for the benefit of SLA members.

· Create a system for exchange of knowledge within SLA's global headquarters.

· Support the creation and sharing of innovative research with the guidance of the association's Research Committee.

· Establish Virtual SLA as a perceived major SLA membership benefit.

· Develop KEx as a role‑model of information centers.

· Position KEx as a partner in exploring new ways of adding value.

Opportunities:

· Be futuristic in forwarding resources to staff, leaders and members.

· Develop into an internationally recognized resource for sharing knowledge.

· Advance the perception and role of information professionals in business and society.

· Add value to the membership experience by providing invaluable resources related to jobs and career advancement, exchanging knowledge with peers both nationally and globally, and valuable research on current topics and trends.

Challenges:

· Making the members, staff, and others aware of the KEx resources and knowledge exchange community.

· Encouraging people to take part in the exchange of knowledge and to use the various formats that have been established.

· Designing the best possible exchange in a format that is easily accessible and user‑friendly.

· Ensuring that the research carried out continues to be innovative and useful to our members of staff.

Uniqueness:

· Provides resources that are important to a wide variety/range of information professionals and also provides one place in which to exchange knowledge with peers.

· Establishes a model by which members can structure their services.

Public Policy ........................................................................................................................ Page 20

TECHNOLOGY

Additional Comments:

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE