The Future of SLA
by Lois Weinstein, loisweinstein@hotmail.com
Chair of the Leadership and Management Division

Once upon a time there was an organization of librarians who worked in corporate, government, academic, non-profit and other "special" libraries.  That was long ago, long before the World Wide Web, Yahoo, Google and others like them, "faster than the speed of light" information resources that work 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for free!  With the expansion of these "free" resources, librarians who toiled selflessly, efficiently, and expertly for many years began to be released from their "servitude.”  SLA used to be an organization that provided these librarians with continuing education (CE), colleagues to network with, and opportunities for learning new skills that went far beyond the CE courses.  The "new" information resources did not need a professional community or an organization of like-minded beings since they were not human, but robots, and as Asimov explained to us many years ago, they are not the same as humans.

Where does that leave SLA?

Of course, there are still some librarians working in corporate, government, academic, non-profit and other "special" libraries, but their number grow smaller each year as the heads of these organizations realize that robots do not need salaries, benefits, sick leave, or vacations.  However, the skills, knowledge and competencies that librarians have excelled in are needed now more than ever because the robots (Yahoo, Google etc.) can make some distinctions between the right answer and stuff that is similar, but not anywhere near what the requester truly needs.  In addition, librarians are doing more teaching, end user analysis, competitive intelligence, web design, system design, and other higher level analyses, then ever before.  These folks are not even called librarians any more, they have new titles that organizations consider more "valuable.”  These people are SLA and, if they do not know about SLA, they need to because it is an organization that serves their needs for continuing education, networking, and development of new skills and competencies.

Why now?

It has come to my attention more than once that some members (and I include myself in this group) have been more than unhappy with some of the changes and some of the reasons for the changes in SLA.  I have also learned that some members have not been as pleasant about these changes as maybe we ought to have been. Let us all take a pledge, right now, to cease and desist from all negative thoughts and behaviors.  I believe that we have a new Executive Director who really likes us, the organization, and wants us all to succeed. Let's help her, our elected Board, and our staff by giving them our wholehearted support.  Does this mean that we should lie down and let a steamroller run over us, heaven forbid!  But, if something doesn't appeal to us, let us count to ten and subsequently communicate our thoughts and ideas professionally.

At the Leadership Summit meeting in Tampa, I listened to Janice LaChance's "State of the Union" speech, which included remarks about a small minority of angry members.  I wrote to her with my ideas and she has written back to me. The following is part of her letter:

"On the one hand, I am actually relieved to hear that some of our volunteer leaders in Tampa walked away wondering where my comments originated. That means they have been spared some of the hurtful, personal attacks that I have witnessed being levied against their colleagues and the SLA staff, and I am very glad for that. If you recall, I did state in my remarks that this was not the kind of behavior exhibited by the vast majority of our members. Yet in many ways this is what frustrates me the most -- that such a small number of unprofessional members can have a truly detrimental effect on SLA.

Lois, the kind of behavior I described in Tampa has tangible results -- it is the reason good, long-term staff are leaving the association and I have been told this is the reason a number of people decline to run for the SLA Board.

As an executive, I believe it is my responsibility and obligation to do more than just brag about our many accomplishments, but identify what I believe are true threats to the Association. Please believe me when I say that I am not doing this to divide, I simply want the best for SLA and I have witnessed too many instances where this behavior constitutes a fundamental roadblock to SLA's ongoing success. From where I sit, it is akin to a cancer that is slowing eating away at the very things we need to grow and succeed -- dedicated volunteer leaders like you and motivated staff.

           True culture change cannot occur with just a few people tilting at windmills, it has to be rooted in the entire organization deciding for itself what its values are and holding each other to those standards of behavior. That is why I need your help and the assistance of everyone who was in Tampa.

Also, please don't interpret this as my being unhappy or dissatisfied as SLA's Executive Director. On the contrary, I love this job and I am gratified on a daily basis by the rank-and-file members who reach out to me and tell me the many ways SLA helps them succeed in their job and their careers. I am in my dream job and I love every single day at SLA. I am thrilled to be working for and with such smart people who impact the global economy and our society in so many significant ways. I could not ask for a better position.

This love of the job is exactly why I am so passionate about ending the negative culture that dominates so many discussions and saps our volunteers and staff. I feel I owe it to SLA for the terrific opportunities it has given me."

Where does that leave current SLA members?

1.  Volunteer to help your chapter or division. If called upon, say yes. If no one calls you, speak up, email, or call and offer your help.

2.  Let go of the "old" and let in the "new.”  You may not like some (or maybe all) of the changes, but give them a chance. Try to remember what it was like when you were in a new job and you made a mistake or two. Did someone give you another chance?  Remember how great that felt and how you grew and did better because of it. Let's let that happen to SLA.

3.  If you are angry or mad about the changes, express them in a way that you would like it expressed to you if someone was mad or angry with you. Long ago I learned an important lesson: when someone yells at me or speaks harshly to me, I realized that I do not hear their ideas, only the tone that they are using.  Let our tone be one of peace, willingness to help and professional courtesy.

4.  Reach out to colleagues in your organizations and let them know what SLA can do for them. Who knows? They might join and make SLA a better organization!

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