SLA Student Stipend Winner Essay
by Heather L. McCann, heather.mccann@simmons.edu

The Special Library Association (SLA) stands at the brink of enormous opportunity and the Boston chapter of the SLA is leading the way to the future of information professionals. The Boston chapter of the SLA recognizes the connectedness of all information professionals and has been a pioneer in including and valuing contributions of members from all special libraries, including art museums, libraries of cultural heritage, news libraries, and the libraries of not-for-profit organizations. This is what the future holds for our profession. Job titles of information professionals will be more diverse and the job functions may sound more specific, but the required skill sets will remain universal among libraries. By actively seeking membership from librarians in non-traditional roles and relying on the SLA tradition of creating strong social networks and assisting colleagues with professional development, the SLA will be able to transform itself from a predominately business-oriented association into a productive, truly global library organization.

Boston has long been associated with leading new waves of progressive thinking and SLA Boston is no exception. While the national conference seems somewhat dominated by the business model and corporate structure, the Boston chapter remains true to SLA’s stated vision of a global organization for innovative information professionals. Regular contributors to the Boston SLA listserv include Brandy King, the highly inspirational, non-traditional librarian responsible for the database of the Center on Media and Child Health. SLA Boston members also include Barbara Mento, an academic librarian and virtual data center manager strongly committed to the social networking tradition of SLA.

Fostering and expanding this inclusive paradigm is an exciting opportunity for the future of SLA for three reasons. First, including information professionals from different settings, large and small, for profit and not-for-profit, technical and creative, will provide a mutual benefit to all members through skill sharing. The skills required to be an information professional are evolving. In addition to traditional search and retrieval expertise, librarians will need skills such as database management, cross-cultural communication, an understanding of open source systems and theories for digitization of library resources. By reaching out to the large numbers of libraries in the Boston area, including not-for-profit, government, architectural firms, health science, news, zine, image and art, SLA will not only increase its member base, the diverse membership will stimulate conversations that will lead to applications of innovative solutions in new library settings.

An organization that unites and values librarians in a variety of roles is attractive to library students, who will be the next generation of SLA members. Many library students are looking for direction when they enter school. They may be passionate about librarianship but unsure of which type of library setting is the best fit for them. The SLA can use this opportunity to show students the broad range of options available and highlight the different roles information professionals can take. Younger professionals are often drawn to not-for-profit organizations and entrepreneurial library endeavors. By including working professionals from these areas, students will be inspired to join SLA to learn from those already working in their field of interest. SLA benefits from this by attracting bright, talented professionals as the future leaders and members of the organization. Current students are often the most technologically savvy, still taking courses on the newest concepts and software in library science. Welcoming them in to the SLA community allows all members to benefit from this wealth of information.

Finally, an inclusive nature will engender a sense of community and cooperation among librarians. Fostering strong social and professional networks has been one of SLA’s strengths, and it will be further enhanced by the inclusion of librarians from increasingly different types of organizations. In this age of globalization, it is even more important to maintain a sense of community, whether it is based on geography or professional interest. A sense of belonging to a larger group helps to prevent librarians from feeling isolated and overwhelmed. By bringing together professionals from a variety of backgrounds, SLA has the opportunity to highlight similarities and celebrate differences. There is a growing trend in business toward corporate social responsibility. This is the time for the Special Libraries Association as a whole to recognize this and for members to share the resources they have in abundance to those that have a need.

The future of the Special Libraries Association lies in its ability to include a broad spectrum of librarians for the benefit of all members. The Boston chapter of the SLA has taken the lead by showing that encouraging membership from a broad scope of library settings leads to an active, vibrant SLA community. Successful, local examples like this are a good way to promote change on a national level. In order to keep abreast of upcoming technology and information that will eventually be important to all librarians, the Special Libraries Association should promote membership both within and outside the business world, providing the broadest scope possible.