Branding and the Special Libraries Association
An FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Please read the Notice to Members (.pdf) on how the vote in New York will take place.
Participate in a Branding Teleconference Dialogue with the Branding Task Force and other members, moderated by Stephan Abram, on re-branding the Association. The next step in the branding initiative is consideration of a name change that will be voted on at the Annual Business Meeting in June in New York.
See the Branding Teleconference Dialogue schedule for dates and times.
The branding exercise has been a long-term process involving Committees, Task Forces, and surveys. LINK for full details.
Overview -- Branding Task Force Activities 2000 to current (.doc)
Why is this change desirable? Our association name is confusing and limiting. Either new name allows for greater inclusivity, leading to broader conversations and collaborations by all members of the information profession.
Choosing a New Name - Pandora's Quandary! (.doc)
Branding Task Force presentation at Winter Meeting Leadership Summit (.ppt)
What to do now? Talk about the issues. Be prepared to help those at the ABM to make an informed vote. This is just the start of re-branding and the many enhancements and improvements of the association's marketing of special librarians and information professionals to key decision makers that affect out lives. A discussion list has been set up called "Branding Discussion List". You can sign up to this list and discuss branding issues for the Association. You can subscribe to a discussion list focused on just this issue. Sign up in the usual way at:
http://www.sla.org/content/interactive/lists/index.cfm
Branding articles from April issue of Information Outlook
Branding: An Interview with a PR Pro
Understand Your Brand Values But Trust the Professionals, Too
Branding Our Association: A New Name, A New Vision
Executive Outlook: The Branding Process
This FAQ is based on questions asked at the Association's Winter Leadership Summit in January 2003, questions asked at various town halls throughout the 3 year branding consultation and Task Force work as well as questions collected from various association discussion lists. The FAQ's are also available in hard copy format (.doc). We'll add more as we hear more questions!
Legal
1. "Has the association reviewed the issues with respect to the trademarks and domain name availability of the proposed names?"
2. "I hope we can keep the tagline "Putting Knowledge to Work". I like it."
3. "Voting in New York is not representative."
4. "Can you please explain more fully why two choices were approved? What do they project that others you considered did not."
5. Have we considered merging with another org - one in order to gain the needed diversity of new members? Name change is not enough. Expanding our reach is, and would, potentially benefit both groups to the merger?
6. Bylaws questions: "I think members will (1) be surprised that we have only two choices, and that (2) voting needs to be in person. So, because of these two facts we need to communicate, communicate, communicate - to our membership from all units - chapter and divisions. So please give us a succinct history rationale
7. "Who is the chair of the Bylaws Committee?"
Name
1. "I hate the sound of IPPEE (IPI). It sounds like yippee."
2. "People will confuse us with the International Association of Administrative Professionals who are secretaries or with the Symbionese Liberation Army who are terrorists."
3. "There are other associations with the acronym SLA or IPI."
4. "I think we should use 'information specialist' in our name."
5. "Why can't we have a name that simply describes us like Specialized Librarians Association".
6. "I think we should have a hybrid name where librarian and information professionals are both mentioned."
7. "I don't think we need to change the name at all"
8. "Any brainstormed taglines that we could see?"
9. "Can you help me with ideas / suggestions on how to deal with our division name? Will we be a misnomer?"
10. "You say, presently the name is broken, what does that mean?"
11. "Information Professionals International and SLA are the two choices.Is SLA just an initialism?"
12. "Was there any thought to combine the two names into the name of the Association, e.g. SLA Information Professionals International."
13. "Does SLA have marketing communications plan in place?"
Membership
1. "Are we truly global or international?" or "Shouldn't we just admit that we are an American association and be done with it?"
2. "Will we lose members in a name change to AALL, MLA, etc.?"
3. "I call myself 'librarian" and I'm proud of it." My title is "librarian" and it works for me."
4. "A change of name does not address the problems we face . . . " and we must market ourselves better.
5. "I am HAPPY and PROUD to be a LIBRARIAN, and I wish those with no confidence in the value of their profession would stop mucking about. Lawyers have, in my opinion a much bigger public relations problem than we do and they aren't trying to change their name."
6. "Half our competition for members in our division is the Chemical Information Division of the American Chemical Society. There's no problem with change there. The change is not important to them. Members from among new academic librarians may be more attracted to ACCS CINF (blurred handwriting) leaking members to professional societies with information sections. How will our brand address this?"
7. "Exactly who are the people we are wanting to attract/recruit to SLA? Especially in terms of demographics/needs?"
8. "Question to be considered - how do we keep the pure techies 'out' and those interested in using that technology to do librarianship?"
9. "Comment: Impressed with the presentation and the thoughtful nature of the Task Force's work. We are losing members because we are losing jobs. I see this name change as an opportunity to bring in new members."
10. "Comment: Leadership has been challenged. We are in a crisis and need the leadership to go back and get members excited. Leadership is encouraged to take on this role of communicating and support."
Branding
1. "What general reading on branding would the Branding Task Force recommend to acquaint ourselves with this issue?"
2. "How will we avoid confusion with ASIST?"
3. "In regard to where to capitalize on our opportunity to realign, I would add undergraduate schools as well. By limiting to graduate schools you are preaching to those who have already decided to pursue the career. By going to colleges and universities - business majors, science majors, etc. etc. - to lure students into the profession and association."
4. "I think multiple taglines are we need one logo! That becomes the symbol that people also remember. Will we have to go through another vote for logo and taglines?"
5. "How far do we go beyond our own bounds - at a certain point won't we lose our 'core values'? Do we want to try to be everything for everyone? I acknowledge the need for change but see also the possibility of losing our 'core'."
6. "Provide examples of name changes that have worked. Visuals about how we got to this point so quickly. Don't fix on that we are broken, but how others have changed to acceptable acronyms. Identify the qualities that name changes will bring. More concrete examples of how to build. A bulletin board on SLA to allow member feedback. SurveyMonkey use instruction. Legal question - why isn't everyone able to vote vs. those attending annual conference. What is the profile of those who don't want to change the name?"
7. "Is there an SLA discussion list on branding?"
8. "Can you provide some good examples of when name changes have made a major difference in achieving the goals set out, e.g. where has this worked?"
9. "Comment: Sense a certain level of discomfort with this issue. Need to articulate that this will help to improve processes and help the Association grow."
10. "Many years ago SLA created a Task Force on the Image of the Information Professional Where can I see or purchase a copy of their final report?"
11."I worry that because the association changes it name, everybody in the association has to stop calling themselves 'librarians'."
12."What were the names on the survey, and what were the results
13. "Why is the association focusing only on Branding? There are other more important issues?"
Finance
1."Heard on a list-" SLA totally wasted our money on the first branding consulting. This is infuriating to me."
2. "I shouldn't have to pay to attend the conference to vote on this issue."
3. "The cost is prohibitive, especially in changing stationery, website, etc."
Other
1. "Very impressed with the thought. The big issue with our profession is the loss of jobs. This needs to be incorporated into the sell."
Feedback form
