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SLA Leadership Summit: |
Thank you, Rebecca! Hello everyone! I hope all of you have enjoyed the Leadership Summit as much as I have.
This is my fourth Summit and I think this year's speakers and sessions make this the best one I've attended. But I think what's really making this year's event so special is... all of you. Every year... we seem to attract more and more people who are committed to building a great future for the global community of information professionals.
I know all of you have a lot of passion for your profession and that you express this passion primarily through SLA. So let's make sure we leverage the momentum we're building at this Summit well into the future in a way that inspires your colleagues throughout the world.
I would like to thank some very special people who helped make this meeting such a success. Summit task force members... Anne Caputo... Agnes Mattis... Libby Trudell... and Robyn Frank... were joined by HQ staffers Linda Broussard... Akisha Edogun... Kristin Foldvik... Natalie Gozzard... Jeff Leach...and Nancy Sansalone who organized the program and logistics for this meeting.
I know the program planners for the 2007 and 2008 Annual Conferences met yesterday and we should also thank them for their hard work.
When all of us converge on Denver this June and on Seattle next year... the fruits of their labor will be very evident. We are so fortunate to have such dedicated volunteer leaders who give so much of themselves to provide high-quality programs and entertaining events.
The heart of my presentation today will focus on 2007... and beyond. But first... I want to brag a little about last year.
2006 was a fabulously successful year for SLA. In so many ways... we took the momentum going into that year...multiplied it...and then used it to build plans for a greater future for SLA and for the information profession. Let me share just a few of our successes with you.
Our efforts to drive growth in membership are beginning to show results as we have improved our internal recruitment and retention processes. We are also doing a better job of engaging chapter and division leaders in these processes. After all...you are our best sales people. Nothing we can do at HQ is as effective as a personal word from a friend or respected colleague.
While you are on the front lines, our focus on improving services for members gained traction over the course of the year...and our use of technology in the delivery of these services is continually improving.
Just consider SLA's first-ever online election of our Board of Directors or the launch of version 4.0 of the SLA Web site...a dramatic leap forward for the organization and for accessibility to our online content.
Or how about the launch of our SLA newsfeed reader courtesy of NewsGator? We view this new service as a great example of how SLA can serve as a laboratory for our members to learn about...and experiment with...new tools and technologies.
During 2006...we held one of the most successful Annual Conferences in recent memory in terms of attendance...quality programming...and financial success for SLA. It is important to remember that the revenue generated by our Annual Conference significantly offsets the costs of many services we provide to you.
We launched a strategic alliance with Information Today to increase rewards for SLA members participating in their events and purchasing their products... and to increase visibility for SLA in order to grow the Association membership. You now get deep discounts on publications... subscriptions... and conference registrations where SLA is THE Learning partner.
We also have developed a growing relationship with SIIA...the Software and Information Industry Association... so we can build a bridge between the profession and the industry that serves us. In fact...we have worked with SIIA on the development of a one-day content rights management course for librarians and info pros. The course will be launched next week at the Information Industry Summit in New York City and will be presented jointly by SLA and SIIA.
SIIA will provide a certificate to those who take the course and pass an exam. The course will be touring the United States in coming months following next week's launch. Some of the other cities already scheduled are Philadelphia... Boston... Chicago... Scottsdale... Denver... San Francisco... and Washington, DC.
Additional evidence of this productive and valuable relationship came recently when I was invited to be a keynote speaker at SIIA's Content Forum to be held in San Francisco in April.
On the public policy front...we have been and are significantly involved in the effort to fight the US Environmental Protection Agency's plan to close its network of libraries. It's been almost a year since SLA first publicly denounced the proposal. We met with the EPA last March and also encouraged members and other interested parties to contact their Congressional representatives to express their objections to the proposal.
We made visits to Capitol Hill and contacted a number of key lawmakers. We've even been credited by a group of U.S. Senators as having played a critical role in calling attention to the matter and making the public aware of the need for EPA libraries and information services. And this battle continues.
I started off the year by meeting with several EPA staff members in Washington, DC and with EPA staff...as well as with more than twenty SLA members...last week in Seattle.
The EPA is just one of the areas we addressed last year and are continuing to monitor.
We will continue to protect and defend the roles of librarians, info pros and libraries in America and throughout the world.
Also last year...we published our annual Salary Survey, which now includes a special workplace study. Rather than providing salary data only... we included information from human resource professionals across a variety of member disciplines. The publication is available for purchase on the SLA Web site, and... once you buy it...you have access to a free online salary calculator.
During 2006... we invested a significant amount of time engaging you and your fellow members on matters of greatest concern to you...the value of the profession and your membership in SLA... the need for improvements in the delivery of technology-based services to members...and exploring the future of your association so it can remain competitive well into the future.
Allow me to delve further into these topics for just a moment.
First...in order to get a better sense of your value to employers and the value of your SLA membership in helping you achieve your career goals...we conducted the SLA Membership Study...an endeavor that takes place every five years. The survey helps us better understand your needs and concerns and yields valuable information. There is an article on the survey in the January issue of Information Outlook.
Second...the Board and I used the results... recommendations... and ideas from the numerous task forces and work groups in our planning for 2007. This work and other research is also being used in our strategic realignment initiative that will propel us forward as we begin to shape the future of SLA. We do not just want to be prepared for what lies ahead...we want your Association to DEFINE what lies ahead.
We have also expanded our influence around the globe. Over the past year... I have reported to the SLA community about my involvement in the World Summit on the Information Society. This event focused on the need to remove barriers to accessing information and to bridging the digital divide. It was an exhilarating experience for me because it signaled SLA had finally arrived on the world stage as a significant player in the global information community.
My involvement in WSIS did not end with the event last year in Tunisia. One of the outcomes of the World Summit was the creation of an annual Internet Governance Forum where governments, industries and stakeholders can gather to talk about the state of the Internet and how it is managed. I was fortunate enough to attend the first IGF in Athens in October and was pleased to serve once again as a resource to U.S. government representatives who continue to be enthusiastic and welcoming of SLA's views and experiences.
While in Athens...I also had the good fortune to meet and talk with Vint Cerf... one of the founding father's of the Internet. He now holds the position of Internet Evangelist at Google...so you might have expected him to have written off this profession long ago. Instead... he wants to engage in a dialogue about the future of the profession. I am looking forward to talking with him more about you and the vital role you play in your organizations.
Also last year... while Rebecca...Stephen Abram... and I were in Seoul, South Korea, for the IFLA Conference...we hosted a reception for info pros from China. This was arranged so that we could publicize the creation of our provisional chapter in China.
Finally... I was invited by the American Society of Association Executives to be part of a delegation to China to explore ways associations can collaborate with like organizations there to generate ideas and support for one another. It was my second visit to this vast, fascinating country and my first since we announced the creation of our provisional chapter.
One thing I learned is that you cannot simply hang-out a shingle there and expect to be successful. SLA's growth in China will take time and lots of effort to recruit members to the SLA community.
As a result of my visit to China... the ASAE leadership asked me to serve as the chair of their new CEO Advisory Group.
This group will provide guidance to ASAE in its efforts to support association executives and volunteer leaders. It is an honor for SLA to be recognized at that level, and I believe we will benefit from the experiences of other associations...particularly those outside the library and information community.
Finally... 2006 marks our fourth consecutive year with an operating surplus. As an association...we do not issue dividends like corporations do. Rather... we reinvest any profits back into services for you and your fellow members. And we'll continue to do this in 2007.
I cannot say enough about the hard work of our Finance Committee... our Board of Directors... and our great staff who do all they can to deliver a meaningful membership experience for you while ensuring that your membership dues are spent wisely.
OK...That was 2006. THIS is 2007, and we are NOT resting on our laurels. The Board of Directors and I are teaming to push the boundaries of expectations for SLA. We want you to expect more...want more... and demand more. The Board-approved goals and budget for this year are loaded with smart, aggressive, strategically important initiatives and projects. So here is what you can expect from us.
On January 8th... we launched our new Click University Certificates program in Competitive Intelligence. By partnering with experts in the field... we have established an excellent program that focuses on one of the hottest disciplines in information management today.
This marks a key point in the growth of Click U.... since our programming thus far has mostly been through Click U. Live!
Even though the CI program is already underway...you can still join in. If you are interested...go to www.clickuniversity.com for more information.
I am very excited to tell you...SLA was just recognized as an Authorized Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
That means you and your employer can expect educational programming that is high in quality... focused... and structured for today's advancing info pro. Click U. can now award I-ACET Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for qualifying courses... including the new CI Certificates Program... so you can participate knowing that the curriculum is sound and effective, and you earn CEU credits.
Next month... Click U Live! is introducing a new program called "Gary Price: Quarterly Updates." Gary's presentations at Annual Conferences are always standing room only and now Click U Live! will bring him right to your workstation every quarter. He will cover new topics in searching and what's new on the web. And at fifteen dollars per session...the price is right. His first update is scheduled for February 13 so be sure to clear your calendar.
This has not been announced yet.... but Click University is opening its first library...a Leadership & Management Library from eBrary. The library contains 930 titles on leadership and management and is available to SLA members for free.
You will also receive significant discounts if your organization purchases content or subscriptions to eBrary.
In another new educational venture... we will soon announce a partnership with the University of Toronto. As a result of this partnership, you will soon enjoy an 11 percent discount on all web-based distance learning offered through the University's Professional Learning Centre. There is no need to interrupt your busy schedule to attend classes... you participate on your own time... at your own pace... online.
As many of you have already seen... Information Outlook has a new look. Working with an outside design firm and with our talented staff designer...Nate Yungkans... we have modernized and repackaged the magazine to give it a new, professional appearance and to make it easier to read and navigate.
I am also pleased to report that we are about to implement a new association management software system. It is a database-centered package of applications designed to help us operate more efficiently. How will this help you? It will streamline chapter and division management...giving you... our important volunteer leaders... more time to think about creating programming and networking opportunities rather than managing administrative tasks. We begin the process of building the system next week.
This year...we will also begin to assess the feasibility of holding a special global summit on the future of library and information science education in 2008. As the demands on librarians and information professionals continue to increase and evolve... SLA has an important role to play in helping you meet these challenges.
Also... we will begin our efforts to prepare for the Association's all-important Centennial Celebration...a year-long observance of the history of the Association. As many of you may know... Guy St. Clair has been working on a book about SLA's history for several years now... and Rebecca has just named a committee to plan additional ways to celebrate this milestone. Not only is the Centennial an opportunity to celebrate the past and bask in our achievements...it is our moment to look to the future and to prepare for the excitement of SLA's next 100 years.
To prepare ourselves for this future...we are continuing our efforts to study this profession... and to anticipate the rapid changes expected in this industry and in your profession. We will do this by continuing the work on the strategic alignment process we began last year.
We plan to engage a consulting firm to help us take an unbiased...outsider's view of the Association and your profession...and to work with SLA on shaping its future. This initiative will include research on the direction of the profession and will position SLA to attract new members and to help you succeed in this new and challenging environment.
As most of you are aware...networking continues to provide the greatest value for your membership dues. That is why I want to assure you we are working very hard to meet your needs in this regard.
Of course...technology will drive the bulk of our efforts...as we continue to use blogs and podcasting services. As the year progresses...we plan to develop and offer Wiki services that allow members to share opinions and ideas on particular topics such as competencies... copyright... or the strategic realignment. We are also investigating a new online community technology that would allow you to network and learn more from one another in real time.
In addition... we will build on the launch of our Newsfeed service from NewsGator by expanding our "technology laboratory." And...with your help... we will identify other tools and services you need to advance your career and add them to the lab.
Rest assured our focus will remain on the three priorities of our mission... learning... networking... and advocacy. But we remain steadfast in our commitment to the growth of membership... enhancement of services and technology... the engagement of our members... global influence... and the financial strength of SLA.
You deserve it... the profession needs it... and we intend to deliver it. Thank you all... and best wishes for a prosperous 2007.
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