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Information Professionals in a World of Change: Making the Most of Challenges and Opportunities |
Thank you very much Jim for that very nice introduction. I appreciate your kind words very much.
I am pleased to be with you today and...as always...I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you. Several months ago...I had the good fortune to address the 50th Workshop of the SLA Military Librarians Division in San Antonio. It was my fourth consecutive appearance since joining SLA...and I always look forward to speaking with those of you who serve our brave and dedicated servicemen and women and their families in the military community.
As Jim mentioned in his introduction...I had the honor of serving as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management during the Clinton Administration.
I have enormous respect and admiration for those who serve this country working in the federal government. And I have especially high regard for those of you who support the mission of the armed forces of the United States.
Each and every one of you is making a meaningful contribution... not only to your profession... but to the defense of freedom by supporting those whose patriotism and sense of duty frequently places them in harm’s way. For that...you have my thanks...and I am sure the thanks of those you serve with great dedication.
I would like to discuss with you today some of the challenges facing librarians and information professionals...no matter where they work...and also the opportunities open to them if they are willing and able to adapt to change.
We live in a world of extreme change. It is happening all around us and it is happening at breathtaking speed. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the world of information and communications technology.
Advances in information technology... the Internet... are revolutionizing the way we gather and use information...and the way we communicate ideas and opinions to one another.
Did you know that in 1994....there were approximately ten thousand Web sites...and today that number is estimated at about one hundred million? And according to the Pew Internet and American Life Project...about one in three Internet users have logged onto the Internet using a wireless connection either around the house...at work...or some place else.
What this tells us is...people are accessing information and data in new ways...and they want it whenever...wherever they desire. I suspect no one knows this better than you. Not only do people want information whenever and wherever they desire it...they have a growing expectation that they will contribute to the creation of much of this content.
You may recall that back in the early days of the public’s use of the Internet...the experience was very one dimensional. You could retrieve information and you could post it. You could send email and receive it. Web sites were little more than brochures on steroids and online catalogues you did not have to wait for in the mail.
And...then...an interesting thing happened. Users began to discover the power of the Internet to amplify a single voice....their voice. It suddenly gave that voice substance...authority ...and reach.
Today...anyone with a computer and a mobile phone...or better yet...a video phone...can get play on CNN.
Seemingly overnight...Christiana Amanpour and Wolf Blitzer have hundreds...if not thousands...of would-be colleagues and competitors.
In this new environment...we characterize the extensive...multi-faceted... and collaborative nature of Internet communications under the broad umbrella of social networking...which technically...is a scientific approach used in many disciplines to explain complex social relationships between individuals or groups of individuals.
When we talk about social networking on the Internet...the term seems to reflect pretty accurately the interconnection of millions of users through an array of applications that include; blogs...wikis...online reviews...podcasts...and networking sites such as ... MySpace...and YouTube...and...even virtual worlds such as Second Life.
We know that social networking....search engines...online collaboration... and other aspects of the Internet in the post-Web 2.0 world are helping to drive its use; making the Internet an extraordinarily robust vehicle for personal and professional expression.
It is not surprising then...that more and more experts seem to agree that "prosumers"...those who both produce and consume digital content... will continually seek new more imaginative ways to participate...collaborate...communicate...and influence online. YouTube’s incredible story of success is a good example.
Whether through existing information technology or ...undeveloped applications that have not been imagined yet...prosumers are just beginning to plug into the power of personal and professional expression which the Internet offers.
I would say there is nearly unanimous agreement among most technology experts that successful organizations in the future will have to find ways to harness this collaborative creativity of the Internet for the benefit of employees and customers alike...as well as their bottom line.
Most organizations...SLA included...are just beginning to experiment with meaningful social networking. What will it take for most of us to make the transition from business-as-usual...to business in a wired-in world? First and foremost...I believe it will take the unique knowledge...experience...and vision of librarians and information professionals like you.
It is not surprising then...that in this dynamic changing environment... info pros and librarians will be expected to play an even larger role in the acquisition...retrieval...and management of online information. Even more importantly...community librarians are likely to become a crucial link between citizens and their government as more and more government services require applicants to apply online.
Many of these services will be needed by those from underserved communities who may have limited knowledge and familiarity with the technology necessary to navigate these government processes successfully....and they will look to you for help.
I think it is very telling that three very different publications recently cited "Librarian" as one of the best careers for the future.
US News.com listed "Librarian" as one of the Best Careers in 2007...while Parade Magazine called "Corporate Librarian" one of the Hottest Jobs for College Grads.
And the personal financial advisor...Kiplinger.com...which listed "Librarian" as one of its Seven Great Careers of 2007...had this to say about librarians:
"Forget about the image of librarian as mousy bookworm. (Pause) Today’s librarian is a high-tech information sleuth...a master of mining cool databases...well beyond Google...to unearth the desired nuggets."
"High-tech information sleuth." I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing that phrase on resumes?
I think inclusion of librarians in the rankings of these significant publications indicates your increasing value.
When it comes to the information needs of a population... no one can match the skills of the information professional. That is why in many organizations...info pros are becoming the hub of a wheel... playing an integral role in all decision-making...education... and services surrounding them.
You know what quality information and valid data look like. You know how to gather it. You know how to evaluate it. And... most importantly...you know how it can and should be used strategically by decision-makers and consumers alike. That makes you significant contributors to your organization’s particular mission.
Frankly...who is better qualified than an info pro to explain to a CIO...CEO or ....consultant the advantages of one information technology over another?
While the long-term picture for info pros appears bright...issues of funding continue to pose a challenge both inside and outside of government.
I am aware many of you face budget pressures resulting from the federal government’s need to fund ongoing military operations and the pending showdown between Congress and the President over the military’s supplemental budget.
I am sure we are all aware of the closure of the Fort Huachuca Library in Arizona. What is especially alarming about this closure is the fact it is being viewed as a pilot program that could lead to additional closures throughout the country. As a result of this closure...the Army is sending soldiers and their families to the city library off-base where they are receiving considerably reduced services.
And...as I suspect many of you are also aware...there is a revue of the historic Army Surgeon General’s Armed Forces Medical Library underway. This library...which has been a part of the U.S. Military Medical Corps since 1836...provides research to all branches of the service...as well as to our soldiers overseas. It too may fall prey to cost cutting.
Unfortunately...budget concerns are affecting library services in other parts of the government as well.
Early in 2006...SLA became involved in the debate over the U.S. Environmental Protections Agency’s plan to dramatically cut services at its regional network of specialty libraries. SLA was the first library organization to publicly criticize EPA’s lack of a realistic plan for protecting the valuable public health and safety information contained in these libraries.
As a result of a recent hearing by the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee... in which we provided tough questions to Committee Chair Senator Barbara Boxer of California for use during her sharp questioning of the EPA Administrator...EPA is on clear notice that future closures and service cutbacks will be closely scrutinized by Congress.
Following the hearing...I met with representatives of EPA to talk about the issue. I am pleased to tell you that EPA will be working with us on this matter and taking part in SLA’s upcoming Conference in Denver.
Not only will the agency participate in the Conference Expo...EPA staff will also take part in policy sessions with attendees to solicit their feedback and advice on the service cutbacks.
Your colleagues in the private sector also have not escaped the closure of libraries and information centers by managers more interested in cutting costs than considering the very real ROI info pros provide.
I wish I could stand here and promise you that SLA and other concerned organizations will succeed in preventing library closures. But we all know that would be an empty pledge.
What I can promise you...however...is that SLA will do everything in our power to make sure any proposed closures or cuts in important services are first put through careful...thoughtful deliberative processes that take into account both the affects on users and on the information professionals who serve them.
Through continued aggressive advocacy...SLA will do its part to represent your views to Congress and the Executive Branch...including senior officials at DOD. We will not go "silently into the night"...I can assure you of that.
There is much you can do too. No matter where you work...no one can explain the value you provide to your organization better than you.
That is why I believe it is critically important for you to continue educating your supervisors and senior managers about the significant contributions you make.
That is why you must regularly communicate the need for growth in your positions. And that is why you must never stop thinking strategically about your organization’s goals and objectives, and the role you play in helping achieve them.
Ever since I joined the SLA leadership in 2003... I have repeated a quote from retired U.S. Army General Eric Shinseki many times. He is known for saying: "If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevance even less."
Change is not something most people embrace naturally. Information professionals have faced a lot of change in recent years as your roles have evolved and continue to do so.
Even this example is from the private sector...I think it reflects what is happening almost everywhere today. A recent study of twenty-four Fortune 500 companies by Best Practices found that nearly 50 percent of all corporate library resources are currently available electronically. About one in three of these companies now offer more than 90 percent of their content electronically.
This is just more evidence of how the environment in which librarians and info pros are operating is changing dramatically.
Today...you often find librarians or info pros playing key roles in business units or in other strategic areas of organizations. In the past...you and your colleagues typically were expected to respond to requests for information and data.
Now...you are often active collaborators with decision-makers and customers within your organizations... often taking the lead in driving important study and analysis or providing highly important advice and instruction to your customers.
But is it enough simply to adapt to change...even if it is done well? The Japanese have a term I like very much. It is..."Kie-Zen." Loosely translated...it means a continuing quest to do better. In my view...that is the role of a change agent. That is the role of a leader. More than anything else...I believe info pros have the ability to take on this role inside their organizations...whatever those may be.
What does it take to be a leader? If I were asked to sum it up in a word...I would probably say...preparation.
If you look at the lecture circuit today...you will find no shortage of former politicians...generals...business executives...and football coaches ready to provide you with the answer to this question for a fee.
They are able to talk about leadership because they were successful. What did all of them have in common? They sough out opportunities to lead and they were prepared.
I believe there is always room for growth in all of us. In particular...librarians and info pros have to find ways to think strategically with a focus on organizational goals and missions in order to gain support and attention from senior managers.
Many practicing info pros have succeeded in doing this...but it is time to make their success the norm. And by doing so...you can literally transform your career and the entire profession.
No matter your area of practice...no matter the scope or scale of your work...and no matter the industry or branch of government in which you work...you must continually align your thinking and actions with those of the leaders of change in your organization.
I have always believed that transforming one's career requires a change in perspective. That perspective should bring a person into greater alignment with the goals of their organization...with the vision of their organization's leadership... and with the needs of their customers, both internal and external.
How do you make this happen? The answer is probably not the same for any two people...but I have some thoughts that may help you to think about it.
Transforming your value should begin with a clear understanding of your values and those of your employer. Of course...your values are likely to vary from those sitting to your right or your left...so we have to think in terms of the kinds of values that enhance your stature in your organization.
Some of the questions you should be asking yourselves...Are you service oriented? Do you prefer collaborative decision making? Are you innovative? Do you expect diversity in the workplace? Is transparency something you desire?
If you have the vision and the ability to mesh your values with those of your employer...you are likely to have a much stronger affinity for your work life.
Being flexible enough to adapt to changes in the workplace...in the market...and even in your personal life is very important and a key to success.
If you have a clear understanding of your value and your values...AND how they mesh with the value and values of your organization... you are well on your way to becoming a leader.
I believe the single most important thing any of us can do to change our perspective to enhance our career is to adopt the mindset of a senior executive.
We may not always agree with or like the people who inhabit the top positions at our organizations. Nevertheless...it makes sense for us to think and act as though we are one of them.
A colleague once told me that while she is not a CEO...she regularly asks herself... "What would I do if I WERE the CEO?" Is this risky thinking? Absolutely not. You are probably familiar with the well-known Native American proverb that admonishes us to "never criticize a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins."
If we change our perspective to consider how things are done at the top...we may begin to look differently at the way we do things. But this yields another requirement for leadership.
To advance your personal and professional growth...I encourage you to develop the capacity for conceptual thinking..., or systems thinking...as it is sometimes called.
Linear thinking typically focuses on the starting point of a thought or idea and moves toward an end progressively. Conceptual thinking...on the other hand... requires a holistic approach to a project or initiative...keeping the result in mind from start to finish. Why is this important? It has been my experience that... unless you can visualize where you want to go...you cannot possibly get there.
Dan Pink... who authored the bestseller A Whole New Mind... believes that the future will belong to conceptual thinkers.
These are people who understand the importance of storytelling...the design in every aspect of business... the symphony of ideas and goals...the needs of customers and colleagues...in the context of working hard and finding meaning in the work we do.
Linear, analytical thinkers may be skeptical of this, but...all around us...there are signs pointing to an increasing focus on these capabilities.
In order to be a conceptual thinker...you must begin with an end in mind...the end of a project...or the end of an initiative. Thinking about the outcome of your work gives you a vision of what you hope to achieve.
Psychologists believe that seeing what you hope to accomplish in your mind’s eye can make you more successful. This technique is commonly used today by professional golfers and other high-performance athletes.
You must...however...avoid the tendency to return to linear thinking... by continually envisioning the results of your work... its scope... and its impact on you... your organization and on all of your stakeholders.
Executive coach Steven Robbins describes working in the executive suite as the ultimate "buck stops here" scenario. He says the essence of being a successful executive lies in one’s capacity to make good decisions with confidence.
Robbins says, "an executive's job is making decisions from the perspective of the entire business. Executives think about making the entire business succeed, not just their own domain. Remember that grand vision statement your company spent so much time and attention creating? It is the executives who link the leadership vision with the strategy and tactics that get carried out."
Getting to this point requires experience...confidence...and the willingness to relinquish the notion that what we do or what we control is more important than achieving the overall goals of the organization.
It turns out then...that preparation for leadership includes...the flexibility to embrace and even create change...the awareness of your value in context of your values...the ability to think conceptually like a senior executive...and the courage to make good decisions. Librarians and information professionals...people who are extremely capable of gathering...sharing...and analyzing data...content... and knowledge...are better prepared for this challenge of leadership than anyone else I can imagine.
At a conference I attended last fall...a speaker was talking about the field of physics....and I apologize in advance to all of you who work in this discipline. He made the wry observation that progress in the field of physics is made one funeral at a time.
We at SLA are determined to make sure no one ever says that about this profession.
That is why we are doing all we can to provide our members with stimulating conferences...important networking events...relevant and easily accessible learning opportunities...such as SLA’s online Click University....and a safe... supportive...and risk-free environment for experimentation of all kinds ...in order to help them develop the right mix of skills and experience they need to be the innovative leaders of tomorrow.
You have the talent...the skill...the desire...and commitment to succeed in a changing government and profession...and to play an important role in the lives of the people you serve.
Each and every one of you...no matter where you work...is in a position to help redefine the future of your profession.
This is your time. This is your calling. I know you will make the most of it.
Thank you very much.
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