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Closing General Session & Membership Meeting Remarks by |
Thank you very much everyone...and Stephen...thank you for that very kind introduction.
So...how have you enjoyed this year's conference and INFO-EXPO? And what can you say about this city? I am not sure there are words to describe adequately the scenic beauty of Seattle and its surroundings.
I think it is very much to your credit that you resisted the temptation of spending most of your time outdoors enjoying the spectacular views...and have taken advantage of the many outstanding sessions and networking opportunities available to you at this year's annual conference & INFO-EXPO.
I want to thank you for your active involvement and participation in these sessions. You made them lively...valuable...and...fun.
Before I begin my formal remarks... I would like to recognize a special guest we have with us today. Arlene Cohen recently moved to Seattle after a long and distinguished career at the University of Guam.
Most importantly to SLA and the global library community... Arlene is a long-time colleague and volunteer leader in IFLA...the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.
Won't you please stand, Arlene?
I would also like to add my thanks to this year's Conference Planning Committee chaired by SLA President-elect...Gloria Zamora. Further...I want to thank the Local Arrangements Committee... the Division Planners...and everyone who worked so tirelessly to make this event a great success.
If any of you are in the audience, please stand up for a well-deserved round of applause.
In addition...I want to acknowledge my wonderful staff at headquarters...all of whom are top-flight professionals who work extremely hard to make these conferences the world-class events they have become. I would like to say a special word of thanks to Kristin Foldvik... DeVonne Parks...and Akisha Edogun who serve on the Planning Committee and work year-round to make sure this event is as good as it can be.
I would like any of the staff not working in another part of the conference to please stand up.
Thanks to everyone's hard work...I am extremely pleased to tell you attendance at the conference this year is more than 5000 and again this year...we have outstanding participation from chapters throughout the world.
Unfortunately...a number of our members living in the Midwest section of the United States have been seriously affected by the terrible flooding there and had to cancel. I ask you to keep our friends and colleagues in your thoughts and prayers.
I am also pleased to tell you that the INFO-EXPO has 283 exhibitors with 464 booths...and 50 of them are first-time exhibitors. We value the contributions of our exhibitors and sponsors so very much.
I especially want to thank our major conference sponsors...Dow Jones and Company...LEXIS-NEXIS...and Springer. Thank you for your support...and congratulations to everyone for your extraordinary work in making this marvelous event possible.
As you have heard...the theme of this year's conference is "Breaking Rules: Building Bridges."
When the theme was first discussed...some suggested it sounded like an oxymoron. But once people began to think about it a bit...I believe most had a "V-8" moment. It is a little like staring at one those posters composed of small dots until your eyes focus just right and something like the starship "Enterprise" suddenly appears.
What I see when I think about the theme "Breaking Rules, Building Bridges" is an information profession buffeted by historic winds of change unlike any since the invention of Gutenberg's printing press.
In this turbulent environment... the only way to create a strong...resilient...and stable profession for the future is by building bridges to the increasingly technology-centric world of tomorrow.
To accomplish this ...it will require breaking a few rules. I am not talking about breaking rules the way violent demonstrators did on the streets outside this hall nearly ten years ago during the World Trade Organization meetings.
Although...I must say... it is somewhat amusing to imagine how people would react to newspaper headlines proclaiming..."Anarchist Librarians Battle Police in Streets of Seattle." You know who you are.
No...what I am talking about is breaking the rules that define the profession and your place in it. Breaking the rules that have created stereotypes and conventional wisdom surrounding what it means to be a librarian or info pro in the 21st century.
Today's librarian or info pro is not only skilled at the use of best practices to retrieve...organize...analyze...and disseminate strategically valuable information...she or he is increasingly knowledgeable about the use of wikis...blogs...podcasts...search engines...social networking sites...and even virtual worlds necessary to advance the mission of their enterprise.
The use of social software...which is deeply rooted in the consumer space...is being adopted more and more for business communication and is often referred to as Enterprise 2.0.
A recent survey of 400 companies for the enterprise content management industry found that 44 percent of businesses consider these technologies quote "imperative" or "of significant importance" to their enterprise..." even though many also admitted they are only vaguely familiar with use of this technology.
Whether you realize it or not...you have already begun breaking the rules of what it means outside the profession to be a librarian.
Your skills are evolving and your roles are changing. So too is the way people are thinking about you; the way your employers are thinking about you.
Since you already find yourselves in the "rule-breaking" business ...even if reluctantly...you might as well make the most of it. Keep on breaking the rules as you continue to reinvent yourselves inside your organizations. You may find this not only alters your career...it may well ignite it.
But in order to reinvent yourself...you must have the flexibility and strength of a Cirque du Soleil acrobat. I am not suggesting extra Pilates...but I am encouraging you to become as well grounded as possible in everything from business and finance... to marketing...to human resources.
You must understand the culture and language of business and be ready at a moment's notice to bring your considerable knowledge of information management to bear on any kind of complex problem.
In order to achieve this degree of flexibility for success in the information world of tomorrow...I believe there are four indispensable characteristics you must posses.
These include...a willingness to take risks...an appreciation for the value of continued, life-long learning...the ability to think strategically...and the courage to be a leader.
I would say many of you already recognize these truths because you are here today. Attending this conference is a valuable way to expand your skills and increase your knowledge.
It also helps prepare you for leadership opportunities that may arise unexpectedly in today's changing information marketplace.
The responsibility for reinventing yourself...for breaking rules and building bridges...is not yours alone. Like you...SLA must also adapt and transform itself to remain current... relevant...and invaluable to you and the profession. And we are working hard to do just that.
Besides the outstanding programs and continuing education courses we provide at annual conferences...we are continuing to grow and develop our industry leading online Click University. If you last looked at Click U three years ago...look again. It is hard to believe that so much as happened in just three short years.
On average...Click U has been growing at a phenomenal 300 percent a year. And remember...many said this could not be done by an association our size. We proved them wrong. You proved them wrong.
As an association...we knew we were challenging conventional wisdom...we knew we were breaking the rules.
But we also knew it was absolutely necessary if you were to remain at the forefront of knowledge and sustain your value as information professionals.
In addition to the breadth of courses currently available through Click U...we launched two new certificate programs this year...one for a Knowledge Management Certificate...and the other...a Certificate in Copyright Management.
As many of you know...we began this highly successful program last year with the introduction of a Competitive Intelligence Certificates program. And... I am pleased to tell you that graduates of Click U's Certificate programs receive CEU's from the International Association for Continuing Education and Training.
In fact...right here in Seattle...we held our first graduation on Sunday for participants in the Certificate in Copyright Management program. Congratulations to our newest grads.
But this is just the beginning. We have four more certificate programs under development based upon the professional competencies described in SLA's Competencies for Information Professionals of the 21st Century document. They should be ready for you in early 2010.
This year...we also introduced our innovative "Course of the Month" that has proven extremely popular. About 150 members per month are taking part in these free professional development programs online.
And I am very excited to tell you that we conducted our first Click U Live! session this year targeted to an audience outside of North America. Members in 15 countries took part in this groundbreaking event.
We will be holding more of these sessions and are working with chapters throughout the world to find ways to provide them with as much flexibility as possible.
By continuing to leverage the power of the Internet...we are also expanding your access to important thought leaders through our online Leadership and Management library.
If you have not used this outstanding resource yet...I strongly encourage you to do so.
With more than one thousand titles available to members free of charge...I am confident these books can help you solve any business problem or simply expand your base of knowledge in leadership and management. And many of you are taking advantage of it.
So far this year... there have been about 2000 individual user sessions and some 18-thousand page views.
These are impressive numbers... but I assure you...we are not sitting on our success.
Besides extending our partnership with ebrary for an expansion of the Leadership and Management Library... we have added a new Knowledge Management Library consisting of about 40 titles exclusively focusing on K-M. And...we have added synopses of some 350 current business titles on executive development from execuGo Media. If you use a RSS feed reader... as many of us do today...you can receive updates on new book titles as they become available.
In our efforts to build a valuable...vibrant...and affordable Click U during the past three years...we have broken...actually, not just broken... but smashed every rule about what is possible. We believe it is up to us to define who we are...and determine what our future will be.
I would like to tell you an interesting story that relates directly to the breaking of rules for the purpose of building bridges.
Back in June of 1889...an enormous fire nearly destroyed one of America's great cities.
Whether it was caused by a mule kicking over a lantern or a careless worker mishandling a gluepot...the resulting inferno wiped out what had been the city's thriving business district.
The city's leadership ...who wanted to rebuild the city as quickly as possible and had often wondered about relocating it to higher ground because of flooding...saw this as an opportunity to at least raise the level of the city. By elevating it...officials were hopeful they could keep toilets from exploding when low-lying water forcefully backed up into them.
Before they could get everyone to sign-off...however...a number of merchants began reconstructing their businesses on the very spots they had inhabited previously beside the great body of water.
Undeterred by these events...city officials puzzled over the situation until they came up with a great idea. Even though they had little control over where the buildings would be reconstructed...they had complete control over the level of the streets.
So what did they do?
They broke every known rule of city planning and raised the height of the streets about 10 feet. This required customers to climb a 10-foot ladder...cross what amounted to an earthen bridge while dodging horses and carriages...and descend a ladder on the other side to get to the store they wanted.
Eventually...the businesses took the hint and raised their entrances to what had been the second floor. Street life finally returned to normal...and city officials got what they wanted.
It was a plan as bold as it was imaginative. By breaking the rules...the City of Seattle... built a bridge to a future as one the most renowned cities in the world.
As you seek to reinvent yourselves by dismantling or even demolishing the old rules defining who you are and the roles you play as librarians and info pros...and as you endeavor to build your own bridges to an exciting... challenging...and promising future...your association is doing likewise.
You know from your own experience...however...you cannot build a bridge without first creating a solid foundation of achievement and success on which it can stand.
I am very pleased to tell you that SLA's financial base is steady and our membership strong.
I am proud to report that 2007 was the fifth year in a row which we ended with a budget surplus...and I am honored to be part of such a vibrant... committed ...and well respected organization representing members on the cutting-edge of information management and technology.
On July 1st...I will celebrate my five-year anniversary as CEO of SLA. I am extremely fortunate to work with a board of directors... association leadership...and a wonderful staff at Headquarters who work tirelessly to represent your interests. I especially want to thank Stephen Abram for his leadership this year.
Unlike public companies or profit-making organizations ...SLA is measured not only by its financial performance ... but...more importantly... by what the association does for our members. And what SLA seeks to do is nothing less than prepare you for success.
That is why SLA has undertaken an extensive examination of the future of the profession and the association. What better time to undertake such a project than on the eve of the association's centennial celebration?
In 2009...SLA will honor 100 years of service to the information profession with a year-long celebration. It is a milestone of enormous significance...and it will be celebrated grandly.
At the same time...it provides us with a unique opportunity to look ahead...to determine our future path...and to build the bridges necessary to get there. So we will also be looking at how the association can grow to meet your changing needs and...more importantly...how you can align your mission-critical skills and competencies with the future needs of the customers and organizations you serve.
The goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive strategy that communicates the essential truths about who you are as information professionals and what you do that is of value to your organizations. Further it seeks to inform the association on how we can best anticipate and meet your needs as professionals in the future.
If we do not have a sound...well-thought out strategy of how to communicate the essential value of the profession and the association...then everything else we might do is...as one person put it..."just a wasteful exercise of creative talent."
Working with a team of communications and research experts headed by the internationally respected communications firm of Fleishman-Hillard...along with Outsell, and futurists from Social Technologies....this Alignment Project will identify new trends in the profession and anticipate new ways in which we can provide you with ever more valuable learning...advocacy and networking opportunities.
The project...which is research-based...relies heavily on information in Outsell's extensive and unmatched database, and on primary, customized research we will be conducting. This will be described during the upcoming panel.
The Alignment Project is unquestionably an ambitious and time-consuming undertaking. But it is one the board and I believe is of paramount importance to the profession and to SLA.
As important as this undertaking is...I do not want to leave you with the impression that this is the only future-oriented activity SLA is pursuing this year. In fact...nothing could be further from the truth.
We are continuing to make important strides in the implementation of new technologies to enhance member communications and to deliver valuable member benefits. As you may have noticed...we recently launched a new blog format for delivery of SLA Connections.
Having switched to blogs for our newsletters...we are able to provide you with important information as it happens. This also allows you to respond to blog postings or start your own dialogues on issues important to you. And you can use the SLA Feed Reader ...which is exclusive to members...to set up alerts notifying you of new posts or other content you might be interested in.
As Stephen discussed extensively during the Conference's Opening Session... we are moving full-steam ahead with the SLA Innovation Laboratory. I know some of you had a chance to preview it in the SLA Marketplace this week and experiment with it using Twitter. I hope you will take full advantage of the lab. It is a remarkable resource.
And speaking of resources...I do not think any serious discussion today about the future can ignore the impending environmental impacts of global warming.
It has the potential to change the way we live almost as much as the revolutionary changes taking place in the information industry. That is why SLA recently announced its "Knowledge to Go Green" initiative.
Not only is this initiative intended to reduce the carbon footprint of the association by such actions as providing carbon offsets when board members and staff travel...and reducing the use of paper goods and other resources at headquarters...it will provide valuable information and actionable ideas we hope you will use to encourage your partners...your organizations...and your industries to reduce their own carbon footprints.
One of the first steps we took was to cut back on the use of paper as much as possible at this year's Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO.
And once again...we were required to break rules along the way to accomplish what we know is critical for the future.
We understand the moral imperative of doing everything you can to protect this spectacular planet of ours. We are making a difference and you should be congratulated.
As a way to acknowledge those who have demonstrated especially strong leadership in implementing green policies or have made significant changes in the way they conduct their work...President Abram has created a special Presidential Citation honoring SLA Knowledge to Go Green Champions. He is accepting nominations until November 15 for individual...unit... and exhibitor citations.
This is a significant way for us as individuals and as an association to acknowledge the important environmental efforts we have begun and to communicate our passion and commitment to addressing this important global challenge.
Communication with current members and recruitment of new members...especially members outside of North America...are important goals of the association and continue to be the focus of considerable activity this year.
Stephen ...Gloria Zamora and I are continuing the aggressive global outreach. We are meeting with SLA members throughout the world seeking to strengthen existing chapters and...wherever possible...encourage new ones.
This is a year-round effort. Just this week...we met with members and prospective members of the Asia Chapter while here in Seattle.
And in April...Gloria Zamora provided a taped welcome message for the opening session of the Arabian Gulf Chapter's annual conference in Qatar. I would also like to mention that there is a separate taped message from Gloria that can be used by any unit at upcoming meetings or events.
But...during her message to the Arabian Gulf Chapter...Gloria updated them on SLA's activities and challenged them to double their membership by the end of year. Wasting little time...the chapter notified us a week or so later that they have already achieved this goal. This is something we would love to see every chapter accomplish.
Without question...SLA is continuing to expand its reputation and influence throughout the world. I am continuing my involvement in the World Summit on the Information Society by participating again this year in the Internet Governance Forum this December.
One of the outcomes of the World Summit...which focused on removing barriers to information and bridging the digital divide...was an agreement to hold an annual meeting.
Sponsored by the United Nations...these meetings offer governments...industries...non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders an opportunity to discuss...and sometimes debate... the future of the Internet and how it is and should be managed.
I was honored to represent both the International Federation of Library Associations and SLA at the first two IGF meetings...as well as serve as a member of the U.S. delegation during the World Summit.
Also this year...I have the privilege of being a member of the IFLA President's Working Group on the Information Society where I work on Internet governance issues with librarians and info pros from all over the world.
SLA's participation in these important international gatherings gives the association a significant voice in policy discussions with far-reaching implications for you.
It also significantly elevates SLA's image in the eyes of the international library, technology, and business communities... and helps us educate librarians and info pros around the world about the very real contributions SLA makes to the profession.
Another way SLA is working to increase the influence and stature of the profession is through extensive public policy efforts we undertake on your behalf. Whether we are speaking out on issues of global importance or speaking up on matters of importance to a single community or nation...we are speaking for you and your profession.
This year SLA launched an initiative to determine whether we should develop Ethics Guidelines for association members and...perhaps...for adoption by other information professionals.
So far...about 40 "Ethics Ambassadors" have been appointed by SLA units and many of them took part in the first SLA Information Ethics Summit right here in Seattle on Saturday.
This summer each of you will receive a survey on the subject... and...by this fall... we hope to begin developing a statement on ethics and support materials for consideration by the board. It is a very exciting initiative...and one that I believe will continue to position SLA as a leader in the information profession.
We are also solidifying the association's reputation for leadership by opposing ill-conceived and unwarranted closures of important libraries and information centers throughout the world.
Some of these include the News Reference Library at the influential TVNZ television network in New Zealand...The Canadian Health Network...and the Sandia Research Library at Sandia National Laboratory.
We were the first association to speak out publicly against the proposal to close the EPA libraries. And we were successful in getting the United States Congress to overturn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's plan to close its network of regional libraries. We were instrumental in the Congress reinstating the budget for the Environmental Protection Agency's network of regional libraries this year.
However...even before we had a chance to catch our breath after this vigorous and protracted battle...SLA found itself in yet another significant funding debate. The Bush Administration has proposed a cut next year of nearly 20 percent of the U.S. National Agricultural Library's budget.
We believe this sort of drastic cutback would damage the NAL's ability to maintain its current level of service and create a ripple effect around the globe...especially at a time when world-wide food prices have skyrocketed and many areas are experiencing food shortages.
And while we may not prevail in every case... we seek to make sure all changes in services and closures are conducted in a planned...carefully thought-out manner that protects often irreplaceable information and data from loss or destruction.
Our advocacy initiatives are not limited...however... to keeping libraries and info centers from closing their doors.
This year we are actively engaged in efforts to define copyright laws in our digital age... such as supporting amendments directed toward changing exceptions to copyright law in the United Kingdom.
The Library Copyright Alliance...of which SLA is a member...has also submitted principals to guide a U.S. delegation in negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement.
As a result of this important advocacy work...I believe SLA is enhancing your value and your stature inside and outside the companies and organizations you serve.
One of the challenges of the profession is communicating who and what you are to executives who may not be as clued in as they should be. I am extremely pleased to tell you that we have taken a giant step in doing so.
On the screens...you will see a full-page Wall Street Journal advertisement that ran today...yesterday...and on Friday...and also ran as a halfl-page ad last Wednesday promoting the value of info pros
This ad is a partnership between SLA and our good friends at Dow Jones...and an outgrowth of Dow Jones' extraordinary support of SLA and the profession over many years.
The Wall Street Journal reaches nearly two million people in the United States every day...including influential C-level executives and senior managers. The goal of the ad is to raise awareness of the important role information professionals play in every organization.
It makes the point that info pros are known by different titles in different organizations...but whatever they are called or wherever they work....they are essential to success because they power every business decision.
We have all dreamed about this level of advertising. Now it has happened and it is remarkable.
Please join me in thanking Dow Jones.
SLA's mission is described very simply. It is to promote and strengthen you through learning...advocacy... and networking initiatives. As I have said many times...in many parts of the world...your talent...commitment and drive will determine the future of this profession.
SLA will do everything possible to help you. We are your partner in this great adventure....and we are committed to your success. We will be with you every step of the way as you march into a bright...prosperous future for the profession and yourselves.
I have had the good fortune to get to know many of you personally over the past five years.
As a result...I think I have a good understanding of ...and have certainly gained a deep appreciation for librarians and info pros and the work you do.
You are intelligent, caring, dedicated professionals who do not tend to call attention to yourselves but... rather...let your work speak for itself. Applying old stereotypes...some may see you as passive. I KNOW you are passionate.
It is time for this passion to be recognized and appreciated by everyone. It is time for you to take control of YOUR future.
After all...what do you have to lose by breaking a few rules...by reinventing yourselves in ways that will only make you more knowledgeable ...flexible...and valuable?
That is the bridge you have to build...and then cross.
SLA will work with you to build this bridge. More than that...we will scout the terrain...assess the dangers...provide the tools you need...and offer endless encouragement.
And...we will be at your side as you take your first few steps on it. Ultimately ...though...it will be up to you to decide whether you choose to cross it.
You have the ability to do whatever you desire...go where ever your considerable talents will take you... and be what ever you want to be. SLA is your partner in this journey.
It may not always be easy...but I assure you it will be exhilarating.
I have never been more optimistic about the future of this profession and I have never been more confident of your success.
Thank you very much.
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