Daille Pettit is Director, Information Services, American Hotel & Motel Association, Washington, DC (1996-present).
Past Employment: American Hotel & Motel Association: manager, information center (1994-1996); senior information specialist (1990-1994); Helen F. Kellogg Library, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: librarian (part-time), (1988-1990); American Embassy, Tokyo, Japan: embassy community liaison officer (1986-1988); Sacred Heart University, Tokyo, Japan: cataloging librarian, (1985-1986); Joint Library of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Library: library clerk, (1985).
SLA Member Since: 1991.
Education: M.L.S., University of Maryland, College Park, MD (1984); B.A. (English), University of Wisconsin, Madison (1967).
SLA Chapter Activities: Washington, DC Chapter: past-president (1999-2000); president (1998-1999); first vice president (1997-1998); professional development chair (1995-1996); membership chair (1993-1995); international projects committee member (1998-present).
SLA Division Activities: Social Sciences Division: government relations chair (1995-1997); Association Information Services Caucus: founding member; presenter SLA convention, Minneapolis (1999); Library Management Division: member
Other Professional Activities (selected): American Library Association member (1984- present); Beta Phi Mu Iota Chapter president (1997); Ladies Guild of Santo Domingo preseident (1989-1990); Association of Professional Librarians, Tokyo, president (1986-1988);, Tokyo Community Counseling Service board of directors (1986-1988); American Orientation Program of the Fulbright Commission of Japan co-chair.
Awards & Honors: AH&MA employee of the month (1992); Beta Phi Mu member (1985): Phi Beta Kappa (1967); Phi Kappa Phi (1967); scholastic honoraria.
Publications: In-house newsletters, books, and research projects.
Pettit on the Questions
Daille Pettit
What is the most critical issue(s) facing SLA today and how do you, as a candidate for the Board of Directors, see yourself formulating policies addressing those issues?
To me, the most critical issue facing SLA is the pace of change affecting our profession and society in general. SLA needs to be a change agent in some ways, but also be responsive to the needs of the membership and not lose sight of basic professional values while dealing with change. Other important issues include promoting the value of our profession, providing personal growth and professional development, and mentoring the next generation.
As chapter cabinet chair-elect, I will have an opportunity to deal directly with the entire membership through the chapter leaders. I intend to listen to members' concerns and formulate policies based ultimately on members' needs. My goal is to articulate the direction the association is taking based on where the members want it to go! As a creative problem solver, I offer to the membership an open mind and a genuine interest in responding to member concerns.
How do you see technology affecting the way SLA provides service to its members?
Technology can be a tremendous boon and a great tool when used to accomplish a goal, task, or service. I do not believe that technology itself should be the ultimate goal of the association. Although creating the "virtual association" should improve services to the members, I plan on monitoring the direction SLA takes to ensure that technology (and the money spent on it) does not become leadership's number one priority.
Where do you see the information profession going in the new millennium?
I do not believe that our profession is going to disappear. Our motto, "putting knowledge to work," is as true today as it was 90 years ago and undoubtedly will be 90 years from now. If anything the skills of interpreting, dissecting, and providing valid information will continue to be needed because of the surfeit of data flowing from many sources, including the web. What the information profession may be forced to do is to "reinvent" itself. We cannot always do things the same way or on the other hand, think that we have all the answers because we have adopted the most up-to-date technology. We need to have open minds, think creatively, and anticipate – not react to – the future.
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