Rebecca Vargha is library coordinator at SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC (1994-present); member and library liaison: SAS Quality AwarenessTeam (1995-present).
Past Employment: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: adjunct faculty (1996-1998); National Humanities Center, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina: associate librarian (1987-94); assistant librarian (1980-87); library assistant (1979-80).
Education: M.L.S., North Carolina Central University (1980); B.A.(English Literature) University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (1979)
SLA Member Since: 1980
SLA Chapter Activities: North Carolina Chapter: nominating committee (1998-99); SLA Winter Meeting Task Force (1994-95); nominating committee chair (1992-93); president-elect, president and past-president (1989-91); government relations committee chair (1985-89); education committee chair (1983-85); second vice-president (1983-85).
SLA Division Activities: Museum, Art and Humanities Division: awards committee chair (1998-99); division chair-elect and chair (1993-95); professional development chair (1991-92); long-range planning committee (1989-91).
SLA Association Level-Activities: SLA board of directors division cabinet chair and chair-elect (1997-98); networking committee (member 1994-95; chair 1995-1997); Cincinnati Conference Program chair (1991-1993).
Awards & Honors: member, Beta Phi Mu; North Carolina SLA Meritorious Achievement Award (1994).
Other Professional Activities: President of TRI-Libs (organization of Research Triangle Park Librarians) (1993); Special Libraries representative to North Carolina Governor's Conference on Libraries and Information Services (1991); North Carolina LSCA Advisory Council (1985-1987) Member of American Library Association, N.C. Library Association and Roundtable on Status of Women in Librarianship.
Vargha on the Questions:
Rebecca Vargha
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?
Some of the issues facing SLA include rapid technological change, core competencies for librarians/information professionals, recruitment of new members, retention of current SLA members and promoting our profession. The rate of change is occurring more rapidly. To quote Heraclitus, "All is flux, nothing stays still and nothing endures but change."
Last year, it was my privilege to participate in an informal discussion group with an accreditation team for a graduate program in information and library science. We spent considerable time talking about how to train them. The group consensus was that graduates have excellent technical skills from building killer web sites to network administration skills. These skills are very marketable, but are quickly dated.
Like other SLA members, I work in an environment where constant change is always in the landscape. One day you may have a Unix box on your desk then seemingly overnight an NT PC appears. The key to successful change is building on the past while being focused on the task at hand. You plan for the future as well.
SLA policies are an integral part of our organization. To navigate change, I see the Board of Directors as balancing the past, present and future. We can rely on the past without being mired in it. If we only think about planning for future, we risk over-planning it. The critical mission for the SLA Board is to focus on today without losing sight of the past or the future.
How do you see technology affecting the way SLA provides service to its members?
The impact of technology is tremendous. The web page with the "Members Only Section" is invaluable. Membership information and job ads are posted more quickly by harnessing the power of the Web page. The information is disseminated to more members in a timely manner.
There is less reliance on paper and more emphasis on email and listservs. Computers blur borders and shorten geographic distance. This is advantageous for chapters and divisions spread over large geographic areas .
SLA is going global at a rapid pace. The Asian Chapter was created in 1999. Since my last two year tenure on the SLA Board, there have been several chat room sessions for candidates. David Bender has regular chats with members. The world is shrinking and SLA is reaching out to members on a global basis via technology.
Where do you see the information profession going in the new millennium?
We are proactive with our customers and position the information center strategically. Web sites are extensive and rich in content. We telecommute and are part of "global teams." The profession transcends mere physical barriers using technology. We have print collections that co-exist with pdf files and desktop tools. Planning future strategies is challenging and requires great flexibility. It's going to be a great ride!
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