Information Outlook, Vol 5, No. 6, June 2001
Ch-Ch-Ch Changes in the Way
We Deliver for You
Okay, someone needs to put the brakes on 2001! The past year since I announced my retirement has literally flown by, and here we are in June once again. Hopefully, you are reading this as you prepare for SLA's 92nd Annual Conference and INFO-EXPO. We have so much to offer this year that I anxious over trying to squeeze it all in. If, for some reason, you are not able to join us in San Antonio, I hope that you will find other ways this summer to expand your horizons for the benefit of your career.
The biggest changes about the Annual Conference this year should already be obvious or will be. We've dramatically improved our online conference planner, and many of you have already taken advantage of the intuitive online registration and housing request services. And the Virtual Exhibit Hall is a real treat that can truly aid your navigation onsite. Check them all out at sanantonio.sla.org.
But the biggest change that has already been announced will begin in San Antonio. Roberta Shaffer, our executive director designate, will be on hand to become acquainted with our processes and plans. She represents a new era for SLA, and I hope that you will join me in personally welcoming her to San Antonio and to her new role, which she begins on September 4, 2001.
But there are many other, more subtle changes taking place that directly benefit you. The new TechZone will offer hands-on learning about computer and Internet applications that you can implement the day you return to work. And the SLA President's Series and Association Series highlight some of the very hot and relevant topics of the day that affect our profession. You won't want to miss what is sure to be controversial but thoughtful discussion that matters to you.
You've always come to expect great speakers at the Opening General Session, and this year is no different. Molly Ivins, a syndicated columnist and author (and a Texas native) will offer her most provocative and humorous thoughts on the major political and social issues of our time. You can read her columns at www.creators.com. But you should expect more than just Molly, and we deliver. New to SLA this year will be our Closing General Session, featuring the wise and hilarious Dave Barry. His Pulitzer Prize-winning articles appear in hundreds of newspapers every week. Whether he's writing about exploding whales, science fair projects gone bad, or jumping off of the "big green bridge" in Armonk, NY, he's invariably finding a way to make millions of us laugh, every day. You can check out his columns at www.miami.com.
What changes have you made since you last attended an SLA conference? What has it done for your perception in the workplace or your level of success? If you have much to share, have you shared it with others? If you need more to share, where are you going to learn? Now is the time, when more than 6,000 of your friends will be around to listen and to share! And what changes can you make while your at SLA? Time will only tell, but I'm willing to bet that you can change as much as you like in three or four days of conferencing with us. The choice truly is yours.
David R. Bender, Ph.D.
Executive Director, SLA
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