*Note: The following is from our archived collection of older documents, and may not reflect the most current information.
Welcome to SLA Connections, your source for news and information from the information profession and industry.
By Janice R. Lachance
The Power of ‘E’
As you consider your choice of candidates for the SLA Board of Directors and send your ballots in, have you thought about the possibilities of making that process easier via electronic voting? It’s been on the minds of many SLA leaders and staff in recent years. Until recently, we’ve been limited by interpretations of the laws in the State of New York, which govern how we do things because that’s where SLA was incorporated long ago.
In early January, I met with the association’s legal counsel to explore the possibility of electronic voting by SLA members. I was told that, based on recent interpretations of relevant law, SLA can move towards electronic voting. It would, however, require a change in our by-laws – which requires a vote by the membership at the SLA Annual Business Meeting in June.
By giving you and your fellow members more freedom and flexibility to elect members of our Board of Directors and consider changes to the association’s by-laws, SLA can lower barriers to participation and encourage dialogue on the profession’s most critical needs. We simply need to make some changes to our existing by-laws in order to allow it to happen. But does it really matter?
The answer, unequivocally, is YES! For a variety of reasons, e-voting makes sense for SLA and is an important step towards the evolution of your association into a more responsive and engaging community for information professionals worldwide.
- E-voting is THE way to encourage participation and engage members around the world. This seems like a reason that’s solely focused on members outside of North America. But reality tells us that the majority of our members in Canada and the United States do not attend SLA annual conferences every year. And since our by-laws currently require live voting at our annual conference, the barrier for participation by many SLA members is incredibly high. E-voting would allow us to vote quickly, without receipt of a mail ballot or requiring travel to the annual conference to participate.
- E-voting allows you and your fellow members to become more nimble in driving change in the association. As things stand currently, proposals for changes to our by-laws, our dues structure, the organization of our leadership, and many other issues can only be considered once a year – at the SLA Annual Conference. With e-voting, proposals for member consideration may be offered up at any time (though I’m sure we would want to limit the number of times per year that votes could actually be offered). Since one of the knocks about our culture is that we can often be too slow to react, I think the time has come to find ways to be more nimble.
- E-voting lowers the risk of vote fraud. I doubt very seriously that we experience ANY vote fraud with our board elections or by-laws votes! But the manner in which we vote – printed, manual ballots – certainly leaves us susceptible to the possibility of irregularities in voting. E-voting, on the other hand, is already an accepted practice in many associations. By requiring the use of unique identifiers (member ID and password, among other options), we can provide greater security in the process.
In the U.S., many associations in our community have already converted to e-voting, and the reviews by their members have been extremely positive. Has the time come for SLA to do the same? I say YES!
Finally, I was saddened to hear that our profession lost a great friend and advocate earlier this month, when Elton B. Stephens died at the age of 93. Mr. Stephens was the founder of EBSCO Information Services, and is considered one of the original leaders of the information age. He was a pioneer in the information industry and was known for his commitment to EBSCO customers. Stephens’ many writings to EBSCO personnel included this reminder: "Don't, whatever you do, neglect a customer. Devote your entire energies and time while on the job, and off the job if necessary, to give the service so necessary for customer satisfaction." Well said, Mr. Stephens. You will be missed.
Advice from the Field
The Knowing-Doing Gap: How Smart Companies Turn Knowledge into Action
by Jeffrey Pfeffer and Robert I. Sutton (Harvard Business School Press, 2000).
There is no shortage of knowledge out there at our fingertips: knowledge about the best management practices, the best strategies, the best structures, the best cultures. There is an abundance of knowledge to support leaders in creating powerful and effective organizations. The problem, however, is not what we know - we know enough. The problem is that we do not act based on our knowledge. Even when we know what we should do, we often do not do it. The question is “Why?” and the authors provide some insight. Pheffer and Sutton conducted in-depth case studies on a number of companies to identify why some acted on their knowledge while others did not. Their findings are simple but powerful. They demonstrate clearly how organizations set themselves up for failure by doing everything but acting on what they know is the best course. Read the review by Fast Company or, alternatively, the first chapter of the book, courtesy of BusinessWeek Online.
I participated in the SLA Leadership Summit in late January, and I’m excited to see the transition we are making with this event. This year, we offered a mix of leadership development training that can be applied to your career, along with sessions focused on SLA volunteer leadership. Next year, the transition will continue. Look for more information on the plans for the 2006 Leadership Summit in the coming months.
I am now wrapping up a visit to Australia and New Zealand, where I’ve attended the Information Online Conference in Sydney, visited with members of the SLA Australia and New Zealand Chapter, and met representatives of the national libraries of both countries. SLA members around the world, take note: We have a great group of colleagues in this new chapter! They are focused, professional, and active. I expect to see great things from them in the coming years.
Other events on my agenda:
2-4 March European Business Information Conference, Seville, Spain
29 March SLA Michigan Chapter Meeting
5 April SLA Pharmaceutical & Health Technology Division Spring Meeting
Las Vegas, Nevada USA4-9 June SLA 2005 Annual Conference
Toronto
Burning Questions
We all know there is a dichotomy in our profession between those who consider themselves librarians and those who say they are information professionals. I’m curious to know if you have a different perspective. Are you a librarian, an information professional, or something else? Email me at Janice@sla.org.
Consider This: “A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimension.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes
Right Brain Thinkers Making Waves
In his forthcoming book, A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, Dan Pink delivers a groundbreaking guide to surviving and thriving in a world turned upside down by rising affluence, the outsourcing of good jobs abroad, and the computerization of our lives. The book is due out in late March, but you can read the first chapter now, via Wired Magazine. Dan will be joining us in Toronto at SLA 2005 (see the “Inside the Box” section for more info).
Content, Device Convergence Analyzed
At last month’s 2005 Cyberposium at Harvard Business School, the collision between digital content and handheld devices was in clear focus. Current business models, opportunities for greater integration, and obstacles to continued growth were assessed. Read more from Working Knowledge.
Are We Ready for Customer-Driven Creation?
Trendwatching.com, an innovation-focused Web site, has released a special report that looks at “the phenomenon of corporations creating goods, services and experiences in close cooperation with consumers, tapping into their intellectual capital, and in exchange giving them a direct say in what actually gets produced, manufactured, developed, designed, serviced, or processed.” Read more from Trendwatching.com.
Cool Site: Population Reference Bureau Datafinder
This database contains data on 95 demographic variables for more than 220 countries, 28 world regions and sub-regions, the world as a whole, the United States as a whole, and the U.S. states. (Not all countries have data on all variables.)
Google Innovation Update: GMail Gets Good Reviews
(Editor’s Note: Since it seems that we are regularly finding new and interesting things to report on Google, we figured it’s time to simply include a regular update on one of the most innovative companies in the world.)
With Google’s New GMail service now online, the reviews are starting to roll in. Here’s one of the more balanced assessments from Line 56.com’s Demir Barlas.
SLA Announces 2005 Honorees
This year’s award winners and Hall of Fame inductees have been selected. The association will honor them at the 2005 Annual Conference in Toronto, 5-8 June. Read more.
A Message from SLA Treasurer Gloria Zamora
Re: SLA Member Dues Structure
During the SLA Leadership Summit in January in Tampa, the association’s chapter and division cabinets discussed a potential restructuring of member dues. This issue evolved from a proposal by the SLA Kentucky Chapter, presented to the SLA Chapter Cabinet in January 2004, to consider alternatives for the structure of SLA dues.
After a year of study by the SLA Finance Committee and a report to the association's board of directors at its October 2004 meeting, two proposals were referred to your colleagues in the chapter and division cabinets last month. One proposal involves a tiered dues structure based on salary levels; the other proposal is based on a flat rate, with increases based on the U.S. Consumer Price Index (the rate of inflation). Please note that both proposals would include a reduced rate for students, retired members and those making under US$35,000 annually, and both would require a bylaws change. You can review more details on these proposals by clicking here.
During our discussions in Tampa, the proposals, as well as an additional proposal from the New York Chapter, were debated very openly, with some excellent commentary from those involved. The general consensus of the joint cabinets appeared to lean towards the first proposal or an alternative, flat-rate structure, but not the flat rate proposal coupled with an annual increase that was presented at the meeting. Ultimately, the joint cabinet decided to send this issue back to the board for further discussion. The board referred the matter to the SLA Finance Committee for continued review.
Let me point out that the members of the chapter and division cabinets generally acknowledged a need to consider a new dues structure. Most participants in the discussion wanted more information on the use of dues revenue and alternate approaches of restructuring. Some also expressed concern about the percentage of the dues allotments to the units.
I urge each of you to review these proposals and discuss them with the members of your chapter or division. These are significant proposals that will affect your investment in SLA in the future. The members of the Finance Committee are eager to hear your thoughts on this important matter as we develop alternatives for the Board’s consideration.
If you have any questions or comments please send me an e-mail. Alternatively, I am available to discuss these proposals with you. If you wish to talk, please telephone me on +1.800.417.2634 (US and Canada only), extension 845.0811 or +1.505.845.0811 from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm MST / 1400 to 0000 GMT. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and concerns to help us craft a worthwhile proposal that will benefit our profession in the future.
Author Dan Pink to Speak at SLA 2005
Widely recognized for his first book, Free Agent Nation – a Washington Post bestseller – Dan will join SLA President Ethel Salonen during her signature session, The SLA President’s Showcase: Working with a New Brain. Covering subject matter from his soon-to-be released book, A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, Dan will explore the impact of some very powerful changes on the world of work in the 21st century. An entertaining and humorous speaker, Dan will challenge you to consider more conceptual, right-brain thinking that can transform your career. The event will take place on Tuesday, 7 June, 11:30 am to 1:00 pm in Room 104C of the Toronto Convention Center. Dan will also be available for an author signing session at the SLA Marketplace (located in the SLA Info-Expo) shortly after his presentation. For more information, see the SLA Conference Planner at www.sla.org/toronto2005.
Hotel Rooms Going Fast for SLA 2005!
We're Talking Impact! There's just over three months left until the information profession converges on Toronto for SLA 2005. Register now to reap significant savings on conference registration and get the hotel room of your choice.
The two most important steps in this process are to register for the conference and book a hotel room! You can save over 15 percent on conference registration if you SIGN UP NOW via our online system at www.sla.org/toronto2005. What’s more is that, by making your plans now, you’ll get the hotel room you really want!
If you’re making plans to extend your stay beyond SLA 2005, you’ll want to contact our reservations hotline directly by telephone: +1.866.774.0486 (toll free in Canada and US) or +1.703.770-3907. We can help you acquire a customized reservation that works for you.
SLA Seeks Volunteers for Future Natural Disaster Relief Efforts
To assist the people of South and Southeast Asia affected by the tsunami and to prepare for future natural disasters, SLA President Ethel Salonen has established a Taskforce on Natural Disasters with the following mandate:
"To investigate and establish ways in which the global community of information professionals can contribute their expertise in information organization and access to the recovery efforts following the tsunami in south Asia. The focus will be on voluntary contributions of time and resources rather than direct financial donations. Vital to this effort will be alliances between SLA and other library and information organizations to make the best use of the knowledge and skills of the informal, international network of information professionals. The resulting methodology will be used as a model for providing assistance in future instances of natural disasters."
For example, the Taskforce is establishing a recovery information response center that will be composed of an international network of volunteers who will respond to questions from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other aid groups. These volunteers will do online searches and provide reference assistance in areas such as clinical medicine, environmental clean-up, ecological restoration, business development, disaster recovery, and library restoration. The focal point will be SLA, but the network will be an alliance of volunteers from major library associations around the world. The alliance is tentatively called the Information Professionals’ Alliance on Natural Disasters and Accidents (IPANDA).
Here’s how you can help:
- Volunteer to be a responder in the recovery information response network. There will be no reimbursement for expenses, so your time and your organization’s resources will have to be donated. Be sure to get your organization’s permission to use its commercial databases.
- If you work for an organization that has significant publications, collections or human resources that relate to disasters or disaster recovery, send a brief description and contact information to the Taskforce to become part of a resource directory.
- Tell the Taskforce about NGOs or other organizations you know of that might have an immediate need to use the recovery information response network so the Taskforce can send them descriptive information.
- Send other suggestions to the Taskforce about how SLA and other library organizations might be able to assist the people, libraries, and recovery organizations in south Asia. (We need ideas beyond the direct financial contributions SLA is already urging its members to make.)
Contact the Taskforce at IPANDA@sla.org. More information will be forthcoming, especially for those who volunteer to be information responders. The Taskforce is targeting March 2005 to begin the response network.
SLA Auctions Yield Fun for All, Support for Learning
Our first ever online auction met with great success – particularly in generating excitement among our membership and a buzz about the Campaign for Professional Development. Overall, the bidding generated USD 8,000 in gross revenue for the Campaign – an excellent total for our first attempt at this kind of fundraising! The effort was enhanced with a silent auction held during a reception at the SLA Leadership Summit. Members of the Florida/Caribbean Chapter went to great lengths to locate auction items and make the activity a success. SLA thanks the many donors, bidders, and volunteers for making these auctions a great success.
SLA 2004 Performance Review Now Available
This document summarizes SLA performance last year. It was shared with the participants at the 2005 Leadership Summit, held last month in Tampa. Read more.
Upcoming SLA Virtual Learning Seminars
Competitive Intelligence, Part II
February 24, 2005
CI Building Blocks: Analysis
Speaker: Cynthia Cheng Correia, Principal of Knowledge inform
Identifying Client Needs, Part I
March 9, 2005
The Process
Speaker: Sue Henczel, INFASE Solutions
Identifying Client Needs, Part II
March 23, 2005
Using the Findings to Shape Information Provision
Speaker: Sue Henczel, INFASE Solutions
Write for Information Outlook®!
Upcoming issues will focus on corporate governance, searching, and e-publishing. Do you have what it takes to get published in IO? Make it happen! Check out our special writers guidelines at SLA.org or contact John Adams at SLA.
BNA Experts Available for Legislative Analysis
Bureau of National Affairs (US) experts are available for analysis of major legislative news. Articles by these authors and analyses of the issues are available. Read more.
Conference Board Offers Two-Day Governance Self-Assessment
The event is 2-3 March in San Francisco and 9-10 March in Chicago, and is intended for leaders in the governance area working in the offices of general counsel, corporate secretary, investor relations, and internal audit. Read more.
Dialog Now Offers Australian Content
The Thomson business integrated the ABIX database of Australian editorial content into their Dialog NewsRoom service. ABIX features abstracts of articles published by 122 mostly Australian newspapers, magazines and news services — including leading dailies published by John Fairfax Holdings Ltd. Read more.
Elsevier to Aid Growth of Libraries in Developing Nations
The Amsterdam-based company has formed partnerships with the European-based group Book Aid International and the US-based Sabre Foundation to facilitate the distribution of books throughout developing countries. Read more.
ESRI Publishes Study of Land Record IM
The GIS software developer released GIS and Land Records: The ArcGIS Parcel Data Model, demonstrates methods to integrate parcel data in an information work flow and make parcel data easily accessible. Read more.
Hoovers Releases New Mobile Service
The online business information service has released its newest generation of mobile research, available at http://mobile.hoovers.com. Read more.
LexisNexis Adds Enhanced D&B Credit and Business Reports
The Dayton, Ohio-based company announced that it has expanded its extensive collection of Dun & Bradstreet content with the addition of the enhanced D&B Business Information Report and the Comprehensive Report, including new visual graphics, coverage of 5 million new U.S. businesses, and expanded D&B PAYDEX® Information. Read more.
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Want to see your organization’s news or announcements in SLA Connections or Information Outlook®? Send to communications@sla.org.
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