Welcome to SLA Connections, your source for news and information from the information profession and industry.
Starting a Revolution
We all have a lot of things taking our attention these days. Our jobs are as busy as ever. The year is coming to a close. Many of us are taking time off from work for holidays. Here at SLA Headquarters, those same facts apply to our staff. But we are also making plans for several initiatives that will grab your attention in January - and we hope they help us start a revolution in the SLA experience.
Beginning with the first issue of 2007, members will notice something different about the magazine you receive as part of your membership. Information Outlook, which has graced your inbox for 10 years, is currently undergoing a re-design! Information Outlook took SLA to new heights in serial publishing. All of its existing components will continue to appear each month, but the design of our publication will take on a decidedly more personal, modern, and global approach.
This effort is being implemented so that YOUR magazine reflects what SLA is all about: people! You and your colleagues in the membership reflect the diversity and excellence within the library and information profession. We wanted to ensure that the publication representing the global community of information professionals succeeds in reflecting the people in the community. We hope you enjoy it, and we look forward to hearing from you about the new look following its launch in the New Year.
Near the end of the month, chapter and division officers will gather in Reno, Nevada, for the 2007 SLA Leadership Summit. While there, we will all embark on a new path in providing more efficient and effective service to SLA members. Euclid, the Association Management System (AMS) database vendor we have been working with, will do a special presentation on the process for implementing a new AMS database that will allow staff and unit officers to work together, manage member records, conduct event registration, and share information in real time. They will also conduct a special focus group immediately following the presentation that will focus on the real "nitty-gritty" of the custom-designed system. Most members likely won't realize how valuable this implementation process will be - until they start to see the results. The level of service you get from SLA Headquarters and our unit volunteers will be enhanced, and the amount of time required to do the back-office work of managing SLA will decrease. That's particularly important for chapter and division officers, who will have more time to focus on programming and networking opportunities.
Finally, by the end of January, we will be preparing to launch a new initiative that will define the future of the information profession and help to us to shape SLA for that future. This effort will not be conducted in a vacuum. We plan to involve ALL stakeholders in the SLA community: members and non-members; executives and human resource professionals who hire info pros; practicing professionals and representatives from the information industry; students, faculty, and staff from relevant undergraduate and graduate university programs; trade press and mainstream business press; and representatives from governments and non-governmental organizations that are a part of the world information community. Our goal is to determine how the profession is evolving, what practicing information professionals will need in the future, and how SLA should be positioned in order to meet those needs.
Sounds like an ambitious month, does it not? I think it's time that you come to expect more from your professional association. And if you're not a member, isn't it time that you became a part of the SLA experience?
Best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2007.
Burning Question
For a moment, be a visionary. What will information professionals be doing for their organizations in 20 years? Don't hold back! I want to hear from you. Send me an email at Janice@sla.org.
Janice's List
Tough Choices, by Carly Fiorina (2006, Portfolio Publishing). Written by the woman who ascended to the top leadership role at Hewlett-Packard in 1999, this book is a great read for anyone who a) wants to be a leader or b) has to deal with engineers and techies in the workplace. Fiorina was charged with energizing a company that was literally run by engineers, who lacked customer focus or marketing savvy. After six years of aggressive change - including the acquisition of Compaq - she was ousted as Chair and CEO. The book is full of insider tales about HP, but it also serves as an excellent lesson for budding executives. Read a full review from Business Week.
Consider This
"Let us make a special effort to stop communicating with one another, so we can have some conversation." Judith Martin (also known to Americans as "Miss Manners")
| OUTSIDE THE BOX |
Closure of 6 federal libraries angers scientists
Cost-cutting moves at the EPA and elsewhere deny researchers and the public access to vital data, critics say.
Read the whole article in the Los Angeles Times.
Become a Certified Content Rights Manager
The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) has created a new training and certification course for Information Professionals entitled "Certified Content Rights Manager (CCRM)." The CCRM course is designed to explain copyright law and how it pertains to licensing and disseminating content within an organization. Students completing the course and certification exam will have a deeper understanding of the proper and improper uses of copyrighted content. SLA is working with SIIA to bring this course to SLA members nationwide. Beginning in January 2007, the course will be held every month in a major metropolitan city in the U.S. The first course will be held in New York City on 29 January. Further details on the syllabus for the course, registration, location, and price to follow soon.
What the HECK is Second Life?
Have you heard the buzz? Wonder what everyone is talking about? Let SLA member Jill Hurst-Wahl walk you through it. Jill was featured on ABC Channel 9 News in Syracuse, New York, talking about this online phenomenon. Video.
For more information on Second Life visit here.
Details available on the Second Life Library 2.0 program "Info Island" available here.
| INSIDE THE BOX |
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: 2007 SLA Honors and Awards
Do you know an info pro that goes above and beyond for SLA, someone that is pushing the limits and on their way to stardom, or someone that deserves some recognition for a lifetime of exceptional work? Now is your chance to shine a spotlight on them. SLA has opened the 2007 nomination process and the committee is eagerly awaiting your submissions. Nominate an SLA member for international recognition NOW!
Reaching New Heights in Denver!
The 2007 SLA Annual Conference will be held in Denver, Colorado, this year and you won't want to miss the exciting keynote speakers and new programming. Registration and housing open on 8 January 2007. Please visit the conference website to see more information.
SLA Business: Annual Conference Changes to Take Effect in 2008
In June 2006, the Board of Directors formed a workgroup "to study the overarching issues of annual conference planning," and report back to the Board in October 2006.
This workgroup met between July and October and conducted surveys and telephone interviews to determine the sentiments of SLA members. They wanted broad input to their process in order to develop recommendations to the Board regarding the annual conference. The group reviewed all aspects of conference planning during their deliberations and reported back to the Board as requested with approximately 17 action items contained in one document.
The Board unanimously approved the proposed conference model. The changes will go into effect for the 2008 annual conference and stay in place for three years in order to measure the success of the changes. You can review the complete document on the SLA website. The document number is A07-10. Following are just a few of the exciting and new action items that will affect conference planning activities.
- The conference will begin on Sunday evening and end on Wednesday afternoon with keynote addresses. The Wednesday keynote will be late afternoon and will be followed by a conference-wide event. The purpose of this recommendation is to give a feeling of a defined start and finish to the conference. The Sunday keynote, according to our interviews, was well-received, though some adjustments to times are necessary.
- Leadership training will be expanded at the Leadership Summit in January to include training for more unit leaders.
- Divisions will be limited to 4-6 unique division-sponsored programs, including the business meeting and 2-4 co-sponsored sessions. Divisions with sections will be allowed an additional program per section. The surveys and interviews revealed that many of our members felt there were too many programs. It is hoped that this recommendation will encourage more cooperation in programming between the divisions and perhaps enable divisions to spend more resources on a fewer number of programs, thus increasing the overall quality of the conference.
- A series entitled "spotlight speakers" will be initiated. The conference planning committee, in consultation with the divisions, will select programs that will be highlighted in the program. The criteria for selection would be the program should have conference-wide appeal that could reasonably expect to pull in 250-300 people. Innovative programs with varied formats would be encouraged. These would still be division sponsored but they would be marketed differently and "spotlighted" in the conference program. Both the divisions and the Association could use these programs for marketing purposes for their mutual benefit.
- Varied formats for programs are encouraged as well as variable lengths of 60, 90, and 120 minutes for programs. This allows for more diversity and hopefully more interest in the conference. In addition, some programs with wide appeal could be repeated during the conference.
The 2008 Annual Conference Committee has agreed on a theme for 2008 in Seattle, Washington -- "Breaking Rules, Building Bridges." At the first planning meeting in Reno in January 2007, the committee will expand upon the theme as well as fully discuss the Board document and the changes as they related to conference planning activities.
Questions regarding the 2008 SLA Annual Conference or its new format, contact Chair, SLA 2008, Gloria Zamora.
Do You Know SLA Members with Board Potential?
The Nominating Committee is looking for the next leaders of SLA. The committee will meet at the SLA Leadership Summit in Reno, Nevada, 24-27 January 2007, to recommend a slate of nominees to the board for the 2008 association year. The committee is asking your help in identifying candidates for election to SLA's Board of Directors to take office January 2008. Find out how you can help to shape your association's future. Read more.
SLA Salary Survey and Salary Calculator
The 2006 SLA Salary Survey and Workplace Study, which covers the salaries of SLA members in the U.S. and Canada, was published on November 15th. It can be purchased via the SLA Store in print or PDF.
The member price of $55 has remained the same for the past few years. For the first time, a network PDF version can also be purchased. The network PDF may be distributed electronically within your organization, and is available for $100 for members. A summary of the 2006 survey results was published in the Information Management column of the November issue of Information Outlook.
The 2006 Salary Calculator is now available to purchasers of the Salary Survey. This online interactive tool analyzes salaries based on multiple characteristics, rather than two dimensional view offered in the print version. You can drill down to a specific set of characteristics to compare yourself to other information professionals. You can get instant feedback as you investigate how salaries vary based on characteristics such as primary responsibility, job title, library/information center budget, years of library experience, number of employees supervised, location (U.S. Census District or Canadian Region), and non-profit or for-profit organizational status.
SLA MEMBER BENEFIT:
SLA Partners with NewsGator to Deliver Free Customized RSS Feeds to Info Pros
Have you seen our new RSS feed reader? SLA has partnered with NewsGator for this service, available only to SLA members. Choose from pre-selected feeds, or add your own. Link to the reader through the Resources menu at www.sla.org. Read the press release.
2006 Recruit-a-Member Campaign
SLA would like to welcome our new members and thank all those dedicated members who have participated already. See the list here.
The Recruit-a-Member Campaign is an annual membership drive and SLA needs your participation for the final push at the end of the year! If you need assistance, don't forget about the provided e-mail template which yielded more members in the first month of this campaign than the entire campaign last year!
To date 117, members have successfully recruited 154 new members to the Association. Let's continue this momentum! Have you participated yet? There is still time to contribute. Learn more about how you can champion SLA to one of your colleagues and be in the President's Club! Click here.
Deadline Approaching for Leadership Summit Registration
It's not too late to register for 2007 Leadership Summit, 24-27 January 2007, in Reno, NV, USA. The housing and early-bird registration deadlines are 22 December 2006. Get a taste of the educational portion of the Summit by reading keynote presenter Chip Heath's interview on how to craft a memorable message...or how to make your ideas stick...in the November issue of Information Outlook. In fact, if you are among the first to register, you can get a FREE copy of his book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die. Develop your leadership skills for job and volunteer opportunities. A detailed schedule is available on the Web.
SLA HQ News: Welcome our New Staff Members!
Stacey Bowers started work as the new SLA Business Development Director.
Stacey will be working with staff and SLA partners on multiple levels. She is responsible for the Association's financial development activities, through corporate sponsorships, organizational relationships and activities, planned giving programs, Association affinity programs, grants, and traditional fund raising activities. Stacey joins us from YellowBrix, Inc., where she was a Client Services Manager, executing marketing communications programs and campaigns to keep clients abreast of new products and services. Stacey can be contacted via email at sbowers@sla.org.
Barbara Vick has been hired as our E-Learning Manager of Click U.
Barbara will manage all aspects of Click University, including the website, site content, and its customers. She will also be responsible for the placement and integration of all content and courses on the site, maintaining the site and improving usability, managing student registration, communicating with members, and handling all issues relating to Click University. Barbara has been an SLA member for some time, and most recently was working at the U.S. Consulate General, St. Petersburg, Russia. Barbara can be contacted via email bvick@sla.org.
Welcome to SLA, Stacey and Barbara!
| CLICK UNIVERSITY |
What's happening at Click University? This online learning system is an exclusive SLA member benefit. Please log in when prompted. Click University is the foundation for all of SLA's educational and professional development programs.
CLICK U NEWS: SLA Competitive Intelligence Certificates Program
Registration for each online course will close on the Friday before the beginning of the class and registration is limited to 50 participants per course. To ensure participation, interested SLA members are encouraged to register today by visiting www.clickuniversity.com. Read the press release for more information.
NEW! 2007 Click U Live! Course Schedule Available
Start planning your next semester today! Take a moment to check out what is happening on campus next year: 2007 Click U Live! Schedule.
Missed a LIVE! Seminar? You can still purchase a REPLAY! Click here for more information.
Professional Improvement Libraries
Click U also offers a range of recorded courses through our Professional Improvement Library. To see the full Click U program listing, please go to www.clickuniversity.com.
Lesley Ellen Harris' 2007 Schedule of Courses
Canadian and international copyright lawyer Lesley Ellen Harris is teaching courses online to SLA members through Click University.
Lesley is the author of several books, including Canadian Copyright Law (McGraw-Hill Ryerson). The course begins 19 February and 9 April and you can register anytime before the start of the courses.
Her topics include:
Canadian Copyright Law Online
19 February-23 March 2007 [5 weeks, Monday - Friday]US Copyright Law Online
19 February-23 March 2007 [5 weeks, Monday - Friday]
9 April-1 June 2007 [8 weeks, Monday - Friday]Managing Copyright Online
19 February- 23 March 2007 [5 weeks, Monday - Friday]
9 April-1 June 2007 [8 weeks, Monday - Friday]Digital Content Management
9 April-1 June 2007 [8 weeks, Monday - Friday]Primer on International Copyright Law
19 February- 19 March 2007 [3 weeks, Monday - Friday]Digital Licensing Online
9 April - 8 June 2007 [9 weeks, Monday - Friday]
| SLA GRAPEVINE: Your Source for SLA Member News, Achievements, and Opinions |
SLA Leaders Take Home Top Honors at International Information Industry Awards
Rachel Kolsky, president of SLA Europe and manager of information resources with AIG Research and Development in London, has been named Information Professional of the Year at the fourth annual International Information Industry Awards. At the same event, SLA Europe Board Member Neil Infield and his Business and IP Centre team at the British Library took home the award for the Best Team in the Academic and Public Sectors.
Rachel has been an SLA member since 1997 but when she discusses what SLA has done for her professional success, Kolsky frequently talks about how, even after a decade of membership in SLA, she is still regularly what she calls "a first timer." Kolsky explains, "Through SLA I have been given my first chance to serve in a leadership role, my first chance to manage a large group of volunteers, and a chance to grow and to learn in a way that I wouldn't get anywhere else. The skills I have acquired and honed through participation in SLA have transferred directly to the workplace, and afforded me the confidence and success that I am experiencing in my career now."
Read more in the SLA press release.
Read the congratulatory announcement from Janice Lachance on InfoX.
Do you have an item to include in SLA Grapevine? Email the editor.
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