Welcome to SLA Connections, your source for news and information from the information profession and industry.
Executive Journal
SLA exploded out of the starting gate in 2008 with an outstanding Leadership Summit in Louisville, Kentucky, home to the world-famous Kentucky Derby. Hundreds of chapter, division, section, caucus and committee leaders took part in this year's event that focused largely on the future, especially SLA's upcoming Centennial Celebration in 2009.
I want to thank everyone who took part in the summit and made it such an outstanding success. I would like to thank especially our Cabinet Chairs Libby Trudell and Robyn Frank, as well as our 2007 Cabinet Chairs Anne Caputo and Agnes Mattis and our 2008 Cabinet Chairs-elect Susan Fifer-Canby and Tom Rink.
Also, I would like to say a word of thanks to the SLA Kentucky Chapter, especially Susan Brown and Jan Berry, who did a wonderful job as hosts of this summit, and to my wonderful staff at headquarters for their hard work in preparing for this meeting. Of course, it would have been impossible to hold this event without the support of our terrific sponsors; Dow Jones & Company, our Gold Sponsor for the 2008 Leadership Summit and Thomson Scientific, our Silver Sponsor, as well as our supporting sponsors IEEE, ProQuest and EOS International. Thank you all very much for your generous support. It is appreciated so very very much.
A centerpiece of this year's summit and SLA's activity during 2008 will be the continuing examination of the information profession and of the roles librarians, info pros and the association will play in the future. Working with a well-respected team of research and communications professionals led by the international consulting firm, Fleishman-Hillard in collaboration with futurist Andy Hines of Social Technologies, and Outsell Inc, we will help librarians and info pros align their knowledge, experience and skills with the evolving needs of tomorrow's organizations. And, we will ensure that SLA continues to provide you with the right tools and the right skills at the right time to be successful in the rapidly changing world of information.
Members taking part in this year's summit not only had the opportunity to learn valuable skills that will help them in their roles as leaders of the association, they also helped to shape plans for SLA's Centennial Year and provided valuable feedback on the association's alignment process.
We heard from a member of SLA's alignment project team as the Dow Jones sponsored keynote speaker for the summit. Futurist Andy Hines, director of consulting at Social Technologies and the author of several books, has worked with numerous multi-national organizations seeking to identify trends that will have an impact on these companies and not-for-profit organizations in the future. Some of you may have seen Andy recently on the CBS Morning News discussing the Future of Happiness study his company conducted for MTV about teen happiness. In Louisville, he talked about global societal trends that are likely to impact librarians and info pros as they perform their jobs in the years ahead and we are very fortunate to have him on our team.
Also joining us in Louisville were members of the Fleishman-Hillard team. David Wickenden, senior vice president and senior partner in charge of Fleishman-Hillard's Integrated Media Practice led an update on the alignment project and discussed the findings of secondary research the project team has conducted to date. David and his team also talked about the exciting next steps for primary research that will help identify more clearly perceptions and attitudes about info pros and SLA among key audiences, including senior executives responsible for setting budget and hiring priorities that impact librarians and information professionals.
Following remarks by SLA's 2008 President, Stephen Abram, about his ambitious and exciting goals for the association during his upcoming term, and my discussion of the current state of the association and its accomplishments during 2007, members took part in a freewheeling "table-top" discussion session called "Remembering the Future." This exciting and innovative exercise organized by Libby and Robyn asked participants to imagine what the profession and the association would look like in the year 2010. It was a lively and spirited discussion that generated many great ideas. We will post these on the SLA Web site as soon as possible and would appreciate your feedback on them. The importance of your views and opinions on the future of the profession and on this examination cannot be overstated.
In a separate brainstorming session, members were asked for their thoughts and suggestions on the best ways to mark SLA's upcoming centennial. Again, we received many excellent ideas that are being forwarded to the Centennial Commission and to the 2009 Annual Conference planners. This is an important milestone in SLA's history and we plan to do it up right.
2008 will be an exciting year for SLA. In addition to the Leadership Summit, we are looking forward to another highly successful SLA Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO in Seattle, Washington (USA) in June. Besides librarians, info pros and their industry partners from throughout the world, we will be joined by Dr. Vinton Cerf, vice president and chief Internet evangelist of Google, who will be interviewed by television journalist Charlie Rose during the opening keynote session. We also will hear from Seth Godin, bestselling author and the person BusinessWeek called the "Ultimate Entrepreneur for the Information Age." I encourage you to begin making plans now to join us in Seattle for North America's premier information industry conference and INFO-EXPO.
Book Recommendation
Rather than recommending a specific title this month, I encourage you to check out SLA's Leadership and Management Library at Click University if you have not done so already. Nearly 1,000 titles are available free online to members through SLA's partnership with ebrary. This searchable library gives you access to a wide array of business titles that can be extremely helpful in solving an immediate business challenge or simply improving your management and leadership IQ. I am confident you will be impressed with what you find. http://www.clickuniversity.com/
Quote: Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.- John F. Kennedy
| OUTSIDE THE BOX |
Only the Strong Survive?
"In 2008, we'll continue to see CIOs move into business operations, but we'll also see business executives competing with technology executives for the CIO role, according to consultants and executive recruiters who work closely with CIOs. Jobs will be available for IT leaders, but they'll be harder to get. Only the strong CIOs will survive in 2008." Read the whole article in CIO Magazine.
Who Uses the Library?
A new report from the University of Illinois and the Pew Internet & American Life Project, Information Searches That Solve Problems, reveals that 58 percent of respondents who experienced a specific problem (for example, health issues, tax matters, local government, legal questions) that needed to be researched turned to the Internet for assistance. Thirteen percent used the library for answers, and 64 percent reported that the use of the library was "very successful." Read more.
Interestingly, Generation Y respondents (that is, those ages 18-30) were the most likely to use the library in the past year, 62 percent of respondent having used the library, with 21 percent using the library for the specific problems listed in the report...the highest number by demographic group.
Digital Reference Team, Library of Congress, Offers Monthly Orientation to Web Site
The Digital Reference Team (DRT) conducts a free, one-hour orientation monthly, on the second Wednesday at 11 a.m. - noon, eastern U.S. time, via Web conference.
Throughout the program, DRT staff provide opportunities to ask questions, learn strategies for online access of the materials, and sample the collections and resources provided to facilitate your research.
The Library of Congress is the oldest federal cultural institution in the U.S. and the largest library in the world. Through its Web site (www.loc.gov), the library makes available its resources, services, and more than 11 million of its items in American history and culture.
How can you access the wealth of information available on the Library's Web site? What resources and services can assist you? Learn more and register.
OSU/Code4lib Gender Diversity Scholarship
Oregon State University (OSU) and Code4lib are offering scholarships to promote gender and cultural diversity. The OSU/Code4lib Gender Diversity Scholarship will provide up to US $1,000 to cover travel costs and conference fees for one qualified attendee to the 2008 Code4lib conference (25-28 February in Portland, Ore.). Read more.
Academic Librarians and Rank
"At some (universities), librarians are considered 'administrative/professional' staff members within the realm of academic administration. At other institutions, librarians are faculty members on the tenure track, and at still others, they are non-tenure-track faculty members. To complicate things further, the basis on which librarians are promoted seems to vary from place to place." Read the whole article in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
| INSIDE THE BOX |
SLA: Knowledge to Go Green
Headquarters recently announced that SLA will join the fight for a cleaner, greener earth. "The time for all organizations to be thinking this way has come, and with the global warming and other environmental crisis becoming an increased concern for our members, SLA is ready to step up and do the best that we can do to make a difference," said SLA CEO Janice R. Lachance. "As an international organization with over 11,000 members, working together, we can certainly have more of a positive impact on the future of the environment." Read the press release.
Send Your Green Ideas to Information Outlook
SLA's magazine is starting a monthly listing of ideas members have used to save energy, save resources, reduce carbon emissions, etc., in their workplaces. The ideas don't have to be limited to savings in the information department; they can extend to the entire organization. Please let us know what you're doing. Send a brief note to John Adams, SLA's publications director, at jadams@sla.org.
Seattle: Annual Conference and Housing Registration now OPEN!
Maximize your membership benefits by signing up early for SLA 2008 Annual Conference and INFO-EXPO and save US$ 300 off the regular member onsite registration amount. Register today! As always, hotel rooms are sure to fill up quickly so make sure you reserve your space today in one of the conference hotels through the official SLA Housing Office.
Want to know which companies are exhibiting in Seattle? Visit the Virtual INFO-EXPO Center.
SLA AWARDS CORNER
SLA Board Awards 2007 SLA Research Grants
The SLA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the award of two 2007 SLA Research Grants: one to Michael Fanning for "Impulse for Growth!" Laying foundations for SLA membership acquisition and growth in Germany for 2008, and the other to David Shumaker and Mary Talley for Models of Embedded Librarianship: A Research Proposal.
"Impulse for Growth!" Laying foundations for SLA membership acquisition and growth in Germany for 2008. The aim of the proposal is to gather together in a single action or impulse a critical mass of contacts as well as a proven methodology of acquiring them and to transfer this knowledge to the current SLA representation in Germany. By bringing together information professionals in Germany in a single focused action, the project will lay down the foundation for further networking activities.
Models of Embedded Librarianship: A Research Proposal. The goal of this study is to develop an evidence-based model for the successful initiation, implementation, and evaluation of embedded library services, by achieving the following objectives: defining criteria of "embeddedness" for library and information service programs; defining indicators of success for embedded library services and identifying model programs outside the health-related sector; collecting data about the practices followed by these model programs in initiating, operating, and evaluating their services; and synthesizing collected an evidence-based set of recommended practices from the data that other librarians to use in their initiation, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of embedded library services.
These are the first awards being granted by the newly constituted Research & Development Committee from the enlarged SLA Research Grant fund, which combined the SLA Endowment Fund, SLA Research Fund and the Steven I Goldspiel Memorial Fund.
More information about SLA Research Grants
Hart and Macoustra Honored with 2007 SLA Presidential Citations
The 2007 president of the Special Libraries Association, Rebecca B. Vargha, has honored two SLA members with a 2007 SLA Presidential Citation. Clare Hart, executive vice president at Dow Jones & Company, and Jane Macoustra, former president of the SLA Asian Chapter and president of Tai Pan Research, were honored for their contributions to the association and the profession.
The recipient's achievements and their obvious dedication to SLA are detailed in video that was shown during the SLA Awards Ceremony in June of 2007. A podcast of the award video is available on the SLA Web site.
Did you know?
SLA Presidential Citations can be granted year-round! Do you know of SLA members who deserve recognition for going beyond the call of duty? You don't need to wait for annual nominations to open in November to submit them for recognition by the SLA president for their hard work. Make someone's day...nominate them for an SLA Presidential Citation any time of the year! Details are available here.
SLA PUBLIC POLICY UPDATE
Save the Date: Sunshine Week, 19 March 2008
On Wednesday, 19 March 2008 from 1:00pm-2:30pm EST OpenTheGovernment.org and other organizations (including SLA) will present a dialogue on Executive Branch secrecy in the U.S. as part of Sunshine Week. The event will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and Webcast to sites around the USA.
Your Voice Was Heard:
EPA Libraries Receive Funding, SLA Receives Clarification on EPA Plan to Restore Libraries
FY08 Omnibus Bill Allocates $1 Million to Restore EPA Libraries
Thanks to SLA and other library associations, the 2008 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget, approved in the omnibus budget bill, allocates $1 million to restore EPA's network of libraries. The bill requires the EPA to provide Congress with a report regarding "actions it will take to restore publicly available libraries to provide environmental information and data to each EPA region within 90 days of the enactment of this Act."
In early 2006, the EPA budget proposed cuts of $2 million that would close its network of 27 libraries and information centers. SLA vehemently opposed this decision and took action-and continued communications stressing the importance of access to the unique information managed by the EPA's network.
In communications with EPA staff on 10 January 2008, SLA received clarification that this $1 million is additional money, above the budget requested by the EPA, and is specifically to restore the network of regional EPA libraries which were recently closed or consolidated by the current Administration.
Concern has also been aired that the EPA may not resume physical library operations in all the regions. On 17 January 2008, SLA received clarification regarding the future physical presence of EPA Libraries.
Molly O'Neill, Assistant Administrator for EPA's Office of Environmental Information and Chief Information Officer, stated: "EPA intends to fully comply with the Congressional instructions included in our FY08 Appropriations Bill. In accordance with the Bill, the Agency will complete a Report to Congress on our plan for reestablishing a physical presence to complement our existing library services in the Regions. We remain committed to improving the EPA library network to enhance access to environmental information."
History of SLA's Actions on Behalf of its Members and the Public
SLA Opposes Closing of Canadian Health Network
In letters sent to Canada's Minister of Health and Chief Public Health Officer, SLA urged that the Canadian Health Network, a leading source for heath information on the Web in Canada, not be closed.
Report of the Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control ReleasedThe letters emphasize the importance of public access to this well-vetted information portal as essential to the public health as more and more online resources become freely available.
Read letter to Canadian Minister of Health.
Read letter to Canadian Chief Public Health Officer.
Read news story.
Sign the Friends of CHN Petition.
CHN Petition in French.
The Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control, of which SLA Information Center Director John Latham was a member, has sent its final report on the future of bibliographic description in light of advances in search engine technology, the popularity of the Internet, and the influx of electronic information resources. The group's recommendations emphasized the role of the Library of Congress not as a sole supplier but as an important leader in the cataloging world. Read Final Report.
SLA Leadership Summit Sponsors
Dow Jones & Company was announced as a Gold Sponsor for the SLA Leadership Summit. Thomson Scientific continued its support of SLA with a Silver Sponsorship and IEEE as well as ProQuest signed on as supporting sponsors. SLA HQ extends a hearty "Thank You!" to all the sponsoring companies that consistently support SLA. Read press release.
SLA Historical Resources
As we are moving into the new year, many chapters and divisions may be working on their own celebrations of the 2009 SLA centennial. SLA has its own association history section on its Web site. If you have any questions about the information on the site, please contact John Latham at jlatham@sla.org. If you have questions about centennial celebrations please contact the Centennial Commission at 100@sla.org.
SLA Headquarters Staff Focus on Socially Conscious Activities
The staff at SLA HQ spent the ending months of 2007 looking for ways to help those that are less fortunate in the Washington, D.C. area.
In November, SLA donated new and unused bags and shirts from previous conferences to two in-need local community organizations Green Door and Central Union Mission. Approximately 300 shirts and 75 bags were donated.
During the month of December, SLA staff collected and donated food and other items to the Capital Area Food Bank. The total weight of the donations was 180 lbs. SLA staff also bought, collected, and donated personal items, and then the staff created and wrapped them up in small "care packages" for the organization So Others Might Eat (SOME) SOME will take the packages and distribute them to poor and homeless people who need them.
Write for Information Outlook
Want to share what you know with your colleagues? Check out the Information Outlook editorial calendar.
Congrats to our WINNERS!
The 2007 Recruit-a-Member Campaign wrapped up 31 December 2007. SLA members worked very hard between October and December to recruit new members and it shows in the numbers. More than 125 new members were recruited during the campaign. The winners of the campaign were announced and presented with their awards at the 2008 Leadership Summit. Click here to see the top recruiters and units.
| CLICK UNIVERSITY |
Check out what's happening at Click University. This online learning system is an exclusive SLA member benefit and is the foundation for all of SLA's educational and professional development programs. Please log in when prompted.
Click U Certificate Programs
For information about the different certificates available and detailed course descriptions please visit Click U.
All Certificates Program courses are available only to SLA members and registration is limited to 50 participants. To ensure you get a seat register NOW!
For detailed outlines of the course schedules please contact Barbara Vick, Click U's e-learning manager, at bvick@sla.org or +1.703.647.4940.
An Important Note: While these and other Click University courses are part of certificate programs, members who are not pursuing a certificate may take any course à la carte.
Competitive Intelligence Certificates Program
SLA members can learn the ins and outs and the do's and don'ts of competitive intelligence in the Click University Competitive Intelligence Certificates Program. To see what participants are saying about the program, please visit CI Testimonials.
Upcoming courses:
March 2008
CIC03. CI Published Source Collection: Managing the Function
CIC08. CI Analysis: Fundamental Frameworks
Copyright Management Certificate Program
Your job as an info pro is not only to find the best information for your clients. In many organizations you also are the only defense against costly infringement actions. Once you locate the information, you must ensure you distribute it without violating copyright restrictions - and that your clients also stay within the law.
February 2008
CCM200. U.S. Copyright Law Principles
CCM201. Canadian Copyright Law Principles
March 2008
CCM300. International Copyright Law Principles
Knowledge Management Certificates Program
Turning information into knowledge is becoming a key role of today's information professional. SLA members can get ahead in this fast-moving discipline with the new Click University Knowledge Management Certificates Program. The KM courses are appropriate for seasoned KM professionals as well as library and information science professionals who are not currently performing a KM function.
February 2008
KMKS02. The Knowledge Services/Strategic Learning Link
March 2008
KMKS03. The Knowledge Audit
CLICK U LIVE!
2008 Click U Live! @ Annual Conference
Craft your own impact strategy at SLA's Click University pre-conference, hands-on seminars and tutorials, and get noticed when you get back to the office. Register early...so your program will not be cancelled! Early Bird registration ends 1 April. Learn More.
Click U Live! Courses
20 February 2008
Introduction to Institutional Data Repositories
Presenter: Michael Whitt, interdisciplinary research librarian, assistant professor of library science, Purdue University
5 March 2008
Creating Indexes on Web Sites and Intranets
Presenter: Heather Hedden, information taxonomist, Viziant Corporation; freelance book and Web site indexer, Hedden Information Management
19 March 2008
Preparing to Make a Business Case
Presenter: Maggie Weaver, principal, Shaftesbury Associates
Missed a LIVE! Seminar? You can still purchase a Replay! Click here for more information.
Gary Price's Research Tool Box
Ask around... Movers and shakers in the information world agree: When it comes to the latest tools, trends, resources, and tricks for getting more out of the Internet, the consensus is "The Price is Right." Gary Price of Ask.com and Resource Shelf invites all SLA members to join him on a fast-paced tour of the latest additions to his toolbox and an overview of what is next on the hot list.
This program is 75 minutes of demonstration and 15 minutes of Q&A, all for the low price of US$ 25.00. The course will only be offered through Click U Live! and will not be recorded. The next update will be held 14 February at 2:00 p.m. U.S. eastern time, and is available to SLA members only. Register Now!
2008 Click U Live! Course Schedule
Start planning your next semester today! Take a moment to check out what is happening on campus this year: 2008 Click U Live! Schedule.
SLA wants to thank you for your past support of Click U Live! programs with a special offer. When you purchase a package of six or more 2008 programs, you will receive a 15% discount for each program. The regular price for each webinar is US$ 129.00; with the 15% savings, each program will cost US$ 109.65. On six programs, you'll save US$ 116.00!
Remember, you can purchase programs for yourself or for your chapter or other group...all for the same price.
Career Center
Employment Opportunities
Find the right job in the information industry. Search for jobs in SLA's Career Center!
Seeking Qualified Candidates?
Post employment opportunities to SLA's Career Center!
Virtual Advisors
SLA Virtual Advisors provides you with 24/7 e-mail access to career advice and guidance from experienced information professionals willing to volunteer their time to help you! Whether you're trying to figure out your next career move or are moving to another part of the world, Virtual Advisors gives you insights you need to get ahead. Log in to Virtual Advisors.
Coaching
To help you advance in your career, SLA has formed a partnership with career coach Marshall Brown & Associates. Whether you are seeking to transition into a new position today or thinking about it for tomorrow, Marshall Brown & Associates can assist you. Marshall has been SLA's featured career coach at several conferences and has had numerous articles published in Information Outlook.
Upcoming courses:
27 February 2008
Marketing Brand You!
Presenter: Marshall Brown, Marshall Brown & Associates
Career Smarts: Q & A with Kim Dority
Information careers can be rewarding, exciting, well-paying, and, occasionally, really confusing. Should you take that new job, or stay put? Ask for that raise, or hope someone else offers? Hope the downsizing doesn't hit you, or start working on your exit strategy now?
SLA member Kim Dority, author of Rethinking Information Work: A Career Guide for Librarians and Other Information Professionals, has written and presented extensively on being an information professional, and is now answering career questions on an individual basis for SLA members grappling with these and other career questions. Send Kim your question.
| SLA GRAPEVINE: Your Source for SLA Member News, Achievements, and Opinions |
Forbes Director of Knowledge Management and SLA Member Anne Mintz Featured on PBS
Legendary news librarian (at Forbes) Anne Mintz was featured the other night on a segment of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) program, NOW. The interview is titled, "The Misinformation Superhighway?" View or listen to the PBS NOW Segment or Read the Transcript with Anne Mintz
NYC Librarian Wins Coveted Title
SLA congratulates New York Chapter Member Stan Friedman, who won the ESPN Zone Ultimate Couch Potato Competition, which began in the morning on the first day of the New Year at the ESPN Zone restaurant in Times Square. The event ended Wednesday, 2 January, afternoon after more than 29 grueling hours of continuous sports viewing - mainly college football bowl games and endless highlights loops. Friedman walked away with prizes including a big screen TV and a recliner, as well as the all-important "bragging rights." Read the whole story.
Do you have an item to include in SLA Grapevine? Email the editor, Cara Schatz, at cara@sla.org.
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