Presidents of SLA often ask members to become involved in ad hoc investigations into subject matter and topics that are highly relevant to the profession and its needs. Typically, these task forces are created to address the strategic implications of challenges and opportunities facing SLA, its members, and the information profession at large.
In June 2005, SLA President Pam Rollo called for the continuation of two existing task forces that were created by Ethel Salonen, SLA Past President. Additionally, Rollo called for the formation of six new task forces designed to address a range of needs, challenges and opportunities.
Why are we forming these task forces?
- Explore creation of selected research projects to promote the value of the profession and to provide members with useful data
- Develop new avenues for career growth
- Identify new partners that can drive new value for SLA
- Analyze the chapter experience and options for enhancement
- Evaluate the best methods for recognizing the best of the profession
- To improve recruitment efforts to the profession and to SLA
| Are you interested in participating? Review the task force descriptions shown below. If you are interested in serving, please contact Pam Rollo (pcrollo@att.net). |
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NEW TASK FORCES
Research Now
Chair: Robyn Frank
This task force will work in conjunction with the SLA Research Committee to identify research topics that will aid in defining the profession's and members' value to their organizations. This group will also define and create a partnering service for matching corporate and academic members who want to publish together.
Eugene Barsky |
David Hook Sharyn J. Ladner Susan McConkey Ellen Miller Sara Tompson Tora Williamsen-Berry Jennifer Wilms |
Alliances and Partners
Chair: Willem Noorlander Co Chair: Anne Caputo
This task force will collaborate with the Task Force on Professional Value to determine member perceptions on the value of information professionals to their organizations and what values are present within the profession. The task force will then identify companies, government agencies, institutions of higher learning, and professional and trade associations that share these values and evaluate them as potential partners.
| Constance Ard Liz Arnold Jill Calabria Jeannie Creazzo Jeanne Korman Ann Mayer Lyndsay Rees-Jones |
Carol Reese |
Contributing to Executive Growth
Chair: Pamela Clark
This task force will work with senior information professionals, leading executives, and industry watchers to assess the skills necessary to information professionals to evolve to as thought leaders and creators of strategy in the workplace. Once skills are identified, this task force will develop a recommended action plan for positioning SLA as a source for executive development.
| Liz Arnold Erica Brereton Barbara Burton Jacqueline Cantwell Rahn Huber Rebecca Jones Tracey Landfried |
Meri Meredith Karen Reczek Lesley Robinson Nancy Sansalone Deborah Schwarz Teresa Wilkins |
New Visions
Chairs: Carol Ginsburg and Amy Disch
This task force will identify the environmental conditions that are impacting new entrants to the profession. It will concentrate on the future challenges to the profession and investigate the factors that place certain people at the vanguard of the profession. The emphasis here is on skills and not necessarily technology. The task force will make recommendations for recruiting and retaining new entrants to the profession and the association.
| Hollie Bergels Barbara Beverley Jennifer Brank David Cappoli John Crosby Susan DiMattia Kim Dority |
Marcy Dunning Ruth Gutasfson Ann Holcomb Daniel Lee Fleur Levitz Marcia Mueller Amanda Richardson Mary Taylor |
Recognition
Chair: Bill Fisher
This task force will investigate the current methods by which information professionals are identified and promoted as leaders among their peers and in their organizations. Their efforts will include an analysis of the current SLA awards program and the awards programs of other professional associations to determine standards for recognition of, and rewards for, the profession and the association's membership. The task force will investigate appropriate means of recognizing stakeholders outside of the profession and how recognition enables the association's vision.
| Terri Brooks Scott Brown Jean Crampon |
Doug Newcomb Gail Stahl Marie Tilson |
Chapter Modeling
Chair: Gayle Gossen
This task force will investigate what members love about chapters and how SLA can make chapter experience a rewarding one. It will investigate ways to make chapters agile and flexible, and will suggest a number of meeting models from which chapters can choose.
Lora Alexander |
Sylvia James Rachel Kolsky Catherine Lavallee-Welch Jack V. Morris Idirsi Musa Lee Pedersen Christie Robinson Joanne Tobin |
CONTINUED TASK FORCES
Professional Value
Chair: Ethel Salonen
This task force was created to develop a program which SLA members could use that links the SLA vision, mission, and core values into messages that highlight the value of the profession and demonstrate how information professionals impact society.
The message should to be inspirational, inclusive, and move SLA members into the future.
Action items include developing a communications strategy that integrates the vision, mission, core values, brand, and our history and our future state; enhances the understanding of what we do as information professionals for our organizations. Identifying and recommending courses of action that the Association needs to take to enhance relationships with the marketplace.
Natural Disasters
Chair: Dav Robertson
This task force was created 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. Its focus is on acquiring 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.
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