In this issue:

Important Leadership Dates
A Message from the Chief Executive Officer
Annual Conference Registration
Time Change for Next Cabinet Meeting
Annual Membership Meeting
Leadership Training
Unit Marketing Insert Now Available
Planning Ahead for Successful AMS Implementation
Exciting New Member Benefit: Free Course of the Month
Got Ideas?

Important Leadership Dates  

A Message from the Chief Executive Officer  - Ask to Improve

SLA, its chapters, divisions, and caucuses, might consider taking Socrates' famous saying, "The unexamined life is not worth living," and apply it to our operations to improve performance. The Association uses a number of surveys to see how we can better serve members and our various audiences ranging from the in-depth membership study recently conducted, evaluations of conference attendees and Click U program participants, annual conference vendors and sponsors, etc. to refine and improve our services to members. While I imagine that most of you use surveys and evaluations from time to time, have you examined them and updated them?

I was talking just last week with an association colleague who said that her board tended to discount members' suggestions, saying that they knew what the best course of action was to take. However, after trying a few of their members' suggestions, such as moving up the meeting start time and offering presentations they suggested, meeting evaluation scores skyrocketed while meeting attendance and membership applications doubled. Those successes led the association to add numerous questions to evaluation forms, asking members for comments on the length of the meeting, the use of audio/visual equipment, how the meeting was promoted and other questions they had not asked before. And, they asked their sponsors, too, for input. Any positive feedback, especially testimonial quotes, was used in promotional materials to attract attendance, new members or additional sponsors. When is the last time you evaluated your survey or evaluation forms?

If you wish to use SLA's online survey tool, we maintain a joint account for your use. Go to www.surveymonkey.com. Our user name is leadership@sla.org and the password is slaunits. 

--Janice R. Lachance, Chief Executive Officer

Annual Conference Registration

Conference and hotel registration are open for the SLA 2007 Annual Conference and Exposition to be held in Denver, CO, USA, 3-6 June 2007. Maximize your membership benefits by signing up early for SLA 2007 and save US $100 off the regular member registration amount.

There's been a great buzz growing about SLA 2007 and rooms are filling up quickly. Make sure you reserve your space TODAY in one of the conference hotels through the official SLA Housing Bureau.

Time Change for Next Cabinet Meetings
The next Chapter and Division Cabinet Meetings will be held at Annual Conference on 5 June 2007, 5:30PM- 6:30PM, at the Colorado Convention Center, CO, USA.  Please check the final Conference program for room location.

Annual Membership Meeting
The Annual Membership Meeting featuring Candidate Speeches and the Association Report will be held in the Denver Convention Center, Room Four Seasons 4, at Annual Conference, Denver, CO, USA, on 5 June 2007, 2:30PM ? 5PM.  Come hear brief speeches from your fellow members who have accepted the nomination for SLA Board of Directors. Learn what they envision for YOUR association. In addition, the SLA Chief Executive Officer, Janice Lachance, will deliver the annual State-of-the-Association speech and SLA Treasurer, Sylvia James, as well as SLA President, Rebecca B. Vargha, will provide reports on the success and planned initiatives of the SLA Board of Directors.

Leadership Training
Leadership Training sessions were conducted this month for specific SLA leadership positions.  Approximately half of all leaders participated.  The slide presentations for all sessions are now located in the Leadership Center under Leadership Training.

Unit Marketing Insert Now Available

New marketing materialfor your unit is available now in the Leadership Center. SLA is pleased to present this new marketing tool to promote your upcoming meetings, events, awards to prospective members, and speakers and sponsors. The insert, designed to be used with the new SLA brochure, can easily be generated and printed using Adobe Reader.  To order more membership brochures, please visit the online SLA store. If you have questions, please e-mail Jill Calabria, SLA's Membership Director (+1.703.647.4926).

Planning Ahead for Successful Association Management System Implementation

Data integrityis one of the key aspects for a successful AMS implementation. Please include this link, http://www.sla.org/cfcode/profile.cfm, with a plea in your next bulletin, proximately post on your Unit Web site and e-mail to your discussion list to ensure the information of all SLA members is correct and updated to prepare for a successful data migration. If you have questions, please e-mail Linda Jackson, SLA's Database Associate (+1.703.647.4918).

Exciting New Member Benefit:  Free Course of the Month on Click University
The new Course of the Month offers members the opportunity to take a learning experience through SLA's Click University, allowing members to update their skills and improve their knowledge base each month AT NO CHARGE. 

The courses are selected to provide members with a range of topics that are representative of the array of offerings available and to provide experience with the various modes of delivery, including self-paced courses and live seminars that have been recorded.

Now through 14 April 2007, a self-paced course is available to SLA members:  Making Decisions, Weighing Risk.  The next course, a replay of a Click U Live! course, Fostering Online Collaboration Using Wikis, will run 15 April through 14 May 2007. Members can access the Course of the Month by simply clicking on the link at Click University. If you have questions, please e-mail Barbara Vick, SLA's Click University ELearning Manager (+1.703.647.4940).

Got Ideas?

SLA's Centennial Commission, chaired by Dav Robertson, has set up a special e-mail address to receive your ideas on how SLA should honor its past and vision its future in conjunction with SLA's 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2009.  You can assist in the idea generation by promoting the e-mail address:  100@SLA.org.  This is also a great way to get members engaged by having a discussion of this topic on your discussion list, at a meeting, or at your Board meeting.  What will your chapter, division or caucus do in conjunction with this important milestone?