In this issue:

Important Leadership Dates
A Message from the Chief Executive Officer
New Proposed Section-Content Buying
Treasurer's Notice
2008 Leadership Summit
Will Your Unit Meet at Leadership Summit? Reserve Space Now
Wanted-Bloggers

Important Leadership Dates

A Message from the Chief Executive Officer
As I speak with many of you at chapter meetings and other SLA events, I often hear a common concern expressed. How do we at SLA recruit the association leaders of tomorrow? While there is no easy answer to this question, I believe strongly that these future leaders are out there and that they will play an important role in our association. I am thinking specifically of the generation of young people who were born between 1980 and 2000 and are often referred to as "Millennials."

In her book, Connecting Generations: The Sourcebook for a New Workplace, author Claire Raines describes these young people as being most like their grandparents. This older generation, which lived through the trials of World War II and were the children of the Great Depression, has been dubbed appropriately the "Greatest Generation" for its strong sense of civic responsibility and volunteerism. And, according to Raines, it is this spirit of duty and service that Millennials seem to have inherited.

Raines goes on to make the point that each generation experiences a "defining moment." The defining moment for Millennials, she says, was the attack on the World Trade Center in New York City on September 11, 2001. This, she says, resulted in an affinity for heroism and community involvement unlike anything we have seen in recent generations.

If Raines is correct, this attitudinal shift among Millennials could have significant implications for volunteerism in the future, particularly with regard to recruiting future association leaders. For this reason, I believe it is important to reach out to these young people and communicate with them in ways that will resonate with their service-oriented values. They are unquestionably excellent candidates for membership and for leadership positions in our units.

While Millennials have strong belief systems surrounding community service, they also view authority differently than their older counterparts, according to Raines. For example, they take a more relaxed, (if polite) view of authority and may be less inclined to follow direction if not inspired by the person offering it. For this reason, successful communication with these young people will be less formal, take a multimedia approach (read "electronic") and appear more collegial rather than authoritative.

They also are much more likely to be motivated by organizations that advance their own personal agendas. They tend to follow high achievers and turn away from individuals or organizations that fail to deliver on the promises they make. Not surprisingly, they can be swayed by positive, hopeful, and forward-looking messages.

I urge you to continue cultivating these future SLA leaders. Is your chapter involved with a nearby student group? Do you offer orientation sessions? SLA's Leadership Department will be coordinating leadership training WebEx sessions later this year and early next year. Consider including these young people in leadership training as part of a fast-track professional development program. According to Raines and others, young members will expect to be involved at the highest levels of the organization very quickly and may be unwilling to follow a more traditional leadership track that sometimes takes years to complete. And while this attitude may sometimes appear brash and unrealistic, it is worth bearing in mind that it is driven by an enormous desire to do good and fueled by a passion that will make the difference between good and great organizations well into this century.

I encourage you to read Claire Raines's book or another book on the differences in attitudes between the generations. I also would like to hear your thoughts on the subject.

--- Janice R. Lachance

New Proposed Section - Content Buying

The Leadership and Management Division is in the process of forming a new section to focus on content buying. The division has had a content buyer's roundtable for the last several years and now is seeking signatures to it petition to formally organize it into the Content Buying Section. The scope of the new section follows: 

The Content Buying Section of SLA's Leadership and Management Division includes buyers and sellers involved in the many aspects related to managing enterprise-wide content, such as supplier relationship management, contract negotiations, budgeting and funding of licenses, training and communications, risk management, and measuring and maximizing an enterprise's return on the investment in content licenses.

The section provides a forum for its members to network and share information and insights related to managing enterprise wide contracts - enabling them to advance their professional development and at the same time add greater value to their own organizations. The section also provides a forum for discussions between content buying professionals and content suppliers.

Meetings and programs focus on issues pertinent to content buying, the skills required by information professionals working within this area, and trends in the information industry.

If you have any questions, please contact Janice Keeler or Division Cabinet Chair Agnes Mattis or Chair-elect Robyn Frank.

The IRS mileage rate should be used for SLA travel reimbursements.  The current rate is .485 per mile.  Any questions should be directed to Nancy Sansalone, SLA's Chief Financial Officer, at +1.703.647.4935.

2008 January Leadership Summit
When SLA's leaders gather in January, it's more than a meeting; it's a Leadership Summit. Chapter and division cabinets, committees, the board of directors and many division boards will come together in Louisville, Kentucky, for the event. The schedule for the Summit and important exhibitor information are now available.  The keynote speaker is futurist Andy Hines. 

Our hosts, the Louisville Chapter, have a wiki to assist you in becoming familiar with Louisville.  You can also sign up for their discussion list which is described on the wiki.

Whether you're just beginning in a leadership role, are in mid-career, or are well experienced, you will learn in this enhanced environment. Encourage other leaders or aspiring leaders to attend; it will be a truly valuable experience. Mark your calendar for 23-26 January 2008, and plan to be there.

Will Your Unit Meet at Leadership Summit? - Reserve Space Now
If your chapter, division, committee, or caucus is planning to meet at the 2008 Leadership Summit, please contact Leadership staff for program development and function room reservations. Contact Linda Broussard, SLA's Chief Community Officer, tel. +1.703.647.4938 or fax +1.703.647.4901. Please reserve your space as soon as possible to ensure adequate space and time for your meeting. The Saturday of the Summit is the norm for unit meetings.

Wanted-Bloggers

We're looking for members to contribute their thoughts, expertise, and opinions to the SLA Blog. Started at the conference in Denver, our plan is to make this blog a year-round source of information about the organization and the profession. If you want to participate, write to John Adams. Say "Blogger Invite" in the subject line.

If you have any questions or comments about Leadership Connections, we would like your feedback. Please share your comments with leadership@sla.org. Visit the Leadership Resource Center on the SLA Web site for information on Leadership.

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