PAM Three Year Strategic Plan 2003-2005
Final Draft (10 January 2003)

1.1 Build on the strength and success of PAMNet aiming toward a 100% member subscription rate. 

1.2 Publish both print and electronic versions of the PAM Bulletin in the near term.  Plan on the phase-out of the paper edition by 2005 and provide print-on-demand for members that request it. 

1.3 Encourage participation in Division activities by all members, but focus especially on new members and students, international and non-academic librarians.  The leaders of PAM, as well as the membership in general, share the responsibility for ensuring the continuing relevancy of the Division within SLA and to the profession.

1.4 Develop programs and projects to enable all members to play a more active role in the Division. Promote the use of discussion groups and other new initiatives designed to improve information access and delivery within our disciplines.

1.5 Continue to use the Division open houses as effective networking opportunities. Continue to welcome new Division members as well as non-PAM members and communicate information on opportunities for involvement and leadership in the Division.

1.6 Maintain an up-to-date PAM website that provides information about the Division, its publications and activities. This website will also serve as a resource for important information about our subject disciplines.

Goal 2: Plan focused, dynamic programming at the Annual Conference.

2.1 Continue to examine and implement strategies that will make PAM’s conference programs more effective. Revise the session feedback forms to encourage more participation.

2.2 Plan conference programming that deals with changing technologies, with other topics that regularly arise on PAMnet, and other relevant listservs. Also include emerging topics and those that address future developments.

2.3 Encourage a wide variety of formats for conference presentations, such as panel discussions, roundtables, workshops, debates, field trips, poster sessions, and seminars.

2.4 Publish or otherwise make conference proceedings available promptly on the Division web site, e.g., round table notes, program transcripts, overheads. Develop a formal follow-up procedure to make sure that all available conference material becomes accessible to PAM members in a timely manner.

2.5 Continue sponsoring formal SLA-PAM continuing education courses, including subject-intensive courses for non-scientists. Explore sessions on new or existing technology focused on PAM oriented topics of abiding interest.

Goal 3: Provide mentoring and professional development opportunities for all PAM members.

3.1 Encourage member involvement within the Division by facilitating and supporting mentoring activities.

3.2 Ensure positive, productive experiences for first-time conference goers by providing structured guidance and personal contact during and after the Annual Conference.

3.3 Create an "expertise database" of members willing to serve as subject experts or resource people in specific areas, e.g., cataloging, management, fund raising, grant writing, and technology.

3.5 Encourage involvement and develop future leaders by following up with members who have indicated an interest in being involved in the Division. Facilitate participation in committees or task forces as a first step toward future officer roles.

Goal 4: Strengthen liaison relationships with vendors and publishers.

4.1 Continue to represent the interests of the library/user community to publishers and vendors. Keep members apprised of relevant developments.

4.2 Continue to provide opportunities for librarians and publishers to communicate with and learn from each other, e.g., conference roundtables, liaison programs, joint library/publisher advisory boards.

4.3 Strengthen members' understanding of scholarly scientific communication and the issues that a changing, electronic environment presents to libraries, publishers, and other stakeholders.

PAM Strategic Planning Committee:

• Greg Youngen, Chair youngen@uiuc.edu
• Dorothy McGarry, dmcgarry@library.ucla.edu
• Molly White, mwhite@mail.utexas.edu
• Susan Vazakas, svazakas@jhu.edu

Page last updated: January 10, 2003