It's a good thing that my job isn't gauged by the level of activism within the SLA membership, because tracking such activities is nearly impossible. But, every now and again, I am pleasantly surprised by a report in a chapter newsletter or an e-mail from a member that shows just how much SLA members care.

New York special librarians have regularly taken a leadership role on a variety of matters. During the second half of 1997, they did it again. Rita Ormsby, the new Government Relations Chair for the New York Chapter, used the chapter listserv and newsletter to inform members regarding the U.S. Government's efforts to revise the Standard Occupational Classification Manual's definition of a librarian. For those of you who aren't aware of this matter, please visit the government relations section of the SLA Web site at: www.sla.org/govt/index.html.

This was and should continue to be of interest to all special librarians. As New York Chapter President Lois Weinstein put it (Chapter News, Vol. 2, 1997), "If you think that this doesn't affect you, read what happened to one librarian:"

"All you need to do is become unemployed to realize what an aggravation the SOCM definition is. I know. In the state of Maryland, when you apply for unemployment benefits, you have to place SOCM numbers on [a] job application form. I read the definition for "librarian" and did a double take, hoping to find some other job title that fit my experience. Alas, the state employee [classified me] as a librarian. Then I had the awkward experience of turning down these hideous jobs and having to explain to the perplexed state employee, week after week, that 'Yes, librarian is technically my title, but I am not a cataloguer... I am not a circulation clerk... I am not a technician... I am not a reader's advisor.' I almost lost my unemployment benefits because the guy thought I was turning down wonderful jobs that were obviously in the definition of my SOCM title."

Ormsby composed a letter offering suggestions to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the agency in charge of the SOCM revisions. She consulted with SLA headquarters to determine the appropriate approach on this issue. The letter was approved by the New York Chapter Executive Board and sent to BLS. SLA headquarters also sent comments on behalf of the entire membership, with input from a variety of sources, including Ormsby.

The outcome was a success for SLA members. But the most valuable lesson here is that a chapter worked hard to get its message across on government policy that affects the profession.

Again, quoting from Weinstein's article: "While I am proud and delighted that SLA-New York was able to be involved in such an effort, this is an issue that goes beyond a specific type of librarian or information professional. This is an issue that can help or hurt all types of information professionals. This is the type of issue--although not the only one, that we must use to reach across library and information association boundaries to forge a united front that speaks to the decision makers. The power of the many and diverse can act as a voice, a strong, unified voice, without weakening our individual strengths."

Amen, Lois. Congratulations to the New York Chapter for taking on such issues and running with them.

U.S. Library-Museum Grants Opened to Special Libraries

The U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) has accepted SLA's call for special libraries to be included in the IMLS National Leadership Grant Program. SLA had sought for inclusion of all special libraries, but only non-profit libraries will be included. To review SLA's comments on the grant program, visit the September 1997 version of the GR Update at: http://www.sla.org/govt/9-1.html.

The proposed guidelines had originally provided that special libraries could participate, so long as the state governments gave approval to such involvement. SLA argued that this made the grant program a de facto state program where special libraries are concerned.

As a follow-up, SLA and IMLS supported an legislative amendment to the Museum and Library Services Act (the law that implemented IMLS) to permanently include special and private libraries within the definition of libraries for the purposes of the Act.

For more information on the National Leadership Grant guidelines, see the IMLS Web site at: http://www.ims.fed.us/.