SLA Supports Information Professionals Affected by Government Shutdown

White House, Congress urged to come together and restore funding for jobs, services.

McLean, Va., 9 January 2019—The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is calling on the Trump Administration and congressional leaders to find common ground amid their differences and fund critical jobs and services that support the American people and their communities.

The U.S. Government has been partially shut down since Dec. 22 because of an impasse over funding for a wall between the U.S.-Mexico border. The shutdown has directly affected thousands of government workers, including library and information professionals who work for government agencies, and has also had an indirect impact on millions of Americans whose jobs and lives depend on government contracts and grants, programs such as food stamps, and services ranging from national park maintenance to infectious disease assessment.

“Just as librarians and information professionals serve as ‘nerve centers’ in many workplaces, helping connect researchers, policy analysts, and decision makers with critical data and resources, the federal government serves as the axis for much of daily life in America’s communities,” says SLA 2019 President Hal Kirkwood. “The Special Libraries Association stands by its members who are affected by the current government shutdown, and we urge President Trump and members of Congress to work to end the shutdown as quickly as possible.”

SLA is offering its “Best of SLA 2018” webinar series free for those affected by the shutdown, such as federal employees and government-contracted librarians. Please email learning@sla.org to take advantage of this offering. The series contains the following webinars:

• Data Management, Data Analysis, and Visualization Using Excel
• Marketing as If Your Special Library Depends on It
• The Seven Competencies of Highly Effective Knowledge Managers
• Constructing a Strategic Plan: Essential Processes and Components
• How Embedded Librarians Demonstrate and Communicate Their Value
• Best Practices and Strategies for Vendor Negotiation
• New Approaches to ROI: How to Talk About the Value of Info

In addition, SLA encourages its members affected by the shutdown to visit these sites for more information:

• OPM’s furlough guidance page
• Shutdown specials for furloughed workers
• A furloughed federal employee’s guide to applying for unemployment
• Navy Federal Credit Union is offering government shutdown relief to federal employees and contractors

About SLA
The Special Libraries Association (SLA), founded in 1909, is a nonprofit international organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves information professionals in more than 50 countries and in a range of working environments, including business, academia, and government. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives. For more information, visit sla.org.

Contact
Kathy Bradley
+1 703.647.4900