Executive Connections

Germany, Global Networks and Google Books

I often emphasize the importance of building a global network of information professionals to collaborate and share ideas.  And every time I speak abroad, I am reminded that information professionals in every country have much in common.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of delivering the keynote address at the conference of Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Spezialbibliotheken—an association of special libraries in German-speaking countries—in Karlsruhe, a lovely city with one of Germany's top universities. 

I presented the findings of the Alignment Project to the group and was amused to find out that, just like their colleagues at the recent SLA conference, they were tweeting away during my speech!

I sat in on a session on current copyright issues, and I didn't have to understand German to know they were spending a lot of time on the Google Book Settlement; the German government has filed court papers strongly opposing it.  So I was happy to be able to tell them that SLA shares their concerns and is part of the Open Book Alliance, a diverse coalition of librarians, legal scholars, authors, publishers, and technology companies working together to oppose the settlement in its current form.

Following my speech, I received word from the team at SLA headquarters that our efforts, and those of the hundreds of other organizations and governments around the globe who filed objections to this settlement, have been heard!

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a statement of interest brief with the court that acknowledges that this case indeed affects the public interest and the greater good.  The brief raises some very substantive and serious issues, including many of those brought up by SLA, the Open Book Alliance, and others. The DOJ brief states that going forward, the settlement must be modified before it can be approved by the court and that the process should include more input from all stakeholders

Following the DOJ filing, Google and its partners filed a motion and a memo asking the Court to postpone the 7 October fairness hearing in order to address these questions and issues.

These two moves represent positive progress for the many people and organizations that raised significant concerns that this settlement did not serve the public interest, stifled innovation, and restricted competition.  We applaud the DOJ for stepping in and ensuring that the courts considered the full ramifications of the proposed settlement before it was too late.

This is an important matter for the global community of information professionals with far-reaching implications beyond the U.S. As your advocate, SLA looks forward to being an active voice among the many stakeholders in future discussions.   

'Over-arching body' needed for the information profession?

I commented just now on a post the "View from the Hill" blog from the Sue Hill Recruitment team.

Guest blogger Anne Caputo: Vote in the SLA 2010 Board of Directors Election!

How often are you able to vote in a global election?  Most of us can honestly say this is a rare occurrence.  SLA’s annual election for Board officers offers you that opportunity.  We will vote beginning 9 September  for new members to the Board of Directors, including key positions as President-Elect, Treasurer, and both Chapter and Division Cabinet Chairs-Elect.  Don’t miss this chance to vote for the candidates of your choice.   This year we have the most diverse group of candidates I can recall.  They represent three continents, a diversity of backgrounds and experience, a wealth of honors and recognition from our association, and unbounded enthusiasm for the future of SLA.  Those who are elected to leadership positions in SLA will take a major role in helping  form the direction of our association for the start of our second century. 

Please carefully review the 2010 Board Candidates page to see their biographies, responses to questions and taped speeches.  ‘Creating the Future’ will be the theme for my year as SLA President, which will begin in January 2010.  Those who are elected will work as part of the new Board of Directors, and all who are willing to put themselves forward as candidates will participate in creating the future with us.  Join me in thanking all the candidates for their energy and efforts and remember to vote beginning 9 September. If you have questions about SLA elections please email evote@sla.org or call +1-703-647-4950.

Anne Caputo, President-Elect

SLA Joins Alliance Calling for Investigation into Google Books Settlement

SLA has signed on to join the newly formed Open Book Alliance which seeks resolution on issues of copyright, access, anti-trust and privacy in the Google Books Settlement case.

The formation of this unique alliance bringing together SLA with non-profits, library groups, corporations,  and other consumer groups to call for a detailed investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) into the Google Books Settlement is being widely reported by the news media today. 

The alliance anticipates an official launch in the coming weeks, at which point additional information will be released to the media, and to all SLA members, about the alliance member organizations, the intent of the alliance’s activities, as well as the type of actions the group will be pursue, including specific details as to its intended course of action with the DOJ.

UPDATE (August 26)- The Open Book Alliance officially launched today.  Please take a moment to visit the website www.openbookalliance.org and review the materials as well as the media coverage from today: New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNET News.com, and Agence France Press 

A completely electronic, searchable, and universally accessible repository of digital books has the potential to bring untold value and knowledge to individuals, organizations and libraries, making more information available to more people around the globe. SLA looks forward to that day. In the meantime, we are joining this effort because we believe that the DOJ must look into the full ramifications of this settlement on issues of copyright, access, affordability and privacy.

SLA’s goal is to ensure that any mass book digitization and distribution system addresses those extremely important issues, and that access to such valuable information remains open and competitive.  We are also looking for some additional answers on how the settlement will achieve a fair and accessible system. 

As with any important legal decision that may threaten the accessibility of information to the public, SLA believes it should be grounded in sound public policy, be mindful of the long-term benefits for the greater good, as well as take into consideration input from the public and important stakeholders.

Media Coverage on the Open Book Alliance

• The Wall Street Journal Tech's Heavyweights Put Google Books Deal in Crosshairs
• The New York Times 3 Google Rivals Plan to Oppose Book Settlement
• The Telegraph (UK) Google Rivals Oppose Book Project
• Links to additional news reports and blog posts on this topic

SLA Public Policy Blog Post on the Topic

 

It's Information Overload Day!

One clever company decided to name today, 12 August, Information Overload Day.  It is a great idea, and a timely reminder of a workplace challenge that is growing exponentially.   

I am proud to be associated with an organization that represents information professionals—people whose skills at discerning the best information is the best antidote around for information overload. 

The findings of the Alignment research shed a great deal of light on the information needs and habits of both info pros and the people they work with and for.  In the next several days, we will be providing you with a new presentation about that research.  It’s my hope that this simplified presentation will be your cure for alignment information overload.

Where Y'at, Dawlin'?

SLA’s fabulous 2009 conference is barely over, and I am already excited about 2010, and for a very special reason: it will be in New Orleans!

I was lucky enough to spend three years in the Crescent City while I was in law school, more than enough time to fall in love with it for life.  The food, the music, the culture—they are all so very special, and unlike anything you will find in another city.

To help prepare you for New Orleans, I will be blogging from time to time about some of the things that make New Orleans unique.  Today, I will share some vocabulary that I hope will help you enjoy New Orleans even more and begin a discussion with you about all the wonderful things about New Orleans.

Terms of endearment.  Don’t be taken aback if you are addressed as dawlin’ (darling), cher (dear), sweetheart or baby by everybody from your cab driver to the mayor.  Folks in New Orleans use terms of endearment much more often than most, and they mean it the nicest possible way!  And if someone asks you, “Where y’at?,” he or she means, “How are you?”

Silly sandwiches.  New Orleans serves world-class sandwiches, but you need to know the right words.  A mufaletta is made with round bread piled with cold meats and cheeses and topped with olive salad; New Orleanians will argue for hours about who makes the best mufaletta.  A po-boy is a submarine sandwich, though the New Orleans version is generally served on superior bread; fried shrimp or oysters are favorite varieties.  Whether you are ordering a po-boy, a burger, or any other kind of sandwich, you will be asked if you want it dressed or undressed.  Dressed means with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.

Deceptive directions. Because New Orleans lies on a crescent built into a curve in the Mississippi River, points on a compass are not as helpful in giving directions as they might be.  People tend to tell you where you need to be in relation to the river, and above or below Canal Street:  “Go up the river (or uptown) six blocks and then two blocks away from the river.”  The convention center neighborhood is called the Central Business District, or CBD, and is what in most cities would be called “downtown.”  It is close to the French Quarter (also called The Quarter or the Vieux Carré) and an easy streetcar ride from Uptown (home of the Garden District, Tulane and Loyola Universities, and Audubon Park).

Now, let's get down to the important things:  What is your favorite New Orleans food?

 

SLA Europe Celebrates the Centennial

I had the great good fortune to join the SLA Europe Chapter for a Centennial Soiree last week in London.  The weather was gorgeous, and the function room and rooftop deck were packed with good cheer.  The champagne flowed, and we all enjoyed three delicious cakes—one for each digit in 100.  An extra thanks to Don Roll and Alacra, who sponsored the whole thing!

A highlight of the evening was recognition of the SLA Europe Information Professional award winners for this year and last. Every year, the chapter recognizes the outstanding achievements of one information professional with an all-expenses-paid trip to the SLA Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO.  This year’s winner was Gimena Campos Cervera, who currently works in the U.S. Embassy to Italy in Rome.  It was clear from her comments that she not only enjoyed the conference, but felt she had benefited from the learning and networking.

I reiterated for the group SLA’s continuing commitment to growth in Europe and around the world, telling them of my plans to travel to Italy and Germany in the months ahead.  Every information professional needs worldwide connections, and SLA is determined to build your international network.

 

Why SLA Must Consider a Name Change

2 July marks the anniversary of SLA's founding.  Our founder, John Cotton Dana, wrote that the name Special Libraries Association, “was chosen with some hesitation, and rather in default of a better.”  When SLA undertook the Alignment Project more than two years ago, a name change was not in our plans.  However, the research has made it abundantly clear that we must consider one.

It has been quite a journey, beginning with in-depth research, including existing data from Outsell and SLA, work with a futurist, leadership roundtable discussions, and member focus groups around the United States and Canada. With the rich information gained from these exercises, Fleishman-Hillard constructed six statements about the value of information professionals and SLA, each based on a key theme that emerged from the research.

With member input, those statements were then refined and tested in the Alignment Survey. This was an in-depth global survey of info pros and C-Level executives in business, government, health care, consumer services and more.  It included key audiences—not just info pros, but also people in fields like IT, HR, marketing and strategic planning. It helped us zero in on words and concepts that work—or don’t work—across the board.

In the language exercise, participants were asked to rate specific words and concepts in six statements.  These statements, drawn from the findings of the alignment study, were created to communicate the value of the information profession and SLA.  The terms “special library” and “special librarian” were the lowest-ranking concepts we tested.  (View complete results here.)

Below are two of the statements tested.  Terms found to be the most positive appear in green print below; those found to be most negative appear in red print.  As SLA enters its second century, it is clear that we are burdened with a name that not only causes confusion but also fails to capture the aspirations of our members.

Statement #1 – Continuous Learning and Expertise

* Information professionals and special librarians develop and demonstrate knowledge management expertise across a broad range of industries and disciplines.

* Information professionals and librarians create a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing

* Access networks of experts and colleagues to obtain information and best practices for their customers

* Pursue continuous learning through innovative technology and education practices

* Promote information literacy through training and education on the effective use of information sources

Statement #4 –Professional Development and Advancement

* The Special Libraries Association promotes professional development and advancement by providing members with innovative resources and continuous learning opportunities.

* Offers comprehensive curricula on best practices and the latest advances in information management, delivered through Web-based courses

* Anticipates industry trends and provides members with opportunities to discover and explore the latest emerging technologies

* Provides opportunities to develop leadership skills and achieve professional success.

Our consultants, Fleishman-Hillard, who have strongly recommended that we consider a name change, provide the following guidance:

* Previous attempts to rename the Association have centered on more functional, title-driven alternatives.  The challenge with this approach is that it is virtually impossible to capture all of the diverse job functions—and adjacent career tracks—which encompass the information profession.

* Instead, we recommend shifting the focus to more value-driven alternatives that provide a concise expression of who the Association is and the distinct value it uniquely delivers.

* Names that convey the concepts of  “information leadership” and “knowledge networking” and “knowledge advantage” speak to the Association’s benefits on a deeper level, are more differentiated from other organizations in the competitive landscape and ultimately more inclusive of the broad range of disciplines that comprise the information profession.

After hearing these results, and after several months of discussion, the Board has asked the SLA staff to work with our consultants to recommend a new name. Fleishman-Hillard will base their advice on the research findings and test them with the same groups of respondents used in the Alignment Study to determine which name most powerfully conveys the value of the information profession to key audiences—people in business, government, health care, consumer services; info pros, C-level executives, and people in fields like IT, HR, marketing and strategic planning.  Once the strongest name is determined, our attorneys will do “due diligence” to be certain it is not in use by another organization.  Finally, the name will be presented to the entire SLA membership for an electronic vote. 

Guest Blogger SLA President Gloria Zamora: Join the Tribe

I am back to work, but I cannot stop thinking about last week’s annual conference.  What a way to celebrate SLA’s centennial!  And of course we are only half way through our centennial year celebration.  Just think what additional experiences we can have.

I hope by now, through Twitter, Facebook, e-mail and the spoken word (remember that?), the big news is getting out to our membership: the news from the results of the alignment project. That’s right, we announced that the Board, after evaluating all of the research and much discussion, voted to pursue a name change.  Janice and I felt it was essential that we make this announcement at the conference to ensure that all of our members heard this from us boldly and in an open forum.  We are heeding the research results as well as the call from our members that our name no longer represents who we are and the value we add for our employers.  Now we are soliciting your help to ensure that everyone is aware of this action.

We want you to review the alignment project research and take part in a robust discussion of a name that will more accurately describe what we do and what value we provide.  The Board and staff took every opportunity to discuss this issue with our members during the conference and I promise you we will continue to communicate on this topic every opportunity we have.  We have but one request: that you have an open mind, review the research, ask questions and actively participate in the discussion.  We have asked our colleagues at Fleischman Hillard to perform the same due diligence on the names as they did with the initial research to ensure that both information professionals and C-suite executives agree on the most powerful words and concepts that will convey why, as Janice says, “Special Librarians are so special.”

I know some of you say, “been there and done that.” But I ask you to remember that when the membership was asked in 2003 to vote for a name change, they voted “yes” to change the name; they just could not decide on the right name at that time.  The alignment project research provides guidance on the most powerful words and concepts we can possibly use to convey value.  And this time, with this vote, you do not have to be present at a membership meeting. Every member of our association will be able to have their voices heard because we vote electronically. 

I spoke often during the conference of the concept of Tribes as related by last year’s keynote speaker, Seth Godin.  A tribe is a group of individuals, connected to an idea, who communicate that idea widely and effectively to bring more people into the tribe.  SLA is a tribe in that regard, and now we need to build our tribe around the alignment research and the pursuit of a new name for our second century that effectively and powerfully states our value.  Will you help us increase our tribe?  Will you align in ’09?  Stay tuned!!!

Making History at SLA 2009!

What a conference!  I am both exhausted and energized at the conclusion of the most successful SLA Annual Conference & INFO-EXPO in my years at SLA.

The big topic of discussion was SLA’s Alignment research.  Gloria Zamora and I gave a presentation at the Leadership Development Institute and got lots of thoughtful questions and comments there and throughout the conference. We also debuted a Beta version of a new Alignment Information Portal where we will post and organize everything we have learned from our research and all of the good input that we received from our members that will help us make it what you need before it goes online.

A truly inspiring opening session included the presentation of our major awards. The accompanying videos were works of art—and will soon be posted on SLA’s new video channel, SLA-TV. After that, we heard from General Colin Powell, who shared his views of leadership and the importance of information technology.  I think many in the audience were surprised at Powell’s self-effacing humor, especially when discussing his grandchildren’s demands that he get on Facebook and start Twittering.

The INFO-EXPO exceeded everyone’s expectations.  Read all about it, and about other aspects of the conference, on Twitter. Our members were tweeting away this conference, and they were clearly happy with not only the learning but also the swag at the INFO-EXPO!  Our vendors pulled out all the stops to make this a truly memorable experience.

The sheer number and variety of sessions had many attendees scurrying around the beautiful Washington Convention Center early every morning.  If you missed a session, we have posted handouts for many sessions here. And don’t forget to check out the SLA Blog for lots of attendee observations and some great pictures—including one of Past President Vivian Hewitt (1978-1979) dancing with a robot.

The open houses, receptions and other networking events kept attendees going until the wee hours.  One of the highlights, of course, was the rare privilege of attending the leadership and awards reception at the Library of Congress.

Given all this activity, I was pleasantly surprised at the terrific turnout we had for the Closing Session and Membership Meeting.  President Gloria Zamora gave a fascinating account of some of her experiences traveling on SLA’s behalf during her presidential year.  Gloria and I drew the same conclusion during our discussions with members throughout the conference on the Alignment research:  it is time to get serious about a name change for SLA that will better reflect the value you add to your organizations, especially to people outside of your profession.  As I said in my remarks, this will not happen overnight, and every member will have a vote.

I have saved the best conference news for last.  This year, when other groups are having a terrible time filling their conference and exhibitor halls, we broke records—in fact, we had a 16 percent increase in attendance over last year!  That is only fitting for our Centennial year, don’t you think?