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  We are heeding the research results as well as the call from our members that our name no longer represents who we are and the value we add for our employers.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!!!

Comments

[Barbara Wagner]

I've read the alignment stuff and I think a fine name for SLA is "Association of Specialized Libraries and Information Centers." Or maybe -- "Knowledge People" to use the preferred word.

Barbara L. Wagner
Life Member of the Special Libraries Association.
7-6-09

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