SLA Maryland Chapter Blog

SLA Leadership Summit Highlights: First-Timer's Perspective

As Chapter President Chris Olson reported in "SLA Leadership Summit Highlights” (January 26 - listserv and The Cutting Edge), the Maryland Chapter was represented at the Summit by four active volunteers.  As a first time Summit attendee not knowing what to expect, I found the Summit was invaluable to me in my volunteer activities and “day” job.

The Summit program provided a great venue for sharing.  The smaller number of attendees (less than the SLA Annual Conference) encouraged Q&A's, idea-sharing and thoughtful discussions among unit leaders and SLA HQ staff members.  The program included a breakfast to orient first-timers like myself and to provide an overview of what to expect.  There was also a "speed-networking" activity so that first-timers could quickly learn to recognize friendly faces during the Summit.

I learned more about SLA (past, present, and future), the ongoing Alignment Project, the association’s Centennial activities, plans for the upcoming conference in Washington DC, and more.  I attended the Chapter Cabinet and Joint Cabinet meetings and learned about upcoming Chapter and Division events, and about the many resources available from SLA to help our chapter conduct its business.  And while the Summit is centered around association leadership issues, many take-aways for me were also work-related, such as communication skills and tips on being a “leader”. In fact, learning how the research is being conducted for the alignment process provided insights into our own information service plans.

As I reflect back on the trip, I’m very glad that I participated! The Summit provided great information and I felt that the smaller group size fostered networking which helped me expand my personal professional network.  Even though I stayed at the same table close to the screen so I could easily see the presentation slides ( I gotta get a new prescription for my glasses!), there was a steady flow of new people to meet throughout the day. Sharing ideas and hearing how others have tackled similar challenges was enlightening and comforting. :)

I’m glad that I was able to attend the Summit on behalf of our Chapter. Volunteering my time as a Board Director and guiding our chapter’s social networks has been a rewarding experience. I've met a lot of great local professionals and have had fun working with other members on program events while enhancing the value of Chapter membership. On top of that, I have gained new skills that have helped me in my job. 

For anyone interested in getting involved in the volunteer activities of the association, whether in Chapter, Division, or Association-wide business, I recommend talking to someone who is currently volunteering (whether a friend or colleague involved in a Chapter or Division).  The SLA website has information about available volunteer opportunities and the benefits of being involved. You can submit a request to volunteer (requires login), or contact the leader of the Chapter or Division of that interests you.

To volunteer to help the Maryland Chapter or to find out more about what I do as a Board Director volunteer, you can contact me or our Chapter President, Chris Olson.  See contact information at http://units.sla.org/chapter/cmd/chapterinfo.htm.

Ashley Conaway

Member Spotlight: Gregory Horvitz

Gregory Horvitz is a librarian in the Information Research Center at Northrop Grumman in Baltimore.  One of his main responsibilities is to update and maintain the library's website though on any given day he could be conducting business and engineering research, cataloging books, performing circulation activities, developing marketing materials, compiling statistics, attending meetings, troubleshooting resources, and the full host of library responsibilities (really giving his degree a workout!). Gregory began at Northrop Grumman as an intern a little over a year ago, then became a contractor, and as of November, became a full-time employee.

Gregory’s first full-time professional job is the job that he has currently.  The first library job he ever had was almost 3 years ago. The summer before starting his MLS program, he was working as a student assistant in the Government Documents and Maps Department at McKeldin Library, College Park, where he helped organize their map collection, performed maintenance/preservation activities on their collection and manned the reference desk. In addition, he had a year long stint as a library professional assistant at Enoch Pratt Free Library, Waverly Branch where he performed reference services for children, teenagers, and adults.

Gregory’s interest in librarianship came about as a result of his volunteer experiences during college. During the summers he worked in the special collections of the Baltimore Museum of Industry (cataloging BG&E photos and advertisements). He assisted with the Maryland Artist Registry, creating artists profiles (uploading their artwork and organizing their slides) at a nonprofit called  Maryland Art Place. He also performed research for the Catonsville Chamber of Commerce on recreation under the director.

The ink is still drying on Gregory’s diploma, as he graduated from University of Maryland, College Park, with his MLS in May 2008.  He has been a member of the SLA Maryland Chapter for about 2 years.

Outside of work, Gregory loves bowling and mini golfing (though he claims to be exceptionally bad at both). He’s a nature fanatic and enjoys going to the park.  He loves dining out with friends, going to the movies, dancing or just sitting at home and reading a fantasy book, writing bad poetry and short stories or blogging. Additionally, he likes playing around with new technologies!

Also, Gregory is an avid animal lover. He volunteered at the Baltimore Zoo every summer of his high school career. Once, he was attacked by some pygmy goats while  helping a zookeeper shave their hooves. He still loves pygmy goats, but they are not a favorite of his anymore.

SLA Leadership Summit Highlights

Hello!

As President of the Maryland Chapter, I attended the SLA Leadership Summit 2 weeks ago in Savannah, representing the interests of our members and learning about association-wide plans and endeavors. I was joined at the meeting by Sean Henry, President-elect; Ashley Conaway, Director; and Susan Fingerman, Chair of our Membership Committee.  Each of us attended meeting sessions and participated in discussions to gather insights and ideas from the more than 250 SLA leaders in attendance -- the volunteers who lead SLA chapters and divisions around the world. 

Sean and I attended the SLA open board meeting and learned about association activities and decisions. Several new initiatives were announced aimed at enhancing your membership and dealing with tough economic times.

-- Click University (virtual learning) Live sessions and Replays are now free to SLA members! The ClickU web site hasn't been updated yet to reflect this new "pricing", but it's true-- sessions are free for SLA members!  (You'll need your membership info to get into ClickU.) Note that there is a 50 seat limit for attending the live sessions, so if you see something you want to attend, sign up ASAP.  If you have space for other Maryland chapter members to join you in your office for a session, please use this chapter listserv to announce and invite your colleagues to join you.

Here are the details: http://slaconnections.typepad.com/insidethebox/2009/01/click-university-offers-free-online-courses-to-help-members-thrive-in-bad-economy.html

-- SLA annual membership is now $35 for those making less than $18,000 a year. This new membership category enables Maryland chapter members who are retired/retiring to stay in touch with the profession at a reasonable annual fee, as well as for unemployed members looking to keep their professional network "working."

-- Members going to the annual conference (June 14-17) in Washington, D.C., can save $45 on the early bird registration cost by registering by Jan. 31. If you weren't among the first 100 attendees who registered Jan. 7 and saved $100, then register by Jan 31st and save $45!

-- Other announcements:
* SLA staff members are skipping salary increases in 2009 and will pay part of their medial coverage costs.
* SLA's magazine, Information Outlook, will be published eight times a year rather than 12, because of increased printing and publishing costs, and decreased advertising.
* There is a new Rising Star award.
* SLA has a new Academic Division.

Our Image as Information Professionals

SLA has undertaken a comprehensive, multi-year project aimed at improving the value perceptions and image of our profession and SLA members. Called the SLA Alignment Project, its research team reported on its latest series of activities and research findings at the Summit. I won't go into details here, suffice to say that the research was thorough, the process fascinating, and the results conclusive. This Project promises to establish a solid, proactive and future-oriented foundation for our members. To review the latest results of the project, as well as to peruse reports and plans, go to the SLA Alignment Project web page at http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/alignment/index.cfm.  You'll be glad that you did! 

Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of SLA

The Summit officially kicked off  Anniversary events recognizing the first 100 years of SLA.  Guy St. Clair, author of the anniversary book, SLA at 100, read excerpts which brought to life the energetic and far-sighted leaders and thinkers of our profession and association. I bought a copy of the book and it's an interesting read. Did you know that the founders had difficulty defining the term "special library"!   Gee whiz. If the the results from the alignment project had been on hand...

This year SLA chapters and members across the world will be celebrating the 100th Anniversary, including events at the annual conference. Our chapter will be observing the Anniversary with a unique twist, as I will explain in my February message to Maryland members.

SLA has a web site devoted to the Centennial which I invite you to browse to learn about our heritage and accomplishments: http://www.sla.org/centennial/

The Georgia Chapter held a very nice reception for Summit attendees, complete with champagne and cake to kick-off the Anniversary. Here's a photo of the cake.

Our Chapter's Board will be holding a meeting Feb 3rd to discuss details of what we learned at the Summit and plans for our chapter this year, including 4 excellent networking events!

best regards,

Chris

From the Desk of the President

January 2009

Hello ... and Happy New Year!  I wish each of you a prosperous and healthy 2009, and I hope that I meet you at one of our chapter's upcoming programs this year.

For the next 12 months, the Maryland Chapter of SLA will be led by the following Executive Board:

Chris Olson, President
Seán Henry, President-elect
Cindy Sheffield, Secretary
Sandy Levy, Treasurer
Aryeh Cohen, Director
Judy Tapiero, Director
Ashley Conaway, Director
Teria Curry, Director
Tracy Landfried, Past-president

The Chapter's Advisory Board includes the following Committee Chairs and Coordinators:
Archives: Lorette Weldon
Consultant Chair: Kathie Sweeney
Web Administrator: Greg Horvitz
Sponsor Relations Co-chairs: Pat Sproehnle & Jill Konieczko
Cutting Edge (blog) Coordinator: Ashley Conaway
Membership Chair: Susan Fingerman
Public Relations Chair: to be announced
Social Networking Chair: Ashley Conaway
Strategic Planning Chair: Cindy Sheffield
Discussion List Coordinator: Chris Olson
Professional Development: currently open
Nominating Committee Chair: Tracy Landfried
Univ. of Maryland SLA Student Chapter Liaison: Judy Tapiero
Hospitality Coordinator: Edna Paulson
Program Committee Chair: Seán Henry

I look forward to working with this great team of individuals who have volunteered their time and talents to help our chapter forge ahead in the coming months. If you would like to participate on any of these committees or if you have ideas for chapter activities, please let me know. 

2009 is the 100th anniversary of the Special Libraries Association, and our chapter will be marking the occasion with exciting programs and strong professional networking events. We have several initiatives planned for our chapter: 

-- expand and diversify our chapter's membership
-- strengthen our bonds with University of Maryland iSchool students
-- enable member networking through electronic channels
-- develop a new strategic plan for our chapter
-- update and enhance our chapter web site 
-- increase chapter membership benefits

... and more.  If you would like to lend a hand with any of these or other chapter activities, or if you have ideas and comments, please send me a message (chris@chrisolson.com)  or phone me at 410-827-5642. 

In two weeks Seán Henry and I will be representing our chapter at the SLA Leadership Summit being held in Savannah. We will be joined by Executive Board Director, Ashley Conaway and Membership Chair, Susan Fingerman. Together we will learn about the latest programs and tools the staff at SLA headquarters will be introducing, plus we'll get a preview of the 100th Anniversary celebration and  Annual Conference plans. We'll also be receiving an update about the ongoing alignment project designed to help all of us better communicate the benefits and value we add to our organizations as information professionals. We'll be sharing what we learn so you'll have the opportunity to contribute and know that your association membership is working for you.

Mark your calendar now for our Chapter's first dinner program event of 2009-- March 19th, a tour of the Nat’l Cryptologic Museum.  The museum is not to be missed. You just know we'll hear some interesting stories and be shown cool stuff!  Details will be published soon.

Best regards,

Chris