NJ Chapter SLA

A Glimpse at the SLA Director Candidates

2008-08-29T22:37:14-07:00

I've finally posted reviews of the bios and videos of all ten remarkable candidates running for a position on the 2009 SLA Board of Directors. The election runs Sept. 10-Oct. 1. Complete information on voting and the candidates is on the SLA site.

The reviews provide just a sample of the creativity, passion, knowledge and skills each person brings to our association. For each office, I attempted to post a more-or-less equal amount of information from each candidate's bio and video speech. But you should judge for yourself, by reading the bios, watching the videos and participating in the call-in sessions. (Again, all this information is available via the link above.)

Here's a recap of the reviews:

Director Candidates: Breaking Barriers in Industry, Geography, Technology and Diversity

2008-08-29T22:18:18-07:00

In the SLA Board of Directors election, running Sept. 10-Oct. 1, members will choose from four candidates for Director, to fill two slots: Jessica Baumgart, Michael Kim, Daniel Lee and Nettie Seaberry. (For complete biographies, please click the link for each candidate.)

Jessica Baumgart, is a quality assurance engineer for Renesys (Manchester, N.H.), ensuring the software works properly, contributes to product design, handles support, logs issues, blogs, and gardens the corporate wiki. Baumgart mostly telecommutes from the Boston area. She previously worked as a news librarian, and is active in the News, Solo, and Information Technology (IT) Divisions and Boston Chapter. She mentors students and first-time conference attendees. Noted for her weblog about news librarianship, j's scratchpad, and her interest in technology, Jessica participates in a number of tech groups. Watch her video speech.

SLA can expand by reaching out to complementary industries, students and the international library community, Baumgart tells members. "Through SLA I've learned about key trends in the profession, many new and vital skills and the importance of networking," she says. "Keeping ourselves up to date is a huge challenge. Doing that with an entire professional association raises the bar quite a bit."

Michael Kim, of Coral Gables, Fla., is Head of Cataloging and Metadata Services at the University of Miami Libraries. Kim was an intelligence officer in the Air Force of his native South Korea. Before moving to Miami, Kim worked as a librarian at Oklahoma State University Library. He has been a section chair, editor and secretary for SLA's IT Division, as well as president-elect of the Oklahoma Chapter. Watch his video speech.

Kim notes that less than 5 percent of SLA members are from outside North America, and SLA has opportunity to grow throughout the world. "I think out of the box, and most importantly I ask with my funny foreign accent why and why not," Kim tells members. "I would like to keep asking questions about out future and innovation. ... I believe in the SLA members' imagination, curiosity and initiatives."

Daniel Lee is a Research Librarian for Navigator Ltd., a research-based communications and strategic counsel firm in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Previously, Lee managed Web-based content for a professional organization and provided information services at an e-learning company. He has served in multiple roles of the SLA Toronto Chapter, and is the chapter's current president. Lee is active in the SLA's Innovation Laboratory, Leadership and Management Division and Diversity Leadership Development Program. Watch his video speech.

As an SLA Director, Lee would focus on "leadership, volunteers and technology." "We must provide an environment that allows for our volunteers to experiment with and explore the various dimensions of leadership," Lee says. "SLA needs to continue to invest, be it time, talent, ideas or money, into technologies that support the valuable contribution of our volunteer workforce and the continuing learning and skills development of our members." Examples of technological tools Lee has helped to develop are the SLA Wiki Spaces (including the Chapter Idea Bank) and the Innovation Laboratory.

Nettie Seaberry, of New York City, is the Director of the Minority Business Information Center at the National Minority Supplier Development Council. She is a solo librarian responsible for development, implementation and administration of the Information Center, and coordinates and oversees volunteers at the organization's national conferences. Previously, she spent 20 years as a librarian at Reader's Digest. Within SLA, she chaired the Affirmative Action Committee and helped launch the Diverse Issues and Gay and Lesbian Issues Caucuses. She is a previous New York Chapter president and has mentored several SLA leaders. Watch her video speech.

"A big part of success as a leader is the ability to (encourage) your peers to move outside their comfort zone, but assure them although it's a new path, it's the right path and it's for the right reason," she says. "A good leader inspires people to have confidence in their leader, but a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves. SLA is a great leader."

Post corrected Aug. 31 to clarify Jessica Baumgart's residence and business locations.

Giving Back and Expanding: Chong-Williams and Sweeney Run for Division Cabinet Chair-Elect

2008-08-29T22:16:50-07:00

Next up in a review of candidates for the 2009 SLA Board of Directors: Division Cabinet Chair-Elect (one slot). The election runs Sept. 10-Oct. 1. The link to each candidate's name leads to a fuller biography.

Holly Chong-Williams, of Alexandria, Va., manages training needs and oversees a training staff of over 50 people, as Chief of the Search and Automation Support Division at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Previously, for 10 years at Thomson Scientific/Dialog, Chong-Williams developed and delivered corporate products, and trained customers. She has held several leadership roles in SLA's Information Technology Division. Chong-Williams was the division's program planner at SLA 2008 in Seattle, where she was named an SLA Fellow. Watch her video speech.

She sees the Division Cabinet Chair-Elect position as a way to give back to SLA. SLA is an outlet for developing leadership and volunteer-building skills, Chong-Williams said. She credits her SLA IT leadership with preparing her to take on her current role at the USPTO.

Ann Sweeney, of Washington, D.C., is the Senior Information and Communication Officer: Electronic Publications at the European Union's European Commission Delegation. In her 30+-year career, she has worked at government, academic and public libraries. She is SLA's current International Relations Section Chair. She has served on and led numerous divisions and task forces within SLA. She also volunteers with the Lubuto Library Project and attended the 2007 opening of the first Lubuto Library for street children in Zambia. Watch her video speech.

The developing world provides SLA with its greatest opportunities for growth, and the association should reach out to library schools and students outside North America, Sweeney says. "I would like to see SLA exercise increased leadership and partnership within the profession to promote librarianship and knowledge management more effectively to the public at large, and thus strengthen the universal image and perception of information professionals worldwide," she tells SLA members.

Passionate Connections: Barrancotto and Wolfish Stump for Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect

2008-08-29T22:14:15-07:00

Next in a series of reviews of the SLA Board of Directors candidates: Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect (one slot). The election runs Sept. 10-Oct. 1. The link to each candidate's name leads to a fuller biography.

Cynthia Barrancotto of Houston, Texas, has her own consulting firm, logically enough called Barrancotto.Consults! She previously worked as a librarian in public, corporate, law and college settings. She speaks and presents to professional groups and shares her passion for creativity-based research. Barrancotto is a Past President of the Florida & Caribbean Chapter and co-chaired SLA's South Atlantic Regional Conference held in St. Petersburg, Fla., in February 2008. Watch her video speech.

Barrancotto said she wants to focus on Creating, Collaborating and Connecting, if she is elected to chair the Chapter Cabinet. She expressed how “passionately connected” she feels to SLA. Quoting E. Paul Torrance, she said, “Don’t be afraid to fall in love and pursue it with intensity.”

Ruth Wolfish is Client Services Manager at IEEE in Piscataway, N.J., where among other roles, she provides training and support to librarians and technical staff on IEEE online products. She has more than 25 years’ experience in the information industry. She serves on the SLA Professional Development Committee and is working with the Engineering Division on the 2009 conference. In 2006, she served as New Jersey SLA Chapter President. Watch her video speech.

Wolfish discusses the future of the SLA’s regional (in particular, state) chapter structure, and asks SLA members to consider organizing regional chapters devoted to particular topics or type of organization rather than geography. She points out that her connections at SLA conferences helped her land jobs at two companies, including one where she lacked the requisite experience. “I took a risk and applied for the position, and I got it thanks to SLA,” Wolfish says. In order for the chapters and SLA to grow, we should partner with other professional organizations that info pros are joining, Wolfish says.

Anderson and Caputo (SLA Pres-Elect Candidates) Call-In Forum: Wednesday, Sept. 3

2008-08-27T09:36:27-07:00

(The announcement below is also on the SLA Web site.)

Both of the SLA president-elect candidates, Janice C. Anderson and Anne Caputo, will be available for a 30 minute virtual Q&A session moderated by 2008 President-elect Gloria Zamora. This forum will be your opportunity to ask each of the candidates questions about the profession, the industry, or any topic you choose to discuss. Use the information below to dial in.

Date: Wednesday, 3 September 2008
Time: 1:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (GMT -04:00)

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To join the teleconference
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Call-in toll-free number (US/Canada): 1.866.469.3239
Call-in toll number (US/Canada): 1.650.429.3300
Call-in toll number (US/Canada)*: 1.408.856.9570
Global call-in numbers: go here
Toll-free dialing restrictions: go here

Attendee access code (Full Speaking): 56782007

* Call-in toll number (US/Canada) should only be used if the primary number does not work.

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For assistance, please email Jeff Leach or call 1.703.647.4922.

To add this meeting to your calendar program (for example Microsoft Outlook), click here.

Additional Meet the Candidates call-in forums (for the other offices on the ballot) will be scheduled soon. For more information please see the SLA Inside the Box blog.

Save The Date (Oct. 7): NJ and PT SLA Chapters Joint Meeting

2008-08-22T11:45:59-07:00

Save The Date
NJ and PT SLA Chapters Joint Meeting

Building and Valuing Diversity in your Organization
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008

The Rutgers Club--New Brunswick, NJ

Our speaker will be Trevor Dawes, a founding member of the New Jersey Chapter of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, and past chair of the American Library Association’s Committee on Diversity. He is the Circulation Services Director at the Princeton University Library.

PRACTICALLY WEB 2.0: Practical Demos of Social Software Technology

2008-08-20T20:35:20-07:00

Our friend Nicole Engard is presenting PRACTICALLY WEB 2.0: Practical Demos of Social Software Technology on Wednesday, Aug. 27, from 10 a.m. to noon. The presentation will be at the CJRLC Lab in Freehold, N.J. Please see the program flier for more information, including registration details.

Summer Planting

2008-08-20T07:46:29-07:00

I'm a gardener, and years ago I learned that spring isn't the only time I can plant. After early-season veggies are gone, I can clear the spent plants around August and plant some cool-weather crops in their place.

If I have the energy, that is.

It can be difficult to get ambitious enough to do any planting during the lazy days of August. So, I remind myself of the 30-minute rule. I can clear a small row and plant some some seeds in 30 minutes. It may not be much, but it's something. The garden certainly looks better, and I've gotten a bit of exercise. And come October/November, I'll have some lovely spinach or lettuce or carrots for my trouble.

I can do the same 30-minute routine for career "planting" during the quieter August days. There's a lull for a couple of weeks since many folks are vacationing. So I'm going to use the time for something different. I'll take 30 minutes today and take a look at SLA's Click U. Another day I'll take 30 to read some blog posts I've been meaning to get to, and another day I'll listen to a podcast. It may not be much time, but it's something. And I may get some lovely results.

Click-U: http://sla.learn.com/learncenter.asp?id=178409&sessionid=3-2A5C18DB-5685-46B9-B03E-FF18CECECBB5&page=1

A few blogs:

Stephen's Lighthouse: http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/

Rethinking Information Careers: http://www.lisjobs.com/rethinking/

Beyond the Job: http://www.beyondthejob.org/

TechCrunch: http://www.techcrunch.com/

Beth Kaminski

SLA Board of Directors Vote Dates Announced

2008-08-13T17:17:36-07:00

Have you changed your email address lately, for example because of a job change? Even if you're getting emails from the New Jersey Chapter or other SLA units, please remember that your membership address may also need to be updated.

Keep these dates in mind as the SLA Board of Directors election:

Monday, 25 August: SLA must have your correct email address by this date in order to email you a ballot. You'll need your SLA user ID and password to vote. You'll also need the user ID and password to change your profile, or at least your email address or user ID to get a password reminder. If you don't have any of that information, please contact SLA.

Wednesday, 10 September: Online polls open at 12:01 a.m. EDT. You will have three weeks to vote. For help, or to request a paper ballot by 10 September, email evote@sla.org or call +1.703.647.4950.

Wednesday, 1 October: Polls close at 5 p.m. EDT.

As a reminder, the candidates are listed below. Their bios, speeches and YouTube videos are linked from the SLA site.

President-Elect: Janice C. Anderson and Anne Caputo
Chapter Cabinet Chair-Elect: Cynthia Barrancotto and Ruth Wolfish
Division Cabinet Chair-Elect: Holly Chong-Williams and Ann Sweeney
Director (vote for two candidates): Jessica Baumgart, Michael Kim, Daniel Lee, Nettie Seaberry

From Awareness to Funding

2008-08-11T21:49:51-07:00

I spoke last week with an SLA colleague who mentioned that there may be a need for members to know learn how to best market their skills. OCLC recently published From Awareness to Funding: A study of library support in America, concerning public libraries, but the overall theme is also applicable to special libraries. (Of course, some special librarians work in the public library sphere, too.) It should come as no surprise: "Perceptions of librarians are an important predictor of library funding support." Stephen Abram posts on the report at Stephen's Lighthouse.