Greetings from the SLA Leadership Summit in Savannah, Georgia.
At the welcome session this morning, SLA leaders announced several new initiatives to enhance your membership -- and some changes that recognize the financial challenges of a recession economy.
The great news: Click University (virtual learning) Live and Replay sessions and replays will "now" be free to SLA members. (You'll need your membership info to get in.) The Web site hasn't yet been updated to reflect this information. SLA likely will update the site within the next week or so after the staff returns to their office in Virginia.
Remember that the execuBooks and Online Libraries are free to members, too.
Click U also offers discounts of up to 15 percent on certificate programs, and discounts for online courses at several universities.
SLA annual membership is now $35 for those making less than $18,000 a year, as previously announced. This has helped the association recently add almost 100 new members outside North America, SLA CEO Janice Lachance announced.
Members going to SLA 2009 (June 14-17) in Washington, D.C., can save $45 on the early bird registration cost by registering by Jan. 31. The first 100 attendees who registered Jan. 7 saved $100 each.
SLA is also adding a Rising Star award and a new Academic Division. The Ethics Ambassador program got into full swing in 2008.
Organizationally, the association is cutting costs by holding its Finance Committee meetings virtually. Also, SLA staff members are skipping salary increases in 2009 and will have to 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.