The horizontal navigation bar at the top of the NJSLA Bulletin blog now includes a link to the SLA's Alignment Project wiki. The wiki contains comprehensive information on SLA's Alignment Project and Name Change.
The Alignment Project Portal may be the most easily grasped resource, especially by people outside SLA, and is prominently featured at www.sla.org. Note that the Portal features Advancing Knowledge prominently — but not the name SLA.
The wiki features a page, Getting to the Heart of SLA's Alignment Project, which answers the tough questions. Jill Strand, Chair of SLA's Advisory Council and Alignment Ambassador for the Minnesota Chapter, put together that page, where you'll learn:
- What is the SLA Alignment Project and how did it come about?
- Why is Alignment so important?
- Is the Alignment research truly reflective of all SLA members?
- I've heard that it is mainly a way to push a name change for the Association. Is that true?
- How would a possible name change be handled? What's next and when will we learn more?
- The core of what we do hasn't changed, so we should still be calling ourselves librarians. Terms such as "info pro" and "knowledge manager" are inaccurate and have hurt the profession.
- Why doesn't the Alignment Project stress the value of an MLIS?
- Some long-time members or those who have had budget cuts seems to be against Alignment, saying that no matter what we do decision makers aren't going to value us.
- Where do we go from here?
Eric Schwarz
President and Alignment Ambassador, New Jersey Chapter