SLA's commitment to priorities yields results as conference planners look forward Into 2006, SLA has remained focused on its goals of learning, networking, and recruitment, and that focus is playing out for the organization itself and in the programming for this year’s conference in Baltimore, June 11–14. Click University, the online learning system that debuted to SLA members last spring (sla.learn.com), has evolved to include live, interactive, web-based presentations via Click U Live! It offers selected continuing education (CE) sessions from the last annual conference (as it will for this year’s), plus speeches by SLA’s CEO Janice Lachance, in addition to regular CE and degree programs. Certificate programs based on the SLA Core Competencies are coming soon. A key to promoting SLA’s networking efforts was the Office Operations Committee decision to change the top title from executive director to CEO. “Having a CEO as the top staff executive...means that doors may often open more easily for us,” SLA president Pam Rollo explained in the January 2006 announcement. Membership recruitment remains a top priority. While members approved (in SLA’s first virtual vote) a dues increase from $125 to $160, for the first time those earning less than $35,000 will pay less—$99. Retired, student, and virtual memberships remain unchanged. Members who pay three years full membership in advance qualify for a ten percent discount—$48. And, in an effort to improve networking opportunities within SLA, the price for the awards reception held at the conference is reduced this year from $99 to $55. The date is moved forward one day to Tuesday, when more attendees are present. Big picture programming This year the conference planning committee came up with the “horizon” theme—forward thinking and progressive programs that, in the words of the planning document, “aspire to ask big questions and look to examine the big picture,” said committee chair Karen Kreizman Reczek. The actual content for the sessions comes from the association’s divisions, which were encouraged to come up with topics meant to address the new skills and roles, said Reczek, that information professionals will need in the future. Among current issues: information as commodity; what information to distribute, not how to distribute; the intellectual value provided by the profession; the democratization of information; and the importance of information integrity and the “unique ability that information professionals bring into play when making those value judgments.” To that end, sessions reflecting the “horizon” theme focus on developing leadership, mastering group dynamics, and meeting the challenges of change.

Monday, June 12

9:30–11 a.m. We’re All in Business for Ourselves Well-known solo info pro Mary Ellen Bates identifies the essence of a successful career, whether in a corporate or other setting. Learn how to identify, promote, and sustain your worth by developing successful working relationships that add value. Developing Leaders First discover what inspires you to lead and then learn how to bring out the best in others. The afternoon session, happening 3:30–5 p.m., showcases thriving senior managers who share tips for successful leadership. 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Cultivating a Champion: Partnering with Groups Nowadays, schools promote group learning, a precursor to the reality of the workplace. Catch up with this concept by discovering how to reach out to new users and make the most out of alliances with others. Innovation: How, Exactly? (Event #570, $35) Here’s your chance to hear SirsiDynix vice president (and SLA president-elect) Stephen Abram speak about what he knows best—the constant challenge of recognizing and mastering technological innovations. 3:30–5 p.m. New Web Tools Gary Price, editor of ResourceShelf and newly appointed director of online information resources at Ask.com, dishes the scoop on the latest web research tools and trends. He’s sure to speak his mind on how to promote the librarian’s role.

Tuesday, June 13

7:30–9 a.m. Keeping Conversations Strategic You can effect change by learning to tell the right story at the right time, says Stephen Denning, author of The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling (Wiley). The former World Bank exec explains the strategic importance of directed conversation in generating cooperation and affecting leadership. Moving to Client-Embedded Services (Event #635, $15) Moving out of the library and into client groups is the current reality and possible future for many info pros. Learn how to use change to your advantage and improve services. 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. How To Use RSS To Know More and Do Less In this practical session, participants will learn how to use RSS (a format for syndicating news and other updated content of web sites) and discuss issues surrounding this technology. SLA Tech Zone: Best Practices—Top 10 Essentials of a Successful Web Site (Event #691, $35) Learn how to create effective web sites from Factiva’s web manager and web designer. Participants will get hands-on instruction, evaluate sites, and be able to consult with the experts about particular issues. 1:30–3 p.m. Environmental Tools, Trends, and Research What do several major research studies reveal about the future of information-seeking behavior, its users, and its practitioners? Panelists from OCLC, Rand Corp., Mitre Corp., and the Kennedy Group discuss recent projects from OCLC, ARL, and other sources that address everything from big-picture trends to measurement tools. Managing Content at the Desktop and Enterprise Level Before you tackle the content management (CM) conundrum, learn from others’ mistakes. Two CM practitioners share what it took to implement two different systems—a desktop approach and an enterprise model.

Wednesday, June 14

7:30–9 a.m. Competencies: Current and Future in Knowledge Transfer Organizations While information buzzwords come and go, the concept of sharing and transferring knowledge remains a constant. Melissie Rumizen (Idiots Guide to Knowledge Management, Penguin Group, USA) will talk about gaining the necessary competencies and becoming a leading player. 9:15–10:45 a.m. Successful Competitive Intelligence Models: One Size Doesn’t Fit All One of several competitive intelligence (CI) offerings this conference, this session identifies the success factors in several CI case studies and the different roles CI can play in small and large companies. One Size Does Not Fit All: Training Issues for Law Librarians At present, all kinds of librarians are involved in training. Get useful tips on how to reach young techies, established senior staff, and even other librarians. 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Closing General Session If you’re interested in an outsider’s take on dealing with information, listen to Wall Street Journal tech columnist Walter Mossberg’s closing keynote. To get an inside view, stick around for SLA CEO Janice Lachance’s State of the Association report. 1–2:30 p.m. SLA Tech Zone: So What’s the Buzz about SharePoint? (#835, $35) Do you anticipate being charged with developing a collaborative site, including discussion boards, calendars, document repositories, and more? Microsoft SharePoint might make the job easier. Participants will learn to create and customize a site. Using Scenario Planning To Anticipate Future Threats and Opportunities Learn about scenario planning, part of the competitive intelligence process, and help your organization move from strategy to implementation. 3–4:30 p.m. The Future of Librarians in the Workforce Do you think about what kinds of jobs will be available in ten years? Will retirees’ positions be filled, morphed into ones with different skills, or lost forever? Those involved with the ongoing Institute of Museum and Library Services study and Canada’s 8R report will fill you in.