Final Call for 2013 Award Nominations & Applications!!!

• New Award!  $1500 Momentum Press SLA Annual Conference Grant  Revised Deadline for Submission: March 30, 2013
• $1000 IEEE Continuing Education Stipend Revised Deadline for Submission: March 30, 2013
• $1200 SPIE Digital Library Student Travel Stipend Award   Revised Deadline for Submission: March 30, 2013
• $1500 SLA Engineering Librarian of the Year Award sponsored by IHS Deadline for Submission: March 15, 2013

I attended the 2013 Leadership Summit in Dallas Texas February 6^th-8^th. (Click here to view slides from some of the presentations.) After listening to the state of the Association and learning more about the 2014 conference, I left feeling inspired about being Chair. The tips they provided should help me better serve our Division. I also came away with a number of ideas for professional growth.

I attended the open Board and Division Cabinet meetings. (Click here to view agenda and related reports from the Board meeting (may require member login).)

It was great to learn that the Association should break even or have a small surplus for 2012, continuing a trend that has been occurring since 2010. (SLA operated at a deficit from 2007-2009.)

Planners for the 2014 Conference generated interesting ideas for programs. (Yes, planning for the 2014 conference begins in February of 2013. See your planners hard at work in the picture to the left.) (The 2014 conference theme is Beyond Borders. Continuing education sessions, again, will be on Saturday. There will be “Quick Takes” which are short 15 minute programs.) If you have ideas for the 2014 Conference, please contact the 2014 Planner, Beth Thomsett-Scott.

I heard about SLA’s five point Strategic Agenda. (Please click here for more information.)

• Conference. Headquarters (HQ) is working to retool the conference and is discussing the creation of a virtual component. They will be coordinating a webinar series later in the year featuring “best of” offerings from the 2013 conference.
• Communications. A redesigned web page will be introduced soon (targeted for the end of Feb). (See image for a sneak preview.) It will be easier to browse. Information Outlook will go digital with the Jan/Feb 2013 issue. It will be searchable and can be read on smart phones and tablets.
• Volunteer Experience. Using information from a volunteer experiences survey, HQ is offering tips to help leaders attract and retain volunteers.
• Collaboration. The new web page will include a “calendar” that will allow units to post events, which should assist in cross marketing to other divisions and chapters.
• Diversity. HQ wants to grow membership through new and nontraditional sectors of the information profession.

Lastly, with a renewed sense of enthusiasm, I realized that I don’t need to be a timid leader. SLA is a safe environment for me to expand my skills and try new things. Past Division board members are great mentors and are more than willing to share experiences. I am not on my own. They can be my crutches and guide me into becoming an effective leader and active SLA member.

I’m looking forward to serving as your Division Chair and will do my best to represent the Division to SLA headquarters. I plan to actively provide information to members via emails to the Engineering Discussion list and this blog.

More importantly, I want to hear from you. The Board will be developing a Strategic Plan this year. Please look for communications from Committee Chair Karen Vagts. We hope that you will participate and provide input to direct the Division forward. We need help from our members so that the Board may better serve you.

You can learn more about the Division under the About Us tab in the upper left corner. You can read our Governing Document, Recommended Practices, and Meeting Minutes. To stay connected with us, I suggest that you

• Subscribe to the Discussion list (click here);
• Sign up to Receive Email Notice of New Blog Entries; or
• Subscribe to the RSS feed (see right column).

Finally, I invite you to contact me (or any Board Member) with suggestions, comments, issues or concerns regarding the Division. I am proud to count myself among such a great group of colleagues and look forward to us working together to make this a productive and memorable year.

Penny S. Sympson, 2013 Engineering Division Chair

Monday, July 16th members of the SLA Engineering Division  attended the Annual SLA Engineering Division Luncheon & Business Meeting, at the Chicago McCormick Convention Center.