special libraries association connecting people and information sla alignment study & name...

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and Information

SLA Alignment Study&

Name Change Proposal

Washington DC Chapter

Town Hall

November 9, 2009


Washington DC Chapter

Alignment Ambassadors

Shirley Loo

Dave Hemingway

James King

Mary Talley-Garcia

Chris Vestal


How We Got Here

A quick history of SLA’s effort

to provide value to our members


“(It) seems evident enough from all that

has been said, that the old type of library must

MODIFY ITSELF IN ACCORDANCE WITH

THE NEW NEEDS which the EVOLUTION OF

KNOWLEDGE and the growth of print

have created”

–John Cotton Dana,

“Librarian at Large”


• What is alignment?

• Focus and cohesion around who you are, what you do, and what you deliver

• Communicating with clarity, credibility, and consistency about your value


• Why must we align?

• Information professionals are losing jobs• The role and value of the information professional is not fully

understood by hiring managers• The field is growing to include a wider range of career tracks

beyond traditional library workers and information professionals• Information professionals must align their value and

contributions with the strategic goals of their organizations

• Information professionals must change their professional communications and words to align with their audience of employers


• What are the goals of alignment?• Express the identity and the value of the information professional• Create a cohesive communications framework for the information

professional• Provide information professionals with clear and compelling

language to communicate their value• Help SLA advocate for the information professional

• What are the benefits of alignment?• Clear, compelling communication of the role and value of

information professionals • Stronger recognition of information professionals in the

marketplace and among employers

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationHow We Got Here

• Jan. 2000 – Started branding research

• June 2003 – Branding & name change vote in NY

• Jan. 2006 – Board approved “Alignment project” to help

celebrate the Centennial

• Jan. 2007 – Futurist Andy Hines, Outsell & Fleishman-

Hillard start working on alignment effort

• Jan. 2008 – Preliminary research findings presented

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationHow We Got Here

• Spring 2008 – Focus groups explored findings

• June 2008 - Fleishman-Hillard presents findings

• Jan. 2009 – Final report issued

• June 2009 – Alignment presented

• July – Sept. 2009 – Proposed name tested

• Dec. 2009 – Name change vote and results


Alignment Research Findings


Research spanned:•4 countries

•5 key audience categories

•4 key areas of research findings•Roles of the information professional•Habits of the information professional•Perceptions of value of the information professional•Perceptions of role of the information professional

International Survey

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationAlignment Research

• Began with existing information on value of profession• Leadership roundtable discussions & focus groups held• Using this data, constructed global survey on value of

information professional• Surveyed executives across academia, business,

government, health care, consumer services and more– Included key audiences of information professionals, IT, HR,

marketing and strategic planning

• Discovered words and concepts that work or don’t work across the board

• Then retested strongest concepts through a sophisticated dial testing process

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationKey Finding 1

“Knowledge” is the bridge between information and action

– Knowledge implies a deep understanding of information. You provide context and analysis that turns information into knowledge and results.


Corporate executives acknowledge the value and importance of good information

– To resonate with this audience, link your product with their strategic goals. Help them see how information will create competitive advantage and benefit the bottom line.


Information professionals should promote rather than defend value-driven benefits

– Emphasize what you can deliver rather than pointing to the shortcomings of do-it-yourself research.


The word “librarian” sends a mixed message – “Librarian” has positive connotations but is not

associated with positive attributes employers value. People like librarians—but they used words such as “dusty” and “antiquated” to describe them.


Information professionals must focus on - and value - results, accountability, leadership and service

– You save your organization time and money. You provide value-added intelligence that is accurate, reliable and relevant. That gives your organization a competitive advantage.


Name Change Proposal

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationName Change Proposal

Findings of Alignment Research prompted the SLA Board to consider changing the organization’s name to one that better expresses the value of information professionals in the workplace.

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationName Change Q&A

Why is a name change necessary?

Why doesn’t SLA focus on the value Librarians provide instead of changing the name?


Why is a name change necessary?

• Research Findings: Name does not reflect true value of profession

• Research Findings: Name lacks positive attributes stakeholders value most

• Research Findings: Name limits SLA’s ability to advocate for us!

Name Change Q&A


SLA has 100 years of brand recognition behind it. Why would we want to change it now?


What about the brand?

• Brand is valued by library community

• Brand is not recognized outside library

• Brand does not convey full value and relevance

Name Change Q&A


Didn’t we already vote on and reject a name change in 2003?


What about the earlier name change vote?•Voting limited to those at 2003 conference •Multi-step voting process•Vote to change name of SLA passed•Vote to amend bylaws required 2/3 majority did not pass


How was the proposed name chosen?


Process:• Establish critical concepts

• List possible names

• Narrow to 3 names

• Monitor member input

• Thoroughly research 3 names that emerge


Name Change Q&A

Process: Critical Concepts:

• Knowledge Leadership

• Insight through Information

• Knowledge Sharing through Global Networking


Process: Name Choices

• Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals

• The Knowledge Society

• Knowledge & Information International Association


Process: Name Testing

• Survey: 226 respondents in the US and UK

• Information users and providers in 4 sectors

• Rated names on key metrics:* Overall Preference, * Liking, Relevance, *Attention Grabbing

*Credibility, *Goodness of Fit, *Likelihood to Join, *Association Attribute

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationLikeability and Relevance

Like Somewhat/ Extremely WellTotal

N=226

Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals

(ASKPro) 77%

The Knowledge Society 54%

Knowledge & Information International Association

59%

Somewhat / Very Relevant


(ASKPro) 81%



77%

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationCredibility and Fit

32

Top 2 Box - CredibleTotal

N=226


(ASKPro) 76%



63%

Somewhat Fits / Fits Extremely Well


(ASKPro) 80%



72%

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationLikelihood to Join

33

Somewhat / Very Likely to Join

TotalN=226


(ASKPro)

73%



58%



Strategic: “highly important to or an integral part of a strategy or plan of action“

Knowledge: "The sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned“

Professional: "A skilled practitioner; an expert."


Why wasn’t “Special Libraries Association” or another name with “librarian” in it tested?


What about “special libraries” or “librarian”?

• Words tested poorly

• “Special” is no longer relevant or positive

• Words do not convey full core value of the profession


Why choose the term “knowledge” over “information” in the name?

• Value-driven vs. Functional Language

• Information : functional and static

• Knowledge: actionable, conveys value-added, broader, more inclusive

• Knowledge tested better with employers, ties to value associated with info pros

Name Change Q&A


What happens next?

• Association of Strategic Knowledge Professionals: vote on full name

• Voting: Nov. 16-Dec 9• Results: Dec 10• No other name change initiative• SLA will continue with alignment work under the

name of SLA

Name Change Q&A


www.sla.org/content/SLA/alignment/portal/index.html

Alignment Portal

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationSome Useful Resources

FAQ – www.sla.org/content/sla/governance/namechange/qa.cfm

Wiki – http://wiki.sla.org/display/align/SLA+Alignment+Wiki

SLA Blog – http://slablogger.typepad.com/sla_blog

Alignment Timeline –www.sla.org/content/SLA/governance/namechange/timeline.cfm

Board of Directors – [email protected]

Twitter – #slaname

Special Libraries AssociationConnecting People and InformationQuestions?

Dave Hemingway [email protected]

Mary Talley-Garcia [email protected]

Chris [email protected]

James [email protected]

Shirley [email protected]

special libraries association connecting people and information sla alignment study & name...

Documents

information research

special libraries association

value slide

alignment effort

goals of alignment

benefits of alignment

professional communications

preliminary research