A very special Rocky Mountain SLA webinar is planned for August 2, from 5:00-5:30 MDT. SLA’s two candidates for President-Elect will join us as RMSLA hosts a Meet the Candidates gathering.

Candidates Kate Arnold and Juanita Richardson will introduce themselves and share their SLA vision, then answer questions from the audience.

This will be a small-group, interactive session. Join us with your questions ready, and take this opportunity to get to know your candidates to better inform your voting this fall.

Register for this program at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/615159752
(Please give our volunteers 24 hours to approve your registration.)

About the Candidates

Kate Arnold’s over 20 years’ experience focuses on providing and managing the delivery of specialized information and research services. Her expertise includes both virtual and library environments, with service to a diverse community of users. Her career includes key positions in the media (BBC and a national newspaper), health care (National Health Service Direct, NHS), and non-profits (Cancer Research UK).

Until recently, Kate served as director of patient information at Cancer Research, UK, with responsibility for the charity’s information services to those with cancer.  Highlights of these services included a telephone helpline and award-winning Website  (www.cancerhelp.org.uk) , both staffed by professional cancer nurses, as well as an online forum, Cancer Chat (www.cancerchat.org.uk).   Prior to this position, Kate directed health information for NHS Direct, managing a variety of teams to provide information via telephone, websites and digital television. Her depth of experience also includes information management within the media industry. She held various information roles with the BBC from 1989-2003, leading development of a virtual research intranet site and providing research support to journalists and program makers.

Kate’s active involvement with the SLA includes serving on the Board of Directors as a director and secretary to the board; the Committee of Cataloging; chair of the PR Committee; and Chair of International Relations for News.  In 2011, Kate was conferred as a Fellow of SLA and was recipient of the Dialog Quantum2 InfoStar Award.   Also active with her SLA  Europe chapter, Kate served 2 terms as president.   Initially interested in the News Division, Kate is also a past member of the Advertising and Marketing, Leadership and Management, and Pharmaceutical and Health Technology divisions. Outside of SLA, Kate has extended her work with professional organizations with such organizations as the British Standards Institute (BSI) Knowledge Management Committee, chairing it from 2004-2006. Kate has been a speaker at both U.S. and European conferences.

Juanita Richardson founded information strategy company Richardson Jalakas & Associates in 1998 and is principal of the company. She is also a partner and associate consultant with Dysart Jones & Associates. Additionally, she teaches at Seneca College in the Library and Information Technician Program and at the University of Toronto’s iSchool Institute.

Juanita has experience “on both sides” of the information industry, having served for many years as a business consultant for Canada’s only bilingual and business information service, CEDROM-SNI.  Her career also includes serving as manager of licensing, product strategy and client services with InfomartDialog , manager of Deloite & Touche’s Business Information Centre in Toronto, and holding positions in the Research Departments of CIBC Wood Gundy and ScotiaMcLeod.  Juanita is fluent in both French and English.

An SLA Fellow, Juanita has served on the SLA Board of Directors, has been chair of the Leadership & Management Division, and has held office in the Competitive Intelligence Division. She also chaired the SLA Annual Conference in Toronto in 2005. She has a long-standing involvement with the SLA Toronto chapter, including a term as president.  Juanita has spoken at conferences and published articles in industry magazines.

Learn more about the candidates’ visions for SLA at:

• http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/governance/12election/arnold.cfm and
• http://www.sla.org/content/SLA/governance/12election/richardson.cfm

Lisa Wood
Library Director
Colorado School of Traditional Chinese Medicine

RMSLA hosted a January 19, 2012, Virtual Lunch webinar on SLA’s Strategic Vision. SLA past-presidents Anne Caputo and Cindy Romaine discuss SLA’s new strategic vision and how it is being implemented. This program is free to all SLA members and non-members who would like to learn more about where SLA is headed.

>> Updated April 29, 2012: View the recorded program. (This link goes direct to the .wmv file on the SLA website. Allow a few moments for the program to load.)

Strategic Vision

SLA is a vibrant, global association of professionals who are employed in every sector of the information and knowledge economy. Our members thrive where data, information, and knowledge intersect, and our strategic partners support SLA because they believe in the association’s mission and the future of its members. The goal of SLA is to support information professionals as they contribute, in their varied and evolving roles, to the opportunities and achievements of organizations, communities, and society.

Focus for Action

SLA has identified five priorities to guide the association’s leaders, volunteers, and staff toward fulfillment of this vision. (See full post from Cindy Romaine, Nov 14, 2011.)

1) Annual Conference (see Nov 28 blog post from Mary Ellen Bates, Division Cabinet Chair), with attention to collaboration across SLA’s divisions to provide more focused, refined, and learning-relevant content.

2) Professional Development (see Nov 29 blog post by Sara Tompson, Director) through improved in-person offerings and a year-round, virtual education program in partnership with schools of library and information science.

3) Richer Volunteer Experiences (see Nov 30 post by Daniel Lee, Director) that provide stepping stones to learning, a promotion, or achievement at work in areas such as web development, marketing, and program management.

4) Opening New Markets (see Dec 1 post from Brent Mai, President-Elect) to expand SLA’s partnerships and visibility within the broader information industry.

5) Growth Through Diversification (see Dec 2 post from Richard Huffine, Division Cabinet Chair-Elect), aimed toward expanding SLA’s already diverse membership by reaching competitive intelligence specialists, IT development specialists, and others outside the traditional library/information field.

Join the discussion and contribute your insights for making the vision a reality.

Register!

Space is limited. Reserve your Webinar seat now at:
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/962840464

System Requirements

PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

This morning at the Leadership Development Institute (part of the Annual SLA Conference), James Kane announced the Rocky Mountain Chapter, along with 5 other chapters, will work with him on the SLA Loyalty Pilot Project. Over the course of a year, Mr. Kane will work with our Chapter and help us develop strategic planning as well as a greater sense of belonging and purpose. He will also visit our Chapter and provide training to our leadership and volunteers. There are some costs associated with this project, so look for fundraising efforts in the coming months. We are excited and thrilled to be a part of this project and look forward to sharing more information with all of you!

Julie Cavender
RMSLA President, 2011