Sorry for the short notice, but I just realized this SLA Town Hall wasn't on the Connect calendar, so wanted to share it in case you missed the announcement:
2pm ET / 1pm CT / 12pm MT / 11am PT
From SLA President Tara Murray Grove in her 10/28 Presidential Update: "SLA needs to undertake significant structural changes while preserving the value at the heart of the SLA member experience. The board, including our newly elected incoming board members, will hold a virtual retreat in November to continue to analyze our organizational structure, finances, and value proposition to lay the groundwork for decisions come February.
As part of the thought process, we are also exploring possible collaborations with other associations that could introduce new efficiencies and add value to the member experience.
On November 3, we will hold a Town Hall that will be a listening session for members to share their suggestions, hopes and concerns on this topic. The Town Hall will be facilitated by SLA board members (see additional details below).
Our first exploration meeting has been scheduled with the Medical Library Association (MLA). SLA and MLA have issued the following joint statement:
The executive committees of the Medical Library Association (MLA) and the Special Libraries Association (SLA) have agreed to meet and explore possible collaboration between the two associations.
In the past six years, MLA has successfully transformed and invested to build new value for its health sciences information professional members in areas such as community, education, and other services, resulting in a more engaged, diverse and inclusive membership, a broader non-member audience, and a diversified revenue stream. Building on its success, the MLA Board of Directors is currently having strategic discussions on the MLA identity and whether and how to expand the MLA community to further strengthen MLA's long-term sustainability, diversity and inclusion.
SLA has a long history of successfully building diverse and engaged communities and providing quality education across broad topical areas and domains in specialized libraries and the information profession. SLA members have been especially affected by library closures and contracting budgets, resulting in a significantly smaller SLA over the last 10 years. The SLA Board of Directors is currently having strategic discussions regarding long-term operating models that would allow SLA to fulfill its mission with a sustainable financial model.
The outcomes of these conversations will contribute to the strategic thought process each association is currently undertaking.
Town Hall
Register to join me and the rest of the SLA board for a November 3 Town Hall on the topic of the wisdom of SLA collaborating with other organizations. This Town Hall will be a listening session. Instead of presenting a topic and then answering member questions, SLA leaders will facilitate a discussion on SLA collaborations to get a better understanding of your hopes and fears and hear your suggestions."
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Shelly Ray, Past President of Southern California
Set up a time to meet with me here:
https://calendly.com/raysh------------------------------