The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a volunteer-led member organization for knowledge professionals. SLA membership prioritizes building rewarding professional relationships, staying abreast of industry news and developments, and developing leadership, marketing, and technical skills.
SLA’s New York Community (SLA-NY) is a vibrant community representing New York City and Long Island since 1915. With over 350 members, we connect with information professionals at every stage of their career, from students to seasoned managers to those sunsetting their careers. Our membership works in a large variety of sectors including law, medical, government, business & finance, education & academia, non-profits, consulting, and the arts. Anywhere there is information in this city, you’ll find a SLA-NY member behind it.
Opportunities to meet new people, exchange ideas, learn diverse perspectives, and gain new skills can be found through networking and professional development events, as well as volunteering with the community. Virtual events allow you to take advantage of both the national and international breadth of membership SLA-at-large offers, while in-person events provide a more intimate, New York-centric viewpoint.
Development of successful careers and growing future leaders are goals SLA-NY hopes to meet for our members. Join us today in providing a voice for our industry and moving it forward.
Mission + Vision Statement
VISION
Situated in a global center of knowledge and knowledge professionals, the SLA New York Community identifies, defines, and communicates the values of its members. The Community anticipates and evaluates trends with the intention of exploring and creating opportunities to influence the information professions.
MISSION
The New York Community will be the regional catalyst for the fostering and discussion of new professional ideas through which its members will become the most competitively positioned knowledge professionals in the metropolitan area.
CORE VALUES + AIMS
Advocacy
Champion the value of our membership to the information and knowledge marketplace; promotes the recognition of accomplishments within the organization and society.
- Collaborate with student organizations to demonstrate and create opportunities for involvement and mentorship.
- Redesign the SLA-NY website for maximum member usability and to serve as a hub for community marketing and job searching.
- Recognize and celebrate leaders and contributors in the field.
Education
Identify and communicate new employment trends and creating training opportunities to cultivate an evolving skill set and expertise.
- Host events focused on professional development and continuing education, featuring diverse presenters and panelists from a range of institutions.
- Participate in and support the educational events and initiatives of other organizations in the field.
- Contribute to SLA’s larger Learning Hub by recording and making available SLA-NY programming.
Community
Connect members to a network of information professionals, recruiters, vendors, students, and other related information industry partners, fostering a collaborative approach to advocacy on behalf of the profession and learning.
- Re-invigorate or re-imagine a more formal member networking organization in which members can seek, recommend, and secure career information and opportunities.
- Welcome new members and provide resources for how to get the most out of their SLA-NY membership.
- Ensure active and safe spaces for community discussion via a variety of channels, both in-person and virtual.
Information Policy
Enable our members to define, influence, and execute information policy within their organization.
- Explore the new information infrastructure now in use within organizations (applications, language, open source, cloud, etc.)
- Explore tools for information access and distribution (such as proprietary organizational tools and methods, access to information through mobile platforms, search, social networking, etc.)
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