For a conference set in downtown Baltimore, it was fitting that Special Libraries Association’s 2018 annual show theme was “B More.”
Throughout the week, information professionals attended sessions that encouraged them to “B More Flexible,” “B More Curious,” “B More Inspired,” and “B More of a Leader.”
As opening keynote speaker, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, pointed out – information professionals are uniquely positioned to “B More” in today’s climate.
“The appetite for ‘the real thing’ is growing,” Carla said. That means information professionals need to “join together, break down barriers, and create a network of accurate, useful information.”
Closing keynote speaker, bestselling author Wes Moore, echoed this sentiment, noting librarians are “keepers of the stories, keepers of hope, keepers of culture.”
Couldn’t attend Special Libraries Association’s annual conference in Baltimore this year? Have no fear – we’ve rounded up some of our favorite bite-sized tips, session snippets and inspiration from the show:
Be persistently irritating, generate trust, engage stakeholders, enlist champions – that’s quite the to-do list! (At least the first one is easy…! 😉) #sla2018
— Emma (@el399) June 12, 2018
How can you justify the ROI of intelligence? You can use quantitative metrics, describe tangible impacts, and provide vignettes. @petegrimm185 @SLA_CID #sla2018
— Victoria Richard (@Tell_Victoria) June 13, 2018
Here's a number I like… 1 hour of a librarian/info pro's time saves a researcher 9 hours! That's a working day! What could you do with a day back, researchers?? Stat courtesy of @mebs #SLA2018
— Samantha Bouwers (@SamanthaBouwers) June 12, 2018
“You can never automate unique” –@ZAppleCI AI and machine learning won’t replace info pros, it provides more opportunities for us to be innovative #sla2018
— Katie Cuyler (@librarikat) June 11, 2018
How do our executives and key stakeholders think of us? Understanding this informs how you interact with them. #SLA2018
— Hal Kirkwood (@halkirkwood) June 11, 2018
Sometimes (a lot of times) "old school" methods – like simply talking to folks – goes a long way to make a project successful. @RaleenGagnon @SLA_CID #sla2018
— Victoria Richard (@Tell_Victoria) June 13, 2018
.@esayeed Data should be preserved with enough information so others can access and use it without having to contact the original producer. #SLA2018 #SLAers
— Anne Barker (@annenb) June 12, 2018
Great marketing is about aligning with your org’s mission, meeting clients where they are, having a seat at the table & being integral to the process #sla2018 #slalmd
— Janel (@jcwlib) June 13, 2018
#sla2018 Keynote Dr. Sayeed Choudhury recommends “be consistently irritating” when engaging with admins to help them understand the future and where we need to be going in the areas of data management if they don’t understand
— Valerie Perry (@vperryky) June 12, 2018
The importance of establishing and cultivating trust has been repeated over and over at #SLA2018 and was just underscored by @eSayeed. Trust is our business; let’s do this!
— Amy Affelt (@aainfopro) June 12, 2018
Michelle Drabik: Often when users aren't sure what they can share (or how) they just don't share that information, contributing to silos.
Don't ask "Who needs to know?" ask if there's really a reason to restrict access. #sla2018
— Karen Frenchu (@Kinthelibrary) June 11, 2018
DO.NOT.SILO. It’s bad Information practice. #BestPractices #SLA2018 https://t.co/9RXJ4LyCSP
— Books of Doom (@ShinyDoom) June 12, 2018
Final words of wisdom from @RaleenGagnon: Intel can't exist in silos. You have to look at market and business intelligence alongside #CI for the full picture and the right story to tell. @SLA_CID #sla2018
— Victoria Richard (@Tell_Victoria) June 13, 2018
One of the biggest mistakes librarians make is assuming that they know what users want/need.
Don't assume that giving them the resource you think they should have (eg the most authoritative) is the same as giving them the resource they'll use (eg the most accessible). #SLA2018
— Karen Frenchu (@Kinthelibrary) June 13, 2018
#sla2018 Wes Jackson closing keynote speaker reminds us that we are all products of hope so the question is what do we do as keepers of the stories and appreciate the transformative nature of our work. Share widely so everyone can see themselves in the stories. pic.twitter.com/GHvrmWVjws
— Valerie Perry (@vperryky) June 13, 2018
Data gives context. Stories inspire action. I don’t live in statistics. I live in communities. Wes Moore #SLA2018 #SLAhq @RULibraries
— Dee Magnoni (@deemagnoni) June 13, 2018
SLA members donated over 500 books to the Maryland Book Bank, from which kids get to take 5 books each! Go, team! #SLA2018 pic.twitter.com/oPIBAhX3SB
— Books of Doom (@ShinyDoom) June 13, 2018
https://twitter.com/ideaofhappiness/status/1007010244306853888
Keep exploring the Velocity of Content blog: