Slany Chapternews Newsletter Winter 2003 - 2004

ChapterNews Volume 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

Message from the President

IN THIS ISSUE

Happy Holidays!

Message from the President Agnes Mattis.. ............................1

Agnes Mattis, President

Message from the Director of Publications .............2

he holiday season is upon us and it seems there is more to do than ever. My cards are written and most of my shopping is finished — thanks to a husband who is very efficient and likes to shop! How rare is that? No, you cannot rent him. The calendar is filling up with holiday parties and events that we will attend. I am delving through all my cookbooks to put together menus for the events when friends and family will gather at our home. I am sure you are busy with similar activities in addition to actually doing your job! The Chapter’s Board of Directors has an additional task ahead. We are in the process of preparing our budget for 2004.

T

Hot or Not? ....................................5 The Effect of Outsourcing and Offshoring on the Information Profession ..................................6 Outsourcing and Offshoring of Information Services ............10 Chapter Announcements: Lucy Lettis Speaks ..................12 Increase in Hiring Librarians ....12 Scholarship Award...................12 New Assistant Editor................12 Welcome New Members .........12

Because of the way the Chapter is structured, half the members of the Board of Directors are new each year. So the budget process is new to half the Board each year. At our preliminary meeting this year, there were many questions from the Advisory Council as well as from Board members about the budget. My repeated comments that we have to be very careful with our finances were met with blank stares and comments along the line of “but the Chapter has lots of money.” Someone suggested that a financial discussion would be of interest to all of our members. A further suggestion was made that, as your President, I should write it in ChapterNews. You won’t need your green eye shades — I am going to keep this as simple as possible.

Holiday Party 2003 ......................13 Legislative Alert: Database Protection Bill Introduced in the House..................14 Knowledge Services: Strategic Learning:...................16 Meet the Board and the Advisory Council.........18

The Chapter has two accounts: a Project/Reserve Fund and an Operating Fund. The Project/Reserve Fund is in the Pooled Fund at SLA Headquarters. This means our funds are put together with the funds from other Chapters and Divisions and invested in SLA- (and IRS-) approved areas. The principle is guaranteed. We receive quarterly interest and we can withdraw funds as needed. When we first joined the Pooled Fund, we had about $115,000 in the fund. I can hear you saying “see we are rich!” But the fund has diminished over the last few years so we now have a balance of about $75,000. The rule of thumb for a reserve fund is that you should maintain one year’s worth of operating expenses in case of emergency. Guess how much it costs to run the NY Chapter? You guessed it! It costs more than $75,000 a year to run the Chapter. (I’ll get to how we spend it in the section on the Operating Fund.)

MS Bike Tour ...............................23 Report from IFLA .........................24 Special Section: Professional Development SLA Virutal Seminars ...............27

ADVERTISERS Dialog ............................................4 Clare Castle Partners..................13

Pro Libra........................................9

Where did we get this large amount of money to contribute to the Pooled Fund? The Chapter used to produce two publications, a Union List of Serials and a Chapter Directory. These publications brought in revenue over the years. The first Chapter Directory was published in 1940! The profits from the sale of these publications went to the Project Fund and were used as seed money for the next editions. In the early 1990’s, the Board recognized that the books were diminishing in value and took so long to produce that they were terribly out of date by the time they were printed. With the boom in electronic publishing, few of us spend the day

Wontawk .......................................7

(Continues on page 3)

Donna Conti Career Resources .10 EBSCO ........................................11 EOS International..........................3 Gatta Design & Co. .....................24 Info-Current...................................8

ChapterNews

1

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

ChapterNews New York Chapter Special Libraries Association Winter Vol. 75, No. 4

Message from the Director of Publications:

Season’s Greetings learly, the events of 9/11 reshaped the lives of all of us, not only here in the U.S. but throughout the world. One of the more profound effects of the brutal attack was the havoc it played on the world economic stage. Hopefully, we are seeing signs of recovery, but we will have to wait until the first or second quarter of 2004 to know if we are really out of the woods.

C

PUBLICATION SCHEDULE ChapterNews, the bulletin of the New York Chapter of the Special Libraries Association, is published four times a year. Deadlines for submitting materials:

Fall issue ....................September 24

Last year at this time, we were reeling from the Enron scandal that brought down Arthur Andersen. Much to our chagrin, Adelphia, Tyco and Sam Waksal became fixtures of the evening news further emphasizing that corporate America needed to clean house.

Winter issue...............December 15 Spring issue................March 15 Summer issue.............May 14

Government is usually slow to act, but when it does, it can result in far-reaching legislation. During the Carter years, government regulations on business were severe, while the Reagan years gave business a much freer hand.

Submit all material to:

Jennifer Kellerman ChapterNews Editor E-mail: [email protected]

In this issue of ChapterNews, you will find a comprehensive review of the regulations and legislation that have been enacted and proposed post-9/11. If we ever had any thoughts that “Big Brother” was watching, we now know that to be true. Whatever our political beliefs may be, it is important to be aware of this legislation and how it can affect our personal lives and the great impact it can have on our libraries.

Submissions: Articles on topics of general interest to information professionals and the New York Chapter are welcome. Authors can send submissions via e-mail as text file or MS Word for Windows attachments, or with article in the body of the e-mail. Please use single-line spacing, Courier font, with minimal use of boldface and italics. Include a byline with your full name and place of work.

On a lighter note, Jennifer, Shirley, Nancy and I would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season and look forward to a prosperous 2004.

ADVERTISING inquiries should be addressed to:

Nancy Bowles 235 East 22nd Street, Apt 9L New York, NY 10010 Telephone: (212) 679-7088 or E-mail: [email protected]

Mike Gruenberg Michael Gruenberg is the Strategic Accounts Manager at OneSource Information Services. He can be reached at [email protected] or 212-836-4161.

Special Libraries Association assumes no responsibility for the statements and opinions advanced by contributors to the Association’s publications. Editorial views do not necessarily represent the official position of Special Libraries Association. Acceptance of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of the product by Special Libraries Association.

CHAPTERNEWS STAFF Director of Publications ChapterNews Editor Advertising Manager Webmaster Assistant Editor ChapterNews

Mike Gruenberg Jennifer Kellerman Nancy Bowles Shirley Loh Brenda Ling 2

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 1)

tion that would rent meeting space, please find out the details on the cost and send them to me ([email protected]). We would like to put together a comprehensive list of meeting spaces that are available to us. We typically need seating for a maximum of 200 and an area for a one-hour reception.

calling other libraries to borrow periodicals. The Chapter got out of the publishing business. There have been no additions to the Project/Reserve Fund since. The Chapter has been regularly withdrawing funds to use in the Operating Fund. The Operating Fund is the Chapter’s checkbook. We pay for all Chapter activities out of this fund. The only income the Chapter receives is advertising income for ChapterNews, an annual allotment from SLA in the amount of $12.00 per member (in 2003 we received $14,556) and sponsorship income from our vendor community. Since the NY Chapter does not charge members to attend meetings, we have to raise money from the vendor community to cover the costs of the meetings. Our vendors have been impacted by the economy and do not support Chapter activities as much as in the past. The cost of meeting space, refreshments and the other costs associated with our meetings is rising. As an example, the expenses for our Fall meeting with Janice Lachance totaled $3,506. (We had a contribution from Factiva of $3,000.) Meeting space in NY is expensive and often difficult to find. If any of you work for an organiza-

Other expense the Chapter incurs include the very successful Career Day program. Career Day runs each Spring and costs almost $4,000 more than the sponsorship income. We are very proud of this program and will continue it in the future. We also offer scholarships totaling $4,000. The Virtual Seminars are free to members but cost the Chapter $4,000 a year. I don’t put these numbers in here to alarm anyone but merely to illustrate that the Chapter is expensive to run. We are getting less income from our vendor community and we’ve had to transfer monies from the Project Fund to the Operating Fund. President-Elect Tom Pellizzi and I have begun some preliminary discussions on how we might raise funds for the Chapter to support our activities. (We are not thinking bake sales here!) If you have an idea for something that worked in another organization you belong to send the idea to me ([email protected]). Tom and I want to insure the financial health and continued success of the Chapter and we want your help. It’s your Chapter as well. In January, Tom and I will head to Albuquerque, NM for the SLA Winter Meeting. We will meet with other Chapter and Division leaders for two days of leadership activities and will see the SLA Board of Directors in action. We will report on this meeting in the next issue. At the end of January you will receive your ballot for the 2004 SLA elections. Our very own Pam Rollo is running for President Elect of the Association. It’s been too long since a New Yorker ran the Association. Now, I am not telling you how to vote, I am merely suggesting you check the box with Pam’s name and return your ballot by the deadline. In closing I wish you a joyous holiday season and a Happy and Peaceful New Year. As you make those New Year’s resolutions this year think about the Chapter, resolve to attend a Chapter Meeting, resolve to read and return your ballot, resolve to volunteer for Career Day, resolve to attend a Virtual Seminar. Hey, this is easier than losing 25 pounds or running 5 times a week, and your chance of success is much higher! Agnes Mattis Agnes K. Mattis is head of the Corporate Library at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLC. She can be reached at [email protected].

ChapterNews

3

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

ChapterNews

4

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

Corporate Librarian Profession: Hot or Not?

An MLS or MLIS degree is almost absolutely essential requirement for anyone going into the field now. Ms. Lee says corporations are “looking for the credential.” Ms. Lettis says “the degree helps a lot,” and not having it is the exception, not the rule.

by Thomas D. Sullivan

The education in library school “instills a certain way of approaching research problems,” Ms. Lettis says, which is very valuable.

n past months, CareerJournal (http://www.careerjournal.com/sa laryhiring/industries/librarians/20031022-capell.html) and CNNMoney (http://money.cnn.com/2003/08/28/pf/saving/hotjobsnow/index.htm) have suggested that corporate librarianship is a growth profession. Is it?

E

To prepare themselves for the corporate sector, library school students need to put in a lot of effort in addition to their coursework, according to Ms. Lee, SLANY’s Library School Liaison. To take the most critical example, they should participate in “as many free database workshops” through SLA as they can possibly manage, she said.

It is — “for information professionals who have the ability and courage to break out of the traditional mold and mindset,” says Lucy Lettis, Senior Vice President & Director of Business & Competitive Intelligence at Marsh USA Inc.

“I work very closely with students,” Ms. Lee says, and she sees that the students who land jobs in corporate library work are those who have taken advantage of internships and other student programs offered by SLANY. Conversely, students who have trouble finding jobs, she says, are those who haven’t done internships.

Joanne Lustig, Director & Lead Analyst at Outsell, Inc.,

puts it differently. “What’s hot is a skill set,” including “developing taxonomies, knowledge management, creating and managing portals.”

A number of corporate librarians hoped that library schools would do more to teach students how to think as people in business do. Karen Krugman who runs research at CAPCO, a consulting firm for the financial sector, wishes she had had an opportunity to learn “business school stuff” — how to manage a budget, how to get the most out of a contract with a vendor.

“Traditional librarian is certainly not,” Ms. Lustig says, “a hot job.” CareerJournal noted “many openings for corporate librarian no longer have the word ‘librarian’ in their titles.” About the terms that corporate librarian now goes under Suzan Lee of UBS says, “The umbrella has gotten bigger.”

“It wouldn’t hurt,” Ms. Lustig says, if library schools taught “a little bit of selling, a little bit of marketing,” as well as “how to sell a new idea.”

Beth McCleary, who now works at Marsh, runs down her

previous job titles: “information specialist” at Tillinghast, “researcher” at PriceWaterhouseCoopers, and “reference librarian” at Credit Suisse First Boston.

When It Works Ms. Krugman, who runs a one-woman area at CAPCO, and Tzofit Butler, Director of the Information Center/ Archives at HarperCollins Publishers, are both happy in their roles.

Ms. McCleary’s Marsh colleague Shirley Loh, Assistant Vice President and Project Manager, points out that what was previously simply called “research” is now often termed “competitive intelligence” or “business intelligence.”

The similarities in their situations are illuminating: both have access to top levels of management in their firms. Ms. Butler reports to a manager, “a great boss,” who in turn reports to the CEO. Ms. Krugman says that she is “able to work with people at all levels” in her small, “non-hierarchical” firm. Ms. Krugman works closely with the president to help him prepare presentations for clients and colleagues.

There’s opportunity in this, according to Eric Reichert, Post-Closing Coordinator at LandAmerica Financial Services. “Librarian skills,” he says, that can lead to various roles — data mining, online searching, creating websites — that don’t fall under conventional librarian categories. As he sees it, corporate librarian is truly a hot job for librarians who have also had a few years of expertise in a particular field now in demand, for example, pharmaceuticals.

Ms. Butler and her colleagues consistently impress her managers with the value of her area’s work. Executives are “shocked and amazed” by the quality of the research, which gains her and her staff “a lot of respect.” Critically important, her managers “realize our value.” She adds that she “tries to be pro-active.”

Qualifications First, the most important personality trait that will propel you in corporate library work is “curiosity about a lot of different things,” Ms. McCleary says.

ChapterNews

(Continues on page 6)

5

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 5)

The Effect of Outsourcing and Offshoring on the Information Profession

When Ms. Krugman first started out, she was “very reactive,” but as she gained a fuller understanding of her firm and its business, she was invited to participate in a wider range CAPCO’s work. “It’s great,” she says, to help bring in revenue and have input on the direction of her firm. She credits her opportunity to a congenial corporate culture, and her arrival early in the life of the firm, which allowed her to carve out a role for herself.

By Christopher Fatherley Author’s Note: The following article is based on the author’s personal notes from the SLA-NY panel discussion, Outsourcing and Offshoring of Information Services (November 20, 2003), and readings. Although no specific panel speaker has been quoted, the related sources listed throughout the article address many of the same issues as presented during the discussion. It must be noted that several of these sources were new to the author at the time of the event. Gratitude and appreciation are expressed to the speakers for their comprehensive treatment of this “hot topic.”

Formula for Success Corporate librarians need, as Ms. Lustig puts it, “skills for speaking the language outside ‘libraryville.’ Interpret the value of what you do.” Ms. Loh concurs, citing terms such as “reference interview” that mean little or nothing to non-librarians. That term simply means, “trying to understand what customers need,” she says

his article is a modified version of a research proposal submitted as a Graduate level course assignment for Research Methods in Library and Information Science at the Palmer School, Long Island University.

T

Ms. Lustig argues that corporate librarians need to “understand not just the information industry, but the industry that their organization is in, to understand the business.” This is what Ms. Lustig calls “content in context.” She offers an example: a colleague asks a corporate librarian for some information. Corporate librarians need to think: “What’s that person’s function? What’s the context for asking for this?”

Offshoring: The new “buzzword” for outsourcing. Outsourcing is an arrangement in which one company provides services for another company that could also be or usually have been provided in-house (SearchCIO.com, 2003). Offshore simply means any other country than one’s own (SearchCIO.com, 2003).

The most critical context is: the business and its aims. Ms. Lettis urges a “strategic rather than tactical” attitude. Corporate librarians need to be “always in tune with the directions the organization is going in.” They need to be “thinking always with an eye toward top management pain points and goals.”

The recent increase in popularity of offshore services is a result of a globalized economic downturn, corporate budgets requiring doing more with less, addressing post-September 11th terrorist concerns by decentralizing core business functions, and new legislation dictating the separation between investment banking and in-house analyst research (New York State Attorney General Elliot Spitzer’s global settlement in April of 2003 and the regulations set forth by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in May of 2003).

“In the corporate world,” Ms. Lettis says, “everyone is easily expendable unless you constantly find creative and new ways to prove your value to top management.” In practical terms, corporate librarians need to focus on “how to add value to research” through “packaging and analysis,” – “doing more than just synthesizing research” but also “distilling it and summarizing it.”

Additionally, globalization is opening up new markets providing lower cost manufacturing and services. The recent trade tensions between the United States, Europe, and China illustrate the degree to which we all live in a global economy. The Indian service industry (in addition to China’s robust manufacturing capabilities) has become a dynamic economy well positioned for success in the twenty-first century. American labor opposition has been gaining strength especially with the “jobless recovery and the imminent American Presidential election. This resistance has traditionally been from the unionized blue-collar manufacturing industries. Through the forecasted largescale displacement of white-collar jobs, offshoring represents a new and potentially significant chapter in American economic history.

The future of corporate librarians, Ms. Lettis says, “Depends on how we position ourselves as professionals.” As for the question about a hot job, Ms. Lustig offers this: the “key hot thing” is for corporate librarians to be “business analysts, students of their organizations, who understand what the business processes are and connect this understanding to their knowledge of content.” She offers a metaphor: “Technology is the pipe. Content is the water. Information professionals are the engineers who direct the flow.” Thomas D. Sullivan is a freelance writer and a member of the SLA New York Chapter. ChapterNews

(Continues on page 7) 6

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 6)

To combat the growing offshoring trend and lessen the chance of being subject to downsizing in challenging economic climates, corporate business librarians must strategically embed themselves in the company’s core mission. In addition to being top-notch information service providers, they must address the same issues of efficiency, capital management, and long-term viability as their partners in the executive (i.e. decision making) tier of the company. The library must function as a well organized profit center; a borderless microcosm mirroring the whole. Librarians must be fluent in both the language and practices of finance. High visibility must be maintained through strategic partnerships with library advocates who see it as imperative to the company’s success. An identifiable brand must be created and promoted throughout the company. 1. Think like a CFO (Bates, 1997). Since every organization has a financial bottom line, it’s critical that library managers understand the organization’s financial drivers (Bates, 1997). Know your worth in dollars and cents and in the added value of being the in-house experts (Bates, 1997). 2. And although the bear market may be over, the Indian analyst boom is a sure sign that the junior research analysts who were laid off in droves aren’t likely to get their jobs back-ever (Sargent, 2003). We can build the model, but we are not going to make the assumptions that go into the model. We’re just one-quarter of the brain. Three-quarters of the brain stays on site (Sargent quoting Sigelman, 2003). ▲ Joint Venture: A foreign company forms a partner-

3. Momentum has built rapidly within the industry, however, and we estimate that nearly three-of-four major financial institutions will be offshore within two years (Gentle, 2003). We estimate that $356 billion of cost for the global financial-services industry will be relocated offshore within the next five years (Gentle, 2003). We calculate that this will translate into a bottom-line annual cost savings of $138 billion (or $1.4 billion each) for the world’s top 100 financial services companies by 2008 (Gentle, 2003). This translates into the potential movement of up to two million jobs (Gentle, 2003).

ship with a company in the host country. Operations are conducted in the host country but oversight (control) is maintained from the foreign company’s headquarters generally in another overseas location. ▲ Contract Outsourcing: Project to project based

transactions. No proprietary relationships exist between information seeker and the vendor. Vendor services include creation of PIBs (Public Company Information Book), database searching, basic financial modeling, quantitative analysis, competitive intelligence, customized newsletters, patent mining, statistical analysis, information management platforms, conference calls, presentations, back office support, web site creation and maintenance, etc. Services can be delivered on-demand or continuously (Evalueserve, 2003). Many vendor executives have graduated from U.S. business schools and possess hands on experience by working on Wall Street and in corporate America. Outsourcing/offshoring can

4. Vendor product is designed to be cost effective, convenient (available 24/7), secure, and law-abiding (i.e. following American regulatory standards). The outsourcing hierarchy is as follows: ▲ Captive: A foreign company (in this case, American)

wholly owns and operates a remote office in another country (in this case, India). A majority of the staff is from the host country’s regional population.

ChapterNews

(Continues on page 8)

7

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 7)

reduce costs by 60+%, and make costs variable (smartanalyst, inc., 2003). India has made substantial infrastructure investments supporting the enhancement of their fiberoptic telecommunications network. The technically skilled vendor staff is encouraged to be fluent in English and maintain efficient time management skills.

YOUR SOURCE FOR SKILLED INFORMATION NAVIGATORS • The premier source for high-caliber library & information management professionals • Executive search & direct hire placements nationwide

This article is not meant to advocate isolationist/xenophobic sentiments, nor is India meant to be singled out. In fact, as the word suggests, globalization touches everyone. In the future, we anticipate that offshore activity will spread around the Indian Ocean Rim-from South Africa, through the Indian sub-continent, to China, Malaysia and to Australia (Gentle, 2003). The hub market will be India, potentially accounting for as many as one million new positions from offshored financial services (Gentle, 2003). Ideas, information, and the intangibles of personal capital are the growth industries of the future. In order to remain competitive in the world’s market place, the United States must continue to adapt to cultural change and nurture domestic talent through quality education and training. Additionally, studies concerning the outsourcing of Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) are generally available. In contrast, the offshoring of equity research by investment banks is a relatively new phenomenon with considerably less coverage (for what seems to be the most comprehensive research to date (see: The Cusp of a Revolution: How Offshoring Will Transform the Financial Services Industry by Chris Gentle). This will certainly change as more companies are forced to sign on to this exploding trend. Currently, the cost savings are simply too great to ignore. Successes and failures must be analyzed over an extended period of time in order to appropriately judge whether offshoring is simply a quick fix or a complete global shift in economic/cultural reality.

• Temporary & temp-to-hire assignments • Competitive candidate benefits & training programs

A Part of TeleSec CORESTAFF

New York City Metro area

[email protected] 212-642-4321 Washington, DC Metro area

[email protected] 202-775-1890

www.infocurrent.com

Bibliography ▲ Bates, M. E. “Avoiding the Ax: How to keep

from being downsized or outsourced.” Information Outlook. October 1997. ▲ Downes, J., and J. E. Goodman. Dictionary

of Finance and Investment Terms, 6th ed. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s, 2003. ▲ Evaluserve. “EVS delivery modes.” November 26, 2003.



Questions for further consideration are: ▲ How many American MLS programs actually

▲ Gentle, C. “The cusp of a revolution: How offshoring

offer business information curricula?

will transform the financial services industry.” (3), p. 1. July 2003.

▲ In order to remain professionally competitive, will

corporate business librarians need to have a MBA in addition to their MLS?

▲ National Association of Securities Dealers. NASD

▲ Will this additional degree have an effect on

Regulation- Rule Filing 2002-21. New York, NY: NASD, 2003.

their salaries? ▲ If the additional degree becomes the norm, are

librarians essentially functioning as analysts?

▲ Sargent, C. “The offshore voice.” Investment Dealers

▲ If not, what will be the difference be?

Digest, November 2003, p 24. ▲ “Offshore outsourcing.” SearchCIO.com Definitions,

2003. (Continues on page 9)

ChapterNews

8

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 8)

▲ “Business overview.” smartanalyst.com, 2003,

▲ Tomer, J.F. (2003). “Personal capital and emotional

intelligence: an increasingly important source of economic growth.” Eastern Economic Journal, 29(3), 456. Recommended Readings ▲ Basu, S. C., Chen, and L., Palvia. (2003). “Business

Process Management.” The Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, Vol.1, p. 409-416. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc. ▲ Bryce, D. J. and M. Useem. “The impact of corporate

outsourcing on company value.” European Management Journal, 6(6), 1998: 635-643. ▲ Globerman, S. and A. Vining. “A conceptual frame-

work for understanding the outsourcing decision.” European Management Journal, 7(6), 1999: 645-654. ▲ Kiker, B. F. (1966). “The historical roots of the concept

of human capital.” The Journal of Political Economy, 47(5), 1996: 481-499. ▲ Lavin, D., A. Saxena and S. Tyagi. “Leaping into off-

▲ Aeppel, T. “With foreign rivals making the cut, tool-

shore: What directors must know.” Directorship. 2003.

makers dwindle.” Wall Street Journal, November 21, 2003, p. A1. ▲ King, N., Jr. “U.S. trade tack alarms Greenspan.”

▲ Pepe, R., ed. Securities Industry Yearbook 2003-2004.

Wall Street Journal, November 21, 2003, p. A2.

New York, NY: Securities Industry Association, 2003.

▲ McCarthy, J. C. “3.3 million U.S. service jobs to

▲ Keavney, J. “Wall Street to bolster research with over-

go offshore.” TechStrategy. November 21, 2003.

seas teams.” Reuters News, May 1, 2003, p 17. ▲ Grant, J., Ed. “Faith-based currency.” Grant’s interest

rate observer, 21(14), July 2003: 1-9.

▲ “A tiger, falling behind a dragon.” The Economist,

▲ Ray, A. “BPO and new protectionism.” The Hindu

June 21-27, 2003, p. 367.

Business Line, July 4, 2003.

▲ “Two systems, one grand rivalry.” The Economist,

▲ Pucik, V., and K. Xin. “Trouble in paradise.” Harvard

June 21-27, 2003, p. 367.

Business Review,Special issue on globalization and leadership, August 2003.

Christopher Fatherley is a member of the Engraving Services Department at Tiffany & Co. He is pursuing an MLS degree at the Palmer School/Long Island University (Manhattan campus) with a Concentration in Business Information. He can be reached at [email protected].

▲ “Raising the barricades.” The Economist, September

18, 2003. ▲ Elstein, A. “Analyze this: Jobs go abroad; Wall St.

turns to India for research; outsourcing agencies gain business.” Crain’s New York Business, September 19, 2003: p. 19. ▲ Slater, J. “Outsourcing: India’s Nifty Number-Crunchers.”

Far Eastern Economic Review, October 2, 2003: p. 3. ▲ Alden, E., and M. Dickie. “U.S. import curbs come

under fire from China.” Financial Times. November 20, 2003, p. 1.

ChapterNews

9

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

Outsourcing and Offshoring of Information Services Meeting a Success

Career Resources, Inc. DC On-Line, Inc.

By Rita Schaffer

here was great interest, as indicated by an audience of over 150 people, in the New York SLA Chapter’s November 20, 2003 program on the topic of outsourcing information support functions by companies, especially financial services firms. The cogent speakers were Steve Medley and Mary Kay Walsh of Bear Stearns’ Business Information Group, which has been using outsourced staff for over a year, and Tom Fearon of Lehman Brothers Inc, which is currently evaluating a pilot project in information support outsourcing.

T

Steve Medley explained the difference between outsourcing, where work is contracted out to workers who are not employees of the firm, and offshoring, in which work is done in a company-owned facility in another country. In both cases, this is done to take advantage of cheaper overseas labor. Mr. Medley then reviewed how these trends started in manufacturing, have become widespread in the IT support area, and are now taking hold in the business process support sector, including information research.

into effect last year, and they have actually added personnel. Outsourcing some of the department’s more routine requests is allowing the permanent staff in New York to develop new competencies.

Much of this business process outsourcing is being done in India, which has a large well-educated English-speaking workforce. The spread of the Internet, low-cost telecom connections, and more secure networks have allowed widespread outsourcing to become a viable option for information-hungry financial service firms.

After Mr. Medley presented the theoretical framework for outsourcing, Mary Kay Walsh went over some of the more practical day-to-day issues of how Bear Stearns went about implementing the outsourcing process. First she stated that the information professionals at Bear Stearns act as consultants and trainers to their constituents, who are the bankers. Removing the information gathering function from the analysts has also given more responsibility to the information professionals. Since they now interact more with senior bankers, the members of the New York staff receive enhanced financial training.

Of course the first question everyone asks is what has been the effect of outsourcing on staff jobs. Mr. Medley noted that, at Bear Stearns, the outsourcing decision was part of an overall strategic review of operations. The role of the investment banking analysts, whose duties had included a significant amount of information gathering, was of special concern. One result of Bear Stearns’ push into outsourcing was to allow these junior bankers to spend more time doing financial analysis, as well as reducing costs by removing expensive information products from their desktop. No jobs have been lost in the Business Information Group since the outsourcing project went

ChapterNews

(Continues on page 11)

10

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 10)

Working with the outsourced staff in India was both a challenge and an opportunity for the staff in New York. Bear Stearns went to seven day a week staffing, and additional temp staff was hired to work the late shift and weekends. As the outsourcing project became more active, members of the New York staff became mentors to the staff in India. Training was done in two steps. Mr. Medley went to India, training the staff there in basic investment banking databases such as Factiva and Investext. At that point they started to do shadow research projects which were reviewed for six months by the New York staff. In a second trip to India, Ms. Walsh and another staff member instructed the Indian researchers in the more difficult financial databases such as Factset and Securities Data. They also identified one person in India to be their liaison. The program is considered to be a success.

Simplify

your life by using EBSCO. Place all your serials orders through one company and receive one itemized invoice. No more dealing with multiple publishers, invoices or payments. EBSCO has been successfully serving the library community for almost 60 years.

Let EBSCO put its experience and resources to work to simplify your serials management tasks.

Tom Fearon reviewed Lehman’s experience with the process of evaluating an outsourcing initiative. First Mr. Fearon went over the major vendor companies which provide outsourcing services in India. He then described some of the issues which needed to be resolved. Vendor data and technology licenses had to be negotiated. IT security issues had to be determined. Quality measures had to be prepared. Outsourced vendor researchers had to be integrated with the New York staff. Cost savings had to be measured.

www.ebsco.com 205.991.6600

CUSTOMERFOCUSED CONTENTDRIVEN

Lehman started the applied part of the project this summer with 250 representative requests assigned to the outsourced staff in India. The outsourcing vendor performed well, and the next step was to integrate the Indian researchers with the New York staff. While Lehman has not yet made a final decision as to the scope of their commitment to outsourcing, Mr. Fearon is convinced a lowcost offshore research model is here to stay. He concluded by noting that almost all the Wall Street firms are looking at outsourcing various functions at some level, to reduce costs. It is necessary for information professionals to be in the forefront of analyzing and implementing outsourcing relationships, since research, content, training and licensing skills are essential in establishing a successful outsourcing operation. Rita Schaffer is the principal of her own company, Morningside Information Consultants, which specializes in providing business research services to small companies. Before that she had worked as a researcher and administrator in the financial services industry for over twenty years. She can be reached at [email protected]

ChapterNews

11

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

CHAPTER ANNOUNCEMENTS CHAPTER ANNOUNCEMENTS SLA-NY Student Scholarship Winner Announced Lucy Lettis Speaks

Margaret A. Smith, a library student at Pratt University, is the recipient of the Fall 2003 SLA-NY Student Scholarship. Margaret won a $1,500 scholarship based on an essay, a letter from her faculty advisor and her GPA.

Lucy Lettis, SVP and Director of Business Intelligence at Marsh Inc., was the keynote speaker at the “Information Professional Congress” held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, October 2, 2003. The congress is sponsored annually by the Dutch magazine, Informatie Professional. This year’s conference theme was “Steering a Course in Stormy Weathers,” with a focus on how strategic utilization of business and competitive intelligence can help organizations successfully combat challenges of operating in a down economy. Ms. Lettis’s presentation was entitled “Moving Up the Value Chain.” Conference attendees included research and knowledge directors from global professional services firms, financial institutions, law firms, the European Parliament, government ministries and academia.

Margaret is the Research Director at D.F. King & Co., a proxy solicitation firm. She has been employed there for 24 years. Margaret is mid-way through her MLS degree and hopes to graduate in June 2005. A student member of SLA, Margaret notes, “SLA has been an amazing boon to me in my pursuit of growth and learning. Last year, thanks to the SLA listserv, I was able to take my son and go on a teaching assignment to Southwest China – all expenses and a stipend were paid. One of the most amazing vacations I have ever taken.” Congratulations and best of luck to Margaret!

Increase in Hiring of Corporate Librarians/Sarah Warner Quoted

The Student Scholarship is awarded twice a year: at Career Day in the spring and at the Professional/Student Mixer in the fall. For more information, please go to the SLA-NY website (www.sla.org/chapter/cny) and click on “Students.”

New York Chapter member Sarah Warner of Wontawk was quoted recently in an article titled, “The Hiring Tide Turns for Corporate Librarians,” by Perri Capell (http://www.careerjournal.com/salaryhiring/industries/librarians/20031022-capell.html). The article notes that demand for corporate librarians is on an upswing, according to recruiters. Sarah Warner acknowledges that hiring is up, particularly in pharmaceutical, medical and law libraries. Other industries seeing increased activity include the executive search industry.

Welcome New Members By Sarah Warner - Membership Chair Again, we are very pleased to welcome all of you as new or returning members to the New York Chapter. We look forward to meeting you personally at the various Chapter events such as the Virtual Seminars and Chapter meetings during the year. Please contact any of the Board or Advisory Council with any questions or if you would like to volunteer to assist with Chapter activities. The Chapter Career Day is taking place in the Spring and volunteers are needed.

Making the job search a little more challenging for librarians is the fact that position titles may not have the word “librarian” in them. More positions are often found under “information specialist” or “knowledge manager,” says Rachel Singer Gordon, webmaster of LISjobs.com. According to Sarah, salaries in the corporate librarian profession remained the same in 2003 and the news isn’t promising regarding bonuses this year.

Melissa Camp Diana Carey Jocelyn Castillo Anne Marie Clift Emily Crowell

Edward Kirtz Natalya Kovalenko Ann Kyrkostas

Joanna Samperi Anne Schlitt Gayle Snible Ann Spahitz Suzette Spencer

Rachel Mathieu-Leo

James Walther Kathleen Wilko

Kevin De Vorsey

Jennifer Nadeau

Ling Named Assistant Editor

Vija Doks

Jean Ogrinz

Yuxin Yang Jennifer Yao

Brenda Ling has volunteered to be the Assistant Editor for ChapterNews. In that capacity, she provides valuable support editing articles submitted for publication. Brenda has been a member of SLA for over ten years. She most recently worked at JPMorgan Chase and is currently chair of her condominium’s Internet committee.

Janice Easton-Epner

Lynn Parliman John Peverley

Anna Arzrumtsyan

Janice Lachance, the executive director of the Special Libraries Association, was quoted in the same article, noting “there’s definitely a change in the climate for the employment of corporate librarians.”

Henry Baker

For more information, go to www.careerjournal.com.

ChapterNews

Hinda Greenberg

Amanda HollisterPatricia Humphreys

Annmarie Zell

Inna Routgauzer

12

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA-NY Holiday Party Has It All By Sharon Mosenkis

e descended the grand, curving staircase. We partied. We ooh-ed and aah-ed over the dramatic displays of exquisite crafts. We listened to live jazz and seasonal music. We renewed old acquaintances and networked with new colleagues. All in all, the New York Chapter’s annual holiday party, held December 10, 2003 at the Museum of Arts and Design, was better than ever.

W

The Museum, at 40 West 53rd Street, was a beautiful and central location for the annual party. Apparently a lot of our members thought so as well. Tom Pellizzi, Chapter President-Elect and Program Chair, reported that RSVPs for this year’s party were up 50% over last year. Tom also reported that, due to his “friend in high places,” (Holly Hotchner, Director of the Museum), our organization was given an unusually generous discount on the rate for using the Museum’s meeting room. The room, by the way, also contained selections from the Museum’s collection on its walls.

In addition to sponsoring the event, NetScribes gave out several generous raffle gifts. They also said they would give ten free hours of research to any SLA member who requests it. To take NetScribes up on this offer, contact Sayan at the U.S. headquarters in Bethesda: 301-469-8410 or at his cell phone number: 240-350-3116. He can also be reached at [email protected].

Many thanks are due to Tom and his program committee: David Man, Leigh Hallingby and Vicki Dawson. David took on the duties of RSVP coordination and name tag production. We know there are many more details that they attended to so that we could just relax and enjoy the smoked salmon, the gingerbread men and catching up with our colleagues.

Again many thanks to all involved in creating a warm and joyous holiday event for us all.

The holiday spirit of SLA-NY members showed in the generosity of giving to the Global Outreach raffle. Rita Ormsby announced that this project, which supports libraries in developing countries, raised $262 at the party.

Sharon L. Mosenkis is a Consultant in the Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals practice at Find/SVP, Inc. She specializes in advising executives on healthcare industry trends and new product development in the pharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining FIND/SVP, she was Manager of Information Services for GE Capital’s Financial Guaranty Insurance Co. She also managed business and competitive research at American Cyanamid Company (now Wyeth). Sharon holds an MLS from Rutgers University and BA from the University of Wisconsin.

Chapter President Agnes Mattis reminded attendees that Chapter member Pam Rollo is running for the SLA presidency, another reason to be proud of the caliber and commitment of our members. The event was sponsored by NetScribes, a research and information outsourcing organization. Representing NetScribes at the party were CEO Sourav Mukherjee, who had traveled from Mumbai, India to attend, and Vice President Sayan Bhattacharjee, who is based in Bethesda, MD. Both gentlemen enjoyed the evening. They are firmly committed to being part of the information community and are in the information services business for the long haul. The New York area is presently their largest market. ChapterNews

13

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

The Chronicle of Higher Education article stated that Representative Rick Boucher (D-VA), “an outspoken critic of this bill, offered four amendments to the measure that were defeated. One of them would have expanded the liability exemption to include libraries.” Action Needed:

he government has reacted to the corporate scandals that have plagued us all by enacting legislation to protect our interests. Within the library community, some of that legislation, both enacted and proposed, may have serious implications for libraries. Below is a brief summary of that legislation and how it is affecting the daily activities being carried out in our nations’ libraries.

T

Ask members of the House Judiciary Committee to defeat HR 3261. Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. For a list of committee members, please visit http://www.house.gov/judiciary/members.htm. For more information about database protection legislation, please visit http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Our_Association/Offices/ALA_Washington/Is sues2/Copyright1/Database_Protection_Legislation/Dat abase_Protection_Legislation.htm.

We would like to thank Jim Smith, Vice President and Director of Corporate & Special Libraries at EBSCO Information Services, who called attention to the following updates on legislation affecting libraries and information professionals:

SAFE Act Introduced

Database Protection Bill Introduced in the House

Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and Richard Durbin (D-IL) introduced S 1709, “The Security and Freedom Ensured (SAFE) Act of 2003.” This bill would curb the broad powers allowed to law enforcement by the Patriot Act.—The bill, which has bipartisan support, would amend the Patriot Act in the following ways:

On October 8, Representative Howard Coble (R-NC) introduced HR 3261, the “Database and Collections of Information Misappropriation Act.” On October 16, the bill was approved by the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property. According to an October 17 Chronicle of Higher Education article, “the legislation is expected to pass the full Judiciary committee next week, but could encounter considerably more opposition from members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.”

▲ restore privacy protections for library records; ▲ exempt libraries from national security letters, which

are nonjudicial subpoenas issued internally in the FBI; ▲ add oversight provisions to the Justice Department’s

request for records from libraries and bookstores; ▲ extend the sunset provisions of the Patriot Act; and

The bill establishes conditions under which a person is prohibited from taking a “quantitatively substantial” part of the information in a database and making it commercially available. The library community and other opponents believe that the bill could allow database producers to maintain perpetual ownership rights in a wide variety of data.

▲ provide other civil liberties protections. Action Needed:

Please make an effort to contact your senators to ask for their support of this bill. It is especially important to continue to gather the support of Republican senators. The Capitol Switchboard number is (202) 224-3121.

The bill does allow educational institutions to make substantial parts of databases available as long as the use is for nonprofit educational purposes. A draft version of the bill would have allowed the courts to decide if this use was “reasonable under the circumstances.” The new version of the bill states that “no liability shall be imposed under this act” on higher-education and research institutions or their employees.

For more information about the Patriot Act, please visit http://www.ala.org/patriotfix. (Alert continues on page 15)

ALA and other opponents of the bill maintain that existing laws are sufficient to protect the interest of database producers. The bill fails to address fair use, to include the “first sale” doctrine, to allow for the transformative use of the information, or to provide any safeguards for monopolistic pricing. ChapterNews

14

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

LEGISLATIVE ALERT

Legislative Alert

President Signs Reauthorization Act; Action Still Needed

Survey Reveals FBI Visited Libraries in California

On September 25, President George W. Bush signed into law HR 13, the “Museum and Library Services Act of 2003.” This law, which is now Public Law 108-81, funds library programs, including the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

▲ A statewide survey conducted this summer by the

California Library Association (CLA) reveals that since September 11, 2001, FBI agents have formally contacted 14 libraries with requests for patron-record information. This information was released after the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a memo stating that Section 215 of the Patriot Act has never been invoked to access records of patrons’ library use.

Conferees have been appointed for the FY 2004 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bills. It is expected that these conferees will meet in the next few weeks to determine the final numbers for programs in the bill, which affects library funding.

▲ It is possible that the FBI visits were not covered by

Section 215 of the Patriot Act. Because it is a felony to reveal the location of a Section 215 contact, the survey did not ask for that information from the respondents.

Action Needed:

Please contact the conferees and ask them to:

▲ Although some in the library community and some

legislators have questioned the assertions of the DOJ memo, a DOJ spokesperson dismissed as “laughable” the idea that Attorney General John Ashcroft had falsified reports.

▲ fund library programs (LSTA) in the Museum and

Library Services Act at the newly authorized level of $232 million; and ▲ fund the Improving Literacy Through School

Libraries program at the House level of $27.5 million. For more information on the CLA survey, please visit

Conferees on the FY2004, Labor HHS Education Appropriations bills are:

http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Products_and_Pu blications/Periodicals/American_Libraries/Current_news/News_ archive/2003/September_2003/California_Survey_Reveals_FBI_ Visited_16_Libraries.htm.

Senate: Arlen Specter (R-PA); Thad Cochran (R-MS); Jud Gregg (R-NH); Larry Craig (R-ID); Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX); Ted Stevens (R-AK); Mike DeWine (R-OH); Richard Shelby (R-AL); Pete Domenici (R-NM); Tom Harkin (D-IA); Ernest Hollings (D-SC); Daniel Inouye (D-HI); Harry Reid (D-NV); Herb Kohl (D-WI); Patty Murray (D-WA); Mary Landrieu (D-LA); and Robert Byrd (D-WV).

House: Ralph Regula (R-OH); Ernest Istook (R-OK); Roger Wicker (R-MS); Anne Northup (R-KY); Randy Cunningham (R-CA); Kay Granger (R-TX); John Peterson (R-PA); Don Sherwood (R-PA); Dave Weldon (R-FL); Mike Simpson (R-ID); C.W. Bill Young (R-FLA); David Obey (D-WI); Steny Hoyer (D-MD); Nita Lowey (D-NY); Rosa DeLauro (D-CT); Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL); Patrick Kennedy (D-RI); and Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA).

ChapterNews

15

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

LEGISLATIVE ALERT

(Continued from page 16)

Knowledge Services:

As it turns out, that attention to learning has relevance in the specialized libraries community, although most of us who work as specialist librarians don’t think of ourselves as teachers. Most knowledge workers employed in specialized libraries find that they are required to provide the information itself, not provide direction in how to find the information, or instruction in how to use the tools that lead to the information.

Strategic (Performance-Centered) Learning: A Double Opportunity for Specialist Librarians by Guy St. Clair

Yet this is not always the case, not in every situation in which a specialist librarian is approached. On those occasions when we are invited to give our clients assistance with using a particular tool or information source, or when it is the role of the specialized library to provide such direction, the first opportunity for strategic learning comes into play. There are a variety of such situations, and each and every one of us has a large repertory of techniques and activities that enable us to provide strategic (performance-centered) learning. They can be as simple and easy to organize as our profession’s famous “brown-bag” lunches, those informal and usually pretty delightful occasions when we invite our clients to come to the information center to have a demonstration and/or participate in a discussion of a new tool or search technique, or to hear us enthuse about some new concept or idea we want them to know about.

nowledge Services is the new profession evolving from the convergence of information management, knowledge management, and strategic (performance-centered) learning. As I’ve stated before in these columns, it’s a profession made up of many knowledge workers, from many different professions, disciplines, and types of work. In my opinion, though, it is specialist librarians who are best qualified for leading knowledge services in their organizations. These knowledge workers are the ones who are most directly committed to Knowledge Development/Knowledge Sharing (KD/KS) in the workplace. KD/KS is the defining characteristic of knowledge services, and it’s the specific professional expertise that specialist librarians bring to their work.

K

On the other hand, our strategic learning offerings can be (and often are) more formal, such as the training sessions we put together, either on our own or with the cooperation of our vendors and suppliers. Larger specialized libraries, in fact, are now frequently committing considerable resources to the support of dedicated staff (sometimes part-time, sometimes substantially more) hired specifically to organize, manage, and implement strategic learning programs as part of the library or information center’s established service offerings.

For many of us, the hardest element of knowledge services, the one we have the most difficulty “getting our arms around,” as some would put it, is strategic (performance-centered) learning. Unlike the folks who come from backgrounds that are not information- or libraryfocused, we specialist librarians practice strategic learning all the time. It, too, is part of our professional expertise (although generally unacknowledged as such, as we don’t necessarily think of ourselves as being affiliated with the educational community, or as teachers, per se). For the people who come from general management backgrounds, or from a subject specialization, it’s the knowledge management “piece” of knowledge services that is the major challenge. Not so for specialist librarians. As with information management, we’ve been comfortably providing knowledge management for our clients for many decades, although we didn’t call it that.

Such activities are usually designed to help our customers get up to speed in the utilization of a particular database, or to provide hands-on (and, preferably, project-related) instruction in using particular tools provided through the library or information center. In some cases, though, these more formal training activities can be as broad-based as providing user education relating to the differences between a specialized research library and the types of libraries the customers may have been accustomed to in their past research work. Or they can be as simple as providing users with information about their responsibilities with respect to such subjects as ILL/document delivery (including such things as addressing user expectations with respect to turnaround time, etc.), or the role of the service level agreement and its relationship to research success. Finally, in the grander scheme of things, managers of specialized research libraries — particularly in the humanities and social sciences — often find them

Strategic (performance-centered) learning is a little different. First of all, the definition of strategic learning (or training, or development, or whatever it’s called in the company or organization where you work) requires that such learning be application-based, and relate directly to how it will be used. That requirement is built into the definition that I generally use when I speak about strategic (performance-centered) learning: the successful achievement of skills, competencies, knowledge behaviors, and/or other outcomes required for excellence in workplace performance.

(Continues on page 17) ChapterNews

16

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 16)

selves responsible for very formally organized programs, such things as lecture series, authors’ or experts’ visits, and the like. All of these activities, in one way or another, relate to our role as a learning provider.

▲ If it’s an ad hoc situation, identify two or three units in

the organization where there are distinct and identified needs for better strategic learning. Perhaps you’ve heard one of the other managers commenting about some performance weakness in his or her staff. Perhaps some managers are complaining about how much money is required for training and development. Listen to what’s being discussed, with respect to strategic (performancecentered) learning. As the organization’s expert in the field, you can make suggestions and — if you’re so inclined — use your department to work cooperatively in solving particular problems in other units.

Yet the new knowledge services profession also provides specialist librarians with another opportunity for strategic learning, and it is one we still haven’t quite taken advantage of, not to the extent that we could. This opportunity is found in the “connection-collaboration-constructive cooperation” idea written about in a previous column, when the role of the specialized library as the organizational knowledge nexus was discussed. In the larger organization with which the specialized library or information center is affiliated, learning is going on all the time. This learning (all of it, safe to say, being strategic by definition) provides a wonderful opportunity for the people who best understand the role of learning in the organization — the specialist librarians — to take on a leadership role. The opportunity is there, and we should take advantage of it.

There are, obviously, distinct advantages for the specialized library or information center, and because we specialist librarians already have a good understanding of the advantages of strategic learning in the organization, these don’t need to be detailed at this point. You know you’ll get higher visibility in the organization, that your department’s reputation for providing solutions will be better recognized, and, best of all, you and your staff will be able to expand your service sphere. What more could you want, as a conscientious specialized librarian and enterprise leader in the larger organization? It’s a classic “win-win” situation.

Of course it can’t happen overnight. To be an active partner in the organization’s larger training and development effort requires managers in the information center to have a desire to go this route, to have an understanding of what their department can contribute to the larger organizational learning effort. These managers must also understand the culture of the organization and understand it clearly and without sentiment, or romanticizing the role of the library in the organization. When these two basic requirements are met, and if there is indeed a desire to move in this direction and to establish a “learning” relationship between the specialized library and the larger organization, there are several initial steps to be taken:

Guy St. Clair is Consulting Specialist, Knowledge Management and Learning, SMR International, New York, NY. He is the author of Beyond Degrees: Professional Learning for Knowledge Services, published by K.G. Saur. A past president of the Special Libraries Association and of the New York Chapter, St. Clair actively solicits readers’ responses to this column. He can be reached at [email protected].

▲ Identify the organizational structure for strategic

(performance-centered) learning. Is there a central training and development unit (in larger organizations, this is often connected with the Human Resources Department)? Or is learning and training ad hoc, conducted on an “as-needed” basis? ▲ Know who’s in charge of strategic learning. If the

function is centralized, identify the manager with strategic learning responsibility and establish a relationship. Go slowly and gently, and listen to what’s being done (as well as – when the time is right – sharing your own thoughts and ideas). Be prepared to support your assertion that the specialized library or information center has a viable role as an organizational “knowledge services” center. For the moment forget about the benefits to the library. Think about what’s in it for the larger organization. Or what’s in it for the unit that currently has training and development responsibility.

ChapterNews

17

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

PRESIDENT-ELECT – Thomas Pellizzi

Thomas Pellizzi is a founding partner of InfoSpace Consultants, which he established in 1987 to provide design consultation and project management services for specialized libraries and information centers. He also consults on document management issues. Tom has designed specialized libraries and information centers for a prestigious group of clients within the NY Chapter and elsewhere. He has an outstanding reputation for designing functionally effective and space-efficient libraries.

ccasionally, one will read a bold-faced name in ChapterNews or receive an email announcement from a board/advisory council member and wonder, “Who IS this person and what exactly does s/he do in SLA?”

O

We thought this would be a good time to introduce ourselves and tell you a little bit about what we do in SLA and outside the library.

Tom has also been active in the NY Chapter for several years, first as Mid-town lunch (and breakfast) co-Chair, followed by Director of Publications (and interim ChapterNews Editor). Currently he is President Elect of the NY Chapter, and responsible for organizing Chapter programs. Tom was also co-Chair of Programs for the Leadership and Management Division at the Annual Conference in New York City this year.

Board Members PRESIDENT – Agnes Mattis

Agnes K. Mattis is the Head of the Corporate Library at the international law firm of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in New York, NY (1998-). Prior to joining Skadden, Arps, Agnes was the library manager at Santander Investment Securities (1996-1998); head librarian at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (1982-1995); and a reference librarian at Ernst & Whinney (1980-1982) and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette: (1977-1980).

Tom has a B.A. in Economics from Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey. SECRETARY – Andrew Gazzale

Andrew Gazzale is the head librarian for the New York Investment Banking Library at Jefferies & Company, Inc. Prior to Jefferies, Andrew was director of the Business Information Center at Arthur Andersen. Andrew received his MLS from Pratt Institute and is currently serving as Secretary of the New York Chapter.

Agnes has an M.L.S from Pratt Institute (1978) and a B.A. from York College (1975). She has been an extremely active SLA member since 1979: SLA Chapter Activities: New York Chapter: past president (1994-1995); president (2002-2004), (1992-1994); secretary (1991-1992); treasurer (1997-1999) Ways & Means committee chair (1999-2000); employment committee chair (1995-1996); nominating committee chair (1996-1997); membership committee chair (1990-1991); Northeast Regional Conference Steering Committee member (1992-1994); Northeast Regional Conference Fundraising committee chair (1992-1994).

TREASURER – Susan Gormley

Susan Gormley is a Manager of the Business Information Center at The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and is the current Treasurer of SLA-NY. Susan has been active for several years with SLA-NY in various positions, including Membership, Downtown and Midtown Luncheons, and Chapter Secretary. She’s also a current member of The Conference Board’s Information Services Advisory Council.

SLA Division Activities: Business and Finance Division: Seattle Conference chair and program planner (1996-1997); chair-elect (1995-1996); awards committee chair (1997-1998); nominating committee chair (1998-1999). Legal; Library Management; and Museum, Arts and Humanities Division: member.

Susan earned an M.S. in Library Service from Columbia University. Her hobbies include theatre, and inline skating. (Board list continues on page 19)

SLA Association-level Activities: Finance committee member (1996-1999); Conference Committee Chair (New York Conference) 2001-2003)conference planning committee member (Boston Conference) (1994-1996). In 1995 and again in 2003, Agnes was awarded the New York Chapter Distinguished Service award. Agnes lives in Cranford, NJ with her husband of 20 years, Rick. They enjoy travelling and entertaining. ChapterNews

18

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA NY BOARD MEMBERS

Meet the Board and the Advisory Council

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE – Lilleth Newby

DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS – Michael Gruenberg

Lilleth Newby is Library Director at the Public Health Library of the New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. She started eight years ago at what was then the HIV Resource Library which was expanded to the Public Health library in 2002. Lilleth has been a librarian for thirty-nine years. After graduating from the University of the West Indies with a B.A. in Library Studies, she started working with the Jamaica Library Service. In 1993 she received her M.L.S. from St. John’s University.

I have been selling information products to libraries for almost 25 years. In that time, I have called on Corporate, Legal, University and Public Libraries. My career began with a job selling microfiche copies of SEC documents for a company called Disclosure. I had the great pleasure to be there for 20 years. After leaving Disclosure, I worked for a UK-based company selling analysis of country risk. For the last three years, I have been with OneSource Information Services. I am in the Financial Services vertical where my responsibility is to represent the company to the major Investment Banks.

Lilleth has been very active in the SLA New York Chapter since the early 1990s and has worked in various capacities such as Library School Liaison for two terms during which she developed the first brochures geared toward library school students in the NY metro area. She has also worked on such committees as Outreach and Diversity Leadership. In 2000 she was awarded a Certificate of Recognition form the Chapter as well as an SLA Diversity Leadership Development Award from the Association.

Throughout my years at Disclosure, we strongly supported the efforts of SLA. When I was asked to be Director of Publications for ChapterNews of the New York chapter, I accepted the position for two reasons. 1. It gave me the opportunity to give something back to SLA which has been so good to me over the years. 2. It also gave me the opportunity to work with two of my friends, Agnes Mattis and Andrew Gazzale, who I have known for many years. Not surprisingly, the other Board members are just as delightful as Agnes and Andrew.

Lilleth is presently in her second year on the Chapter’s Board as Director of Finance responsible for compiling the budget.

As Director of Publications, I coordinate the efforts of the staff that tirelessly produce ChapterNews. Jennifer, Shirley, Kevin, Nancy and I continually strive to give the membership the best possible publication. Whether it’s a discussion on obtaining ads from vendors, getting a member to write an article or simply critiquing a design idea, we all try to be available and helpful to one another. What’s interesting to me is that we have set no rules or regulations as to how we will accomplish our tasks and yet we have produced three issues of ChapterNews with a minimum of difficulty and a maximum of efficiency. Our commitment is to provide the membership with content that is both helpful and informative. Remember, this is YOUR publication and we welcome your ideas and comments.

DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT – Steven Johnson

Steve Johnson manages the Bronx Zoo Library of the Wildlife Conservation Society, where he has worked since 1979. He is a graduate of the library school of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also earned an M.A. in American history at Wisconsin. In 2002, ChapterNews published his article “Growing an ejournal collection at the Bronx Zoo Library” 74(3):11-14. In 2003, he spoke on zoo archives at the mid-west regional workshop of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. From time to time, he posts writings on a personal website, www.westnet.com/~sjohnson/toc.htm Steve is convener of SLA’s Natural History Caucus and a member of the advisory council of NYLINK, the New York State regional affiliate of the OCLC library network. He lives in Yonkers with his wife, Allegra Hamer, and an Airedale terrier and two cats. Bicycling is his main hobby.

ChapterNews

(Continues on page 20)

19

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA NY BOARD MEMBERS

(Continued from page 18)

for the 2nd edition of the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science. (New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc. 2002). Andrew loves to travel, some of which he gets to do as part of his job, while the remainder is purely recreational. He loves New York (and is a native) and likes few things better than showing it off to visiting friends.

Advisory Council: ARCHIVES – Ellen Miller

Ellen Miller has been a member of the New York Chapter for over 30 years and has held almost every major office in the Chapter during that time. She has twice served as President of the Chapter and, most recently, was the Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for this year’s annual conference. She spent her career managing a variety of investment banking and consulting libraries, most recently at J.P.Morgan, from which she retired in 1999. Since then she has worked part-time as a library consultant and begun to learn the joys of gardening since moving to the suburbs.

BUSINESS AND FINANCE GROUP CHAIR – Richard Riccomini

Rick Riccomini is a vice president of Business Information Services at Lehman Brothers. He has a BS from Binghamton University School of Management and an MSLS from Long Island University, Palmer School. He is currently managing Lehman Brothers Financial Data Services (FDS) and Business Information Systems Groups.

ARRANGEMENTS – Leigh Hallingby

Leigh Hallingby, Arrangements Chair, holds a BA in political science from Wellesley College, a Master’s in Social Work (MSW) from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS in Library Service from Columbia University. She has been working as a special librarian since 1979, setting up and managing new libraries for the following five non-profit organizations: Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS), National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University’s School of Public Health, National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), Drug Policy Alliance, and Soros Foundations/Open Society Institute. Leigh also served as the Psychology Librarian at Columbia University for two years. Leigh has been active with the Association of Population/Family Planning Libraries and Information Centers (APLIC), Substance Abuse Librarians and Information Specialists (SALIS), and Special Libraries Association (SLA). Outside work, Leigh has been active for many years with the National Organization for Women (NOW) and Shelter Our Sisters (local domestic violence services agency in Bergen County, NJ). She enjoys collecting porcelain in the Indian Tree pattern, soaking up NYC cultural activities, and traveling.

Rick is married with two children. CAREER DAY – Robin Sanders

Robin Sanders is the new Cybrary Manager at TIAACREF. As the 2004 Chair for SLA-NY Career Day, she is responsible for organizing the annual career day event. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and her dog Miranda. CHAPTERNEWS EDITOR – Jennifer Kellerman

Jennifer is a Corporate Reference Librarian at Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison. This is her first year as ChapterNews editor. She’s responsible for soliciting, editing, and sometimes writing, pieces for ChapterNews. She also serves as co-chairperson for the Global Outreach Committee. Jennifer has an MSLS from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and a BA from New School University. CHAPTERNEWS ADVERTISING MANAGER – Nancy Bowles

Nancy Bowles has two roles on the New York Chapter Advisory Council: Ways and Means Chairperson and Advertising Manager for Chapter News. Currently, she is a Consultant. From 1997-2002, she was a Director and Head of Information Services in the Americas for UBS A. G. Prior to that, she spent many years at Dillon, Read & Co. Inc. where she was Vice President and Head of the Library. While at Dillon Read, she also arranged for the publication of a history of the firm: The Life and Times of Dillon Read, by Robert Sobel. Nancy can be reached at: 235 East 22nd Street, New York, N. Y. 10010; tel.: 212 679 7088; e-mail: [email protected].

AWARDS – Andrew Berner

Andrew Berner is Library Director and Curator of Collections at The University Club, where he as been on the Library staff since 1982. He administers not only the world’s largest private club library (with a sizable rare book collection), but also a significant art collection including numerous paintings, sculptures and prints. Andrew has served the New York Chapter in many capacities, including a stint as Chapter President (1995-96). He is currently serving as Awards Chair. Andrew is honored that this past June, at the New York Conference, he was named a Fellow of the Special Libraries Association. Last year he wrote the entry on “Rare Book Collections” ChapterNews

(Council list continues on page 21)

20

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA NY ADVISORY COUNCIL

(Continued from page 19)

track at Baruch, she has to worry about doing research and publishing. So she spends a lot of time in libraries. (She has discovered she can’t work at home.) A goal for the coming year is to have a neater office and a neater home.

Michael’s face may be unfamiliar to some, but his email address ([email protected]) is recognizable chapter-wide. As the New York Chapter’s Discussion List Manager, Michael Rivas keeps members aware of upcoming meetings, special events, and important issues that affect them as SLA librarians. This is his second year on the Advisory Board as List Manager. Having spent much of his career in electronic information management, he is now with H.W. Wilson as a Subject Analyst helping to build their authority file/thesaurus. When he’s not busy organizing information, you may find him enjoying long nature hikes upstate or reading 20th century European classics.

GOVERNANCE – Donna Abbaticchio

I am the Associate Chief of the Donnell Library Center at The New York Public Library. I’ve had many different roles in the Chapter; currently, I am the Governance Chair. In the early nineties, I was President of the Chapter. Although my current position is very public libraryoriented, I enjoy still being involved with the chapter and the friends I have made through the years.

DIVERSITY - Vandana Ranjan

LIBRARY SCHOOL LIAISON – Suzan Lee

Vandana is an excellent researcher and trainer, well- known for her quality work and fast service. She was the Knowledge Management Specialist at Bates WorldWide until October 2003. Prior to that she worked at the Brooklyn Public Library’s fast-paced Telephone Reference Center. Vandy has several years of experience in reference and library management. She worked as a solo librarian in India and built, from the ground up, two successful libraries — one academic library and one special library. She came to the United States in pursuit of online information retrieval skills and received her second Master’s in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. In her spare time she enjoys nature-gazing, biking, photography and classical music.

Suzan Lee, a Senior Research Librarian with UBS Securities LLC, is the Library School Liaison for the NY Chapter of SLA. She runs programs for the student members of the NY Chapter. Some of the programs offered include the Professional/Student Mixer, a resume workshop and review, Student-to-Student Meetups, the Internship Program, various database workshops, Speakers Bureau and scholarship programs. In addition to SLA, she is an Adjunct Professor at LIU-Palmer School. MEMBERSHIP – Sarah Warner

Sarah Warner is Director of all Operations at Wontawk, providing specialized recruitment for librarians and other information professionals. She is responsible for seeing that all placements are an optimum match for the Wontawk clients’ specialized needs.

This year she is wearing two hats, one as the Chair of SLA-NY Diversity Leadership Development Committee and the Co-Chair of SLA-LMD Program Planning Committee. In the past years, Vandy has chaired the SLA-Innovations in Technology Award Committee, co-ordinated the SLA-NY Web Committee, and managed the SLA-NY Discussion List and the SLA-ITE Discussion List.

Previously, bitten by the dot.com bug, Sarah was the content licensing manager at Amulet, whose InfoWizard innovative service provided an automated research service. For over 10 years at high-tech Wang Laboratories in Massachusetts, she managed and grew the corporate library operations and researched, wrote and published competitive analysis reports. Earlier at Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade and Douglas, an international engineering firm, Sarah was manager of the information center. Her library career began as a serials cataloger and a reference librarian at the Engineering Societies Library here in New York City.

GLOBAL OUTREACH Co-Chairpersons – Jennifer Kellerman (see ChapterNews) and Rita Ormsby

Rita Ormsby is a co-chair of the SLA-NY Global Outreach Committee this year. By day, she is an information services librarian at The William and Anita Newman Library of Baruch College, The City Univeristy of New York. Her main responsibilities are reference and instruction and serving as the library liaison to the accountancy and tax faculty. When she is not working, she enjoys going to museums, and enjoying other benefits of living in New York, traveling, getting together with friends and family, and doing some volunteer work. She thinks about going to the gym more often than she actually does. Since she is now on the tenure ChapterNews

She received her MLIS from Pratt Institute and has been an active member of Special Libraries Association for many years, including president of the Boston Chapter and NY Chapter Treasurer and is currently the Membership Chair of the New York Chapter. (Council list continues on page 22)

21

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA NY ADVISORY COUNCIL

(Continued from page 20) DISCUSSION LIST MANAGER – Michael Rivas

PROGRAMS – Bert Schacter

Marty Cullen is a Vice President with Lehman Brothers managing the Firms’ Patriot Act compliance. In 1993, he founded Legal Research Services (LRS), Lehman Brothers’ virtual legal library and the Due Diligence Research Group which has become a model for Wall Street. From 1996-2003 Marty managed Reference Services, Lehman Brothers global research support group.

I have been a library director for more than 25 years, most recently at Scholastic and earlier in advertising. I have been an active member in SLA at both division and local levels, serving on many chapter committees. This year I am helping with program planning - my role is to come up with opportunities that will allow subject groups to continue networking and meeting together on meaningful issues. I can be reached at 212-242-4459 and [email protected] and welcome contact with all my SLA buddies.

He has authored numerous articles and made presentations on the electronic law library and the management of information centers. Marty has made presentations to the Information Innovators Institute, Practising Law Institute, and SLA.

WAYS AND MEANS – Nancy Bowles

See ChapterNews Advertising Manager

Marty has served as President of the New York Chapter of SLA and the Chair of Business & Finance Division of SLA. He has appeared on the cover of Library Journal and has been nominated to the Top 100 on Wall Street for the Irish America magazine for 2004.

WEBMASTER – Shirley Loh

Shirley is an Assistant Vice President at Marsh Inc. She is the Project Manager for the Business Intelligence Unit, specializing in competitive intelligence research. Shirley has eight years’ experience doing corporate research.

Marty has over twenty years experience as an information manager. He holds an M.L.S. from Pratt Institute and a B.S. from Bradley University, which he attended on an athletic scholarship.

Shirley took over the SLA-NY webmaster position in September 2003 and is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the Chapter’s website. She has plenty of experience in this department as she helped design the intranet site for Arthur Andersen’s Business Information Center. Her original exposure to web design was handcoding HTML at Rutgers as a graduate student. When she’s not busy with work or website maintenance, Shirley likes to travel.

ChapterNews

22

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA NY ADVISORY COUNCIL

(Continued from page 21) NOMINATIONS – Martin Cullen

Librarians Making A Difference:

good cause and my husband’s good nature would carry me along. Along the way we experienced a great deal of water, mud, dirt and assorted detritus that flies up toward your face as you ride on a wet surface. We bumped along wet cobblestones in Harlem, crossed the Borough and started down the West Side Highway, also closed to traffic. There is a new perspective riding a bicycle in New York City and you get to see, smell and taste the city in a whole new way. The next highlight was traveling through the Lincoln Tunnel. It’s a bizarre experience to pedal downhill into the tunnel as cyclists are screaming at the top of their lungs just for the fun of listening to the echo. Onward, we rode through New Jersey and north through the Palisades where the trip became interesting. The flat roads disappeared and were replaced by rolling hills — lots of them. And a few large hills, I might add. By now the sun started peeking through the clouds and we started to sizzle and sweat in the heat! Because we were soaking wet, I do believe steam rose off our bodies. After 32.5 miles and a soggy peanut butter and jelly sandwich, the group turned around and, despite one more deluge pelting our bodies, it was literally all downhill from there. We crossed the George Washington Bridge, a beautiful spot to see the city, and finished at West 14th Street on Pier 54.

MS Bike Tour Provides Personal Challenge and Raises Funds by Jessica Frankel

redit Suisse First Boston (CSFB), a leading global investment banking and financial services firm, has recently created an internal initiative for all staff, referred to as “Building the Franchise.” The program includes mentoring, volunteerism and service in industry associations as well as internal committees. The Firm believes that such participation enhances its ability to attract and retain talented people and makes CSFB a better firm in the process.

C

The CSFB Libraries have enthusiastically participated at all levels in Firm-sponsored events, sharing experiences with their Library colleagues as well as other CSFB staff. Recently, a group of New York Library staff members joined others from IT, Product Control and Operations to spend a Saturday hanging sheetrock as part of a Habitat for Humanity project in which the Firm participates year round. A few weeks ago our London Library staff baked cakes and muffins as a contribution to the “World’s Largest Coffee Morning,” a national event of Macmillan Cancer Relief, held in the Library and in various locations around CSFB’s Canary Wharf location. CSFB’s catering supplier, Restaurant Associates, donated the coffee and people were asked to make donations to the Sargent/ Macmillan CSFB London’s 2003 joint charity of the year. The Library site raised over $500.

Bob and I each pedaled 65 miles that day and met a great new group of CSFB staff members. The CSFB team surpassed its $20,000 fund-raising goal, making our team one of the largest contributing teams for the event. It was a personal challenge for me (and a personal best) that really boosted my spirits by the end. I urge everyone to get out there, find a cause, become involved. Others will benefit from your expertise, and I guarantee you will be enriched by the experience. Jessica Frankel is the Director and Global Head of Library and Information Services at Credit Suisse First Boston. She can be reached at [email protected].

On September 14, 2003, the Firm sponsored a 35 member team (almost exclusively from CSFB) for the MS Bike Tour, an annual New York cycling event that raises money for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. That morning, my husband, Bob, and I started the journey from our home at 5:45 a.m. in a steady rain. We carried our bicycles up and down two flights of stairs to the #2 train and joined other intrepid riders heading down to Battery Park. The ride started at 7:30 a.m. in a foggy mist and we pedaled north onto an FDR Drive that was closed to traffic. Bob and I spent six days cycling in Italy this summer, in the foothills of the Dolomites, but I had only done one day trip of over 45 miles. On this Sunday, I was committed to the 60+ mile ride, hoping that my knees/back and/or my bicycle would not give out in the process. It was a personal challenge I made for myself, hoping that the ChapterNews

23

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

Report from IFLA 2003

TO SEE A SAMPLE OF OUR WORK... SCROLL THROUGH THE PAGES.

by Leigh Hallingby

n August 2003, I went to Berlin, Germany, to attend IFLA’s 69th (and my first) World Library and Information Congress. I was drawn, in part, to see the famous/infamous city of Berlin, and also to learn more about The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1927, IFLA, according to its website, “is the global voice of the library and information profession.” IFLA’s mission also includes promoting high standards of provision and delivery of library and information services, and encouraging widespread understanding of the value of good library and information services.

I

Gatta Design is proud to help SLA-NY design and produce ChapterNews. We’d be happy to help you, too. With projects ranging from small business, non-profit and corporate promotional collateral to full-scale identity and branding programs, packaging and illustration, creative design will get your message across. Call us for an SLA-NY discount.

To see more of our work and client list log on to www.gattago.com

There were in attendance about 4,500 participants from 133 countries, of whom only about 10% were Americans. The venue for IFLA 2003 was Berlin’s International Conference Center, which, typical of such edifices, is long on modernity and efficiency but short on coziness. The theme of the conference was “Bibliothek als Portal,” rendered into English somewhat wordily as “Access Point Libraries — Media, Information, Culture.” Berlin’s signature Brandenburg Gate, now the symbol of German reunification, was the conference’s appropriate logo. There was a plenary opening session at the end of the first day including addresses by the Mayor of Berlin, the retiring IFLA President, Christine Deschamps of France, and keynote speaker Klaus Gerhard Saur of K.G. Saur Publishing. Generally, the IFLA conference revolves minimally around huge plenary sessions with well-known speakers and maximally around many simultaneous smaller sessions extending throughout the four main days. These sessions are divided into themes related to kinds of libraries, library functions, or geographic areas.

286 SPRING STREET, SUITE 301 NEW YORK, NY 10013-1427 TEL (212) 229-0071, FAX (212) 229-0074 e-mail: [email protected] www.gattago.com

For the latter, I went to the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, which was established in the 18th century and now includes 850,000 volumes and 1,300 journals, plus 150,000 manuscripts of the members of the Academy. It was fascinating to see samplings from this unique collection on the period of the Enlightenment and the history of science, including, for instance, a notebook in the hand of Albert Einstein.

There were also many opportunities to attend conference activities offsite. I made a point of doing this as often as possible, as I consider access to wonderful old European libraries a major attraction of going to a library conference in Europe. I also took advantage of two other offerings covered in the registration fee of all conference participants: a half-day bus tour of Berlin and a visit to one library I could select from a list of tantalizing possibilities.

Since I was actually at IFLA as a private citizen, rather than under the sponsorship of my employer, I was free to attend sessions that did not relate to my job running the library at a foundation dealing with human rights. So I enjoyed sitting in on the Art Librarians session and learning about Elsa Buffington, who, as a youthful librarian at the turn of the 20th century, set up the original library at the Rhode Island School of Design; about a collection of photographs of public art taken by a librarian in Los Angeles (who did the presentation); and about recent (Continues on page 25)

ChapterNews

24

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 24)

developments in museum libraries in France. A session I attended on the theme of reading focused on the positive impact of the Internet on reading in China, Iran, and Mexico. In honor of the conference city and of my past experience running a library on human sexuality, I also attended a Government Libraries session which included a presentation on the pioneering Institute for Sexual Science Library, founded in 1919 in Berlin by the leftist and early homosexual rights advocate Magnus Hirschfeld. Its 10,000 books were destroyed by the Nazis in the 1930s. The presentations that I attended varied, as they usually do at any conference, from crisp and effective, to excruciatingly detailed and ineffective.

In the afternoon, as part of the same workshop, we were bussed to the Deutsches Musikarchiv Berlin (German Music Archive Berlin), located in an old mansion in the outer reaches of Berlin. It is, among other things, a depository library, receiving annually one copy of each of the 20,000 musical recordings (in all formats) released in Germany. There was a fascinating display for our benefit of all the forms that recorded music has taken, from vinyl disks to tapes to laser disks to video, etc., culminating, of course, in the current CD. One could not help but think that the CD will not be the end of the line either and will eventually take its place as a stop along the way to newer technologies. The Archive also buys special collections from private collectors and performers. Unfortunately, the Archive’s catalog records do not go into OCLC.

The crème de la crème, by far, of the sessions I attended was an all-day rare books workshop on “Music collections in Berlin,” held in the State Library of Berlin/Prussian Cultural Center. My thinking that Berlin would be an outstanding venue for a workshop of this type was, not surprisingly, on target. For instance, in honor of IFLA, there was a special exhibition of musical scores of many of the greatest composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Mendelson, and Mozart. There were speakers on the holdings in the State Library’s collection, on restoration and digitization of music manuscripts, and, most fascinating of all, on papersplitting. We saw a film of this astonishing, heart-stopping process in which one page of thin, brittle paper, after being chemically treated, can literally be neatly split into two pages by hand or by machine. This works because the fiber links in the paper are weaker (due to acid content, etc.) than the links produced between the paper and the “carriers” attached to it in this process with a specially formulated adhesive. The two halves, after getting a strengthening insert, are then reattached, dried, and rebound. One huge advantage of this process is that the front and the back of the page, where the text is, remain unchanged, but become much stronger. A stack of pages treated in this manner amazingly gains so little thickness in the process that it can usually be put back into its original binding.

Berlin Travelogue Of course, I managed to be in Berlin for the much-publicized 2003 European heatwave and to return to New York for the much-publicized 2003 blackout. Berlin was mercifully far from the heatwave’s epicenter, but was plenty toasty with temps every day in the 80’s or 90’s. However, the experience was unlike any that I have ever had during a Northeast U.S. heatwave. The European air was quite dry (probably 40-50% humidity), which meant that although the days were seriously hot, the evenings and mornings were seriously pleasant. The dry air also meant unfortunately that there would be no rain, an extremely disturbing situation given the great need for rain in Europe for growing crops and for quelling fires. Although both the conference center and my hotel were mercifully air conditioned, air conditioning remains a relative rarity in Europe. Generally, libraries, museums, and universities are not air conditioned, so I couldn’t help but ponder the fate of books and manuscripts, as well as of people and crops, in the searing heat. Berlin is financially broke (due in part to a scandal). In spite of this, the public transit buses and subways (none with air conditioning) ran frequently, even though they were far from full. One wonderful perk of being a conference attendee was that our badges were also in effect free Metrocards, giving us full access to the userfriendly Berlin public transportation system. This local equivalent of the MTA operates on the honor system in terms of payment, a great curiosity to a New York rider like me who cannot fathom such a system here. (Continues on page 26)

ChapterNews

25

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

(Continued from page 25)

Another curiosity in Berlin, given the lack of money, is the impressive amount of construction around the city. One interesting explanation for this is heavy use of black market laborers from Eastern Europe who are willing to work for significantly lower wages than the unionized Germans would demand. Apparently there is considerable concern in Berlin about how the employment/unemployment situation will play out when nearby Poland, where the workers are used to much lower wages than the Germans, enters the European Union.

Conclusion It is not easy to draw generalizations from a conference that literally spanned the globe. Freedom and equality of access to information, as well as freedom of expression, were pervasive sub-themes throughout. Unfortunately, there is significant reason for pessimism in these areas. IFLA just published a report showing that 48 % of library associations around the world support Internet filtering – and not just to protect children from unwitting exposure to pornography. Lively debates also took place on the impact of the anti-terrorism legislation being introduced around the world, which often impedes free access to information. The IFLA Congress approved a resolution deploring the introduction of legislation that violates fundamental human rights to privacy and unhampered access to information in the name of national security. The resolution calls for the repeal or amendment of all such legislation in order to protect these rights. Reporting on a recent visit to Iraq, Jean-Marie Arnoult, France’s Inspector General of Libraries and the only librarian on the summer 2003 UNESCO Expert Mission, showed distressing images of libraries and archives damaged and destroyed during the war.

Although Berlin is not known as a “river city” – the way Budapest, London, and Paris are — it turns out that it is indeed home to the Spree River, which with its accompanying canals, actually takes half a day to navigate on the equivalent of the Berlin Circle Line tour. This is an excellent way to see the sprawling city, as the Spree, like the major city streets, runs East/West right through the middle of Berlin. Berlin is a terrific museum town, and I especially appreciated the fact that many of the museums are specialized, thereby helping the tourist to avoid walking into the equivalent of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and wondering where to even begin. There’s the Pergamon which has a world class collection of antiquities from Greece, Rome, and the Muslim world. The Egyptian Museum rivals the best in that category and is especially famed for the head of Nefertiti which appeared in Time magazine the week that I returned. There is the Brohan specializing in Art Nouveau and Art Deco and the Berggruen across the street with an impressive collection of Picasso, Matisse, and Klee. And of course, the newest addition to Berlin’s museum landscape is the architecturally angular and exciting Jewish Museum, designed by Daniel Libeskind, the World Trade Center site designer.

But if there are reasons for serious concern, there are also causes for optimism. The presentations from speakers at the Reading session indicated that the Internet is making more information and reading material available to people in developing countries, especially young people. And if regime change such as that in Iraq can devastate libraries, political change in other countries can lead to the development of libraries and archives, as has happened in Mali since the Traoré dictatorship was ousted in 1991. IFLA will be in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2004 and in Oslo, Norway, in 2005. Attending an IFLA conference is certainly a highly recommended way to get a global view of the library and information profession and to see a world class city in the process. Much more information about the organization and its conferences can be found at: www.ifla.org Leigh Hallingby is Head Librarian at the Soros Foundations/ Open Society Institute in New York City. She can be reached at [email protected]

ChapterNews

26

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

The virtual seminar format makes it possible for SLA to plan and announce new seminars on relatively short notice. The New York Chapter did not offer Barbara Quint’s May 2002 seminar because it was a late addition to the schedule and too close to the annual conference. The chapter also decided not to offer the Virtual Association seminars held during the 2002 and 2003 SLA annual conferences. In these cases, the regular audience for the seminars would be attending the conferences in person.

New Opportunity for Learning By Steve Johnson

n 2002, SLA began a series of web-enabled Virtual Seminars in order to extend continuing education for SLA members and other interested parties. The seminar speaker communicates with the virtual audience via telephone — an 800 number is provided to registrants — and with PowerPoint slides provided via secure web site. Audience members can receive the program from any location with a telephone line permitting 800 calls and an internet connection.

I

Thanks to M.E. Greene-Cohen, Susan Gormley, Anne Lehman, Vandana Ranjan, Harriet Schick, and Sarah Warner for helping with the Virtual Seminar series. Web Seminar Service and Technology Vendors SLA’s Virtual Seminars are disseminated by KRM Information Services, using the Placeware system for web enabled telephone seminars. In 2003, Microsoft purchased Placeware and rebranded the product as “Microsoft Office LiveMeeting, a Placeware Service.”

During the program’s first year, SLA offered eight seminars, two of them in conjunction with the SLA Annual Conference. Using a rented conference room at the New York Public Library’s Science, Industry and Business Library, the New York Chapter of SLA offered free access to six of the seminars. The New York Chapter paid registration fees for each seminar and room rental.

KRM’s conferencing services are described at www.krm.com. For Placeware, see http://main.placeware.com/. KRM has great customer service. The service reps saved the day for me on more than one occasion.

For 2004, SLA has announced plans for sixteen seminars. As I write, your Executive Board is determining how many seminars to include in the budget for professional development for calendar 2004.

In my experience, the SLA Virtual Seminars are comparable in quality to presentations at the SLA conference. The use of PowerPoint for presentations is certainly a common format whether the speaker is in the room or remote. In the virtual seminar, the lack of eye contact obviously makes a difference in presentation for both the speaker and the audience. In a recent seminar, Jane Dysart and Rebecca Jones commented on the absence of the visual feedback from the audience, to which they are accustomed.

In the first two years, seminar speakers have included Guy St. Clair, Rachel Singer Gordon, Jane Dysart, and Rebecca Jones. Other speakers have come from a variety of allied fields. A list of past speakers and topics appears at the end of this column. Speakers already announced for 2004 include Gary Price, Rebecca Jones, Mary Lee Kennedy, Donna Scheeder, and Stephen Abram.

Audience members may communicate with the seminar speaker, using either the computer keyboard or the speaker phone. Access to the keyboard or telephone is obviously limited by the number of individuals in the audience at a given site. For a seminar of crucial interest, one might want to register one’s own site to ensure the ability to communicate with the speaker by telephone.

By the end of 2003, SLA will have offered fourteen programs in the second year of virtual seminars. The New York Chapter made ten of the programs available to members, again without charge. As in the previous year, two of the seminars were held in conjunction with the SLA annual conference.

The speaker phone is probably the weakest link of the virtual seminar room experience. Anyone who has attended several of the seminars in New York can probably recall an instance of the audio being dropped briefly or an unsuccessful attempt to talk to the speaker during the “Q&A” session. In retrospect, these glitches seem minor. One of the characteristics of the virtual seminar format is that SLA also sells the program in “v-paks” consisting of audio recordings of the session and printouts of the PowerPoint presentations. The price of the v-pak is (Continues on page 28) ChapterNews

27

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA VIRTUAL SEMINARS

SLA Virtual Seminars:

lower than the price for in-person attendance. SLA continues to sell v-paks for all past virtual seminars. Although some material may become dated, the v-pak format provides a way for a person to obtain the substance of a seminar they could not attend in real time.

I hope you will consider participating in a Virtual Seminar in calendar 2004. Seats are available at almost all seminars, which are announced via e-mail to SLA-NY chapter members and via the Chapter website, http://www.sla.org/ chapter/cny/.

Bringing an SLA Vir tual Seminar to Your Home or Workplace

If you don’t receive e-mail announcements for the seminars, you should make sure your e-mail address is in your Who’s Who record at SLA. This is the source of the SLANY-ANNOUNCE mailing list.

To bring an SLA Virtual Seminar to your home or workplace, or learn more about past and forthcoming virtual seminars, visit SLA virtual association pages, as follows:

I welcome your comments and questions about the Virtual Seminar series and other professional development activities. My email address is [email protected]. I can usually be reached by phone at 718 220-6719.

Virtual Learning Series http://www.sla.org/ content/events/distance/virtsem2004/index.cfm

Conference Room 018, Where Virtual Seminars Happen

http://www.sla.org/ content/Events/distance/virtsem2003/index.cfm

The New York Chapter holds the Virtual Seminar series in the Conference Room 018 at New York Public Library’s Science, Industry and Business Library,188 Madison Avenue. Conference Room 018 is located off Healy Hall on the lower level of the library, down one level from the library entrance. The conference room is on the same floor as the Electronic Information Center and the McGraw Information Services Center.

http://www.sla.org/ content/events/distance/virtsem2002/index.cfm Career Development Series http://www.sla.org/ content/learn/careerdevelopment/index.cfm

Virtual seminar registration fees are based on site, rather than by number of persons at the site. Registration for a ten person site costs no more than a one person site. For 2004 series seminars, registration costs $190 per site for members, $240 for non-members.

The Virtual Seminar series is not a public program of the New York Public Library. SLA Virtual Seminars, 2002-2003.

Members may purchase past seminars in V-Pak format for $95. The non-member price is $145. V-pak prices for future seminars are increasing to $105 for members, $155 for non-members. The V-pak consists of an audio recording in cassette format, a printout of the presentation slide, and instructions for accessing the presentation on the web.

Note: Seminars marked with an asterisk (*) were not hosted locally by the New York Chapter of SLA. 2002 February 27

Ulla de Sticker, Is consulting for you?

April 24

KRM Information Services handles credit card and other billing for SLA.

Chris Olson, Grooming Passionate Library Evangelists.

June 10*

Jan Sykes, Return on Information Investment: Quantifying Your Value in the Organization.

Audience Seating

June 12*

Sue Henczel, Planning an Information Audit.

Audiences at the SLA-hosted virtual seminars have ranged from a low of 14 to a high of more than 50, in a room which normally seats 48. Typically, audience members show up just in time for the program and disperse almost immediately afterward, minimizing the social interaction so common at SLA events of all types. SLA has suggested that individual chapters host discussions at the conclusion of the seminars.

June 26

Guy St. Clair, Knowledge Services: Specialist Librarians in the New Profession.

September 25

Debra M. Amidon, Knowledge Innovation the True Competitive Intelligence.

October 30

Alison J. Head, Beyond the Firewall: New Research About the Usability of Corporate Research Intranets.

December 4

Tina Byrne, Marketing Your Special Library: Create Desire for Your Services.

Some SLA chapters charge a fee to their members for admission to sites hosting the Virtual Seminar series. At the New York Chapter, president Agnes Mattis has affirmed the tradition of free admission to meetings and educational events.

ChapterNews

(Continues on page 29)

28

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004

SLA VIRTUAL SEMINARS

(Continued from page 27)

2003 January 24th

SLA VIRTUAL SEMINARS

(Continued from page 28) Jay Van Eman, Taxonomies for Indexing.

February 26th John Deveney, Crisis Communications. April 30th

Randy Englund, An Organic Approach to Project Management.

May 21*

Barbara Quint, Information Research Strategists.

June 9*

Roy Tennant, XML in a Nutshell.

June 20*

Amy Affelt, Nancy Carlson, Jill Konieczko, The Value of the Information Professional.

June 23*

Jay Van Eman, Taxonomies for Indexing Advanced Seminar.

September 24

Chris Olson, Branding Master Class.

October 8

Rachel Singer Gordon, Job Hunting Online.

October 29

Michael Kull, Knowledge Management: the Role of Story Telling.

November 5*

Kerry Patterson, Crucial Conservations.

November 19

Judy Siess, The Visible Librarian: Asserting Your Value through Marketing and Advocacy.

December 3

Jane Dysart and Rebecca Jones, Business Planning: Building the Plan and the Buy-In.

December 17

Cindy Hill and Terry Huwe, Competencies for Info Pros: the Critical Balance.

Steve Johnson is the Director of Professional Development for the New York Chapter of SLA. He is also Manager of the Bronx Zoo Library, Wildlife Conservation Society. He can be reached at [email protected].

ChapterNews

29

Vol. 75, #4 Winter 2003-2004