Super ROI – Professional Associations

Why those in, or soon to be in, the library and information professions should join!

Sara R. Tompson • Director (at large) Special Libraries Association (SLA) Board and • Associate Dean for Library Public Service, University of Southern California

5 March, 2011 For San Jose State

University SLIS: LISSTEN/ALASC

Workshop

Introductions  You and your library interests?

 Me  Science/engineering librarian by trade  Have always been a joiner – work well in teams  SLA since 1990, various offices  Also ACRL, ALISE, ALA  Aviator (in a flying club!)

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Some Data on Joining from SLA Leadership Summit

 Susan Robertson, VP of ASAE – the association of association executives, shared some interesting data on why people join associations.

 http://www.asaecenter.org/Resources/decisiontojoin.cfm

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIoW7z-zv_s

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Some Data on Joining from SLA Leadership Summit

 #1 reason to join – to have an impact (on society, on profession, etc.)

  #2 reason – personal benefits (from being engaged; unengaged members not reaping many/as many benefits)

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Some of the Benefits of associations members

reported to ASAE:

 Access to up-to-date info

  Professional development programming; career information

 Networking with colleagues

 Leadership opportunities

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Decision to Volunteer ASAE study – a few results:

 #1 reason people do not volunteer – they don’t know about opportunities!

  There does have to be some WIIFM ROI  I think benefits list partially fills   Alignment with personal values a key

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Some Data on Joining from SLA Leadership Summit

  Susan Robertson: http://www.asaecenter.org/Profile/CommunityCloseUp.cfm?ExternalID=507805

  Slides (SLA members only): http://www.sla.org/Presentations/11leadsumm/012111_robertson.ppt

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Why did YOU Join ALA or SLA or LISSTEN?

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Why I Join….. 9

  “To Be of Use”!   Marge Piercy poem says it all   “I want to be with people who

submerge in the task….who are not parlor generals and field deserters / but move in a common rhythm…”

  Very relevant to service profession like librarianship

 http://www.northnode.org/poem.htm

Some relevant links: (see also handouts!)

 Remember, student memberships are discounted!

 Look for links on Facebook, and for associations’ blogs, etc.

 http://www.sla.org/content/membership/joinsla/index.cfm

 http://www.ala.org/ala/membership/index.cfm

 http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/acrl/about/membership/index.cfm

  http://www.aiip.org/JoinAIIP

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Super ROI: QUESTIONS? Now or later, both fine

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 saratifr@gmail.com or sarat@usc.edu

 www.facebook.com/sara.tompson

 www.linkedin.com/in/saratompson

 http://isd.usc.edu/~sarat/SRTCV.pdf