Saturday, March 31, 2012

Pharmaceutical & Health Technology Division SLA Conference Award

The Pharmaceutical & Health Technology Division (PHT) will award stipends of up to $1,500 for the SLA Annual Meeting (July 15-18, 2012 in Chicago, IL).

Details are provided below.

Special Libraries Association Annual Meeting Travel Awards
April 13, 2012 Deadline
SLA Annual Meeting
July 15-18, 2012 Chicago, IL

The Pharmaceutical & Health Technology Division will award stipends of up to $1,500 for the SLA Annual Meeting. This award will be paid up front to the selected recipient(s).

Entry Requirements:

For consideration of the SLA Annual Meeting Travel Award, the applicant must be at least one of the following:

  • Students enrolled in a library science program and who express an interest in pursuing a career in corporate librarianship in the Pharmaceutical or Health Technology Industries (should be a PHT Division Student Member)
  • Current professional PHT Division Members who are in need of travel assistance to attend the SLA Annual Meeting

Timeline:

  • Qualified applicants must submit all requirements by: April 13, 2012
  • Notifications for all applicants will be sent by: April 30, 2012

Submission Contact:

Please submit your application by April 13, 2012, to Rochelle L. Stern, MLIS rcls@novonordisk.com

All SLA Travel Awards are to be coordinated by the SLA PHT Student Relations Chair, and judged by the SLA PHT Board. For any additional questions or comments please contact Rochelle Stern, PHT Student Relations Chair (rcls@novonordisk.com/609-514-8360).

Submission Requirements:

  1. Cover Page with Name & Contact Information
  2. Updated Resume
  3. Two Paragraphs (3-5 sentences each) on:
    • “Why I want to go to the SLA Annual Conference” (Everyone)
    • “Why am I interested in the PHT Division?” (Students only)
  4. Short Answer Essay (1-2 pages) – Pick one of the topics on the below (see Short Answer Essay Topics) OR submit a similar piece of scholarly work (the winning essay will be published in SLA PHTD CapLits publication)

Tips for Short Essay:

  • Be sure to demonstrate creative applications of technology, awareness of available resources, and in-depth analysis of current issues
  • List all applicable references, sources, and analytical processes
  • Be creative – teach us something we may not know
  • The winning essay will be published in SLA PHTD CapLits publication so make a scholarly impression – use and list resources and your search criteria or processes to research and write the essay


Short Answer Essay Topics (select one):

Future Forecasting
-Describe a future vision for corporate information profession. There has been a noticeable shift in corporate librarians delivering knowledge as opposed to information. Provide some concrete and conceptual ways this is occurring. What are some of the competency shifts librarians must make in order to deliver knowledge, and how should they accomplish this?
-Currently, we see corporate libraries losing budget or being cut altogether from an organization. The issue companies often provide is that it is unable to establish a clear value relationship between library services and the organization’s bottom line. What strategies and actions should corporate librarians employ to ensure value, and future sustainability?

Arguing the Value of Current and Future Librarianship
-Situation: You have encountered a conversation around the common corporate meeting area that proclaims information on the Internet alone provides all sufficient information on the latest research on Alzheimer’s drug therapy. As an information professional, you have an obligation to defend the competencies of the librarian, along with professional resources. Develop a convincing, but diplomatic, argument defending the thesis that the Internet alone is not enough, and would garner support for value-added corporate librarian services.
-Thesis: Information technology such as streaming and downloadable audio, video, and digital book technology, will displace the librarian. Defend this thesis and develop solutions or approaches for information professionals to work with these resources in order to complement value of emerging technologies.

Technology
-Users want to customize library deliverables, and therefore, the importance for libraries to develop their own proprietary applications (RSS feeds, widgets, etc) is increasing. Summarize deliverables that can be potentially customizable, and include some solid ideas based on current or upcoming software on how to plan for these customized tools.
-With the vast numbers of online health consumer information, the barrier of waiting for health information from a doctor has reduced; however, access to inaccurate, outdated, and irresponsible health information has increased. Research an instance where a health consumer(s) or a health professional(s) experienced this situation. Define how an informational professional would be able to intervene, and what kinds of programs and/or resources could be developed to impart credible health information to consumers, or to consumers via health professionals.

Business of Health/Medical Libraries
-What is the pathway for entry into the medical information profession? Interview PHT members or summarize sufficient attributes of three or more medical/health librarians. Make conclusions as to whether there is a typical trend pathway to the typical positions in the corporate medical world.
-Research life science corporations with medical information job postings in the past 2 years. What are the core competencies wanted for entry level / mid-level / veteran-level positions? What are the implications for information professionals in each of these three levels?
-Based on a listing of companies with known information professionals (contactrcls@novonordisk.com for the listing), compare and contrast the performance (stock market, percent revenue/profit growth, hiring trends) of these companies and those in the same sector without existing information professionals.
-Summarize library literature on success in the corporate library. How has it changed in the last twenty years? What are the keys to success today?

Monday, March 26, 2012

Cover Letter Workshop Follow-up!

Thank you to everyone who came out to our Cover Letter Workshop with Ulla de Stricker! We would also like to thank the numerous volunteers who submitted their cover letters. Your submissions helped make the workshop a great success. For those of you who were unable to attend, never fear... Ulla had some fantastic pointers and we are sharing them with you.

View a .pdf of Ulla's Presentation

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Cover Letter Workshop Reminder

Hello all,

This is just a reminder about our Cover Letter Workshop with Ulla de Stricker. Join us tomorrow (Monday, March 26th) as we learn how to improve our cover letter writing skills and land the interview!

Date: Monday, March 26
Time: 12:10pm-1:30pm
Location: Room 728, Claude Bissell

Please bring your lunch - Cookies will be provided.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

2012 Informart's SLA Toronto Student-to-Conference Award

Interested in attending the SLA Annual Conference in Chicago? Then read on...

SLA Toronto has once again partnered with Infomart to establish the SLA Toronto Infomart Student-to-Conference Awards. With Infomart's generous support, 2 students will be chosen to each receive a $1,500 grant to attend the SLA Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois from July 15-18, 2012.

The SLA Conference is the one time a year when members gather from around the world. This annual event is an exemplary opportunity to learn, connect, and cultivate one's career in the information profession. "The SLA Toronto Chapter is immensely grateful to partner with Infomart in giving these grants to deserving students who are the future of the special libraries profession. Attending the conference provides an invaluable experience for these future leaders.", says Laura Warner, 2012 SLA Toronto Chapter President.

Infomart is Canada's leading media intelligence agency with more than 25 years of delivering media monitoring and research solutions to Canada's best-informed institutions. Covering print, social media platforms, radio, television, and online news, Infomart gives you the intelligence you need to optimize your media strategies, saving time, saving money, and fueling more effective and efficient media-related decisions that contribute to your bottom line. At the end of the day, Infomart helps Canadian companies, agencies, and organizations drive bottom-line efficiencies by providing fast, relevant and accurate media monitoring, research, and reporting solutions.

Two students will be selected to receive this award by the SLA Toronto Executive Board. Applicants must be willing to serve on the Executive or Advisory Board of the Toronto Chapter in the 2013 Chapter year, and the essays of the award recipients will be published in The Courier, SLA Toronto's newsletter.

Eligibility
  • Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited library or information science program during the 2011/12 academic school year and be interested in a career in special librarianship.
  • The chosen recipients may not accept a travel award for the 2012 conference from any other SLA Division or Chapter.
  • The chosen recipients must serve on the SLA Toronto Chapter Executive or Advisory Boards in the 2013 Chapter year.
  • The chosen recipients must attend the SLA Conference in Chicago, Illinois from July 15-18, 2012 - The chosen recipients must submit a copy of their conference registration, travel and accommodation receipts, and all other relevant receipts pertaining to conference attendance to the Awards Chair (Claire Lysnes) in order to receive the grant, which will be reimbursed following the conference.
  • Prior to receiving the grant, the chosen recipients must attend a breakfast with representatives of Award sponsor, Infomart; Chapter Executive Board members; and the Awards Chair, Claire Lysnes, at a time convenient to the award sponsor.

Application Procedures

  • Applicants must prepare a written statement, in English, of up to 500 words on what they hope to gain from the conference experience.
  • Applicants must also provide a current résumé along with up to three references.
  • Applicants should submit these documents, along with their address, telephone number, and email address no later than April 9, 2012 at 5pm to Awards Chair, Claire Lysnes (clysnes[at]gmail.com).

The chosen recipients will be notified during the week of April 23, 2012. Questions can be directed to Awards Chair, Claire Lysnes at clysnes[at]gmail.com

Sunday, March 18, 2012

SLA TSG's workshop - Professional Packaging: Easy Ways to Promote Yourself as a Professional with Ulla de Stricker

Join Ulla de Stricker and the SLA Toronto Student Group for a workshop on Professional Packaging!

Information professionals must constantly explain what we do and why it's worthwhile for employers to pay us for doing it. This workshop will draw on the ideas from the book, The Information and Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success, that Ulla co-authored with Jill Hurst-Wahl. Topics discussed will include:

  • Determining what organizations offer you a good professional "fit"
  • Using promotional activities to increase awareness of your organizational role
  • Fashioning the value message
  • Choosing and crafting a professional image

Date: Tuesday, April 3
Time: 12:10pm-1:30pm
Location: Room 728, Claude Bissell

*Please bring your lunch - Cookies will be provided.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Three Tips for Students Interested in Law Librarianship

Our tour for March took us all the way to the 34th floor of First Canadian Place, and the location of Bennett Jones LLP Library and Information Services Department. The student group had the chance to sit and chat with Jane Freeman (Library Supervisor, Toronto), Christine DeLuca (Law Librarian/Intelligence Analyst), Zena Applebaum (Manager, Intelligence and Intranet) and Lenore Bergson (Library Technician), as well as BMO Law Department’s librarian Katie Thomas, whose library is on the 21st floor of First Canadian Place.

The professionals spoke about the rewards and challenges related to law librarianship, as well as the projects and responsibilities they take on to help gather and disseminate research in the firm, such as the firm Intranet, and embedding librarians in practice groups, all which help increase the usage of the library services.

The physical library consists of a number of shelving units, housing up-to-date legal publications and literature, as well as bound copies of provincial and federal statutes. However most of the information is housed in online databases, such as QuickLaw, Factiva, FP Infomart, Bloomberg, and CaptialIQ to name just a few. The librarians use these sources to access the information required or requested by their clients, as well as provide training on these resources for articling students and lawyers.

The Bennett Jones Library and Information Services department shared some useful tips for students interested in law librarianship:

1. Take a course that will give you some basic understanding of legal research. Courses offered at the iSchool include INF 2136 - Government Information and Publications and/or INF 2133 - Legal Literature and Librarianship.

2. “Work your network” - join and volunteer in the library associations geared towards law librarianship, such as SLA, TALL(Toronto Association of Law Libraries), or CALL (Canadian Association of Law Libraries) and get to know the information professionals. Ask if you can meet with them over a coffee break for an information interview to find out more about their career, projects, responsibilities.

3. Get some hands-on experience – send your resume around to law libraries and see if they would be interested in taking on a library student to help in their centre. That’s what Christine did in the summer between her first and second year at the iSchool. It eventually led to her current position at Bennett Jones. Also consider taking INF 2158: Management of Corporate and Other Information Centres, where a component of the course involves a 45-hour placement at a special library, with some placement offerings at Toronto-area law libraries.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Cover Letter Makeover Workshop with Ulla de Stricker

Join Ulla de Stricker and the SLA-TSG for a Cover Letter Makeover workshop. Ulla de Stricker is the Career Guidance Chair of the SLA Toronto Chapter and has helped many iSchool students with their professional development over the years.

Students are invited to email anonymized versions of their cover letters to the SLA Toronto Student Group at sla.tsg.1[at]gmail.com. Ulla will then use "before" cover letter examples to illustrate tips and tricks for crafting stronger cover letters. Students will leave the workshop with "after" cover letter versions that can be used as professional templates for the future.

Date: Monday, March 26

Time: 12:10pm-1:30pm

Location: Room 728, Claude Bissell

*Please bring your lunch - Cookies will be provided.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Bennet Jones Law Library Tour Reminder

Our Bennet Jones Law Library tour is TOMORROW! For everyone who will be joining us, the details are as follows:

Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 6th) at 1pm.

Bennett Jones is located on the 34th floor of First Canadian Place, 100 King Street West. We will meet in the reception area on the 34th floor.


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