SLA Toronto Event: Creating Your Personal Brand

SLA Toronto's First Five Years Team is holding their first fall event:

 Creating Your Personal Brand

Date: Thursday, October 22nd
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Lillian H. Smith Library

Information about the event and registering is here. 



More information from the SLA website:
 
Ever wonder how can you raise your profile if you are new to the profession? Social media is one way to have an impact and get noticed. Join consultant Connie Crosby as she leads our discussion on how you can blog, tweet or instagram your way to building a solid reputation as an information professional.
About Connie Crosby Principal of Crosby Group Consulting, Connie is a knowledge management consultant who specializes in information management, library management, social media, and records management. Connie has been blogging for over a decade on her own blog conniecrosby.blogspot.com and as a core contributor to the prominent law blog SLAW.ca. Her book Effective Blogging for Libraries was part of the award-winning Tech Set series edited by Ellyssa Kroski and published by ALA/Neal-Schuman in 2010. She co-taught (along with Daniel Lee) the Social Media Engagement certificate at the iSchool Institute. Connie currently serves as President of the Canadian Association of Law Libraries and is a co-organizer of the Toronto KM meetup group Knowledge Workers.
Light refreshments will be provided during the event.
Pricing: SLA Members and Students - $10 Non-Members - $20 Registration closes Oct. 19th at midnight
If you have any questions, please contact the New Information Professional Coordinator, Jessica Shiers -jessicashiers@gmail.com

Holiday Social & Call for Volunteers

You’re invited! The SLA Toronto Chapter, the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Information Alumni Association (FIAA), Toronto Health Libraries Association (THLA) and Ontario Library Association Special Libraries Committee (OLA-SLC) cordially invite you to this year’s Joint Holiday Social at The Arts and Letters Club. Join friends and colleagues for a fun-filled evening of holiday cheer. A selection of hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

The cost is $15 for students, and the event will be held on December 11 from 6-8 pm at the Arts and Letters Club at 14 Elm Street. Visit http://toronto.sla.org/joint-holiday-social-dec-11-2014/ for more information and to register for the event.

This year SLA Toronto is organizing a buddy program for students and new members. Students and new members will be paired with an experienced member so they can be introduced to other members at the social. Students can sign up when they register for the Social. It’s a great networking opportunity!

We would also like to let everyone know about a volunteer opportunity with SLA! SLA Toronto has asked SLA-TSG for volunteers to help with an interview project in celebration of the Toronto chapter’s 75th anniversary. Volunteers would need to interview a past president or major contributor to SLA Toronto and write a short piece for the website.

If you’re interested in volunteering, send an email to sla.tsg.1@gmail.com and we’ll connect you with Christine DeLuca, SLA Toronto’s First Five Years chair.

Ulla de Stricker Professional Workshop Development Series

In today's competitive job market, are you wondering how to stand out? How do you make potential employers notice you from all the other candidates?

iSchool students are in luck as the dynamic Ulla de Stricker is offering a free professional development series to help you navigate the path to employment!

Ulla is a highly sought-after consultant and coach for library staff. Having held numerous senior positions in the information industry, Ulla has extensive understanding of the day to day practices of knowledge workers and what potential employers in all areas of the information industry are looking for.

The SLA-TSG is delighted that the SLA Toronto Chapter and Ulla have offered to host a series of workshops to help iSchool students stand out in print and in person!

Come take part in Ulla’s lively, informative sessions on:

• Cover Letters Workshop (with “before” and “after” examples!)
Thurs, Oct 24, 2012 from 12-1:30pm, Room 310 (Claude T. Bissell building)

• Resumes Workshop (with “before” and “after” examples!)
Thurs, Nov 14, 2012 from 12-1:30pm, Room 310 (Claude T. Bissell building)

• The Job Interview: Projecting Competence, Confidence, and Fit with
Organizational Culture
Thurs, Jan 23, 2013 from 12-1:30pm, Room 310 (Claude T. Bissell building)

• Professional Branding and Packaging
Thurs, Feb 20, 2013 from 12-1:30pm, Room 310 (Claude T. Bissell building)

All workshops are by registration only.

If you cannot make it to a workshop that you have registered for, please cancel at least 5 days in advance, so that we can give your spot to someone else!

Please note that the iSchool students will be given priority, but remaining spaces will be open to SLA members.

Register at sla.tsg.1@gmail.com

Come learn how to make a lasting, professional impression with Ulla de Stricker! See you there!

Visit Ulla’s website: http://www.destricker.com

SLA Toronto Chapter & TO Desk Set Pub Quiz Reminder

Just a reminder for anyone interested in some Leap Day trivia! The SLA Toronto Chapter and Toronto Desk Set are co-hosting a monthly pub quiz tomorrow! Details are as follows:

When: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 (TOMORROW!)

Time: 6:30 - 8:30

Where: Pour House Irish Pub, 182 Dupont Ave., Toronto

For more details and to RSVP, please click here.

View Larger Map

Get your Trivia ON!

Calling all trivia buffs for a pub quiz...

Interested in taking part in some trivial pursuits? The SLA Toronto Chapter and Toronto Desk Set will be co-hosting a monthly pub quiz next week. Details are as follows:

When: Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Time: 6:30 - 8:30

Where: Pour House Irish Pub, 182 Dupont Ave., Toronto

For more details and to RSVP, please click here.

View Larger Map

SLA Toronto/FIAA/T-SLIS Joint Holiday Social and a Travel Stipend Award

The semester is winding down, the holidays are coming and that means it is time to celebrate!

For those who will be joining us at the SLA Toronto/FIAA/T-SLIS Joint Holiday Social on Tuesday, December 13 (that's tomorrow!), a group of us will be meeting in the lobby at Bissel at 5:30pm before heading over together.

If you will be travelling to the event by yourself, please visit the event page for details.

Just a note: Registration for the event is now closed.

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Finally, we would like to draw your attention to the following information about a great opportunity for current students! The SLA's Sci-Tech Division is currently accepting self-nominations for the Kirk Cabeen Travel Stipend Award. This award is valued at $750 and is to be used toward expenses for attending the SLA Annual Conference in Chicago, July 15-18, 2012.

However, please note that you need to be a member of SLA in order to apply for this award. If you purchase a student membership by December 15, 2011 and enter the promo code: SLA Toronto Student Group, you will be entered into a draw for a flip video camera. Please click on the following link to register for a membership: http://www.regonline.com/joinsla.

Stipend details follow:


DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: March 1, 2012

SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY DIVISION S. KIRK CABEEN TRAVEL STIPEND AWARD

The S. Kirk Cabeen Travel Stipend Award is offered to a library school student or first time conference attendee. This $750 award is to be used toward expenses of attending the SLA Annual Conference in Chicago, Illinois, July 15-18, 2012.

QUALIFICATIONS: Be a library school student or first time attendee; be a current member of SLA, preference going to Science-Technology Division members; if NOT a student, then must be attending his or her first SLA conference.

NOMINATIONS: Self-nominations are encouraged.
Send a typed and signed document including complete title, Library School and anticipated graduation date, employer, and all professional and personal contact information.

All nominations must also include the following:
A short essay (500 words or less) on the theme of the 2012 Annual Conference: “Practicing Agility in an Open World Economy” The essay should be double-spaced. Neatness, spelling and grammar will count in judging. Supporting documentation must include a current curriculum vita OR resume for the candidate, significant publications, supporting letters, etc. Applications should also mention if you are currently applying for other SLA division awards.

DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: March 1, 2012

Nominations and all accompanying materials should be sent to Sheila Rosenthal, Chair of the Sci-Tech Division Awards Committee, at the following email address: slr@sei.cmu.edu

POST AWARD REQUIREMENTS: 1. Recipient (s) will write a brief article (approximately 1,000 words) on the conference experience for the November 2012 Sci-Tech News.
2. Recipient (s) will be asked to serve on the Science-Technology Division Awards Committee in the following year to provide for the continuity and enthusiasm of the awards.

NOTIFICATION: 1. Applicants will receive notification of award status by mid March 2012. The award checks will be sent to the recipient as soon as the receipts are received by the Awards Chairperson.
2. The recipients’ names will be posted to the Science-Technology Division’s Web site.
3. The award will be announced and presented to the recipient at the Science-Technology Division’s Annual Business and Awards Breakfast.

The SLA-TSG wishes the best of luck to all who apply!

Conference Grants!

Here is another exciting opportunity to attend the Annual SLA Conference!

SLA Toronto has again partnered with FPinfomart to offer the FPinfomart Student-to-Conference awards. With FPinfomart's generous support, two students will be chosen to receive grants of up to $1,500 to attend the SLA Annual Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, from June 15-18, 2011.

"The Student-to-Conference Awards program is an effort to identify and encourage students who will make a difference in their profession," says Warren Cable, Vice President of FPinfomart. "FPinfomart is proud to participate this year and we remain committed to supporting the professional development of library and information science students as we recognize the importance of attending the conference," continued Cable.

Two students will be selected for these awards by the SLA Toronto Executive Board. Applicants must be willing to serve on the Executive or Advisory Board of the Toronto Chapter in 2011 or 2012."The SLA Annual Conference offers excellent opportunities for networking, continuing education and leadership development. The two students chosen for this award will benefit greatly from their experience in Philadelphia as they begin to transition into their professional careers. SLA Toronto is very appreciative of FPInfomart’s ongoing support of the Student-to-Conference awards and the development of information professionals,” says Jennifer Burns, SLA Toronto President.

Eligibility

· Applicants must currently be enrolled in an accredited library/information science program and be interested in a career in special librarianship

· The recipient may not accept a travel award for the 2011 conference from any other SLA division or chapter

· Recipients must be available to attend the FPInfomart Road Show in Toronto on Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Application Procedures

· Applicants must prepare a written statement of up to 500 words, in English, about what they hope to gain from the conference experience. These statements will be published in The Courier, SLA Toronto’s quarterly electronic newsletter.

· Applicants must provide a current resumé

· Applicants should submit these two documents, along with their address, telephone number, and email address no later than March 8, 2011 to Martha Foote, Chair, SLA Toronto Chapter Awards Committee, at mfoote@libraryco.ca

Good luck!

-ZC

Why Get Involved?

If you've thought about getting involved with the SLA Student Group or the SLA Toronto Chapter but haven't yet- it's never too late!

The benefits of joining professional associations while a student are enormous: not only are the fees often lower, you also gain so many opportunities to meet current professionals working in the area, who are often an invaluable resource in your future job hunt. Moreover, professional associations keep you well connected and up-to-date about the ongoings of the profession in your local community. As one member from last year's student executive states: 

"The way that I found my current job was through more of a conventional application-based route. The networking emphasized throughout grad school wasn't as important in getting the job, but it certainly is important within the job and in expanding my contact base for the future. I learned a lot about networking by being involved in the SLA Student Chapter and gained a valuable group of contacts that I stay in touch with, some of whom work within my wider organization, and all of whom I can turn to for help. I continue to stay involved with SLA Toronto, volunteering for one of their committees, as well as attending their events. I find it to be a rewarding position that offers a different type of experience than I get at work. I've also found that it's valuable to maintain contact with fellow recent grads; while I navigate through work experiences post-school, it's been helpful to have others in a similar situation to talk to."

What better reasons could you need to get involved or join SLA today?! Particularly if you are a first year student, we would love to hear from you! Email slatsg@yahoo.ca to get in touch with the current executive about opportunities for the next school year!

-ZC

Marketing your Skills Event

If you have ever thought about working in a non-traditional library setting or wondered where your skill set can take you in the future, our panel of Information Professionals can help answer some of these questions!

Find out more about the different types of alternative careers and how your library and information science skills can be marketed for non-traditional position – or even in generating a new role within an organization.

Join us:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2010

CLAUDE T. BISSELL BUILDING

ROOM 728

6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Get Advice. Ask Questions.

Think outside the box.

Panel speakers include:

Daniel Lee - Research Librarian for Navigator Ltd.

Since 2002, Daniel has worked as a Research Librarian for Navigator Ltd., a research-based communications and strategic counsel firm in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Prior to joining Navigator, Daniel was responsible for managing web-based content at CIPS, Canada's leading association for information technology professionals. Prior to CIPS, Daniel provided information services to the marketing and communications department of an e-learning company in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Since moving to Toronto in 2001, Daniel has been actively involved in the Toronto Chapter of SLA, serving as President in 2008. He is currently serving as Director (2009 - 2012) on the SLA Board of Directors. Daniel graduated from Dalhousie University's MLIS program in 2001. He also has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and Portuguese from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Heather Wilson - Research Specialist, InfoSolutions at Rotman

Heather Wilson is a research specialist with InfoSolutions, the fee-based research service of the Business Information Centre, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. Before joining U of T in 2006, Heather was primarily responsible for IntelliSearch, the fee-based research department of the Toronto Public Library. Heather began her professional career in special libraries, managing the resource centre for Resource Integration Systems, Ltd., an environmental consulting firm specializing in recycling and waste management issues. Prior to receiving her MLS from the then Faculty of Library and Information Science at U of T, Heather worked at the Ontario Legislative Library, the former Metropolitan Toronto Reference Library and the Northern District, Runnymede and Wychwood branches of the former Toronto Public Library system. Heather has also been actually involved in the Special Libraries Association. She served as the Toronto Chapter President in 2000-2001 as well as the positions of director, secretary, and programming. She also managed the local information booth for the Special Libraries Association annual conference held in Toronto in 2005.

Rani Pooran - Manager, Knowledge Services, KPMG

After graduating from the Faculty of Information, Rani has primarily worked in the UK, US, and Canada with leadership in the accounting industry to operationalize knowledge strategy. She is presently employed as a Manager, Knowledge Services, at KPMG. Rani also focuses on diversity issues from both a societal and organizational perspective. In this capacity, she is participating in a Diversity Reciprocal Mentoring program at KPMG, has worked as a volunteer mentor with the Toronto Regional Immigrant Employment Council and is past member of the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Committee. Most recently, Rani launched her Diversity Spotting blog focused and is part of the board for Canada on Campus. Rani belongs to the Rotman Women in Business Initiative and is a graduate of the Rotman Emerging Leaders Program. Rani holds a BA Hon. (University of Toronto), MSc., International & European Politics (Edinburgh University), and MISt. Information Studies (University of Toronto).

Ulla de Stricker - President, de Stricker Associates

Founder and President of de Stricker Associates, a consulting business which serves a variety of clients by addressing challenges in intellectual capital, corporate memory, business and scientific intelligence, library services, and communication. She is also an accomplished public speaker and writer, having penned Business Cases for Info Pros: Here's Why, Here's How (2008), and Is Consulting For You? A Primer for Information Professionals (2008).

Juanita Richardson - Business Development Consultant, Cedrom-SNI

Juanita is a Toronto-based Business Development Consultant for CEDROM-SNi – a leading Canadian information services and solutions provider – and is Principal of Richardson Jalakas & Associates – an information strategy company which she founded in 1998. Prior to starting her own business, Juanita worked on both sides of the information industry: she was the Manager of Licensing, Product Strategy and Client Services with Infomart Dialog and, before “crossing the street”, was the Manager of the Business Information Centre in the Toronto Office of Deloitte & Touche and previously held positions in the Research Departments of CIBC Wood Gundy and ScotiaMcLeod. Her past clients have included corporations interested in implementing knowledge initiatives as well as information service companies interested in new content and marketing opportunities. Juanita holds a Master of Library and Information Studies from McGill University as well as a Master of Business Administration from Athabasca University. She has served on the Board of Directors of SLA and is also an active member of the Canadian Library Association, currently serving as President-Elect for CASLIS. She has spoken at various information industry conferences and has published articles in industry magazines.

Mari-Beth Slade - Risk Management Specialist, Deloitte

After earning an MLIS and MBA at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Mari-Beth moved to Toronto where she began her career in Financial Services, working as a research intern for consecutive summers at CIBC and RBC. From there Mari-Beth moved into the Professional Services sector with a role as Telecommunications Research Specialist at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Currently, she is employed in a non-traditional-library role at Deloitte. As Risk Management Specialist, Mari-Beth’s daily tasks include securities research, database management and dealing with independence issues to ensure Deloitte complies with regulatory standards. From 2007-2009, Mari-Beth was Advertising Manager for the SLA Business & Finance Division Bulletin and is currently volunteering outside the library community.

Kim Silk - Data Librarian, Martin Prosperity Institute

Kimberly Silk has over fifteen years of digital media experience and is actively engaged in the interactive media, library and education industries. She is currently the Data Librarian at the Martin Prosperity Institute, a think-tank at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Between 2001 and 2009 her consultancy, BrightSail, served a variety of clients including corporate, academic, government and non-profit organizations. Kim has a particular passion for digital collections and online communities. As a librarian, she prides herself on understanding how to provide the right information to the right audience at the right time, with a focus on providing a positive and rewarding user experience. Kim’s corporate experience includes several years at Rogers Media, most recently as Director, Strategic Internet Development. There, she collaborated with the New Media and Publishing divisions to develop Internet ventures from concept to market. Prior to joining Rogers, she was Webmaster for Discovery Channel Canada, the first Canadian specialty channel to launch an interactive online component. Kim is actively involved in several professional associations; she is President of the Faculty of Information Alumni Association for 2009-2011, serves as Marketing Coordinator for the Canadian Association of Special Libraries and Information Services (CASLIS), and is an Alignment Ambassador for SLA. Kim earned her M.L.S. (Library Science) from the University of Toronto, and a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Waterloo.

Membership Dues Increase

As of January 1, 2010 the Special Libraries Association will be increasing their membership dues by 15% as per a vote by the SLA Board of Directors. This will be the first fee increase in 4 years. What does this mean for students? If you register to become an SLA member after January 1, 2010 you will pay $40USD instead of $35USD. This is the link to the SLA website that answers some popular questions regarding the dues increase and also provides more information about membership finances http://www.sla.org/content/membership/duesqa.cfm.

If you are unsure about the benefits of being an SLA member you can come out to our event this Wednesday from 4-6pm in Rotman 151 and meet with members of the SLA Toronto Chapter and ask questions about membership or SLA Toronto in general. The website for the SLA Toronto Chapter is http://units.sla.org/chapter/ctor/. Wednesday’s event is a great opportunity to get all your professional association questions answered. If you are unable to make this event, this link to the SLA site will outline some of the many benefits of membership http://www.sla.org/content/membership/mbrbenefits/index.cfm.

We hope to see you on Wednesday at 4pm!

Special Library Tour

Ever visit the ROM when you were a kid? Who doesn't like dinosaurs and mummys? Did you know the ROM also houses its very own library? The SLA-TSG is hosting a tour of the ROM library on Friday September 25 at 2pm. We still have spaces open for students to attend so send us an email at slatsg@yahoo.ca and get on the list before it's too late!!

Registering to Become an SLA Member

If you're interested in receiving some of the great benefits that go along with being an SLA member such as frequent updates about SLA events and happenings as well as SLA's magazine publication, these are some directions for how to get started. The website to sign up to become an SLA member is http://www.sla.org. Click on the membership tab at the top and select the join SLA option. It is quick and easy to join online through the join online option.

The registration form will appear listing the different membership options. Students are offered a special discount rate of $35USD. Fill out the form provided with your personal information. Make sure you join the Toronto Chapter. Registering for other divisions and caucuses is entirely your decision. You can join one division for free however there is a fee to join caucuses. Your purchase will be charged to one of the credit cards listed on the site.

Becoming a SLA member allows you to stay in the know so sign up today!

SLA Toronto Event Report - Partners In Technology

On September 18, SLA Toronto hosted the “Partners in Technology” talk. Eric Bergeron of CEDROM-SNi and Todd Peterson of XPI enlightened the crowd with glimpses of the near future of information searching and delivery.

Just as we were getting comfortable with the Web 2.0 world where boundaries between information consumers and producers were blurred, we are about to enter the universe of Web 3.0, according to Bergeron. New products are being developed that handle the analysis of the millions of results (and information overload) that many searchers experience. This analysis will organize results differently each time a search is performed. Essentially these new platforms will search the full text of each result, derive strings of words that occur repeatedly, and organize results under these derived headings allowing searchers to hopefully find more quickly and efficiently what they are in need of. This is somewhat similar to what ISI’s Web of Knowledge does, although ISI utilizes a controlled vocabulary in organizing its results.

Peterson similarly stressed the importance of creating solutions to better handle the abundance of information searchers are often forced to sift through. Peterson spoke strongly of reinserting human intervention into information to make it far more valuable, although it seemed to me that these new software developments are making human-information interaction less and less necessary. While human analysis will always be necessary, these continual web and software developments make the certain skills of the information professional less valuable, as end users will be able to find what they need more easily without our help. If the Web 3.0 developments are successful, the roles of librarians will quickly evolve. Prepare yourselves for this change and keep your eyes open for ways that information professionals can continue to insert value into the ever shifting world of knowledge!

--Andrea Gagliardi

This Thursday: SLA Toronto event and speakers: "Seeking Information: More is not more..."

This is a free event, open to all iSchool students, but you must register by September 17 (see below)


SLA Toronto Presents:  Seeking Information: More is not more - Why less is more

Join us as senior Research and Development professionals from SLA Toronto's 
partners in technology, CEDROM-SNi and XPI Inc., present an insider's 
perspective on what's next in the technology space.

Seeking Information: More is not more - Why less is more

When information is relevant and specific to you and your particular 
requirement, it has an impact.

The next level of value in information services lies in creating links 
between an understanding of the person seeking information, their 
requirements and the context for that information and then connecting them 
quickly to the information they seek.

Our Special Guests:

Stephane Jasmin, President and CEO, XPI Inc.

Éric Bergeron, Vice-President, Technologies and Operations, CEDROM-SNi

Date: September 18, 2008
Time: 5:30 PM (sign-in), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (event)
Toronto Board of Trade
1 First Canadian Place
Fourth Floor

Cocktails (cash bar) and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

Register online for this event: 
http://units.sla.org/chapter/ctor/events/register.asp?eid=224

The deadline for registration is September 17, 2008.

--Carolyn

SLA Toronto Event Report - Click U Live! Webinar: Best Practices for Setting up a Wiki

On September 11, SLA had an organization wide Webinar course on creating wikis. I had an opportunity to attend this Click U Live! course, as did other iSchool students free of charge thanks to SLA Toronto's Student Sponsorship Fund, which gives students an opportunity to attend all local events at no cost, whether they are SLA members or not.

The workshop definitely took a "no assumptions" approach, in that it covered many of the basics of what wikis are and why they are useful, which is information that many iSchool students may already be aware of. What I found most useful were the examples of wikis, comparisons of various wiki platforms, and suggestions of free web-based wiki software, including Wet Paint, Media Wiki (used by Wikipedia), and Wikispaces to name a few.

The following were the emphasized strengths of wikis:

1. They make collaborations to create content easy.

2. They remove bottlenecks and speed up collaboration.

3. They are easy to set up and maintain.

4. They are flexible and dynamic.

It is important to keep in mind that wikis are not always the best solution. The scope of the project, organizational culture and willingness of potential participants must always be considered.

Try WikiMatrix if you are interested in starting a wiki but are unsure which of the many software options to choose from. This site allows you to compare the functionalities, and join forums to get in touch with real users.

Join us at the next Click U Live! Webinar: The Year in Web Searching on October 8 at Queen's Park from 2:00-3:30 p.m. Take advantage of these events for the professional development and networking opportunities.

Ciao

-Andrea Gagliardi