2013 SLA Virtual Conference

Discover how to increase the value you deliver to your organization, based on exclusive insights from over 850 information professionals and senior executives worldwide. The Financial Times/SLA report will provide practical guidance to help you focus your efforts on the areas that add most value to your organization, to strengthen your role as a critical business asset.  Find out what senior executives have identified as the greatest challenges regarding information management; whether your priorities are aligned with the service aspects that matter most to the internal clients within your industry; and how to adopt the habits of highly effective information professionals to become a best practice performer.

*Times listed are EDT 

Organizations today leave a “digital exhaust” that can be seen across the Internet.  While large publicly traded organizations leave a prominent exhaust pattern, small and medium-sized businesses also leave a large smoke trail that can be followed to its source. You can leverage this intelligence to improve account profiling, track the movements of competitors across an industry and across accounts, and  get an overall view of the competitive landscape.  The speaker will illustrate a variety of methods you can use to better collect and analyze open source intelligence from the Web.

*Times listed are EDT  

The goal of any successful social media initiative for a public or private organization is to create useful output that benefits the organization and the contributors using these platforms. Learn how to assemble attractive and fun social media environments that stimulate strong participation, effective knowledge sharing, and customer feedback that can finally bridge the communication gap between the organization and its clients or customers.

*Times listed are EDT 

Did you know there are ninjas among us? You could be one too! Our presenters Jennifer Doyle (black belt in Taekwondo) and Jill Strand (black belt in Kung Fu) will speak about how they have applied their martial arts background to librarianship. In martial arts, students are taught respect, discipline, balance, self-awareness, and conflict management. In this session, Jill and Jennifer will use real-world examples to teach you how to face common librarian challenges such as stress, negotiation, and conflict resolution with balance and control.  This informative and fun session will include a few easy self-defense moves and tips for your personal safety (and sanity).

*Times listed are EDT  

An Ethnographic Approach to the Knowledge Audit:

You have probably heard of an information audit, and perhaps even a knowledge audit.  Our speaker will share with participants his method of participant observation to conduct a successful knowledge audit, then describe how he used the results to develop a more thorough understanding of individual, departmental, and organizational practices.

Outgoogling Google:

Learn about how the National Library of Scotland is focusing on the library’s role as enabler by implementing a Google-type interface to deliver content.  Information seekers can now search across multi-format library collections using a single search box.  The result?  An easy, seamless search experience for users.

*Times listed are EDT  

Competitive intelligence practitioners from three industries will share the top tools and techniques they use to gather and analyze information or report intelligence to their clients. Learn how unique approaches suit different industries, whether they are advanced methods, case studies or best practices.

*Times listed are EDT