Library Worklife

Volume 3, No. 3 • March 2006

Career Advancement

SLA Gets Its First CEO

Special Libraries Association (SLA) President Pam Rollo has announced that the Association has changed the title of its top staff executive from Executive Director to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The Honorable Janice R. Lachance, the current Executive Director, is the first Association staff leader to hold the CEO title.

"The executive director’s role as external communicator and collaborator with the profession’s stakeholders has evolved substantially," Rollo said in a written announcement to SLA’s volunteer leadership. "This role requires increasing interaction and engagement with the top leaders of corporations, universities, government agencies, and other associations. Having a CEO as the top staff executive for SLA means that doors may often open more easily for us," Rollo said.

The title change, approved by SLA’s Association Office Operations Committee (AOOC) became effective 1 January 2006. Rollo said the announcement was delayed so that the matter could be announced first to the Association’s volunteer leadership during the SLA Leadership Summit, held in Houston, Texas, 18-21 January.

About the CEO

Janice R. Lachance, Esq., is the 13th person to serve as chief executive to SLA’s professional staff. She has more than 20 years of experience in public service and governance. From 1997-2001, Lachance served as director (CEO) of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government’s independent human resources agency, which provides policy and program leadership for 1.8 million federal employees. She was appointed to the position by then-President Bill Clinton and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Recognizing the importance of the federal government as a model employer, President Clinton advanced Lachance’s post to cabinet status, giving her the standing and support needed to elevate human capital issues to the highest possible priority.

About SLA

The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a nonprofit global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves more than 11,000 members in 83 countries in the information profession, including corporate, academic, and government information specialists. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives. For more information, visit us on the Web at www.sla.org

To What Degree Are City Librarians Hired?

By Mary Conroy, The Capital Times (Madison, WI), February 8, 2006

Recently, the Madison Public Library hired two youth librarians who didn’t have master’s of library science (MLS) degrees. Veteran librarians were puzzled, since this hasn’t happened in over 16 years, and since they all have MLS degrees. Read more.

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