By: Hailey Temple
As a member of the Special Libraries Association, School of Information Studies (iSchool) Associate Professor of Practice Jill Hurst-Wahl will speak at the SLA 2012 Annual Conference to be held July 15-18 in Chicago, Illinois.
The SLA 2012 Annual Conference will allow information professionals, research professionals, information center managers, web developers, information analysts, content managers, educators and librarians to connect and exchange ideas about how to prepare themselves and their businesses in the rapidly-changing information space.
The conference will focus on how technology is affecting these information professionals. “One area that information professionals are talking about at conferences is e-books,” says Hurst-Wahl. “We’re not just interested in the technology, but also in the content licenses that publishers are offering as well as how e-books fit into the offerings of a library or information center. The SLA conference will provide an opportunity for us to talk formally and informally about this and the ways other technologies are affecting the profession.”
During the three-day conference, Hurst-Wahl will speak about a variety of topics. The first, a seminar titled “Make the Most of a Difficult Situation: Solutions to Get You Through,” addresses the difficulties of working in a challenging environment. She will also participate in a panel discussion on the changes in library school teaching and learning in the Information Age.
Hurst-Wahl’s presentation will walk her audience through several scenarios to find solutions in difficult work situations. She will also draw upon her personal experiences prior to working for the iSchool, and information from her book The Information and Knowledge Professional’s Career Handbook.
For Hurst-Wahl, the conference is a way to exchange ideas about how the Information Age is changing careers. “It is a time when I connect with colleagues and learn about their work, jobs and how the profession is changing. I find that I learn from the conversations that I have during conference just as much as I do from the sessions.”
To follow along with the conference, follow the SLA 2012 Annual Conference account on Twitter (@SLAChicago) and contribute to the conversation using the hashtag #SLAChicago.