SLA 2010 - A VIP Editorial
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By Perrin Kerravala

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July's issue of VIP comes out on the heels of the Special Libraries Association (SLA) annual conference in New Orleans. For me, attending conferences like SLA is about meeting friends and associates old and new, taking in the local sites and flavours, and above all, recharging my professional batteries through learning. SLA in the Big Easy did not disappoint: I caught up with many of my vendors, made new contacts at several networking receptions and, for the first time, tried frog legs, fried gator and Sazaracs. But most of all, I came away with a re-energised enthusiasm for my profession and its potential, which can easily be forgotten when you're buried under the busyness of the day-to-day.

This year's SLA had a few key differences from the past: this was the first time that SLA offered a Virtual Conference Component, where remote attendees could listen to presentations and join in the subsequent conversation. It was exciting to see questions and comments from all corners coming in over the web and via teleconference. Next, SLA supported some serious volunteering this year. Through the Beacon of Hope Resource Centre, several groups conducted service projects to repair Katrina-induced damage and restore neighbourhoods in New Orleans. SLA's 3,400 attendees also held a book drive to support Haiti Reads, a library fundraising project for Port-au-Prince. The conference programme also featured activities to spur NOLA's significant tourism industry, including tours, historical talks, and a spotlight on reconstruction efforts. VIP readers should check out this month's Tap The Wire column for more bits and bites from SLA. Info pros that missed the conference can get an on-the-ground sense of events by requesting a free copy of FreePint's upcoming SLA 2010 Special Report. Request your copy at http://www.freepint.com/events/sla-2010/.

Mobility was a huge buzzword at SLA this year, as evidenced by the numerous mobile applications demonstrated by vendors like FT and EBSCO (and also by the large number of iPads spotted on the trade show floor). FreePint will also be taking a close look at mobile content through a series of upcoming research projects. These surveys and interviews are intended to scope out how much and how quickly mobile content may be making its way into the enterprise. Readers are welcome to raise their virtual hand to participate; contact Robin Neidorf (robin.neidorf@freepint.com) for more information.

Readers looking for a little post-conference inspiration will be interested in the feature articles in July's VIP. The first is an in-depth review of Bureau van Dijk's (BvD) mergers and acquisitions database, Zephyr. The review includes screenshots of BvD's highly anticipated revamped interface, launched in June. This is an exciting development for BvD clients, who will soon see a similar look and feel in their suite of company products. The second feature article, written by yours truly, reviews the productivity-enhancing application, Alacra Compliance (Interactive). Alacra Compliance is an innovative tool that can help firms streamline their compliance-related research and reporting processes, thus helping mitigate their customer and reputation risk. Readers can also soothe their after-conference blues by reading up on the latest changes in content aggregation in Anne Jordan's new column, SourceWire. Enjoy!

Perrin Kerravala is VIP’s guest editor for July.
Perrin is a Librarian at Export Development Canada (EDC), where she manages the firm’s
market data and fixed income portfolio management information resources.

This editorial appears in VIP Magazine No. 80, July 2010. Purchase online >>

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