Name suggestion:
- International Association of Information Professionals (IAIP)
Reasons:
- I like the idea of having "international" as part of the title to attract international information professionals as well as maintain a global perspective.
- I know many librarians would like to keep "libraries" in the name, but I think it causes confusion by people external to us on who we are and the breath of what we do as well as conflicts with other, more library-centric associations.
- Given my background and expertise, I prefer the name "information professional."
See also: Infotoday's blog What's in a name? (June 2009).
Comments (4)
Jul 09, 2009
Dianna K Wiggins says:
I agree that the phrase "information professional" should be in there. I really ...I agree that the phrase "information professional" should be in there. I really like the AIIP name and think it speaks to what they do, and it wouldn't hurt us to align with them, since they are all members of SLA as well. I worry that the word "knowledge" tends to be ethereal to a lot of people, but I do think that we have to add something to the information professional that indicates that we are somehow different than strictly IT folks. It's like this is really, really close but needs something, I don't know what is the problem.
Jul 15, 2009
Paige Lucas-Stannard says:
This is my favorite of the ones that have been mentioned. I agree that informati...This is my favorite of the ones that have been mentioned. I agree that information professional is my preferred term. We recently changed the name of our Library from NASA Glenn Technical Library to NASA Glenn Science and Engineering Library to be more descriptive. We kept "library" because it was the name of the physical space. We do so much more than the physical library and I feel that information professional encompasses libraries, librarians, and traditional information delivery and the various other methods of information collection, organization, and dissemination.
Jul 15, 2009
Laurel says:
To me use of a term other than librarian opens up the profession to virtua...To me use of a term other than librarian opens up the profession to
virtually anyone.
But I dislike using "library" as in ALA or MLA. I like Medical
Librarian Association for example. http://groups.google.com/group/libraries-need-librarians
Jul 15, 2009
Alison Verbeck says:
This seems like it is duplicating the AIIP as well as alienating those of us who...This seems like it is duplicating the AIIP as well as alienating those of us who are librarians in libraries. I have no problem being inclusive and adding the term Information Professional or Knowledge Manager or whatever anyone likes to think of themselves as, but I do have a problem with being excluded. In academia, where MANY specialized librarians work, libraries are still well regarded. My library is considered the show-piece of the department and potential graduate students are brought in as part of their tour on visits to the campus. I really feel the name of the organization should not exclude those members who do still consider themselves to be librarians.