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To paraphrase Mark Twain, we hope the reports of our death are greatly exaggerated! The Special Libraries Division is the smallest division of TLA (with around 240 members) and the most precarious, with only 10 members attending the last business meeting. It's easy for us to get lost in the shuffle and to seem insignificant in the larger scheme of TLA activity. Why should a large organization like the Texas Library Association bother with a minor group? And why should librarians who belong to other associations where theirs is the major voice spend their time and energy on one more association, particularly one where they sometimes seem an afterthought? What is so special?
The major goal of the Special Library Division in 1999 will be to answer this identity question. Why are we a part of TLA? What do special librarians gain from TLA membership and what can we give back to TLA? Today, we are all faced with a glut of information and less time to assimilate it. We live in good economic times, but are still expected to be efficient and frugal, and to frequently live under restrictions that limit the resources at our disposal. A major resource that gets most of us through these times is our contact with colleagues-someone to lend a book, an idea, or a supporting shoulder to cry on. "Thinking outside the box" is a common theme these days in management seminars. But, how many times do we think to look outside the box when building our network of support colleagues? TLA is a natural for this activity. It has been my pleasure to serve on a variety of TLA committees and one of the main reasons I do so is to develop contacts with colleagues outside my limited world of law libraries. I have learned to look at my activities in new ways by hearing what is happening in other types of libraries. I have also gotten a "heads up" on trends that don't affect me yet, but will soon. I still remember the first time I heard the term "Internet" was not at a law library function, but at a meeting of other librarians! It benefits us all to actively work at creating liaisons across library type. The Special Libraries Division can facilitate this mix by involving special librarians in TLA activities.
As we go about our work and get caught up in the details of everyday tasks, we sometimes lose track of what got us here in the beginning. There is one unifying theme common to all types of libraries: support for libraries is important because there is great value in access to information and the written word, and great value in providing trained personnel to assist our patrons in locating that information. As the premier Texas organization supporting this notion, TLA gives special librarians a way of getting "back to their roots" and provides them a structure for voicing support and celebrating the world of libraries. By including special librarians, TLA gains a broader voice and more contacts in spreading that message.
One of the issues included in the 1999 TLA legislative agenda is very important to a segment of special librariansa recommendation that salary ranges of state government librarians, archivists, and records managers be adjusted upward and adopted as part of the 2000-2001 budget for the state of Texas. The first impression when thinking of special librarian salaries is that's where the money is because of the huge corporations and businesses found in this segment. That's not true when discussing state government salaries. The entry level librarian position in state government has a current range of $21,852 to $28,032, with few, if any, jobs paying anywhere near the top salary. This compares poorly to the TLA suggested minimum entry level salary of $28,000. Salary levels above entry level similarly lag behind comparable positions. When juxtaposed against the booming economy in Austin and the associated increase in area salaries, it is obvious the state will not be able to compete and attract competent job applicants or keep current employees if salaries are not upgraded. The State Classification Office in the State Auditor's Office has recommended an upgrade in librarian and archivist salaries which would raise the minimum salary to $25,692. The pay issue is of utmost importance to state government librarians but it also has a philosophical significance to all librarians. This is one of the few times when legislators are called upon to assign a value to the work of librarians. This is an opportunity to ask them to recognize the professional value in this work and the importance of the job.
To encourage increased activity by special librarians in TLA, the Special Libraries Division will be coordinating a number of projects in 1999. We will hold a membership drive during the first part of 1999 with a goal of increasing membership in the division. The member recruiting the most new members will receive a free TLA membership for 2000. A grants program will assist two members in attending the annual conference by providing travel funds. We will examine a variety of ways to help our membership become more involved with the division and with TLA as an organization. If you are in a special library setting, please accept this as your invitation to become a more active member. If you are not in a special library setting, please pass the message along to your friends who are and encourage them to get involved in your association.