Special Libraries Association

Special Libraries Association
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Name	Special Libraries Association
Abbreviation	SLA
Formation	1909
Type	Professional association
Headquarters	United States
Region served	International
Membership	Information professionals
Leader title	President

Contents

Special Libraries Association is a professional association serving information professionals in specialized libraries, corporate information centers, government libraries, law libraries, medical libraries, and knowledge management units. Founded in 1909, it connects practitioners affiliated with institutions such as Library of Congress, National Institutes of Health, United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund and engages with publishers like Elsevier, Wiley, Springer Nature, and ProQuest. SLA collaborates with allied organizations including American Library Association, Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, Association of Research Libraries, and Medical Library Association to advance information access, technology adoption, and evidence-based practice.

History

The association emerged amid early 20th-century institutional developments tied to Smithsonian Institution, Carnegie Corporation, Rockefeller Foundation, and the expansion of specialized collections in places such as the New York Public Library and the Library of Congress. Early leaders drew on models from British Museum, Bodleian Library, and corporate information divisions within AT&T and General Electric. Throughout the 20th century SLA responded to technological shifts marked by the advent of Microfilm, Online Computer Library Center, LexisNexis, and Internet Archive, while members contributed to initiatives linked with National Library of Medicine, Food and Agriculture Organization, and European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). During the information age, SLA adapted to developments including digital repositories at institutions like Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley and engaged with policy debates touched by legislation such as the Copyright Act revisions and international agreements involving World Intellectual Property Organization.

The association is governed by an elected board of directors and officers, including a president, treasurer, and divisional leaders, mirroring governance practices of American Library Association and Special Collections Association. Committees and caucuses oversee finance, education, diversity, and strategic planning, with bylaws and parliamentary procedures influenced by precedents at American Society for Information Science and Technology and International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. Administrative functions have been housed in regional offices and coordinated with legal counsel experienced in matters involving entities like Internal Revenue Service and nonprofit regulation in countries such as United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and Australia. The organization maintains partnerships with publishers and vendors including EBSCO Information Services and Clarivate for product demonstrations and standards alignment.

Membership includes professionals working in corporate, legal, medical, academic, and government settings at institutions such as Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Sotheby's, Bloomberg LP, and Goldman Sachs. Chapters and regional units operate in metropolitan areas and countries, reflecting models used by Association of College and Research Libraries and Special Libraries Network; examples include chapters aligned with New York City, Los Angeles, London, Toronto, and Sydney. Special interest divisions focus on sectors like law, health sciences, patent information, and energy, coordinating with sector-specific bodies such as American Bar Association, American Medical Association, United States Patent and Trademark Office, and International Energy Agency.

The association provides continuing education, certification pathways, and competency frameworks adopted by practitioners at National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Food and Drug Administration. Programs include workshops on information retrieval using tools from PubMed, Westlaw, Scopus, and Google Scholar; training on knowledge management practices relevant to firms like McKinsey & Company and Deloitte; and leadership development paralleling curricula at Harvard Business School and INSEAD. SLA offers consulting, benchmarking studies, and research support services that collaborate with academic centers such as Columbia University, University of Michigan, and University College London.

Annual and regional conferences bring together exhibitors from vendors like Elsevier, ProQuest, RELX Group and presenters from institutions including NASA, World Health Organization, International Monetary Fund, and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Conference sessions cover information architecture, data curation, and digital preservation with case studies from National Archives and Records Administration, Smithsonian Institution, and British Library. The association publishes newsletters, white papers, and peer-reviewed material, complemented by collaborations with journals such as Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, Library Quarterly, and College & Research Libraries.

The association administers awards and honors recognizing professional achievement, innovation, and leadership, analogous to accolades granted by American Library Association and Special Collections Association. Prize categories acknowledge contributions in research, outreach, and service to institutions including National Institutes of Health and World Bank. Fellows, distinguished members, and award recipients have included professionals who have also been honored by organizations such as Association of Research Libraries and International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.

Through policy statements, position papers, and partnerships, the association advocates on issues affecting information access, licensing, and intellectual property in forums involving World Intellectual Property Organization, United States Congress, European Commission, and national legislatures. Its impact is visible in standards development with bodies like National Information Standards Organization and in collaborations on digital preservation efforts alongside Library of Congress and Digital Public Library of America. Members influence practices in sectors served by institutions including Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, World Health Organization, and United Nations by promoting evidence-based information services, metadata standards, and ethical information stewardship.