ASIS&T/SLA Merger Comments & FAQ

The following questions have been posed by ASIS&T members about the ASIS&T/SLA merger. Answers follow each question.

What are the relative membership numbers?
ASIS&T currently has approximately 2,100 members and SLA has approximately 1,100 members.

What does SLA provide that is genuinely unique and would be considered a value by most ASIST members?
The answer to this may be different depending on the circumtance of any given ASIS&T member, but there are various unique contributions that SLA members will bring to ASIS&T. SLA is widely considered to be excellent at local networking, creating opportuntiies for students to meet practicing information professionals and for information professionals to connect locally. This is not something ASIS&T has done well in many years. Our regional chapters are excellent at virtual events but have had less success in creating local gatherings. From a broader perspective, SLA members will bring the practitioner perspective. ASIS&T membership is currently approximately 80% academic and 20% practitioner. The addition of SLA members will balance this disparity and enable ASIS&T to fulfill its promise of bridging research and practice more effectively.

Is a name change being considered?
We will be engaging a branding consultant to examine how best a newly merged ASIS&T can brand itself. This may involve a name change but that will require study and discussion before a decision is reached.

What are the cost implications if we retain conferences, etc?
The ASIS&T Strategic Plan 2025-28 was already drafted when the discussios of merger began, and one of the tactics in that plan was to launch a new practitioner-facing meeting that would attract exhibitors and sponsors. By assuming the SLA meeting, ASIS&T will have the opportunity to take a popular and successful meeting and build off of it to expand the appeal of the meeting to a broader global practitioner community.

While I sympathize with SLA's plight, am not seeing any argument here for how access to their online resources or members serves ASIST's mission.

 

The claim that we will have a stronger or unified voice on information issues is simplistic. As presented, any merger seems a better option for SLA than for ASIST. But what actually is being proposed in this merger? Please, let's have some details. Has anyone considered that some ASIST members might feel less connected rather than more by association with SLA?