Special librarians embrace Transformation in Baltimore: SLA Annual Conference.

Information Is Power. Is Your Company in the Dark?" asked ads that appeared on downtown Baltimore buses in mid-June, just in time for the Special Libraries Association Annual Conference, held June 11-14. SLA sponsored the mobile billboards to communicate the value of specialized information professionals. This year's gathering attracted 5,844 participants, surpassing the 5,283 attendance at the 2005 Toronto conference. Of the Baltimore total, 2,519 were members, 1,406 were nonmembers, and 1,919 were exhibitors. The 305 booths in the exhibit hall--the association's largest exhibit showcase in a decade--included 72 SLA first-timers.

Program planners were encouraged to consider topics reflecting new professional horizons in keeping with the conference theme, "Where Tradition and Transformation Converge." Among the sessions that attracted the largest and most enthusiastic audiences were those on leadership development, competitive …