SLA Head Shaffer Resigns Abruptly

After less than six months at the helm, Roberta I. Shaffer, executive director of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), announced February 14 that she would leave the job as of February 22. Shaffer was selected in April 2001 to replace David Bender, who retired from the position after 22 years. She officially began her tenure in September 2001.

Shaffer, former dean of the Graduate School of Library and Information Science, University of Texas at Austin, said in a terse statement released by SLA, "The Board of Directors and I share the same vision for the future of the association and the profession. However, we are not in sync in terms of the pace of change."

A self-described "change agent," Shaffer in October launched an aggressive reorganization, "Structuring for Strength," that led to the dismissal of three managing directors, new titles, and new reporting lines. At the time, Shaffer announced a 120-day transition period for the initiative "to provide SLA staff with the time needed to learn how to function effectively in a new work environment."

In an interview published in Information World Review February 7, Shaffer commented on some members' concerns that things were moving too quickly. "I'm not going to take their attitude too much into consideration only because I so vehemently disagree with them."

Shaffer, a lawyer and a librarian, also was considering radically changing the format of the annual meeting and renaming and rebranding the organization, which is experiencing a membership decline. SLA Deputy Executive Director Lynn Smith will serve as acting executive director.