 |
 |
SLA EUROPE: ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNER OF INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL AWARD 2005 (SLA EIP 2005) The Board of SLA Europe is delighted to announce that the winner of the first SLA Europe Information Professional Award (SLA EIP) is Steve Borley, Regional Information Manager, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Edinburgh. In addition, the Board is pleased to announce two runners-up: Helen Day of Boots Group plc, Nottingham, UK, and Claudine Xenidou-Dervou, Librarian at the Physics and Informatics Library of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, Greece. The SLA EIP was formerly known as the European Special Librarian of the Year (ESLY). For 2005, the 12th year of the Award, the Board of SLA Europe re-launched the Award under a title more reflective of the information industry in the 21st century. The Board received a record number of applications of a high standard overall; hence the decision this year to recognise three information professionals for their contribution to the information profession. Steve Borley receives the Award for his work in creating a new networking opportunity for the information community in Scotland, the Scottish Information Network (SIN). Announcing the winner of the Award, SLA Europe President Liz Blankson-Hemans said, "Steve is a role model for other information professionals, not only for his support of professional networks (he was formerly Chair of the City Information Group based in London) but also in the way he shares his expertise through seminars, publications and panels. As well, at RBS, he has rejuvenated a traditional research team, and is now demonstrating the value of Information Professionals at corporate strategy level". Helen Day is recognised for her work at Boots Group plc, where she transferred her information management skills from managing other information professionals and deploying end user services, to developing and managing the Group's intranet, introducing portal technology into stores, and now heading up a SAP project for Boots Head Office. Claudine Xenidou-Dervou is Librarian at the Physics and Informatics Library of the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki. Claudine is recognised for her significant effort in the creation and maintenance of Heal-Link (www.heal-link.gr <http://www.heal-link.gr> ), which is a consortium of libraries providing access to electronic information, involving complex negotiations and winning long-term governmental support. Steve Borley, as the SLA EIP, receives an expenses-paid trip to the SLA Conference, which will be held in June 2005 in Toronto, Canada. He will then represent SLA Europe for the year by attending key meetings and giving a number of presentations. Helen and Claudine have been offered Conference places and full membership of the SLA. SLA Europe gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Factiva, now in their 6thyear of sponsorship of the Award. SLA The Special Libraries Association is a non-profit global organisation for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, USA, the SLA represents over 12000 information professionals in 83 countries, including corporate, academic and government information specialists. http://www.sla.org <http://www.sla.org> SLA Europe provides information professionals in Europe with a unique networking and learning opportunity through regular meetings and social events. SLA Europe also seeks to recognise outstanding achievement in the information profession with the annual Award of SLA Europe Information Professional (SLA EIP). http://www.sla-europe.org <http://www.sla-europe.org> Factiva Factiva(r), a Dow Jones & Reuters company, helps companies integrate news and business information into their daily workflow to increase organisational intelligence and leverage external and internal content within the knowledge management function. Factiva's news retrieval, content management and integration services are used by leading organisations around the world. http://www.factiva.com <http://www.factiva.com>