Special Libraries Association – Annual Conference 2022

The SLA Annual Conference is the premier event for special librarians and information professionals who want to explore the latest challenges and trends in information, knowledge, and library management, refine their skills, connect with colleagues, and meet with leading product and service providers.

The PoolParty Team is represented by Heather Hedden with multiple pre-event and event sessions:

“From Taxonomy to Ontology” workshop

Description: While taxonomies support findability and information retrieval, ontologies support additional information retrieval methods, such as enabling complex queries, the exploration of different relationships, and quick access to associated data, and not just content. The Semantic Web standards, upon which modern information ontologies are built, have brought ontologies more closely aligned to taxonomies and other knowledge organization systems, than the merely computer science use of ontologies of the past. Integrating ontologies with taxonomies has many practical applications, which increasingly more companies and organizations are implementing. This educational session teaches the fundamental principles of ontologies for information science, including their definitions, types, standards, benefits, and uses, including knowledge graphs. It then instructs by ways of examples, how to extend a taxonomy to become an ontology, and then addresses issues in modeling and designing ontology classes, relations, and attributes, including best options and practices. Tools and technologies will also be addressed.
Date: Thursday, July 14, 2:00 – 4:30 pm EDT
Format: Live online (Zoom)
Organizer: SLA (Special Libraries Association) Continuing Education Workshops
Registration: $100 for SLA members, $150 for nonmembers

“Research Sources and Methodologies for Taxonomy Development”

Description: This session explores the information sources and research methodologies available to those who are starting out in taxonomy development. Information sources discussed include publicly available taxonomies and ontologies, and authoritative vs nonauthoritative sources. Research methodologies include card sorting, tree testing, actionable recommendations, content analysis, and the use of metrics in development and maintenance.
Presented jointly with Marisa Hughes, Taxonomist at the American Psychological Association.
Dates: starting July 30
Format: Pre-recorded on-demand
and

“Current Challenges and Advanced Taxonomy Topics” (Session C2)

Description: This panel will cover advanced taxonomy topics, including common and current challenges taxonomists are facing in their jobs along with various business and use case discussions. The panel will also have career discussions around what separates a senior position from a junior position and how to take the next step in your taxonomy career. Participants will obtain a grasp of common and current challenges faced by taxonomists in their roles, understand how to apply taxonomies in various advanced use cases, know more about career paths for advanced taxonomists.
Date: Sunday, July 31, 4:30 – 5:30 pm EDT
Format: In-person (and hybrid)
and

“Communities of Practice: Where Everybody Knows Your Name”(Session G4)

Description: Communities of Practice (CoPs) can be invaluable for connecting people with common goals and interests and facilitate the sharing of knowledge, resources, and more. Sharing best practices and knowledge can result in better ideas, innovation, and improved culture. Join this session to learn more about what a community of practice is, considerations for designing and growing your CoP, and strategies for success in maintaining a CoP.
Date: Tuesday, August 2, 9:00 – 10:00 am EDT
Format: In-person (and hybrid)
Organizer: SLA (Special Libraries Association) Annual Conference
Location: Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, NC (and online)

Click the button below for more information about the conference and how to register.