What is SSD, anyway?
The Oregon Library Association's Support Staff Division (SSD) recognizes support staff's need for opportunities to promote awareness of library issues and practically apply their knowledge and skill. SSD fills an important gap for support staff in libraries, encouraging new ideas, discussion of concerns, and problem solving while envisioning and adapting to changes in the profession. SSD's goal is to inspire and promote professional growth through networking, conferences, workshops, and mentoring.
The Oregon Library Association's Support Staff Division (SSD) recognizes support staff's need for opportunities to promote awareness of library issues and practically apply their knowledge and skill. SSD fills an important gap for support staff in libraries, encouraging new ideas, discussion of concerns, and problem solving while envisioning and adapting to changes in the profession. SSD's goal is to inspire and promote professional growth through networking, conferences, workshops, and mentoring.
Our story:
The Support Staff Division became an official roundtable of the Oregon Library Association (OLA) in January, 1992, moving on to become an official OLA Division in March of 1998. Since then, SSD has planned and hosted conferences and networking events, helped to provide grants for continuing education, and represented the interests of support staff across the state within OLA's larger structure. What began as a small group of interested individuals at the first LSSRT (Library Support Staff Round Table) Business meeting in April, 1992, has blossomed into a lively division with a large membership.
We need your membership!
We need your membership!
Through SSD, support staff have a mechanism to make their voice heard and impact not only their individual libraries but the entire membership of the Oregon Library Association, but that would be impossible without active, committed members who care about support staff. SSD provides a wonderful opportunity for networking with fellow colleagues throughout the state as well as sharing your passion and expertise. OLA/SSD membership entitles you to a subscription to the OLA Hotline and Quarterly, reduced registration fees to OLA and SSD sponsored conferences and workshops, the opportunity to serve on SSD special committees, and the opportunity to become part of a division primarily focused on support staff issues. Click here to learn more about how to join us or any other division that applies to your daily work.
If you have any questions about our organization or if you just want some support staff chat, contact us at ssd@olaweb.org. We look forward to meeting you!
