The SLA Asia community successfully transitioned their conferences and events to a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic. They hosted 12 webinars so far with over 6,000 total participants from around the world. Topics were selected by a core team and featured renowned speakers. Events were widely promoted through social media, emails, and the SLA Asia website. Feedback was collected and certificates were provided to participants. Looking ahead, SLA Asia plans to continue their webinar series and host their 2021 conference in South Korea virtually. They aim to strengthen training programs, collaborations, and Asian leadership at the global SLA level.

1. SLA Asia: A Success Story of its
Virtual Events and the Road Ahead
Nabi Hasan, PhD, PDF
Librarian & Head, Central Library
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
http://web.iitd.ac.in/~hasan hasan@library.iitd.ac.in
(Ex. University Librarian – Aligarh Muslim University)
2020 President – SLA Asia
Coordinator – National Resource Centre in Library and Information Sciences (ARPIT), MoE, Govt. of India
Virtually Yours: Top Tips for Providing Outstanding Virtual Programming, Sept. 23, 2020

2. ➢The SLA Asian Chapter, now SLA Asia Community, was started in the Year
1999 with Australia and New Zealand Chapter together, which got separated
in 2005.
➢The Community has now Members from India, United States, South Korea,
Philippines, Japan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, Austria,
China, France, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, etc.
➢It has won the Award of being the Fastest Growing Chapter of the SLA in the
Year 2009.
➢Currently, we have about 100 Active Members, however once we were
having close to 250 members as well.
➢PK or Dr. Praveen Jain, the current Director of SLA Board has contributed
immensely for the growth and development of the Chapter, who has won the
SLA Hall of Fame Award as well.
➢Many of the Members from SLA Asia have won Laurels for their contribution
to the SLA and also to the profession in general.
SLA Asia Background

3. SLA Asia Presidents
Sl. No. Country No. of Presidents
1 India 07
2 Japan 02
3 Indonesia 01
4 South Korea 01
5 Hong Kong 01
6 Nepal 01
7 Pakistan 01
8 Philippines 01
9 Singapore 01

4. Country-wise Members in SLA Asia
Sl. No. Country Member
1 India 63
2 United States 10
3 Korea 4
4 Philippines 4
5 Japan 3
6 Kazakhstan 3
7 Pakistan 3
8 Indonesia 2
9 Singapore 2
10 Austria 1
11 China 1
12 France 1
13 Hong Kong 1
14 Saudi Arabia 1
15 United Kingdom 1

5. Selected SLA Awards to Community
Members
Sl. No. Award No. of
Recipients
1 Hall of Fame 01
2 SLA Fellow 02
3 Diversity Leadership Development Programme (DDLP) 04
4 Professional Awards 02
5 Presidential Citations 02
6 Member Achievement Award 01
8 Rising Star Award 01

6. Selected SLA Division Awards to
Community Members
Sl.
No.
SLA Division Award Country No. of
Recipients
1 Science and Technology Division Bonnie Hidlitch International Librarian
Award
India
Indonesia
07
01
2 Science and Technology Division Ann Koopman Achievement Award India 04
3 Science and Technology Division Engineering Librarian Award USA
India
01
02
4 Business and Finance Division Award for Outstanding Achievement in
Business Librarianship
India 03
5 Business and Finance Division Distinguished Member Award India 01
6 Business and Finance Division Distinguished Leadership & Service
Award
India 01
7 Business and Finance Division International Travel Award India
Pakistan
Philippines
Sri Lanka
04
01
02
01
8 Business and Finance Division Professional Grants India 01
9 Business and Finance Division Impact Award India 01
10 Business and Finance Division Centers of Excellence India 01
11 PAM Division, SLA PAM International Membership Award India
Pakistan
04
01

7. SLA Asia Biennial Conferences So Far
International Conference of Asian Special
Libraries (ICoASL) in Asia
1. 1st ICoASL in 2008 – Delhi, India
2. 2nd ICoASL in 2011 – Tokyo, Japan
3. 3rd ICoASL in 2013 – Manila, Philippines
4. 4th ICoASL in 2015 – Seoul, South Korea
5. 5th ICoASL in 2017 – Yogyakarta, Indonesia
6. 6th ICoASL in 2019 – Delhi, India
7. 7th ICoASL will be held in May 2021 – South Korea

8. SLA Asia @Annual Conferences

9. ➢SLA Asia has a mission to provide the networking
opportunities for all Asian Librarians and Allied
Domain Professionals and encourage collaboration
and knowledge sharing.
➢In the past also, SLA Asia has been at the forefront in
organising training, workshops, seminars, and
conferences in the Asian region to encourage
continuing education.
➢ICoASL is its Brand Biennial Event, and so far, we
have organized Six such events in different countries.
The 7th is scheduled in the South Korea in May 2021.
SLA Asia Mission

10. SLA Asia Webinar Series/
Virtual Events
The Success Story

11. ➢The SLA Asia is one of the firsts in the region to start with the Webinar
Series during this COVID-19.
➢The first webinar of the Community using SLA GoToWebinar Account
was organised in the first week of April 2020.
➢The first three webinar speakers were from India. However, to get a
more wider domain knowledge from the speakers around the world,
the SLA Asia introduced the renowned speakers from other countries
as well.
➢With support from the SLA headquarters, the SLA Asia has hosted SLA
Immediate Past President, Present President, President-Elect and also
the former Presidents of ALA and SLA.
➢These include; Mr. Hal Kirkwood, Ms. Catherine Lavallée-Welch, Ms.
Tara Murray, Mr. Stephen Abram, Ms. Loida Febo-Garcia, etc.
➢Our 12 Webinars so far have been attended by 6403 participants from
almost all the continents with an average participation by 534 people.
The Webinars/Virtual Events during
the Pandemic

12. ➢The Topics are initially discussed within the Core Webinar Team
comprising of four most experienced professionals who are
aware of the Interest of the people in the continent.
➢The Topics which are generally have some current relevance or
are Out of Box, are selected and Delivered by Renowned
Persons.
➢The already Announced Events in the region are also Explored,
and Duplication is avoided for Topics or Speakers.
➢Mostly WhatsApp Group is Used for Discussion and Selection of
Topics and Speakers, followed by Virtual Video Meeting of the
all Four. Email is also used where details need to be shared.
➢Every Smaller aspect is taken care off to make Event more
interesting and more engaging.
➢The Discussion sometime is also formally taken to the SLA Asia
Group, using WhatsApp Group or Individual Contacts.
The Selection of Topics & Speakers

13. Selection of Topics & Speakers:
The Core Team

14. Selection of Topics & Speakers:
The Bigger Group

15. The Selection of Topics: The Deeper
Discussion

16. ➢SLA Asia uses various Channels for Promotion of its Virtual Events.
➢The Page Created for Registration on the GoToWebinar is provided
with all the Details about the Event and the Speakers.
➢A Beautiful Poster is Created with Photograph of the Speaker(s),
his/her Profile(s), Topic Details, Webinar Team and with the
Mention that the Certificate is to be provided on attending and
staying for justified time in the Event.
➢Important Media for Promotion of the Event is WhatsApp Groups
of the Professionals, starting with: SLA Asia and so on which are
given the responsibility to spread it further.
➢Apart from WhatsApp Group, the SLA Asia also has Facebook and
Instagram Page where the Event is shared in an attractive way
covering all the above aspects.
➢The Event is shared on SLA Asia Webpage and also in the Open
Forum and SLA Asia using SLA Connect to reach all SLA Members.
Channels for Promotion of Events…

17. ➢All the SLA Asia Members are expected to share the Event on
their Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and WhasApp
Pages.
➢Emails to about 5000 LIS and Allied Domain Professionals is
sent with Inviting/Appealing Language.
➢Personal Connections are Used to attract the people.
➢Registrations and Interest of the People is reviewed until the
Event gets started by the Core Team using different ways.
➢Team use to Practice the Event to avoid last Minute Issues.
➢Questions are taken up and Answered as well to the extent
possible which help in future events as well.
➢Surveys are Created during the Session to make the Event
more interesting and attractive.
Channels for Promotion of Events…

18. ➢Post Event Meeting of the Core Team is held to review the
delivery, shortcomings and success of the Event.
➢Post Event feedback is taken from the SLA Asia Community
as well to make future event more attractive and to choke
the gaps.
➢Certificate of Appreciation is issued to the Speakers with the
Thanksgiving Email with interesting Data of Users in
Graphical Form to help them understand as how much SLA
Asia cares to their Resource Person Guests.
➢Certificate using App is sent to all the Participants within 24
Hours of the Webinar.
➢Post Webinar Queries are also attended to help participant
feel comfortable and make them attend the future events.
➢PPTs and Videos with details are uploaded on the SLA Asia
Website.
Channels for Promotion of Events

19. SLA Asia Facebook Page

20. SLA Asia Instagram Page

21. Publicity through Individual Social
Media Channels

22. Wide Circulation through Email

23. Publicity through SLA Asia Website

24. Circulation through SLA Connect –
Asia & Open Forum

25. Comprehensive Registration Page
Created to Attracts the Attendees

26. Thanksgiving Email to Speaker

27. Certificate of Appreciation to Speaker

28. Certificate of Participation

29. Videos and PPTs are Shared on SLA Asia

30. Remote Access to E-
Resources Anywhere,
Anytime
Organizing Intellectual
Capital: An Excellent
Opportunity for Research
Libraries
eBooks: Are we there yet?
Library services for faculty and
students in an online academic
environment – Drexel
Experience
Content eDiscovery Using AI:
A Practical Approach Using R
Experimenting with
Mind Mapping:
Concepts and Tools
Speakers with Varied Topics and Qualities

31. Advocacy for the library
in higher education
Transferable Skills: Tips
for Library Career
Transitions
Human Resources in the
Library Profession in the
Digital Era
Academic Libraries and
Librarianship: A Synoptic View &
Libraries Towards Excellence
Guidelines for Library
Professionals and Library Users
after COVID- 19 Period and the
Role of Library Associations
Special Library Reopening in A
Pandemic World” under the broad
theme, “International Webinar on
Special Librarianship
Speakers with Varied Topics and Qualities

32. Statistical Analysis of Success Rate

33. The Road Ahead
➢SLA Asia was able to convert the Pandemic Time into an
Opportunity to connect with professionals across the globe.
➢The Webinar Series has made SLA Asia more popular and
membership of the Association has increased.
➢SLA Asia will be continuing with the Webinar Series in the future
also as a regular activity and will be introducing more and more
speakers from around the world.
➢We plan to host Two Days’ International Webinars.
➢SLA Asia is hosting its Biennial Conference in South Korea (7th
ICoASL) during 12-14 May 2021.
➢Virtual Training/Library Development Program (LDP)/Faculty
Development Program, Student Support Program, Collaboration
and Partnering, Exchange Programs, Strengthening of
Newsletters/Publications etc. are being explored.
➢Asian Leaders are becoming more involved at Headquarters level.

34. The Virtual Event/Webinar Team
Thank You
nabihasan@gmail.com
https://connect.sla.org/asia