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Reflections on Five Months at ASIS&T

By Kimberly Granados, ASIS&T Deputy Executive Director

As the newest ASIS&T staff member, I have been “drinking from a fire hose” of information on the past, present, and future of ASIS&T.

While I am naturally inclined to be forward thinking, looking back at the history of an organization is a critical part of starting a new role and a key to understanding. Whether through text, images, audio, or video I have been accessing and sharing information, through multiple channels such as face-to-face, the ASIS&T database, ASIS&T iConnect, SharePoint documents, ASIS&T journals, books, other websites, social media, and many Zoom calls!

For me it has also been a chance to be impressed by the changes and growth of ASIS&T in recent years.

A prime document is the ASIS&T 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. I have read of ASIS&T challenges, goals, and innovative programs implemented in the context of how the world has significantly changed in the last three years.

Main goals for most association organizations include increasing membership growth, information sharing, engagement, and non-dues revenue.

In ASIS&T I have seen strong steps to accomplish those. But more importantly I have seen those steps within the context of an international organization with an eye on determining what diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility means in a global sense. Seeing the following things show me a continued clear commitment to growing and benefiting from a vastly diverse membership:

  • Addition of complimentary two-year basis Tier 2 Memberships,
  • Tier 1 Membership discounts,
  • Increased international educational offerings such as
    • annual meetings (2019 Australia, 2023 London),
    • increased virtual offerings (2022 24-hour conference, 2023 Mid-Year conference),
    • Research Symposium (and the opening land acknowledgement in a native language),
    • Increased chapter events, and
    • free webinars
  • Increased student memberships,
  • Closed captioning offered as part of Zoom meetings,
  • Beginning to offer materials in language other than English,
  • iConnect which allows for crowdsourcing, collaborating, curating and diversity of thought,
  • Member Match, to pair members based on commonalities but not restricted by geography,
  • The diversity (race, gender, geographical, sexual orientation, and neurodiversity) found on ASIS&T committees and taskforces,
  • Fee waivers based on ability to pay, hardship, lack of financial mechanisms, and
  • Creation of the Middle East Chapter.

ASIS&T continues to make much progress, and I look forward to the value of diverse thought and conversation as we move ASIS&T onward together.

Back to Inside ASIS&T, May 2023