SPOTLIGHT ON SLA MEMBERS: An Interview with Kaycee Hale, Executive Director, Resource & Research Center, The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising

Information Outlook, March, 2000

FIDM is an active community citizen. We involve ourselves in everything from politics to K-12 education, from charity events to global projects, and from costume exhibits to cyberspace partnerships.

One of the MOST exciting parts of working at FIDM is the administrative support that is provided for professional involvement. I'm fortunate enough to be encouraged by both the President and the Education VP to participate ACTIVELY in all library associations. They are very proud of the fact that I've been invited to speak about libraries, librarians, and related topics in 43 states and on five continents.

What is a typical day like for you?

A typical day for me? Well, part of my day is much the same as that of any other library administrator. That includes staff meetings, budget manipulations, revising departmental policies and procedures, phone calls, e-mail, working with department heads in four locations, the immeasurable "to do" list, and more interruptions of all of the above than the law should allow.

I thought it might be interesting to randomly select a day from last month's calendar and give you a short list of some of the more fascinating aspects of that day. Here are a few of my calendar notes from that Wednesday:

(1) Meeting with administrators of the Los Angeles County Library System to discuss their library make-over marketing program

(2) Discussion with Fashion Exhibits International President regarding an upcoming costume exhibit at the Vancouver (British Columbia) Central Library

(3) Call from DeanZign (Celebrity Costume Designer for Natalie Cole, Patty Labelle, Nancy Wilson, etc.) regarding her upcoming editorial spread in Vogue magazine

(4) Collaboration with Utah Library Association program planner regarding a pre-conference session I'm presenting for them... "Knock Your Socks off Service"

(5) Straregizing with FIDM's architectural interior designer regarding a facelift for our San Francisco library

(6) Call from a local Welfare-to-Work Coordinator who wanted me to talk to a young man wanting to start his own manufacturing company of young men's urbanwear

(7) E-mail reply to a Hawaiian Real Estate firm who's looking for someone to hire as an information technology consultant for an upcoming Eco-Spa project in California

(8) Discussion with FIDM faculty member regarding the Ferragamo Museum (Florence, Italy) Audrey Hepburn exhibit.

(9) Surfing the Net for 100 new hot links to add to FIDM's web-site feature...Kool Connections.

(10) Phone call from Tokyo requesting that I consider becoming a mentor in their International Business Mentor program

(11) Reviewing a donation of fashion magazines and hand-painted illustrations that dates back to the late 19th century

(12) Telephone call from the Peter Jennings show in New York regarding information he needed before a 5PM broadcast.

How much time do you spend reading magazines or trade journals?

On a weekly basis, I spend an average of 10 to 12 hours.

To whom do you report in the FIDM hierarchy?

I report to the Vice President of Education.