Janet Cooper Weiss

A member of SLA since 1976, Janet Weiss is associate director of the scientific library at Daiichi Sankyo Pharma Development, Inc., in New Jersey. During her four decades as an SLA member, Janet has been indispensable to several units, especially the New Jersey Chapter, the New Jersey-Greater Princeton/Trenton Chapter, the Pharmaceutical & Health Technology Division, and the Biomedical & Life Sciences Division.

Both the New Jersey Chapter and the New Jersey-Greater Princeton/Trenton Chapter (CPRT) have benefited from Janet's guidance. Though she has worn many chapter hats—treasurer, fundraising chair, consultation officer, program chair, president, and awards chair—Janet is particularly well known within both chapters for her tremendous sponsorship and fundraising efforts. Janet's ability to secure vendors to sponsor meetings is legendary—as fundraising chair, a position she has held in both chapters intermittently since 1993, she has been instrumental in making chapter meetings affordable.

The Pharmaceutical & Health Technology Division has also been fortunate to count Janet among its members. Most recently chair of the division in 2015, Janet's successful efforts include guiding work on a division membership survey and reworking the procedures for member and student travel awards. Similarly, Janet chaired the Biomedical & Life Sciences Division in 2007, and has also served that unit over the years as fundraising, professional development, and vendor relations chairs.

Recently, Janet emboldened several members of the New Jersey Chapter to volunteer their expertise with a heavily relied upon, underfunded regional agency that was conducting a needs assessment. The assessment involved collecting and assessing information and formulating the findings into recommendations on reorganizing the agency's resource library. This collaboration is one of many instances in which Janet has helped to demonstrate the unique value of informational professionals to businesses and organizations.

During the 40 years as an SLA member, Janet has served as a connecting link, bringing diverse ideas and people together. She has mentored new members and encouraged them to take up leadership roles within SLA. She is well deserving of induction into the SLA Hall of Fame.

Rev. Sept 2016