One of the most popular buzzwords in library-land at the moment is ‘curation’. It’s used to describe anything from old-fashioned collection development to human filtering activities on social media like Reddit, Twitter, Facebook and blogs. The word ‘curator’ gets used too liberally to describe the stuff people do on the web and, in my humble option, dilutes and pollutes the professional things that librarians do.
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Topics: Library Management, Information Management, Management, Integrated Library Systems
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Management
There are plenty of articles and studies on information literacy in our professional literature. However, these almost always address the issue of information literacy in public, K-12 and academic libraries, and focus on end users. But what about workplace literacy?
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Management, Integrated Library Systems, Special Libraries
Part Three: Working Across the Generations—Nobody Likes to be Labeled
A meme in the Millennial generation is that they hate to be called Millennials. Same goes for hipsters, punks, etc. So, forgive the shorthand in this post to describe the cohort of new professionals in our field. They offer as much diversity as there always has been, and no generalization can make up for that. That said, there are some themes emerging as newer professionals comprise an ever-increasing share of our field.
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Integrated Library Systems
In an earlier post, I described a problem in our profession that is exacerbated by the double hump (Bactrian camel) in our population curve. How can you bridge the gap?
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Integrated Library Systems
Open source software (OSS) is the technology world’s response to consumers who are price sensitive, but as with many things, it’s important to do your homework before making a commitment. Read on for some thought provoking suggestions on how to evaluate the best ILS or KM software for your organization. Maybe it’s open source, maybe it isn’t.
Topics: Library Management, Knowledge Management, Archives Collections Management Software, Knowledge Management Systems, Collections Management Software, Integrated Library Systems
I’ve spent a lot of time with new graduates in our profession—those who have started on the path to great librarianship but struggle with finding their footing in the world of library teams—and I’ve noticed some themes. Please read on to find out what librarians have in common with camels.
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Integrated Library Systems
I am often asked “What do I tell IT when they want to replace an existing Lucidea solution with one they promise to build in SharePoint?” Well, there are many advantages with our Lucidea solutions, but here I’d like to share one simple but very powerful differentiator: date handling and date searching. Once you’ve read this, you’ll have a thought-provoking response for IT!
Topics: Library Management, Knowledge Management, Information Management, Management, SydneyEnterprise, Inmagic Presto, Knowledge Management Systems, Integrated Library Systems, GeniePlus, Argus
The Masonic Temple in Philadelphia has been called one of the great wonders of the Masonic world. Located within The Temple is the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania, which houses thousands of texts and artifacts relating to the history of the Fraternity in the Commonwealth and the founding of the United States of America. The Library staff leverage SydneyEnterprise to help them advance knowledge and understanding of Freemasonry and its place in history.
Topics: Library Management, SydneyEnterprise, Integrated Library Systems
Most librarians (and indeed, most professionals) think of networking as a personal, face-to-face activity. Most also look forward to meeting their fellow librarians and to making new friends, all while learning together about new ideas and trends in the library field. The challenge for solo librarians is that they often cannot leave their libraries to attend live conferences and meetings.
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Management, Integrated Library Systems
Going it Alone? The Professional Development Secrets of Solo Librarians
Many librarians choose to work on their own, inside many different types of organizations. All library skills—whether reference, cataloging, or collection development—are useful and valuable to both solo librarians and their users. However, there are challenges (both budgetary and organizational) to going it alone which require one-person library managers to seek out both a network and a professional “support system.”
Topics: Library Management, Management, Integrated Library Systems
Solo librarians need powerful time management tools, since they are running their libraries without paraprofessional staff to assist. I’ve learned that many solo librarians (as well as other professionals) use their smartphones to manage and organize their time. Technology to the rescue!
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Management
It used to be considered inappropriate for library staff to monitor the usage patterns of their end users, but for today’s special libraries, tracking and acting upon the insights gained is essential for delivering the best in content, tools and services. Learn how to make a successful case for end user tracking.
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Management, SydneyEnterprise, Integrated Library Systems, GeniePlus
During my career as a KM practitioner, I developed a profile of the most effective knowledge managers. It’s included in my upcoming book on promoting knowledge management initiatives within the corporate world.
Topics: Library Management, Knowledge Management, Information Management, Management, Inmagic Presto, Knowledge Management Systems, Integrated Library Systems
I was speaking with a client about faceted search. (For more information on that subject see my blog post “A Firm Foundation for Faceted Search”). We discussed the need for well-organized and well-structured data to support useful faceted searching. The client challenged that need, and stated she had read and been told that some forms of guided navigation require no data preparation—and will work with completely unstructured data. In this post I’ll compare and contrast two approaches to searching.
Topics: Library Management, Knowledge Management, Knowledge Management Systems, Integrated Library Systems
You’ve got an imagination. You’re creative. Librarians often say they’re not—so typically modest—but generally acknowledge that the magic in getting answers and insights from information is a creative act. Librarians are experts in that. If you’re too self-effacing to present yourself as an expert, can you simply admit to your expertise?
In this first post (of many) for Lucidea’s Think Clearly Blog, I’ll put forward two frameworks for thinking about how to successfully present creative ideas for innovation and change within your organization.
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, SydneyEnterprise, Integrated Library Systems, GeniePlus
Part Three: Special Libraries’ Evolving Role—Continued Success Requires a Business Strategy
As discussed in my last post, special libraries now exist in a highly competitive information marketplace, where business users of content have lots of options. Michael Porter—in his seminal book Competitive Strategy—stated that in a competitive marketplace there are three strategies that make sense: cost leadership, differentiation, and focus. What does this imply for special library strategies?
Topics: Library Management, Knowledge Management, SydneyEnterprise, Inmagic Presto, Knowledge Management Systems, Integrated Library Systems
Part Two: Special Libraries’ Evolving Role—Continued Success Requires a Business Strategy
In my last post, I wrote about how I learned a difficult lesson: hard work and quality output must be in service of a solid business strategy if individuals, roles and departments are to thrive. As you know, keeping your special library vibrant and sustainable requires adaptation and lots of hard work. In addition, are you thinking strategically about how to make your library the best that it can be? Please read on for some ideas.
Topics: Library Management, Knowledge Management, SydneyEnterprise, Inmagic Presto, Knowledge Management Systems, Integrated Library Systems