Library marketing has become a hot topic, with public libraries working hard to increase footfall and enroll new members. With regard to special libraries, some companies believe that since the library is in place, staff will automatically flock to it. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case despite the fact that their users are a captive audience.

Knowledge Managers know how to use KM tools, how to ask others for help, who should be connected to whom, who would benefit from a piece of information, and how to persuade others to use information effectively. Those who play these roles, and especially those who combine several of them, can function as “power knowledge workers”, facilitating knowledge flow throughout the organization.

“Information overload refers to the state of having too much information to make a decision or remain informed about a topic. It is often referred to in conjunction with various forms of computer mediated communication such as email and the web. The term was coined in 1970 by Alvin Toffler in his book Future Shock.” (Wikipedia)

In his recent piece for KMWorld, What is KM? Knowledge Management Explained, Dr. Michael Koenig provides an excellent overview of the origins, goals and fundamentals of knowledge management. The article is useful for those new to KM, and also reminds seasoned practitioners of the discipline’s principles, stages of development and current status.

Are you still hearing that hackneyed old comment, “Most everything’s available on the web now, so exactly why do we need librarians?” I certainly am! Arghhh! It’s coming from all quarters and other professionals too. In financially tumultuous times, when every cent is being scrutinized to within a centimeter of its life, we can expect this ugly example of shallow thinking to raise its head again and again. It’s time to remind ourselves of quick ways to respond to these comments.

Too much focus on technology when implementing a KM program is a common problem, but you will definitely need to use software applications—so it’s important to understand them and leverage them in an optimal way. It’s imperative that you offer a truly great user experience out of the gate.

Libraries and librarians are all about experiences. How would you describe the experience of dealing with you? What are the benefits? In this post, I’d like to explore the knowledge experience and how it has changed over the years with respect to the library/librarian value proposition. As we enter an era of new opportunities it’s wise to see how we got to this point.

The American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) is the world’s largest specialty association for facial plastic surgery. One of the opportunities they provide is the chance for AAFPRS volunteer surgeons to operate on thousands of patients worldwide, particularly children. Using Inmagic Presto, they capture and track patient information and outcomes, and support research grant submissions with data.

What is open? In order to be embedded librarians, information professionals must be open-minded and open to new experiences. On a personal basis I have had many conversations with embedded librarians who report that the experience is, in addition to being a growth experience, also quite enjoyable, professionally satisfying and exciting.

Too much focus on technology when implementing a KM program is a common problem. But you will still need to use software applications, so it’s important to understand them and leverage them in an optimal way. Suggestions for doing so include finding a “killer KM app”. Please read on for my thoughts on this topic, drawn from my new book, Proven Practices for Promoting Knowledge Management.

I have been asked to speak on innovation many times. I've also led the innovation teams at a few major library corporations, which is fun, frustrating and rewarding. I've thought about the topic a lot and I've come to a couple of conclusions which I'll share here.

We’ve all suffered through slick, packaged PowerPoint presentations that offer few glimpses of the actual software product. Seldom do we really get to see what we’re interested in. Here is a fool proof strategy to get potential vendors to actually show you how their products can help you achieve your goals.

Are you a blogging newbie? I doubt that! Been blogging for a while and now you’re feeling stuck? Has the dreaded writer’s block virus hit you? Feeling uninspired, all out of ideas, or not feeling very creative? Simply don’t know how to blog in your sector? Fear not; blogs still have some life in them!

Midsized law firms face unique challenges when it comes to knowledge management. Just as large multinational firms must, they need to provide a solid knowledge management foundation, to protect and leverage the firm’s knowledge assets, and utilize the best technology for the firm’s KM requirements—but unlike their larger brethren, midsized firms are often resource constrained. What does KM success look like for these firms, and how can you get there too?

One of the many positive aspects of solo librarianship is the diversity of the practitioners. Among them are law librarians, medical librarians, corporate/special librarians and archivists, to name just a few. This diversity helps solo librarians to better help one another, solving common problems and sharing/implementing best practices.

Over the past few years we have heard a lot about the special role of elevator speeches—those sound bites you practice in case you have the ear of a key decision maker or influencer in your organization for a few floors. I love this tactic, but let’s remember that it’s just a micro-skill and we can’t leave our communication strategies up to chance encounters. Let’s learn how to make our own magical moments.

It may come as a surprise that knowledge management isn’t simply about paper and electronic resources. Today's KM systems also capture the information in people's heads: the tacit knowledge, that when added to explicit knowledge completes the picture. The art and science of KM involves synthesizing the two for maximum impact. Please read on for some tips on how to make it work.

In his Adweek article, Millennials are Discovering Art by Ditching Museums for Instagram and Pinterest, Robert Klara asserts that “social media has nudged museums aside as the primary venue by which American consumers discover works of art.” Don’t let your museum be nudged aside!