In their interesting blog post, 10 Tips for Creating a Knowledge Ecosystem in your Organization, a group of Wiley publication editors shared their insights on effective KM practices. As a result of seeking a “better understanding of how knowledge is constructed and how it is connected to prior learning”, they compiled a list of ten knowledge ecosystem elements.
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Topics: Knowledge Management, Professional Development, User Engagement
For many of the museums I’ve worked in (and with, as a consultant), the development of digital collections was haphazard. The evolution of museum collections management software, digitization technology, and issues such as digital preservation and storage have all contributed to an uneven approach to publishing digital collections online.
Topics: Museums, User Engagement, Collections Management
Part One: Aligning Research Results with Decision-Making—SWOT, 4-Squares, Fish Bones, and More
Sometimes special librarians struggle to define the right level of value-added service to deliver. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and considering what are the most important frameworks and ways to add value.
Topics: Professional Development, Special Libraries, User Engagement
During a “KM Conversation” with knowledge management evangelist and expert Stan Garfield, he focused on using gamification techniques—including awarding points and point scoring—to help build user engagement and ensure your KM platform is vibrant and widely leveraged within your organization.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, User Engagement
During our “KM Conversation” with knowledge management evangelist and expert Stan Garfield, “Gamification Accelerates KM Adoption,” he focused on how you can use gamification techniques to crack the challenging problem of building user engagement and ensuring that your KM platform is vibrant and widely leveraged within your organization.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, User Engagement
There is a great deal of emphasis on “the virtual library” and the substitution of digital resources for print, but the allure of the library as a destination persists, most especially in the public sector. However, many of the reasons that public libraries attract visitors apply to special libraries as well.
Topics: Special Libraries, User Engagement, Strategy
What actually motivates users of a knowledge management system? It’s the feeling we get at the moment of discovery. Yes, we need the information we are seeking, but it’s the buzz we get when we find it that keeps us engaged. And if we get the hit we’re looking for, we’ll come back—guaranteed.
Topics: Knowledge Management, KM, User Engagement
In their interesting blog post, 10 Tips for Creating a Knowledge Ecosystem in your Organization, a group of Wiley publication editors share their insights on effective KM practices. As a result of seeking a “better understanding of how knowledge is constructed and how it is connected to prior learning”, they compiled a list of ten knowledge ecosystem elements.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Professional Development, User Engagement
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.
Topics: Professional Development, User Engagement
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.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Marketing, Training, KM, User Engagement
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!
Topics: Marketing, User Engagement
Education is required when introducing a new KM initiative, during roll out across your organization, and as a key part of ongoing implementation. You must continue to offer training in a variety of ways; once is never sufficient. Please read on to learn the elements of a knowledge management training program, drawn from my new book, Proven Practices for Promoting a Knowledge Management Program.
Topics: Knowledge Management, Professional Development, Marketing, Training, KM, User Engagement
Part Four: Client Engagement in Special Libraries—Simple Tactics to Build On
Our first three posts defined customer engagement and focused on our clients/colleagues. We suggested a strategy for identifying and connecting with the colleagues we serve. We looked into gaining a better understanding of ourselves as people, and we reviewed the core skills for listening. In this post we design a roadmap for engaging colleagues in the various specialized settings of information professionals.
Topics: Library Management, Management, Special Libraries, User Engagement
How (and Why) My Favorite Brick and Mortar Bookstore Continues to Thrive
Frequent travelers through San Francisco’s airport who love to read have probably stopped in at Compass Books in Terminal 3. The quality and range of their selection always impresses me, as do the knowledgeable staff. Recently, when SFO underwent significant renovations, I feared the store had closed—another victim of the digital age.
Topics: Library Management, Information Management, Management, Marketing, User Engagement
Part Three: Client Engagement in Special Libraries—What are the skills and competencies for engagement?
In our first two posts in this series, we defined what customer engagement is in the special librarian’s context, and outlined an approach to building a special library focused customer relationship management system.
Now, let’s ask ourselves what are the major competencies required for success? What should we invest our personal development focus on?
Topics: Library Management, Management, Special Libraries, User Engagement
Part Two: Client Engagement in Special Libraries—Tracking and engaging your clients
My last post defined terms related to customer engagement and focused on the personal relationship-building component of our mandate with our target colleagues.
A major element of building relationships is knowing your colleagues well. No one’s memory is perfect. You can’t remember everything, and you may be working in teams (although this is useful for solos too). For sustainability and teamwork, you need to build a database that pulls together your knowledge of your clients and colleagues.
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Management, Special Libraries, User Engagement
This series of blog posts on client engagement is inspired by a reader comment. Thanks!
“I appreciate Stephen Abram's tips. Could you talk more of 'engagement'? How can special librarians 'engage' employees? THANK YOU!”
This reader comment has inspired me to think more deeply about how special librarians and information professionals need to behave differently on the customer engagement front. Yes, special librarians are different!
Topics: Library Management, Solo Librarianship, Management, Integrated Library Systems, Special Libraries, User Engagement
People at organizations with underperforming KM platforms can really struggle to find information; unfortunately, they pretty much need to know exactly what they want and where it is, before they can find it. A great KM platform solves that problem.
If your organization relies on a shared drive or a DMS—or an underpowered knowledge management system—to house or reference critical information assets, that’s a real handicap. It means you can only retrieve valuable content if you know exactly what you want (and where it is), and that means you often have to rely on institutional memory.
Topics: Knowledge Management, User Engagement