by Quincie Rivers, Washington DC Chapter, Knowledge Management Division

InfoCurrent has had a ringside seat watching the library and information science world change over the last few decades. As the Information Management Division of CORESTAFF Services, InfoCurrent has a 40-year history of providing library services to a broad spectrum of business, industry and government clients.

While InfoCurrent continues to place traditional librarians, technicians and clerks, we are constantly being asked to find highly skilled professionals who can manage digital archives, content management systems, web content, digital rights management, taxonomy, e-learning, competitive intelligence and analysis and more.

To be “future ready” in today’s market means more than being proficient in traditional Library Sciences.  It means being futuristic, strategic, and quick to adapt to change. Employers are looking for librarians who are creative, flexible, innovative – who are at ease with technology and understand how that technology can help an organization manage their resources better. Information is key to a business’s growth. Hiring managers expect a librarian to be team oriented, collaborative, people focused. They want and need librarians who can become thought leaders, strategists and innovators.

As companies are exploring ways to recover and expand in the current economic climate, budgets continue to be under strict scrutiny.  Often with limited resources, library services must continue to evolve and become leaner, smarter and faster as the new age of technology and social media transforms our markets.

Organizations and businesses realize that the management of knowledge is a valuable commodity and necessary for growth.  It is not enough, however, just to manage information and provide a service but rather to proactively adopt new technologies and economies of scale.  Businesses who have sought skilled personnel to cost effectively deliver and streamline information now view these individuals in a far less traditional role.

How does one become future ready?  Become innovative and adapt to the evolution of business strategies as it relates to your specific industry.  While the demand for MLIS/MLS professionals remains high, the work environment will be a far less conventional business.  As long as you are flexible and have a curiosity for life-long learning, there will be a place in today’s future ready business world by translating traditional skills and adapting new technologies to their best and highest use.

The day of the back office librarian is vanishing. Professional Librarians are embedded in the teams they service. They are managing virtual researchers and collections, orchestrating the delivery of these valuable resources in whatever form they take. Expect to be part of a team collaboratively working to provide innovative solutions in a dynamic environment.

It’s an exciting time to be a librarian. At InfoCurrent we see the future every day.

InfoCurrent, with offices in Washington, DC, New York City, Boston and Houston, is the Information Management Division of CORESTAFF Services specializing in library and records management services.  InfoCurrent is a full-service, nationwide staffing firm offering temporary, temp-to-hire, direct hire and project management for almost every industry, on projects large and small, and on items from legal documents to art collections.  We keep pace with trends in both Library Sciences and Records Management, sharing best practices to help our clients build faster, nimbler – and smarter – organizations.

by Nicola Franklin, Europe Chapter, Business & Finance Division

When I was asked to contribute to this series of posts on how the library & information employment scene is changing, which positions or skills are disappearing and which new ones we need to prepare for, I asked on Twitter for any input and ideas people had.  There were surprisingly few skills or roles people thought were becoming obsolete – it was much more about new skills being added onto already existing ones!

Even skills which might be thought of as ‘old fashioned’ or no longer needed were defended.  One tweet in reply said “I think cataloguing – data librarianship and records cataloguing – is making a big comeback”.

Another good point that was made was ‘library/info skills are about people, not tech, why should they become obsolete?’.  This highlights the fact that, while the media might be books, journals, databases or online, the key goal of information people is how to ensure the content of that media is available to people when they need it.  Hence the need for such a wide spectrum of skills from cataloguing (taxonomy, metadata… insert other acronym of choice!) to influencing and advocating.

If the spectrum of media in which information is available ever swings 100% away from hard-copy books or journals, then maybe some skills will disappear (shelving, for example), but other skills will morph and change to suit changing technologies – so collection management will switch from a physical collection to a digital one.  The skills of liaising with users, analysing needs and selecting expensive materials to fit a particular budget will remain, however.  Instead of a physical display, there may be promotion of resources on an intranet or other communication system not yet envisaged.

With such a varied skill set being called for, I think it is always going to be the case that information teams will be needed, with some members who are meticulous, organised and methodical while others are more outgoing, persuasive and articulate, or more adept at developing or customising technology.  The true skill will lie in co-ordinating all these varied roles within one cohesive profession.

Nicola has worked with the information profession as a recruitment consultant for just over thirteen years, working at Information Business Services, PFJ and Sue Hill Recruitment in London, UK. At Fabric Recruitment Nicola leads the Information division, helping librarians, knowledge managers and records managers find that next best step in their career, and promotes all things social media to the team.

by Deb Schwarz, Southern California Chapter, IT & Legal Divisions

As a working information professional, a consultant, and an entrepreneur in the library space, I come across a lot of my colleagues and peers in a wide variety of jobs and industries during the course of my regular work schedule. The strong level of commitment to the work usually exhibited by most everyone I meet is striking, even when I find out that in reality many aren’t really happy with their current job situation.  That commitment level to the “work” is laudable, and of course entirely appropriate, but perhaps in thinking about Future Ready scenarios on a personal-career level, info-pros ought to reserve some of their energy towards committing to leveraging and repositioning themselves within the organization they serve.

I think many of us believe that sooner or later the print-bound library in many organizations, especially corporations and even law firms, will see its demise. Of course this transition has not reached its conclusion everywhere, but it probably will, and by how much is just a matter of degree.  Is this bad?  Well bibliophiles will have to get their fix elsewhere, but for the working information professional it could be liberating by bringing (or forcing!) opportunities to go forward into the organization, bringing your skills right along with you. Call it embedded or assimilation, but getting out of the physical library and installed as, say, a researcher supporting a business unit, or a knowledge manager handling proprietary work product, or managing content on SharePoint, or developing and refining taxonomies—well, all that sounds pretty exciting and challenging to me!

So how to get there? One way is use your information and reference skills and apply due diligence efforts to position yourself.  That’s all well and good you might say, but how? Every situation is different, of course, but a basic tenet is to understand the organization’s business strategy and study it to determine where there is a fit. For example, most organizations (particularly in this still recovering economy) are spending time and money on finding new customers or clients and retaining existing ones in order to stay competitive and grow. From an  information professional’s vantage point that could mean supporting marketing, business development, and competitive intelligence or being part of an internal strategy group.  Since the value of information in an information-overloaded, social media-blitzed world is golden, then doesn’t it follow that an information professional should have a participatory, if not a key role? A lot of analysts can’t do their jobs without having comprehensive, up-to-date, accurate information to analyze.  Who better to partner with than a knowledgable information guru (er…professional!)?

With the billions of dollars being spent on content it also makes sense to work with an organization’s procurement or purchasing department to support them as they go about negotiating contracts with vendors for subscriptions, site licenses, and other content. It would do your organization and its users of this information a great disservice to have such deals negotiated strictly by the bottom line and outside of the context of information users’ needs. Who knows this better than an information professional?

Are these jobs well-defined and easily found? Not always and not necessarily – although we at LAC often see many of these qualifications and requirements in various job descriptions.  And we have created a lot of these jobs through our consulting efforts and recommendations. Future ready may mean trail blazing.   Maybe getting out of the library but pitching your value, expertise and skills to the COO or the head of marketing is the trail you need to blaze. You may have to take an opportunity and turn it around as well as inside out in order to strategize how to go for it, but do go for it if you want to be a Future Ready information professional in this rapidly-transforming, information-trading environment.

LAC Group is a professional services firm specializing in information management, virtual research, recruiting and outsourcing (www.lac-group.com).  Deborah Schwarz received her MLS from the University of Toronto, and is the owner/founder of LAC Group, serving as its CEO.

by Lisa Zwickey, Wisconsin Chapter, Transportation, Business & Finance, Leadership & Management Divisions

Future Ready Toolkit

This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.

Overview

Ask yourself where – and what – you want your library to be 5, 10, 20 years from now. If you’re coming up blank, it’s time to write a vision statement. And to ensure you get to that visionary spot, write yourself a mission statement while you’re at it.

Definitions

Vision statement – Defines the desired or intended future state of an organization or enterprise in terms of its fundamental and/or strategic direction. (Wikipedia)

Mission statement – Defines the fundamental purpose of an organization or enterprise, succinctly describing why it exists and what it does to achieve its vision. (Wikipedia)

Key Elements and Ideas

A vision statement is intended to portray where you want your organization to be in the future – it is your inspiration and the frame of reference for all your strategic planning. As a special library, your vision may be to be the main resource for empowering your fellow employees to make decisions to keep the company innovative and profitable.

Questions to ask yourself when composing a vision statement are:

• What do we do today? (We empower.)
• For whom do we do it? (Fellow employees and, ultimately, our customers.)
• What is the benefit? (Innovation and profitability.)

Be realistic, positive and align your statement with organizational values and culture.

The mission statement spells out how you will accomplish that vision. It briefly sets out how the information is collected and provided, what methods are best suited to your company’s needs (keeping in mind future technologies), and how the information may be used. For example, to empower employees to make decisions to keep the company innovative and profitable, the library will proactively provide information and analysis using current and reliable resources, value-added service and compatible and useful technologies. You may also want to mention that the library staff is committed to examining new and innovation methods of information delivery in order to provide superior customer service.

Questions to ask yourself when composing a mission statement are:

• What do we want going forward? (To be the main informational and analytical resource in the company.)
• When do we want to do it? (Proactively)
• How do we want to do it? (By using current and reliable resources, value-added service, compatible and useful technologies, and superior customer service.)

Be broad enough to allow for creative, and especially, in our field, technological growth. Write a statement that will distinguish your library from your company’s other departments and make sure it serves as a framework to evaluate current activities.

Resources

Libraries, Mission and Marketing: Writing Mission Statements That Work, by Linda K. Wallace. Chicago: ALA, 2003. 82p. $27, ALA members $24.30 (ISBN 0-83890-867-5) LC 2003-15471.

Scorecards for Results: A Guide for Developing a Library Balanced Scorecard, by Joseph R. Matthews. Westport CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2008. 112 p. $45 (ISBN-10: 1591586984, ISBN-13: 978-1591586982)

“Do You Know What Your Mission Is?” by Janet L. Balas; Computers in Libraries, Feb. 1, 2007.  Word Count: 2115

“Fine-tuning Your Mission: Your Mission Statement Can Put You Right on Top of Your Market – Or Make You Irrelevant,” by Robert A. Sevier; University Business, June 1, 2003. Word Count: 2010

“Solutions: Mission Not Impossible,” by Russell J. White; Credit Union Management, Jan. 3, 2002. Word Count: 1109

Lisa joined J.J. Keller’s Research and Technical Library in 1991 and works with all areas of the company in the areas of business and statistical research, marketing, product development and strategic planning. Lisa has a degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was a news reporter for a daily newspaper for six years before earning her master’s degree in Library and Information Science, also from UW-Madison. She has been a member of SLA since 1995.

by Nora K. Stoecker, Rio Grande Chapter

Future Ready Toolkit

This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.

To quote Kim Dority in Rethinking Information Work: a Career Guide for Librarians and Other Information Professionals (2006), finding a job is a matter of persistent effort, lots of research, and ongoing colleague connections.

Social media or other emerging technologies, used in partnership with traditional job search methods, will play a strong role in your job search by providing opportunities to grow and strengthen your network, enhance your professional visibility, and supplement your research efforts.   In addition you’ll be putting yourself in the same space as recruiters and potential hiring managers.

Let’s explore how.

5 ways to use social media in your job search.doc

Nora K. Stoecker, MLIS.  Senior Information Researcher/Analyst.  Nora is a 32-plus year veteran of the world of work, with an early 14 years in human resources and a recent 18 years as an information professional both as an employee and a freelancer.  She is a long-time active member of SLA.  You’re welcome to contact Nora at n.stoecker@nksinfoservices.com.

by Cindy Shamel, San Diego Chapter, Leadership & Management Division

Future Ready Toolkit

This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.

Value Added Presentations.ppt

Cindy has provided value-added deliverables to clients for over 13 years. She’s a past president of the San Diego Chapter of SLA and recipient of the Sue Rugge Memorial Award for mentoring presented by the Association of Independent Information Professionals.

by Dave Cappoli, Lisa Chow, Jill Hurst-Wahl, Sonja Sajonas, John Walsh

Future Ready Toolkit

This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• SLA Tools for LIS Students
• Examples of Job Titles for MLIS Graduates
• Networking Advice
• Your Reputation, CV, and Portfolio Matter
• Tools, Tips, and Tricks for the New Information Professional

Overview

As the premier association for library and information professionals, SLA’s mission is aimed at promoting and empowering its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives.

The first section of this tool will provide in-depth overview of SLA’s resources specifically for library and information students seeking to begin their careers as information professionals.

The following sections will examine relevant topics that an LIS student is faced with as they near graduation and are faced with career-decisions.

SLA Tools for LIS Students

By David Cappoli

• Student Membership – A bargain at $40, a student membership provides you with access to the full range of membership benefits, from Information Outlook, to job listings, to chapter and division scholarship opportunities.  And as part of your membership you can join a topical division and regional chapter.
• What is a Special Library?  Presented on behalf of the SLA First Five Years Advisory Council, this recorded presentation presents a case study of a special library.
• Career Center – A valuable collection of resources that can assist with furthering one’s career in the information profession.  Includes job listings.  Particularly useful are:
  • Career Articles - How to become indispensable in your organization.
  • Career Coaching-Virtual assistance on career guidance.
  • Career Podcasts – Recordings on a variety of topics from writing cover letters, to job application mistakes, to decoding the job interview.
• First Five Years Advisory Council – The council focuses on the needs of individuals new to the profession.  The council has developed the following presentations to assist new professionals in their careers:
  • Locating Open Positions – How to find the right position for you.
  • Networking – Learn how to develop networking opportunities.
  • Salary Negotiation – Understand how to talk about the challenging subject of your salary
• First Five Years on Facebook – Connect with the Council on Facebook.
• Scholarships – Chapters and divisions may offer scholarships to library and information studies students.  Divisions often sponsor contests for travel stipends so that students can attend an SLA conference.
• SLA Early Conference Award – Presented by SLA Europe, this award was established “provide the opportunity for those at the start of their career to attend the SLA Annual Conference.”
• SLA Innovation Laboratory – Not enough time to explore an emerging technology on your own, then it is time to play and discover in the Innovation Lab.
• SLA Students Facebook Group – Join fellow SLA students on Facebook.

Examples of Job Titles for MLIS Graduates

If you’re in school as a library and information science student, you are probably aware of the large degree of variation in job title that an information professional is faced with. This variation is only getting bigger. Below is a quick-list of examples, taken straight from the source: the SLA career center.
*disclaimer: the importance of job title varies on a case-by-case basis. When it comes down to it, every manager is looking for a good team member.

• Manager of research services
• Business intelligence analyst
• Systems librarian
• Senior information specialist
• Prospect researcher
• Sales manager
• Business research librarian
• Librarian
• Head of cataloging and technology services
• KCM information services manager
• University librarian
• Curator of rare books and manuscripts

So, the word librarian is used in a little less than half the listings. And yes, you’re reading that right, a sales manager position was listed on the SLA career center. Why? Because the organization wanted someone with a knowledge of document and record keeping, publishing, and cataloging, an MLIS graduate, who happens to be good at sales. Some SLA members even have job titles such as VP of marketing and VP of strategic markets and partnerships. Lots of members have founded their own research, competitive intelligence, and social media consulting firms. What else do you happen to be good at?

Your degree is your gateway.

Networking Advice

From Jill Hurst-Wahl’s post on Digitization 101. Jill is a professor at Syracuse University School of LIS.

• What stops people from networking is that they think they have nothing to say, aren’t interesting, or are too shy.  I bet you talk to the checkout clerk at the supermarket about your groceries, right?  That is a short, focused conversation.  When you’re networking, your conversations can also be short and focused.
• In Syracuse, NY, the natural conversation starter is the weather.  At a conference, the natural conversation starter is asking about the sessions.  For example, “what sessions have you thought were the best so far?”  (Notice that it is an open-ended question and not a yes-no question.  This gives the person an opportunity to say something meaningful.)  Every situation has a natural starter…and once you know it, you can use it over and over and…!
• Remember to introduce yourself.  If you want to make a connection with the other person, that person needs to know who you are.  “Hi, I’m…”, ”By the way, I’m…”, “…nice to meet you. I’m…”  And say your name clearly.  Even though you know who you are, it can be helpful practicing saying your name and your affiliation, so that you are guaranteed to say it smoothly. (“Hi, I’m Jill Hurst-Wahl. I just graduated with my MSLIS with a focus in digital libraries.”)
• If this is someone that has some synergy with you, give the person a business card. This not only gives the person your contact information, but it reminds them of your name.  (Honestly, I have had many great conversations with people that I know, but whose name I can’t remember.  Exchanging business cards is very helpful.)  Feeling awkward handing over your card?  “Here’s my card, in case you want to talk about this later.”  “My contact information has changed a bit, so here’s my new business card.”  “I don’t know if you have my contact info, so here’s my card.”
  • Consider including on your business card the URL for your LinkedIn profile and other relevant (and professional) social media accounts.  For many, this is much more useful than having your mailing address.
• And there is the magic word…listen.  Networking isn’t just about talking; it is about listening.  Learn how to be an active listener, then ask open ended questions, listen carefully to the replies, and ask follow-up questions when appropriate.  You’ll gather lots of useful information and the other person will think that you are a wonderful conversationalist!
• Remember that it is quality not quantity. It isn’t the number of people that you talk with, but the quality of the conversations that you have.  In other words, it is better to talk with a few people and make excellent connections that to talk to lots of people in very quick (likely meaningless) conversations.
• Have fun! While you should be professional in your networking activities, engaging in fun events with potential colleagues is okay. And honestly, even in lighter moments, serious topics and wonderful connections can be made.
• It is possible to network all the time.  That may be a scary thought for some people, so think of it this way…it is always possible to encounter someone with whom you want to make a connection.  When you run into someone like that, take the opportunity to exchange contact information, schedule time to talk, or whatever is appropriate.

Your Reputation, CV, and Portfolio Matter

From Jill Hurst-Wahl’s post on Digitization 101

Many people are creating their portfolios online and including in them samples of their work (e.g., papers and presentations).  Keep in mind that your portfolio doesn’t need to be fancy; it just needs to be a good representation of you.  Placing this information online — either on a web site, in a blog, or in LinkedIn*(*perhaps with a connection to SlideShare) — allows you to present what you want people to know about you and your work.  It also makes you more findable.  Someone searching on a topic of interest may stumble upon something you have and then be interested in you as a professional. And – yes – you want to be findable.

• Take time to clean up that information that is online about you in Facebook and other social networking site.
  • Review the photos that you’re in and make sure that they reflect the you that an employer would like to hire.
  • And check your profiles – even in places like Twitter- to ensure that they say what you truly want to communicate.
  • The bottom line is – Don’t lose out on a job opportunity because you either were not findable or what was found wasn’t deemed professional.
• Use all of the resources that are available to you.
  • Have you stopped into Career Services on your campus?
  • Have you done mock interviews?
  • Have you checked out other resources that have been mentioned on syllabi, in classes or during orientation?
• Ingest content about the profession
  • This will prepare you with in-depth understanding of the important trends and issues that the industry you are about to enter is facing.
  • That includes reading blogs as well as the professional literature, watching videos and presentations, and listening to podcasts.
  • Below are some places to start:
    • Information Today (magazine)
    • Searcher(magazine)
    • EContent(magazine)
    • Library Journal (magazine)
    • LibPunk Radio (podcast)
    • Adventures in Library Instruction (podcast)
    • T is for Training (podcast)
    • Free Range Librarian (blog)
    • Tennant: Digital Libraries (blog)
    • Book of Trogool (blog)
    • David Lee King (blog)
    • Walking Papers (blog)
  • Finally, no matter the day or the time, there are people who are supportive of you and your desire to be a librarian (or knowledge professional or information professional or…).  Grad school is a stressful time for everyone, so do reach out to family and friends and allow them to heap words of encouragement on you and maybe a little help to get you through a rough spell (e.g., dinner, a game of cards or help with laundry).  Don’t worry…at some point, you’ll repay their efforts by being there to give them or someone else needed support.  Who knows…you might find yourself lending support to a stressed LIS student.

Tips, Tricks & Tools for the New Information Professional

By Lisa Chow and Sandra Sajonas, presented at SLA@PRATT Career Day



David Cappoli is the digital resources librarian at the UCLA department of Information Studies. He is former president of the SLA Southern California chapter (2008) and was the chapter’s treasurer from 2004 – 2006. David was a member of the 2009 Centennial Commission of SLA, and a member of the 2009 Conference Planning Committee. Prior to coming to UCLA, he was a librarian at the LA Times, and was research database coordinator with Glasgow Polytechnic in Scotland.

Jill Hurst-Wahl is a professor at Syracuse University School of Information Studies. She is a member of the SLA Board of Directors and several SLA units. She co-authored The Information and Knowledge Professional’s Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success with Ulla de Stricker.

Lisa Chow is a newish information professional with a few “library ribbons” including SLA Rising Star, Library Journal Mover & Shaker, ALA Emerging Leader and ARL Diversity Scholar. She is currently serving as the SLA DBIO Medical Section Chair.

Sandra Sajonas is a newish information professional with countless projects, presentations and accolades under her belt including ALA Emerging Leader and Library Journal Mover & Shaker. When she’s not shaking up the library world she’s checking items off of her “to do before I die” list.

John Walsh is the communications & marketing manager at SLA headquarters. A graduate in economics and English from UVA, he comes to SLA with experience in test prep education, sales, marketing, and market analysis. John is the staff liaison to the Public Relations Advisory Council.

Compiled by Amy Affelt, Illinois Chapter, Business & Finance Division

Future Ready Toolkit

This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.

Value-Added Intelligence

The knowledge that we provide is correct, citable, and on-point.  We deliver this knowledge on-time, in the format that the requestor finds most helpful, and either under or as close to budget as possible.

Facilitation of Good Decision-Making

We do this by gathering, organizing, and sharing high quality and highly-relevant information to ensure that the best decisions are made by our stakeholders.

Creation of a Culture of Knowledge Sharing

We do this by educating our colleagues on the best use of information sources (which are the most credible, most citable, etc.)

Creation of a Competitive Advantage

We do this by applying expert analysis to ensure that our stakeholders have the exact information they need to gain insight, understand trends, and secure an advantage over their competitors.

Expert Analysis

We go beyond “rip and ship” to inform the strategy of the organization by packaging results in such a way that sets the context for their use.  The knowledge that we provide ultimately reflects and enhances the organization’s overall goals.

Trend Identification and Insight

We look for trends across all industries and consider how those trends can be applied to our own work environments.  We anticipate the future by considering the present.  We read the news so that our stakeholders don’t have to, and we share developments immediately with stakeholders and in convenient formats such as through mobile applications.

Bottom-Line Benefits

Our work benefits the bottom line by saving stakeholders time and money.  We can conduct research more quickly and easily and achieve higher quality results than those with other job functions.

Context and Analysis for Knowledge and Results

We turn the information that we uncover into knowledge by setting the context for it as well as providing analysis of how it relates to the stakeholder’s challenge.  The stakeholder uses the knowledge we provide to ensure positive outcomes for the organization.

Amy is the chair of the SLA Public Relations Advisory Council, the Alignment Ambassador for the SLA Business and Finance Division, and director of database research at CompassLexecon, an economic consultancy.  She has a BA in History, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Illinois at Chicago and an MLS from Dominican University. Amy is coordinating the Future Ready Toolkit.

by Libby Trudell and Liz Blankson-Hemans

Future Ready Toolkit

This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.

Table of Contents

• Overview
• Definitions
• Key Elements and Ideas
• Models and Templates
• Resources

Overview

Every interaction with clients and potential clients (your “customers”) is an opportunity to market your services and build a positive impression.  As an information professional, you and the services you provide to your organization or client should be packaged to reinforce a clear identity and to build awareness of the services being provided. Successful marketing involves seeing the “products” and services you offer through the eyes of the customers and articulating clients’ needs in their terms – the main objective of marketing is always to understand customer needs.  Can you state the benefits you offer in a way that is meaningful to customers and communicate why you provide the best solution compared to other options?

In a nutshell, according to Michael Porter, a Harvard University professor, marketing is anything you do to get or keep a customer.

Definitions

The marketing 3Ps address how to Package your product and Promote your services in a way that is attractive to existing and potential clients and Persuade clients that your services are better than
those offered by competitors.

Packaging – originally, the word “packaging” referred to the container or wrapping for a product. Now, packaging is much more broadly understood as all the ways to present and convey the value of a product or service.  In order to build consistent packaging, you must be clear about who you are and what your services represent.

Promotion - starts with understanding and targeting customers. Find out who they are, what their special interests are, what their business backgrounds are, what they require to succeed in the organization, and, most importantly, how you can provide it to them in a way that makes it valuable to them.

Persuasion - is the process of helping the client discover whether there is a match between his/her needs and what you have to offer.  Successful persuasion is a very fulfilling activity when it results in finding the best solution to meet a customer’s needs.  Persuasive messages will motivate customers to take an action by promising a benefit – literally what’s in it for them to try your services.

Key Elements and Ideas

Models and Templates

1. 3Ps Checklist
2. Marketing Plan Template
3. Marketing Plan Sample
4. Maximized Target Marketing

Resources

General Marketing and Branding

• eBrief – Marketing Your Information Service
• Marketing Podcasts
• Top 10 Ways Not To Attract New Clients

Packaging

• Packaging Information: Dress it Up and You’ll Shine
• Packaging Information Services – Podcast

Promotion

• Staging an Open House or Promotional Event
• Marketing Promotion – Podcast
• 10-Step Guide to Promoting the Information Centre

Persuading

• 5 Tips for Getting Started
• Marketing Information Services Using Persuasion Techniques – Podcast

Libby Trudell is vice president of marketing at Dialog in Sunnyvale, California. She has been a member of SLA since 1996. She previously served on the SLA Board of Directors as chapter cabinet chair (2006-2008) and is currently chair of the 2011 SLA Annual Conference Advisory Council and a member of the Public Relations Advisory Committee.

Liz Blankson-Hemans is Director, Market Development for Dialog, with oversight for strategic planning and implementation of marketing outside North America. Liz has been a member of SLA since 1997. She has served in several capacities on the SLA Europe board, including Membership Secretary, Diversity Chair and Early Careers Committee, and was President of the Chapter in 2004-2005.

By Karen Huffman, Washington D.C. Chapter, Knowledge Management Division

Future Ready Toolkit

This post is from SLA’s new Future Ready Toolkit. The Toolkit was constructed by SLA members who have drawn upon substantial professional experience and alignment research to help you hone your skills in a way that is relevant and global. The toolkit is collaboration, alignment, adaptation, and community put into action.

Overview

Organizational growth is closely correlated to individuals who are willing to network and collaborate outside their normal sphere of influence. People able to span the organizational hierarchy and build internal and external networks cannot help but grow and adapt. Growing adaptive organizations, transformational leaders realize the importance of blurring organizational lines, supporting collaborative communities and breaking down silos to encourage transparency. (Image on right: Wordle.net word cloud based on a Wikipedia article on “Stakeholder Analysis.”)

Definitions

Engagement

An act where two or more parties agree to a predetermined commitment.
Related terms: User adoption; collaboration; benefits.

Networks

Interrelated connections that can be physical, virtual, or both. Networks are relational-based. See also articles shared on the Future Ready 365 blog tagged “network.”
Related terms: Relationships; connections.

Partnerships

Two or more parties who have agreed to work towards a common vision, mission, purpose, and/or goals.
Related terms: Purpose-driven relationship; actionable, accountable relationship.

Project Management

A purposeful process that includes planning, organizing, securing and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives. The success of a project often relies on an analysis and involvement of stakeholders.
Related terms: Structured goal-oriented approach; task breakdown and analysis.

Stakeholders

Organizations and/or individuals who are positively or negatively impacted by decisions and/or actions. Anyone with a vested interested in a project, event, and/or outcome. Related terms: Users; clients; key, primary, and secondary stakeholders; stakeholder analysis.

Key Elements and Ideas

Crossing Boundaries for Growth and Collaboration

One of my ongoing goals is to foster collaboration and learning opportunities as well as continually grow personal and professional competencies. Last fall at KMWorld 2010, the speakers who spoke about “Optimizing Organizations through Collaboration” discussed the idea of “boundary crossing” which relates to some key elements and ideas around this topic on building a network to engage and partner with stakeholders:

• Analyze social and organizational networks to understand knowledge gaps.
• Ensure communities of practice are aligned to the business goals and encourage sustainability through people to people connections and participation.
• Capitalize on the power of social networks to build effective and adaptive learning organizations.
• Grow expertise and competencies requires knowing your current proficiencies, setting goals, and crossing many boundaries to grow new ideas and expand your knowledge.

The mind map (below) developed by Karen Huffman is based on David Snowden’s ASHEN framework (2000) and Patrick Lambe’s KM competencies for knowledge managers (2008).

SLA Members Shared Ideas

• Being there – being present: It’s an ongoing process of growing and cultivating relationships, building networks, gaining trust. ~Mary Talley
• Forming a community/building a network is a process that harnesses on-going process development and refinement as well as project management skills. ~Aimee Babcock-Ellis
• The goal and criteria for success when developing a network is to make it equally useful to both individuals and corporate management. ~Peggy Watkins
• Informed opinions about the possibilities and measured objectives that are jointly agreed upon. ~David Stern
• Stakeholder analysis – figuring out what they want – as well as marketing and negotiation skills. ~Vicky Platt
• Crossing Boundaries for Growth and Collaboration. ~Karen Huffman

To read more about their ideas, click here.

Models and Templates

Stakeholders

• MindTools offers some great “getting started” models/templates on Stakeholder Analysis and Stakeholder Management. It includes information on stakeholder analysis, winning support for projects and building communication from stakeholders. Great templates to employ with any project.

Project Management

• GovLoop’s Project Management Guide – the templates that capture the essential aspects of project management.
• Project Management Institute (PMI) website.

Resources

Books

Levin, Ginger (2008). Improve Your Interpersonal Skills to Achieve Greater Management Success! (Url: http://www.facebook.com/notes/management-concepts/are-you-connecting-with-your-stakeholders/422512295431.)

Sampson, Michael (2010). User Adoption Strategies: Shifting Second Wave People to New Collaboration Technology. (URL: http://www.michaelsampson.net/useradoption.html target=”_blank”.)

Blog

Boxes and Arrows: The design behind the design

• Setting Up Business Stakeholder Interviews, Part 1 by Michael Beavers on 2007/03/26. (URL: http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/setting-up-business.)
• Setting Up Business Stakeholder Interviews Part 2 by Michael Beavers on 2007/04/01. (URL: http://www.boxesandarrows.com/view/setting-up-business22.)

Karen works for National Geographic Society as part of the Software as a Service (SaaS) team in the Information Systems & Technology division. She supports the enterprise’s business needs with hosted solutions such as Google Apps for Business as well as develops customized solutions for targeted customer groups within the organization. She has been a member of SLA since 1999, serving in various roles including chair of the KM division (2009-2010) and developing resources for SLA-sponsored initiatives like 23 Things.