by Maria Bagshaw, Minnesota Chapter

As a self-described info-nerd with a passion for information and knowledge, I feel that these actions have helped prepare me for becoming an Information Professional (AKA Librarian) of the future.  In this information whirlwind, you can do a few things that will make the job easier.

1. Take advantage of online and in-person seminars and professional development.  You always learn something new and something that can help your patrons, too.  Especially note and test new technologies that your patrons may be into so at least you are aware of what they are and how they can be used.
2. Focus on customer service.  As you can see with all the “like” and ranking that happens via Facebook, Twitter, Travelocity and other sites, the time of the anonymous patron is in the past.  Be kind and listen with respect to all points of view with the knowledge that everyone can’t be made happy, but everyone can come away with the feeling of being respected.
3. Strive to have a good understanding of the balance between traditional and print media and new technology.  Although the medium is different, the basics are the same: delivery of information and, hopefully, knowledge.  Know when to use each one for the most effective service to your patron.
4. Become free from fear (I borrowed this from Seth Godin’s Tribes).  Don’t be afraid to try new things and get out of your comfort zone. Have a willingness to accept various points of view and even to change yourself, while maintaining the integrity and mission of being a librarian.

by Dennie Heye, Europe Chapter, Petroleum & Energy Resources Division 

Adding value

Information service departments are expected to show how they add value to the organization – a difficult challenge, but nonetheless an important topic. If you are not demonstrating value, the future of the department is at risk.

Value in this sense is perceived value by the customer, and this can differ from the ‘real’ added value as the producer added it. For instance, the costs of setting up a personalised information alert are quite low. But for a busy professional, this fine-tuned and highly personalised information delivery may be very valuable in terms of time savings, frustrations saved and opportunities created.

In a formula, you can express the perceived value as:

                 Quality x Service
Value =   ——————–
                    Costs x Time

In this formula, one aims to bring quality and service to the highest level, while keeping costs and time investment on the lowest possible level. Quality and service in this formula are as perceived by the customer – as illustrated by the following quote from Peter Drucker:

“Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for. A product is not quality because it is hard to make and costs a lot of money, as manufacturers typically believe…Customers pay only for what is of use to them and gives them value. Nothing else constitutes quality.”

Facets of perceived value

In order to find out what the perceived value of your service is you can, for example, use a customer satisfaction survey, asking what element of the service or product provides the value for the customer. In this context, it is more than just providing the service; it also entails exceeding the customer’s expectations and being proactive.

From an information service point of view, the real value is making sure the right information is available to the right person at the right time. If possible, this should be achieved with little time and effort for the customer to get maximum value. Part of the perceived service is also the trust of the customer in the provider, as the information delivered has to be trustworthy if decisions are to be based on it.

Last, but not least, are the cost and time components the customer has to invest to acquire and use the service. This covers not just the financial costs but also the effort involved; think about filling out a complex form, for example.

If you work closely with customers, you can gain valuable insights into what they perceive as the value of information products and services – and the investment it is worth making in them. In particular, when a customer does not pick up a product or service, it is helpful to see how the balance between value and investment is perceived.

Dennie Heye is Global Knowledge Manager at Shell International. He is also a member of SLA’s Information Outlook Advisory Committee and the International Relations Chair for the Petroleum & Energy Resources Division.

Ian Palmer, Europe Chapter

British chemist William J. Henry (1774-1836) was quoted as saying “What is research, but a blind date with knowledge.” Blind dates can be exciting and filled with promise. They can also be unpredictable, unless, there is at least some science, method, or variable utilized to better predict which engagements may lead to desired outcomes. This premise is equally true in application to knowledge and information services.

Dating sites have made their mark because of this approach. Many of our own businesses survive and thrive because of our own investments in research. Personally, my own experiences as a community advocate and a communications professional in the information industry have changed my “world view” approach to customer engagement and how I encourage customers I work with in libraries and information centers to approach their own customers and (importantly!) potential customers.

Research is critical to the success of any service provider, whether a corporation such the ones we work for or for an information professional like you. Research requires curiosity – to ask, listen, learn and validate – resources to dedicate, and commitment to initiate and respond with action. It can be formal or informal.

For all of us who provide information services to users, my rule of thumb is that we should all dedicate some percentage of our resources (time and money) to primary research. You may not have experience or a strong competency in conducting primary research to see what else you and your team can do, but hiring an expert to help or “learning by doing” is better than not conducting any research at all. Possibilities for success will increase by focusing on existing core users as well as new ones with characteristics that make them likely to benefit from your services.

So whether you are looking for ways to better serve users who rely on information services you make available, finding new users to serve, or discovering other valuable and strategic gems to guide you in your job, I encourage you to include blind dating as a budget line item and in your strategic plan. Go on a blind date with research and ask those questions you’ve not yet asked and find answers to questions you have yet to answer. You may be surprised to find more than one match and many positive outcomes.

Ian Palmer is Head of Marketing at Reprints Desk. He is a member of multiple SLA Divisions in scientific and medical practice areas.