Newsletter No. 176
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FreePint
"Helping 72,000 people use the Web for their work"
http://www.freepint.com/
ISSN 1460-7239 10th February 2005 No.176
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IN THIS ISSUE
-------------
EDITORIAL
By William Hann
MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Stuart Urwin
FREEPINT BAR
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
JINFO :: JOBS IN INFORMATION
Senior Researcher / Analyst
Information Officers
Senior Research Analyst
TIPS ARTICLE
"Understanding Consumers through Online Competitive Intelligence"
By Patrice Curtis
BOOKSHELF
"Find it Online - The Complete Guide to Online Research"
Written by Alan Schlein
Reviewed by Penny Crossland
FEATURE ARTICLE
"Child Rights: Is Information really free for all?"
By Veronica Yates
EVENTS, GOLD AND FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
CONTACT INFORMATION
ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/100205.htm>
FULLY FORMATTED VERSION
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** PLANNING YOUR NEXT CAREER MOVE? CILIP CAN HELP **
We support you from university right through to your next plum job.
How? By being one of the world's biggest membership organisations
for information professionals - helping people just like you.
But you'll have to hurry to claim your Prompt Payment membership
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Or visit <http://www.cilip.org.uk/freepintoffer> for more information.
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*** VIP No.14 :: In-depth review of EBSCOhost ***
Joining the recent reviews of Factiva, Lexis/Nexis and Dialog,
the current VIP provides an in-depth review of EBSCOhost.
VIP Eye also comments on the latest news announcements:
<http://www.vivaVIP.com/>
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*** ABOUT FREEPINT ***
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EDITORIAL
By William Hann
In the last issue of FreePint we launched Jinfo, a new service
listing information-related job vacancies. The launch went very well
and there are now over 3,000 subscribers to the twice-monthly Jinfo
Newsletter. The newsletter contains career advice and the latest job
postings. You can subscribe free at:
<http://www.Jinfo.com/>
To see how Jinfo fits into the network of FreePint sites, you might
like to check out 'Onopoly'. Onopoly is where we bring together
advertiser-related information for all our publications:
<http://www.Onopoly.com/>
On the Onopoly homepage we have just added an 'Overview Diagram'
which shows you how all the sites in our network link together. You
might find it useful to see a one-page summary of how our publications
and sites are connected.
There is a lot of great free content and advice available to you as a
FreePint Member, but it's not always obvious what or where it is. So
we're working hard behind the scenes to provide clearer pointers to
resources -- but more on that next time.
For us, the best editions of FreePint are where long-term FreePinters
write to offer articles about the Web-related challenges they face in
their work. Today's issue is, therefore, a classic, with pieces on
competitive intelligence, online research and child rights
information, all from a personal perspective.
FreePint is free to you because of the support of authors like this,
and of course our generous advertisers and sponsors. If you'd like to
consider providing some content, then see the guidelines and sign up
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If you're unable to contribute content then *please* forward this
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subscribe.
Alternatively, print out and circulate the fully-formatted version of
this issue of FreePint, which includes photos of the authors and
full-colour adverts: <http://www.freepint.com/>.
William Hann
Managing Editor and Founder, FreePint
e: william.hann@freepint.com
t: 0870 141 7474
i: +44 870 141 7474
FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2005
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*** SLA Europe Information Professional Award ***
Each year Factiva sponsors SLA Europe Information Professional Award
(SLA EIP). Nominate yourself or a colleague and win this prestigious
award and an all expenses paid trip to the conference in Toronto.
Entries by 28th February 2005.
For more details about the EIP award visit:
<http://www.sla-europe.org/>
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*** "Information Auditing: A guide for information managers" ***
ISBN: 1-904769-08-X
This in-depth report is published by FreePint and offers an
overview and practical insight into information auditing, drawing
on practical examples and recognised audit methods.
"Well written and concise ... It's up to date,
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Find out more at:
<http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/>
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MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES
By Stuart Urwin
* <http://www.freetranslation.com/> - I use this when I want a "quick
and dirty" translation, which is often.
* <http://www.abritel.fr/> is the site I visit when I want to find a
holiday property in France which I can rent direct from the owner.
* <http://www.notetab.com> for free download of NoteTab Light, my
everyday text editor, a vast improvement on Notepad and a tool I
much prefer to Word. It organises all my text files.
* <http://www.bmyers.com/> is a great site for product developers and
information publishers, with project ideas, tutorials, discussion
forum and invaluable down to earth advice from a real expert.
* <http://www.clickbank.com/> - a terrific resource for finding new
electronic products and keeping up to date with the latest online
marketing techniques from independent product developers.
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Stuart Urwin publishes UK Environment News online at
<http://www.ukendata.com> and is Marketing Director of ISIM,
publishers of the beautiful Renaissance Library Calendar
<http://www.renaissancelibrary.com>.
Submit your top five favourite Web sites. See the guidelines at
<http://www.freepint.com/author.htm>.
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*** Factiva's new products reviewed in VIP ***
Factiva's new products for sales professionals, Factiva SalesWorks and
Factiva Companies & Executives, will be reviewed in the February issue
of VIP. This issue will also include the first of three comparative
reviews of major M&A products:
<http://www.vivaVIP.com/>
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*** Jinfo :: Jobs in information ***
<http://www.jinfo.com/>
Jinfo is a database of information-related job vacancies.
The Jinfo Newsletter is published twice-monthly and lists
the latest jobs and gives career advice and tips.
Search the database and subscribe to the newsletter at:
<http://www.jinfo.com/>
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FREEPINT BAR
<http://www.freepint.com/bar>
In Association with Factiva
a Dow Jones & Reuters Company
Before we review the latest postings, something has struck me:
although quite a few FreePinters already subscribe to the FreePint
Bar Digest (14,000+ actually), that does still mean that 80% of our
membership miss out on a very useful resource.
If you'd like to receive the twice-weekly Bar Digest by email,
containing the latest postings from the FreePint Bar, then sign up
today at: <http://www.freepint.com/subs/>.
Information managers are still battling to explain the value they
bring to organisations, and the value of paid-for information.
For resources to support your fee-versus-free argument, see
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b31222>. If you're an independent
information professional, then you might like a free listing
in a new directory <http://www.freepint.com/go/b31283>.
The European Chapter of the SLA are asking for nominations for this
year's 'European Information Professional Award' -- previously
'European Special Librarian of the Year' (ESLY) --
<http://www.sla-europe.org/ESLY/index.htm>. Also, the SLA's News
Division invites graduate students interested in a career in news
librarianship to apply for the Vormelker-Thomas Student Award
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b31278>. The Jinfo Newsletter has an
article entitled "First impressions do count"
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b31280>.
On the company information side, would you be willing to share
your opinion about the value of your subscription to Moodys.com?
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b31325>. There have been lots of
suggestions for researching the directors of a UK company
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b31207>, and someone wants to know about
B2B microsegmentation <http://www.freepint.com/go/b31243>.
The discussions about Firefox (browser) and Thunderbird (email client)
continue, and have now moved on to concerns about replacing Outlook's
calendar if making the move <http://www.freepint.com/go/b31167>.
Finally, relevant to today's translation-related Tipple, there have
been a number of links to free Russian-to-English online translators
<http://www.freepint.com/go/b31225>.
Don't forget that you can browse the Bar by category, rather than by
date, using the Bar Browser <http://www.freepint.com/bar/browser/>.
William Hann <william.hann@freepint.com>
Founder and Managing Editor, FreePint
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The FreePint Bar is where you can get free help with your tricky
research questions <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
Help with study for information-related courses is available at the
FreePint Student Bar <http://www.freepint.com/student>.
Twice-weekly email digests of the latest postings can be requested
at <http://www.freepint.com/subs/>.
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What is ResourceShelf?
<http://www.resourceshelf.com>
ResourceShelf is a free daily update containing news of interest
to information professionals around the world.
Topics include the latest news with web search engines, research
tips, new web resources, and much more.
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JINFO :: JOBS IN INFORMATION
<http://www.jinfo.com/>
Jinfo is a database of information-related job vacancies.
The Jinfo Newsletter is published free every two weeks, and contains
a list of the latest vacancies along with job seeking advice. The
latest editorial is entitled "First impressions do count".
To read the latest Jinfo Newsletter and to subscribe to receive it
twice-monthly by email, visit <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/>.
Here are some of the latest featured jobs:
Senior Researcher / Analyst
Do you have a good understanding of the Professional Services
market? Provide insights on trends and competitive environments.
Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
<http://www.freepint.com/go/j3815>
Information Officers
You will be responsible for collecting, collating and analysing
information to support the Observatory website.
Recruiter: London Borough of Enfield
<http://www.freepint.com/go/j3816>
Senior Research Analyst
Two great roles- 1 in Paris, 1 in London or Germany - senior research
analyst roles with focus on IT/tech sector knowledge - top salaries.
Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment <http://www.freepint.com/go/j3817>
NB: There are 17 other jobs in the current edition of the Jinfo
Newsletter <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/> and over 70 in the
Jinfo database <http://www.jinfo.com/>.
[The above jobs are paid listings]
Jinfo -- the best place for information-related job vacancies.
* JOB SEARCHING -- Free search and sign up to the Jinfo Newsletter.
* RECRUITING -- Complete the form and advertise a vacancy for
only GBP195 <http://www.jinfo.com/recruit/>.
50% discount for registered charities. 10% discount for agencies.
Find out more today at <http://www.jinfo.com/>
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TIPS ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/100205.htm#tips>
"Understanding Consumers through Online Competitive Intelligence"
By Patrice Curtis
Note: For a useful general background to competitive intelligence,
see the excellent articles that previously ran on FreePint:
<http://www.freepint.com/go/n35> and <http://www.freepint.com/go/n65>.
Competitive intelligence is a proven methodology for effecting
positive change in a company's decisions, plans, and operations.
A company's online competitive intelligence (CI) typically emphasizes
gaining information within three categories of research: the market,
the industry and the company. CI researchers often end up focusing on
those with "insider knowledge" such as vendors, partners, and
competitors, and external observers through analyst reports, expert
interviews and the like.
Business-to-consumer companies have long used focus groups, intercept
interviews, videography, and other techniques to understand the
interaction of consumers with their products. In a way, consumers
become insiders as well. Yet any social scientist understands that the
mere act of observation can change the way a person acts. This has
been part of the challenge of understanding consumers.
The growing ease of posting one's thoughts online, however, is
providing a new, rich vein of consumer information. In particular,
these are consumers who add content to opinion sites, post on
listservs, who have active blogs, and/or use other online methods to
communicate - albeit indirectly - with a company's prospects.
It is not just the ease with which vocal consumers can now express
their opinions online. It is also about the reach they now exert over
vast numbers of a company's existing clients or prospects. The
confluence of these two metrics clearly places consumers within any
comprehensive competitive intelligence effort.
CI researchers can gain so much more from sustained attention to
consumer activity. In fact, beyond simple defensive postures, CI
professionals can proactively assist decision-makers in driving
company growth by identifying trends that might drive future product
innovation.
Growth
======
Innovation in today's marketplace is a proven driver of top-line
growth. A company can therefore gain a tremendous opportunity if it
spots a consumer trend before its competitors. The Internet provides a
number of resources to help companies spot these movements.
Some sources for customer commentary are well-known. Listservs, for
example, provide an excellent source of honest customer thought. Other
resources include consumer opinion sites and blogs. In addition to
direct consumer thought, it is also possible to glean consumer
interest by tracking keyword popularity. The following sections
provide listings for each of these areas.
Resources
=========
Consumer Opinions
-----------------
* Epinions <http://www.epinions.com>: Consumers can join this online
rating site for free, and provide their opinion on hundreds of
thousands of products.
* CNET <http://www.cnet.com>: CNET combines consumer opinions with
reviews of CNET staff members. This source is particularly useful
for consumer opinions on electronic consumer gadgets, and software.
* Yahoo! Shopping <http://search.store.yahoo.com/OT?>: Finally, you
can check out a sampling of items purchased in the past hour on
Yahoo!
Blogs
-----
* Feedster.com <http://blogs.feedster.com>: This is a news search
engine that tracks both RSS and blogs, indexing over one million
syndicated sources.
* Waypath <http://www.waypath.com>: This site tracks over four million
blogs. You can search, or browse the many categories. In addition,
the home page tracks the Most Active Topics and News Stories, and
the Most Popular News Stories and Topics.
Listservers
-----------
* Google Groups <http://groups-beta.google.com>: Formerly DejaNews,
thousands of lists are available for searching.
* Yahoo! Groups <http://groups.yahoo.com>: This is another excellent
source for all sorts of consumer groups.
* Topica <http://lists.topica.com>: The company states that over
100,000 individuals and businesses use Topica's discussion groups.
Internet Search Sources
-----------------------
* AOL <http://hot.aol.com/hot/index.jsp>: AOL's hot searches is laid
about a bit differently than the other search engines. Firstly, AOL
has a list of 17 categories the researcher can choose from,
including "Among AOL Members." Secondly, each of those categories
can be examined based on time increments of "Right Now," "Last Hour"
and "Last 24 Hours." The search engine's hot 2004 searches
<http://hot.aol.com/2004/> are broken into the following categories:
Celebrities, Entertainment, Music, News, Sports, Health, Food,
Shopping, Destinations, and Miscellaneous.
* Ask Jeeves <http://sp.ask.com/docs/about/jeevesiq.html>: Ask Jeeves
breaks their tracking into four weekly categories: Top Searches, Top
Advancing Searches, Top Vacation Searches and Top News Searches. The
search engine also provides information on its top searches for 2004
<http://www.primezone.com/newsroom/news_releases.mhtml?d=69802>
* Google Zeitgeist <http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html> Google
Zeitgeist provides a listing of the 2004 top five searches in 29
categories listed under Top Search Queries, Image Search Queries,
Froogle Queries, and Local Search Queries.
* Lycos 50 <http://50.lycos.com/>: The Lycos 50 is a weekly
compilation of the top 50 searches. You can find more by visiting
the blog of the Lycos 50 editor <http://lycos50.tripod.com/blog/>,
and find out what's hot in the UK market by tracking the UK Lycos 50
<http://50.lycos.co.uk/>.
* Yahoo! Buzz Index <http://buzz.yahoo.com/>: Yahoo! breaks its buzz
into 15 sub-categories under the category of Today's Top Movers:
Overall, Actors, Music, Sports, Television, Video Games. You can
find more information under the More Buzz category, like Decliners
and Buzz for Kids. You can also view the Yahoo! Best of Search 2004
<http://tools.search.yahoo.com/top2004/>.
Keyword Popularity
------------------
* Wordtracker <http://www.wordtracker.com>: Wordtracker can be used
two ways. For a quick look at what's hot now, Wordtracker has a 24/7
banner that runs atop its homepage, which displays the ranking of
the top 50 keywords on the Internet. Researchers can also use the
service by trying a free trial, then purchasing the service.
* Overture
<http://uv.bidtool.overture.com/d/USm/search/tools/bidtool/>: You
can search on a keyword, and find out how much the current bid is
and which term is the top bid.
General
-------
* Alexa <http://www.alexa.com/site/ds/movers_shakers>: Once
independent but now part of Amazon.com, Alexa not only provides
information on particular sites, but also on the rankings of the Top
500 and Most Popular 10,000 web sites.
Future Trends
=============
These resources provide a peek into future trends. Some will wither
and never bloom. Others, however, can point to opportunities for
growth. By cross-tracking these resources, the CI researchers can spot
patterns, and use consumer opinions and interests proactively to
help drive their company's business decisions and plans.
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Patrice Curtis is Managing Director of Curtis Research Group, which
provides business intelligence for businesses and non-profits.
Established small and mid-size businesses, global corporations, and
national non-profits have all used CRG's business intelligence. Visit
<http://www.curtisresearch.com> to contact Patrice for a
complimentary, no-stress consultation.
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Related FreePint links:
* 'Information and Libraries' articles in the FreePint Portal
<http://www.freepint.com/go/p69>
* Post a message to the author, Patrice Curtis, or suggest further
resources at the FreePint Bar <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
* Read this article online, with activated hyperlinks
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/100205.htm#tips>
* Access the entire archive of FreePint content
<http://www.freepint.com/portal/content/>
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*** FreePint Financials: Research UK companies and directors ***
To search a comprehensive database of in-depth
information on UK companies and UK company
directors, visit FreePint Financials:
<http://www.freepint.com/icc/>
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FREEPINT BOOKSHELF
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf>
"Find it Online - The Complete Guide to Online Research"
Reviewed by Penny Crossland
The 4th edition of Alan Schlein's award-winning reference book is a
comprehensive guide to all aspects of internet searching for both
internet novices and expert searchers. The book provides readers with
the basics of internet concepts, guides to web sources by subject
area, as well as case studies containing search strategies using free
and fee-based services.
This latest edition includes advice on how to combat spam, even
explaining the origin of the name and how to control pop-up ads. It
also deals with how best to verify information found on the Internet.
Each of the 14 chapters ends with a useful list of relevant websites,
providing URLs and a brief description of the sites' content. Chapters
are interspersed with valuable hot tips for searchers and contain
excerpts of articles from well-known information professionals,
providing further insight and perspective into search topics.
The book starts off by explaining internet terminology, providing
guidance on how to develop a search strategy and explaining the
strengths and weaknesses of search engines. Schlein has inserted a
useful search engine comparison chart drawn up by Greg Notess for his
Search Engine Showdown website which compares primary search features
for all the major search engines.
I found chapters 4 and 5 particularly useful. In these, Schlein
focuses on the 'invisible web' and how to access data that the search
engines cannot find. The author uses further professional expertise in
this chapter by reprinting an article by Chris Sherman containing
references to invisible web pathfinders and tips to overcome this
problem. Schlein's resources on search tools are particularly helpful
to the professional web searcher.
Further chapters provide guidance on news and business resources, US
and international government resources, as well as advice on how to
manage and filter information and, importantly, how to evaluate a
website and establish the author's credibility.
Throughout the book, the author stresses the importance of the 'human
element', often forgotten when searching the internet. From a
journalistic background, Schlein realises the value of an
old-fashioned telephone call to an expert for quick,
reliable information.
The author claims that international sources are highlighted, and
while there is a chapter on international research, the guide on the
whole is very much biased towards the US searcher and US-based
sources. A different weakness, from my point of view, is the lack of a
clear index. It would have been helpful for it to be divided into
subject areas. The editing, too, seems to have been done in a hurry.
These points do not, however, detract from the usefulness of this book
to anybody engaged in web searching, be they journalists, information
professionals, lawyers, academics, business executives or students.
Even the most experienced web searcher will find new sources and sound
guidance in this book It remains an essential tool that all internet
searchers should keep within arm's reach of their computer.
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Penny Crossland is a business researcher and information professional
with more than 20 years' experience of the search world. In 2000, she
started her own business research company, CH Business Research,
providing market and company research, as well as translation services
to businesses. Prior to that she worked for a strategy consultancy as
the manager of its information centre. She can be contacted at
<penny.crossland@chbusinessresearch.co.uk>.
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Related FreePint links:
* Find out more about this book online at the FreePint Bookshelf
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf/compguide.htm>
* Read customer comments and buy this book at Amazon.co.uk
<http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1889150452/freepint0c>
or Amazon.com
<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1889150452/freepint00>
* "Find It Online: The Complete Guide to Online Research"
ISBN 1889150452, published by Facts on Demand Press.
* Search for and purchase any book from Amazon via the FreePint
Bookshelf at <http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf>
* Read about other Internet Strategy books on the FreePint Bookshelf
<http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf/strategy.htm>
To propose an information-related book for review, send details
to <support@freepint.com>.
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FEATURE ARTICLE
<http://www.freepint.com/issues/100205.htm#feature>
"Child Rights: Is Information really free for all?"
By Veronica Yates
In an age of information superhighways and e-everything, you might
think the task of distributing information to be an easy one. But when
your information network consists of 1970s PCs, your networks speak
hundreds of different languages and the members often have to tramp
miles to the nearest internet cafe, the task becomes infinitely more
complex. Moreover, when children are emailing you daily with horrific
details of how they are being abused, the job becomes not only
difficult, but also heart-wrenching. These are the issues that we have
to deal with at the Child Rights Information Network (CRIN) every day.
As a regular reader of FreePint, I wanted to share with other
information professionals some of the challenges and opportunities an
international network in the voluntary sector faces.
What CRIN is and what it does
=============================
CRIN is a global network of child rights organisations, which was
created following the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child (CRC). As most countries were ratifying the Convention, more
and more non-governmental organisations (NGOs) began working on child
rights issues, there was a need for information about child rights to
be in one easily accessible place where anyone could share
information. CRIN was set up in 1995 to become a central clearing
house of information related to children's rights.
Our role is to 'democratise' information - to make it freely available
in a variety of formats, both electronically and in hard copy, with
the ultimate aim of advancing the realisation of children's rights.
Our membership consists of 1,550 organisations based in over 125
countries. Twenty-six per cent are in Africa, 28.5 per cent are in
Asia, 29 per cent in Europe and eight in Northern America. The UK and
India have the highest membership, but countries like Ghana and
Bangladesh have large memberships too. Members range from large
international NGOs to local grassroots organisations that often rely
on the charity of their local religious communities.
Membership is free and anyone can benefit from our services. We are
funded by four international NGOs and our yearly income is
approximately GBP130,000. We have three members of staff and
volunteers.
Services CRIN offers to the network
===================================
CRINMAIL: email newsletter in English, Spanish & French Newsletter:
thematic publication
<http://www.crin.org/docs/resources/publications/CRINvol17e.pdf>.
Website: includes databases of publications, events, members:
<http://www.crin.org>.
Directory of members: hard copy and online -
<http://www.crin.org/organisations>
Members case studies: experiences from around globe
<http://www.crin.org/membersnews/>
Information requests: questions from all and sundry
Working papers: research on emerging issues
Coverage of key UN events related to children's issues
Membership surveys to evaluate our services and our members' needs.
Members appreciate our CRINMAIL email newsletter because it gives them
information they would otherwise lack and provides an insight into
issues of which they may not be aware. Every news item also links
readers back to the website where more information can be found.
<http://www.crin.org/email>. It gives the disenfranchised a voice
where otherwise there would be a deafening silence. Our members'
directory is another popular service as members use it to network
with like-minded organisations around the world.
We are also very popular with the UN as we give them the links they
need to reach an audience beyond their touch. At the same time, we
decipher the often complicated reams of UN information into
understandable and practical tools for our members.
However, it is not all a one-way street. While we provide all of this
information to our members and give them a space where their opinions
can be heard, we are very much dependent on the information that they
send us from "the front lines".
While we do many things well, there are also many areas where we can
improve. Below are some of the key challenges we face in the coming
years.
More targeted and interactive information
=========================================
Sometimes we are caught in the conundrum of trying to be all things to
all people. While we do our best to service a wide range of
information needs, it can be challenging to meet global, regional and
local needs all at the same time. For instance, when it comes to
children in armed conflict as we have seen in West Africa and
elsewhere, we are torn between the needs of those suffering on the
ground and the needs to educate on a global level through the UN and
other international bodies.
As we have limited resources, we have to target the information to the
areas where we can make the most difference. We have to strike a
balance between disseminating the information we have with
distributing the information we are receiving from our members on a
daily basis. Our goal is to make our services more interactive so that
we can focus on what we do best. We want to establish a network based
on active participation where members can use their own initiative to
become more self-sufficient without relying so much on us to act as an
information hub.
Electronic versus hard-copy
===========================
The internet is an invaluable tool for an organisation like CRIN
because it enables us to provide information at a fraction of the cost
of hard copy materials. Producing one newsletter a year costs more
than the yearly maintenance of our website, with postage often
accounting for a disproportionate amount. Nevertheless, our research
has shown that even though about 85 per cent of our members have
access to the internet, they still value hard copy information that
they can distribute widely, especially when it comes to networking
locally.
Bridging the digital divide
===========================
You might naturally assume that electronic information would be the
ideal solution for developing countries as so much information is
available for free on the World Wide Web. A tendency many
organisations based in the northern hemisphere have is to be drawn
into all the new-fangled technology and unnecessarily complicated web
tools that are available today at low cost, often to the detriment of
southern hemisphere organisations whose web browsers are not able to
download websites that have all the latest Flash images and Java
script. This was what initially guided the design and functionality of
our website, although four years later, it now looks very tired and is
badly in need of a makeover.
While we like to think about an increasingly globalised world, the
divide between the information-rich and the information-poor is
growing at an exponential rate as one accelerates away at broadband
speed and the other languishes at dial-up speed. On the one hand,
there is a lack of infrastructure for the internet, but on the other
hand, even if they have access to the internet, many may lack the very
basic training to use it. This is one area in which we often feel
impotent as information professionals often end up on the lowest rung
of many organisations.
Training & development
======================
Many members in the southern hemisphere, especially in Africa where
access to the internet is the lowest, ask us for training in
information management, website development, and information
dissemination, something we sometimes take for granted. Some members
assume that we are a large organisation with many employees and vast
resources, but in reality, there are only three of us. In an ideal
world, we would love to be able to meet all of their information and
training needs.
The challenge with being truly global is that we are trying to serve
the needs of a very diverse audience at different stages of
development. On the one hand, we serve the needs of the
information-rich organisations, generally based in the northern
hemisphere, for whom email and internet are a given, and on the other,
small grass-roots organisations that have to go to internet cafes in
their nearest town for email or to their neighbours to make an
international phone call to ask us for information.
One example of the lengths we have to go to disseminate information
is shown by the story of Mahmood. Mahmood is a member who writes to us
about once every six months when he leaves Somalia to visit relatives
in Kuwait and picks up his post. He always apologises for not staying
in touch more often, but it is difficult for him as his country has
been in a state of civil war for over a decade and there is no postal
system where he lives. He therefore picks up his email in Kuwait. We
are his only link to the larger world and the information
super-highway.
Jumping the language barrier
============================
Another challenge is the language barrier, even when most of our
members have the internet. Most of the information we access on the
web is in English, but even when it is not, our software is not able
to handle scripts other than Roman or Cyrillic. We often get emails
sent to us in variety of languages, especially recently in Russian and
Arabic, but our software cannot read it. We are in the process of
setting up an Arabic CRINMAIL, but for the moment, the only way for us
to send it out is for someone in an Arab country to translate for us,
convert it into PDF and for us to send it out as an attachment.
As fewer international organisations seem willing to spend their
resources on translation fees, it remains essential for us to avoid
alienating our non-English speaking members. Even though translation
fees are the most expensive part in the production of the newsletter,
members really value receiving information in their own tongue. We
know that our newsletter is being translated by our members into over
50 local languages, including Hebrew, Bengali, Lusoga, Luganda, Tamil,
and German.
While we like to see ourselves as pioneers in our work, we are faced
with a mammoth task and sometimes struggle to keep abreast of the
latest developments and technological possibilities. We know that we
do some things really well, but we are always interested in sharing
ideas about how to do things better. You would be surprised how one
simple email can make a difference in the life of a child.
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Veronica Yates is Information and Communications Officer for the Child
Rights Information Network <http://www.crin.org>, and has previously
worked in several information and media-based roles for various NGOs.
At CRIN, she is responsible for the operation of a network of over
1500 members worldwide, whose principal mode of communication and
campaigning is the internet. She is also in charge of co-ordinating
global information concerning civil society's contributions to the
current UN Study of Violence against Children
<http://www.childrenandviolence.org>. Veronica has a particular
interest in the use of ICTs for human rights monitoring and advocacy
purposes.
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