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25th September 2008
No.261
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About FreePint
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FreePint is a global network of people who find, use, manage and share work-related information. Members receive this free twice-monthly newsletter, packed with tips, features and resources.
Joining FreePint is free at <http://www.freepint.com/> and connects information practitioners around the world with resources, events and answers to their tricky research and information questions at the FreePint Bar, our free online forum: <http://www.freepint.com/bar/>.
Please share FreePint with others by forwarding this message. The FreePint Newsletter is available online in several formats and can be read, saved and forwarded at <http://www.freepint.com/issues/>.
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Editorial
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By Sara Waddington
 Keeping information users and sharers focused, motivated and engaged in website developments is a key message from both articles highlighted in this issue of the FreePint newsletter. In fact, it is crucial to the eventual success or failure of a website project.
When it comes to creating new data taxonomies, says James Kelway in his article on 'Creating User Centred Taxonomies (Part One)', it's important to keep the users, the business and the content at the fore.
 Where taxonomy design struggles is often where stakeholders do not fully understand, or agree with, the strategy of the site moving forward. The best taxonomy design can often be ruined by a lack of engagement from key people on the team. Without the input of all available knowledge, it is likely that something will be missed and the structure will be faulty.
The same principle of user engagement applies to the development and success of a community website, as Duncan Scobie and James Hill explain in 'Secret Leeds: Share Your Secrets, Share Your City...'. The aim of this collaborative web project was to collect and disseminate community knowledge about the city of Leeds' hidden histories. It relies heavily on contributions from members of the public and serves as an example of how participatory, socially engaged practice via the internet can play a strong role in regeneration and community cohesion. The support of its users and collaborators was vital.
Project success therefore depends, more often than not, on internal and external teams of people who are focused, motivated and engaged.
New reports and tools for FUMSI subscribers, as well as new Folios, are available from the FUMSI website. Stay in touch - please send your suggestions, ideas and requests to support@freepint.com, or use our online suggestion box.
Sara Waddington
Senior Managing Editor
Free Pint Limited
FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2008
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Taxonomy and SharePoint: A Powerful Combination
Listen Now!
Listen and learn how the use of taxonomies within SharePoint can make it easier and more efficient to locate your organizations business critical information.
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Information Management Solutions Exhibition
2-4 December 2008, Olympia Grand Hall, London
Register free at http://www.online-information.co.uk/promo/freepint1
IMS is the leading exhibition for professionals who need to
drive business performance through effective information management.
Over 70 exhibitors and more than 50 seminars covering:
Content Management, Search Solutions and Web 2.0 Technologies
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My Favourite Tipples
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By Gavin Lewis
Here are some useful web tools for website development and testing:
- Social bookmarking is a powerful tool in promoting a website. SocialMarker.com is a free service designed to reduce the time and effort needed to socially bookmark a website.
- Popuri is a tool to check at-a-glance the link popularity of any site based on its ranking (Google PageRank, Alexa Rank, Technorati etc.), social bookmarks (del.icio.us etc.), subscribers (Bloglines etc.) and more....
- Font Tester is a free online font comparison tool. It allows you to easily preview and compare different fonts side by side with various CSS font styles applied to them.
- This weblink offers 20 useful tools to make web development more efficient.
- Need to know who is hosting a website? WhoIsHostingThis.com is a tool that lets you discover who is hosting any web site instantly. Enter the domain, and it will tell you which web hosting company the site is using...
Gavin Lewis is an IT professional working for a multi-national. He has many years of website design and development experience.
Would you like to add your Favourite Tipples suggestions for the FreePint newsletter or write an article for FUMSI (Find, Use, Manage or Share Information?).
If so, please contact Sara Waddington at sara.waddington@freepint.com with your ideas or visit http://www.freepint.com/author/
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Develop Your Strengths with Quantum2
For a wide array of hands-on training and resource materials, turn to Quantum2, an innovative skills development programme provided *free* by Dialog. The programme helps information professionals:
- Expand your services through strategic and business competencies
- Improve flow of information in your organisation
- Gain visibility and build value for your work
Discover best practices, *plus* the know-how to implement them.
Free monthly newsletter and further information at:
http://quantum.dialog.com/
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Online Information Exhibition
2-4 December 2008, Olympia Grand Hall, London
Over 230 vendors and comprehensive seminar programme covering:
Online Content Resources; ePublishing; Library Management Systems;
Content Management Expo; Web 2.0 Technologies and Search Solutions
Register Free at http://www.online-information.co.uk/promo/freepint
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FreePint Bar
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By Sara Waddington
The
FreePint Bar is generously sponsored by Dow Jones Factiva
Enquiry tracking, career advice, IT company benchmarks as well as market research are hot topics on the Bar at the moment. See a round-up of recent conversations below and click through to join the discussion. Post your research dilemmas to the FreePint Bar.
- One Barista, who is conducting research for a new venture start-up, would like to hear from anyone in South Korea (or elsewhere) who could provide insight into the best sources of free and paid information on the fashion industry in South Korea.
- Another Bar member is looking for easily accessible enquiry tracking software to record who registers a query, what it was, who took it and who is dealing with it as well the deadline, if any, by which it needs to be answered and progress with the answer. Can you help?
- Can you help another Pinter who is looking for information about IT companies such as the number of staff in programming, marketing, sales, finance etc. Do you know of any product on the market or industry sources that may be of use with this?
- Another Barista would appreciate some career advice, specifically on the chances of returning to the library world after an exploratory foray into the world of commerce. Can you help out with suggestions?
- The latest issue of FUMSI magazine has been published. Learn more here
- Don't forget that the latest additions to FreePint Events are now online. For promotion of your information-related event, simply complete the free listing form.
Sara Waddington is senior managing editor of Free Pint Ltd. She can be contacted at sara.waddington@freepint.com
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>.
Subscribe to the twice-weekly email digests at <http://www.freepint.com/subs/>.
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FUMSI Features
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 FUMSI publishes articles, tools, and a monthly magazine, to give you practical help with information skills.
Visit http://www.fumsi.com/
However you Find, Use, Manage or Share Information, you'll find something in FUMSI to help.
We add new articles to the FUMSI database in each practice area every month, which are free to read, browse, email, print or save. Here are the most recent additions:
Creating User Centred Taxonomies: Part One
FUMSI: Manage
When it comes to creating new data taxonomies, it's important to keep the users, the business, and the content at the fore. James Kelway points out effective strategies for creating new taxonomies from scratch, and avoiding common pitfalls.
WHAT'S INSIDE: 'To gain buy-in from key people requires a charm offensive and a very good elevator pitch that encapsulates the vision of the site in simple, easy to understand language. It is this vision statement that will underpin your discussions about the site and its taxonomy.'
Read, print, save or forward this article now. »
Secret Leeds: Share Your Secrets, Share Your City...
FUMSI: Share
As part of the Celebrate Leeds 2007 programme, a website was established to collect and disseminate community knowledge about Leeds' hidden histories. James Hill and Duncan Scobie recount the success of the collaborative site, both online and in the real world.
WHAT'S INSIDE: 'An old folk song about Leeds tells the story of two stone skulls in the wall of the Crown & Fleece pub in the city centre, which commemorated the death of two soldiers in that building. Readers of Secret Leeds decided to track these skulls down. They found the site of the old Crown & Fleece pub, but no skulls. They then gathered together at the Central Library and read articles from old Leeds newspapers that proved the skulls had been there in the 1960s...'
Read, print, save or forward this article now »
Also recently Added to the FUMSI Database:
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Reuse FUMSI articles for training, marketing, sharing ideas
Browse the database:
http://web.fumsi.com/go/article/
Not sure where to start? Others find these useful:
Sponsor-supported free reuse, or cost-effective ad-free versions
Request information: support@fumsi.com
Or click 'License' at the top of any FUMSI article
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To blog or not to blog... That is the question.
Get business-oriented answers with the New FUMSI Report: Social Media Tools Report and Tool Kit
Author Patrice Curtis provides organizations with answers rooted in business strategy and goals. 7 hands-on activities create structure, build a business case, and create measurable outcomes with social media tools. Get your questions answered, and make social media tools a strategic part of your communications and community-building plans.
FUMSI Subscribers: 50% off list prices!
Learn more and purchase at http://web.fumsi.com/go/report/
share/1113
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Jinfo - Jobs in Information
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 The Jinfo service enables you to search and advertise information- related job vacancies.
Start a free subscription to receive the weekly Jinfo Jobs Update, with a complete list of the latest vacancies, or search the database at any time (free).
Jinfo Jobs in the FreePint Newsletter are supported through our partnership with Quantum2, an innovative skills development programme offered by Dialog. Learn more at <http://quantum.dialog.com/>.
Here is a selection of the latest featured entries in the Jinfo database:
- Corporate Records Project
Charity urgently recruiting consultant or experienced records manager to produce a Corporate Records Policy.
Recruiter: TFPL
Country: United Kingdom
- Head of Records Management
Head of records management for a local authority in the Midlands, for a 10 month contract
Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited
Country: United Kingdom
- Legal Serials Librarian
Publications and Subscriptions Librarian with legal experience for prestigious Law Practice.
Recruiter: Glen Reecruitment
Country: United Kingdom
[The above jobs are paid listings]
NB: These are just a selection of information-related jobs in the Jinfo database <http://www.jinfo.com/>. Receive the latest job listings weekly with the free Jinfo Update. Free to subscribe at <http://www.jinfo.com/>
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 just GBP195 <http://www.jinfo.com/recruit/>
-- 10% discount for agencies
-- 50% discount for registered charities
Find out more today at <http://www.jinfo.com/>
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Recently in VIP
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VIP publishes in-depth, unbiased reviews of business information products. If you purchase or use premium information resources, make VIP part of your professional reading every month.
 VIP issue no. 57 includes:
- Required Reading: In the wake of the recent disastrous losses of data by UK Government Departments comes a Cabinet Office report on Data Handling Procedures in Government.
- Beyond Search and Information: LexisNexis UK Managing Director Josh Bottomley explains to VIP's Tim Buckley Owen where the company is going.
- Breadth of Data: Jonathan Gordon-Till looks into Global Insight's DataInsight, which provides access to, and analysis of global economic and financial data.
- Imagine: VIP showcases TFPL's European Business Information Conference (ebic) 2008 in Berlin, on the theme of imagine...connecting with the future'.
In the next VIP: We take a close look at headhunter research tools and IntelliNews.
Purchase this issue from the VIP website, or start your subscription now.
Now publishing the VIP LiveWire
Commentary on the industry, by the VIP editorial team. Get its insight on trends, products, user needs and more. You do not need to subscribe to VIP Magazine in order to receive the free weekly headlines from the LiveWire (learn more and subscribe now).
Recent posts:
Request a sample issue of VIP, or start a trial subscription today for only GBP 80 for three months. Start now and receive our November issue -- featuring our comparative review of The Big Three -- as part of your trial!
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Highlights from ResourceShelf and DocuTicker
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 Every week, the editors of ResourceShelf explore a Resource of the Week. Get them for free every week via email by subscribing to the ResourceShelf Newsletter.
Recently published:
- Resource of the Week:
Five Niche Search Engines.
We've done niche websites here as well as sources of niche statistics. This week, we'll take a look at a handful of niche search engines. If you're a regular follower of ResourceShelf, you know we preach the gospel of bypassing a general Web engine for a more focused search tool whenever possible. So consider these when the need arises....
Read the rest, including live links
DocuTicker publishes citations of full-text, free reports available on the web. Visit daily for new postings, or subscribe to the weekly DocuTicker Newsletter.
Highlights:
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Share Your Expertise with a Global Audience
We're constantly seeking case studies, how-to articles, and hands-on
insight to help others find, use, manage and share information at work. Contact any of our editorial team with your suggestions and submissions:
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Gold
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A look back at what FreePint covered at this time in previous years:
- FreePint No. 238, 27th September 2007. "Doing Research in a Foreign Language Market: Tips and Techniques" and "FUMSI Report: European Research Resources"
- FreePint No. 214, 21st September 2006. "The Project Handbook: How to Write Clear and Cogent End-User Documentation" and "Transcontinental Teamwork: A Collaborative Case Study in Using Multilingual and Multinational Information Resources"
- FreePint No. 191, 29th September 2005. "Mentoring Independent Information Professionals - A Case Study" and "Specifying and Implementing Enterprise Search"
- FreePint No. 168, 30th September 2004. "The Conundrum that is Online Advertising" and "Sources on EU Enlargement"
- FreePint No. 145, 18th September 2003. "Tips on Negotiating Licences for Electronic Products" and "Real Estate Sources on the Web"
- FreePint No. 121, 19th September 2002. "Copyleft, Collaboration & Clusters" and "Resignation or redundancy: understanding your legal rights"
- FreePint No. 96, 20th September 2001. "Wales: Business, Economic and Government Sources" and "Women In Business"
- FreePint No. 71, 21st September 2000. "Routes into Knowledge Management" and "The Net Snags Cash Flow - Business Information and Cash Flow on the Internet"
- FreePint No. 46, 23rd September 1999. "The UK 1998 Data Protection Act and your Web site" and "About NUA: A discussion with Gerry McGovern, CEO NUA"
- FreePint No. 22, 17th September 1998. "Reverse Psychology - How to find more sites like the ones you love" and "Electronic commerce"
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Contact Information
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Address:
Free Pint Limited
4-6 Station Approach Ashford, Middlesex TW15 2QN, United Kingdom
Telephone:
UK: 0870 141 7474 Int: +44 870 141 7474
Directions and maps: <http://www.freepint.com/contact.htm>
Contributors to this issue:
Sara Waddington (Senior Managing Editor, FreePint), James Kelway, James Scobie, Robin Neidorf (General Manager), William Hann (Publisher), Douglas Brown (Proofreader).
Advertisers/Sponsors:
Dow Jones Factiva, Quantum2 from Dialog, Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited, Glen Recruitment, TFPL, VIP, Jinfo.
(c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2008 <http://www.freepint.com/>
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Please note: FreePint (ISSN 1460-7239) is a registered trademark of, and published by, Free Pint Limited. The publishers will NEVER make the subscriber list available to any other company or organisation.
The opinions, advice, products and services offered herein are the sole responsibility of the contributors. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the publication, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.
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