Newsletter Archive

Newsletter No. 291


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FreePint 3rd December 2009
No.291
 Contents

Editorial

My Favourite Tipples

FreePint Bar and FreePint Feed

FUMSI Features

  • Information Architecture Principles: Use in a Library Setting
  • Networking: Overcoming Your Hesitation

VIP Features

  • Ads vs payment, news providers and users
  • Recent VIP Horizon items
  • Recent postings to the LiveWire

Jinfo - Jobs and Events

Jobs in Information:

  • Information Specialists
  • Health Management Information Systems Adviser, Ethiopia
  • Content Editor
  • Information Manager
  • Analyst/Economist
  • Information Specialist

Events in Information:

  • Creating a Brand Identity
  • Introduction to Competitive Intelligence

Highlights from ResourceShelf and DocuTicker

Gold

Contact Information



 About FreePint

FreePint publishes newsletters, websites, magazines and resources for the information industry. The FreePint Family of publications publishes practical tips, product reviews, expert tips, research collections and hands-on tools to support information work of all kinds. The FreePint Bar provides a Q&A forum for getting your research questions answered and building a network of peers worldwide.

This twice-monthly free FreePint Newsletter serves as a guide to the latest content, including discussion at the Bar, tips articles, vacancies, professional development events, product reviews, editorial commentary and more. Subscribing is free and connects you with the information community around the world. Subscribe today.

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Please share FreePint with others by forwarding this newsletter.


 Editorial

By Robin Neidorf

Robin NeidorfIn a philosophical mood, I could argue that the chief characteristic of wisdom is the ability to find hidden connections. When data is processed, it becomes information, and when elements of information are brought together in the right order at the right time, they become knowledge.

Using knowledgeThe transformation from knowledge to something even more powerful occurs in the ability to find connections between systems of knowledge, ways of knowing.

Did you even know that's where you were heading when you launched your career in information?

However we touch information, we have the opportunity to build contributions to knowledge and then to wisdom. Recent FUMSI articles, on such seemingly ordinary topics as information architecture and networking skills for career development, have glimmers of wisdom in them.

In her article on information architecture principles, Davina Gifford spots the congruencies between her training and experience as a librarian and the skills demanded in the intriguing field of information architecture. The role of the information architect is to lay the foundation for 'findability'. If that's not the objective of librarians, what is?

Stephanie Peckham also offers information professionals a way to leverage their skills in perhaps unexpected ways: while networking. Although info pros tend to be reluctant networkers, they have in fact the ideal skill set to excel in this career-critical activity: the ability to connect people with the information they need.

Davina and Stephanie both offer opportunities for developing wisdom - building connections between areas of knowledge that may seem, at first, to be unrelated.

You never know where wisdom will emerge. Sometimes it's driven by deliberate process. FreePint's research efforts, such as the current Copyright Policies and Practices project, are designed to collect information, analyse and report on it, and then build connections between what we learn about intellectual property challenges in the digital age and the needs of today's knowledge workers.

Sometimes it's less engineered. We're always delighted to exhibit at Online Information (taking place this week in London). The annual gathering gives our team a chance to spend time together as well as with contributors, subscribers and supporters. When we sit down for a coffee with a fan or contributor and unexpectedly find overlapping areas of interest, mutual friends or shared favourite resources, new wisdom is in the making.

Whether or not you can join us in London this week, we invite you to contribute to the FreePint Online Information 2009 Special Report. Share your wisdom from attending the event, or what you absorbed by following from afar.

But even further than what you learned at Online Information, we want you to share with us your seeds of wisdom for 2010. What products should we be reviewing in VIP? How are you learning differently about the demands for workers who can Find, Use, Manage and Share Information (FUMSI)? How can we best make connections with you and for you? Share your ideas with any of us, or via our online suggestion box (anonymously, if you wish).

Robin Neidorf
General Manager
FreePint


FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2009

 My Favourite Tipples

By Deb Cohen-Smith

  • Designation Systems (http://www.designation-systems.net/) maintained by Andreas Parsch, is an invaluable source of information on aircraft systems, rockets, & missiles, modifications in versions, collaborations among systems producers, and minute details on the history of air defense vehicles across history and in various nations, but esp. U.S. (I used it more in a previous consulting job, but still find uses for it.)

  • Construction Weblinks (http://www.constructionweblinks.com/index.html) published by Howrey, LLC, provides highly searchable, annotated links to many construction data sources, standards, and industry analysis sites. Great stuff!

  • BizJournals (http://www.bizjournals.com) covers the business journals published by American City Business Journals. The site gives great access to industry trends and local company news in over 40 metro markets, provides archive searches, and e-mail alerts. They also sell a metro-specific Book of Lists, ranking businesses for each market. All in all, a unique current awareness tool.

  • http://www.USA.gov: A boring choice perhaps, but essential and unequaled.

  • Man/woman does not live by work alone! http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/: This wonderful site, edited by Lucinda Surber & Stan Ulrich, outlines mysteries by location, periods in history, characters, professions, awards, series, authors, and much more in a visually appealing, highly navigable site.

Deb Cohen-Smith is currently Adult Services Manager for Reston Public Library, the busiest branch in the Fairfax County (VA) Public Library system. Her former professional positions include: researcher for Synthesis Partners, LLC; web content & database manager for the American Society of Association Executives; special projects librarian for the U.S. Corps of Engineering CRREL lab; and librarian at Cabot Corporation R&D.

You can receive Tipples via Twitter at: <http://www.twitter.com/myfavtipples>


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 submit them to support@freepint.com.
View the guidelines at: <http://web.freepint.com/go/family/contribute>.

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Request a free copy of VIP's review of Profound

Think you know Profound? Think again.

Request a free copy of VIP's review of Profound »

New search features, email results, by-the-slice purchases and more

'...solid and dependable... a key tool for the business info pro...'

Free with registration of contact details »

AMI Software

Leverage the Intelligence in your Enterprise

AMI's Enterprise Intelligence Software extracts meaning from large volumes of unstructured data.

  • Monitor and understand
  • Structure and share
  • Validate and capitalise
  • Analyse and decide

Request our case studies of how AMI has helped clients build intelligent enterprise.

 FreePint Bar and FreePint Feed

Subscribe to the free FreePint Digest to receive a weekly update of the latest
FreePint Bar discussion, plus FreePint Feed announcements.


FreePint Bar

See a round-up of recent conversations below and click through to join the discussion. Post your research dilemmas to the FreePint Bar »

FreePint Bar sponsors make this resource available at no cost. Current sponsors include:

Dow Jones Enterprise Media Group

There's no better place to make connections with other info pros than the FreePint Bar, where you can ask and answer questions, share ideas, and pursue your own wisdom.

A number of new queries popped up on the Bar this week...

  • Comparing two premium databases is a challenging task, as we at FreePint know all too well. November's VIP features our comparative review of news offerings from Dow Jones Factiva and Nexis.com from LexisNexis, and this massive project is one we plan for all year round. One Bar user is conducting a comparison of two databases for Chinese statistical data and is looking for input from anyone else who has used both. (VIP also seeks to incorporate user comments, through the VIP Report: Survey on News Needs and Preferences). If you've used either China Premium Database (CEIC) or China Data Online (or both), please share your opinion.

  • In 2008 we all learned some brutal lessons about unsecured debt. A Bar visitor is looking for some of the underlying data on unsecured debt and bank margins, to compare with secured debt for the same year. Can you help point the way?

  • Information practitioners are any workers who interact professionally with information - which is why FUMSI (Find, Use, Manage and Share Information) provides resources that reach beyond the corporate library. A Bar visitor seeks suggestions to improve sharing of information via an electronic newsletter. A few replies have offered suggestions for newsletter software that provide clear branding yet easy-to-use functions. Do you have additional newsletter software suggestions?

  • What skills does today's researcher need to succeed? Share your opinions on the current FUMSI survey on search basics and training, and receive a copy of the full report upon publication.

Visit the FreePint Bar »

FreePint Feed

The FreePint Feed keeps you up to date on what's new across all the sites in the FreePint Family.

  • [VIP] News Products and News Economy
    The economy for news content has changed dramatically. This month, VIP publishes its best-selling comparative review of news products from Dow Jones and LexisNexis, PLUS a detailed report on the results of our user survey on needs and preferences for news content...

  • [VIP] Comparative Review of Factiva/Nexis
    VIP's annual comparative review of news offerings from major vendors has been published. This year's project was completed by Anne Jordan and covered Factiva from Dow Jones and Nexis.com from LexisNexis....

  • [FreePint] Content Portfolios: Balancing Free/Fee
    If you manage a content portfolio that combines free and fee-based resources, learn how the balance may be changing...

Visit the FreePint Feed »


Subscribe to the free FreePint Digest to receive a weekly update of the latest
FreePint Bar discussion, plus FreePint Feed announcements.

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 FUMSI Features

FUMSIFUMSI 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.

Become a fan of FUMSI on Facebook »

Follow FUMSI on Twitter »

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:

Information Architecture Principles: Use in a Library Setting

Davina GiffordBy Davina Gifford
FUMSI: Manage

Information Architect and Librarian aren't interchangeable terms, but Davina Gifford believes the two roles share more similarities than differences. In this article she shares her observations about how drawing on an IA mindset can provide inspiration to librarians in any setting.

WHAT'S INSIDE: 'There is more to librarianship than books, databases and research. If you can demonstrate knowledge of important IT project concepts, e.g. user needs analysis, you will be able to demonstrate this, and in the process you can help raise the profile of your library not only in the eyes of your IT department, but hopefully within the rest of the organisation as well.'

Read, print, save or forward this article now »

Networking: Overcoming Your Hesitation

Stephanie PeckhamBy Stephanie Peckham
FUMSI: Share

The word "network" can send cold shivers down an info pro's back, conjuring up images of awkward conversation with near strangers. Stephanie Peckham reframes it by acknowledging the difficulties and providing tips for making networking...dare we say...pleasurable?

WHAT'S INSIDE: 'It takes much longer to build the level of friendship, trust and understanding on-line that can be achieved in one face-to-face meeting. Many of us decide very quickly, almost instantly, whether we trust someone and trust is an important part of networking'

Read, print, save or forward this article now »

FUMSI - Forthcoming Topics

  • Resources for Automotive Industry Research
  • Information in Prisons
  • Conference Information Management
  • My Knowledge Sharing New Year's Resolutions
  • Digging for Gold with Social Media Tools and Widgets
  • Review of Google Wave

If you have a suggestion for an article topic, or would like to write, then please contact <support@freepint.com> or read the notes for authors at
<http://web.freepint.com/go/family/contribute/>.

Browse all FUMSI articles »

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quantum2


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/

Dow Jones Enterprise Media Group

Today's knowledge economy is powered by information but operates on Internet time. Knowledge workers have access to more information than ever, but less time for decision making.

Dow Jones Enterprise Media Group combines respected reporting with innovative technologies to drive additional value from news, data and information.

For our customers, this means increased productivity and competitive advantage, all of which lead to a more intelligent - and profitable enterprise.

Download our free ebook on value in the knowledge-driven enterprise »

 VIP Features

VIP 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 72Ads vs payment, news providers and users in VIP Magazine No. 72

Pay for content or put up with the ads? That's one of the issues VIP raises in a one-to-one with Patrick Spain, chairman and CEO of Newser, which also ranges over its 2.0 features and the value it adds through readers contextualising and commenting on the news. Patrick's response is disarmingly frank: advertising is designed to be distracting. If people want to pay instead, Newser can take off the ads 'tomorrow', he claims - but he doesn't really see it as a viable business model in today's news world.

It's a great curtain-raiser for this month's major comparative product review: news services Factiva and Nexis. Reviewer Anne Jordan is pleased to see that both vendors have addressed several of the 'cons' raised in last year's review. But there's more to be done.

Although Anne likes things like Nexis's provision of transcripts for audio and video clips, and the flexibility of the My Delivery Documents feature, she's disappointed that the Delivery folder documents expire after only 24 hours - and also that you can't buy content on an ad hoc basis using a credit card. By contrast, Factiva does offer pay-as-you-go, and Anne also likes its broad range of non English language content, for some of which deduplication facilities are available - but she's concerned at the need to download and install the Factiva Toolbar if you want to avoid losing your search string, and disappointed that it's only available with Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Free vs fee also inevitably features in VIP's own survey of users' news needs and preferences. Publishers are making every effort to work out new approaches to monetising news content - so they'll probably want to know that web versions of print products earn by far the highest average rating among the 140 survey respondents, with independent professional blogs a 'distant second'. However even these experienced professionals still rely heavily on Google as a free source of news - although they do agree that premium services offer things like advanced analysis, which free resources cannot match.

Purchase the individual product reviews via the links above, or save money by purchasing a full package including both reports, plus VIP Magazine 72, which includes executive summaries of the product reports.

VIP LiveWire

VIP contributing editors comment daily on what's happening in the industry.
Visit the LiveWire for their insights, and subscribe to the free VIP Wires Weekly for regular alerts.

VIP Wires Weekly is generously sponsored by AMI Software.

AMI Software

On VIP LiveWire recently...

  • Social networking activity may be costing companies precious staff time at the moment, but the era of real applications that they can't afford to ignore is approaching fast. Astute information professionals can capitalise on this - but only if they abandon their traditional focus on documents and files.
    Read the full story at: http://www.vivavip.com/go/e26444

  • The newspaper industry made a mistake all those years ago by offering its content free on the web, hoping that advertising would make it pay. Now that the advertising industry is in the doldrums, the consensus among expert panellists at an SLA event on the future of news is that this strategy is no longer feasible.
    Read the full story at: http://www.vivavip.com/go/e26538

  • Describing itself as 'YouTube for Business', Tradeclips is a full-service video, audio, text and picture sharing site designed mainly for publishers, journalists and public relations companies. It's a response to the rapid growth of digital media content in the enterprise and professional market - but managing this content is increasingly causing businesses logistical and financial headaches.
    Read the full story at: http://www.vivavip.com/go/e26495

Always feel free to comment on any item on the LiveWire, and if you do not yet have a free subscription to the VIP Wires Weekly, you can sign up now »

Purchase VIP Magazine No. 72 from the VIP Website, or start your subscription now »

VIP LiveWire »

VIP Wire

Information-related product and news announcements. Post your releases and subscribe to the free VIP Wires Weekly for regular alerts.

Recent VIP Wire announcements...

  • The Jorum Learning and Teaching Competition (previously known as the Learning Object Competition) was again held in conjunction...
    Read the full Press Release at: http://www.vivavip.com/go/w83255

  • A new agreement between EBSCO Publishing (EBSCO) and Ringgold announces the implementation of the Ringgold Institutional Identifier within EBSCOhost databases-supplying the Identifier to publishers with their usage reports...
    Read the full Press Release at: http://www.vivavip.com/go/w83249

  • Credo Reference, the award-winning online reference library, has signed an agreement to launch an IGI Global Publisher Collection...
    Read the full Press Release at: http://www.vivavip.com/go/w83243

VIP Wire »

VIP - Subscribe and Back Issues

Start a trial subscription today for only £80 for three months. Visit http://web.vivavip.com/go/shop/volume/trial/ to start your trial. You can also purchase back-issues of VIP from the VIP Archive.

VIP Archive »

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 - Forthcoming Topics

  • Deal Pipeline
  • Business Monitor International
  • Moreover Newsdesk
  • Executive Relationship Databases

If you have a suggestion for an article topic, or would like to write, then please contact <support@freepint.com> or read the notes for authors at
<http://web.freepint.com/go/family/contribute/>.

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VIP Report: Comparative Review of News Products

VIP's Comparative Report on News Products Now Available

http://digbig.com/5bascw

Factiva and Nexis, in a head-to-head comparison on their news offerings

In-depth, unbiased controlled comparison on all product dimensions including:

  • Search functions
  • Customisation
  • Output
  • Flexibility and user interface

Purchase on its own, or with the
VIP Report: Survey on News Needs and Preferences for greater insight.

Cost-saving bundle:

  • Single site: £70
  • Multisite: £175
  • Enterprise: £409

(Prices do not include VAT where applicable)

Order bundle at
http://digbig.com/5bascy

"It was a great idea to include survey results this year" -- purchaser of 2008 results

FUMSI Surveys

What Every New Researcher Needs to Know... In Your Opinion

http://digbig.com/5barpm

Complete the new FUMSI survey on research basics:

  • What skills new researchers need

  • Do new graduates have them?

  • How have requirements changed

Provide an email address and receive a copy of the report upon publication.

http://digbig.com/5barpm

 Jinfo - Jobs and Events in Information

JinfoJinfo is the central location for supporting your information career. The Jinfo Jobs database lists vacancies, and the Jinfo Events database lists workshops, conferences, training, webinars and other professional development opportunities.

Start a free subscription to receive the weekly Jinfo Update, with a complete list of the latest vacancies and events, or search the databases 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/>.

Jinfo Jobs:

Here is a selection of the latest featured vacancies in the Jinfo database:

  • Information Specialists
    Recruiter: Weekes Gray Recruitment
    Country: United Kingdom

  • Health Management Information Systems Adviser, Ethiopia
    You'll work with colleagues at the Bureau to introduce a new HMIS, providing training and support to staff...
    Recruiter: Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO)
    Country: Ethiopia

  • Content Editor
    Outsourced CM provider seeks home working content editor to develop and maintain web content. Experience of either RightNow or TeamSite essential. £23,000...
    Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited
    Country: United Kingdom

  • Information Manager
    A regulatory body seeks an Information Manager. This is a new post designed to be instrumental in...
    Recruiter: TFPL Intelligent Resources
    Country: United Kingdom

  • Analyst/Economist
    Analyst for new job involving research, report writing, and gathering statistical information...
    Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
    Country: United Kingdom

  • Information Specialist
    The Information Specialist will provide research support primarily to Jefferies' UK and German offices...
    Recruiter: Jefferies International Limited
    Country: United Kingdom

Browse all Jinfo Jobs »

Jinfo Events:

Here is a selection of the latest featured events in the Jinfo database:

  • Creating a Brand Identity
    This session covers the what and why of creating brand identity, illustrated by case studies.
    Organiser: Dialog
    Date: 10th Dec 2009
    Country: Online/webinar

  • Introduction to Competitive Intelligence
    Comprehensive introduction to CI, online course
    Organiser: SLA
    Date: 11-29 Jan 2010
    Country: Online/webinar

Browse all Jinfo Events »


Jinfo - the best place for information-related job vacancies and professional development opportunities.

  • RECRUITING?
    - Advertise a vacancy for just £195
    - 10% discount for agencies
    - 50% discount for registered charities

  • RUNNING AN EVENT?
    List it on Jinfo to reach a targeted audience seeking professional development opportunities
    - Get started at <http://web.jinfo.com/events/load/>
    - Partner events listed for free; enquire at <support@jinfo.com>.

Find out more today at <http://www.jinfo.com/>

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 Highlights from ResourceShelf and DocuTicker

ResourceShelfEvery 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.

Become a fan of ResourceShelf and DocuTicker on Facebook.

Recently published:

Resource of the Week: Search Engine Land By Adrian Janes, Contributing Editor, DocuTicker

Probably most information professionals have 'gurus' - figures they deeply admire for their knowledge and ability to communicate it. In my personal pantheon, the very first such figure was Danny Sullivan, who used to produce the excellent Search Engine Watch...

View entire posting, including live links »

DocuTicker
DocuTicker publishes citations of full-text, free reports available on the web. Visit daily for new postings, or subscribe to the weekly DocuTicker Newsletter.

Recent postings:

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 Gold

A look back at what the FreePint Newsletter covered at this time in previous years:

FreePint Newsletter Archive »

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 Contact Information

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:

Robin Neidorf (General Manager), Deb Cohen-Smith, Davina Gifford, Stephanie Peckham, Nancy Davis Kho (Copyeditor), William Hann (Publisher), Douglas Brown (Proofreader).

Advertisers/Sponsors:

AMI Software, Dow Jones, Marketresearch.com, Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited, Glen Recruitment, TFPL Intelligent Resources Recruitment, Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO), Jefferies International Limited.


(c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2009 <http://www.freepint.com/>
Technology by Willco <http://www.Willco.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.

This publication may be freely copied and/or distributed in its entirety. However, individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or distributed without the prior written agreement of the publishers. Write to Robin Neidorf, General Manager, <robin.neidorf@freepint.com> for more details. Product names used in FreePint are for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners. FreePint disclaims any and all rights in those marks. All rights reserved.

FreePint is published by Free Pint Limited, registered in England and Wales. Registered Number: 3754418. Registered Office: Delaport Coach House, Lamer Lane, Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8RQ

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