Author Archives: BIR Journal

Information overload and filter failure

What does it take to be a successful information professional, when so much information is available to us, our organisations and to our customers?  In March 2011, we published an article by Steve Dale.  In Surviving and thriving as a 21st century knowledge and information professional, Steve outlined how information professionals could use readily available tools to help manage information flows and become more effective.
I was reminded of his excellent, practical advice when I came across this blog post today.  Writing for the Gartner blog network, Craig Roth discusses whether there is an additional factor to add into Clay Shirkey’s famous statement that ‘there is no information overload, just filter failure’.
Roth suggests that we should consider not just the information bombarding us and demanding attention, but the information that is ‘hidden’ from us and could be of real value.  It’s a really interesting blog post – well worth a read.

In September this year, we will be publishing an article by Scott Brown.  In ‘Coping with information obesity:  A diet for information professionals’ Scott comes up with some practical solutions for information professionals, including the concept of ‘slow information’. 
If we are to be successful in our chosen careers we need to be able to demonstrate that we can locate, manage, filter, organise and share information appropriately and effectively.  If we can’t do it for ourselves, then why should our customers trust us?!

Helpful advice for authors

An article published on Nature.com provides invaluable advice to non-native English speakers who are trying to publish.  
Some key pointers:
  • Be clear, concise and forthright
  • Look for models of well-written papers – read as many English-language papers in your subject as possible
  • Seek informal reviews from native English speakers

The article, along with more detailed advice, is available to download here.

Sage launches e-bookstore

Sage’s newly launched e-bookstore forms part of the publisher’s online social science platform Sage Knowledge.  The content is discoverable via search engines at title and chapter level.   

Researchers can search and access over 2,500 titles including textbooks, monographs and handbooks.  They can also save searches and create reading lists. 
Sage has made a number of flexible purchasing options available to libraries.
More on this story via The Bookseller

BYOD – some food for thought

This blog post (by Andrea Di Maio of Gartner Research) looks at the trend of employees bringing their own devices to the workplace and the different BYOD strategies organisations are adopting.  Some organisations are choosing a simple ‘laissez faire’ approach, while others might offer the widest possible choice of devices to the workforce, arguing that this would be cheaper than the potential costs of ‘mismanaged’ personal devices.   Di Maio acknowledges the ‘unstoppable trend’ of BYOD, but points out some potential implications you might not have previously considered, including:
  • a provider revealing to employers that an employee has signed up to use the cloud service (this might be against company policy
  • employers having access to employees’ personal data 

We’re planning an article on ‘the digital workplace’ for September’s issue of BIR – more details for follow.

Libraries and publishers – demonstrating the new value


Lynne Brindley, the outgoing CEO of the British Library, addressed an audience of editors, authors and other interested parties at a SAGE reception held at the Reform Club on 26th April.  Her speech reflected on the changing roles of publishers and academic and research librarians – and the relationships between them. 

A book or journal can now be created and accessed digitally and content is being liberated from physical space.  Meanwhile, as the debate surrounding access continues, intellectual property law has still to catch up. 

Academic libraries also have to reassess and articulate their value to their customers and fight for research funding.  The debate around open access continues.  Data heavy research is not just the new normal in STM – other disciplines including the humanities are joining in too.  Lynne urged libraries “to articulate what role they might play in this field and publishers not to lock down possibilities for data and text mining in a too defensive a stance.” 


The generation and dissemination of new knowledge is a critical activity and the different stakeholders must work together ensure success.  Despite dramatic changes in the wider information landscape, Lynne believes that shared values endure.  She called on all interested parties to focus on what they have in common and work together to reach creative solutions and design new business models.

EBSCO releases BusinessCore


BusinessCore is an e-book collection designed to meet the research and learning requirements of business professionals. Featuring thousands of full-text e-books, BusinessCore will be updated every month.  Users can print, email and save chapters, or transfer them to e-book readers and mobile devices. 


Topics covered include general management (leadership, project management, business communications and human resources) and specialist subjects such as M&A and ‘green business’.
The collection is available as an annual subscription.

More information via EBSCO.

Searchable trademark data


Thomson CompuMark, (a Thomson Reuters Intellectual Property and Science business), has announced plans to expand its SAEGIS on SERION online trademark screening solution.  The launch of 136 new databases means the solution will cover 186 countries and registers.
The development means that SAEGIS on SERION will provide the largest collection of trademark screening information on a single source, simplifying search processes for trademark professionals.
More information via the press release.

Business information and the bottom line

The UK economy is – once again – ‘in recession’.  Times are hard, and service departments and cost centres need to be able to prove that they are directly contributing to the wellbeing of their organisations.  What messages should information professionals share with senior management to demonstrate how business information enhances our organisations?  This was a key question tackled by those attending Aslib’s second Business Information Community of Practice (BICoP) meeting in London this week.
Strategic alignment
It is critical to understand what it is that your organisation values and to ensure that services support these key values.  Do you attend the meetings that mean you know what deals are going on?  Some delegates recommended ‘forcing yourself’ into these meetings until colleagues recognise the value of your attendance!  Provide support for all key business processes from business pitch to deal closure.
Decision makers and influencers
Can you identify all of your organisation’s champions and budget holders?  What processes do you have in place to listen and respond to your organisational clients?  Does the CEO know who you are?  Do you act like ‘other departments’ – do you have a retreat, and a training budget?  
Evidence base
The gathering and broadcasting of real examples of business impact should be a clear imperative.  How are you tracking the beneficial use of data and information provided by your team?  The creation of ‘annual reports’ with statistical information about impact of services is one option discussed.
Risk management
Information management is key to managing both financial and reputational risk.  The cost of non-compliance and under exploitation of resources and poor competitor intelligence should help colleagues focus on the value of BI services.
Quality assured information
The use of quality sources needs to be promoted within the organisation.  Senior partners and colleagues may be using inappropriate free information sources – although not all free resources are necessarily poor quality.  Kitemarking or ‘indemnity assured information sources’ are options.  Information professionals should be driving increased information literacy within their organisations. 
The challenge of demonstrating value is ongoing and should be a constant concern to business information professionals.  This is a subject we can be sure that BICOP will return to in the future as we seek to learn from each other what works – and what doesn’t – in the ongoing battle to help our organisations thrive.

British Library to be an ‘Olympic venue’

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is to make the British Library Conference Centre its headquarters throughout the London Olympics later this year.
The conference facilities are centrally located and provide excellent transport links to the Olympic Park. The conference space will be used as offices, a reception area, and a press conference venue.
See the British Library’s press release for more details.