Newsletter No. 196
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View the fully formatted version free at: <http://www.freepint.com/issues/151205.pdf> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FreePint "Helping 76,000 people use the Web for their work" http://www.freepint.com/ ISSN 1460-7239 15th December 2005 No.196 > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = IN THIS ISSUE ------------- GUEST EDITORIAL By Olivia Freeman MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES By Rachel Singer Gordon FREEPINT BAR In Association with Factiva a Dow Jones & Reuters Company JINFO :: JOBS IN INFORMATION Information Services Manager Librarian with ICT Experience Assistant Researcher Intranet Manager Information Specialist Information Co-ordinator TIPS ARTICLE "Information Sources for Social Exclusion On The Web" By David Renfree REVIEW "Yahoo! to the Max" Written by Randolph Hock Reviewed by Jean Roth FEATURE ARTICLE "Online Information Conference 2005" By Allan Foster and Sarah Dillingham EVENTS, GOLD AND FORTHCOMING ARTICLES CONTACT INFORMATION ONLINE VERSION WITH ACTIVATED HYPERLINKS <http://www.freepint.com/issues/151205.htm> FULLY FORMATTED VERSION <http://www.freepint.com/issues/151205.pdf> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = ADVERTISEMENT = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ** Revolutionise the way you work with LexisNexis ** Gain access to the most comprehensive and authoritative online business and news information. With simple navigation, quick searching and rapid results delivered directly to your desktop, LexisNexis speeds up the way you work. Visit <http://www.lexisnexis.co.uk/businessandnews> for further information or email <response@lexisnexis.co.uk> quoting 'FreePint' for a no obligation free trial. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [ln1961] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** Compare pay-as-you-go services in VIP *** The December issue of VIP compares pay-as-you-go services from four major providers - Alacra, Dialog, Factiva and LexisNexis. Compares coverage, search options, results, usability and more. <http://www.vivaVIP.com/> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** ABOUT FREEPINT *** FreePint is an online network of information searchers. Members receive this free newsletter twice a month: it is packed with tips on finding quality and reliable business information on the Internet. Joining is free at <http://www.freepint.com/> and provides access to a substantial archive of articles, reviews, jobs and events, with answers to research questions and networking at the FreePint Bar. Please circulate this newsletter, which is best read when printed out. To receive a fully formatted version as an attachment or a brief notification when it's online, visit <http://www.freepint.com/subs/>. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = GUEST EDITORIAL By Olivia Freeman As I write, the Online Exhibition is drawing to a close. I had the pleasure of attending, moderating a panel discussion, and presenting an award on behalf of FreePint at the gala dinner. If you were not able to visit the exhibition, you can get a taste of the proceedings in this issue of FreePint. Vendors of enterprise search (the new buzzword) solutions were new exhibitors. Throughout the event, Google and Yahoo! were on everyone's lips, and in this issue you will find a review of 'Yahoo! to the Max'. Allan Foster reviews the exhibition from an academic viewpoint, while Sarah Dillingham reports from a legal perspective. A comprehensive five-theme seminar programme complemented the Exhibition. Sessions on career development, content management and enterprise search proved very popular, and many sessions were standing-room only. During a vendor panel I moderated in the business information focus section, one of the participating vendors pointed out that maintaining market share requires an ability to adapt and add value for customers, offering niche but essential information not available elsewhere. Members of the panel shared their thoughts on customer service, highlighting differences in policy regarding levels of customer support, regardless of size and location. My thoughts are that there should be no difference in virtual support but there are actual differences in levels of face-to-face support and, when pricing, it would seem to be appropriate to reflect this. Customer service was again the focal point for the FreePint Award for the Best Vendor Customer Service Team, which I had the honour of presenting at the third annual International Information Industry Awards Dinner on 30 November at the elegant Royal Lancaster Hotel. Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing (BvDEP) was the clear-cut winner, despite competition among excellent nominations <http://www.freepint.com/press/cust-serve-2005/>. Sir Trevor Macdonald hosted the evening and presented most of the eighteen prestigious awards, in a range of categories, but he was particularly impressed with the etched crystal pint glass we presented to BvDEP! Throughout the week I attended a number of parties, starting with drinks in the exhibition hall on the first day; all were great opportunities to network, catch up with old friends and meet new friends. The information industry seems to be particularly friendly - we practice what we preach by sharing our knowledge and expertise, as shown by the people who contribute to the conference and exhibition seminars. The festive season is in full swing, so it is very appropriate that the tips article is on information sources for social exclusion. Perhaps, between parties, we could pause a moment and do something for people, who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to participate in mainstream society. Seasons Greetings to you all. Olivia Freeman > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Our guest editor, Olivia Freeman, is an independent information consultant, specialising in strategic research projects, training and information management. Prior to this, she was Head of Business Information at HSBC Bank. To contact her, email <marketintellig@btinternet.com> FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2005 Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = ADVERTISEMENT = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Searching, but not finding, costs your organisation time and money. Download a copy of IDC's newest white paper, "The Hidden Costs of Information Searching" and learn how Factiva can help you improve your efficiency and make a real difference to the bottom line. Download your copy at <http://www.factiva.com/ad/2005/freepint1115> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [fa1962] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = "Enterprise Search Guidebook" ISBN 1-904769-10-1 - September 2005 This report sets out the principles and practice of specifying and selecting intranet or enterprise search software. "Containing both search fundamentals and advanced topics, this report should be on hand for every team looking for a new search solution." <http://www.freepint.com/shop/report/> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = MY FAVOURITE TIPPLES By Rachel Singer Gordon * As a freelance writer/information professional, I find it useful to keep an eye on the broader writing and publishing world. WritersWeekly <http://www.writersweekly.com/> is a fantastic one-stop-shop for new markets and writing/publishing advice; a free weekly e-newsletter and RSS feed are available. * We're all trying to do more in less time, while still keeping up with the latest developments. Bloglines <http://www.bloglines.com/> lets me organize, clip, search, and utilize content from over 100 RSS feeds from various blogs, journals, and news sources, in one manageable location. Even better, it's accessible from anywhere, so I can get to my subscriptions on the road. * Speaking of blogs, Michael Stephens' Tame The Web <http://www.tametheweb.com/ttwblog/> is required reading for anyone interested in the intersections between libraries and technology. Always thoughtful and always mindful of how technology can best be used to serve our patrons, Michael balances enthusiasm for where tech can take us with realism about how best to implement it now. * If you prefer a more collaborative approach to blogging, LISNews.com <http://www.lisnews.com/> employs multiple contributors to collect library-related news stories from around the web -- and the world. Readers can comment on any story and can create their own online journals if they wish to write regularly or go more in-depth. * Lastly, since we all could use a little levity, User Friendly <http://www.userfriendly.org/static/> offers a daily comic that will amuse anyone who has had to deal with recalcitrant technology. Scroll down for an interesting, time-wasting, or amusing "Link of the Day" at the bottom of the page. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Freelance writer, speaker, and editor Rachel Singer Gordon <rachel@lisjobs.com> is Webmaster of the library careers site Lisjobs.com and contract acquisitions editor for Information Today, Inc. Submit your top five favourite Web sites. See the guidelines at <http://www.freepint.com/author.htm>. Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = ADVERTISEMENT = = = = = = = = = = = = = = NEW from Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing ORIANA Public and private financial company information for the Asia-Pacific region To register for a FREE trial click on <http://www.bvdep.com/ORIANA.html> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = [bv1963] > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** Do you use DigBig to shorten long Web addresses? *** Then please supply a testimonial about DigBig: <http://www.digbig.com/testimonial.html> Here's one we've just received: "So quick and easy - I can't believe more people aren't using it" Library Assistant, Manchester, UK (December 2005) > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREEPINT BAR <http://www.freepint.com/bar> In Association with Factiva a Dow Jones & Reuters Company I can't quite believe that this is the last bar summary I will be writing in 2005. Where has the time gone? Online Information always signifies to me that the end of the year is nigh and the latest issue of VIP Eye, which has just been published, concentrates on the Online Information event. It also looks at new product launches and comments on the strategies of major information providers over the coming months <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36239>. The Bar has been especially busy with a real 'mixed bag' of postings: Do you know where the NHS dispose of their second-hand equipment? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36129>. What about companies that make lifts? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36036>. Where can this FreePinter find information on the UK Housing Market? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36233>. Do you know where to find statistics and data for UK mobile phone usage? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36234>. I'm sure someone can help with this website usability posting <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36093> or how about giving some advice on running website competitions? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36190>. Also, can you give this gentleman a head start at his job interview? He has to give a presentation as to why some urban regeneration companies fail <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36197>. This student is doing a dissertation on search engine marketing/pay- per-click versus traditional advertising but can't find any relevant academic articles <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36211>. Perhaps you know of any continuous professional development resources and also any institutes that offer CPD services? <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36134>. This researcher is "looking for a list of computer science, information technology or information management organisations/associations" <http://www.freepint.com/go/b36162>. Finally, this Student Bar posting has yet to be answered, can you help: A Romanian graduate has just completed a Library and Museum Studies course in Romania and wants to start a career as a librarian in the UK, but where does she start without a work permit or experience? <http://www.freepint.com/go/s4662>. Thank you to everyone who has posted at the FreePint Bar and Student Bar in 2005. See you in 2006. Penny Hann Production Editor, FreePint <penny.hann@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/>. Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** 2006 Advertising with FreePint *** Now is the time to book your advertising with FreePint for 2006 as there are a limited number of advertising accounts. We already have a number of confirmed bookings, so talk to us now about *your* requirements for advertising across the FreePint network <http://www.Onopoly.com/>. > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = JINFO :: JOBS IN INFORMATION <http://www.jinfo.com/> The Jinfo service enables you to search and advertise 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 article is entitled "Job searching under pressure". Read it online and subscribe free at <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/>. Here are some of the latest featured jobs: Information Services Manager Manage Vendor Contracts, review product usage trends, oversee roll-outs, use your project management skills, 4/5 yrs exp. GBP exc. Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4640> Librarian with ICT Experience Part-time staff with a public library background to work on two exciting new courses on ICT in Libraries. Recruiter: Millennium City Academy <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4686> Assistant Researcher Library/Information graduate? Graduate with good research exp? Bright person to be trained to develop research and K.M. skills. Recruiter: Glen Recruitment <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4696> Intranet Manager Manage and mentor a team of web authors, developing our Intranet to its full potential as an information and communication tool. Recruiter: The Security Service <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4697> Information Specialist CIMA is recruiting an Information Specialist to join our technical information team. For more info email <jobs@cimaglobal.com>. Recruiter: CIMA <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4698> Information Co-ordinator CIMA is recruiting a temporary Information Co-ordinator to join our technical information services team. Recruiter: CIMA <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j4708> [The above jobs are paid listings] NB: There are 17 other jobs in the current edition of the Jinfo Newsletter <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/> and over 100 in the Jinfo database <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 and universities. Find out more today at <http://www.jinfo.com/> Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = TIPS ARTICLE <http://www.freepint.com/issues/151205.htm#tips> "Information Sources for Social Exclusion On The Web" By David Renfree Introduction ------------ Social exclusion is a term that is used regularly by the media and politicians, yet it is only in recent years that the concept has gained widespread acceptance, particularly in the UK. Essentially, a person who is socially excluded is someone who is, in some way, unable to participate in what is regarded as mainstream society. Precise definitions vary, but factors that may lead an individual to be a victim of social exclusion include unemployment, poverty, discrimination, poor education or ill health. The outcome is that socially excluded people are often denied their civil or political rights, and so cannot contribute to, or benefit from, the society around them. This article will examine some of the resources on the internet that provide detailed information on this subject. Official Information -------------------- A logical starting point for collecting information is the website of the Social Exclusion Unit <http://www.socialexclusionunit.gov.uk>, which was set up by the Labour government in December 1997. The site contains detailed explanations of the Unit's work, and full-text access to the reports that it publishes. You may also make use of the free subscription service, which allows you to receive email or postal updates about the Unit's work. There are several government-funded bodies that deal with individual areas of social exclusion. Among the most prominent of these are the Commission for Racial Equality <http://www.cre.gov.uk>, the Disability Rights Commission <http://www.drc.org.uk>, and the Equal Opportunities Commission <http://www.eoc.org.uk>. Each one of the websites listed here contains detailed information about the work of its parent organisation, with links to relevant documents. News stories / Features ----------------------- For news stories or feature articles on social exclusion, it's difficult to fault the Community Care website <http://www.communitycare.co.uk>, which is linked to the weekly magazine of the same name. Styling itself as "The Website for Everyone in Social Care", visitors are offered free full-text access to the archives of the printed publication, as well as a range of additional online services; these include selections of stories from the current day's newspapers, blogs from recognised figures in the social care world, and an impressive-looking database of job vacancies in this field. The acceptance of the term 'social exclusion' as a recognised term has been acknowledged by the Guardian, who have designated a section of their site as a social exclusion 'homepage' <http://society.guardian.co.uk/socialexclusion/>. Here users can find links to recent news stories on poverty, inequality and welfare reform, as well as a resources section which lists other potential sources of interest, and an article that outlines the issue. Research Information -------------------- If you intend to carry out a literature search, then you should certainly take a look at the new Social Care Online database <http://www.scie-socialcareonline.org.uk>, which was launched in August as a successor to the Electronic Library for Social Care (eLSC). Social Care Online focuses mainly on UK information, and its content is drawn from many different sources; you can expect to find the details of websites, journal articles, reports, books and other media in your search results. Full-text links to results are also provided if the material you have found is freely available online. It would be virtually impossible to write about any kind of social issue without drawing attention to the work of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation <http://www.jrf.org.uk>. This organisation has been carrying out research into overcoming social difficulties for almost half a century, covering topics such as housing, poverty, drugs and immigration. Many of the Foundation's reports can be accessed in full as PDFs; where a report is not freely available, a four-page summary gives readers a flavour of its content and conclusions. Statisticians may like to take a look at the New Policy Institute's website on poverty and social exclusion <http://www.poverty.org.uk>. This site houses a huge range of statistics, charts and interactive tables on all aspects of social exclusion. Also, since 1998 the New Policy Institute and Joseph Rowntree Foundation have collaborated on a lengthy annual report entitled 'Monitoring poverty and social exclusion', which can be accessed, in full, through the site <http://www.poverty.org.uk/reports/mpse2004.pdf>. The link here is to the 2004 edition, but a new version is due very shortly. International Resources ----------------------- Those looking for information on social exclusion outside the UK will probably be interested in Strategies & Tools Against Social Exclusion & Poverty (STEP) <http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/socsec/step/>. STEP is an ILO programme which tackles social issues on a global scale by carrying out projects, research and training at community, national and international levels. The publications they produce can usually be freely downloaded. The Division for Social Policy and Development <http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/> is a United Nations organisation that seeks to strengthen international co-operation for social development. The website contains details of the various programmes that the Division oversees, and provides links to conference papers or reports arising from these projects. For information on the European Commission's approach to social affairs, it is necessary to visit the Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities homepage <http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/index.html>, which is available in eleven different languages. Some of the material here is more concerned with broader subjects than the specific question of social inclusion, although that should not deter researchers who wish to investigate EU policy in this area. Navigating the site is a little difficult, although the search box provided should make the process a little more simple. Further Sources --------------- Finally, to plug the inevitable gaps left by a brief article such as this one, try looking at the website of the Social Policy and Social Work Centre (SWAP) <http://www.swap.ac.uk>. The site forms part of the Higher Education Academy, which aims to promote high quality learning across all subject areas, and is a wonderful gateway to resources which are freely available on the internet. The ever-excellent SOSIG gateway also has a page devoted to social exclusion <http://sosig.ac.uk/roads/subject-listing/World-cat/poverty.html>, which features a selection of hand-picked resources. A visit to the Centre for Social & Economic Inclusion <http://www.cesi.org.uk/> is also essential, as its database contains over 1000 reports, policy papers and other types of documents. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - David Renfree is the Subject Librarian for the School of Childhood and Education at the Birmingham College of Food, Tourism & Creative Studies. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related FreePint links: * 'Politics and Government' articles in the FreePint Portal <http://www.freepint.com/go/p113> * Post a message to the author, David Renfree, 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/151205.htm#tips> * Access the entire archive of FreePint content <http://www.freepint.com/portal/content/> Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** New: Publish fresh content to your site easily *** The Willco News Module enables you to post timely content to your Web site easily. It includes email updates and content feeds, and requires no change to your current site. Find out how Willco Modules can support your work: <http://www.willco.com/modules/> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = REVIEW "Yahoo! to the Max" Written by Randolph Hock Reviewed by Jean Roth Want to get more out of the internet using Yahoo!? 'Yahoo! to the Max' by Randolph Hock is a very useful guide. Hock suggests that "When you really want to know a site, click everywhere! The catch is that few people have the time to really do that". Hock has made the time, and we get the result: a slim book with surprising breadth that makes it quick and easy to learn which parts of Yahoo! are most interesting to you. The book has nine chapters: (1) Overview/General; (2) Searching and Browsing; (3) My Yahoo!; (4) Yahoo! Groups; (5) Yahoo! News; (6) Communications (such as mail, messenger, chat, message boards, building free websites, etc.); (7) Buying and Selling (shopping, auctions, classifieds, etc.); (8) Finance; and my favorite for travel and U.S. city guides: (9) Other, which also has Yahoo! international, maps, weather, health, people search, photos, Yahooligans! (for kids), music, and desktop search. Chapter 3, My Yahoo!, is the longest and most important chapter of the book. In it, Hock shows how to create a personalized web portal where you can quickly get to a variety of useful information. Step-by-step, he explains how to make a customized portal suitable for a personal homepage. To begin, visit <http://my.yahoo.com> to see the default My Yahoo! page. Then, click on 'Add Content' to begin customizing the page. (You will be prompted to sign in or sign up if you don't have a Yahoo ID). To discover what content is available, you can browse the directory categories, check the Editor's Picks ('Cooking for Engineers' gave me a smile) or view the Most Popular ('Awful Plastic Surgery' made my jaw drop both for the content and the number 5 rating). You can search for RSS feeds in the find box, or add the URLs directly. The advantage of using My Yahoo! to read RSS feeds over browser or standalone software RSS readers is that the feeds are available from any computer. The same ease of accessibility is obviously true for bookmarks <http://bookmarks.yahoo.com> and other Yahoo! services. Some features like photos, calendar, and briefcase (which have URLs following the same pattern as bookmarks), also permit sharing with other Yahoo! users. The photos and calendar are self-explanatory. The briefcase allows importing and uploading of up to 30 Mb of files, again, accessible from any networked computer. To make trip-planning for over 17,000 world cities easier and to make trips more fun, try <http://travel.yahoo.com>. The Trip Planner lets you save your favorite links to create a custom travel guide. <http://local.yahoo.com> lets you find businesses and services near any address. Check out the Event Calendar at <http://cityguides.local.yahoo.com/> to find out what's happening in U.S. cities. Yahoo! is always changing. So Hock provides <http://www.extremesearch.com> to keep you aware of changes since the book was published. Hock writes that the most important step in getting the most from Yahoo! is learning which of the many parts particularly interest you. This book is well-organized and well-written for helping race up that learning curve. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Jean Roth is the Data Scientist at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER, <http://www.nber.org/data>) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The NBER is the top non-profit economic research organization the United States. She has an MS in Statistics, and she helps researchers there find, analyze, and use economic data. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related FreePint links: * Find out more about this book online at the FreePint Bookshelf <http://www.freepint.com/bookshelf/yahoomax.htm> * Read customer comments and buy this book at Amazon.co.uk <http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0910965692/freepint0c> or Amazon.com <http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0910965692/freepint00> * "Yahoo! to the Max: An Extreme Searchers Guide" ISBN 0910965692, published by CyberAge Books. * 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/searching.htm> To propose an information-related book for review, send details to <support@freepint.com>. Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = *** Euromonitor double bill in VIP *** The first ever in-depth review of Euromonitor's new Country Insight product was published in the November issue of VIP. A second review examines the new enhancements made to Euromonitor's flagship product GMID (Global Market Information Database). <http://www.vivaVIP.com/> > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FEATURE ARTICLE <http://www.freepint.com/issues/151205.htm#feature> "Online Information Conference 2005" By Allan Foster and Sarah Dillingham > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "From Taxonomies to Folksomonies: Personal Observations on Online Information 2005" By Allan Foster I'm an Online veteran having attended my first 'meeting', as it was then called, in 1978. So I've seen many dimensions of the online industry as it's developed over these years as manifested through this midwinter event. Some 'Onlines' are exciting as yet another wave of technical, human or business change crashes over the industry. Other years seem fallow by comparison. In the early years of the 21st Century, we've seen the dotcom boom turn so often to bust. We've watched the frenzy over Knowledge Management become mainstreamed into day-to-day organisational practice. And this year Online 2005 was dominated by: social networking; the ubiquitous presence, actual or imagined, of Google; and with a fair dose of content management thrown in to the mix. It was impossible to get away from the impact of social technologies in the conference halls. From David Weinberger's barnstorming opening keynote address 'The new shape of knowledge: everything is miscellaneous', to Jane McConnell and Mark Esteve's final-day presentation on making global collaboration work, the themes of individual and group contributions to knowledge development and sharing were everywhere. This is a world of blogs <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blogs>, wikis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikis>, tags <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tags>, tag clouds <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tag_clouds> and rss feeds <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS_%28file_format%29>. The key challenge to established dissemination media posed by social software tools is to the notion of authority. Scientific communication is based firmly on the principle of quality control through peer review. Established and reputable journals filter articles submitted to them by an extensive system of peer review in an attempt to publish only valid science. The very nature of social and collaborative technology tools is that authority is earned by the quality of the contribution rather than by the status of the contributor or their organisation. This is a seductive and exciting line of argument. But just as Wikipedia's founder, Jimmy Wales < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Wales> was speaking to a 'full house' audience at the Online Conference, a storm was about to engulf him <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4502846.stm> back in the US. Wikipedia is based on the idea that anyone can anonymously author or amend entries on the web. The downside of this openness was illustrated by prominent US journalist John Seigenthaler who challenged the accuracy of a biographical piece on him in which he was implicated in the assassination of his old boss Robert Kennedy. Seigenthaler, 78, claimed that only one sentence in his biography was correct and that after Wales told him that it was impossible to track down who had authored the piece, described Wikipedia as "a flawed and irresponsible research tool". Wales has put in place a limited amount of control in the authoring process as a result of this incident. It turned out to be a wind-up <http://www.digbig.com/4fqeq> but the damage had been done. One of David Weinberger's many insightful comments in his opening address had a particular resonance for me. In the latter part of the 1990s there was much talk about 'information overload'. Reuters carried out some research and came up with what seemed to me to be a dubious proposition that executives were actually becoming seriously stressed at the volume of information they had to handle. I did a critique of this in Information World Review in 1999 referring to sociologist Herbert Simon's concept of 'satisficing' <http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/profiles/simon.htm>. On the same lines, Weinberger talked about most peoples' information seeking behaviour as being 'good enough'. 'Information anxiety' is a fallacy - it's official! He also came up with the best metaphor of the Conference. "Think of knowledge not as trees with a formal, defined and linear structure but as piles of leaves." He celebrated the messiness of knowledge and argued that taxonomies had their place but not in singular terms. Everyone could now help to classify knowledge by techniques such as tagging. Read more about his ideas on Joho the Blog <http://www.hyperorg.com/blogger>. In the same arena, Manchester-born US citizen Peter Morville <http://semanticstudios.com/about>, information architect and librarian, talked about folksonomies <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folksonomy>, the ability of users to assign free terms to pieces of information as illustrated in web services such as the photosharing site Flickr <http://www.flickr.com>, the bookmarking site Del.icio.us <http://del.icio.us> or the news site Digg <http://www.digg.com>. Specifically, he described 'ambient findability', the nexus of search, wayfinding, marketing, information interaction, literacy, librarianship, authority and culture. One of the most surprising and uplifting of the messages coming through this collaborative, social technology is the willingness of some corporations to encourage the use of these techniques both within and outside the boundaries of the organisation. For instance, Phillipe Borremans described the open and creative attitude of his company IBM to the use of blogging. There is a well understood and explicit corporate blogging policy and guidelines <http://www.snellspace.com/IBM_Blogging_Policy_and_Guidelines.pdf> to assist IBM staff but this isn't stultifying. Staff use their blogs for a variety of purposes - personal journals and musings, for sharing items of interest, for evangelizing and for describing work in progress. This is risky stuff and will stick in the craw of many companies more concerned with image management than creative communication and knowledge exchange. Like all fashions, the profile of social networking will become less prominent at future Online Information Conferences and Exhibitions. These technologies and techniques will be absorbed into the rich cocktail that is the online industry. And Online Information remains as the world's biggest and most authoritative view of that industry. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Allan Foster <http://www.allanfoster.co.uk> has had a 36-year professional career which has taken him across public library, polytechnic, university and special library sectors. Most recently he has been Director of Information Services at Keele University responsible for libraries, IT and media services. He is a frequent speaker at conferences, seminars and professional meetings nationally and internationally and a prolific author. He has been a consultant to a number of companies and public sector organisations in the UK, mainland Europe, Asia and South America, and is external examiner at two UK universities. He has a degree in social sciences and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals. From 1st November 2005 he's consulting, writing, teaching and doing applied research in the information sector. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Online Information 2005" By Sarah Dillingham My first impression of Online Information 2005 was a good one, and it came from the Online website <http://www.online-information.co.uk/>. This has several useful resources such as handy exhibitor visit- and seminar program-planners <http://digbig.com/4fqss>, a product finder and an education centre. The education centre <http://digbig.com/4fqst> contains some interesting professional development material including white papers, case studies, show-floor presentations and expert opinions. The hall was considerably more crowded than in previous years thanks to the addition of areas for Content Management Europe, Enterprise Search Solutions and Enterprise Document and Records Management - all areas which overlap with the 'traditional' information management topics. The result was a buzzy lively atmosphere with no empty space in the hall. And of course, the greater the number of exhibitor stands, the greater the chances to win an iPod with your business card. But it was really the free seminars that I had come for. Unfortunately, I had to miss the 'business information in focus' strand on Tuesday due to work commitments. I did, however, manage to attend a stand-out session the next day called 'Adding value to Information Services' by Liz Blankson-Hemans. Liz is a former legal information manager who now works for Thomson and her presentation was sharp, to the point and relevant. As a standalone information manager in a City law firm, I am always interested in picking up new tips to distinguish myself as a provider of high-level research and analysis (as opposed to the 'librarian who finds cases'). I am a great advocate of providing client research in the most polished format possible as it is a good organisational profile raiser. Many of the suggestions are fairly straightforward but Liz proved her own point about adding value by gathering them together, presenting them well and offering tools such as a value added matrix to graphically demonstrate the increase in complexity from 'raw' search results to a formatted and analysed report. Tips included: * Exercise judgment to reduce information overload * Understand the organisation * Deliver what the client wants in the required format * Manage expectations regarding timing and budget * Build the information centre brand by moving from delivery to analysis * Use desktop tools creatively to present information cleanly and clearly * Write executive summaries to highlight key facts * Predict new trends and shifts * Draw conclusions and suggest next steps The presentation concluded with some case studies <http://quantum.dialog.com/training/workshops/> which put the theory into practical context. Liz later sent me a link to Dialog's Quantum website <http://quantum.dialog.com/> - this contains materials from their leadership program for information professionals. The site is very practitioner focused with useful toolkits for marketing and management skills, along with white papers. Another session that provided a handy website link was RSS feeds by Peter Scott. The session was aimed at the experienced RSS user - there was little discussion of the basics. Peter gave a comprehensive tour of his RSS compendium website <http://allrss.com/index.html>. This is a great starting point for anybody new to RSS feeds as it gives access to a huge range of RSS feeds, readers, editors and parsers. It even has a tool to enable you to build your own RSS feed for your website. Another good feature is that it includes non-English language feeds. Peter does not make editorial judgments or give recommendations about any of the links, concentrating instead of providing an index of comprehensive resources. Minor criticisms? The downstairs theatres were quite small, with standing room only for some sessions. Also, with such a busy timetable most people will have missed some of the free seminars they would otherwise have attended, so some more articles and slides up on the website would be welcome. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sarah Dillingham is the Information Manager for Landwell, the associated law firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers. She has over 10 years experience in research and information management, with 5 years in the legal sector. > - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Related FreePint links: * 'Information and Libraries' articles in the FreePint Portal <http://www.freepint.com/go/p69> * Post a message to the authors, Allan Foster and Sarah Dillingham, 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/151205.htm#feature> * Access the entire archive of FreePint content <http://www.freepint.com/portal/content/> Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FORTHCOMING EVENTS <http://www.freepint.com/events> United Kingdom: * "Firex South" 21st - 22nd March <http://www.freepint.com/go/e616> Germany: * "The European conferences on e-Government" 27th - 28th April <http://www.freepint.com/go/e559> Canada: * "2006 Government & Health Technologies Conference & Expo" 8th - 9th March <http://www.freepint.com/go/e620> * "The International Conference on e-Learning" 22nd - 23rd June <http://www.freepint.com/go/e564> United States: * "Spring 2006 ASIDIC meeting" 12th - 14th March <http://www.freepint.com/go/e619> * "The International Conference on i-Warfare and Security" 15th - 16th March <http://www.freepint.com/go/e563> Ireland: * "The European Conference on Research Methods" 17th - 18th April <http://www.freepint.com/go/e560> Finland: * "The European Conference on Information Warfare and Security" 1st - 2nd June <http://www.freepint.com/go/e561> France and Territories: * "The European Conference on IT Management, Leadership and Governance" 12th - 13th July <http://www.freepint.com/go/e562> Submit your event for free promotion: <http://www.freepint.com/events/> Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREEPINT GOLD A look back at what FreePint covered at this time in previous years: * FreePint No.173 16th December 2004. "Outsourcing Research to India" and "The Open Archive Initiative (OAI) and Google Scholar" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/161204.htm> * FreePint No.150 11th December 2003. "Taking a look at media information professionals and asking: what makes a successful conference?" and "From Fortune 500 to Handelsblatt's European 500 two years on - a final look at some useful European and International Rankings" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/111203.htm> * FreePint No.127 12th December 2002. "Home Pages: Websites for the Homeworker" and "Archive Television - A Survey of Websites" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/121202.htm> * FreePint No.102, 13th December 2001. "Tracking the Net" and "FreePint In 2001" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/131201.htm> * FreePint No.77, 14th December 2000. "A Look at Online Auctions" and "Horseracing on the Web" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/141200.htm> * FreePint No.52, 16th December 1999. "Free Pint in 1999" and "Review of Online Information 99" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/161299.htm> * FreePint No.28, 17th December 1998. "Review of Online Information 98" and "Free Pint in 1998" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/171298.htm> Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = FREEPINT FORTHCOMING ARTICLES [Provisional] * Learning Languages on-line * * Managing change * The Basics of CI * * Blind web accessibility * Project management * * Seven deadly sins (and desirable strategies) for library managers * * Delivering user education to a dispersed population * * Implementing new library management systems * * Digital repositories * Engineering portals * * KM and blogging * Diabetes * If you have a suggestion for an article topic, or would like to write for FreePint, then please contact <penny.hann@freepint.com> or read the notes for authors at <http://www.freepint.com/author.htm>. Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 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: William Hann (Managing Editor, FreePint), Penny Hann (Production Editor, FreePint), Pam Foster (Editor, VIP), Rachel Singer Gordon, Allan Foster, Sarah Dillingham, David Renfree, Olivia Freeman, Jean Roth, Plain Text <http://www.plain-text.co.uk/> (proofreading). Advertisers/Sponsors: The Security Service, Millennium City Academy, CIMA, BvD, Factiva, Sue Hill Recruitment, Lexis Nexis, Glen Recruitment, Willco, VIP. Web <http://www.freepint.com> Authors <http://www.freepint.com/author.htm> Advertising <http://www.Onopoly.com/> Subscriptions, Letters & Comments <support@freepint.com> FreePint Suggestion Box <http://www.freepint.com/suggestionbox.htm> Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = (c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2005 <http://www.freepint.com/> Technology by Willco <http://www.Willco.com/> To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your subscriptions or password, visit <http://www.freepint.com/subs/> or email <support@freepint.com>. For details about contributing, advertising or to see past issues, please visit the Web site at <http://www.freepint.com/> or email <support@freepint.com>. 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 William Hann, Managing Editor, <william.hann@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. Return to top ^ > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = > = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
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