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Newsletter No. 245


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FreePint24th January 2008
No.245
 Contents


 About FreePint

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/>.

 Editorial

By William Hann and Robin Neidorf

William HannIt's all about people.

Technology, good ideas, execution... they all matter in business, but at the end of the day it's the people involved who make the difference between success and failure. Finding them, working with them, motivating them, rewarding them, collaborating with them, and even retaining their knowledge when they leave.

Robin NeidorfAcross our publications this month, we're looking at people in different ways. The Web has opened up possibilities for finding people, identifying connections between them, and understanding what makes them tick. This issue's Tipples offer some resources for understanding donors in context (for more information, see also the recent FUMSI article on Prospect Research.

People Search!ResourceShelf and VIP also pick up the theme: ResourceShelf's Resource of the Week highlights web-based resources for finding and connecting with people, and the latest issue of VIP provides an in-depth review of BoardEx (a specialty product for understanding the composition of corporate boards) as well as an overview of the resources within database vendors for information about executives.

In FUMSI, our editors offer up articles that look at the softer side of people. In the Use practice area, Contributing Editor Tim Buckley Owen interviews Dame Lynne Brindley of the British Library and Janice Lachance of the SLA -- two CEOs with a lot to say about the value of collaboration, of finding people with whom you can work and then creating the next great idea together. And in Manage, author Rebecca Sanders provides first-hand insight on how organisations can better cope with the problems that can arise when knowledge walks out the door with leaving employees.

Across the FreePint network, people make everything work. Our editors and management are real people, who respond to your suggestions and comments. The FreePint Bar offers you a place to connect with thousands of other people around the world -- post your questions about any aspect of information work, and get expert responses.

You are part of our network, too. For 10 years, we've been publishing articles that reflect the first-hand expertise of information professionals. If you have a case study, helpful tip or experience-based insight to share, our editors want to hear from you at <editor@freepint.com> .

William Hann, Publisher
Robin Neidorf, General Manager
Free Pint Limited

P.S. Is your organisation looking for new people? Post a job to Jinfo  and reach a targeted audience of skilled information practitioners.


FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2008

Down

FUMSI

Everybody FUMSI!

<http://www.fumsi.com/>

Free Pint Limited's newest offering

However you Find, Use, Manage or Share Information, FUMSI can help:

  • Searchable article database of tips and features
  • Access information by practice area
  • Share, print or reuse articles easily with online interface

Explore it today: <http://www.fumsi.com/>



VIP

Executive Search Products -- Free and Fee

<http://web.vivavip.com/go/vip/>

Searching for information on business executives? The major vendors offer options, as do some web-based free and fee products. Read about them in January's VIP.

Plus an in-depth review of BoardEx, a niche product that gives researchers a unique view of corporate board compositions and relationships.

Order your copy today (GBP 54), or start your subscription now:
<http://www.vivavip.com/order/>

 My Favourite Tipples

By Nancy Faughnan

In my role as a prospect researcher for a university, my most useful skill is keeping sources somewhat organised in my head, where, if synapses are firing, I can retrieve information quickly, or at least get a sense of where to start looking. Organising material intuitively is every researcher’s task. Some of my favourite places to find what I need are:

  • ACRIS (Automated City Register Information System ) New York City’s gateway to property registration information, providing access to document images going back to 1966 for Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Whether the property is owned as a co-operative share of a building or a condominium that is assessed in the individual’s name makes a big difference in what details can be found.

  • 10KWizard: You could not ask for a more complete source of filings of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Searchable by name or company and with so many pull-down boxes that I often have to re-do my search because I’ve forgotten some nuance that makes all the difference.

  • European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association: For someone with precious little background in the financial industry who is called upon to learn on the job, this source provides an overview as well as supplying plausible reasons that the industry serves a purpose for the greater good, even while its leaders are making personal fortunes. EVCA gives industry performance information and, once a year, company performance rankings.

  • The Internet Prospector: I always learn something new from this very readable newsletter of useful tips and sources for the prospect research community. Published since 1994, it has a useful archive of past editions online.

  • WealthBulletin.com : Fairly new to me, but I have high hopes for it becoming one of my standard sources for European prospecting and probably for a fresh perspective on wealth. I especially like the attention to Finance and Philanthropy, and the Rich Monitor.


Nancy Faughnan is a Senior Research Analyst at Yale University Office of Development, New Haven, CT. She is a board member of the New England Development Research Association and chairperson of its 2008 21st annual conference, Research Coming of Age: Partners in Philanthropy.

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FreePint

Regional Research Series: Jump-Start Your Project with an Insider's View

<http://web.fumsi.com/go/report/find/>

FUMSI Regional Research Reports will help research projects get off to the right start, by highlighting quality sources -- free and paid -- for research in key regions.

Now available: European Union and Middle East/North Africa

Read more and purchase online. 50% discount for FUMSI subscribers.






FreePint

 New! FUMSI Report: Information Auditing Report and Tool Kit

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Sue Henczel provides in-depth, practical guidance -- plus a tool kit of hands-on activities -- for conducting information audits.

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* Understand the audit process * Build a business case for auditing * Develop a custom methodology * Create recommendations and reports * Overcome the challenges

Download a sample and order now:

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 FreePint Bar

By Monique Cuvelier

<http://www.freepint.com/bar>

The FreePint Bar is generously sponsored by Dow Jones Factiva

Monique CuvelierThe days of deep winter can often bring on bleak thoughts, so it's little wonder FreePint Bar members are wondering about funerals as well as market reports. Have a look at highlights below, and then pop over to the Bar for help with your research conundrums.

  • Luxembourg may be well documented as being a tiny nation and having high suicide rates, but one FreePint Bar member is having difficulty finding information on companies incorporated in the country. Luckily for him, several other posters have come to the rescue with a notable collection of resources for finding company information. Look to <http://www.freepint.com/go/b232534> for a nice list.

  • Anyone with a pet is likely to know how easy it is to treat the animal as a member of the human race. But does it work the other way around too? One British dog may wish to pay its respects at a human memorial, but the person making funeral arrangements is fuzzy on the acceptance of four-footed friends at crematoria. If you have unique insight, weigh in, but if you don't, read anyway. It's interesting: <http://www.freepint.com/go/b236349>.

  • A discussion of the merits and detractions of Datamonitor has cropped up on the Bar <http://www.freepint.com/go/b237614> with some valuable input. Find out more on the Bar, and also look at VIP's review of the product <http://www.vivavip.com/vip/Sample_VIP_30.pdf>.

  • Ever heard of a lending library for market research reports? A nice idea in a perfect world, but a couple individuals on the Bar are wondering if it's a reality <http://www.freepint.com/go/b181022>.

  • There may be a blog for nearly every notion to pop into someone's head, but that doesn't mean navigating the world of them is easy. One FreePinter is wondering how you can, in a word, ping your own entries. Contribute your expertise in this area <http://www.freepint.com/go/b235431>.

If you have a question relating to any aspect of information practice – finding it, using it, managing it or sharing it, post it to the Bar for help from colleagues around the world. You may also find help by browsing the FUMSI article database for previously published articles, based on hands-on experience.


Monique Cuvelier has been the editor of the FreePint Newsletter and now serves as the contributing editor for FUMSI's Share practice area. She has edited, launched and written for many magazines, newspapers and websites in the US and UK. Learn more about her at <http://www.onopoly.com/support/team/>.


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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DocuTicker

On the Ticker: Use DocuTicker for Full-Text Resources

<http://www.docuticker.com/>

Find free full-text reports put out by government agencies, NGOs, charities and other public interest organisations. Recent additions:

  • CCTV: Developing Privacy Best Practices

  • National Security for the Twenty-First Century

New! DocuTicker has its *own* newsletter. Subscribe today: <http://www.docuticker.com/
?page_id=15530
>


FUMSI

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:

Senior managing editor Sara Waddington: sara.waddington@freepint.com
Find editor Marcy Phelps: marcy.phelps@fumsi.com
Use editor Tim Buckley Owen: tim.buckleyowen@fumsi.com
Manage editor Karen Loasby: karen.loasby@fumsi.com
Share editor Monique Cuvelier: monique.cuvelier@fumsi.com

 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.

We add new articles to the FUMSI database in each practice area every month. Here are the most recent additions:

"Have a Beta-test Mind -- Just Do It!"
FUMSI: Use

Dame Lynne Brindley of the British Library and Janice Lachance of the SLA discuss Web 2.0 collaborative and partnership opportunities.

WHAT'S INSIDE: '[T]he library... is less about the physical space than about the ability to have access to the information they need, and professionals to make sure the end-users have the ability to get to that information.'

Read, print, save or forward this article now »

"The Leaving Employee"
FUMSI: Manage

How do you minimise the loss of critical, valuable experience and information when an employee leaves the company by employing effective knowledge capture strategies?

WHAT'S INSIDE: 'With the ageing of the 'baby boomer' generation, the number of people expected to retire over the coming years is significantly high. That means a mass exodus from the workforce and with it potentially crippling losses of knowledge.'

Read, print, save or forward this article now »

Share your expertise with information practitioners around the world.

We're looking for tips, case studies and other practical guides to finding, using, managing and sharing information. Submit your suggestions to sara.waddington@freepint.com

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 Jinfo - Jobs in Information

JinfoThe Jinfo service enables you to search and advertise information- related job vacancies.

The Jinfo Newsletter now features CV Makeovers, in which a job seeker's CV is critiqued and revised by specialists in the field as well as career tips for all experience levels. Read the latest edition and subscribe free at <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/>.

Jinfo Jobs in the FreePint Newsletter are supported through our partnership with Quantum2, an innovative skills development programme offered by Thomson Scientific. Learn more at <http://scientific.thomson.com/quantum2/>

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

  • Knowledge Management Project Officer
    Knowledge Management Project Officer required on a permanent basis.
    Recruiter: Weekes Gray Recruitment
    Country: United Kingdom
    <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8361>

  • Information Support Officer
    A health library requires an Information Support Officer for 3 days per week starting in early February.
    Recruiter: TFPL
    Country: United Kingdom
    <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8365>

  • Assistant Legal Librarian-London
    Full time temporary assistant librarian position available with a leading international legal practice in central London.
    Recruiter: Aslib, The Association for Information Management
    Country: United Kingdom
    <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8372>

  • Business Researcher - PRIVATE EQUITY
    Business Researcher (2 years experience) with initiative to work in new job for top Private Equity firm.
    Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
    Country: United Kingdom
    <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8373>

  • Records Manager
    Challenging RM role at presitgious organisation including staff management, budgeting and introducing procedures.
    Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited
    Country: United Kingdom
    <http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8383>

[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/>


Subscribe to the free Weekly update of the latest jobs, plus the monthly newsletter with career tips:

<http://www.jinfo.com/subs/>


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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Develop Your Strengths with Quantum2  quantum2

For a wide array of hands-on training and resource materials, turn to Quantum2, an innovative skills development programme provided *free* by Thomson Scientific. 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://scientific.thomson.com/quantum2/>

Jinfo

*** Adding staff this year? Recruit on Jinfo! ***

<http://www.jinfo.com/>

A cost-effective listing on Jinfo reaches active and passive candidates with the skills you need.

Include a FUMSI category, and your vacancy will also be included on the FUMSI website and FUMSI Magazine for even broader reach!

Get started today: <http://www.jinfo.com/recruit/>






 Recently in VIP


VIP VIP publishes in-depth, unbiased reviews of business information products. Recent findings of interest:

January's VIP features products and resources for conducting research on executives and business leaders. The issue includes an overview of offerings from major vendors as well as an in-depth report on a niche product for board composition research.

VIPThe overview article covers executive research offerings from the following vendors:

  • Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing (DASH)
  • Capital IQ
  • D&B
  • Datamonitor
  • Factiva Companies and Executives
  • Hemscott (Directory of Directors)
  • Hoover's
  • idExec
  • LexisNexis (Directory of Corporate Affiliations, ExecRelate)
  • OneSource
  • Silobreaker

The value of social networking sites (LinkedIn, Visible Path and ZoomInfo) is also explored, with a comparison of key features.

Editor Pam Foster also takes a close look at BoardEx, a specialty product for research on corporate boards. She cites some of the benefits of the product as follows:


  • Research staff who validate publicly available information and update daily
  • Extra layer of information in board members who serve simultaneously
  • Powerful analysis tools enable custom reports and creation of 'peer group' lists

Limitations of the product include the fact that it covers mainly public companies, though private companies are slowly being added. Additionally, the coverage is mainly Western companies (UK, US, Western Europe and increasingly Australia and Canada).

For more information and to purchase a copy of the January 2008 issue of VIP, visit <http://web.vivavip.com/go/vip/>

Start a trial subscription today - only GBP 70 for three months. Offer is not available through the Web site; email <robin.neidorf@freepint.com> for details.

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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 at: <http://www.resourceshelf.com/newsletter/subscribe/>.

Recently published: 'This was a 'by request' Resource of the Week. And it is a good suggestion. Something everyone seems to want/need to do at some point is track down a person or certain types of people. There are proprietary databases that make this relatively simple, but these are not cheap, and most people do not have access to the best of them.

'So I was going to pull together a list of sites... until I rummaged around in my bookmark list and realized that this had already been done -- by an acknowledged expert, who is also a good friend of ResourceShelf. Genie Tyburski's Virtual Chase website is, without a doubt, up there among the creme de la creme of Internet resources. Perhaps you’ve been fortunate enough to hear Genie speak at a conference or, perhaps, read an article she has written. The Virtual Chase, which Genie started as hobby, is now owned by Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll. Genie, whose background is in law librarianship, is Web manager for this amazing resource. And ResourceShelf contributing editor Pete Weiss is The Virtual Chase mailing list consultant.'

Full posting with live links at: <http://digbig.com/4wfyq>

New pages from the 50-State Agency Databases Registry "State Agency Databases Across the Fifty States, a wiki-based project by the ALA Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT), was a Resource of the Week here last August. Daniel Cornwall, Head of Information Services at the Alaska State Library (and friend of ResourceShelf and DocuTicker), is one of the movers and shakers behind this project. He writes to let us know of several new history-oriented pages added to the wiki." Full posting with live links at: <http://digbig.com/4wesc>

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 at: <http://www.docuticker.com/?page_id=15530>.

Collection of Note: Intellectual Property
Information professionals are often responsible for understanding the local and global requirements of managing intellectual property. DocuTicker's collection of reports on the topic (found at <http://www.docuticker.com/?cat=92>) is an excellent reference on this complex subject.

Highlights:

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 Events

It is free to search and advertise information-related gatherings in FreePint Events <http://www.freepint.com/events/>.

Premium listings

These events are hosted by our partner organisations and/or advertisers:

  • "SIIA Information Industry Summit"
    30 - 31 January 2008

    Tom Glocer, CEO of Reuters; Gordon Crovitz, Publisher of The Wall Street Journal; and author Andrew Keen headline the digital information industry's 7th annual flagship conference. Register by Dec 14 to save $400 with early-bird registration and to join more than 400 business leaders representing publishers, aggregators, and content technology companies leading the transformation of the digital world. For complete details, visit <http://www.siia.net/iis>.
    Organised by SIIA
    Location: New York City
    <http://www.freepint.com/go/e972>

  • "INSOURCE 2008: Conference on Professional Information Resources for Business, Management, Marketing and Research"
    5 - 6 February 2008

    The first INSOURCE 2008 conference will focus on professional information resources in electronic form used in business, knowledge management, marketing, market research, competitive intelligence etc. Unlike many other events the INSOURCE will put stress on the information contents available via the Internet rather than information technologies.

    The programme includes the following issues: * Marketing reports * Export and import of trade data * Sources for Competitive Intelligence * Company and financial information * Country, region and market risk reports * Monitoring of domestic and foreign media
    Organised by Albertina icome Prague
    <http://www.freepint.com/go/e932>

  • "Changing to survive: Breaking professional boundaries"
    26 February 2008

    The Civil Service is going through a radical programme of change and this is having a major impact on the Government information management specialist sector. Change is focused on concentrating resources on those areas of the Government that deliver effective, high impact services to the public and ensuring that those involved in delivering the changes have the professional skills and training.

    The key challenge for information management specialists within the public sector is to demonstrate how our skills and expertise can make a significant contribution to delivering and embedding change to our customers.

    Organised by:NGLIS
    Location:Church House Conference Centre, Dean’s Yard, Westminster, London SW1P 3NZ
    CountryUnited Kingdom
    http://www.freepint.com/go/e992

  • "Search Engine Meeting"
    28 - 29 April 2008

    This annual meeting, now in its 13th year, provides a forum and point- of-reference for all those interested in the domain of Search and Retrieval. The Meeting draws together those with a professional interest in search engines - such as search engine designers and developers - and those interested in applying search engines in their own professional environments. Search is at the heart of information retrieval; and the Search Engine Meeting provides an annual point of reference as to what is happening in this fast-moving and exciting field.
    Organised by infonortics
    Location: Boston, MA, USA
    <http://www.freepint.com/go/e989>

Free listings

United KingdomUnited Kingdom:

United States:United States:


*** Submit your event for free promotion ***
New upgrade option for enhanced listing coverage

<http://www.freepint.com/events/>


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 Gold

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

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 Forthcoming

FORTHCOMING ARTICLES
[Provisional]

  • Ethical Acquisitions
  • Special Collections
  • Corporate IT convergence
  • Collaborative Search Strategies
  • RSS on the Go
  • Managing a Team of Researchers

If you have a suggestion for an article topic, or would like to write, then please contact FreePint's Editor Sara Waddington at sara.waddington@freepint.com or read the notes for authors at <http://www.onopoly.com/author/>

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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:

Nancy Faughnan, Lynne Brindley, Janice Lachance, Rebecca Sanders, Sara Waddington (Senior Managing Editor, FUMSI), Monique Cuvelier (Contributing Editor: Share), Robin Neidorf (General Manager, FreePint), Shirl Kennedy (Senior Editor, ResourceShelf and DocuTicker), Pam Foster (Editor, VIP), William Hann (Managing Editor, FreePint), Penny Hann (Production Editor, FreePint), Douglas Brown (Proofreader).

Advertisers/Sponsors:

Factiva, Capital Consulting, Thomson Scientific, Weekes Gray Recruitment, Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited, Glen Recruitment, TFPL, VIP, DocuTicker, Jinfo.


(c) Free Pint Limited 1997-2008 <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/>.

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, Managing Editor, <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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