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THE EVOLUTION OF THE LAW FIRM LIBRARY

Librarianship is one of the only professions where the very title and definition of that title are tied to a physical space. Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines a library as “a place in which literary, musical, artistic or reference materials (as books, manuscripts, recordings or films) are kept for use but not for sale” and a librarian as “a specialist in the care or management of a library.” Librarians are so much more than that definition, and the time has come to redefine ourselves as information specialists, able to locate, assimilate and summarize large volumes of digital and print information into actionable results.

The first step in that redefining process is admitting that the move towards evolution is necessary. We need to be ahead of the approaching information tidal wave and establish the value we bring to the firm. Our knowledge goes beyond legal content... Read more.

SAVE THE DATE: IMS INFORMATION MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE- NYC APRIL '13

Mark your calendars! In April 2013, IMS is hosting a full-day Information Management conference in New York City.

In keeping with the theme of "Information Management Evolution," topics of discussion will range from strategic approach to management, to business intelligence research, to positioning with your executive team. Panelists will be Library & Research Services Directors, C-level Executives, and Business Development Managers. Stay tuned for more details -- and get a glimpse of the conference agenda in our next Information Management newsletter!

AN INFOGRAPHIC... ON INFOGRAPHICS!

“How do you make an infographic, anyway?”

Welcome to the age of the infographic. In this digital era, internal and external communication in an organization is moving at lightning speed (and can only get faster). The professional attention span is getting shorter as communication gets faster, driving up the need for concise and quickly digestable information. Infographics do just that -- they efficiently communicate complex information in a clear, precise and visually pleasing way, and are therefore gaining traction in all departments in an organization. To better communicate ideas and information, Library & Research Services teams will soon need to know how to create and distribute these data graphics -- if they haven't been asked to already. Learn about the elements and details of an infographic... with this infographic!

Stay tuned for tips on the do's and dont's of creating an inforgraphic in our next Information Management newsletter.

PROACTIVE RESEARCH SERVICES: OPENING THE DOOR TO AN EXPANDED ROLE

Knowledge Managers and Research Services staff have been supplying information in response to direct requests since the day the professions began. What if we, as information specialists, began anticipating questions, providing information as a catalyst to informed decision-making and improved efficiency?

KM and RS teams are well versed in the wealth of internal and external information available to help guide decision-making and set one company or service provider ahead of the competition. Providing proactive answers to anticipated questions or business problems can open the door to expanding the role of KM and RS teams within their organizations, while also adding value and enabling informed decision-making.  Below are four steps to opening the door of proactive information delivery.

First, provide information to the decision makers setting company strategy and business direction. Let’s take the example of a law firm management meeting where... Read More.

"STUDY LIKE A SCHOLAR, SCHOLAR"

Just as Library and Research Services teams in law firms are beginning to realize the importance of redefinign their roles, so are librarians in colleges. One of the challenges in the librarianship profession today is convincing students who have grown up with instantaneous access to information from home that a library has something to offer them. Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library reached out to students by  hilariously parodying the familiar Old Spice commercial to create "New Spice: Study Like A Scholar, Scholar."

To view included video content please click "web version" in the upper left hand corner of this e-mail.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION ON LINKEDIN

Does your Library and Research Services team regularly search your knowledge management systems to augment external information when fulfilling requests?  Why or why not?

Join the LinkedIn discussion to engage with your peers and think critically about the question above. Clicking to join the Legal Knowledge Management LinkedIn group immediately grants access to this discussion and connects you to a wealth of resources, contacts, and ideas.

LIBRARIANS: THE FIRST DATA SCIENTISTS

Data is big – and it’s getting even bigger. Every day, we create 2.5 quintillian bytes of data – so much that 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the last two years alone. As this data overload shows no signs of slowing, organizations have begun to realize that establishing a competitive edge requires a strong ability to identify and analyze relevant data – and quickly.

The business climate has already begun mining for the most capable tools and resources to utilize the opportunities that big data presents. Anjul Bhambhri – IBM’s Vice President of Big Data Projects – suggests that when “Looking for Data Scientists from Within – Start with Marketing”:

A logical first place to focus is the marketing department. CMOs and marketing professionals possess the right combination of analytical minds that are used to crunch data on consumer trends, demographics, and sales ROI. They also have the business understanding of the domain that they are analyzing, and can move beyond the numbers to help the business as a whole.

Bhambhri has a point: marketing departments are greatly valued for their ability to analyze and present findings quickly, accurately, and graphically. But there is another department in an organization that has specialized in exactly this type of data mining for years… what about the Librarians and Research Services staff?... Read More.