Volume 39, Number 4 - July/August 2015
EDITORIALFrontLines Page 4 Libraries have been disrupted by the internet. The popular conception that everything is available on the internet dealt a serious blow to corporate research libraries. By Marydee Ojala Searcher's Voice Page 33 Waaay back in the day, before everything search-related was done online, bq felt relying on personal contacts to answer client questions was infinitely less reliable than using databases or print sources. Many decades later, she still thinks so, and for even more reasons. By Barbara Quint DEPARTMENTSPage 8 Search Engine Update By Greg R. Notess Page 59 Conference Corral CIL at 30, INFORUM at 21 FEATURESPage 10 Leveraging Open and Public Access Content From Government-Funded Research  The scholarly publication landscape is evolving, thanks to government legislation, funding agency policies, and changing publisher business models. Dee Magnoni provides an overview of several platforms, from institutional repositories to international collaborations, and gives pointers on best search strategies. By Dee Magnoni Page 18 The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), based at Syracuse University, analyzes U.S. federal government records and provides a data tool so that searchers can investigate data on their own. Its data has been influential in legal and policy decisions. By Greg Munno Page 22 FRED and FRASER: A Tourist’s Guide FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) and FRASER (Federal Reserve Archival System for Economic Research) contain a stunning amount of historical, economic, and explanatory information, with intuitive search tools that can be used by a very broad audience. No economics degree required. By Lisette Lacroix Page 26 Intelligent Support for Sales and Implications for Info Pros While information professionals may know about Factiva and Avention, sales staff look elsewhere for tools to support their work. Understanding the sales process and intelligence tools will help info pros gain the trust of salespeople and enhance their roles within the organization. By Barbie E. Keiser Page 38 Susanne Bjørner profiles e-Libro, a privately held company founded in 1998 that has become an indispensable resource to Spanish speakers in the U.S. as well as throughout Spain and Latin America, as a provider of ebooks in addition to offering editorial, publishing, and distribution services to academic and government publishers. By Susanne Bjørner Page 44 To Optimize Search, Optimize the Searcher This commentary by Shari Thurow, SEO director of her own marketing firm, aims to clear up misconceptions many info pros have about search engine optimization technologies. It outlines why, ultimately, these SEO-provided techniques benefit searchers, be they students or those working within libraries, research centers, or independently to serve others. By Shari Thurow Page 50 Managing Information as a Consumer Product In an era of too much information, one coping mechanism with this thing called information involves using a consumer goods model. Barbara Burton identifies eight characteristics common to judging the value of both consumer and information goods. By Barbara W. Burton Page 54 Making Information Literacy Relevant in Employment Sectors Information literacy isn't just for students: It's also important in the workplace. Although the phrase "information literacy" doesn't resonate with employers or employees, the key information-related skills of communicating, managing, planning, and presenting are seen as important competencies. By Charles Inskip COLUMNSInternet Express Page 35 Track My Assets: RFID Beyond the Library City librarian Irene McDermott rhapsodizes about RFID (radio frequency identification), providing its history, from how it helped to identify friend from foe during World War II and now is used to keep track of runners' times in marathons, and explains why she would so love to employ RFID technology at Crowell Public Library. By Irene E. McDermott On the Net Page 62 Searching From Within Apps Going beyond the search box, Greg Notess looks at how search and information sharing are integrated into office apps without needing separate browsers to connect to web-based information. By Greg R. Notess The Dollar Sign Page 65 People-Finding on the Web Finding information about people for business purposes has become both easier and harder with the advent of the web and social media. Information about ordinary people, not just CEOs and celebrities, is exploding, but verifying its accuracy can be tricky. By Marydee Ojala The Open Road Page 68 Open Data: Shining a Light on Data Management Practices The next big thing for open access is open data. Librarians and information professionals are in an excellent position to lead researchers in best practices for data management, file organization, sharing, and archiving. By Abby Clobridge InfoLit Land Page 71 The Effect of Artificial Intelligence on the Future of Information Literacy The threat of disintermediation is not new to information professionals, but new emphasis on artificial intelligence and algorithmic research has brought the topic to the fore again. Can we replace human knowledge work with machines and their sophisticated software? By William Badke Control-Shift Page 74 Customer Journey Mapping Darlene Fichter and Jeff Wisniewski recommend looking at library services through the eyes of the users. Customer journey mapping is an excellent way to holistically view the user experience and find solutions to pain points, bumpy transitions, and gaps. By Darlene Fichter, Jeff Wisniewski Hard Copy Page 77 Recommended Reading on the Internet of Things, Google, Indexing, and Reference By Deborah Lynne Wiley Online Spotlight Page 80 Avoiding Information Monocultures As a longtime, experienced searcher, Mary Ellen Bates is interested in how her searching behavior has changed over time, with her starting point more likely to be the web and the culmination of her research the commercial online services. By Mary Ellen Bates |
