Boston Chapter BulletinBoston Chapter Bulletin
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Summer 2005 Volume 70, Number 2 Back to Table of Contents Winning Essay
for the Chapter Conference Stipend Information overload, in my opinion, describes the current state of America. With new access points emerging each year, information professionals are constantly faced with new challenges to the field. Each new technology brings forth a new option for clients to turn to for information. As companies continue to streamline budgets and devise strategies to work more efficiently it is critical for information professionals to flaunt how they are the only ones truly equipped to solve the information overload problem. Marketing is one tactic by which professionals can spread the importance of the library and also significantly decrease information overload. Today we have Google, blogs, thousands of databases and websites. Most folks are unsure how to locate the most accurate and helpful information and as a consequence a lot of time is spent sifting through impertinent information. Professionals can help to eliminate this problem and assist consultants, lawyers, scientists, and others in locating meaningful information. Librarians must market the resources they have and how their clients can use them. Overall, they have to show the value of these resources by scheduling trainings, participating in orientations and attending company wide meetings to introduce the importance of the group and services. Marketing knowledge is key to making an impact on the company. Information professionals who educate users about available resources, enabling them to efficiently locate information, save time and money, which are two things that always cement the value of the information professional. In discussing information overload and marketing, one must keep in mind the issue of knowledge management. This issue is critical to the success of a company. Information professionals must bring to the attention of management the need to be committed to knowledge management. Information overload is a difficult issue to manage and it is a much more difficult issue to tackle with an ineffective knowledge management system. Companies can lose millions of dollars if a system to help employees learn and grow is not developed. In a previous position, I worked at a company with no commitment to knowledge management and its impact on the company was tremendous. If a person who had been with the company for many years left the company, the learning curve for the new person was steep. The problem led to higher training costs, increased turnover rates, as well as client dissatisfaction. Yet if a system was put in place there would have been a smoother transition and the loss of that person would not have had such an impact on the bottom line. As information specialists we have the background to assist in the development of programs that minimize the cost of employee turnover. Overall, human capital is the most valued asset of a company and the ability to assist in developing an effective work force is key to its success. Information professionals have the skill set to educate employees on resources that will help them to excel within organizations. Knowledge management assists with energizing the workforce and it also contributes to an effective competitive intelligence strategy. Devising ways to effectively track peers as well as providing access to resources that help find information quickly is critical for corporations when making decisions on product launches or acquisitions. Staying up-to-date on what companies within your industry are doing ensures two things: 1.) the company is meeting the objectives set forth by the board of directors and 2.) the company is maintaining shareholders confidence. Information overload and knowledge management are two important topics in this field and, as professionals, we have the education and capability to address these issues unlike any other person in an organization. Our impact will only enhance the value of our profession in the eyes of the company. |
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