*Note: The following is from our archived collection of older documents, and may not reflect the most current information.
In consideration of our international readership, the following feature articles from the October 1997 issue of Information Outlook are reprinted here with summaries of these articles provided first in English, then in French and Spanish.
Managing Upward: Working Effectively with Supervisors and Others in the Hierarchy
by Kevin Kearns
Every middle manager faces the dilemma of managing upward, but it is even more challenging for information professionals because the executives to whom they report may have inaccurate and perhaps negative perceptions of the role of librarians. Managing upward is a skill and like any other skill--it can be learned and eventually mastered. It is not based on manipulation, apple polishing, or sycophantic behavior. It is based first on understanding the role of the library in advancing the organizational objectives. Second, it is based on building and nurturing a mutually beneficial relationship. In managing upward, you should follow the common sense tactics of developing shared goals and complementing each others strengths and weaknesses, remembering that ultimately the only variable you can truly control in the relationship is yourself.
Avoiding the Ax: How to Keep from Being Downsized or Outsourced
by Mary Ellen Bates
We've all heard about corporate libraries that have been outsourced or closed altogether. Libraries are doing more with less...and less and less. On the other hand, there are stunning examples of libraries that are stronger than ever, with the staffing and budget to meet the increasing needs of their parent organizations. There are no guarantees of course, but there are several things that information professionals can do in order to strengthen the position of the library for future development. Mary Ellen Bates explores these tactics and explains how they can work for you.
The Information Experience
by Diane Senese
Often information professionals are in the enviable role of those who are indispensable to a corporation's strategy. But is some of our success linked to an outdated model? A new information era is emerging one that is linked to experiencing knowledge rather than to receiving it. The time to revitalize our thinking and address the new challenge is now. In a team based culture where good service is a minimum and professionalism is a given, how do information experts continue to distinguish themselves? Together, our profession needs to create "the information experience." The experiences that we create for our users will add to corporate life far beyond the existing norms of good service and professional roles.
Internationalizing Library and Information Science Degree Programs, II: Benefits and Challenges for Special Librarians
by Katherine Cveljo
As we travel into the future, our world is becoming more interconnected and interdependent, information is becoming an international commodity, and a critical need for more emphasis on the integration of international issues into library and information science programs is becoming an imperative urgency. More than ever before, an "information workforce"--one that is professionally skilled, well educated and knowledgeable of worldwide conditions--has become an essential prerequisite not only for the control and growth of an organization and sustained economic growth of a country, but also for the exchange of information globally.
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