The definitive guide to developing and managing a successful career in the information profession: Information Professionals and Knowledge Managers deal with significant challenges in building successful careers for a number of reasons associated with common misperceptions of their expertise and roles. In environments where they must often justify their work and value over and over again, those already in the profession need a boost and those just entering need to be prepared for a reality that may differ quite a bit from their expectations. The book is intended to give readers a set of tools and techniques with which to secure a strong career, build an effective brand, and succeed as professionals.Click Here to view the official page for this title on Facebook. - Written by opinion leaders and highly respected authorities in the field - Draws upon 50-plus years of experience in a variety of settings and roles - Offers realistic and honest pointers - no sugar-coating

As the most comprehensive reference work dealing with knowledge management (KM), this work, consisting of 2 volumes, is essential for the library of every KM practitioner, researcher, and educator. Written by an international array of KM luminaries, its approx. 60 chapters approach knowledge management from a wide variety of perspectives ranging from classic foundations to cutting-edge thought, informative to provocative, theoretical to practical, historical to futuristic, human to technological, and operational to strategic. Novices and experts alike will refer to the authoritative and stimulating content again and again for years to come.

This introductory textbook aims to provide undergraduate students in information science and related disciplines with an applied grounding in information behavior. The book’s primary focus is to provide explicit links between information behavior and the careers that students will pursue within the information professions. With a deeper understanding of information behavior, students will be better equipped to address the many types of barriers that frequently prevent people from effectively and efficiently accessing, understanding, managing, and/or using the information they need in the “real world.” The first six chapters of the book provide students with the fundamental building blocks of information behavior, introduce them to important related concepts, and provide a deep dive into information literacy, digital literacy, the digital divide and digital inclusion. Chapters 7 through 12 introduce students to the scholarly communication system, providing guidance on how to find, read, and critically evaluate information behavior studies. Also explored in these chapters are the various methods used to investigate and understand people’s information behaviors. Topics covered include research design, research methods, research ethics, user needs assessment, and human-computer interaction and associated design methods. This part of the book also covers some of the major information behavior models and theories that have been developed to describe, predict, and/or explain people’s information behaviors. In chapters 13 through 16, the authors provide an in-depth look into their own information behavior research areas, including consumer health information behavior and health justice; youth information behavior; legal information behavior and access to justice; and information behavior in libraries. In the final chapter, students are first introduced to a wide range of careers within the information professions and then taken along on a deep dive into 10 specific jobs, with a special focus on the thread of information behavior that pervades the roles and responsibilities commonly associated with these positions. Each chapter begins with one or more scenarios illustrating concepts covered in the chapter and ends with discussion questions.

Based in part on a selection of the author's past blog postings, Information Professionals' Career Confidential is a convenient, browsable, and illuminating pocket compendium of insights on topics relevant for information and knowledge professionals at any stage of their careers. This book collects comments on matters of interest to new and experienced information professionals alike in 1-2 minute "quick takes, inviting further thought. Topics range from the value of knowledge management and effective communication in organizations to assessing employers' perception of information professionals and how best to increase one's value through professional organizations and volunteering. This unique resource will be illuminating for anyone in library and information science, career development, or knowledge and information management. - Raises questions – in a lively and concise manner – relevant for information professionals - Offers readers the opportunity to read entries one at a time for reflection, or to read the entire book and then go back to certain entries to consolidate the meaning - Presents ideas and concepts from thoughtful perspectives in a style designed to make professionals and students reflect on their own careers

The book Library Media Connection cited as something "all librarians need to have on their shelves" is now thoroughly revised for today's 21st-century library environment. Covering both technology and library practices, the title has been a go-to text for librarians and library school students since 2002. Since the second edition of this must-have book was published in late 2009, libraries have undergone profound changes, primarily linked to advances in technology. We've seen the debut of RDA, the release of new Pew Research library and Internet use data, and the establishment of digital repositories, community MakerSpaces, and "community reads" programs. Of course, libraries have also been affected by the expanding use of social media. This thoroughly updated title addresses all these changes and more, bringing you up to date on the monumental shifts impacting librarianship. The book is designed to introduce LIS students to the profession, preparing them to enter an exciting and evolving world. It clarifies the changing roles and responsibilities of library professionals, new paradigms for evaluating information, and characteristics and functions of today's library personnel. Among other subjects, chapters cover preparing materials for use, circulation, reference services, ethics in the information age, Internet trends, and job search basics. References, websites, and publications at the end of every chapter point to further resources, and appendices supply information such as policies, the library bill of rights, and the Freedom to Read statement.

Many professionals in the Library and Information Services (LIS) area are using Web 2.0 to deliver content and reaching out to connect with library users. This book applies these technologies to help shape your own career development plan. Increased online connectivity has opened up new opportunities for professionals to network, learn and grow in their careers; in an online world, where many of us have a digital footprint already, new rules apply. This readable guide builds on the solid foundation of previous library career books. The social networking tools described will supplement the traditional methods of career development. Chapters provide advice and practical examples, showing how to use Web 2.0 technologies in our careers including: ways to enhance your skills; building professional networks; developing a positive online presence. - Provides fresh ideas on building networks to survive and thrive in the digital career space - Covers the risks and opportunities of having an online presence - Provides a Web 2.0 toolkit for independent learning

A candid, comprehensive, and insightful explanation of what library school students need to do in order to maximize their chances of getting a professional position immediately after graduation. While library schools provide graduates with a solid understanding of library science concepts, many diploma holders have no clear plan for finding a desirable job with their knowledge The information in What Do Employers Want? A Guide for Library Science Students will be extremely valuable for students currently in Masters of Library Science program as well as recent recipients of MLS degrees, regardless of what kind of work environment they wish to work in. The book guides readers through the process of planning a job search step-by-step. Divided into two major sections—the student experience and the job search—the authors provide critical advice derived from their combined 30 years of real-world, in-the-field experience. Specific topics include choosing classes, gaining practical experience while in school, establishing a professional image, gaining skills that make applicants more marketable, writing effective resumes and cover letters, interviewing, and negotiating a job offer.

Dealing with information is one of the vital skills in the 21st century. It takes a fair degree of information savvy to create, represent and supply information as well as to search for and retrieve relevant knowledge. How does information (documents, pieces of knowledge) have to be organized in order to be retrievable? What role does metadata play? What are search engines on the Web, or in corporate intranets, and how do they work? How must one deal with natural language processing and tools of knowledge organization, such as thesauri, classification systems, and ontologies? How useful is social tagging? How valuable are intellectually created abstracts and automatically prepared extracts? Which empirical methods allow for user research and which for the evaluation of information systems? This Handbook is a basic work of information science, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of information retrieval and knowledge representation. It addresses readers from all professions and scientific disciplines, but particularly scholars, practitioners and students of Information Science, Library Science, Computer Science, Information Management, and Knowledge Management. This Handbook is a suitable reference work for Public and Academic Libraries.

Having the right skillset is essential for successful growth and advancement at every stage in your career. Regardless of your current level of experience and expertise, The Librarian's Skillbook, which reveals the 51 hottest, most sought after library/information skills in today's workplace, is your personal ticket to a new or enhanced career. Once you have selected the most important skills you need to advance your career, The Librarian's Skillbook unveils six surefire strategies for acquiring new skills or leveraging your existing skillset to obtain a promotion, find and procure your dream job or embark upon a whole new career. The Librarian's Skillbook also helps librarians, information professionals and other knowledge workers devise a customized plan to acquire the skills they need to move their careers to the next level and beyond. The skills presented in The Librarian's Skillbook are divided into six broad categories: Computer/Technical Skills Beyond Reference Skills Business and Management Skills Interpersonal Skills Attitude Skills Intangible Skills To help the reader follow through the process of developing new skills, The Librarian's Skillbook also includes a "Further Reading" section and a "Bibliography" which list additional resources where readers can learn more about each skill. The text also includes "This Skill in Action," presenting readers with a mini case study for most skills to help them visualize how that skill may be typically applied in the workplace. The Librarian's Skillbook is a road map for acquiring skills that make librarians and information professionals essential to their organizations. Readers may elect to pick and choose among the list of 51 skills to pursue those skills they deem most useful to advance their own careers. The Librarian's Skillbook is a must read for those students, librarians and information professionals who want to become more employable or improve their prospects for advancement.