Librarians, Metadata Specialists, and Taxonomist Oh My

November 8, 2011

There has been a bit of discussion about librarians and the role they play in taxonomy and meta data. Some good some bad.  In Taxonomy and Metadata and Findability Influence Traditional Roles a good argument is made as to why librarians are important to these information activities.

The use of content management systems to store data makes metadata and taxonomies important to improved findability.  Information scientists are well suited to creating the organization for these systems.

With so many different systems to find information, it will be important for systems to talk to each other. In terms of taxonomies, information scientists can even get into building ontologies and using these to build relationships between different taxonomies.

It’s good to hear sensible explanations of why librarians are important in today’s information economy. Jeff Carr got it wrong in his discussion of Five Myths about Taxonomy and Sharepoint blog post. Librarians are the right people to build the access indexes in today’s information rich environment.

Constance Ard November 8, 2011

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Fair Use and Orphan Works Get Discussed in New Mass Digitization Report

November 4, 2011

Hat tip to Nina Platt at Librarian News Digest for alerting me to  “Copyright Office Report Outlines Issues Surrounding Mass Digitization of Books” I haven’t had time to delve into the report itself but I look forward to doing so.  The issue of copyright as it related to digitization projects came to my attention while I was working on a very special project with the American Printing House for the Blind.

It is good to know that APH’s Migel Library continues to offer a very unique collection and the digitization plans they have are of great interest. Fair use and orphan works are two areas that really need some additional guidelines for special projects such as the one at Migel.

The legal status of orphan works also has a significant impact, the paper said. The Copyright Office noted recent efforts to get orphan works legislation through Congress and its own advocacy of such legislation. “If adopted, the proposed legislation on orphan works would greatly improve access to copyrighted works,” the agency said. However, at the time the legislation on the table was developed, inadequate consideration had been given to mass digitization. The paper suggested that Congress reconsider this legislation in the light of mass digitization.

It will be interesting to see if new legislation does come forward.  It will be a topic I continue to follow.  And as I get more time I’ll dive into the report so more posts may follow.

Constance Ard November 4, 2011

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Complicating Factors of Standards: It’s Not As Simple as It Looks

November 3, 2011

In a recent Law Technology News article there was a good discussion that captured my attention. E-Discovery Technical Standard at Crossroads lays outs some interesting arguments about why the call for standardization in eDiscovery is a bit like putting the cart before the horse.

Let’s begin with a definition of the standards that are being called for. EDRM-XML was called for by the EDRM organization to standardize the sharing of data especially as related to load data.  The ideal is that building on open source code provides greater accessibility.  In an ideal world everyone would take this to heart and embrace this model and as the industry grew everyone would be on the same page.

Now I’m not a Pollyanna but I have my doubts as to whether or not even she would buy into that ideal.  The adoption rates and availability of the EDRM-XML from eDiscovery technology companies is low.  EDRM continues to work on it but as the article points out a 2010 upgrade has been delayed until at least 2012.  That seems to point to development issues – a not uncommon problem when it comes to some open source solutions.

There may be a bright spot in this call for standardization if you buy into the theory presented by Dera Nevin:

She added that EDRM as an organization needs to do better at externally communicating the advantages of electronic document exchange — “There’s wars to be fought on a whole bunch of fronts. It’s one thing to say, you’ve been working on this for 3.5 years, give up, but it’s way too soon to give up because we’re still fighting the fight of getting people to use electronic exchange of documents in the first place.”

Open source and eDiscovery, two very hot tech trends combined with a push for standardization seems to make sense. But then again when does technology and sense really stand up to the test of implementation and usability.

Constance Ard November 2, 2011

1 Comment | Business, E-Discovery, Information Management, Open Source | Permalink
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The Cost of Technology Remains Same: Cloud or Network

November 1, 2011

In a new white paper Andrew Adkins provides a nice guide for law firms, especially small to medium-sized ones, to help them weave their way through the myths of cloud computing.  Law Firm Management in the Cloud: Leveling the Playing Field for Law Firms provides a nice overview of just what cloud computing is as compared to traditional IT networks in the world of law firm management.

The paper easily distills the arguments about security and confidentiality and operations.  I appreciate the fact that the statements about costs did not conclude that cloud computing was ultimately cheaper.

As the paper points out the average technology spend is between “3.5 and 6 percent of revenue.”  It is good to note that entry cost for the cloud is easier but over terms of service the costs are pretty even no matter the adopted IT Model:

But most analysts agree the reality is that the entry point is accessible for solo practitioners and small to mid-size law firms. Subscribing to a cloud-based application eliminates the need for a large initial cash outlay for servers, software licenses, and consultant fees. However, after several years, the overall costs between a traditional client-server system and a cloud-based system are about the same.

If you are a solo or small firm practitioner seeking a solid view of the advantages of cloud computing then this paper can answer some questions. When seeking a comprehensive technology and information management solution for your firm there is are more details to consider than this guide offers but it’s a great starting point.

Constance Ard October 31, 2011

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Slow and Steady: The Smart Approach to Legal KM

October 27, 2011

The House of Butter alerted me an interesting tidbit in “WK Buys Online Legal KM Outfit “Legal Intelligence”.  It was a little unclear from HOB’s writeup exactly which unit had made the acquisition so I went to the direct source of the PR release and filled in the blanks just a bit more.

Kluwer Netherlands, a unit of the global information service provider Wolters Kluwer, has taken over Legal Intelligence.

In my experience Wolters Kluwer has been careful with their acquisitions and methodical about the changes to service in acquired properties.  This new venture takes WK into a the arena with the vendors in a space that seems to have lacking some significant investment in one particular area: basic customer service.

Chances are that customers seeking a reliable system will benefit from WK’s investment.  Some infusion of cash to push innovation and a pretty solid customer service reputation bodes well.

Constance Ard October 26, 2011

 

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Emerging from the Masses: Create Value by Standing Out

October 25, 2011

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting a law librarian who moved to the area from Washington D.C.  She contacted me to get an idea of the law library landscape in Louisville Ky.  Well, I’ve been out of the law firm world for over three yeas now, so I made sure I invited someone along that was in the field.  It was a fun lunch.

And an informative one. The questions our new friend asked, allowed me to reflect a bit on some of the good things I did in the land of law firm libraries.  My boss at the time was fantastic and encouraging when it came to finding new ways to demonstrate the value of the library.

So, I gave credit where it was due, and talked about a few of the simple things I did during my career that I think went a long ways toward not only demonstrating the value of library services but in actually adding value.

  • Hand deliver projects
  • Create Cover Sheets to Identify Your Product
  • Collaborate with Marketing

Simple steps that seemed revolutionary.  These additions allowed my service to emerge from the hidden library office to the hallways and conference rooms and the change was noticeable.

So if you are struggling to show why you are valuable, maybe you can reflect and see if something as simple as delivering a project in person can make a difference and allow you to emerge from the masses and be seen as a valuable asset.

Constance Ard October 24, 2011

Leave a Comment » | Information Professionals, legal research, Marketing, Professional Development | Permalink
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Enterprise Technology Trends to Watch Holistic Solutions and Mobile Devices

October 18, 2011

ZDNet has pronounced top 10 technology and business trends that will influence the enterprise through the 2010s.  In 10 Technology Trends That Will Define Enterprise Architecture in the 2010s the author lists out some interesting movements in cloud services, personal devices and the all important social landscape.

It may sound hokey, and yet, I think it’s spot on is Trend #4

4) Holistic integration enables agile enterprises. The silos are breaking down, but technology “does not overcome cultural obstacles.” A more holistic approach is emerging to address both technical and business integration, says Hopkins.

Companies such as Polyspot are pushing the envelope on enterprise data with a central access point through well-developed solutions and applications.  I think this holistic trend just might be the one to watch.

I do think virtualization, cloud storage and applications will continue to influence how businesses function.  Personal devices are not going to disappear, for risk management reasons companies need to get a grip on the use.  The exposure risks for company data on personal devices are a threat to risk mitigation in an ever-growing world of eDiscovery litigation action.

Constance Ard October 18, 2011

1 Comment | Business, E-Discovery, Enterprise Technology, Information Management | Permalink
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Reflections on Association Value for Professional Librarians

October 6, 2011

Last week I attended the Kentucky Library Association Conference.  I have been an active member of this organization since Hector was my pup.  Or in non-country terms since I began my career in librarianship.  I still give credit to KLA for helping me land my first full-time library gig.

I spent some time during last week’s conference reflecting on the value I receive from my activity.  It truly comes down to networking and education.  The conference had several high impact presentations that were relevant to my work.  That is sometimes hard to get from an organization whose majority members are academic and public librarians.

Perhaps the highlight was Christian Miller’s  ”Fostering Innovation and Creativity: What Libraries Can Learn from Second City” Christian brought his passion for Improv acting to the world of librarianship and provided some great reminders about how to bring innovation into our daily world.

  • Don’t Block i.e. No is not an answer
  • Enhance ideas
  • Brainstorm means just that – let ideas flow, analysis can come later
So each year I attend conference I am reminded again of the value that my fellow librarians provide to my own career development and work at hand.  Another highlight was the fact that I’m beginning to see my mentees take up the mantle of presenting and leading.  These young librarians are doing creative things that capture the attention of other library leaders.  Julia Turpin brought to her audience practical steps used in her public library to go Dewey Free.
The after hours networking is another highlight and amidst the fun much work is accomplished. These are the reasons I stay active in organizations such as Kentucky Library Association.  What do you value in your professional organizations?
Constance Ard October 6, 2011

									


				

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