Library Services

Acquisitions

Make your buying decisions faster and better. In the Know can search for products that meet your specific requirements. We will evaluate the product(s) and make recommendations. In the Know can make inquiries to vendors on your behalf and compile the responses in an easy-to-use format.

Example: An information centre was looking to make a decision regarding a document delivery service, but had neither the time, nor the personnel available to research their options and make recommendations within the deadline that had been set. I contacted vendors, gathered information, evaluated the options against the established requirements and provided a short list of contenders, including several official offers from vendors, for the Acquisitions committee. They made the decision on time.

Online Searching

In the Know can handle your overflow searching requirements or take on larger search projects that are consuming more of your time than you can afford.

Performance Metrics

Measure the effectiveness of tools or services you are offering to clients. In the Know can help design a measurement instrument, help implement it, and evaluate the results resulting in a final report that is ready for your management.

Example: An Information Centre wanted to evaluate client opinion of reference services. Using a survey instrument already developed by the Information Centre, I tabulated the results and compiled a final report of findings with interpetations and recommendations. I also recommended a design for a new measurement tool for the follow-up evaluation that reflected the results of the baseline evaluation.

Strategic Planning and Marketing

In the Know can help you organize a strategic plan that makes sense for your organization. Evaluate how you market your products and services and look for more effective ways of promoting yourself.

Newsletters

Newsletters can be a valuable means of marketing an information centre or library. In the Know can get you over the first hurdle of the design and implementation of your own newsletter by guiding the design and format of the newsletter, taking into consideration the tools and resources you have at your disposal.

Client Self-Sufficiency Tools

Help your clients to help themselves with annotated resource directories on subjects that are important to them. These custom directories are full of evaluated resources based on your holdings and designed to make the most sense to the clients who will use them.

Example: I researched and compiled an extensive resource directory of business-related information that included resources from the Information Centre's own holdings, resources accessible by the client on the Internet, and other services mediated by Reference personnel. It iis used, not only as a guide for client use, but as a training tool for new personnel. A second version of the directory was compiled for a regional office, focusing on the resources immediately available in that office.

Training

In the Know is especially interested in effective use of the Internet and can train both new users and more experienced users wanting to become more proficient at searching. I also can provide training on the evaluation of web-based information and on many aspects of using the Internet as a serious research tool.