Confirming what you know and finding what you don't
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been 20 years since that fateful email message – the one that changed my career. At the time, I was in grad school, about to earn a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science. I was working two part-time library jobs, and one thing I learned from both jobs […]
As an investigator, I rely on my collection of premium databases for hard-to-find information. You’d be surprised what you can’t find through Google. Over the years, I’ve worked with lots of different vendors who offer great products and customer service, and they’re well worth the investment. To their credit, database providers often upgrade their products […]
Eighteen years ago, I started working with my first client. As I was closing in on completing my Masters degree in Library and Information Services, one of my connections from grad school brought me in on a very cool project creating a virtual academic library for online MBA students. This connection contacted me at the […]
In previous posts, I’ve written about my wish list for information vendors. After nearly 18 years in business, I’ve had the opportunity to evaluate and purchase a lot of products, meeting lots of vendors along the way. I’ve also had a chance to notice some trends in the selling process. One nice trend is that […]
Some time ago, I wrote about my career path from librarian to business owner and the top three myths about going independent. A recent encounter with a new acquaintance highlighted even more misconceptions about what it’s like working for myself, so I decided to revisit the topic. This time I checked with my fellow AIIP […]
I belong to several professional organizations, and none offers the value that I get from the Association of Independent Information Professionals, or AIIP. In the past, I’ve written about why I belong to AIIP, but a recent discussion on the association’s private email discussion list prompted me to write the following post: Every so often, […]
In my business, I spend a lot of time buying information and information-related products. A while ago, I posted a wish list for information vendors, which focused on issues that generally arise before the sale. In part 2 – again compiled with the help of my AIIP colleagues – I offer 10 suggestions for fee-based […]
As many of you know, I’m an active member and a past-president of the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP). I first joined in 2001, a year after starting my business, and it didn’t take long to realize that AIIP would become an essential part of my business success. An Independent Information Professional is someone […]
As an info pro/researcher/investigator, I use a lot of specialized database products for news, public records, and other info. As a result, I’ve had a chance to work with lots of database vendors, and, in my 15+ years in business, I’ve worked with some who are great at what they do and some who aren’t. […]
One event I regularly attend and rarely miss is the annual conference of the Special Libraries Association. For me, this year’s conference was unique, because it was the first time in a while that I wasn’t speaking or running a meeting. I had no obligations other than to learn and network as much as possible. […]