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Editorial
By William Hann and Robin Neidorf
It's all about people.
Technology, good ideas, execution... they all matter in business, but at the end of the day it's the people involved who make the difference between success and failure. Finding them, working with them, motivating them, rewarding them, collaborating with them, and even retaining their knowledge when they leave.
Across our publications this month, we're looking at people in different ways. The Web has opened up possibilities for finding people, identifying connections between them, and understanding what makes them tick. This issue's Tipples offer some resources for understanding donors in context (for more information, see also the recent FUMSI article on Prospect Research.
ResourceShelf and VIP also pick up the theme: ResourceShelf's Resource of the Week highlights web-based resources for finding and connecting with people, and the latest issue of VIP provides an in-depth review of BoardEx (a specialty product for understanding the composition of corporate boards) as well as an overview of the resources within database vendors for information about executives.
In FUMSI, our editors offer up articles that look at the softer side of people. In the Use practice area, Contributing Editor Tim Buckley Owen interviews Dame Lynne Brindley of the British Library and Janice Lachance of the SLA -- two CEOs with a lot to say about the value of collaboration, of finding people with whom you can work and then creating the next great idea together. And in Manage, author Rebecca Sanders provides first-hand insight on how organisations can better cope with the problems that can arise when knowledge walks out the door with leaving employees.
Across the FreePint network, people make everything work. Our editors and management are real people, who respond to your suggestions and comments. The FreePint Bar offers you a place to connect with thousands of other people around the world -- post your questions about any aspect of information work, and get expert responses.
You are part of our network, too. For 10 years, we've been publishing articles that reflect the first-hand expertise of information professionals. If you have a case study, helpful tip or experience-based insight to share, our editors want to hear from you at <editor@freepint.com>
.
William Hann, Publisher
Robin Neidorf, General Manager
Free Pint Limited
P.S. Is your organisation looking for new people? Post a job to Jinfo and reach a targeted audience of skilled information practitioners.
FreePint is a Registered Trademark of Free Pint Limited (R) 1997-2008
Searching for information on business executives? The major vendors offer options, as do some web-based free and fee products. Read about them in January's VIP.
Plus an in-depth review of BoardEx, a niche product that gives researchers a unique view of corporate board compositions and relationships.
In my role as a prospect researcher for a university, my most useful skill is keeping sources somewhat organised in my head, where, if synapses are firing, I can retrieve information quickly, or at least get a sense of where to start looking. Organising material intuitively is every researcher’s task. Some of my favourite places to find what I need are:
ACRIS (Automated City Register Information System ) New York City’s gateway to property registration information, providing access to document images going back to 1966 for Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Whether the property is owned as a co-operative share of a building or a condominium that is assessed in the individual’s name makes a big difference in what details can be found.
10KWizard: You could not ask for a more complete source of filings of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Searchable by name or company and with so many pull-down boxes that I often have to re-do my search because I’ve forgotten some nuance that makes all the difference.
European Private Equity and Venture Capital Association: For someone with precious little background in the financial industry who is called upon to learn on the job, this source provides an overview as well as supplying plausible reasons that the industry serves a purpose for the greater good, even while its leaders are making personal fortunes. EVCA gives industry performance information and, once a year, company performance rankings.
The Internet Prospector: I always learn something new from this very readable newsletter of useful tips and sources for the prospect research community. Published since 1994, it has a useful archive of past editions online.
WealthBulletin.com : Fairly new to me, but I have high hopes for it becoming one of my standard sources for European prospecting and probably for a fresh perspective on wealth. I especially like the attention to Finance and Philanthropy, and the Rich Monitor.
Nancy Faughnan is a Senior Research Analyst at Yale University Office of Development, New Haven, CT. She is a board member of the New England Development Research Association and chairperson of its 2008 21st annual conference, Research Coming of Age: Partners in Philanthropy.
FUMSI Regional Research Reports will help research projects get off to the right start, by highlighting quality sources -- free and paid -- for research in key regions.
Sue Henczel provides in-depth, practical guidance -- plus a tool kit
of hands-on activities -- for conducting information audits.
Get the benefits:
* Understand the audit process * Build a business case for auditing *
Develop a custom methodology * Create recommendations and reports *
Overcome the challenges
The
FreePint Bar is generously sponsored by Dow Jones Factiva
The days of deep winter can often bring on bleak thoughts, so it's little wonder FreePint Bar members are wondering about funerals as well as market reports. Have a look at highlights below, and then pop over to the Bar for help with your research conundrums.
Luxembourg may be well documented as being a tiny nation and having high suicide rates, but one FreePint Bar member is having difficulty finding information on companies incorporated in the country. Luckily for him, several other posters have come to the rescue with a notable collection of resources for finding company information. Look to <http://www.freepint.com/go/b232534> for a nice list.
Anyone with a pet is likely to know how easy it is to treat the animal as a member of the human race. But does it work the other way around too? One British dog may wish to pay its respects at a human memorial, but the person making funeral arrangements is fuzzy on the acceptance of four-footed friends at crematoria. If you have unique insight, weigh in, but if you don't, read anyway. It's interesting: <http://www.freepint.com/go/b236349>.
Ever heard of a lending library for market research reports? A nice idea in a perfect world, but a couple individuals on the Bar are wondering if it's a reality <http://www.freepint.com/go/b181022>.
There may be a blog for nearly every notion to pop into someone's head, but that doesn't mean navigating the world of them is easy. One FreePinter is wondering how you can, in a word, ping your own entries. Contribute your expertise in this area <http://www.freepint.com/go/b235431>.
If you have a question relating to any aspect of information practice – finding it, using it, managing it or sharing it, post it to the Bar for help from colleagues around the world. You may also find help by browsing the FUMSI article database for previously published articles, based on hands-on experience.
Monique Cuvelier has been the editor of the FreePint Newsletter and now serves as the contributing editor for FUMSI's Share practice area. She has edited, launched and written for many magazines, newspapers and websites in the US and UK. Learn more about her at <http://www.onopoly.com/support/team/>.
The FreePint Bar is where you can get free help with your tricky research questions <http://www.freepint.com/bar>
We're constantly seeking case studies, how-to articles, and hands-on
insight to help others find, use, manage and share information at
work. Contact any of our editorial team with your suggestions and
submissions:
Dame Lynne Brindley of the British Library and Janice Lachance of the SLA discuss Web 2.0 collaborative and partnership opportunities.
WHAT'S INSIDE: '[T]he library... is less about the physical space than about the ability to have access to the information they need, and professionals to make sure the end-users have the ability to get to that information.'
How do you minimise the loss of critical, valuable experience and information when an employee leaves the company by employing effective knowledge capture strategies?
WHAT'S INSIDE: 'With the ageing of the 'baby boomer' generation, the number of people expected to retire over the coming years is significantly high. That means a mass exodus from the workforce and with it potentially crippling losses of knowledge.'
Share your expertise with information practitioners around the world.
We're looking for tips, case studies and other practical guides to finding, using, managing and sharing information. Submit your suggestions to sara.waddington@freepint.com
The Jinfo service enables you to search and advertise information- related job vacancies.
The Jinfo Newsletter now features CV Makeovers, in which a job seeker's CV is critiqued and revised by specialists in the field as well as career tips for all experience levels. Read the latest edition and subscribe free at <http://www.jinfo.com/newsletter/>.
Jinfo Jobs in the FreePint Newsletter are supported through our partnership with Quantum2, an innovative skills development programme offered by Thomson Scientific. Learn more at <http://scientific.thomson.com/quantum2/>
Here is a selection of the latest featured entries in the Jinfo database:
Knowledge Management Project Officer
Knowledge Management Project Officer required on a permanent basis.
Recruiter: Weekes Gray Recruitment
Country: United Kingdom
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8361>
Information Support Officer
A health library requires an Information Support Officer for 3 days per week starting in early February.
Recruiter: TFPL
Country: United Kingdom
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8365>
Assistant Legal Librarian-London
Full time temporary assistant librarian position available with a leading international legal practice in central London.
Recruiter: Aslib, The Association for Information Management
Country: United Kingdom
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8372>
Business Researcher - PRIVATE EQUITY
Business Researcher (2 years experience) with initiative to work in new job for top Private Equity firm.
Recruiter: Glen Recruitment
Country: United Kingdom
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8373>
Records Manager
Challenging RM role at presitgious organisation including staff
management, budgeting and introducing procedures.
Recruiter: Sue Hill Recruitment and Services Limited
Country: United Kingdom
<http://www.jinfo.com/go/j8383>
[The above jobs are paid listings]
NB: These are just a selection of information-related jobs in the Jinfo database <http://www.jinfo.com/>. Receive the latest job listings weekly with the free Jinfo Update. Free to subscribe at <http://www.jinfo.com/>
Subscribe to the free Weekly update of the latest jobs,
plus the monthly newsletter with career tips:
Jinfo -- the best place for information-related job vacancies.
JOB SEARCHING? -- Free search and sign up to the Jinfo Newsletter
RECRUITING? -- Complete the form and advertise a vacancy for just GBP195 <http://www.jinfo.com/recruit/> -- 10% discount for agencies -- 50% discount for registered charities
For a wide array of hands-on training and resource materials, turn to Quantum2, an innovative skills development programme provided *free* by Thomson Scientific. The programme helps information professionals:
Expand your services through strategic and business competencies
Improve flow of information in your organisation
Gain visibility and build value for your work
Discover best practices, *plus* the know-how to implement them.
Free monthly newsletter and further information at:
<http://scientific.thomson.com/quantum2/>
VIP publishes in-depth, unbiased reviews of business information products. Recent findings of interest:
January's VIP features products and resources for conducting research on executives and business leaders. The issue includes an overview of offerings from major vendors as well as an in-depth report on a niche product for board composition research.
The overview article covers executive research offerings from the following vendors:
Bureau van Dijk Electronic Publishing (DASH)
Capital IQ
D&B
Datamonitor
Factiva Companies and Executives
Hemscott (Directory of Directors)
Hoover's
idExec
LexisNexis (Directory of Corporate Affiliations, ExecRelate)
OneSource
Silobreaker
The value of social networking sites (LinkedIn, Visible Path and ZoomInfo) is also explored, with a comparison of key features.
Editor Pam Foster also takes a close look at BoardEx, a specialty product for research on corporate boards. She cites some of the benefits of the product as follows:
Research staff who validate publicly available information and update daily
Extra layer of information in board members who serve simultaneously
Powerful analysis tools enable custom reports and creation of 'peer group' lists
Limitations of the product include the fact that it covers mainly public companies, though private companies are slowly being added. Additionally, the coverage is mainly Western companies (UK, US, Western Europe and increasingly Australia and Canada).
Start a trial subscription today - only GBP 70 for three months. Offer is not available through the Web site; email <robin.neidorf@freepint.com> for details.
Every week, the editors of ResourceShelf explore a Resource of the Week. Get them for free every week via email by subscribing to the ResourceShelf Newsletter at: <http://www.resourceshelf.com/newsletter/subscribe/>.
Recently published:
'This was a 'by request' Resource of the Week. And it is a good suggestion. Something everyone seems to want/need to do at some point is track down a person or certain types of people. There are proprietary databases that make this relatively simple, but these are not cheap, and most people do not have access to the best of them.
'So I was going to pull together a list of sites... until I rummaged around in my bookmark list and realized that this had already been done -- by an acknowledged expert, who is also a good friend of ResourceShelf. Genie Tyburski's Virtual Chase website is, without a doubt, up there among the creme de la creme of Internet resources. Perhaps you’ve been fortunate enough to hear Genie speak at a conference or, perhaps, read an article she has written. The Virtual Chase, which Genie started as hobby, is now owned by Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll. Genie, whose background is in law librarianship, is Web manager for this amazing resource. And ResourceShelf contributing editor Pete Weiss is The Virtual Chase mailing list consultant.'
New pages from the 50-State Agency Databases Registry
"State Agency Databases Across the Fifty States, a wiki-based project by the ALA Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT), was a Resource of the Week here last August. Daniel Cornwall, Head of Information Services at the Alaska State Library (and friend of ResourceShelf and DocuTicker), is one of the movers and shakers behind this project. He writes to let us know of several new history-oriented pages added to the wiki." Full posting with live links at: <http://digbig.com/4wesc>
DocuTicker publishes citations of full-text, free reports available on the web. Visit daily for new postings, or subscribe to the weekly DocuTicker Newsletter at: <http://www.docuticker.com/?page_id=15530>.
Collection of Note: Intellectual Property
Information professionals are often responsible for understanding the local and global requirements of managing intellectual property. DocuTicker's collection of reports on the topic (found at <http://www.docuticker.com/?cat=92>) is an excellent reference on this complex subject.
These events are hosted by our partner organisations and/or advertisers:
"SIIA Information Industry Summit"
30 - 31 January 2008
Tom Glocer, CEO of Reuters; Gordon Crovitz, Publisher of The Wall
Street Journal; and author Andrew Keen headline the digital
information industry's 7th annual flagship conference. Register by
Dec 14 to save $400 with early-bird registration and to join more
than 400 business leaders representing publishers, aggregators,
and content technology companies leading the transformation of the
digital world. For complete details, visit
<http://www.siia.net/iis>.
Organised by SIIA
Location: New York City
<http://www.freepint.com/go/e972>
"INSOURCE 2008: Conference on Professional Information Resources
for Business, Management, Marketing and Research"
5 - 6 February 2008
The first INSOURCE 2008 conference will focus on professional
information resources in electronic form used in business,
knowledge management, marketing, market research, competitive
intelligence etc. Unlike many other events the INSOURCE will put
stress on the information contents available via the Internet
rather than information technologies.
The programme includes the following issues: * Marketing reports *
Export and import of trade data * Sources for Competitive
Intelligence * Company and financial information * Country, region
and market risk reports * Monitoring of domestic and foreign media
Organised by Albertina icome Prague
<http://www.freepint.com/go/e932>
"Changing to survive: Breaking professional boundaries"
26 February 2008
The Civil Service is going through a radical programme of change and this is having a major impact on the Government information management specialist sector. Change is focused on concentrating resources on those areas of the Government that deliver effective, high impact services to the public and ensuring that those involved in delivering the changes have the professional skills and training.
The key challenge for information management specialists within the public sector is to demonstrate how our skills and expertise can make a significant contribution to delivering and embedding change to our customers.
Organised by: NGLIS
Location: Church House Conference Centre, Dean’s Yard, Westminster, London SW1P 3NZ
Country United Kingdom http://www.freepint.com/go/e992
"Search Engine Meeting"
28 - 29 April 2008
This annual meeting, now in its 13th year, provides a forum and
point- of-reference for all those interested in the domain of
Search and Retrieval. The Meeting draws together those with a
professional interest in search engines - such as search engine
designers and developers - and those interested in applying search
engines in their own professional environments. Search is at the
heart of information retrieval; and the Search Engine Meeting
provides an annual point of reference as to what is happening in
this fast-moving and exciting field.
Organised by infonortics
Location: Boston, MA, USA
<http://www.freepint.com/go/e989>
Free listings
United Kingdom:
"Records Management Conference 2008: Preserving and Protecting Data and Information Assets"
27 February 2008
<http://www.freepint.com/go/e993>
"Web 2.0 and Beyond: Applying social and collaborative tools to business problems"
5 - 6 March 2008
<http://www.freepint.com/go/e991>
A look back at what FreePint covered at this time in previous years:
FreePint No. 222 18th January 2007. "Public Eye: Using Eye
Tracking Software To Improve the Usability of Your Website" and "Risk
Management Report: An Essential Toolkit for Businesses" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/180107.htm>
FreePint No. 198 19th January 2006. "Engineering: the changing
information landscape" and "Trends in business information, provision
and use" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/190106.htm>
FreePint No. 104, 24th January 2002. "Winter Olympic Adventures Online" and "Using Wireless Technology - where does the library fit in?" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/240102.htm>
FreePint No. 19, 18th January 2001. "Internet Resources for the Voluntary Sector" and
"Online Business News: A Tale of Boom and Bust?" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/180101.htm>
FreePint No. 54, 20th January 2000. "Search Engine Promotion" and "Architecture: the science and art of finding it on the Web" <http://www.freepint.com/issues/200100.htm>
Nancy Faughnan, Lynne Brindley, Janice Lachance, Rebecca Sanders, Sara Waddington (Senior Managing Editor, FUMSI), Monique Cuvelier (Contributing Editor: Share), Robin Neidorf (General Manager, FreePint), Shirl Kennedy
(Senior Editor, ResourceShelf and DocuTicker), Pam Foster (Editor,
VIP), William Hann (Managing Editor, FreePint), Penny Hann
(Production Editor, FreePint), Douglas Brown (Proofreader).
Advertisers/Sponsors:
Factiva, Capital Consulting, Thomson
Scientific, Weekes Gray Recruitment, Sue Hill Recruitment and
Services Limited, Glen Recruitment, TFPL, VIP, DocuTicker, Jinfo.
Please note: FreePint (ISSN 1460-7239) is a registered trademark of, and published by, Free Pint Limited. The publishers will NEVER make the subscriber list available to any other company or organisation.
The opinions, advice, products and services offered herein are the sole responsibility of the contributors. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the publication, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions.
This publication may be freely copied and/or distributed in its entirety. However, individual sections MAY NOT be copied and/or distributed without the prior written agreement of the publishers. Write to Robin Neidorf, Managing Editor, <robin.neidorf@freepint.com> for more details. Product names used in FreePint are for identification purposes only, and may be trademarks of their respective owners. FreePint disclaims any and all rights in those marks. All rights reserved.
FreePint is published by Free Pint Limited, registered in England and
Wales. Registered Number: 3754418. Registered Office: Delaport Coach
House, Lamer Lane, Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8RQ
Special Offer: The FreePint Volume: Business News Sources brings together recent high-value reports to help you better understand the options available, how they compare and how other organisations evaluate them. These publications normally sell for £39 or more each. Get the entire collection for only £97.50 (single site).
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It's all about people.
Across our publications this month, we're looking at people in different ways. The Web has opened up possibilities for finding people, identifying connections between them, and understanding what makes them tick. This issue's Tipples offer some resources for understanding donors in context (for more information, see also the recent FUMSI article on 
ResourceShelf and VIP also pick up the theme: ResourceShelf's Resource of the Week highlights web-based resources for finding and connecting with people, and the latest issue of VIP provides an in-depth review of BoardEx (a specialty product for understanding the composition of corporate boards) as well as an overview of the resources within database vendors for information about executives.
The days of deep winter can often bring on bleak thoughts, so it's little wonder FreePint Bar members are wondering about funerals as well as market reports. Have a look at highlights below, and then pop over to the Bar for help with your research conundrums.
The overview article covers executive research offerings from the following vendors:
United Kingdom:
United States:
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