Eileen G. Abels – författare

The primary objective of this book is to provide an understanding of business information in the context of those who seek business information. Information-seeking behavior includes the underlying information needs that drive one to seek information, the types of information used to resolve information needs, the types of resources that contain the needed information, the channels used to secure that information, and effective strategies to locate the needed information.The reason for this approach is that effective business research depends upon the ability to identify the type of information that can be used to resolve a specific business problem rather than by depending on specific resources. Every organization will have access to different collections of resources and information services based on such factors as type of work and budget, among other things. Although there may be some resources that are considered 'better' than others, it is usually possible to find similar, if not identical, information in a variety of resources.Another reason for this approach is that the particular resources are constantly changing. In recent years, there have been numerous mergers among information producers, publishers, and vendors. We have seen a migration from print to electronic, specifically to web access. The tension between free and fee has heightened. Specific sources available today may not be available tomorrow and many will be altered or adapted with different limits placed upon their accessibility. But knowing the type of information needed to resolve a given problem and the strategies that lead quickly to the information enables both information seekers and information professional to find appropriate information even under such prospective changes in the range of source options open in the future.

To compete today, librarians need to not only provide old services in new ways but also to provide new services. Repositioning Reference: New Methods and New Services for a New Age re-imagines reference services in libraries and information organizations and the role of reference librarians, taking into account rapid developments in technology and information-specific services in non-library sectors. It traces the history of technology adoption for reference services, describes competitive pressures facing reference services, identifies untapped opportunities for reference services and librarians, details innovative and creative solutions for energizing the profession and engaging library user communities, and prescribes means to evaluating technologies for reference services. This book:• Includes current and unique examples of innovative reference services to serve as inspiration and launching points for readers.• Offers contemporary management theory and practice from outside of the field of LIS to offer readers a guide for initiating, leading, and managing change in their organizations.• Outlines the processes of environmental scanning and SWOT analysis, which are important practices for keeping abreast of changes in the field and positioning an organization to make the most of their opportunities and to minimize threats.Repositioning Reference may be used as a textbook by LIS educators whose courses and learning experiences prepare aspiring librarians to lead the reference revolution and by practicing librarians in diverse settings who want to be change agents.

To compete today, librarians need to not only provide old services in new ways but also to provide new services. Repositioning Reference: New Methods and New Services for a New Age re-imagines reference services in libraries and information organizations and the role of reference librarians, taking into account rapid developments in technology and information-specific services in non-library sectors. It traces the history of technology adoption for reference services, describes competitive pressures facing reference services, identifies untapped opportunities for reference services and librarians, details innovative and creative solutions for energizing the profession and engaging library user communities, and prescribes means to evaluating technologies for reference services. This book:• Includes current and unique examples of innovative reference services to serve as inspiration and launching points for readers.• Offers contemporary management theory and practice from outside of the field of LIS to offer readers a guide for initiating, leading, and managing change in their organizations.• Outlines the processes of environmental scanning and SWOT analysis, which are important practices for keeping abreast of changes in the field and positioning an organization to make the most of their opportunities and to minimize threats.Repositioning Reference may be used as a textbook by LIS educators whose courses and learning experiences prepare aspiring librarians to lead the reference revolution and by practicing librarians in diverse settings who want to be change agents.

Throughout this volume, the influence of research funding on advances in libraries and librarianship is addressed from two perspectives: funding agents and specific initiatives. A collection of chapters concentrate on a number of questions: Do the agendas of those agencies and foundations that fund research in the profession shape the topics of sponsored inquiry and methodologies used to gather evidence for research that advances libraries and librarianship? What are the trends in the questions funded, in the areas of librarianship supported, and perhaps of greatest interest, in the impact funders have made on our understanding of libraries, librarianship, and solving problems that face them? The traditions of 'Advances in Librarianship' offer an appropriate forum to explore these questions through a collection of in depth reviews of the literature and practice.