Best Practices: Reinventing The Corporate Library

Knowledge workers and the companies they work for will only thrive if they have the best information. People have been lulled into thinking that there are just two places where information exists: somewhere in the enterprise or on the consumer Web. They're mistaken. In many cases, essential insights, facts, and primary research are only available via sources that require subscriptions or license agreements. Meanwhile, the role of the corporate librarian — the budget-holding professional who identifies and purchases qualified information resources — is becoming increasingly marginalized. The most successful librarians follow three best practices: 1) spend strategically on resources and staff; 2) make effective content delivery the mission; and 3) redefine information to include history and people.