The ultimate roundup of 2023's most engaging blogposts

What were the most popular posts on the Vable current awareness blog in 2023? What were some of the common themes that rocked the information management world this year? Just in time for some pre-holiday reading, Team Vable have delved into the statistics and identified some of the most-read posts from 2023. From these, we were able to draw out some perennially popular library and information themes. Read on and enjoy!

Enhancing your end user experience

How can you ensure your end users can find what they need? Information people have been implementing taxonomies, indices, labelling, or classification systems within their libraries for years. Current awareness solutions are no different. By creating a clear and concise labelling system that reflects the content and structure of your platform, you can ensure that end users can easily find and subscribe to relevant content. 

Read more 👉 How can labels make your end user search experience 100% better?

Software trials are an essential part of the library and information management role. Trials allow information professionals to test solutions in real-world scenarios and if done correctly, they are a key part of a successful implementation process. Ultimately, information people want end users to engage with useful and valuable information tools and success criteria can assist in that endeavour. 

Read more 👉 How can clear success criteria ensure a better library software trial experience?

Leveraging technology in library and information services

It has been a wild year for tech! As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of GenAI, the importance of librarians and information professionals cannot be overstated. Your proficiency in crafting precise queries and understanding user needs goes beyond the current trend of "prompt engineering" and aligns more with the library skill of "problem formulation."

Read more 👉 Why information professionals excel at crafting ChatGPT prompts?

Current awareness automation enables you to focus your energies on the human element. After all, it’s the information/knowledge/topic specialist who puts the personal touch on curated content. Not only do they tailor content for the end user but they present it in the most digestible manner. Employing technology in this way means that you can transform your workflow and - most ultimately - your client experience.

 Read more 👉 How will practical tech developments affect your competitive advantage?

Effective communication and content creation

People need content that anticipates answers to their questions, shines a light on trends or simply excites curiosity. The right content in the right context at the right time is when the true power of information comes through. Actionable content that inspires people to make a connection and cement their position as “trusted advisor” is what they need. But how can you achieve that for your end users? 

Read more 👉 How do I create newsletters using a current awareness aggregator?

Are you providing the right answers? Regardless of your technical and industry know-how - are your iterations bringing back the content that your end users want? Return to the initial question: What is the purpose of the alert/newsletter? You’re now at the closing stages of the reference interview -  somewhere in between meeting the user's needs and ensuring their satisfaction.

Read more 👉 How can we use the classic library reference interview to create the best newsletters?

Conclusion

As we wrap up 2023, our collection of the most popular Vable blog posts has revealed key themes: enhancing user experience, leveraging technology in library and information services, and mastering the "art of the question". These insights demonstrate our ongoing commitment to providing the best service possible to our end users and clients. Happy reading and warm wishes for the holidays from Team Vable!