Blog - Improve your Current Awareness Strategy

Competitive intelligence research is a standard requirement for most library and information professionals. Whether it’s a basic snapshot or in-depth analysis of the competitor landscape, it is something that we have all had to do. The CI reports we help create offer our organisations a perspective on changing market conditions so that management can identify risks and opportunities early enough to adapt or change strategy.

My colleague Emily is looking forward to welcoming LMA Conference attendees to her vibrant and historic home city of Atlanta. Many world famous politicians, civil rights giants, sports personalities, artistic and literary figures have called this city home - but there is always space for the visitor to unwind, relax, and enjoy. Here is the ultimate insider’s Guide to Atlanta!  

Content curation has been the epitome of cool for some time. From collections of fashion and literature, to online shopping and YouTube channels, anyone can curate anything. If the curator is an influencer, they can disrupt traditional marketplaces. For instance, the art world once believed that collectors would never buy paintings based on an online image.

We all know how important it is to attend the right conference and we are excited to announce that Team Vable will be at LMA 2019. To help you navigate through this fascinating conference, we have highlighted some interesting and juicy sessions which match up with the LMA Body of Knowledge domains - enjoy our overview!

Carrying out research is something we are all familiar with, but we might not necessarily be up to date on the laws which are associated with it. Everyone has heard of GDPR - but practically speaking, how has it impacted on how you should approach research? A seminar held by the University of London outlined the main concerns; although it was aimed at academics, it was useful for information professionals. We must be aware of the rules regarding the gathering, storing, re-use, and disposal of research data.

Networking can be challenging for many information people but it is a skill you can acquire. Following on from the induction blog posting, it’s that time of year when you will be required to meet lots of new people - welcome lunches, evening events etc. So I thought I’d revisit some notes that I’ve found helpful in the past. As an added bonus there is a CILIP event coming up on exactly this issue.  

This is the fourth in our BIALL 2018 Conference series, and I can recommend you read it in conjunction with our other piece on agile working. Vable uses agile methodology to manage workflow, and it requires a mental shift if you are accustomed to a more traditional workplace. The more we collaborate and share experiences, we can make new ways of working possible in a corporate/legal library environment.

This is the second in a series of blog posts which will come out of the recent BIALL conference in Birmingham. There were a couple of sessions which demonstrated that law firms and libraries are on the same page when it comes to working agile. But with a twist...

This is the first in a series of blog posts which will come out of the recent BIALL conference in Birmingham. The theme of ‘Designing our Future’ has never felt so full of possibility and excitement as we head into the third decade of this century. The session on ‘the career revolution’ spoke to us all in a particular way; a show of hands demonstrated that none of us had been unaffected by changes in the sector. No more is there such a thing as a job for life.

At Vable we’re as excited about BIALL’s annual conference as you are. With plans underway we’ve taken a look at the schedule and highlighted some of the sessions and speakers that look especially interesting. Clare Brown, Vable’s resident information professional, will be attending BIALL as a delegate - and although we think she’s magical, she can’t be in two places at once. Here’s a look at some of the events that we feel are Must Attends.