This article is Part 3 of a 4-Part Series on managing the digital evolution of information.
In Part-3, I covered the new skill sets needed for librarians and other information managers in the Digital Age. In this final part, I will discuss LAC-Group’s expertise in library services.
LAC Group was founded 25 years ago as Library Associates to meet the growing demand for outsourced librarians and physical asset organization and research. Like you, we too had to evolve to meet changing client needs and technology advances. (Hence the name change.)
As technology launched us all into the Digital Age, we responded with an extensive investment in technology and training for our professional librarians and support for the information management staff of our 1,000+ clients. Today, we have over 300 information professionals employed worldwide, with varying skill sets, working in the information management field directly for our clients, inside their organizations. This trend for outsourcing or contracting information management professionals continues to be well-received in almost every industry, considering many business owners struggle to stay abreast of rapid technology changes and user demands for multimedia content and access to data in real-time.
Our professional physical and digital asset managers are ready to be your information gurus, responsible for finding, using, managing and sharing information, both internally and externally.
Outsourcing some or all information management functions is not only viable, because it alleviates the time, money and resources necessary for hiring and training staff, but it also eliminates the additional ongoing operational costs associated with added headcount: payroll taxes, benefits, general liability and worker’s compensation, to name a few. Additionally it allows your business to focus on its core business.
Many have the misconception that outsourcing means a reduction in staff or wages. While there are some situations that have perpetuated this perception, this is not always the case. Employing an outsourced professional to work on your premises may be not only the most cost effective option, but a boost to the employee who may enjoy advantages like greater opportunities for career advancement and variety. Furthermore, it allows your organization to develop a strategy for your business for the long run.
Regardless whether or not your information professionals are employees, contractors from a company like LAC Group, or some combination, the role they play in your organization is significant and increasingly valuable. We have only begun to scratch the surface of digitization across the globe.
For more on outsourcing, read Revitalising Outsourcing, the pros and cons of outsourcing for information professionals, authored by Iain Dunbar, LAC Group’s General Manager of UK Operations for Information Today Europe.
Four-Part Series Links:
Part 1 – Most Commonly Outsourced Digital Information Management Functions Today
Part 2 – Contracting or Hiring to Manage Your Digital Information Assets
Part 3 – Skill Sets Needed for Digital Information Asset Management Positions.
Part 4 – Outsourcing Pros vs. Hiring Pros
“With the enormous and steady increase in the volume of our literature, we must rely more and more upon sympathetic selection, judicious editing, and the indexer who knows where to exercise discretion. Any simpleton can write a book, but it requires high skill to make an index.” – Rossiter Johnson
Rob Corrao
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