This article is Part 3 of a 4-Part Series on managing the digital evolution of information.
In Part-2 of this series, I outlined hiring and contracting for digital information management professionals. Part 3 will cover the specific skill sets required of librarians and other information managers in the Digital Age.
Whether named Information Professionals, Digital Asset Managers, Virtual Librarians or something else, these people possess essential skills necessary to organize and manage intellectual property and other assets, especially important as digital access is extended to more people, including employees, clients, prospects and other stakeholders. They are proficient with digital technology, and they know how to recognize, find and organize information that is relevant to their employer’s business operations, industries and markets.
People who have strong IT backgrounds are capable of managing technology like hardware, software applications and other infrastructure components. Yet they lack the knowledge required to understand how digital assets are used from a business perspective. Meanwhile, librarians and other information managers most often lack the technical expertise needed to navigate digital systems with proficiency and ease.
Required Skill Sets
To manage digital assets, the skills that are needed include understanding of copyright and other IP protection along with cataloging, indexing, metadata and meta-tagging to organize information in digital format.
Information professionals who possess expertise and certifications in Knowledge Management, Copyright Management, Digital Rights Management and Business and Competitive Intelligence will excel and thrive.
Other valuable information skills:
- Strong working knowledge of information technology including content aggregation tools, SharePoint and a growing menu of cloud-based web applications along with iPhone/iPad and Android applications.
- Knowledge of industry-specific tools such as LexisNexis in the legal industry.
- Technical skills to function as a system administrator, able to provide different users with appropriate access levels.
The titles for these information professionals are becoming broader and more diverse: Digital Asset Manager, Digital Librarian, Information Services Manager, Knowledge Manager. Whatever the label, today’s Information Management professionals must have technical expertise, organizational know-how and strong proficiency in the line of business and industry in which they are employed. Organizations need to find the right people for their particular needs and requirements −whether it’s hired staff, contractors or outsourcing −and then prepare them to do their jobs, whether it’s managing physical assets, digital assets or most likely a combination of formats.
In Part-4 of this series, I will speak directly to LAC-Group’s expertise and 25 years of experience in library and information services, as we employ over 300 information professionals working at client sites all over the world today.
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 vs. Hiring
“He is wise who knows the sources of knowledge -where it is written and where it is to be found.”– A.A. Hodge
Rob Corrao
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