Information Outlook: Going Digital, Going Native

The September/October 2012 issue of Information Outlook is in the mail, and the November/December issue--the last printed issue of the magazine--is starting to take shape. In January 2013, the magazine will go digital, and SLA members will be able to access it on their phones and tablets as well as on their laptop and desktop computers. The move from print to digital will seem revolutionary to some, but others will wonder what took so long, and many (perhaps most) will see it as an appropriate and necessary response to the changing demands and expectations of information professionals in a global economy.

For the members of SLA's Information Outlook Advisory Council, the transition will mark an inflection point in a process that began in 2009, when the original members of the council started talking about how the magazine can best serve the needs and interests of information professionals. This discussion has produced consensus that, when Information Outlook goes digital, it should continue to look and "feel" as it does now. So, while the digital version will have many features the printed version lacks (such as mobile accessibility and searchable content), it will look like the same magazine you've been reading for the past several years.

The Advisory Council's discussion has also touched on how to build community around the magazine and encourage SLA members to share ideas and feedback. In keeping with this goal, SLA members are encouraged to review the 2013 editorial calendar themes and suggest article topics that support these themes. By starting a conversation about article topics, SLA members can ensure that Information Outlook better meets their needs and interests.

Following are the themes for 2013. Scroll down to the "Comment" section to share your thoughts about specific article topics that support these themes and meet your information needs. The Advisory Council will review the comments and then flesh out the editorial calendar for 2013.

• Strategic Planning
• Data Curation
• Presenting Data Visually
• 5 Things Librarians Should Stop (and Start) Doing Now
• Facilitating Collaboration and Value Co-Creation
• Librarians as Content Strategists

If you're interested in writing a theme article or know of someone who would be well qualified to do so, please be sure to include that information in your comment. If you are not interested in writing an article but would be willing to review a draft written by someone else, please indicate that as well.

 

Comments

[Daureen Nesdill]

Hi,
I organized the mini-symposium at 2008 SLA on cyberinfrastructure, have been the data curation librarian at the U of Utah for about 3-4 years now and would like to write for the issue on data curation. I could write about my work with ELNs - electronic lab notebooks/virtual workspaces, depending on how you want to focus this rather broad topic.

[Barbara L. Wagner]

What's an inflection point?
That term is new to me.
Definition/explanation please.

--Barbara Wagner
SLA Life Member

[Mrs. Luray M. Minkiewicz]

Wow! It is good to see that the job title I had a few years ago, "Content Strategist", is now being recognized as one that SLA members can use and be proud of. Although I essentially do the same work as I did then, my title has changed. However, I would be willing to write an article for Information Outlook for that theme.

[Nicola Franklin]

I could write something about strategic planning, incorporating the theory of 'how to' go about creating a strategy from my MBA studies and more practical 'what's it like in practice' from working as a manager at both a PLC (in the 1990's) and SME (in the 2000's) firms.

[Cynthia Hudson]

I'm a little late responding to this post - but we are in the midst of developing a suite a services to support faculty/student research data needs (technical and non-technical). I would be willing to write an article focused on how to start up similar services.