Editor’s Note

Abstract

Editorial overview of this issue's content with comments, news and observations.

This issue is both reflective and forward thinking, reviewing some of the developments and themes of 2015, but also identifying emerging disciplines and trends that are impacting on the e-information profession. Editing this excellent selection of contributions certainly provided food for thought, and I have suggested a few areas that I think may define eLucidate content and the UKeiG training portfolio over the coming years.

Effective, thorough and systematically applied metadata continues to be key to breaking down information silos within and without organisations by enriching and structuring content, providing semantic context and integrating and linking disparate external and internal information resources. It underpins effective data management, information management and enterprise search.

Open source solutions are challenging the BIG corporate players in information systems delivery allowing for greater flexibility, collaboration and interoperability.

Maker Labs or Maker Spaces - “nomadic and shared learning environments” - are increasingly redefining the nature of library services as physical and virtual centres for collaborative, portable and inspirational learning
Understanding and managing complex “Big Data” is an ongoing challenge offering numerous opportunities for the information profession around analysis, curation, discovery and dissemination.

The rise of knowledge sharing online communities and social media networks is challenging the BIG search engines as the first port of call in the research and discovery process. A proliferation of electronic research support tools and services is redefining digital scholarly communication, with hundreds of new resources to choose from. The impact that this is having on researchers and information professionals is addressed in this issue.

Data and information visualisation, the presentation of data and information in a digestible, contextual and transparent pictorial or graphical format, is a major developing paradigm for the information profession and a great opportunity, impacting on all of the areas featured in this issue.