Ravenweb Blog

I recently contributed an article to Information Outlook, the online magazine of the Special Libraries Association (SLA). The title is "When Weak Connections are Valuable at Work", and it's about how new networking tools enable us to cultivate workplace connections with people we rarely (or never) see but who can help us in important ways. Download the article as a PDF or read the web version below. When Weak Connections are Valuable at Work (PDF) When Weak Connections are Valuable at Work If you’re not sure who the weak ties are in your social network, look at the contacts on your phone. Chances are, there are some people in your contacts list you don’t call (much less see) on a regular basis, but you find it useful to keep them listed for those occasions when you do need to contact them. Perhaps your doctor, babysitter, mechanic, or accountant fits this description. If you use a social network like LinkedIn or Twitter professionally, you will have even mo...

I've always loved the month of May, for many different reasons. Growing up in the Northeastern United States, May was typically the month when it warmed up and Spring began to give a preview of Summer. May also meant school was winding down and fun movie openings. And May was the month of Mother's Day, the month with two birthdays in my family, and there was Memorial Day, one of my favorite holidays that to me always felt like the unofficial beginning of summer. This year, on my social media accounts, I'm going to mark each day in May with a different word and image. There is an underlying theme, but I won't reveal it until the end of the month.