illumin Archives - Softlink Information Centres

London UGM 2026: Turning Ideas into Action with AI, Reporting, and Smarter Workflows

On April 23, 2026, the Softlink IC community came together in London for a focused, practical User Group Meeting designed to help library and knowledge professionals get more value from their systems, data, and time.

What’s Coming Up With Softlink IC

The next few months are packed – and more importantly, they’re full of opportunities for you to sharpen your strategy, connect with peers, and get more value from Liberty Digital and illumin.

What’s New Across Softlink’s Library and Knowledge Management Platforms

Over the past year, Softlink Information Centers has continued developing its core platforms – Liberty Digital, illumin, and the Aurora Product Suite – to support the evolving needs of libraries, research teams, and public library services.

Softlink IC: Your 2025 Wrapped

This year wasn’t just about software updates or company events; it was about our customers navigating digital change with our products. Across the sectors, we noticed the main benefits our systems provided were – time-saved, manual work reduction, and improvement in both resource discoverability and reporting strength. These helped deliver clearer outcomes to our customers’ organizations for 2025.

Reflecting on ANZTLA 2025: Stories Rooted in the Past, Shaping the Future of Theological & Special Libraries

Softlink IC was proud to participate in the 39th ANZTLA Conference, held 26-29 November 2025 at The Women’s College, University of Queensland. This year’s theme, “Echoes of the past … creating stories for the future,” deeply resonated with our mission to support theological and special libraries in preserving knowledge and guiding discovery through innovation.

Highlights from Our 2025 User Group Meetings in Brisbane, Melbourne & Wellington

Each year, we bring our community together through our User Group Meetings (UGMs) – one of our favourite ways to connect with customers, share updates, and celebrate the innovation happening in libraries. In October 2025, the Softlink IC team hosted UGMs across Brisbane, Melbourne, and Wellington, bringing together professionals from every sector to learn, collaborate, and discuss what’s next for Liberty Digital and illumin.

Libraries Lead the Way: Inside Softlink IC’s AI Library Challenge

Could AI help solve everyday library challenges? That’s the question Softlink IC posed during this year’s User Group Meetings (UGMs) – and the results were surprising.

How to Make Research Faster with Filters, Search, and Pinned Views In illumin

A Knowledge and Research Management System helps research teams organize their workflows efficiently, reducing time spent searching for information and increasing productivity. Softlink IC’s illumin, provides features such as filters, advanced search, and pinning views so teams can streamline their research workflows, track requests, and surface the insights that matter. Here’s a closer look at how these features help research teams work smarter.

Softlink IC at IALL 2025: Sharing Ideas and Listening to Law Librarians

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) recently attended the 43rd Annual Course of the International Association of Law Libraries (IALL), held in Houston, Texas, from October 19–23, 2025.

Employee Spotlight – Nicholas

Meet Nicholas, our APAC Sales & Account Manager, who joined the team in June 2024. Working remotely from Auckland, New Zealand, Nicholas plays a key role in connecting potential customers across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific with our solutions, Liberty Digital and illumin.

In the latest instalment of our Employee Spotlight series, we get to know Nicholas, explore his role further, and what drives him in his day-to-day work.

Connections in the Digital Age – NZLLA Conference 2025

We had the privilege of attending the New Zealand Law Librarians’ Association (NZLLA) Conference 2025, held at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) on 18–19 September 2025.

The theme, “Whanaungatanga: connections in the digital age”, captured the importance of building and maintaining relationships while adapting to the rapid digital transformation in law and libraries.

Helping Knowledge Teams Work Smarter: illumin’s Latest Upgrades

In our most recent post, we went through three of illumin’s most popular features – Advanced Search, Filters, and Pinning Views. But what about illumin’s newest features?

AALL 2025: Great Conversations, Connections, and Knowledge in Portland

A huge thank you to the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) for organizing yet another outstanding Annual Meeting & Conference. Portland was the perfect backdrop for reconnecting with customers, meeting new faces, and diving into the latest in legal knowledge management.

Top Research Team Tools: How illumin and Onelog Save Time and Boost Efficiency

Research professionals face constant pressure to deliver accurate, timely insights under tight deadlines. From managing requests to juggling tools and tracking outputs, the real challenge isn’t just doing the work, it’s doing it efficiently. Success now depends on doing more with less and streamlining tasks to drive results.

Why Top-Tier Consulting Firms Are Exploring illumin for Smarter Knowledge and Research Management

In management consulting, success hinges on rapid, reliable access to high-quality insights. Research and knowledge teams are under increasing pressure to deliver results faster—without compromising security, quality, or client confidentiality.

Softlink IC’s New Website For Libraries, Researchers, and Information Professionals

With simplified navigation, dedicated sector landing pages, and clearer product insights, the new website is built to save you time, support smarter decisions, and deliver value with every visit.

Wrapping Up 2024 User Group Meetings in Brisbane

On September 27th, we held our final User Group Meeting (UGM) for 2024 in Brisbane, concluding a fantastic series of events in Oceania. Like the earlier sessions in Melbourne and Wellington, the Brisbane UGM brought together our vibrant community of Liberty and illumin users for a day filled with learning, sharing, and insightful discussions.

Celebrating Excellence: Softlink Named Finalist for Best Customer Service Team

We are proud to announce Softlink Information Centers has been selected as a finalist in the 2024 Engage Awards for Best Customer Service Team! This recognition highlights our customer service team’s commitment to delivering top-notch support and service to our clients.

Highlights From Our User Group Meetings in Melbourne and Wellington

We recently held two engaging User Group Meetings (UGMs) in Oceania, bringing together our wonderful community of Liberty and illumin users. Our first UGM took place in Melbourne, Australia, on August 22nd, followed by another in Wellington, New Zealand, on September 5th. Our UGM’s are designed to provide attendees with insights, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities.

Join Softlink at the ALLA 2024 Conference in Adelaide!

Softlink Information Centres will be at the 2024 Australian Law Librarians’ Association (ALLA) Conference between Wednesday, 7th August to Friday, 9th August 2024, at the Adelaide Convention Centre in South Australia.

Why Traditional Ticketing Solutions Fail Research Teams

In our fast-paced digital world, the roles of researchers and research librarians are evolving more rapidly than ever. The important task of tracking and managing research requests can’t be left to traditional ticketing software. While a staple in query management and user assistance, traditional ticketing software often falls short in meeting the specialized demands of research centers.

Softlink Information Centers Shines at BIALL and CALL Conferences

Softlink Information Centers had an exciting and productive June, participating in two major events: the British & Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) Conference in Leeds, United Kingdom, and the Canadian Association of Law Libraries (CALL) Conference in Montreal, Canada. Both conferences provided fantastic opportunities to connect with our customers and meet new prospects.

Softlink London User Group Meeting

On 18 June 2024, we hosted a User Group Meeting (UGM) in central London. The event was well attended, bringing together some of our community of library and information management professionals from around the United Kingdom.

Welcome to a New Era: Liberty Digital Unleashed

Softlink Information Centers is excited to introduce Liberty Digital, an innovative platform set to redefine the landscape of library and archive management. Launched at our recent Virtual Open Day on May 30, 2024, Liberty Digital joins our suite of products, which includes Liberty (an Integrated Library System or ILS) and illumin (a research and reference management tool). The best news of all? It’s available now for your library or archive, read on to find out more!

Transforming Library Services – Highlights from Softlink’s Virtual Open Day 2024

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) hosted its third successful Virtual Open Day on May 30, 2024. This much-anticipated event brought together library and knowledge management professionals from around the globe, introducing them to the transformative capabilities of our newest solution, Liberty Digital.

Where to Find Softlink IC in 2024: A Year of Learning, Innovation, and Connections

As 2024 unfolds, Softlink Information Centres is delighted to announce our active participation in a diverse array of conferences and events worldwide. This year, we’re seizing more opportunities to showcase our flagship products: Liberty, an integrated library management system, and illumin, our pioneering Knowledge & Research Management platform.

Meet Softlink IC at RLUK24: Empowering Research Libraries with illumin

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) is thrilled to be part of the RLUK24 Conference, happening virtually between March 20-22, 2024. This aims to dive deep into the evolving role of research libraries amid the rapid pace of technological advancements, with a special emphasis on Artificial Intelligence (AI) – their conference theme is “New Frontiers: The expanding scope of the modern research library.”

Navigating the Evolving Library Landscape with Alex the Alpaca

In today’s digital age, libraries are evolving to meet the changing needs of their users. With the integration of digital and physical collections, libraries can unlock new opportunities to enhance user experiences and increase the usage of their collections. So, what should you be doing to stay current with the evolving library landscape?

Elevate Your Library Game – Let Our Helpdesk Level You Up

At some point in our lives, we all encounter situations where a little assistance can go a long way. In the realm of libraries, the same holds true. As a Softlink IC customer using our integrated library management system Liberty, or our knowledge and research management software illumin, regardless of if you’re a newcomer seeking guidance or an experienced solo librarian in need of fresh ideas, our helpdesk is here to provide support and solutions. Let’s explore 5 outside the box reasons why you might want to reach out to our helpdesk.

Law Libraries Take on Boston at AALL 2023!

The American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Annual Meeting & Conference, a much-awaited event in the legal information community, took place in Boston, MA from July 15 to July 18 this year. Sarah, Jeo, Chandler, and of course Alex the Alpaca, were there ready to welcome delegates at AALL’s biggest conference yet! The team was thrilled to attend and showcase our innovative solutions for law libraries and legal information professionals.

When We Talk About Our Live Chat Feature, We Mean Live Chat

Providing support is an important part of customer service. For Softlink IC, live chat is now indispensable. It adds another string to our already great support delivery bow. Our Liberty and illumin software customers have another effective avenue to chat to a real Support team member quickly. We don’t know if the customers of other library management system vendors talk to a real support person via a live chat option, but ours certainly do!

Celebrating Our Largest Virtual Open Day Yet at Softlink IC!

Softlink IC hosted our successful Virtual Open Day on 8 June 2023, offering sessions across three time zones for registered participants to explore various topics, including:

Unlock Exceptional Customer Service for Your Research Team

Are you looking for ways to improve the customer service provided by your research team? Request and research management tools can help improve the services you provide and ensure you offer the best service possible. In this blog, let’s explore how Illumin, our request management tool, can help you understand and deliver a superior service to your customers!

Does Your Library or Research System Provide Integration Options?

Integrating a library management or request and research system with third-party solutions can have a huge impact on efficiency and user experiences. Liberty Digital and illumin offer a wide range of integrations to help manage resources, requests and research.

Softlink IC at the AALL 2023 Conference: Showcasing Liberty and illumin

We are excited to announce that Softlink IC will be attending the prestigious American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) 2023 Conference. This event is the perfect opportunity for legal information professionals to network, learn, and explore the latest trends in their field. The conference will take place from July 15-18, 2023, in the vibrant city of Boston MA, USA.

Save the Date for Softlink IC’s Virtual Open Day 2023

Softlink IC is thrilled to announce our upcoming Virtual Open Day on June 8th, 2023. After the success of our last open day – we’re back for another year! No matter where you are in the world, you can join us for this free event featuring six 30-minute presentations across three different time zones.

Meet Softlink IC at the BIALL 2023 Conference

Softlink IC is proud to be attending the upcoming British & Irish Association of Law Librarians (BIALL) Conference in Belfast, Ireland between 14 and 16 June 2023. We’re sure this conference will be packed with interesting and informative sessions and workshops, and we’re looking forward to connecting with other professionals in the legal industry.

Unlock Your Reporting Power – Using Reports to Get the Most Out of Your Research Management Team

Discover how illumin can help you gain valuable insights into your users and their research queries. With powerful reporting features, you’ll be able to gain a more in-depth understanding of user behavior and use this data to optimize your research processes. Learn how to better serve your users by creating effective reports with our tips.

Power Up illumin With Power BI

Your knowledge and request management needs are as unique as your organization, the good news for you is that Softlink IC’s solutions are developed and supported by teams of experienced information and resource managers and expert knowledge management development professionals.

How to Bring a Customer Focus to Your Research Team

At its core, customer service is about building relationships. It’s about understanding what your customer or users’ needs are and then going above and beyond to meet those needs. The same philosophy can and should be applied to the research process. It’s a risk that some research teams get bogged down in the details and lose sight of the bigger picture: their customers or users.

Why Our Customer Support Team Is Everything to Us

At Softlink Information Centres, you probably know we provide library, knowledge and research management solutions. Our products, Liberty and illumin, are used by hundreds of businesses around the world from some of the largest multi-branch law firms to single branch non-profit organizations.

Worth the Wait – London User Group Meeting for Liberty & illumin

London, England was the setting for our latest in-person User Group Meeting (UGM), and we were all really looking forward to it. Our UGMs are a great opportunity for us all to catch up. UGMs provide a forum for those attending to meet other Liberty and illumin users and Softlink IC staff.

Alex visits Hobart for the Australian Law Librarians’ Association (ALLA) Conference

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) was at the 2022 Australian Law Librarians’ Association (ALLA) conference in Hobart, Tasmania between 24 – 26 August 2022. A biennial event hosted by ALLA, the conference is the major professional and business development event in the Association’s calendar.

Alex’s Adventures at the 2022 AALL Conference

Softlink Information Centers (Softlink IC) was at the 2022 American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) conference from 16 – 19 July. The conference was a great opportunity to show off our integrated library management system (ILMS) Liberty and our research management product, illumin.

Virtual Open Day Opens Minds

Softlink IC held our Virtual Open Day on 15 June 2022. We ran sessions across three time zones where registered participants discovered…

Meet Softlink IC at the 2022 American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Conference

Softlink Information Centres (Softlink IC) will be at the 2022 AALL conference! It’s going to be a great opportunity to show off our integrated library management system (ILMS) Liberty and our research management product, illumin. We’ll have members of our team onsite ready to say ‘hello!’. Visit our booth to snap a picture with the very dapper Alex the Alpaca and find out more about Liberty and illumin!

Brisbane User Group Meeting Shares Tips, Tricks and Morning Tea

We were thrilled to host our first, post-COVID in-person User Group Meeting (UGM) on 5 May 2022. It’s been a while! This was hosted at Queensland’s Parliament House, one of our newest members to the Liberty and illumin family who implemented both products approximately 12 months ago.

The House of Commons Library Chooses Softlink IC’s illumin

Softlink Information Centres (Softlink IC) is pleased to announce the House of Commons Library recently selected illumin as their customer requests and enquiries management system.

2021 in Review

Thanks for another great year!

It’s the beginning of 2022 and a perfect time for Softlink IC to look back at 2021 and marvel at the achievements, the fun, and the wonderful interactions we have had with our Liberty and illumin customers. Here’s looking forward to a great year ahead!

5 Reasons Why Your Data is Safe and Secure with Softlink IC

Security awareness, and practices to protect our customers’ library and the organization’s data they manage, is something Softlink IC takes very seriously. In November 2020, we posted a blog discussing the security sins our Liberty integrated library management system (ILMS) customers should be aware of, as they continue to ensure their data is safe.

Emails vs a Research Management System? There’s No Contest!

As libraries turn to a more digital presence, libraries and knowledge centers are receiving more email requests for their research services. Are you and your research staff still managing and tracking your research load via emails, and maybe a spreadsheet? Does it make managing your increasing research load even more inefficient now? There’s got to be a better way!

5 New Features Covered in our Latest illumin Recording

Alex the Alpaca Has His Own Instagram Account

We all know the feeling. That temptation to give in to a child who keeps bugging you about getting something they want. Whether it’s sweets, a new bicycle, or a mobile phone with all the bells and whistles, the nagging won’t stop before they get it, or you are fit to be tied. For the sake of peace, you give in, and so it has come to pass for our illumin representative, Alex the Alpaca. Yep, we at Softlink IC gave in.

The Virtual NZLLA and ALLA 2021 Conferences

Following our successful attendance at the July American Association of Law Librarians (AALL) online conference, Softlink IC turned its attention to the Southern hemisphere.

Expect Gold Medal Standard Support from Your ILMS Vendor?

Whether you’re training to be a gold medal winning athlete or an integrated library management system (ILMS) Support specialist, there’s more to getting those elusive gold medals than just wanting one.

Softlink IC Welcomes the Queensland Parliamentary Library

Softlink Information Centres is delighted the Queensland Parliamentary Library (QPL) selected Liberty as their new library management system and illumin as their research management system.

The Future of Library Access and Digital Resources is Now

A significant increase in access to libraries online – their homepage, search options and digital resources was already evidenced prior to COVID-19’s impact. This was borne out by the results of Softlink IC’s #gotknowledge2020 survey.

What’s New in our Research Management System, illumin?

Like libraries, illumin, Softlink IC’s integrated research management system (RMS) doesn’t rest on its laurels. There’s always new features and enhancements to be added to stay ahead of the game. If it’s been a while since you looked at illumin, here’s a sneak peek at what’s new!

4 Reasons Why Dashboards are Critical to Business

Dashboards are an increasingly essential data visualization management tool. They can be customized to visually display data applicable to different departments and segments of a business. Dashboards are an objective way to measure business requirements from tracking of key performance indicators (KPIs) to the status of current tasks to ensure required outcomes are achieved.

Softlink Information Centres’ 2020 Year in Review

As the journey into 2021 begins, Softlink Information Centres looks back at the extraordinary year that was 2020. What a busy, challenging year it was for everyone!

Softlink IC is Giving Alex the Alpaca a Moment in the Spotlight

Alex the Alpaca is one of Softlink IC’s representatives. Being our representative is not just his job, it is his passion. Like all of us here at Softlink IC, libraries and knowledge centers are his thing. Spreading the word on illumin, our research management system was his initial mission.

Make Life Easy for Users with Softlink IC’s Single Sign On Module

Many of our Softlink IC customers have taken advantage of our Single Sign On (SSO) module. It makes life so much easier for Liberty and illumin users. It benefits you, your staff, and your library’s users. So what is SSO and what are the benefits of using it as your authentication method?

5 Reasons Businesses Need Librarians

Information on the web may be easy to find quickly. But is it the information your organization needs? Is it from a valid source, up-to-date and accurate? Is it applicable to the organization’s requirements? That is what a librarian, using a functionally rich integrated library system (ILS) or research management system (RMS) will deliver efficiently. Organizations need librarians to gain an advantage in an increasingly competitive business environment.

10 Advantages of Softlink’s Cloud Hosting for Your Liberty & illumin Systems

We at Softlink IC believe hosting your Liberty or illumin system with us is a hassle-free, cost-effective option. To convince you, we list 10 advantages, grouped into three categories that highlight the benefits of hosting your cloud-based library management and research management systems with us.

Our Top 4 Working from Home Tips for Liberty and illumin Users

Did you expect to love the flexibility of working from home or is it your idea of a nightmare? Have you found that you are enjoying your new work environment but finding it more of a challenge than you expected? Are you juggling other tasks like childcare or home schooling, or tempted to “just do xyz because it is distracting me”?

5 Features Your Research Management System Has, Not Your Helpdesk

Knowledge center staff know research questions are not just another form of helpdesk, technical, or customer service request. Despite this, many are expected to manage reference tasks with such a system. Softlink Information Centres knows you need the right tool for the right job, which is why we developed the illumin knowledge and reference management system.

Want a Cost-Effective Way to Manage Your Digital Revolution?

Our Liberty and illumin customers recognized early that the future is all about digital resources and AI. They have been ahead of the curve and have been our enthusiastic partners as we all embrace this future.

The Blockchain Buzz – What You Need to Know About Blockchain and Libraries

You may have heard the word “blockchain” mentioned in a variety of industries lately, even libraries. So, what do you need to know about it? We thought we’d speak to Softlink IC’s General Manager, John Crook to find out more about blockchain, what it can do, and how it may impact libraries.

Softlink IC’s Exemplary Support. What You Can Expect

While Softlink Information Centres focus on delivering a great product, our secret ingredient is the strong focus we place on delivering an exemplary support experience to our Liberty and illumin customers.

Our Liberty and illumin APIs Make Liberty and illumin do the Work

Integration, automation, and positive user experiences is the aim of Softlink IC’s Web Services APIs. They enable integration of your existing complementary systems and resources with Liberty and illumin. Both solutions have a full API to ensure your library achieves a greater return on investment.

A Fistful of Features!

Has COVID-19 increased your request workload? Are your users discovering how great it is to have access to your knowledge center research services? Is managing your increased research load using spreadsheet or email even more inefficient now? Do you want to encourage your users to take advantage of your research skills?

First North American Online Liberty User Group Meeting a Great Success

Face-to face gatherings are preferable to many of us. However, the current health crisis means holding meetings and conferences in the traditional way is not possible. Fortunately, today’s technologies give us alternative ways to hold successful meetings. Last week, Softlink IC’s Online Liberty User Group Meeting was one such example.

Lockdown Task Opportunities

Interesting times! Many in the knowledge sector are working from home. Some are still working in their libraries and knowledge centers where limited foot traffic is the current norm.

Need Support or Want to Binge Watch Online Recordings?

Our Liberty and illumin users are located throughout the world. As a result, Softlink Information Centres has always believed in the importance of having an online presence. Now is an ideal time to remind you of all the ways we are there for you online. We hope it is reassuring, in these uncertain times.

Libraries and Knowledge Centers are My “Thing”. So Who am I?

Who am I? I represent Softlink IC because, like me, libraries and knowledge centers are their thing. illumin and Liberty, two fantastic information and research management systems are the results of their passion. We at Softlink IC believe libraries are a vibrant and critical part of our communities, workplaces, and learning centers.

Does Your Law Firm Have the Competitive Research Edge?

Information is power. It can be the difference between winning and losing. That’s why your law firm needs access to the right information and FAST! Leveraging the information sourced by your knowledge researchers, using the most up-to-date library management tools, will give your firm the competitive research edge.

Alex the All Rounder on Softlink Hosting Customer Support Watch

Softlink IC’s Alex the Alpaca is a total all-rounder. While he is the undisputed illumin knowledge specialist, he loves taking his turn on Softlink Hosting customer support watch.

Is Your Vendor Just a Vendor or Your Partner?

More than 35 years of interacting with all types of libraries throughout the globe has taught Softlink IC a thing or two about building long-lasting partnerships with our clients. We have learned well because we never wanted to be just a “vendor”. Softlink IC is a valued partner to our customers over the long term.

4 Ways to Sharpen Your Information Management Services

As an information manager, you’ve probably noticed an increase in information and resources in your organization, particularly in recent years. Staff and users are demanding access to the resources they need.

6 Reasons Why Your Library Needs Alpacas

You may have heard a lot about alpacas in recent times. Here are six reasons why your library needs alpacas.

6 Reasons Why Your Library Needs Alpacas

You may have heard a lot about alpacas in recent times. Here are six reasons why your library needs alpacas.

3 Tips to Simplify Knowledge Management

Knowledge is a valuable and strategic asset of any enterprise. Salespeople need extensive product knowledge to sell their products. Support staff who know how to deal with the most challenging clients are able to provide positive support experiences to their clients and improve customer retention. Top management personnel make better business decisions when they know the status of their enterprise and how the competition is performing.

Alpacalypse! Wild Alpacas Spotted in Libraries and Research Management Centers!

Softlink Information Centers is excited to introduce Liberty Digital, an innovative platform set to redefine the landscape of library and archive management.

A Great IALL Conference in Sydney and Softlink Was There!

It has been 20 years since IALL (the International Association of Law Libraries) held a conference in Australia. Held over the last week of October this year, it was Sydney’s turn to play host.

illumin – Research Management Software

illumin is the perfect tool for knowledge and research management as it collects, records, quantifies and précis’s queries and answers provided to staff and clients. The knowledge base becomes a comprehensive, audited database of relevant information that can be easily shared.

Alex the Alpaca & the illumin Rap

Meet Alex, our research librarian, struggling to find a way to manage his research requests, until illumin arrives.

You’ll Love the New illumin Dashboard!

Softlink IC is excited by the recent release of illumin, our brilliant knowledge, and research management system. One of the standout enhancements is the new look and feel of the illumin dashboard that displays when users log in. Most of us dream of a makeover to this magnitude!

The Rise of In-House Lawyers – They Need Knowledge Managers Too!

The legal sector has been subject to significant disruption since the GFC. Law firms have found ways to cut operating budgets by outsourcing some paralegal and research services to service providers. More recently, there has been an increasing move by organizations to build their own team of in-house lawyers. Softlink IC is following the in-house legal trend. It has the potential to provide opportunities for library and knowledge centre researchers.

Design Thinking Toolkit for Libraries. What Is It? Download It!

Remember the feeling you had when you stepped foot into your library for the first time? Nervous excitement aside, everywhere you looked, you saw opportunities to make a difference. The feeling that you could make all the changes you wanted – all well before your first anniversary in the job.

The Softlink Scoop – Edition 11/2019

A regular round up of library and information centre news and opinions from around the world.

Librarian Spotlight – a Day in the Life of a Legal Librarian

In the first of our Librarian Spotlight series, Helen Gambley, Library Manager at HopgoodGanim Lawyers, gives us an insight into her working day and how illumin helps her to help the firm’s practitioners.

Softlink IC would like to thank Helen for taking the time to answer our spotlight questions. We are sure you will all enjoy reading them!

Are Your Organization’s Staff Advocates for Your Knowledge Center?

There are three strategies Softlink Information Centres believes are crucial to making your organization’s staff advocate for your knowledge center, or library. They are:

3 Emerging Trends for Medical Librarians

Time and technological innovation wait for no one! For medical librarians, technological innovation is presenting them with exciting opportunities. Softlink Information Centres believe they should consider the following three emerging trends. The trends are an opportunity to expand their role.

Late August at the 2019 NZLLA Conference

Sarah Thompson, Softlink IC’s Technical Services Manager, headed over to New Zealand again, this time for the NZLLA Conference in Christchurch.

The Melbourne Liberty Conference – How Quickly Did That Come and Go!

All that anticipation and all that enjoyment have come and gone for 2019. Is it us or is time just flying by? The Melbourne conference, an action-packed day of learning and interaction is over for another year.

Poor Support Experiences Will Negatively Affect Your Business!

Whatever service you offer, consumers and clients drive your business. Without them, your business no longer has a purpose. Customers need you the most when they contact you for support.

3 Major Challenges for Legal Librarians

According to the 2019 report produced by the American Association of Law Libraries, the role of legal librarians is changing.

5 Reasons Why illumin is the Ideal Partner for Academic Libraries

Why is illumin, our Knowledge and Research Management System, the ideal partner for academic libraries? Let us count the ways – well some of them at least!

Why Should You Host Your Library System in the Cloud? Here are 12 Great Reasons

Many library system vendors like Softlink Information Centres offer the option of hosting their customers’ systems in “the cloud”. It takes the stress out of managing the technical “stuff”. Libraries and knowledge centers benefit greatly from this option. We have whittled the advantages down to twelve, grouped into three categories. They explain why most of our Liberty and illumin customers are in the cloud.

Librarians Know Why it’s Important to Preserve Digital Resources

Librarians and knowledge managers get that information comes in all types of formats. They understand that information has been shared using the technology of the time, be it orally, handwritten or printed. While older ways of recording knowledge are still utilized and undergoing preservation, the bulk of current information is now created in digital format. Being digital does not mean that data is automatically preserved. Librarians and Knowledge Managers get that as well!

What Will the illumin Reference Management System do for You? Cure Your Pain,That’s What!

We know pointing is a bit rude, even if we aren’t asking you to recruit for military service. We are asking: do you know what illumin Softlink IC’s knowledge and reference management system can do for you? If using spreadsheets or a help desk tool never designed to manage research requests is painful, illumin is the cure!

5 Ways Customer-Facing Staff Can Manage Stress

Anyone in a front line position will come up against moments of stress. Stress is commonly a result of work overload but, often it is a by-product of always wanting to do the best they can for their customers. That is as true for our Liberty and illumin customers as it is for Softlink IC’s Customer Support representatives.

So, we canvassed our Support Team Members and some of our customers, and came up with a few ways they manage to reduce their stress levels and remain productive.

Library Management System Customer Support – 5 Questions you Should Ask

Softlink Information Centres Liberty and illumin users love our Customer Support Teams – and with good reason. They don’t have to run an obstacle course to get the help and advice they need. We believe excellent support is critical to our customers, and that’s what they get!

Prove the Value of illumin to Your Organisation – Use our ROI Calculator

Investing in the illumin Reference and Knowledge Management Solution is an excellent idea. So how do you calculate the Return on Investment (ROI) it will provide to your organisation? In these times, you surely need to do that.

Looking for a better way to manage your research requests? illumin can help

Softlink’s illumin is the perfect tool for knowledge and research management as it collects, records, quantifies and summarises queries and answers for staff and clients. The knowledge base becomes a comprehensive, audited database of relevant information that can be easily shared. Watch the video below for more insights into illumin.

You or Your LMS Vendor – Who Controls Your Library’s Business and Security Settings?

Can you just go in and change the existing settings in your library management or research management system or do you have to request a change from your vendor? Do they charge you to do so?

Data Conversion – Why Softlink Information Centres Does it Better

The Softlink Information Centres’ data conversion team understands the apprehension felt by new Liberty and illumin customers when facing the prospect of converting data from their old library or knowledge management system. Justin Westacott, our Senior Conversion Analyst, gives us a glimpse of our data conversion process and why we do it better than others.

The Softlink Scoop – Edition 02/2019

A fortnightly round up of library and information centre news and opinions from around the world.

Showcasing Liberty and illumin at ALIA’s 2019 Conference

Softlink Information Centres was super excited about exhibiting at the ALIA 2019 Information Online conference in February. It was a welcome opportunity for us to showcase our Liberty Library Management and illumin Knowledge and Request Management systems.

A New Social Contract in the Digital Age

For knowledge managers, library, and IT staff the value of data is nothing new. Their focus is on curating information and protecting sensitive data from those who would use it for unethical or questionable purposes.

2018. Softlink IC’s Year in Brief

Can you believe it is February already! We have been busy finalising plans for this year’s calendar. But before we let you know what is happening in 2019, we thought we would review what has been a busy 2018.

Alex’s Top 5 Ways illumin Helps Research Centre Staff

illumin, Softlink Information Centre’s Knowledge and Request Management System, has a new representative, Alex the Alpaca. Alex is a fan of illumin and quite good at explaining the value of illumin as the ultimate way to manage the complexity of tasks required of research centre staff.

An insight into our commitment to securing data in Liberty and illumin

The security of your data is paramount to Softlink. To this end, our development team employs processes that ensure data security is at the forefront of their minds when coding.

Reference Interviews – Time and Cost Expensive or Not?

The reference interview is neither a new concept nor a rarely applied process. It is a valuable tool in the research specialist’s skill set to ensure they understand exactly what information their customer requires. But, sometimes the “interview” is undervalued by those who seek the research specialist’s assistance. Many find the “barrage” of questions asked of them to be time expensive. However, the benefits of a reference interview are significant. The relatively short amount of time required to answer some targeted questions reduces the time a researcher needs to find and retrieve the right information.

Appraisal Institute Solves Business Challenges With Liberty and illumin

The Appraisal Institute, based in Chicago, is a global association of professional real estate appraisers, with 19,000 members and 80 chapters worldwide. The Institute funds and operates the Y.T. and Louise Lee Lum Library, which provides members with reference services in all areas of real estate appraisal.

Implementation: Top tips from Softlink’s top specialists

Softlink specialists have been transitioning libraries to new systems for years and have developed a reliable, step-by-step process that takes the stress out of new software implementations. The process ensures smooth transition of data, so libraries can have their new systems up and running fast and be reaping the benefits sooner. We spoke to two of Softlink’s top implementation specialists, Maida Rubin and Sarah Thompson, to find out more about what makes for a successful implementation.

Does Research Leadership = Competitive Advantage in an Info Bulge Era?

As early as the 1980’s strategists like Porter and Miller were linking information with competitive advantage.

6 Reasons Why Law Firms Need a Powerful Request Management Solution

The amount of accurate information required by legal staff is phenomenal. How do legal staff communicate their needs to research center staff? How do research center staff efficiently manage the volume of daily requests for the research services they receive? How do they ensure requesters are updated promptly?