Member interview: Karen Blakeman

In this month’s member profile, we talk to freelance information consultant Karen Blakeman.

What is your background? How did you first become involved in the information profession?

I started out as a scientist. I studied Biological Sciences (specialised in microbiology and medical bacteriology) with chemistry as a subsidiary subject at Birmingham University. I then worked for a while in Enteric Reference at the Colindale Central Public Health Laboratory (nicknamed the food poisoning lab in those days). My experience there is why I am so particular when eating out! It was interesting work but repetitive. Several of my university friends had found work in the pharmaceutical industry as something called “information scientists”, which sounded interesting. I applied for several jobs and eventually found a job working at the Wellcome Research Laboratories in Beckenham. Sandra Ward was my boss and and she who encouraged me to become a student member of the Institute of Information Scientists.

Can you give some examples of where you have worked, and in what sorts of roles?

I have always worked with electronic information and never in what could be called a library. Wellcome was my first “information” job. Initially, I worked in chemical information and spent a lot of my time working through collections of compounds, checking their viability with the scientists and coding them up for the main database. I then moved to records/document management and became involved with testing some of the new online databases. My next job was medical information officer at Novo where I was also became responsible for managing the new-fangled IBM desktop PCs, adverse reaction databases, electronic document management etc. Setting up and dealing with erratic telecoms connections for the likes of Medline and Chemabs become the norm for me. I then moved to a Strategic Planning Associates where I was responsible for managing access to the online resources and training the analysts how to use them. In 1989 I set up my own business Rhode-Blakeman Associates and I have been offering training and consultancy in finding, using and managing information ever since.

As you may know, SLA’s theme for 2011 is “Future Ready”. What does this theme mean to you? How would you make, or how are you making, yourself and your career future ready?

It should not be a theme for just this year. It is something that all information professionals should be doing all the time. Technologies are continually changing and everyone needs to be aware of them and how they can impact upon our lives. Monitoring blogs and other sources of news for developments is only part of it, you need to try them out for yourself. It is what I have done ever since my first information job at Wellcome.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out as an information professional?

You must be tech-savvy, have an understanding of how the tools can be used effectively in finding and communicating information, and continually update your skills. Conferences, workshops, social networks are all an essential part of this.

What are your plans for 2011?

Carry on making enough money to be able to network at my local hostelry? Seriously – I’ll probably still be writing, providing consultancy and running workshops. I’ve no idea on what topics and the mode of delivery will no doubt change, for example I am looking at webinars at the moment. But that’s the beauty of this profession. There’s never a dull moment and there’s always something new around the corner.

Many thanks to Karen for the interview, and the words of wisdom around being Future Ready! If you are an SLA Europe member and would like to be featured in an upcoming member profile, please contact blog editor Laura Woods.