Marydee Ojala
Online Searcher Magazine

The original value proposition for libraries rested on information scarcity. People went to libraries because that was the only place to obtain needed information. In today's world, information is abundant—we are inundated with information. And that information appears in a wide variety of formats, is stored in non-traditional places, and raises issues around trustworthy data.

Anyone with internet access believes they are an information professional, capable of expertly researching any topic. Where did our expertise go? How are our roles changing? What does scholarly publication, research data, and knowledge management have to do with librarianship? How have search paradigms changed? This is a time for re-learning the things we thought we knew, a time to question how we do things, but never to question our commitment to fundamental library values.

Marydee Ojala edits Online Searcher magazine, plans programs for international library and information technology conferences, and writes extensively about research topics. Having worked in corporate, academic and public libraries, she brings a broad perspective to issues facing today’s information professional.

She has taught at three different library schools and her experience as an independent researcher and owner of her own research and writing company gives her hands-on knowledge of online research tools. A long-time observer of the global information industry, she believes in the importance of libraries and librarians to create positive change.

She is an active member of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), and the Association of Independent Information Professionals (AIIP). Her undergraduate degree is from Brown University and her MLS was earned at the University of Pittsburgh.