Reva Basch

email: reva@well.com

www.well.com/~reva

 

 

Resume

 

 

Summary of Skills and Experience:

 

• Consulting to the information industry on product design, marketing, training and other issues

 

• Writing and editing books, journal articles, research reports, technical documentation and marketing literature

 

• Computer-based research in all subject areas

 

Employment History:

 

July 1986 - present: President, Aubergine Information Services, Berkeley and The Sea Ranch, CA

Consulting to the online information industry. Writing and editing. Training in online search techniques. Online searching in business, technology, medicine and other subject areas. Data analysis and report preparation.

 

June - July 1988: Online search consultant. Wells Fargo Bank, San Francisco, CA

          Online searching in a high-volume, rapid turnaround corporate environment.

 

July 1986 - June 1988: Software Designer, Mead Data Central, Personal Computer Systems Group, Menlo Park,  CA

Designed user interface software for searching Nexis/Lexis online service via personal computer.

 

April 1981 - July 1986: Information on Demand, Berkeley, CA

          Vice President & Director of Research (October 1985 - July 1986)

          Director of Research (December 1983 - July 1986)

          Assistant Director of Research (April 1982 - December 1983)

          Research Associate (April 1981 - April 1982)

 

Administered research department of for-profit custom information service. Supervised professional staff.

Conducted and supervised secondary research projects on a wide variety of technical and business-related topics. Searched 14 online services. Wrote and edited research reports. Edited client newsletter.

 

February - August 1981: Consultant, Micro Courseware Corp., San Francisco, CA

          Designed and wrote user manuals for Apple II-based educational software products.

 

April 1980 - April 1981: Technical Librarian, NuTech, San Jose, CA

Planned and developed corporate library for startup engineering consulting firm in electric utility market. Conducted computer-based and manual research. Edited engineering staff reports for client and regulatory commission presentations.

 

September 1973 - February 1979: Technical Information Specialist, Gilbert Associates, Inc., Reading, PA

Coordinated all phases of library operations for the Utilities Division of a 3000-employee engineering firm. Supervised professional (4) and non-professional (6) staff. Developed information center procedures manual. Produced monthly newsletter.

 

August 1971 - July 1972: Head Librarian, Cogswell College, San Francisco, CA

Organized and maintained technical library in support of engineering technology curriculum.

 

Education:

 

University of Pittsburgh, 1965 - 1966

 

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1966 - 1969: BA, English Literature, summa cum laude. Phi Beta Kappa

 

University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, 1970 - 1971: Master of Library Science (MLS)

 

Professional Activities, Affiliations and Honors:

 

Writing and Editing:

 

"Reva’s (W)rap" Columnist, Online (1998-2000)

Travel columnist, eBay Magazine (1999-2000)

Contributing Editor, The Information Advisor (1989-1998)

"Critic’s Corner" Columnist, Cyberskeptic’s Guide to Internet Research (1998)

News Editor, Online, Database and Online User (1996-1997)

"Compleat Searcher" Columnist, Online User (1995-1997)

"Cybernaut" Columnist, Computer Life (1995-1997)

See under Publications for books, articles, etc.

 

 

Memberships:

 

Association of Independent Information Professionals (President, 1991-92)

 

Special Libraries Association (Former; Program Chair, San Francisco Bay Region Chapter, 1993-94; Fundraising Chair, 1991-92)

 

Association of Information & Dissemination Centers (Former; Director at Large, 1995-97)

 

Information Bay Area (Defunct; Co-founder)

 

Southern California Online Users Group

 

Awards:

 

UMI/Data Courier Award for best paper published in an Online, Inc. journal, 1990.

 

Dun & Bradstreet Online Champion Award, 1993

 

Publications by Reva Basch (Partial List)

 

Books:

 

Executive Editor, Super Searcher book series. 12 titles in print. Information Today, Inc.

 

Researching Online For Dummies, 2nd ed., with Mary Ellen Bates. IDG Books/Dummies Press, 2000.

 

Researching Online For Dummies. IDG Books/Dummies Press, 1998.

 

Secrets of the Super Net Searchers. Wilton, CT, Pemberton Press, 1996.

 

Electronic Information Delivery: Ensuring quality and value. Aldershot, UK, Gower Publishing Ltd., 1995.

 

Secrets of the Super Searchers. Wilton, CT, Pemberton Press, 1993.

 

Book Chapters:

 

"An independent information professional," Chapter 30 in Sellen, Betty-Carol, What Else You Can Do With a Library Degree," Neal-Schuman, 1997.

 

"A visit to The WELL," Chapter 6, and "Seek and Ye Shall Find," Chapter 10, in Kane, Pamela, ed., The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Electronic Highway. Holt:MIS Press, 1994.

 

Articles:

 

"Timeline to the Future." Searcher, millennium edition, January 2000, pp. 80-83.

 

"Information Online --Value in the Eye of the Beholder." Information Highways, December 1999-January 2000, pp. 15-16.

 

"High AJeevers: Valet-added Searching from Ask Jeeves." Database, June-July 1999, pp. 28-34.

 

"Bridging the Browser Gap: Lexis-Nexis Universe." Online, March-April 1999, pp. 49-56.

 

"Big Picture: The Storm before the Calm." Information Highways, August-September 1998, pp. 14-15.

 

"DIALing for dollars: Dialog’s New Pricing Structure and the DialUnit Debacle." Online, September 1998, pp. 34-54.

 

"Chaos, Copyright, and Caffeine: The 1998 National Online Meeting." Searcher, July 1998, pp. 52-56.

 

"Re-tooling the information professional," Searcher, April 1997, pp. 6-10.

 

"Proactive marketing: Helping technologies emerge," Searcher, April 1997, pp. 50-51.

 

"Legends of the Net," Link-Up, March-April 1997, p. 16.

 

"The electronic porchstep: Getting your news online," pp. 138-141; "Magazines and e-zines: Online publications offer more than their print counterparts," pp. 142-145. PC Novice Learning Series: America Online, Spring 1997.

 

"The Compleat Searcher: Mark my words: Scoping out trademarks online," Online User, March-April 1997, pp. 53-55.

 

"The Compleat Searcher: Business site location: Think global, search local," Online User, Jan-Feb 1997, pp. 48-49.

 

"The future of information publishing: a cybrarian reflects," IRIS Universe (Silicon Graphics), No. 38, Winter 1996-97, pp. 55-60. [edited entire issue]

 

"A business professional's guide to effective research on the World Wide Web," Information Access Company White Paper, Nov 1996.

 

"The Compleat Searcher: Sales development: Using online to prospect and profit," Online User, Nov-Dec 1996, pp. 56-57.

 

"IBM infoSage," Link-Up, Nov-Dec 1996, pp. 17-18.

 

"How email changed everything," San Francisco Focus, Nov 1996, pp. 59 - [cover story; co-edited section]; "I love it," p. 60.

 

"Career networking online," New Age Journal, Oct 1996, pp. 123-125.

 

"The Compleat Searcher: All the news and nothing but the news," Online User, Sept-Oct 1996, pp. 56-57.

 

"Find anything on the Web," Computer Life, Sept 1996, pp. 61-77.

 

"The Compleat Searcher: Company Financials: Checking the numbers online," Online User, July-August 1996, pp. 43-44.

 

"Strictly business: the AT&T Business Network," Link-Up, July-Aug 1996, pp. 6-7.

 

"The Compleat Searcher: A strategy for market research online," Online User, May-June 1996, pp. 42-43.

 

"Campaign '96 on the Net," Link-Up, May-June 1996, pp. 28-29.

 

"ProQuest Direct: Document delivery (with images) to the desktop," Online, March-April 1996, pp. 38-44.

 

"The Compleat Searcher: Angling for answers," Online User, March-April 1996, pp. 42-43.

 

"Super Searching on the Net," CyberSkeptic's Guide to Internet Research, Feb 1996, p. 5.

 

"Dun & Bradstreet," Link-Up, Jan-Feb 1996, p. 10

 

"UMI," Link-Up, Jan-Feb 1996, pp. 16-17.

 

"Internet research: Above, beyond and beneath the Web," PC Novice Guide to the Internet, 1996, pp. 143-146.

 

"What's online: A trekker's guide to the online universe," Online User, Vol. 1, No. 1, Oct-Nov 1995, pp. 16-21.

 

"The changing landscape of online information delivery," Nordic Journal of Documentation, 50 (1995) 4, pp. 87-97.

 

"UnCover," Link-Up, Nov-Dec 1995, pp. 12-13.

 

"Tools for finding information on the Net," ComputerPages, Oct 1-15, 1995, pp. 4-5.

 

"Individual, Inc.," Link-Up, Sept-Oct 1995, pp. 6-7.

 

"Find anything online," Computer Life, Sept 1995, pp. 115-123.

 

"Sociological Abstracts," Link-Up, July-Aug 1995, p. 12.

 

"Interchange Online Network," Link-Up, May-June 1995, pp. 8-9.

 

"The tip of the priceberg: titanic changes in online pricing," Information Highways, Vol. 2, No. 4, April 1995, pp. 7-11.

 

"Icon cities, net spiders, and the future of information publishing," FID News Bulletin, V. 45, No. 4, April 1995, pp. 128-135.

 

"The marriage of fax and online," Online, Jan-Feb 1995, pp. 13-21.

 

"Speciality online services" (4-part article), PC Novice Guide to Going Online, Vol. 3, No. 5, 1995, pp. 104-111.

 

"Annual review of database developments: 1994," Database, Dec. 1994, pp. 14-16.

 

"The 24-hour library," Searcher, Sept. 1994, pp. 34-39.

 

"The "new" NEXIS: Major remodeling or redecoration?" Online, Sept./Oct. 1994, pp. 54-60.

 

"Dialog's new ERA," Online, May 1994, pp. 65-68.

 

"Annual review of database developments: 1993," Database, Dec 1993, pp. 29-41.

 

"IIA meets SCOUG: Sunny showdown in Santa Barbara," Database Searcher, Nov-Dec 1992, pp. 12-16.

 

"Sex, lies and politics: The opposition research wars," Information Today, Oct 1992, pp. 17-18.

 

"Gale directories: A steer in the right direction," Link-Up, July-August 1992, pp. 12-

 

"The seven deadly sins of online services," Online, July 1992, pp. 22-25.

 

"Cost-effective searching for tight economic times," Information Today, June 1992, pp. 44-46.

 

"A day in the life of an electronic cottager," Link-Up, May/June 1992, pp. 28-29.

 

"Trends in information broking: a view from the United States," ASLIB Information, Feb. 1992, pp. 62-64.

 

"Information brokers as consultants: semantics and the bottom line," Information Today, Jan. 1992, pp. 9-11.

 

"Dialog menus: Is it worth the detour?" Online, January 1992, pp. 26-35.

 

"Living on the Net," Artpaper, December 1991.

 

"Online and offline communications in a growing organization: the case of AIIP," Infomediary, v. 5 (1991), pp. 153-159.

 

"The user wish list & system software for the '90s: How far so far?" Online, November 1991, pp. 42-47.

 

"Annual review of database developments," Database, October 1991, pp. 13-19.

 

"Maxwell Online unites diverse online services," Link-Up, Sept.-Oct. 1991. pp. 14-.

 

"Dedicated to doggedly determined database delving: Database directories and database directory databases," Database, August 1991, pp. 50-58.

 

"Books online: Visions, plans and perspectives for electronic text," Online, July 1991, pp. 13-23.

 

"Dialog blends innovation with tradition," Link-Up, May-June 1991, pp. 20-.

 

"My most difficult search," Database, June 1991, pp. 65-67.

 

"The best places to live online," Online, May 1991, pp. 38-40.

 

"In-person conferences help the online user," Link-Up, March-April 1991, pp. 7-.

 

"The secret world of SF= " Database, February 1991, pp. 13-18.

 

"Measuring the quality of the data: Report on the fourth annual SCOUG retreat," Database Searcher, Oct. 1990, pp. 18-23.

 

"Getting the big picture: McGraw-Hill Publications Online," Link-Up, Sept.-Oct. 1990, pp. 24-25.

 

"PROMT access to business research," Link-Up, July-August 1990, pp. 30-33.

 

"Databank software for the 90s - and beyond," Online, March and May 1990.

 

"Read all about it (newspaper searching online)," Link-Up, May-June 1990, pp. 14-16, 38.

 

"How do UK reporting requirements differ?" Information Advisor, Vol. 2, No. 3, Dec. 1989, pp. 4-5.

 

"Database searching: Beyond public records," The Legal Investigator, November 1989, pp. 22-23.

 

"The seven deadly sins of full-text searching," Database, August 1989, pp. 15-23.

 

(Transl. and reprinted as "Die sieben Todsnden der Volltextrecherche," Nachr. Dok. 41, 1990, pp. 229-235)

 

"Finding foreign firms: A survey of international company directories," Database, April 1989, pp. 13-25.

 

"The electronic client: User expectations and searcher responsibilities," National Online Meeting, Proc., May 1986

 

"Data-base and online system usage in a for-profit general research environment," Information Services and Use, 5, 1985, pp. 305-311.

 

"For electronic cottages: Kudos and caveats," Technicalities, vol. 4, no. 5, May 1984, pp. 10-11.

 

"Telecom primer," Information Today, vol. 1, no. 3, March 1984, pp. 14-15.

 

 

Presentations by Reva Basch (Partial List)

 

“Delusions of Adequacy? Super Searchers versus the Net,” Internet Librarian, Palm Springs, CA, November 4, 2002.

 

“Measuring our Research Skills in the Internet Age.” Keynote, IP Lezing, Amsterdam, Netherlands, October 3,  2002.

 

“State of the Union: Internet Everywhere.” Keynote, Special Libraries Assn. Maryland Chapter Technology Day, Washington, DC, September 25, 2002.

 

"What a Difference a Year Makes: From Hype to Hard Reality on the Web." Keynote address, WebSearch University, San Francisco, Stamford, CT, Washington, DC, Chicago, Dallas, 2002.

 

"Will the Internet Last?" Silicon Coast Computer Group, April 26, 2001.

 

"Search Strategies for the Serious Researcher: Back to Basics." Online World, San Diego, CA, September 18-20, 2000.

 

"The New Web Order." Special Libraries Association Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, June 12, 2000.

 

"The Internet and the Future of Reference Librarians." North Suburban (IL) Library System, May 19, 2000.

 

"The New Information Landscape: Researchers at the millennium." Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals, Atlanta, GA, March 30, 2000.

 

"The State of the Online Union '99: Intelligent Life on the Web?" Texas Information Professionals Meeting, Dallas, TX, November 12, 1999.

 

"Content + Commerce + Community: Rediscovering the Human Element Online." Internet Librarian '99, San Diego, CA, November 9, 1999.

 

"Information Quality and the Web: An Oxymoron?" Online World, Chicago, IL, October 26, 1999.

 

"The New Web Order: The changing shape of the information environment." Special Libraries Assn. Annual Conference, Minneapolis, MN, June 8, 1999.

 

"The Evolution of the Web as an Online Research Environment," NYlink Reference Conference, New York, NY, June 4, 1999.

 

"When It's Good, It's Very, Very Good...Social Engineering and the Human Dynamics of Community." VirComm '99, San Francisco, April 26, 1999.

 

"The Storm Before the Calm," Keynote, Canadian Online Information Summit, Toronto, March 30, 1999.

 

"The State of the Online Union '99: Intelligent life on the Web?" Special Libraries Assn. Maryland Chapter Technology Day, College Park, MD, March 25, 1999.

 

"Online research and the Web: Order out of chaos?" Keynote, Online Northwest '99, Portland, OR, Feb. 12, 1999.

 

"From Super Searchers to Dummies: The online research environment continues to evolve," Internet Librarian '98, Monterey, CA, November 4, 1998.

 

"Search engines, the Web, and the future of the online industry," Research Triangle Institute, NC, September 17,1998.

 

"Searching on the Net: Today, tomorrow and next year," Pennsylvania School Librarians Association 25th Annual Conference, Hershey, PA, May 2, 1998.

 

Opening address, VirComm: The Management Conference on Business-based Virtual Communities, Orlando, FL, February 3, 1998.

 

"Secrets of Super Net Searchers," Internet Librarian ‘97, Monterey, CA, November 18, 1997.

 

"The Internet: It’s here and it’s hot!" 1997 AICPA Advanced Litigation Services Conference, Las Vegas, NV, October 15, 1997.

 

"The future of the Web for information professionals," Keynote address, Southern California Online Users Group, 4 April 1997.

 

"Super searchers at the millennium," Keynote address, Australasian Online and On Disc Conference, Sydney, Australia, 2 February 1995.

 

"Online searching for competitive advantage: How to do it for best results at least cost," Open Source Solutions, Washington, DC, 10 November

1994.

 

"Gaps and gaffes: Issues in database quality control," Computers in Libraries, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 22 Sept. 1993.

 

"Cost-effective online searching," Computers in Libraries, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 21 September 1993.

 

"The future of the information professional," Library College, Boras, Sweden, 4 May 1993.

 

"Online services in the '90s," MIC User Meeting, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden, 5 May 1993.

 

"Electronic cottaging," Librarians Association Annual Meeting, Ronneby, Sweden, 7 May 1993.

 

"An online searcher looks at CD-ROM," Special Libraries Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 10 June 1992.

 

"An end-user's view of progress in the information industry," National Federation of Abstracting & Indexing Societies (NFAIS) Annual Conference, Philadelphia, 24-27 February 1992.

 

"Biographical sources for competitive intelligence," Online/CD-ROM '91, San Francisco, November 1991.

 

"Computer conferencing for information professionals," Canada Online, November 1991.

 

"Electronic texts on the Internet," California Association of Research Libraries, St. Mary's College, Moraga, CA, October 1991.

 

"Quick tips for post-processing search results," Special Libraries Assn. San Andreas Chapter, Sept. 24, 1991.

 

"Finding our voice: the user 'wish list' and the building of a searcher community," Online Information 90, London, England, 11-13 December 1990.

 

"Fixing the future: The user wish list," Keynote speech, Canada Online, November 26-28, 1990 (reprinted in Database Canada, December 1990)

 

"The Times it is a changin': Searching newspapers online," Online/CD-ROM '90, Washington, DC, 6 November 1990.

 

"Full-text searching: Strategies for success," Databases in Schools Conference, Washington, DC, November 1990.

 

"Database reliability: the black box," National Online Meeting, New York, NY, 1-3 May 1990.

 

"Full-text searching: the seven deadly sins and how to avoid them," Online '89, Chicago, IL, 7-9 November 1989.

 

"Champagne products for beer markets?" ASIDIC (Association of Information and Dissemination Centers) Fall Meeting, Oakland, CA, 18-20 September 1988.

 

"Online research for private investigators," Investigators Online Network, Phoenix, AZ, 4-5 March 1988.

 

"The electronic client," National Online Meeting, New York, NY, 6-8 May 1986.

 

"Users speak out," ASIDIC, 1985 Fall Meeting, Boston, MA, 29 September - 1 October 1985.

 

"Reaching out with computers," to American Institute of Architects, San Francisco Chapter, Computer Applications in Architecture seminar, October 1984.