I’m attending Internet Librarian in Monterey, CA and enjoying the stimulating and inspiring sessions. I plan to share a few practical tips each day from the conference. I hope you’ll share with the Blog your comments and ideas.
Tip # 1: Web/Library 2.0 can be overwhelming. Before diving too far into these technologies find out which your patrons are using. You don’t have to be everywhere – blogging, Facebook, MySpace, SecondLife, and producing Podcasts or YouTube videos. Learn from your users where they are and go there. Remember if you do go there with them, it’s a commitment. This is social networking and it requires you to be “social” on a regular basis.
Tip # 2: You’re a small library and need extra technology help. Look as far as your local high school. Chances are there will be a budding technology expert looking for a project and it could be @ your library!
Tip # 3: If you’re looking to redesign your website or create one for the first time, go for simplicity and allow the user to personalize their experience on your website. One example is the Johnson County Library in Kansas City, MO, http://www.jocolibrary.org/.
Tip # 4: Looking for Readers Advisory online. Check out Hennepin County’s new site, bookspace.com.
On September 27 & 28, 168 people assembled at the Denver Public Library – Central Library to learn and share information about electronic information resources. The keynote speaker, Rick Cline from the Utah Education Network, talked about marketing resources in academic, school, and public libraries. Sessions ranged from how to select a database to understanding usage statistics and negotiating with vendors to vendor demonstarations. Many of the presenters have agreed to share their PowerPoint presentations and these are available on the conference website, http://www.clicweb.org/searchengines/. Rick Cline’s keynote address was recorded and you may listen to it from the website. A database buyer’s handbook may be downloaded and includes a checklist of things to think about when deciding on a database purchase, the organizations that provide cooperative purchases, authentication guide, and glossary of terms. This conference was developed by the following people and organizations.
AIRS Committee – Rita Hug
BCR – Gillian Harrison
Cherry Creek Schools – Mark Ferguson
CLiC – Lisa Priebe
Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries – Terry Leopold and Rose Nelson
Colorado State Library – Jim Duncan
Denver Public Library – Michelle Jeske
CLiC is currently offering subscriptions to LearningExpress Library (test preparation and e-books), ChiltonLibrary 2.0 (Do-It-Yourself Auto Repair) and 6-month prorated subscription to Consumer Health Complete. You may access the trials from the CLiC website. Contact me if you have pricing questions. Be sure to include the population of your community (public libraries) or Yearly FTE (academic and school libraries) when requesting a quote.
Phase 2 of CMS was released on August 15th. In the next few days the Primary Courier Contact should be receiving an envelope with the username/password for the secured areas of CMS. Please log on right away and check your library’s contact information. If anything needs to be updated, you have the ability to edit it yourself. In addition to updating your library contacts you can:
– Enter/search Service Issues
– Enter/search Lost or Damaged Items
– Access additional reports
– Print routing slips without entering your library courier code (it knows it and will populate it automatically)
– Look up library and library contact information for other libraries using the Colorado Library Courier.
There has been some confusion as to how CMS relates to Prospector, SWIFT, and Marmot. These system allow you and your patrons (if initiated) to place holds for materials from other libraries. CMS does not interface with these systems. CMS is a tool that assists libraries in creating routing slips and working with the physical delivery aspects of routing material between libraries. You are encouraged to take the 15 minute Resource Sharing in Colorado tutorial, http://www.clicweb.org/continuing_education/tutorials/resourcesharingmain.php, to learn more about these systems. If you have questions or need clarification the CLiC staff is willing to assist you in any way. Please call the office, numbers are listed below. Erin, Robin, and I can assist you.
We’re in the final countdown for the start of using the new Courier Codes and the release of the Courier Management System (CMS). On August 1st, you’ll be able to access CMS at http://courier.clicweb.org or through the CLiC web site, www.clicweb.org. You’ll be able to lookup new courier codes, print routing slips and a courier code report, and open service issues online. In a few weeks, CLiC will send login information to each library’s courier contact. If logged into CMS, you’ll be able to access some additional features of the system — update your library contact information, report lost or damaged items, track service issues, lookup contact information for other libraries and produce reports. For additional details, see the detailed article submitted to this blog on June 26, 2007.
It’s time for libraries to take advantage of the best electronic library information resource. Wilson’s Library Literature is a source for those questions that always seem to come up – Library 2.0, Space Planning, programming, children’s literature, and so much more! This database is offered as a cooperative purchase through CLiC and is affordable for all libraries. The cost is based on the number of professional librarians on staff and this database is exclusively for use by all library staff. Check the CLiC web site for details and access to the trial, http://www.clicweb.org/cooperative_purchasing/dbDescriptions/librarylit.php.
A subscription/renewal form is on the CLiC web site. The trial ends August 31st and subscriptions will be accepted until that date. Please contact me with questions regarding this offer.
CLiC is on track to switch to a new courier code scheme on August 1st. As a reminder, you’ll have six months (until February 1, 2008) to fully convert to the new codes. You only need to include either the new or old code on the routing slip, not both. In April, CLiC sent a preliminary list of new courier codes. Since then we’ve been making adjustments to the codes. As a result, the list you were sent is out of date and should be discarded. An updated list is posted on the CLiC website, www.clicweb.org. Please note, it is still subject to change.
The Courier Management System is also scheduled for release on August 1st.
You will use the Courier Management System to:
- manage your contact information
- create routing slips on the fly
- report and track service issues
- report and track lost and damaged items
- view and print reports and courier code lists
- look up courier codes and contact information for other libraries
- access the Courier Handbook
- access an updated version of the Courier 101 tutorial – all are encouraged to – – watch and listen to this 15 minute tutorial
Anyone will be able to create routing slips, look up courier codes, and notify CLiC of service issues. Functions such as managing your library’s contact information, reporting lost or damaged items and report creation, require logging in with a valid username and password. Each library will be assigned a username and password which you will receive around August 1st. This information will be sent via courier to the person who is listed as the primary courier contact.
One of CLiC’s main goals is to help libraries save money so that more materials and services may be offered to patrons, students, and faculty. One way CLiC does this is through the Vendor Awards & Discounts program. In the fall of each year, we send RFP’s to several vendors and ask them to give their best discounts for our membership, above standard discounts to libraries. Your library can take advantange of discounts on books, audio-visual materials, supplies, and much more. If you’re currently taking advantange of these discounts, great! If you’re not sure, please check out our vendor awards and discounts list on our website. We’re interested in hearing which of the discounts you use most often and if there are other vendors we should send the RFP to this coming fall. Please post your comments on our blog so that we may track your preferences. As always, when you place your order be sure to specify the discount code that’s found on the first page of the 2007 Vendor Awards & Discount List. This is the only way you can be sure you’re getting CLiC’s discount.
CLiC works to provide database cooperative purchase opportunities for several popular databases. By having libraries join at the same time, we’re in a better position to negotiate deeper discounts with vendors. We are working on a new cooperative purchase for public and academic libraries for the Consumer Health Complete database from Ebsco. This full text database is loaded with health information geared for the non-medically educated consumer. You can find pamphlets and articles on specific health issues such as diabetes or learn more about the benefits and side effects of a particular medication. Alternative therapies are also included.
In addition, CLiC is in the renewal/new subscription period for five academic databases – CINAHL, CMMC, MLA, PsycINFO, and SocINDEX. Academic institutions interested in joining or renewing should complete the sign up form on our website, http://www.clicweb.org/cooperative_purchasing/dbform_academic.php.
Trials for every database are available on the CLiC website, http://www.clicweb.org/cooperative_purchasing/db_trials.php. Contact Lisa Priebe, lpriebe@clicweb.org, with questions.
LEO, Library Education Opportunities calendar, http://leo.clicweb.org/, has been available for three months and is making an impression on the library community. Ask LEO, what CE opportunities are coming up in your area or discipline. LEO currently have 65 upcoming events listed, has had almost 1200 visits and over 2100 browses of the calendar. If your group would like to list an event in LEO, contact me and I’ll help you “feed LEO”. If you’d like some nifty LEO coasters for your library please let me know your Courier Code and the number of coasters you’d like, lpriebe@clicweb.org.
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