One of our greatest joys at WiLS is hearing our members tell the stories of the big and important work they are doing – interesting new projects or initiatives, or even interesting and new approaches to old projects. And, in addition to hearing about it, it makes us even happier when we can share those stories with other members. Each month, WiLS is proud to feature an interview with one of our library members. This month, we interview Peg Billing, Library Media and Technology Specialist for the Tomahawk School District and WiLS board member representing K12 libraries.Read more
WiLS is pleased to share that we have partnered with CESA Purchasing and Minitex to expand the options for direct discount opportunities for WiLS members! As a result, you can save money on furniture, paper, printing, scanners, and much more.
At WiLS, we want to bring valuable information to our library partners, including information about the missions and big ideas of the vendors they may already do business with. Each month, WiLS will interview a vendor partner in order to bridge the gap and open the door to valuable collaborations. This month, we are delighted to share insights from Kristen Stauffer, Director of Electronic Resources & Library Relations at IGI Global, a newly added WiLS vendor partner!
If you have any questions about this interview, or would like to suggest a vendor partner for us to interview in the future, contact Andrea Coffin at or 414-979-9457.
Tell us about your company’s background.
Founded in 1988, IGI Global, headquartered in Hershey, Pennsylvania (USA), is a leading international academic publisher of more than 2,600 reference publications, including authored and edited monographs, case books, proceedings, teaching cases, and major reference works such as encyclopedias, handbooks of research, dictionaries, and multi-volume book collections; more than 150 scholarly journals; and several online databases. IGI Global’s high-quality scholarly publications are aimed at providing research communities, industry practitioners, professionals, corporations, and academic research libraries with reference publications on emerging innovations in diverse fields.
Over the course of the last several years, IGI Global has substantially expanded its holdings to include titles encompassing all areas of academic research, including, but not limited to: business, computer science, education, engineering, environmental science, communications, public policy, psychology, healthcare, as well as the social sciences and humanities, and not just the information science and technology focus IGI Global has come to be known for during the past 26+ years. Also, every single title published by IGI Global is available in both print and electronic format, offering quite a bit of flexibility to libraries.
Inside IGI Global’s latest product catalogs, you will find a variety of scholarly research publications – from all corners of the globe and across many different disciplines.
Why do you, personally, choose to work with libraries?
Librarians are some of my favorite people. They’re smart and interesting, and they often work really hard to make the places they work in – whether that’s public, academic, private, etc. – a knowledge haven. When I was really young, I used to take trips to the library weekly with my mom and my sister – and we’d leave with a canvas bag full of new books to read each week. When you love reading that much and grow up in that sort of environment, it can lead to working in the library and publishing industry full-time. So, working with libraries and librarians is something I’ve always enjoyed.
What do you like to know about the libraries you work with? What helps you better understand their needs?
I like to know pretty much anything and everything. Every library we work with seems to do things differently from another, so understanding their unique needs in addition to needs or issues that are more industry-wide is always helpful. It’s always great to learn how students are engaging with library materials, how librarians are improving discoverability or using discovery services, their thoughts on open access, initiatives they’re making to connect with their communities, how they work to prevent abuse of the electronic content in their catalogs, etc. All of this helps us improve our services and our user experience.
What big ideas are being worked on at your company? What problems are being solved?
We understand that in today’s society the librarian’s role is extremely crucial, especially with the circumstances of the present economy where budgets are significantly tightening and yet the scope and demand for content continues to grow. So we’re happy to make sure we’re partnering with consortia, like WiLS, to provide special discounts and offers to support librarians and research communities in finding the right materials for their academic needs.
One current promotion I’m happy to mention is that IGI Global is offering free lifetime (perpetual) e-access for any print book or journal subscription purchased directly through IGI Global’s Online Bookstore or through a distributor (or a partner, like WiLS!). Both institutions and individuals are eligible for this free lifetime (perpetual) electronic access, which will be fulfilled through our InfoSci® platform. The InfoSci® platform is IGI Global’s single, centralized, and personalized gateway for institutions. All IGI Global’s electronic content, including individual e-books, e-journals, and our premier research databases, is available through this state-of-the-art, XML-powered platform and search engine. Some features of our platform include: unlimited simultaneous access 24/7 with no limitations, full-text XML/HTML and PDF viewing options, liberal DRM, no fees whatsoever for any services (including hosting, MARC records, COUNTER reports, archiving, platform maintenance, etc.), and many more.
At IGI Global, we also intend to further expand our book and journal portfolio to include even more titles within all areas of academic research, especially in the fields of business, engineering, medicine, law, as well as the social sciences. While we were originally established as a publishing house focused predominately on the utilization and management of information science and technology, and do intend to continue to publish in those areas, we also plan to aggressively branch out into more diverse areas beyond an exclusive IT focus. To further elaborate, most of our titles in the past purely focused on the utilization and management of IT, specifically the application of systems and software, and now our titles are integrating more practical research in a wide range of disciplines/fields, with topics such as project management techniques, human interaction (social considerations), research methods, knowledge development and management, etc.
We have a helpful overview available on the IGI Global website with a full overview of IGI Global’s content expansion here.
Oh, and one last thing – we’re exploring app-territory and we’re interested in hearing what librarians have to say about our new free InfoSci®-Dictionary mobile application! As a mobile version of IGI Global’s popular InfoSci®-Dictionary database, users can search over 68,000 terms & definitions that were originally published within IGI Global publications. Check it out on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
How can librarians become partners in product or training development?
That’s a very good question!
Take us up on free trials to our database collections! It can’t hurt, and a free trial is a good way to evaluate IGI Global content for your institution.
Also, we appreciate when librarians are interested in training sessions and organizing sessions among fellow staff, faculty, and students. We offer free online trainings of our InfoSci® platform and can schedule those at any time. I really recommend training when signing up for a trial too, because that is the best way to get a sense of IGI Global’s advanced platform and what we can offer your institution’s research community.
Several of the conferences we’ve attended recently have focused on the transition of the library from a place of research to a place of resources – meaning that libraries today often offer much more than what they’ve traditionally been known for. The role of libraries is changing and we’re glad to facilitate and support that change in the community too.
Do you have anything else you’d like to share here?
We’re thrilled to be working with WiLS as a new vendor partner! IGI Global is happy to provide professionals, practitioners, students, and educators the scholarly resources they need for advancing discovery and problem solving, and we look forward to offering special discounts and offers to WiLS members in the coming year.
Thanks for thinking of us for this vendor profile and interview.
One of our greatest joys at WiLS is hearing our members tell the stories of the big and important work they are doing – interesting new projects or initiatives, or even interesting and new approaches to old projects. And, in addition to hearing about it, it makes us even happier when we can share those stories with other members. Each month, WiLS is proud to feature an interview with one of our library members. This month, we interview Jeff Dawson, Director of the Lester Public Library in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.
If you have questions about this interview or want to suggest someone for us to interview, contact Andrea Coffin at .
Why did you, personally, choose to work in libraries?
The profession chose me, not an uncommon answer in the library world. While reading was instilled at an early age by my parents, it wasn’t until my early twenties that I signed up for my first public library card. After college and a variety of jobs that included working for Waldenbooks I landed my first library job at the Ohio Northern University Law School, ten years later after working in a variety of academic libraries I received the MLS from the University of Iowa. My first professional library job was running a branch library for the Northland Pioneer College in Winslow, Arizona. I felt destined to be an academic librarian until a good friend and mentor suggested I give public libraries a try. I switched to public libraries with a job at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka, Kansas. After seven years of working every possible job and department I felt it time to take a crack at being a library director for a public library. March 2015 will mark eight years as director of the Lester Public Library, Two Rivers.
What is unique about the culture of your library? How do you influence it?
The Lester Public Library is an open, inviting, customer friendly library. Comments from long-time patrons and newbies as well, speak to our beautiful open facility, and friendly staff. Over the past seven years we have made concerted efforts to make our patrons not only feel welcome, but offer services that surprise and delight.
As the leader of this organization I have fostered the culture of ‘yes.’ I do not live in a vacuum, creativity flows from every staff member, without whom Lester Public Library would not be the innovative, industrious library it is today. We have changed job descriptions and duties that reflect our commitment to quality customer service; for example our circulation clerks are now customer service clerks. I am fortunate to have a staff that engenders new exciting ideas from new early literacy initiatives to programs for adults that have us partnering with a variety of local agencies and decision makers.
What do you think is important to know about the patrons or community you work with? What helps you understand those needs?
Two Rivers is a conservative, blue collar city with a population of nearly 12,000. In recent years we have lost a majority of manufacturing jobs that have moved to Mexico. This story is repeated across the rust belt time and time again. Most devastating to our community was the final closing of the Thermo Fisher (formerly known as Hamilton) industries in 2012. Hamilton Manufacturing defined Two Rivers in so many ways and the closing and subsequent demolition of the plant has had enormous impact.
But like other communities facing this harsh reality, I find a resiliency and certain drive in our community to move forward. Our unique and beautiful location on Lake Michigan, not to mention our two rivers flowing through town, has us positioned to take advantage of tourism in new and exciting ways. As a department head for the city, I am at the table for discussions about the direction and future of Two Rivers. I am Vice President of the Manitowoc Area Visitors and Convention Bureau Board, and Secretary of the Two Rivers Business Association Board, these organizations lend great insight and influence towards the future of our community.
With this deep understanding of our community, the library is positioned to serve, front and center, well into the future.
What big ideas are being worked on at your library? What problems are being solved?
After two successful marketing campaigns in 2013 (Black Friday promotion) and 2014 (National Library Week promotion) we centered our next three year strategic plan around three major points – awareness, access, and usage.
Our Black Friday campaign pitted us against all the other consumer competition, on their terms. We spent serious money on advertising in our local paper that netted certain results; we blew all previous Friday after Thanksgiving statistics out of the water while raising library awareness on a local, state and national level. Here is a link to a detailed article on what we did and the impact on our library and community: http://www.infotoday.com/mls/sep14/MLS-Sept-Oct-2014.pdf
National Library Week 2014 we partnered with 60 local businesses where your library card suddenly had buying power – walk into a participating business and show a library card from anywhere in the world and you would get a special discount, free order of fries or some type of benefit; bring the receipt back to the library and enter to win one of several grand prizes (donated by local businesses) that included an iPad, Kindle Fire and Kindle Paperwhite. The library then purchased a media blitz utilizing local newspaper and radio advertising (bankrolled by the Library Foundation) – businesses received free advertising for the event. Local media also provided in-kind ads that extended our marketing budget by another 50%. A week-long effort that had the entire city buzzing about the great deals around town with the library at the center of that buzz! It was incredibly successful and garnered a television interview (as did Black Friday) and tons of positive attention on our library and services. This was an extensive promotion that had me, the library director walking into over 80 local businesses, making contact directly with many friends old and new.
My staff, library board and I feel strongly that raising awareness of our services is paramount to our future success. In a community where the library and the fire department tied for favorite community services we realize that many value what we do; however, we feel there are many more who have no idea what the library holds in terms of collections, classes and services. With our new strategic plan and concerted effort to raise the level of marketing and promoting the library we hope to solve this problem. We are also getting ready to interview for an entirely new position for our library, Public Relations Coordinator, a move that will literally put our money on where we feel the future rests for our library.
This fall, WiLS met with the library community at six meetings across Wisconsin to talk about Raising Visibility for the Library in the Community. The goal of each discussion was to create best practices for raising visibility for the library. We took those lists and came up with this:
Thank you so very much to those who attended and sponsored the WiLS WLA Librarians v. Vendors Bowling Tournament last week at the Kalahari Lanes. Much pizza was devoured, many strikes were rolled, eight banana trophies were awarded, celebration dances were impressive, and fun was had by all! Read more
On October 14th, the Aspen Institute released its report on the unique position of public libraries to meet community needs and it (uncannily) considers many things we’ve been talking a lot about around the office lately: raising library visibility, the DPLA, measurement of library success, how to change public perceptions of libraries, and so on and so forth. The Aspen Institute may have WiLS bugged, and we’re fine with that.
Regardless, this is an important read. Particularly interesting is this video, which “highlights the ways in which public libraries are transforming communities through the strategic use of their people, place and platform assets.”
One of our greatest joys at WiLS is hearing our members tell the stories of the big and important work they are doing – interesting new projects or initiatives, or even interesting and new approaches to old projects. And, in addition to hearing about it, it makes us even happier when we can share those stories with other members. Each month, WiLS is proud to feature an interview with one of our library members. This month, we interview Kathy Harty, Resource & Education Services Librarian at Sacred Heart Seminary & School of Theology.
If you have questions about this interview or want to suggest someone for us to interview, contact Andrea Coffin at .Read more
At WiLS, we want to bring valuable information to our library partners, including information about the missions and big ideas of the vendors they may already do business with. Each month, WiLS interviews a vendor partner in order to bridge the gap and open the door to valuable collaborations. This month, we are delighted to share insights from Randy Blasier, National Sales Director for Mackin Educational Resources.
If you have any questions about this interview, or would like to suggest a vendor partner for us to interview in the future, contact Andrea Coffin at or 414-979-9457.
Tell us about your company’s background.
Mackin Educational Resources was founded over 30 years ago by current owners, Randal and Kitty Heise, who are still very active in the business today. Mackin is an aggregator of educational resources, supplying print books, ebooks, databases, audio books and audio and video devices to thousands of schools worldwide. We work with over 18,000 publishers to offer the best selection of materials at the best prices, with close to 2.5 million titles and nearly 350,000 digital resources.
Mackin is staffed with experts in Collection Analysis and Development, Classroom Solutions, and New School Services. Mackin specializes in customization and prides itself on industry leading customer service, plus offering free standard processing and shipping
Randal and Kitty are visionaries in the industry and we are proud to always be the forerunner in the market, with new services and products. We have built a robust FREE eResource Management System – called MackinVIA, which we are very proud of. MackinVIA has the ability to house all digital resources whether purchased from Mackin or another source and allows one user name and password to access all digital materials. Additionally, the FREE MackinVIA Reader app, which now is available for 10 devices, allows MackinVIA users to check out and download Mackin-hosted eBooks for off line reading. Additionally, the app includes features such as keyword search, bookmarking, and annotations. Users can highlight text in multiple colors. There are three levels of the popular Merriam-Webster dictionary as well as a citation service by EasyBib.
Why do you, personally, choose to work with libraries?
Libraries are committed to the education of children and Mackin values its partnership with the schools and staff that understand the need to offer the best educational resources possible. We look for solutions to provide library personnel with more time, more value and more opportunities to aid in the educational process. We both share the same mission….to make a difference in a child’s life.
Employees at Mackin have a genuine concern in the education of children and making sure that we are doing everything possible to assist our customers. When you talk to someone at Mackin, and you will always talk to a live person, or walk around Mackin, you can see the passion that every employee has for the education industry. We work hard to get things done the right way.
For me personally, I was in a completely different industry prior to coming to Mackin. Working with our Sales Consultants, visiting customers, and attending industry conferences has allowed me to be involved in an industry that makes such an important impact every single day. I would like to think that I am one of those typical Mackin employees that enjoy seeing the results of offering good services, great products and significant value so that libraries can accomplish their goals and overcome their challenges. What intrigues me about this industry is the knowledge that educators have and how adept they have to be in order to work with many different interest and skill levels.
What do you like to know about the libraries you work with? What helps you better understand their needs?
Understanding the background, goals and challenges that the library is undertaking always helps us to offer customized solutions that meet their exact needs. We realize that no two libraries are the same and that what we may have just done for someone else, albeit it a wonderful solution, may not be what your library requires. This is one of the reasons that we have Sales Consultants, not sales representatives, because we want to be able to truly understand your goals and help find the resources that work for you.
Our Sales Consultantslook for the media specialist to paint a complete picture of what is going on in their entire school, not just their library. We are always interested in the school’s successes and challenges around literacy, curricula that are under review, topics the children love to read about, technology that is being implemented that could be leveraged with eBooks, and more. The more we can understand about the school as a whole, the better we can align Mackin’s capabilities to be a partner in the education process at the school.
How can librarians become partners in product or training development?
I think the key in the success of any librarian is how they can integrate with teachers in their school and assist in their curriculum needs. Curriculum directors, teachers, and other school officials are all seeking effective ways to especially deliver digital content to their students. In many cases, the library has already been exploring this question for years. Now is definitely the time for librarians to stand up within their schools and districts and show off the knowledge and vendor relationships they have cultivated about digital content
We know that we have cutting-edge design with MackinVIA, but we have received many great comments and suggestions from librarians on how to use digital resources for leisure reading and literacy and curriculum support that trigger more ideas and future updates. Additionally, MackinVIAConnext, which is a forum for the community of MackinVIA fans and follows that are excited to share their individual efforts toward enriching the lives of their students and children. The more we hear from active MackinVIA users about their experiences, the better we can make our digital platform!
I thought I would ask an expert this question as well. Many of you may be familiar with Shannon Miller from Iowa. Shannon is a well respected teacher, librarian and technology integration specialist that has spoken at numerous engagements and assisted many school districts in professional development. Here is what Shannon says: “Librarians should be one of the leaders in product and training development. They have the unique opportunity to work with all of the resources and people within a school community, so they are the perfect fit! Plus, librarians are experts at many things…..curriculum, collection, technology, resources, digital citizenship, etc… They can easily make things happen by having their foot in so many things across a district and school. Librarians are also the “go-to” person for their school community. By being involved in product and training development they can best match and support the needs of everyone.”Well said Shannon! You can follow Shannon on Twitter @shannonmiller.
What big ideas are being worked on at your company? What problems are being solved?
At Mackin we are constantly looking at ways of improving the products and services we offer. Many of the enhancements we make are from ideas generated from our customers . In this era of change, we want to make sure we are proactive and are addressing industry initiatives.
One big idea is consortia buying power and parity for digital users, whether in a small rural setting or large urban library. We have been spreading the word about the added value that comes with successfully banding together the buying power of schools, districts, educational agencies or even entire states. By leveraging combined buying power, libraries can negotiate contracts or opportunities that reward all of the members and bring a larger pool of resources to all.
Taking that even a step further, MackinVIA is solving access issues because it has been designed to hold digital materials for your library in your individual account, no matter if the digital materials were purchased on a site basis or as part of a larger buy. The streamlined beauty of MackinVIA easily gets the user to all of the ebooks, databases, audiobooks or links with a single username and password. No need to log in to numerous different websites and try to remember all of the different passwords.
Do you have anything else you’d like to share here?
Of course, we spoke quite significantly about digital resources but Mackin is still the go-to provider for print books, CDs, DVDs, and MP3s. With a well-rounded catalog of materials from over 18,000 publishers, we are the leader for New School libraries each year. With plenty of free services from custom collection development to exact Dewey sorting, shipping in color-coded boxes and on-site shelving assistance for opening a new library, we make the process easy and painless and you will have a complete collection on your shelves on opening day. Just ask one of our New School Specialists to help with your new library.
We at Mackin appreciate the work you all do as educators and the time, energy and commitment you demonstrate each and every day. We thank our valued customers for putting your trust in us for the past 30 yearsand welook forward to servicing those that are not familiar with Mackin, but may want to try an alternative. Just give us a call….you will always talk to a live person!
It’s time to celebrate the work libraries all over the world do to protect free speech, make information available to their communities, and continue the fight against censorship during Banned Books Week! We love to see and share the ways that Wisconsin libraries are contributing. Here are just a few highlights:
Dane County Library Service is hosting Take It Off the Shelf! featuring Forward Theater Company actors reflecting on banned books.
Marian University has a banned books display and is hosting a panel, including Cardinal Meyer Library Director Kathryn Johnston, to discuss censorship. There will also be banned book trivia!
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