WiLSWorld Conference—July 25-26, 2012
The 19th WiLSWorld Conference was held July 25-26, 2012 at the Pyle Center in Madison. See photos by Bob Shaw in movie or pdf. Also see presentation slides in pdf and formats near corresponding sessions.
Our first-day featured keynote speaker was Marshall Breeding, Director for Innovative Technologies and Research for the Vanderbilt University Libraries in Nashville, TN. See Library Technology Bio.
Our second-day featured keynote speaker was technology consultant Carson Block.
Carson served as a consultant to the Colorado State Library, helping libraries understand and comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act through an informational Web site and public speaking. He has also contributed library technology standards established by the Colorado State Library, and digitization best practices for the Collaborative Digitization Program.
Carson is a frequent speaker at library conferences and via webinars. Current presentations include Public Library Association webinars on eBooks and QR Codes; RFID; security best practices; project management, and library technology management issues including leadership and technology planning. (see Carson’s website)
Wednesday, July 25th Schedule
9:00-10:15
Keynote:The Next Generation of Library Automation and Discovery: Key Issues and Trends (slides pdf)
Marshall Breeding, Vanderbilt University
Libraries today face incredible challenges as they face challenges brought on by shifts in their collections to include ever increasing of electronic content, never-ending budget pressures, and rising expectations by their customers for instant access to information. In response to these challenges, libraries demand more effective and efficient automation solutions with requirements for additional features and functionality aligned with these new realities that may not have been present in previous automation products. In the past, libraries could gain adequate automation by choosing the best integrated library system that fit their technical requirements and budget. Now, for better or worse, many choices now exist that represent quite different paths, including decisions regarding open source versus proprietary products, evolutionary ILS versus new-generation library services platforms, online catalogs versus discovery services, locally implemented versus cloud-based deployment. Marshall Breeding will present an overview of the current library automation landscape, highlighting the advantages and concerns presented by this new slate of alternatives.
10:15-10:30 Break with refreshments sponsored by Springer
10:30-11:45 Four Concurrent Sessions
A Conversation With Marshall Breeding
Hackerspaces and Libraries (prezi presentation)
Jesse Vieau and Trent Miller, Madison Public Library, Chris Meyer, Sector67
Hackerspace, makerspace, community workshop. Call it what you will but they are popping up all around the nation, including several in Wisconsin. Madison Public Library and their hometown hackerspace, Sector67, will share their experiences in the effort to bring people together through the act of making by facilitating the sharing of knowledge and resources.
The Wisconsin Historical Society and Endeca (slides pdf)
Paul Hedges, Wisconsin Historical Society
The Wisconsin Historical Society has preserved and shared stories for more than 150 years. However, information and resources have often been kept in separate systems, creating silos of content and more work for users. Users need new tools and resources to preserve and share their stories, so the Society is developing a new website that will make it easier to accomplish their task. Paul will discuss how Endeca Search is being used to bring the Society’s library, archives, museum and historic preservation digital collections, indexes, and catalogs together for the first time and how staff-generated historical essays and other written materials will be integrated with this collection information. Besides demonstrating the new website, Paul will discuss the scope of the project, why Endeca was selected, and the surprises and challenges of integrating Library-Archives-Museum (LAM) content.
A Q & A about WiLS reorganization
Stef Morrill, WiLS Director & WiLS board members
WiLS members may have questions and concerns about the recent announcement of a reorganization process that WiLS is undertaking. Stef Morrill & WILS board members will be available for Q & A and discussion.
1:15-2:30 Three Concurrent Sessions
Digital Branch Libraries: Serving Patrons Online Beyond the Library Website (slides pdf)
Maccabee S. Levine, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Many libraries operate small branches throughout their communities — sometimes even at high traffic shopping areas – because they recognize the need to serve patrons where they already are, beyond the main library building. That same goal can apply to a library’s online services. At the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, Polk Library provides select library services on three digital spaces not controlled by the library: the learning management system, the student portal, and the campus iOS and Android mobile applications. This presentation will discuss each of the services provided on these external spaces. We’ll also explore how “component-izing” library services improved the library’s own website. Finally, I’ll describe how strengthening these relationships between departments led to unexpected benefits for the library and the university community.
The Obligatory Discovery Layer Program (slides1 pdf and slides2 pdf)
Karen Boehning, Winnefox Library System, Peter Gilbert, Lawrence University, Terri Muraski, UW-Stevens Point
It’s a library technology conference in 2012 – you knew there had to be a program about discovery layers. We’ll talk about what we mean when we talk about discovery, what we learn when we try to pick a discovery layer, and what happens once we’ve picked one. Librarians from the Winnefox Library System and the UW System will talk about their experiences with the products and the processes.
DIY Usability Testing (slides pdf)
Sarah Thorngate, Ripon College
In a recent redesign of the website for Ripon College’s Lane Library, librarians conducted several free, small-scale usability tests throughout the process. This method enabled an iterative approach to building the site—each test provided valuable feedback that informed the final design. This session will walk through Lane Library’s redesign process to provide a hands-on introduction to three types of testing–card sorting, user observation, and heuristic evaluation. Participants will have the opportunity to adapt tests for their own libraries’ websites, and practice administering these tests to each other. Along the way, we will explore strategies for integrating testing into the redesign workflow and incorporating the results.
2:30-2:35 Break with refreshments sponsored by Overdrive
2:45-4:00 Three Concurrent Sessions
What’s new with OverDrive: Solutions to meet exploding demand for eBooks (slides pdf)
Marla Levine, OverDrive
Discover how OverDrive will help your library WIN with eBooks. New initiatives include Test Drive™ device lending program, WIN Catalog, APIs, Select Express™ collection development tools and more!
Local History for a Global Audience: Wisconsin Heritage Online (slides pdf)
Emily Pfotenhauer, WiLS
Since it was first developed in 2005 as Wisconsin’s collaborative statewide digitization program, Wisconsin Heritage Online has grown and evolved to meet the needs of libraries as well as archives, historical societies and museums across the state. In this session, Wisconsin Heritage Online Outreach Specialist Emily Pfotenhauer will describe how WHO helps cultural heritage organizations digitize historical materials and share the histories of their communities online. In addition, see how WHO uses free tools like Tumblr and Viewshare to add value to digital collections, and get a preview of the upcoming redesign of the wisconsinheritage.org portal.
Moving to Webscale in Wisconsin: OCLC WMS at Viterbo University (slides pdf)
Gretel Stock-Kupperman, Viterbo University
OCLC WorldShare Management Services promises a new approach to managing library services cooperatively, offering cooperative and cloud-based acquisitions, circulation, e-resource management, and a next-gen discovery tool for students. But how does the system work in a full library implementation? Come hear Gretel Stock-Kupperman and Jennifer Nelson from Viterbo University talk about their experiences from decision through migration and implementation. They’ll discuss the challenges and opportunities that have come out of moving to webscale.
4:30-5:30 All Conference Reception
Cash bar and hors doeuvres. There will be a door prize drawing for a digital display frame featuring WiLS 40 years in photos, that can be reformatted for personal photos. Come celebrate WiLS Fortieth Anniversary…there will be cake.
Thursday, July 26th Schedule
8:30-10:00 Member Breakfast sponsored by Gale (in the Alumni Lounge)
Our annual membership meeting is free and open to all WiLS members. The meeting will focus on the value of cooperatives, and how WiLS and its members can work together to achieve the vision of a cooperative. (slides pdf)
10:15-11:30
The Great Library Swindle: Your Rights Are at Risk (slides pdf)
Carson Block, Carson Block LLC
Libraries, oft loved and honored are under attack from the most unlikely of sources. Many of us feel that book publishers, municipal governments, eContent superstores and others are bent on library destruction. We shudder when people question the relevance of the library in the digital age. If the library disappears, who will really defend the right to confidentially access free information? Libraries – and librarians – care. Come to learn what’s really at risk, how the library is more relevant today than ever, and what you can do to change your world!
11:45-1:00 Three Concurrent Sessions
A Conversation With Carson Block
The Introduction of CORAL, an Open Source ERMS (slides.pdf)
Benjamin Heet, North Carolina State University, Robin Schaaf, University of Notre Dame
CORAL is an open source ERMS built by the University of Notre Dame Hesburgh Libraries and made available to the library community. It consists of multiple interoperable modules designed around the core components of managing electronic resources. This session will highlight the motivations behind the development of CORAL and will showcase its unique position in the ERMS marketplace as a free and open source system. A demo and description of each module (licensing, organizations, resources and usage) will be included and the session will finish with discussion of future plans for the software and ways in which other libraries can contribute to the project.
Engage Your Community Online (slides pdf)
Jeff Dawson, Lester Public Library
Jeff has made the Lester Public Library a centerpiece of civic engagement. You too can create digital data from your library that transcends simply providing content. Learn the amazing and surprisingly simple ways the Lester Public Library has harnessed social tools like Flickr to stunning effect. Join us as Jeff shares stories, images and provides practical tips to inspire you to consider aiming a digital camera at your community and share with the world in new ways.