Listen and learn at a series of free cybertours and conference nugget sessions for all Computers in Libraries 2003 exhibit hall visitors. Taking place at the CyberCorner in the exhibit hall, these cybertours and conference nugget sessions cover a range of topics & subject areas. They are open to all and add value to your visit. Space is limited so it’s first-come, first-served.

Join our Net savvy Web experts for a look at their favorite sites and topics! There is no need to register, simply pick the cybertour or conference nugget session of interest to you and arrive at our CyberCorner within the CIL 2003 exhibit hall at the appropriate time.

Top Trends in Library Automation
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Marshall Breeding, Library Technology Officer at Vanderbilt University, and frequent speaker, writer, and consultant in the field of library automation provides an information packed conference nugget session. He gives a brief report on the current patterns of the library automation marketplace and an outlook on the developing trends to expect in the next few years.

Bates’ Competitive Intelligence Cybertour
12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Do you need to keep track of your organization’s competitors and the competitive landscape in general? In this fast-paced cybertour Mary Ellen Bates, industry expert and author of Super Searchers Do Business & Super Searchers Cover the World, covers the top sites and techniques for competitive intelligence gathering.

Tools & Techniques for Leading Edge Librarians
1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Come hear about the latest tools and techniques used by an expert, Gary Price, Editor, Virtual Acquisition Shelf & News Desk. This cybertour of Gary’s favorites will help you to keep current with new Internet reference resources. The co-author of The Invisible Web shares the tools he uses to monitor the ‘Net and keep current, as well as some tips for finding quality material.

RSS: Technical Basics
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Blake Carver, LISNews.com, Librarian and Information Science News explores RSS in a conference nugget session. He looks at the what the RSS standard is, what it is used for, easy ways to create an RSS feed, and the benefits a Web site/business would see by adding an RSS feed to a site.

Next Generation Library Users
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

So what do we need to know about our future clients? Are they different than us? Yes, says this global trend watcher, Stephen Abram, VP Corporate Development, Micromedia ProQuest. So what do we do? Come to this conference nugget session and hear some potential strategies for dealing with nextgen patrons.

Five Easy Tricks for Extreme Searchers
4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Ran Hock, Online Strategies, & author of The Extreme Searcher’s Guide to Web Search Engines reveals his secrets in this conference nugget session. This expert searcher looks at five quick and easy techniques that all serious searchers should know about and profit from.

Online Trends
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

What’s happening in the online world? What should we be studying, thinking about and using? Mary Ellen Bates, industry expert and author of Super Searchers Do Business & Super Searchers Cover the World shares her opinions in this conference nugget session. Hear what an expert searcher and writer has to say about trends in the online world.

Homeland Security Sites
12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Go on a reconnaissance mission with Donna Scheeder, Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress, and survey the key resource sites for Homeland Security issues in the Executive and Legislative branches. This cybertour provides a host of informative links to public policy organizations and key publications. No security clearance required!

Making Your Web Sites Usable
1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Hear the top ten tips from an experienced Web designer and developer for making your site usable and readable to those you most want to reach. Frank Cervone, Assistant University Librarian for Information Technology, Northwestern University fills this content nugget session with tips you’ll want to try in your own environment.

Streaming Media: What, Why, How
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

This conference nugget session introduces the key concepts about streaming media – what streaming media is, why it is important to librarians, and the basics of how streaming media is being used today in library applications. Gary Price, Editor of The Virtual Acquisition Shelf and News Desk, provides an excellent overview of this topic.

Talking Tech with Your Leaders
3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

This conference nugget session provides tips for interacting with your senior management, library board, or others who are not as closely involved in technology as you are. Bonnie Burwell, Burwell Information Services, shares her learnings about technology conversations as a librarian, consultant, and member of the Oakville Public Library Board.

Blogging Basics
4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

So what is blogging? Why is it important to librarians and how can they use it in their work? Hear about 10 ways libraries can use blogs to deliver services and promote libraries from Darlene Fichter, Data Librarian, University of Saskatchewan, an Internet pioneer, and a blogging expert.

The Invisible Web (IW)
11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Some of the authoritative information accessible over the Internet is virtually invisible to search engines. Other material, often time sensitive content, can’t be located via search engines. So how can you take advantage of the IW? How can you find this content? Our expert, Chris Sherman, Co-Author, The Invisible Web & Editor, SearchDay Newsletter, gives you a glimpse on this cybertour at how to take advantage of the invisible Web.

Visual Interfaces
12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

What you see – is pretty good! Join this wild and whacky cybertour of the top 10 visual interfaces for web sites or OPACs. What do they do? Why are they cool? Do they increase information seeking behaviors? Do they provide more context for search result displays? Come and hear Stephen Abram, VP Corporate Development, Micromedia ProQuest, discuss what happens when you think beyond words.

Hot Off the Presses: Cybertour of News Sources
1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Jimmy Olsen, get in here! A quick look at some key resources for locating the hottest news, the most far-reaching news, the newest news, and even the oldest news on the Internet. Join Ran Hock, Online Strategies & author of The Extreme Searcher’s Guide to Web Search Engines, for this information packed cybertour!

Creating Online Courses
2:00 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Tried to create a course or training module for use online? This conference nugget session shares “the five things I wish I knew before I created a Web based course using WebCT.” Educator and librarian, Bonnie Burwell, Burwell Information Services, shares her learnings and provides key tips for those embarking on this journey.