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The Technology Conference for Information Age Librarians • March 12-14, 2003 • Washington, DC
PostConference Workshops
Saturday, March 15

Conference Program CIL 2003 Home

WORKSHOP 9

Intranet Professionals Academy
FULL DAY: 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Moderator: 
Mary Lee Kennedy, Director, Knowledge Network, Microsoft, and Editor, Intranet Professional
Faculty: 
Stephen Arnold, Arnold Information Technologies
Eric Hards, Senior Web Designer, Lockeed Martin
Darlene Fichter, Data Librarian, University of Saskatchewan Library

Whether you’re an information professional just starting out or one who is already delivering products and services on the intranet, this experience packed day provides an excellent opportunity to learn about intranets. Learn about the current thinking and developments that make a difference in information and knowledge transfer in your organization and speak with expert practitioners and colleagues. This first-ever Intranet Professionals Academy covers:

  • Intranets and portals as instruments of information and knowledge exchange
  • People and intranets and expectations and realities
  • Designing the ultimate end-user experience
  • Intranet and portal technologies: What is hot and what’s not
  • Managing content for best results
  • Information architecture, search and taxonomy
  • Intranets and portals for the end-user

 
WORKSHOP 10

Virtual Reference 101: A Planning Primer
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Steve Coffman, Vice President, Product Development, Library Systems and Services LLC
Rebecca Jones, Dysart & Jones Associates

Virtual reference services—live, real-time reference services over the Internet —are hot topics and hot projects for librarians. However, planning and implementing these services require much more effort than just selecting a software package. This workshop suggests a framework for working through the entire process of designing, implementing, and operating a virtual reference service. 

The workshop covers:

  • An overview of virtual reference services
  • Elements to consider in designing a virtual reference service, including software, staffing, and policies
  • Lessons from real-world examples

 
WORKSHOP 11

Technology Futures: Enhancing Library Workflow with IT
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Darlene Fichter, Data Coordinator, University of Saskatchewan
Frank Cervone, Assistant University Librarian for Information Technology, Northwestern University

You’ve harnessed the Web for your library users, but have you exploited technology to support day-to-day library activities? This workshop focuses on innovative technologies to enhance workflow and improve productivity for library staff and to deliver valued-added services to your user. Explore Open-Source Toolkits and applications you can develop in-house, including:

  • Prospero for ILL
  • SiteSearch and other Web database solutions 
  • Inventory management, room, and equipment scheduling
  • Fedora for digital repositories
  • Citation Manager, an open-source citation manager
  • PMachine for knowledge exchange and best practices
  • PHPWebsite for sharing intranet content
  • MOSST (Modular Online Software for Self-Paced Tutorials)

 
WORKSHOP 12

Making an Impact: Successful Business Practices
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Mary Ellen Bates, Principal, Bates Information Services

Whether you’re an independent info entrepreneur and thinking about launching your business, or are an entrepreneurial librarian who knows you can never stop telling your patrons about your added value, marketing is something that comes with the job. This workshop suggests practical tools you need to get the message out to your clients or patrons, the do’s and don’ts of establishing your expertise and services, and specific techniques that work for information professionals. Mary Ellen Bates, a lively speaker, long-time independent info pro, and author of Building and Running a Successful Research Business: A Guide for the Independent Information Professional, shows you how to move outside your comfort zone and promote your information services effectively to anyone.
 
 
WORKSHOP 13

Digital Library Collections & Services: Landscape & Strategies
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Roy Tennant, Web and Services Design Manager, eScholarship Initiative, California Digital Library

Are you trying to cope with both paper and electronic worlds? Who isn’t? Will we be able to totally switch to an electronic world any day soon? This workshop, led by a pioneer in the digital library systems, will help you:

  • Get a quick overview of the current landscape for electronic information.
  • Spot trends to help prepare you for the future.
  • Learn survival strategies for your library and its information services.
Using many real-world examples, Tennant outlines key strategies for success now and in a paperless future.
 
 
WORKSHOP 14

Web Research Buffet
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Gary Price, The Virtual Acquisition Shelf and New Desk
Chris Sherman, Associate Editor, Search Engine Watch

The co-authors of The Invisible Web, Gary Price and Chris Sherman, discuss and share insights on many online research topics and issues. Get the scoop on dozens of great resources to take back to the office. Get up-to-date in this rapidly changing environment by hearing these two experienced and entertaining speakers discuss the latest happenings in Web-based research.

Topics include:

  • The latest Web search happenings
  • The invisible Web in 2003
  • Searching for breaking news on the open Web
  • Finding quality resources for your site
  • The importance of noncommercial Web directories
  • How you’ll be searching in the future
  • Cool Web tools
  • Special sites for special needs

 
WORKSHOP 15

Planning & Evaluation of Virtual Reference
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Elaina Norlin, Associate Librarian, University of Arizonia
Olivia Olivares, Assistant Librarian, University of Arizonia

The University of Arizona created a Virtual Reference Project Team whose goal was to take a hard look at the virtual reference market and make decisions on the feasibility of adding virtual services. The team conducted customer surveys, site visits, inquiries, competition, and system analysis and found that many libraries are buying the software and then evaluating the project. This half-day workshop describes and discusses the economic and fiscal aspects of evaluating and choosing a virtual reference service software package.

Topics address what you need to move forward and include:

  • Investigating the financial health of virtual services software companies
  • Evaluating the financial capabilities of a library’s institution for the next 5 years to determine feasibility
  • Developing a plan to determine “success,” including cost analysis, training, marketing, etc.
  • User testing to find the best places to market the service on your library interface

 
WORKSHOP 16

The Extreme Searcher’s Web Finding Tools
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Ran Hock, Principal, Online Strategies, and Author, The Extreme Searcher’s Guide to Web Search Engines

Web search engines, Web directories, metasites, and portals are all useful tools for finding the right sites efficiently and effectively. For a specific question, however, one tool may be much more appropriate than another. A knowledge of the finer searching aspects of each tool provides the serious searcher with unique search advantages. This workshop looks at which tool to use when, and the relative strengths, weaknesses, and applications of each type. As for metasites, we’ll see why this category of tool needs more recognition and how to easily locate the best metasites in any area. The emphasis is on practical applications and on knowledge that will help attendees to effectively and efficiently find the answers they need.
 
 
WORKSHOP 17

Getting Down to Business: How Super Searchers Find Business Information
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Mary Ellen Bates, Principal, Bates Information Services

This half-day workshop tackles how to find reliable, high-quality information on business and financial topics on the Net. Mary Ellen Bates, the author of five online research books, including Super Searchers Cover the World and Mining for Gold on the Internet, looks at issues related to conducting business research online efficiently and cost-effectively, validating sources, using Web-only information resources, and staying current on new business and finance information. The workshop provides practical, innovative ways to mine the Net, as well as tips on when to use the free or nearly free Web sources and when to open up your wallet and use the big-ticket information sources. The focus of this workshop is on the resources found exclusively on the Net, but it also covers unusual or unique resources from the traditional online services. Learn improved business research skills, ideas on new ways to drill for information, and take home a collection of links to the best business resources on the Web.
 
 
WORKSHOP 18

XML in Libraries
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Roy Tennant, Web and Services Design Manager, eScholarship Initiative, California Digital Library

The eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is arguably the most important technical development for libraries since the Web. XML is a relatively simple,
yet powerful, method used to encode anything from data to full text in a way that can be easily transported and manipulated by software.  Librarians are already using XML to accomplish a variety of tasks in ways that are easily transferable to other libraries. This session provides an introduction to XML and quickly moves on to how XML can solve specific library problems and enable new opportunities. It is filled with ideas as well as real world applications.
 
 
WORKSHOP 19

Web Design for Information Delivery
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Eric Hards, Senior Web Designer, Lockheed Martin

You know a Web site should be designed for usability. Now you need to know how to do it. This half-day workshop focuses on design techniques for designing usable information-based Web sites. The workshop looks at how users consume information, how to organize information correctly, and how to present information for users so it is most efficient and easy to use. Case studies emphasize how to design information structures of Web sites and intranets. The workshop also covers the choice of navigation elements, color, graphics, and page structure, as well as how to sell usability design to management.

 
Information Today, Inc. 
143 Old Marlton Pike • Medford, NJ 08055 
Phone: 609/654-6266 • Fax: 609/654-4309 
E-mail: custserv@infotoday.com
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