Workshop 1 — Searchers Academy

9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (FULL DAY)

MODERATOR: Mary Ellen Bates, Principal, Bates Information Service
FACULTY: Gary Price, Co-Author, The Invisible Web, Creator of ReferenceShelf.com
Chris Sherman, Co-Author, The Invisible Web, & Associate Editor, Search Engine Watch
Greg Notess, Creator of Search Engine Showdown
Mary Ellen Bates, Author, Super Searchers Cover the World & Super Searchers Do Business

Want to sharpen your skills? Learn from the experts? Join search veterans, authors, and columnists from Searcher, ONLINE, and EContent magazines and the “Super Searcher” series of books to learn the latest strategies and techniques for searching online. This day-long event introduces you to the experts who share their searching secrets and expertise as they focus on the most current practices in the field. Participants should have basic experience with Web searching, but even searchers with extensive Internet background will find tips to polish and advance their skills. Academy topics include:

• Search Engine Mechanics—Pop the hood and look into the mechanics of all types of search engines with our search engine grease monkey.
• Searching the Invisible Web—How to find the hidden troves of deep information on the Web
• Cool Search Tools: The best of the best Web resources.
• Choosing the Right Search Engine: When to use which engine and when to use the invisible Web, plus the value of advanced search features.
• Ask an Expert—An interactive discussion including favorite tips, target Web sources, and advanced techniques from the faculty and a chance to ask questions.

Workshop 2 — Web Managers Academy

9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (FULL DAY)

MODERATOR: Darlene Fichter, Data Library Coordinator, University of Saskatchewan & President, Northern Lights Internet Solutions
FACULTY: Frank Cervone, Assistant University Librarian for Information Technology, Northwestern University
Peter Morville, President, Semantic Studios
Marcia Morante, KCurve, Inc.
Marshall Breeding, Library Technology Officer, Vanderbilt University
Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian, University of Pittsburgh

Web development is challenging. A range of technical and management skills are required to develop a great Web site. No matter what type of library
or information service you manage and support, this full-day workshop provides a good foundation in:

• How to develop or redesign a site.
• Key checkpoints in a Web project life cycle.
• How to develop a solid and sustainable site architecture.
• How to demystify Web site standards and jargon.
• Solid tips for creating usable Web designs.

This information-packed full-day seminar hits the high points of strategic and practical milestones in the planning process for Web development. Learn about new and popular tools and technologies and examine Web architecture, design considerations, and usability. Look at the mechanics common to all Web sites, plus user testing, visual design, and cool new tools. Taught by experienced experts, this workshop is a good, 1-day crash course for Web development managers at all levels.

Workshop 3 — Tools for Successful Technology Planning

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Chris Jowaisas, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Does it feel like technology makes the decisions in your library instead of you? Learn how you can gain control over technology through effective technology planning. This half-day workshop introduces the process of technology planning (based on Wired for the Future: Developing your Library Technology Plan) and online tools that are useful for assisting in the planning process. It includes planning exercises, demonstration of online tools, success stories, resources to help in implementing a technology plan and allows interactive sharing of challenges and solutions.

Workshop 4 — RSS/Blogging 101

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Steven M. Cohen, Assistant Librarian, Rivkin Radler, LLP, &
Jenny Levine, Internet Development Specialist, Suburban Library System

Weblogs have exceeded all expectations for use in the library world, and RSS is sure to do the same. In this hands-on session, users not only learn the ins and outs of using Weblog software (i.e., Blogger, Radio, and Movable Type) and how to read RSS feeds via a news aggregator (i.e., Radio, Newzcrawler, and Syndirella), but have the opportunity to actually work with these products discussed!! The instructors discuss how to set up a blog, review the positive and negative aspects of each blogging tool, and how to set up and use news aggregators in the easiest way possible. Please come with your questions and excitement as you get “Bloggified” and “RSSified”!!!”

Workshop 5 — How to Teach What Learners Want To Know

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Rita Vine, Workingfaster.com

Learn to create high impact, active learning experiences that meet your clients’/students’ real needs, make you feel valued as an instructor, and bring them back for more. If you are faced with the prospect of teaching your users research and searching skills, this course is for you. In this half-day workshop you’ll learn a simple and easy-to-implement method to assess your learners needs quickly, and how to save time designing and developing a program that they will find truly valuable. The course provides tips and tricks for setting up and teaching in an online classroom, presentation skills, and how to keep everyone on the “same page” in a wired classroom. What you’ll learn:

• How to figure out what users need and want to learn—FAST
• How to design good training activities
• How to grasp and practice presentation skills that can help maintain a class’s attention and focus on the task at hand.
• The basics of presentation technology, computer projection devices, training room design and setup, and skills for troubleshooting online classroom problems

Workshop 6 — Beyond Google: Why You Need to Know About Other Search Engines

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Randolph Hock, Online Strategies

For many search engine users, Google may seem to have “cornered the market.” However, for professionals who do more than just casual research, the other search engines cannot be forgotten. Knowing what they can do and how to use them effectively is essential. This workshop covers the features and contents of “other” search engines and highlights key tips for using them. The workshop covers: the degree to which other engines may uncover things Google does not, the different “document types” covered by other engines, special databases available through those engines, and special search techniques that are available in other engines but not in Google. The possible role of metasearch engines and country-specific search engines is also explored. If finding the best answer to your questions is important to you, this workshop is what you need.

Workshop 7 — Techstorm: Technology Brainstorm

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Stephen Abram, President-elect, Canadian Library Association

This interactive workshop presents short sketches of key future technologies as well as facilitated discussion about each technology and it’s potential impact on libraries and information center operations. It focuses on a technology
brainstorm and considers such questions as: What are the new technologies currently available or on the horizon? Where do we look for new technologies and how do we narrow our options and consider only those that might be applicable to our services? How do we apply these technologies in library and information settings?
It also looks at applying technology and the following questions: What technologies are right for our library? How do we apply these technologies and when will they be ready for our operation? What new services could be based on these new technological opportunities and, conversely, what improvements can we make to current services?

Workshop 8 — Current Awareness Delivery Options

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Gary Price, Co-Author, The Invisible Web, Creator of Resourceshelf.com
Genie Tyburski, Web Manager, The Virtual Chase, Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP

Electronic current awareness services are critical for users of all types of libraries and information services. This practical half-day workshop provides an overview of the many options for delivering specialized current information. Nationally known experts Price & Tyburski examine current awareness needs and choices from start to finish, look at strategies, tools, and resources for gathering new information, and investigate delivery technologies. Learn about the pros and cons of initiating such services via e-mail and Web-based newsletters, Weblogs, k-logs, and RSS/XML news feeds. Get up to speed on the latest techniques and thinking on this crucial topic.

Workshop 9 — Make Learning Stick: Creating 5 Star User Centered Training & Instruction

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Michael Stephens, Librarian & Technology Trainer, St. Joseph Public Library & Blogger for Tame the Web
D. Scott Brandt, Professor & Technology Training Librarian, Purdue University & columnist for Computers in Libraries

This update of the poplar “Teaching the Internet in 60 Minutes”, is taught by a dynamic duo representing both academic and public library backgrounds. It uses a building block approach emphasizing: three methods to analyze
and define user needs, a “sure fire” test to ensure measurable outcomes & objectives, simplified task analysis for breaking learning down into steps, a toolbox of strategies to make learning fun and interesting, and two approaches to demonstrate and reinforce learning. All examples used in the workshop come from successful Internet-related modules taught in both academic and public library settings. With theory made practical, demonstrations of real-world training and instruction, and in-class practice using these techniques, this workshop is not for the weak of heart—it’s energetic, fastpaced and highly interactive!

Workshop 10 — Usability Guidelines for Organizing Web Site Content

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Marcia Morante, KCurve Inc.

Organizing and labeling the content on your Web site can be a perplexing challenge. What groupings make sense? What naming rules should be followed? Should I put the piece on Investor Relations with the legal docs or in Corporate Communications? Maybe it should it be in both places or maybe it should be left out. The answers to these questions and many more lie in one basic rule. Organize and label the content on your site so that it reflects your users’ needs. Make it clear and easy to use, and don’t make anyone think too much about where to go or what to do next. The best (and most usable) navigation schemes efficiently guide users to exactly the content they need or the action that they need to take. If content organization and labeling is not done with user needs in mind, both content “findability” and site usability will suffer. This workshop discusses usable content organization and shows how to achieve it. The workshop combines lecture, guided discussion of live Web site examples, and one hands-on exercise in content organization.