A member of OCLC’s training team will provide instruction on how to manage borrowing and lending activities with the new service. You will also hear an update on WorldShare Interlibrary Loan, including recently added features and plans for future enhancements. This seminar is being hosted in the Chicago Authors Room at the Chicago Public library.

Register to attend this informative pre-conference session and start the ALA conference off right!

No discussion of eLending would be complete without talking about 3M Cloud Library’s user-friendly app and lending system, and how effectively Polaris Library Systems has integrated these eBooks into its public access catalog. The Wauconda Area Library recently became the first library in Illinois to add the 3M Cloud Library to its catalog.

The library’s catalog is no longer just for finding library materials, but users who are logged in to their accounts can actually check out eBooks directly from the catalog. For the first time, our catalog is no longer just for finding items and placing holds, but can now be used to check eBooks out immediately without exiting to do so at an external site, such as Overdrive. Within seconds, any patron with Internet access can easily begin reading these books on their PCs, laptops, tablets, e-readers, or smart phones. In our Polaris catalog, these eBooks appear in search or browsing results alongside their print counterparts, or the user can simply search the library’s 3M eBook collection. Most of the other catalog and circulation functions that apply to physical items, such as placing holds and reporting circulation statistics, also apply to the 3M eBooks.

Integration of the 3M Cloud Library with the library’s automated catalog, designed and installed by Polaris Library Systems, marked the culmination of the library’s technology plan for making access to all circulating library items – both print and digital – as user-friendly as possible, whether the user is in the library or is using the library remotely via the Internet. It is hard to imagine a more user-friendly means of lending eBooks to library patrons.

The library started offering access to the 3M Cloud Library in 2012, knowing the day would come that these books could be listed within the regular library catalog. Even back then, this service was ahead of its time because it enabled the library to purchase titles outright and add them to its virtual “shelves” for patrons to browse and borrow the titles they wanted – just as patrons have always done with physical library materials. Subscribing to 3M Cloud Library eight months ahead of integrating it into the catalog also gave us time to build our 3M eBook collection gradually, rather than purchase them all at once. Our fast-growing collection now has more than 700 titles and we plan to add another 1,300 by July, 2014.

The loan period for one of our eBooks is two weeks, after which it is automatically “returned” to the library for the next patron to borrow. Each patron can only have a maximum of five eBooks at any given time, but can easily return an eBook before its due date, if they wish. 3M’s use of cloud technology enables readers to borrow eBooks from the library, at home, or on-the-go. Check out a book on an iPad, take notes while reading on a laptop, and finish the book on an Android smartphone. The bookmark feature works across all devices, so you never lose your place. You can read when, where and how you want.

With the Polaris integration of the 3M Cloud Library, there is no easier way for library patrons to find and borrow eBooks. To find a 3M eBook, you search the catalog just as you would for any other item. To begin reading, all you need is the free 3M Cloud Library app that you can get just like any other free app. Once you sign in using your library card number, you can select titles from the library’s 3M Cloud Library “shelves” or from your own personal “shelf” of eBooks you checked out using the library catalog. Patrons who prefer to work within the 3M Cloud Library app rather than Polaris may do so whenever they wish. By doing so, though, they are unable to take advantage of all the tools available to them through Polaris.

Take the simple example of a patron looking for a book about Disney World, regardless of format. Let’s say the patron finds that the newest print books are all checked out. However, there are some eBooks available on the subject. The patron simply clicks the Check Out button for each one, and those eBooks are immediately available using the 3M Cloud Library app. If an eBook isn’t available, the patron can easily place a hold. eBook hold notifications will be sent directly from the catalog – just as it would for any other item – using the notification preferences patrons have already selected using the My Account feature in Polaris.

The 3M Cloud Library app is available from the iTunes Store, Google Play and the NOOK Apps Storefront, and its eBooks are compatible with PCs, Macs, iPads, iPhones, iPod Touch, NOOK Tablets, Android devices, smartphones and Kobo, Sony and NOOK eReaders. However, they are not compatible with Kindle. (Instructions for each device can be found at our library’s website). We will soon be adding links to some introductory and instructional YouTube videos such as 3M’simple overview of the 3M Cloud Library and their app installation instructions.

As with any new service, getting the word out that the library offers this new way of checking out eBooks will be essential to its success. In addition to the usual ways of doing this, such as the library’s home page, newsletter, e-newsletter, etc., the library has added an animated widget to the welcome screen of the catalog, available through Wowbrary.com, showing cover images of the newest eBooks flowing steadily across the screen. The very handy customizable “portal page” feature in the Polaris PAC software makes it possible to add third party gadgets such as this. This is the welcome screen every OPAC in the library displays while not in use. The appealing moving cover images draw people into the catalog, and soon they see that the library is providing this new service that gives them easy access to the latest eBook titles at no charge.

The library continues to provide access to MyMediaMall, a regional Overdrive consortium that provides access to eBooks shared with dozens of other libraries in Illinois. While this shared access is a cost-effective means of providing access to eBooks and eAudiobooks, the fact that users have to exit the catalog in order to pursue the items they found in the catalog is a problem. That problem is compounded by the fact that patrons often must wait months before it is their turn to actually check the item out. Nevertheless, this Overdrive service provides free access to eAudiobooks, and 3M Cloud Library does not.

The cost of providing access to our eBooks through 3M Cloud Library has been considerable. The average cost of each of our 719 eBooks to date has been $24.41, ranging from $5.99 for older titles to $85 for new bestsellers. Fortunately, we were able to take advantage of some attractive introductory offers from Polaris and 3M that saved the library about $7,500 in setup costs – a total discount of about sixty percent. The current cost of the most popular eBooks would be a deal-breaker if we did not enthusiastically believe that there is a real future in providing this virtual service. So far, the fast-increasing circulation numbers in this area of our collection, along with the falling circulation of print materials for patrons other than children, indicate that we have made a good investment. 

I hope to return to this blog a year from now to review the success of our investment.

Questions? Contact:
Tom Kern, Director, Wauconda Area Library
tkern@wauclib.org 
847-526-6225  x209

As a child, this adult learner was enrolled in Common Place’s after-school program. Unfortunately, he dropped out of school when he was older. His life went into a downhill spiral, ending with homelessness and leaving Peoria. After moving back to Peoria, he decided to make some changes in his life. He stopped in to say hello at Common Place, where staff members made him feel so welcome that he signed up for the Adult Literacy Program. He began studying with a tutor and made great progress in improving his reading and math skills.

When he found a job opening, he asked his tutor to help him prepare the application and practice interviewing. This preparation resulted in his first job at the age of 27! As his confidence and motivation grew, his reading and math continued to improve. In spite of having a pronounced stutter, he agreed to be interviewed in a video that was featured at Common Place’s “Love in Action” dinner. He has spoken to tutors at a training session and is open to speaking when requested. He recently moved into his own apartment for the first time. Since he owned nothing but clothes, staff and tutors at Common Place helped him furnish his new apartment. He has turned his life around and they are all proud of him.

A continuing education opportunity for staff in Illinois libraries, this free web presentation  on the second Friday of the month allows attendees to learn about trends and changes in Illinois libraries. The presentations are recorded so that staff members unable to attend the day of the event have the opportunity to view at their convenience.

Join us for our first webinar, Library Renovations & New Spaces, on
Friday, July 12 from 11 am – 12 pm, CST.  Register today!

Here are just a few of the topics we’re interested in:

• Tell us about your challenges and successes as a school librarian.
• Have you created valuable partnerships with teachers, your public library, or other community organizations? Let us know.
• If you’re a solo librarian, how do you manage your time to get the most out of each day?
• What are some resources you use for professional development?
• Do you have some awesome library instruction activities you would like to share?
• What’s new in your school library? Technology? Space?

If you would like to contribute to our series, please email Lesley Zavediuk at lzavediuk@illinoisheartland.org.
We would love to share your story and learn together!

Visit the Ignite! website to learn even more about this amazing conference!

Why start from scratch?

• The World Public Library has several basic video tutorials and handouts explaining how to use various devices.

• The Maine State Library has tons of up-to-date tutorials available in both PDF and Word formats.

• Visit the SmallBytes Tech Tutorials page from the WestLake Porter Public Library in Westlake Ohio for some great video tutorials.

Create your own tutorials:

• Jing and Screenr are free screencast tools that allow you to record up to 5 minutes of onscreen video. Both are easy to use and learn, and the videos you create will be easy to share!

• Would you rather create a written tutorial?  Check out these tips from the University of Texas iSchool.

Does your library already have some fabulous eLending tutorials? Would you be willing to share them with the WJIL community? Let us know in the comments!

Ten years ago, a 65-year-old woman moved to the United States from Korea. Although she lived in the U.S., she never learned to speak English. She tried to take the U.S. citizenship test after memorizing the 100 questions that would be on the test. However, she found she was too afraid to be face-to-face with a person that spoke fluent English.

She joined the tutoring program at Hanul and was matched with a wonderful tutor who helped her practice English and completely get rid of her fear. After working with her tutor, she passed the U.S. citizenship test. Her participation in the literacy program has helped her live more independently in the U.S. With her increased self-confidence and improved English, she is enjoying the American way of living much more and contributing to her community.

Presented by:

• Brenda Hough and Stephanie Gerding, consultants, TechSoup for Libraries
• Wendy Street, director, Pella Public Library, Iowa.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013 ♦ 1 pm CST ♦ 60 min ♦ Cost $0
Register today!

The Edge Initiative is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Illinois is one of seven states taking part in the pilot program that launches next month. The program will then launch nationally next January. Learn more about the Edge Initiative at http://www.libraryedge.org/.

Illinois libraries taking part are:

• Arlington Heights Memorial Library
• Bensenville Community Public Library District
• Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Center
• Des Plaines Public Library
• Elmhurst Public Library
• Evanston Public Library
• Fountaindale Public Library District, Bolingbrook Library
• Gail Borden Public Library District, Elgin
• Glen Carbon Centennial Library
• Greater West Central Public Library District, Augusta
• Helen Matthes Library, Effingham
• Indian Trails Public Library District, Wheeling
• Itasca Community Library
• Lansing Public Library
• LaSalle Public Library
• Mahomet Public Library District
• Mascoutah Public Library
• Naperville Public Library, Nichols Library
• Oak Park Public Library
• Plainfield Public Library District
• Rockford Public Library
• Skokie Public Library
• Sterling Public Library
• White Oak Library District, Romeoville Library
• Zion-Benton Public Library District