Management

Learning/CE, Library Administration, Management
UPDATED – Footnotes on the Public Library Administration Workshop
June 9th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

Now you have access to the full training manual (PDF format) for the Public Administration workshop. You can glimpse what the manual contains by browsing the manual’s table of contents. Thank you Cynthia Berner_Harris and the Wichita Public Library crew (see below for picture and details) for this handy resource.

Shannon Roy led the State Library’s Public Administration Workshop this past weekend (June 6 & 7) at the Holiday Inn in Salina. I was lucky enough to sit in on Friday’s session and what a treat it was.

The workshop kicked off with a keynote session by Kate Marek who got her doctorate from SLIM and is now on the faculty of the library school at Dominican University. Kate’s presentation, “Influences on Public Libraries: Finding Trends in the Literature and in Society”. led us on a tour de force of literature outside the library profession that can inform us about trends in society and give us ideas for new library services and products. Kate’s reading list inludes titles that cover findability, generational issues, organizational schemes and more.

After her session, I caught up with Kate and got her video recommendation for Clay Shirky’s “Here Comes Everybody: The Power of Organizing without Organizatons”. Click here to see Kate talking about the book. (This is an mpg file. The video clip runs just over 2 minutes.)

A crack training team from Wichita Public Library took over for the rest of the workshop. Trainers Cynthia Berner-Harris, Jean Hatfield and Jaime Prothro expertly led us through topics such as: effective meetings, planning and mission statements, tools for decision making, policy development, budgeting, and customer service. Lots of power packed into a day and a half!

If you didn’t make it to the workshop, watch WebJunction Kansas for the training manual (an excellent resource in itself). In the meantime, check out our Flickr photos from the workshop.
Management, News, Tech, Uncategorized
Z39.50 and what it means to Kansas libraries
March 5th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

Question: Other than serving as the last letter of the alphabet, why would a Kansas library care about Z targets?

Answer: Because it will completely change the way library holdings in the KLC will be handled – beginning next month!

The State Library is changing the Kansas Library Catalog (KLC) from the current model to a hybrid catalog that includes real-time access to local library catalogs.

The KLC will continue to reflect the bulk of Kansas library holdings – but in many cases the information retrieved as part of a search will include not only the library holdings, but also actual shelf status.

What is the plan?

We will move libraries in groups, according to their ILS, beginning this spring with: AGent VERSO libraries, ExLibris Voyager, SirsiDynix Unicorn, and SirsiDynix Horizon. The next group will include KOHA libraries and Innovative Interface (III).

As libraries migrate, they will stop adding holdings to the KLC database; their local ILS will “become” part of the KLC. Searching the KLC will search the database AND all the Z target libraries at the same time.

This plan will allow the State Library to purchase fewer duplicate records from OCLC. Currently, Kansas libraries add their holdings to WorldCat. The State Library then pays OCLC for a copy of each record to put into the KLC.

This plan will also streamline the interlibrary loan process, as Z target libraries will only receive ILL requests from the AGent system for items on the shelf and available. The KLC will more quickly reflect updates to local catalogs.

Libraries that have questions about their ILS’s compliance with Z39.50 standards, or specific questions about their library’s status, may contact Jeff Hixon (e-mail: jeffh@kslib.info, or phone 785/296-3154) or Rhonda Machlan (e-mail: rmachlan@kslib.info, or phone 785/296-5110).
Management, Rural & Small Libraries, Uncategorized
Spring comes in like a Lion….
March 3rd, 2008 | Permalink | 1 Comment

(and if you live in Kansas)…..goes out like a phoenix. Well this past Sunday was something wasn’t it? 70 degrees at noon, and 40 by the early afternoon. And I can’t remember, but it sure seems like this might have been one of the first thunderstorms of the year in my area.

And with storms come damaging rains, hail, winds, and lightening. In Kansas we also get our share of tornadoes, flash floods, ice storms, droughts…..well you name it we get it. As librarians we have a duty to make sure that our libraries are prepared, but we also have the added duty of being a place that people come for help in times of emergency.

Which brings me to my point. (and yes I have one)

The time for emergency preparedness is now! There is so much to figure out and so many things to plan for that it can make a librarian’s head spin, melt, and/or explode. The good news is that the folks at webjunction have been talking about this topic for awhile now, and there are plenty of good resources to choose from and use.

One way to find this information is to do a search on the WebJunction site for “emergency preparedness” or “disaster planning”, you will find many good search results.

Try the discussion boards as well.

So whether your decision is to run for the hills, or to head for the basement, make sure you have a plan when disaster strikes.

photo courtesy of millicent bystander at flickr.com
Management
“Working Knowlege” – A monthly column on employment issues for library directors
February 13th, 2008 | Permalink | Comment?

Mary Pergander, director of the Deerfield (Ill.) Public Library writes a monthly column that you can find on the American Library Association (ALA) website at Working Knowledge.

January’s column offered 12 resolutions for the New Year at your library. Other columns have explored employment issues such as librarians leaving the profession, inspiration, standards and making meetings matter. You can send your own employment questions to Mary Pergander. Just visit the Working Knowledge web page for more information.

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Management

Learning/CE, Library Administration, Management

UPDATED – Footnotes on the Public Library Administration Workshop

Management, News, Tech, Uncategorized

Z39.50 and what it means to Kansas libraries

Management, Rural & Small Libraries, Uncategorized

Spring comes in like a Lion….

Management

“Working Knowlege” – A monthly column on employment issues for library directors