iLLiad international conference, Virginia Beach

I attended the iLLiad conference in Virginia Beach on April 24, 25, 26 which was hosted by Atlas Systems, Inc. who is developing OCLC iLLIad. We are using it for the interlibrary loan process and document delivery in libraries of JHU. I met couples of iLLiad developers and support staff in this conference. Also I listened or discussed other library issues or their solutions.

March 24, 2010 Preconference

•Topic: Implementation and Navigation of the ILLiad 8 Client

This 3 hour class introduced to the new ILLiad 8 client interface, which utilizes ribbons, tabs and customizable layouts. The class began with a brief overview of the ILLiad 8 client prerequisites and installation process, followed by a discussion of how to navigate the various components of the new ILLiad client interface.

•Topic: More than just a pretty interface - Intermediate ILLiad 8

Delve deeper into the ILLiad 8 client in this class covering the optimizations and new features available. Topics covered include Printing, Customizing Layouts, Staff Manager, and Custom Searching.

March 25, 2010

•Keynote Address, Chip Nilges, Vice President, Business Development at OCLC

Chip Nilges was promoted to Vice President, Business Development, in 2007. He is responsible for OCLC’s content strategy, which includes OCLC’s NetLibrary collections of eBooks and eAudiobooks, as well as the OCLC FirstSearch online reference service and the OCLC Electronic Collections Online service. Chip was formerly Vice President, New Product Planning, and before that was Executive Director, OCLC WorldCat Content and Global Access. He joined OCLC in 1994 and has held several key roles including leadership of FirstSearch, new products and WorldCat content.

•Text Messaging (BAM!) - A quick, low cost way to pump your customer service up a notch
Speaker: Penn State and Notre Dame

Penn State and Notre Dame are offering text messaging service to their patrons now. In the session they provided a demonstration with step-by-step instructions on how patrons received the ILL notices to their cell phones, so that they can be alerted instantly when, for example, an item they have been anxiously awaiting has arrived. In addition they shared practical tips on how to plan the implementation and rollout of the new service and how our patrons have received it. It gave us a new way to server patrons better.

•Topic: Borrowing is a Business: Cultivating a Collection as a Revenue Stream for Academic Libraries
Speaker: Dallas Long, Illinois State University; Michael Walsh, University of Detroit Mercy

Many academic libraries are suffering from tightening budgets during this period of economic uncertainty and are relying on interlibrary loan services more than ever before as they slash serials and collections budgets. This section represented an opportunity for ILL departments to strategically improve their library’s revenue stream. As net lenders, Milner Library at Illinois State University and Kresge Law Library at the University Of Mercy Detroit School of Law experienced increases in lending fees. The presenters recognized that the increases were a result of multiple borrowing requests for specific holdings. They analyzed their collections for other heavily requested items, removed barriers for lending such items, and recommended the strategic purchases of journals with few available holdings in OCLC. The presenters shared their experiences identifying possible serial holdings and monographs, creating a business plan for strategic purchases of new titles, copyright considerations and negotiations with licensing, and evaluation of lending fees.

•Topic: Destination Resource Sharing Community Portal (Webjunction): Where do we go from here?
Speaker: John Trares, OCLC

The section guided us how to use iLLiad community portal, which is using WebJunction functionality, this community portal provides the ability to connect with other librarians who have similar interests and experiences. We are able to start or participate in discussions about resource sharing topics, share best practices, or discuss new trends. And with MyWebJunction, we can stay up-to-date with discussions you are involved in and see what your friends are doing. Learn how to use more of the features and provide feedback on what needs to be added to the portal to help improve it.

•Medical Library Round Table
Speaker: Genie Powell, Atlas Systems

Open discussion about current issues facing medical libraries using ILLiad.

March 26, 2010

•OCLC Update

https://www.atlas-sys.com/conference/2010Presentations/ILLiad_OCLC_Update.pdf

•Social Networking and ILLiad
Speaker: Stephanie Spires, Atlas Systems

Blogs, Facebook, iTunes U, Twitter, YouTube, Meebo, Flickr, & delicious are the most popular social networking/online tools in use at ILLiad libraries. This session gave me a brief overview of the tool and ideas for how it might be integrated with your ILLiad workflows and web.

•Atlas Update

Preview some new features of next release.


By Changxin Chen