BCU Library

Iowa academic libraries -- Symphony users include Dordt, Drake, and Morningside

Regional Groups -- including the Upper Midwest Region Users Group

LJ recently asked librarians to tell us what they, and their patrons, thought of their ILSs. Nearly 1300 librarians responded, including 709 public librarians and 541 academic librarians, and their answers will strike a chord with many readers.

Lots of links to reports and articles about library software including ILS vendors. Great resources!

What does your community want and need from a library? If you're a librarian, chances are you've made efforts to find out, to strategically plan, to adjust services to local interests and changing needs. Rarely, though, do any of us get to see a broad view of our library community through the filter of independent data.

  "Old models of library operation may disappear, but that does not mean they can't be replaced.  Academic libraries' central book model is temporarily insulated by high prices, but change will come just the same.  The time provided by this insulation should be used to explore sources of content like local special collections with clear ownership and distribution rights.  Without restrictions like those imposed by many third party vendors, special collections can provide a proving ground for next generation interfaces and services. This home-grown expertise within libraries can then be applied on a wider basis in the future.                 The examples and efforts discussed in this column share one thing at their core, and that is that they are services made by libraries, for libraries.  As a collective institution, libraries have great expertise in building sustainable preservation systems capable of lasting many years.  Third party vendors do not have a proven track record on building long term preservation systems for electronic resources at this point in time.  By placing our trust, funds, and collections in the hands of those third parties we turn libraries into middlemen.  For the short term gain of providing easy access to next generation library services, we risk disintermediation by those vendors and removal from the service equation entirely.  Libraries of all types and sizes can look inward and grow from our strengths.  Major publishers and content providers aren't likely to allow new services with the same scope libraries enjoyed in the past.  Fortunately, special collections and collaborative efforts are accessible to even the smallest library as perfect opportunities for gaining relevant experience and expertise.  By basing that experience and expertise on homegrown services built by and for libraries, they can ensure a sustainable future of next generation services."

The books present recent research on these subjects in a palatable way using interactive maps, podcasts and audio-visual materials. The result, which can be shared freely amongst both academic and non-academic individuals alike, is an engaging and diverse resource for researching and teaching relevant science issues across the humanities.

Interesting little case study example of patron-driven acquisition. 

Cloud computing comes in several different forms and this article documents how service, platform, and infrastructure forms of cloud computing have been used to serve library needs. Following an overview of these uses the article discusses the experience of one library in migrating IT infrastructure to a cloud environment and concludes with a model for assessing cloud computing.

other examples of SirsiDynix OPACs - all at public libraries, though

Index labels and examples of expert search in WorldCat; short code commands for things like title, series, isbn and many others

A great image for a future presentation on sources (cough, cough) about th paradox cycle of rumors and such on Wikipedia.

A bookmarklet to add to any browser to run a search on a specific item from Amazon, WorldCat, etc. in our OPAC.  Search for "Briar Cliff" and we're the first result. Drag the bookmarklet link to the browser's bookmark bar. 

" the webcast provided an overview of the revision, highlighting ways the standards can benefit libraries in the strategic planning, program review, and self-study processes. The webcast archive and full text of the revised standards are both freely available on the ACRL Standards and Guidelines page."

One-hour professional development modules for educators to teach themselves about copyright and primary sources of various kinds.

Thank you, I have been keeping this site in another folder for consideration with our new "lib guides" on our new web site. Now we will know where they are when we need them.

So, apparently we need a link resolver.