Paul's Report on Library Technology Conference 2009
I attended the 2009 Library Technology Conference. The conference was held at Macalester College, St. Paul. It occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, March 18 and 19, 2009. The following are sessions that I attended:
Amazon’s Kindle Wireless Reading Device: Is It the Future of Inter-Library Loan?
This session explained the value of using an electronic reading device to satisfy some of the Inter-Library Loan (ILL) borrowing requests from the campus community. One positive aspect of this device is the ability to acquire a book electronically within a day. An ILL borrower could get a requested book much faster than with the traditional ILL borrowing process. One of the main negative qualities of an electronic reading device is the eye strain that occurs when using such a device. Here is the website:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00154JDAI/?tag=googhydr-20&hvadid=2733312175&ref=pd_sl_94gezpav8a_e
Minnesota Digital Library – Where We Are
This session explained the purpose, policies and procedures of the Minnesota Digital Library (MDL). Here is the MDL description of its purpose: The Minnesota Digital Library Coalition (MDLC)—professionals from libraries, archives, historical societies and museums across Minnesota—is creating a digital collection of the state's unique resources and special collections. The Minnesota Digital Library supports education, scholarship and enrichment through Internet access to this collection. The MDLC provides a server and database environment and imaging support that is the technical foundation for current and future digitization activities. Here is the website: http://www.mndigital.org/
VuFind: The MnPALS Experience
This session demonstrated the functions and purpose of VuFind. Here is the VuFind description of its purpose: VuFind is a library resource portal designed and developed for libraries by libraries. The goal of VuFind is to enable your users to search and browse through all of your library's resources by replacing the traditional OPAC. VuFind is similar to Primo. Here is the website: http://www.vufind.org/
Discussing “Next Generation” Library Catalogs
This session featured and exchange of thoughts and ideas from both the presenter, Eric Lease Morgan, Head of the Digital Access and Information Architecture Department of the University Libraries of Notre Dame, and the audience. Methods for setting up search engines beneficial to libraries was primarily discussed.
Using an Audience Response System in Library Instruction
This session covered the basics of using an audience response system for library instruction. The system described in this session is the same one that the UMD Library uses, which is Turningpoint Technologies. Here are a couple of websites that may be of interest:
http://www.turningtechnologies.com/
http://webpac.clic.edu/
Please feel free to ask me questions.