ALA-Midwinter 2009 Highlights

If you were unable to attend ALA Midwinter in January, you’re not completely out of luck. Many of the presentations are now online.

From Linking to Thinking (the OCLC Symposium)
We’re always changing the Web, but is the Web changing us? OCLC’s Roy Tennant moderates a discussion between David Weinberger (author of Everything is Miscellaneous and co-author of The Cluetrain Manifesto) and Nova Spivack (Semantic Web pioneer and publisher of the Twine search/sharing tool) that explores questions like these: Does using the Web change how we think and learn? How will we organize information when everyone is connected all the time? Will the Web add intelligence to everyday objects and our personal activities?
To view go to
http://www.oclc.org/us/en/multimedia/2009/MWSymposium.htm

All of Your Library’s Content in One Search Box
Early adopters of the OCLC WorldCat Local share their experiences, and OCLC staff discuss enhancements that will further consolidate access to library resources.
Speakers for this event:
o Steve Shadle. University of Washington
o Amy Kautzman, University of California, Davis
o Gregg Silvis, University of Delaware
o Angi Falks, Macalester College
o Mindy Pozenel, OCLC
To view go to
http://www.oclc.org/us/en/multimedia/2009/alamw2009_worldcatlocal.htm

Redesigning Technical Services Workflows with OCLC
Karen Calhoun presents a case for technical services units to embrace change. Her presentation is followed by three librarians from two libraries that have used OCLC products and services to their advantage in order to increase efficiencies and redirect the energies of their technical services staffs. A recording of this session can be found at
http://www.oclc.org/us/en/multimedia/2009/ALA_MW_Redefining_Technical_Services.htm

Other OCLC presentations and OCLC sponsored sessions, can be found at
http://www.oclc.org/us/en/news/events/presentations/default.htm

FRBR and RDA: a glimpse into the future of cataloging and public displays

In this ALCTS CCS (Cataloging and Classification Section) Forum Barbara Tillett (LC) gives her views on where we are going with RDA and her ideas about the sharing of metadata or information and the need to develop better information systems for the future. Diane Vizine-Goetz (OCLC) reports on what users and librarians want in a catalog and talks about how to exploit information that is already in records. Jon Espley (VTLS) speaks about VTLS’s implementation of FRBR as well as some larger FRBR questions and implications, and Robert McDonald (Indiana U.) explains the OLE Project (Open Library Environment)—an alternative to the current model of an integrated library system.

All these presentations are posted in the ALCTS section of the ALA Midwinter conference wiki. There is also a link to the audio in .mp3 format. Go to this site:

http://wikis.ala.org/midwinter2009/index.php/ALCTS

Scroll down to “Friday” and look for the CCS Forum.

While you are there, you might want to investigate the presentations for other ALCTS sessions.