June 2009 Archives

We've kept you informed about our changing relationship with OCLC, so you know that, as of July 1, you'll contact OCLC with support questions related to OCLC products and services.

As part of these same changes, Minitex will continue offering OCLC-related training, but now you'll also have access to training provided by other organizations around the country. Note that Minitex will be implementing differential pricing; fees for registrants from the Minitex region will be lower than those for registrants from outside our region. We don't have many training sessions scheduled yet, but look for more as we move into Fall.

Here is the official announcement about OCLC training:

• Minitex and OCLC continue to work together on behalf of OCLC member libraries.
• We are pleased to announce that OCLC and Minitex will work together to provide you with expanded access to quality OCLC training and related educational offerings.
• Minitex has been certified to provide OCLC training--adhering to specific standards and use of OCLC-developed curriculum to ensure consistency of training objectives across all OCLC product and service areas.
• As an OCLC-certified training provider, Minitex makes its OCLC-related course offerings available on the OCLC Training Portal, a Web-based, customer-centered resource that allows you to locate and register for courses that meet your personal learning objectives.
• The Training Portal displays OCLC-certified courses from all Training Partners across the U.S. All of the courses listed on the Training Portal are available to anyone interested in learning more about using OCLC products and services.
• Social networking features available on the Training Portal allow you to join groups, add friends, bookmark courses and much more.
• The OCLC Training Portal will be accessible starting July 1, 2009, by visiting the OCLC Training Portal Web site.
• For questions regarding the OCLC Training Portal, call 1-800-848-5800, or email training@oclc.org.
• For questions specific to training opportunities offered by Minitex, call 800-462-5348 or 612-624-4002, visit the Minitex Training and Events Web page or email mino@umn.edu.

Please take note that the role Minitex has played in supporting your library's use of OCLC products and services will shift somewhat in the coming fiscal year. As OCLC and Minitex continue to work in partnership on behalf of OCLC member libraries, we would like to inform you about some important changes with regard to how your library will access support for OCLC products and services.

• Beginning July 1, 2009, OCLC members will contact OCLC Customer Support for all questions related to support for OCLC products and services. OCLC's teams of support professionals are available 14 hours a day, Monday - Friday, 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Central Time, to assist you with your needs. These dedicated individuals will provide answers and information to help your library maximize the value of your membership and use of OCLC products and services.
• In addition to product support specialists, the OCLC Customer Support organization is also comprised of a specialized team of librarians focused on providing consultative and workflow support tied to the use and satisfaction of OCLC products and services.



• OCLC Billing & Ordering: Minitex will continue to offer billing and ordering assistance to your library for OCLC products and services.
• Technical Services: Minitex Bibliographic & Technical Services (BATS) will continue to provide non-OCLC-related services and support that your library receives from Minitex today. For example, BATS will continue to provide support for general technical services issues such as cataloging and workflow, and training in the areas of digitization and cataloging.
• Reference Services: Minitex Reference Services will continue to provide support for libraries participating in AskMN: The Librarian Is In! which uses OCLC's QuestionPoint, the Minnesota NetLibrary shared collections, and Minnesota's statewide subscription to WorldCat.
• Training: Minitex will continue to provide training on OCLC products and services as well as our other traditional topic areas.
• Minitex will also assist OCLC in keeping member libraries informed by communicating updates, enhancements, new product offerings, research, membership reports and other important information on OCLC member benefits.

More details about this change in support will be sent out within the coming weeks.

To contact OCLC Customer Support, call 1-800-848-5800 or e-mail support@oclc.org.

To contact Minitex BATS, call (800) 462-5348 or (612) 624-4002, or e-mail mino@umn.edu.

OCLC is offering a free webinar on the topic of parallel records on two dates this month. Parallel records are records for the same manifestation but cataloged in different languages that reside parallel to each other in WorldCat.

The dates are:

• Wednesday, June 17 from 3:00-4:00 PM (Central Standard Time)
• Tuesday, June 23 from 8:30-9:30 AM (Central Standard Time)

The sessions will also be recorded and one will be posted for viewing after the second webinar. Sign up is available on the Expert Community Web page.

Register for an OCLC webinar

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