SWON Libraries

Co-Sponsored by the Special Libraries Association: Cincinnati Chapter

Date & Time

Wednesday, April 9th, 2008

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Location

SWON Libraries Office

Speaker(s)

Diane K. Kovacs is President of Kovacs Consulting - Internet & Web Training. She has more than fourteen years of experience as a Web Teacher and Consultant. Diane has been designing and teaching Web-based MLA CE courses since 2001. She also designs and teaches Web-based courses for UIUC GSLIS LEEP, the ACRL, and other organizations.

Her latest book is The Virtual Reference Handbook: Interview and Information Delivery Techniques for the Chat and E-Mail Environments by Kovacs, Diane K. Neal-Schuman Publishers (2007) published concurrently in the United Kingdom by Facet Publishers (2007) The Kovacs Guide to Electronic Library Collection Development: Essential Core Subject Collections, Selection Criteria, and Guidelines by Kovacs, Diane K. & Robinson, Kara L. was published in 2004 by Neal-Schuman Publishers. Genealogical Research on Web was published in 2002 . How to Find Medical Information on the Internet: A Print and Online Tutorial for the Health Care Professional and Consumer (2000) (Library Solutions Press) and Building Electronic Library Collections: The Essential Guide to Selection Criteria and Core Collections (Neal-Schuman) were both published in 2000.

Diane's first book The Internet Trainer's Guide , was published in 1995. The Internet Trainer's Total Solution Guide was published in 1997. She has also co-authored with her husband Michael Kovacs,Cybrarians Guide to Successful Internet Programs and Services which was published by Neal-Schuman in 1997.

Diane Kovacs is the 2000 recipient of the "Documents to the People" award from the Government Documents Roundtable of the American Library Association. She was also the recipient of the Apple Corporation Library's, Internet Citizen Award for 1992 and was the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science Alumni Association's first recipient of the Leadership Award in 1996. Since 1990 she has been the editor-in-chief of the Directory of Scholarly and Professional Electronic Conferences.

Diane received an M.S. in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois in 1989 and an M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Kent State University in 1993. She has a B.A. in Anthropology also from the University of Illinois, 1985.

Description

PLEASE NOTE: THIS PROGRAM IS DELIVERED THROUGH WEB CONFERENCING TO THE SWON LIBRARIES OFFICE.

This two-part course will introduce participants to electronic collection development, how to adapt online collections to user needs. Participants will see examples of well-planned and designed e-libraries on the Web to illustrate each phase of development. Attendees will have access to Web-based supporting materials, readings, and worksheets.

Attendees will step through the process of creating or assessing an e-library collection plan:

1. Collection plan abstract or introduction.
2. Collection strategy.
3. Collection organization plan.
4. Collection maintenance plan.

E-libraries extend the librarian information intermediary role to the Web. To succeed, libraries and librarians must adapt to the information needs of their users. Part of this adaptation is the building of Web-accessible resource collections. Librarians must also respond to changes in how current and potential library patrons seek information. Other library writers have identified other benefits of Web-based e-libraries including:

Enhanced service to the core group of library patrons.
Provide new services for core library patrons
Attracting new library patrons
Better serving under-served library patrons

This seminar is an introduction to collection planning for Web-based e-libraries. Every library has its unique level of complexity and level of resources for taking on such a project. However, once one is determined to build an e-library, collecting, evaluating and selecting Web-based information resources need not be more complex than the analogous activities involved in collecting print or other types of electronic information resources.

Critical Learning Questions
Does a resource meet some information need of the e-library's intended patrons?

Does a resource provide the information at a level and language suitable to the age, educational background, professional attainments, and subject interests of the e-library's intended patrons?

Does a resource provide information in a form/resource type, and quality level that you want to include in your e-library?

Are the access and design suitable to the needs of the e-library's intended patrons?

How is the resource archived?

What are the cost, licensing and user control factors that must be negotiated?

How and who will maintain and grow the e-library collection?

Audience

This seminar is designed for info pros who wish to learn about developing or expanding e-library collections of high-quality, Web-accessible information resources. Some experience with information searching on the Web is assumed. This is a basic to intermediate level presentation for those who have little or no experience in collection development planning or for those who have experience developing physical collections and wish to learn more about the specifics of e-library collection planning.