WebJunction

My name is Margo and this is my first time ever using a message board. I like the idea. It would be nice to have little icons or things to add, like they have in some chat programs.

I like the name of WJ's column: I'm Curious, George!

I think that the time to do all of this technology stuff is something that librarians really struggle with. That's what I'd like to see people talk about on WebJunction. For example, what do you do when a patron comes to the desk and asks you about setting up hotmail so that they can email their grandkids, and then you come to find out that they've never touched a mouse before? I try to help them as much as I can if there is no one else at the reference desk, but usually I get really backed up and end up having to move back and forth between my technology training for one patron and all the other patron questions. I'd love to hear and talk more about strategies for dealing with this type of real world situation - how do you work in time for this stuff *and* do regular reference?

By the way, I'm George...but not the same George from the article!

Hello, my name is Marian and I'm a system network administrator for a small library system. I too am glad to see WebJunction up and running. I don't have any questions or comments yet. Just glad to see folks here already, talking away.

I'm Coe and I'm the IT director for a large urban library system in the midwest. I'm most interested in public access librarianship from the big picture view. For example, I'd like to hear from people who are *really* happy with their public access control software, and also from folks who are working on equity in public access programs (how to start them and get support for them in terms of funding, etc.). I look forward to talking about these things with other people on WJ, if they are interested as well.

Note: this message has been moved by an administrator. Originally posted by scoghlan on June 25, 2003.

I first learned about webjunction at the ALA conference in Toronto and immediately signed up (and spoke up). I was charmed to receive a kind email from Chrystie Hill this morning, welcoming me and suggesting that I introduce myself to the group.

So, as the subject sez, I AM SAM - Sam Coghlan. I am Chief Librarian at Oxford County Library (OCL) in a rural county in southern Ontario, Canada (roughly mid-way between Toronto and Detroit).

OCL serves 50,000 folk through 1 town library and 17 village libraries. Public Access has been the library's life jacket by which we've managed to make a meaningful entry into the 21st century.

Our village libraries were 1-person libraries open as few as 6 hours a week all the way up to 15(!) hours per week. Communication, team building, creating a corporate culture was impossible. So, when the Canadian government introduced CAP (Community Access Program) in 1995, we were quick to get on board.

We had our challenges to meet and we think of 1997-8 as the dark years, as we were doing pitifully and our book budget was virtually annihilated. We were an embarrassment to the CAP people in Ottawa.

Now, myself and my colleague John Moore are considered "CAP Champions" (I hate that term, but it's what they use) and OCL has been asked to tell its story many times across the country and even in Australia (at an ALIA conference). Our branches are now open from 12 - 35 hours per week and we have a system wide esprit-de-corps that is absolutely inspiring.

The story of how we went from there to here is too long to relate here, but there are aspects of our story that I think may be helpful for others to hear. So, I will try and pipe up on ALL ABOARD from time to time.

Our web site is [url http://www.ocl.net ]http://www.ocl.net.[/url]

Hope to hear from y'all.

Note: this message has been moved by an administrator. Originally posted by howen on June 27, 2003.

Hi Sam,

Welcome to WebJunction. I'm sure your experiences with CAP will bring an interesting perspective to different forums on this site. We hope to hear more from you!

I'm wondering what you and your fellow librarians in Canada are thinking about CIPA and the recent Supreme Court decision here? You may want to check in on the discussion in the Library News forum.

Have fun!

Helen

Hi Folks!

I'm Carson, and have been working in library technology for the past nine years, almost everywhere between the public service desk to the wiring closet and beyond!

For three years I worked for the High Plains Regional Library Service System, a multi-type agency providing consulting and advocacy for all publically-funded libraries in a nine-country area in northern Colorado.

I was also co-director of the ASCC project (Automation System Consortia - Colorado [url http://ascc.lib.co.us ]http://ascc.lib.co.us[/url])which has joined a large number of small-to-mid-sized libraries together to obtain automation services via ASP (Application Service Provider) technology.

It's great to be here -- thanks for the opportunity to post!

Welcome to the WebJunction forums Carson.

We have a bit in common. I have spent the past few years helping rural libraries in my area get wired and have also found myself everywhere from behind the circulation desk checking out books to dwelling in the cellar drilling through concrete floors to thread those network cables!

Hello Jackie, and it's great to have you on All Aboard!

Your connection to the most recent research and scholarship in librarianship will be a nice insert into "the real world" problems many librarians on WebJunction are talking about.

Thanks,

Chrystie

Hello Brian, and thanks for posting on All Aboard.

It sounds like your library has a number of things going for you - have you seen any new challenges with current budget problems in your library? We'd love to hear from you on how and whether public access programs will be managed (and maintained) through the budget problems. Will the programs you mentioned be affected?

Thanks,

Chrystie