News briefs

The Ontario Council of University Libraries' (OCUL) Scholars GeoPortalgeospatial data platform was awarded this year’s Ontario Library and Information Technology Association (OLITA) Award for Technical Innovation. This award, sponsored by OCLC Canada, supports technical innovation in libraries. The Scholars GeoPortal officially launched on 1 March 2012, and offers Ontario’s university students and researchers the ability to enrich their research as they search, preview, manipulate and download geospatial datasets on topics including land use, transportation networks, census boundaries, points of interest (such as schools, airports, and golf courses), and orthophotography.

In accepting the award, Jenny Marvin, GIS Librarian at the University of Guelph and Chair of Scholars GeoPortal Project Management Group, acknowledged the work of OCUL members from across the province, the Scholars Portal team, and partners from the Ontario government, noting that it was their collaborative efforts that led to the creation of this new platform for students to engage with OCUL’s growing collection of geospatial data. Scholars GeoPortal is made possible with support from the Government of Ontario through the OntarioBuys initiative and from the Ontario Council of University Libraries.

For more information, visit OCUL's website.

The Executive Search Committee of the OCLC Board of Trustees and OCLC's Community Advisory Group have made significant progress and established a general timeline in the process to select the next President and CEO of the OCLC cooperative.

"The Search Committee has been very pleased that this opportunity has attracted a number of impressive candidates from a variety of backgrounds," said Sandy Yee, Chair of the Executive Search Committee, and Dean of the Wayne State University Libraries and Library and Information Science Program. "Many of the candidates have been nominations from member libraries, the Community Advisory Group, OCLC staff and the Board itself."

According to Ms. Yee, in-person interviews of candidates by members of the Search Committee will begin in February, followed by a second round of interviews by March.

Members of the OCLC Board of Trustees and the Community Advisory Group will also have an opportunity to interview the finalists in person by April. The Board of Trustees plans to make its final selection by June.

Knowledge about libraries and education, experience in global enterprises, financial management, technology and diverse stakeholder management are among the key criteria in the assessment of prospects. Candidates have come from libraries, higher education, technology and information management organizations, among others.

The executive search firm of Heidrick & Struggles has been retained by the Committee to assist in the search. The Executive Search Committee and Community Advisory Group, comprising representatives of OCLC member libraries and OCLC staff, were formed to represent the interests of OCLC members and staff throughout the selection process. These groups have collaboratively developed a timeline with deliverables, and have outlined how they will advance candidates through the selection process.

An OCLC Executive Search Web page was created to provide a mechanism for members to submit nominations, allow members and candidates to review the position specifications and to list the individuals participating on the Search Committee and Community Advisory Group.

The successful candidate will succeed Jay Jordan, who has announced his plans to retire. Until his retirement on June 30, 2012, Mr. Jordan will remain fully engaged as President and CEO. At that time, he will have served 14 years in that position, the longest tenure of any OCLC president.

Members of the Community Advisory Group have provided the Executive Search Committee with counsel regarding the selection of a new OCLC President and CEO, including input to the position profile, names for consideration, potential sources of candidates, and stakeholder perspectives. The Group will also be engaged in the final stage of the interview process.

Members of the Community Advisory Group are:

• Pam Bailey, Member Advocate, OCLC
• ChewLeng Beh, Vice President/President-Elect, OCLC Global Council, and Senior Director Library and Professional Services and Director of SILAS, National Library Board, Singapore
• Paul Cappuzzello, Senior Library Services Consultant, OCLC
• William Crowe, Former Member of the OCLC Board of Trustees and Librarian Emeritus, University of Kansas, USA
• Carol Diedrichs, Director of Libraries, The Ohio State University, USA
• Berndt Dugall, OCLC Global Council President and Direktor/Librarian, Universität Frankfurt, Universitätsbibliothek Johann Senckenberg, Germany
• Chrystie Hill, Director, WebJunction Community Services, OCLC
• Patrick Losinski, Executive Director, Columbus (Ohio) Metropolitan Library, USA
• Constance Malpas, Program Officer, OCLC Research
• Andrew Pace, Executive Director, Networked Library Services, OCLC
• Anja Smit, Regional Representative, OCLC Global Council, and University Librarian, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
• John Ulmschneider, University Librarian, Virginia Commonwealth University, USA
• Norbert Weinberger, Managing Director, Germany, OCLC

The OCLC Board of Trustees announced the formation of the Executive Search Committee on August 1, 2012:

• Chair, Sandy Yee, Dean of the Wayne State University Libraries and Library and Information Science Program
• Ed Barry, President Emeritus, Oxford University Press
• Maggie Farrell, Dean of Libraries, University of Wyoming
• Bernadette Gray-Little, Chancellor, University of Kansas
• Kathleen Imhoff, Library Consultant
• David Lauer, Former President and COO, Bank One, NA
• James Neal, Vice President for Information Services and University Librarian, Columbia University
• Elisabeth Niggemann, Director General, Deutsche Nationalbibliothek

More about the selection process is on the OCLC website.

Graham McCarthy and Steven Marsden from Ryerson University Library & Archives received the 2011 Ontario Library and Information Technology Association (OLITA) Award for Technological Innovation. Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Marsden launched the Ryerson Library Barcode Scanner as part of Ryerson mobile on 7 October 2010, which was downloaded from the Apple App Store 2,046 times between 7 October and 15 December 2010. The Android version was downloaded 232 times during that same time period.

For the two years leading up to the launch of the scanner, Ryerson University Library & Archives conducted a survey to gauge students’ use of mobile technologies. This research helped determine their development criteria for their innovative mobile applications, which in turn helped enhance their users’ experience.

About the Ryerson Library Barcode Scanner
Graham McCarthy and Steven Marsden created applications for iPhone, iPod Touch and Google Android mobile devices that integrate the University’s mobile website with a library oriented ISBN/QR barcode scanner application. 

Users scan a book’s ISBN barcode with the application which then checks OCLC’s xISBN API for similar ISBN’s to look up in the library catalogue. If the item is located at the library, the availability of that item is displayed to the user.  This allows patrons in a classroom environment, or in bookstores, to quickly see if the item is available at their library.

When a QR code is scanned, information contained in the barcode is decrypted and displayed on screen. For example, if the QR code contains a URL, the application will take you to the corresponding website.

About the OLITA Award for Technological Innovation
The OLITA Award for Technological Innovation is sponsored by OCLC Canada and recognizes the best example of technological innovation in one of the following categories:

• Library users: Applications that primarily benefit the library user.
• Library operations: Applications that are cost beneficial in the operation of the library and primarily benefit staff.
• Partnership: Technological innovations demonstrating partnerships and strategic alliances with industry, the community and other institutions.
• Leadership: For overall leadership in the application of technology in libraries.

Learn more about this award, including eligibility guidelines and submission requirements.