Product workshops

Topic: Web-scale Management Services: a truly “next-generation” of library management services

Presenter: Andrew Pace

OCLC is connecting the technology and capabilities of its member libraries to create the first Web-scale cooperative library management service. OCLC plans to release Web-scale circulation, print and electronic acquisitions, and license management components to complement its existing web-scale discovery and delivery services, continuing the progress toward the truly next generation of library services.

Pace will give an overview of the strategy and specifics about the software itself, including a demonstration of the web-based circulation component. Participants in the workshop will then engage with OCLC staff to discuss some fo the opportunities and challenges arising out of this initiative. These issues include:

• Identity Management
• Licensed Resource workflows
• Interaction with other business process systems and suppliers
• Regional access to OCLC cloud-based services
• Library innovations and interoperability with OCLC services

Workshop participants will help select discussion topics and determine appropriate break-out or small group discussion.

Topic: End User Services in EMEA (WorldCat Local and TouchPoint)

Presenters: Marianne Klomp and Simon Day

Do most of your community start their search for information at the library? If not, how can your reach them where they are searching?

How can you make searching your library as easy, attractive and compelling as popular Web search engines and online bookstores?

Can your community share their discoveries, selections, opinions and recommendations via your library discovery services? Do they have access to similar social contributions from a worldwide community of library users?

New energy has been injected into libraries’ quest for a single, unified library search experience by the recent resurgence of solutions based on pre-harvested content, centrally-indexed on a single, shared SaaS platform. Can these massive aggregations of metadata overcome the limitations of federated searching of multiple, remote databases?

The Saas model offers savings on total cost of ownership compared to locally-maintained hardware/software but can it satisfy those libraries with local expertise who wish to provide their users with a better discovery experience than those at the next institution which may be competing to attract users and funding?

This workshop will explore the above questions through discussion and presentations, with reference to OCLC’s end user services strategy and service offerings: WorldCat Local and TouchPoint.

Virtual Reference: The Role of OCLC in moving reference to the web

Presenter: Susan McGlamery

Information consumers have many options available when they seek information. With so much data freely available and accessible through simple search interfaces, users can easily find more information than is available in the physical space of many libraries, while varied social networks provide spaces where users can seek advice or assistance. Libraries can meet the challenges inherent in a widely dispersed information environment by moving their reference services to the Web, where the users are.

This workshop will provide an overview of virtual reference tools used by libraries all over the world to engage with users, providing high quality information to their community and raising the visibility of library services in creative ways.

We will look in detail at OCLC’s QuestionPoint service, which represents a complete virtual reference management solution: email, chat, chat widget, knowledge base, cooperative tools and integrated reports and statistics. After a demonstration of QuestionPoint, we will discuss the components of a successful virtual reference service, and possible directions OCLC could take in helping libraries bring reference services to the web.