We are pleased to announce that OCLC will offer free, live-online and self-paced training for many courses that cover Cataloging, Resource Sharing and FirstSearch services beginning July 1, 2011.
Advances in e-learning technologies and the increased demand for online learning have allowed us to offer more training while affording greater economies of scale. This makes it possible to pass these savings on to OCLC members in the U.S. and Canada by offering free training on the services members rely on most.
In April, OCLC announced that prices for Cataloging, Resource Sharing and Access would remain flat for the third consecutive year. Adding training at no additional cost further increases savings and the value of membership in the OCLC cooperative.
We want all members to be able to take full advantage of OCLC training and learning opportunities. OCLC trainers and training partners—Amigos, WiLS, Minitex, MLNC, MCLS, OHIONET and LYRASIS—will continue to offer a wide variety of classes and learning opportunities to help members refresh or maintain skills, ensure effective use of OCLC subscription services, and learn new applications to help members leverage their investments in the cooperative.
To find out more about training OCLC offers, sign up for courses and begin taking advantage of these new learning opportunities, please visit the OCLC Training Portal. On-site training or customized courses are still an option; simply contact Rachel Van Noord, Senior Manager, Member Training & Support Communities, by calling 1-800-848-5878, ext. 1322 (or 1-206-336-9222), or by sending an e-mail to vannoorr@oclc.org, to discuss specific interests and needs. (For OCLC members in Canada, please contact Manon Barbeau by calling 1-888-658-6583 or sending an e-mail to barbeaum@oclc.org.)
We're told that to be successful, we need to innovate, both for ourselves and on behalf of our organizations. But is there a fundamental disconnect between how we use imagination, planning and goal setting in our leisure time and how we get things accomplished at work?
Join OCLC and Library Journal online for our third "Virtual Symposium" as we discuss how play overlaps with learning, media, social interaction, work and creativity. These overlaps may provide clues about how "fun" may be the most efficient way to get something serious accomplished. The discussion will be led by:
Fun may be the secret ingredient your innovation efforts are missing. Plus we're going to continue the online discussion after 3 pm with a 1-hour Twitter forum moderated by Lisa Carlucci Thomas, Digital Services Librarian of Southern Connecticut State University and Justin Hoenke, Teen Librarian at Portland Public Library in Portland, Maine and co-founder of 8BitLibrary. Several additional Library Journal and OCLC folks will be reading/responding to tweets during that time as well.
No travel, no cost. Just insight.
Register for the OCLC/LJ Online Symposium today ››
Photograph taken outside OCLC's LTS facility in Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada).
Last October, 18 representatives from 15 libraries in China visited OCLC Canada's Library Technical Services (LTS) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as well as several OCLC member institutions throughout British Columbia. The visit was part of a cultural exchange, which continues this month, as OCLC Asia Pacific leadership from the cooperative's headquarters and Beijing office, including Vice President, Andrew Wang, and Executive Director, Shu-En Tsai, visit several member libraries in China, the Philippines and Taiwan. This exchange is designed to build relationships between OCLC and its members in these regions.
During their visit last fall, member library representatives had the opportunity to tour Vancouver Public Library, University of British Columbia and University of Manitoba Libraries. Also as part of their visit, the Chinese delegates experienced a day in the life of catalogers at OCLC's LTS facilities, who perform custom cataloging services in multiple languages on behalf of members in Canada and around the world. OCLC staff also provided in-depth demonstrations highlighting the key benefits and top techniques to produce quality records using OCLC's Connexion and WorldCat services.
After visiting Canada, the group went to Chicago, where they visited OCLC member institutions including the University of Chicago and Chicago Public Library. The final destination of the group was OCLC headquarters in Dublin, Ohio. In addition to touring the OCLC campus, the group participated in a seminar on OCLC Global Resource Sharing, and visited Westerville Public Library and The Ohio State University's Thompson Library and Book Depository.
Representatives from the following institutions participated in this exchange visit:
- Administration Center, China Academic Library Info System
- Beijing Normal University Library
- China University of Geosciences Library, Wuhan
- Dongguan Library
- East China Normal University Library
- Jilin University Library
- Library of Ocean University of China
- The Library of Wuhan University of Technology
- Northeastern University Library
- OCLC Beijing Representative Office
- Peking University Library
- Shaanxi Library
- Shanghai Library
- Xi'an Jiaotong University Library
- Zhejiang Library
In March 2011, OCLC staff members are visiting several member libraries in China, the Philippines and Taiwan. As part of this trip, OCLC leadership from both the Beijing Representative Office and the cooperative's headquarters in Ohio have presented two seminars in China to member library staff to discuss opportunities for further collaboration among member libraries throughout Asia and the OCLC cooperative. The first of these took place on March 7 at Southwest Jiaotong University and the second on March 9 at Chongqing University.
Front (from left to right):
Shao Wenhui (Senior Librarian, Jilin University Library), Li Xin (Duputy Director, East China Normal University Library), Xie Hong (Director of Acquisitions & Cataloguing Department, Shaanxi Library), Han Xin (Duputy Director,China University of Geosciences Library), Zhang Chunhong (Director of a Department, Peking University Library), Fu Xianhua (Duputy Director, Wuhan University of Technology Library), Huang Yanyun (Deputy Director, Beijing Normal University Library), Huang Yiwen (Deputy Director of Acquisitions & Cataloguing Department, Shanghai Library)
Back (from left to right):
Zhan Lihua (a Director of a department, Hang Zhou Library), Zhang Xiya (Duputy Director, Xi'an JiaoTong University Library), Zeng Lijun (senior librarian, CALIS), Liu Ru (Director of Acquisitions & Cataloguing Department, Hang Zhou Library), Gao Wenbo (Director of Retrieval and Reference Department, Northeastern University Library), Huang Feiyan (Assistant to the Chief Representative, OCLC Beijing Representative Office), Daniel Boivin (Executive Director, OCLC Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean), Helen McCutcheon (Manager, OCLC Library Technical Services), Lois DeGurse (OCLC Library Technical Services Production Manager), John, Zhao Zhi (Assistant to the Chief Representative, OCLC Beijing Representative Office), Yang Lei (Assistant to the Director of Acquisitions & Cataloguing Department, Dongguan Library), Liu Songbai (Director of Beijing Normal University Library), Wei Hsijiang (Director of Ocean University of China Library)
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