Thursday, March 27, 2003

Online Library Instruction: Create a Virtual Search Learn to create more interactive online environments for teaching information literacy skills. In this workshop you'll use Flash MX to create an online database search demonstration. The demonstration will allow students to move at their own pace, and will require them to type searches correctly before they can move on to the the next step. No prior experience with Flash is necessary. Rather than teach all details of the software, we'll focus strictly on the features and methods most useful for library instruction. Date: Wednesday April 9, 2003 Time: 9:00 a.m. -- 4:00 p.m. Fee: $65.00 Instructor: Tracy Seneca, DePaul University Location: Chicago Library System, 224 So. Michigan Ave. Suite 680 Register at: http://www.chilibsys.org/ce Hurry! Limited openings left for this class! 1:24:33 PM

Libraries under attack in Japan: Sometimes having a global view on a problem, brings new perspectives.  This article, "Libraries under attack," from LISNews.com, illustrates that American libraries are not alone in their fight to save libraries and that people generally support the idea of libraries as a cornerstone to democracy and national culture. 10:13:28 AM

Digital Reference Services Update: Bernie Sloan has updated his Digital Reference Services Bibliography. The April 2003 issue of Computers in Libraries is dedicated to virtual reference issues. The Ready for Reference Project Directors ask for Participation in the Virtual Reference Service Vendor Trials: "You have probably heard about Ready for Reference, the Alliance Library System's virtual reference service, and/or Answers Unlimited, the North Suburban Library Systems project and how these two projects received an LSTA planning grant from the Illinois State Library. My Web Librarian is the name of the combined service that came about because of the Illinois Libraries: Just a Click Away planning grant. The official roll out of the combined and expanded service is scheduled for April 7, 2003. The project continues to welcome any Illinois library to join us and share in our success. One of our goals for the grant is to compare virtual reference vendors, and we invite all Illinois libraries to participate in these free vendor trials. My Web Librarian will be a statewide service and it is important that we get input from you, your staff, colleagues and as many Illinois librarians as possible. The trials are free, fun, and easy to do. All we ask is that you complete the user survey and give us your opinion. Come on Illinois librarians and tell us what you think! Complete instructions may be found by clicking the "Free Trials" link at the project's web site: <http://www.MyWebLibrarian.com>. Once you are there, please explore each of the services offered by the five vendors: divine, Docutek, LSSI, QuestionPoint, and 24/7 Reference. Don't worry -- you won't be answering questions from the public! This is a chance to stick your toe in the virtual reference waters and splash around. Feel free to take as many "dips" as you like! The trials will last through April 15, 2003." For questions or to get logins and passwords, please contact the Project Coordinator (Skip Burhans, 309-353-4110 x2128, <mailto:sburhans@alliancelibrarysystem.com> or the Project Directors (Anna Yackle, North Suburban Library System, 847-459-1300 x7151, <mailto:ayackle@nsls.info> and Mary-Carol Lindbloom, Alliance Library System, 309-353-4110 x2401, <mailto:mclindbloom@alliancelibrarysystem.com> ). . 9:59:39 AM

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