*Apologies in advance for multiple postings.*

ALCTS webinar: Floating Collections for Public Libraries

Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2013

All webinars are one hour in length and begin at 11am Pacific, noon Mountain, 1pm Central, and 2pm Eastern time.

Description: In this webinar, we will provide a current overview of floating collection practices across the U.S. We will focus on ways in which staff from all areas of the library system can optimize customer access to materials in a floating collection. We will discuss the role management staff across departments have in addressing the collection maintenance opportunities and challenges associated with system collections. Topics covered will include content/title coverage in individual branches, and how staff collaboration and ILS tools may be used to aid in more system-wide collection maintenance; we will also share strategies for customizing local branch holdings to reflect the browsing interest of in-person customers. We will highlight the importance of online library guides and featured titles lists in building awareness of materials not actually on hand at physical locations. Technological trends—such as the prevalence of smart phones and mobile apps, which build customer awareness of holdings in the library catalog—will also be discussed as an increasingly favored method of discovering library holdings.

Learning outcomes: Upon completion of this session, attendees will

• receive updated information on the use of floating collections across the U.S.

• be familiar with the results of a staff survey regarding floating collection effectiveness

• gain an understanding of how reducing in transit delivery times results in greater collection access

• develop practices which allow for local collection customization to support in-person browsing

• build awareness of the increased ease and demand for accessing the library collection via mobile devices

• learn new techniques for building customer awareness of collection holdings

Who should attend? Public service staff, collection development staff, web services, and administrative staff.

Presenters:

Deborah George is the Division Director of Materials Management at Gwinnett County Public Library in Lawrenceville, Ga., where she supervises materials selection and cataloging, technical services and interlibrary loan. Her previous positions include working as a children’s and reference librarian, as well as serving as a manager of both of the library website and a physical branch.

Barbara Spruill is the Branch Services Division Director for Gwinnett County Public Library, which has been floating all collections except reference and magazines since 2004. Barbara received her MLS from Florida State University and has worked with library collections throughout her career. She presented a panel presentation and virtual program, “Adrift or Right on Target: Perspectives on Floating Collections” for PLA as well as an ALCTS e-forum with Deborah George on floating collections in public libraries.

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Registration Fees:  ALCTS Member $43 ; Non-member $59 ; Group rate (members/non-members) $99/$129 ; International $43

For additional information and access to registrations links, please go to the following website:

http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/webinar/120413

ALCTS webinars are recorded and registrants receive a link to the recording shortly following the live event.

For questions about registration, contact ALA Registration by calling 1-800-545-2433 and press 5 or email registration@ala.org. For all other questions or comments related to the webinars, contact Julie Reese, ALCTS Events Manager at 1-800-545-2433, ext. 5034 or alctsce@ala.org.

Posted on behalf of the ALCTS Continuing Education Committee.