12th Annual VIVA Interlibrary Loan Community Forum
Sweet Briar hosted the 12th Annual VIVA Interlibrary Loan Community Forum, July 16, 2010 at the Elston Conference Center,
The objective of the Forum is to discuss VIVA Interlibrary Loan issues and learn about trends and new developments nationally as well as internationally. Sweet Briar College’s President, Dr. Jo Ellen Parker, welcomed the participants with thoughtful insight to how technology has changed the way libraries look at resources. How access is now more important than assets and how librarians should think about sharing not only their resources but also their skills.
Megan Newman, Interlibrary Loan Manager, VMI, gave a presentation on, Meeting the Needs of All of Our Patrons: Anticipation, Facilitation, & Accommodation, and how we should be aware of the different challenges that face students and patrons. Also, that librarian should be aware that each user may have a different difficulty in using the library’s resources whether it is a hearing, seeing or other problems. Dr. Sarah Jones, Director of Disabilities Services, Miller Academic Center, VMI, helped Ms. Newman with preparing the presentation but was unable to attend the meeting.
Jessica Bowdoin, Head of Interlibrary Loan & Document Delivery at George Mason University, and Lara Bushallow, Systems Librarian, Digital Programs and Systems at George Mason University, spoke on Partnering for Success: ILL & IT. With changing technologies, sometimes it is difficult for Librarians to implement the correct software or upgrade the hardware needed for running document delivery programs. Having a good relationship with your IT person on campus is a big plus. Maybe Lara Bushallow, can be a resource for all the VIVA libraries? She is definitely a wonderful resource at GMU.
We broke for lunch and had a wonderful buffet served in the Boxwood Room by Sweet Briar College’s catering department. After lunch, we broke into four different sessions in the lower level of the Elston Conference Center. One group received an Overview of the ILLIAD 8 (interlibrary loan) software via teleconference with Stephanie Spires at Atlas Systems, in Virginia Beach. Elizabeth Teaff from Washington & Lee University, demonstrated how to install the Odyssey Standalone (electronic delivery) Workstation in one of the sessions. Bud Bennett from Radford University presented VIVA ILL for Newbies (we offer this program every year for folks new to ILL) and the final breakout session was instructed by Ms. Dru Zuretti, Manager of Copyright Education, at the Copyright Clearance Center. Copyright is a very important issue in the interlibrary loan world. All session were well attended and there was quite a bit of sharing among the participants.
After the individual sessions, Kathy Perry, VIVA Director gave an update on resources added and cancelled for the 2010-11 year. Ralph Alberico, Director of JMU Libraries and Chairman of the VIVA Resource Sharing Committee, gave a presentation on the VIVA ILL Survey. The survey was taken this year by both the ILL Librarians and the Directors of the libraries to see where we are as a group and what we project will be changing in the near future. The results of this survey are on the VIVA-ILL website and had some interesting points to be considered.
Finally, Jim Verdini, Averrtt University and past chairman of the ILL -Subcommittee, welcomed Elizabeth Teaff, Washington and Lee University as the new chair. Ms. Teaff spoke briefly on the coming year and what she hopes to accomplish and asked for the participants to pass on any concerns, ideas and programs for the ILL-Subcommittee to explore.
There is a good chance that Sweet Briar College will host this Forum again next year.
