WiLSWorld Camp 2008, Madison WI

WiLSWorld Camp, July 22, 2008, 1:00-4:30 p.m., at the Madison Pyle Center.

Next Generation OPAC and ILS: Expectations and Discussions
Join us for the first ever WiLSWorld Camp, a half day pre-conference designed and delivered by the attendees. In this our inaugural effort the topics will be concentrated on the upcoming next generation of library catalogs and integrated library systems. We will talk about what we can expect or hope for and more to the point what libraries and patrons really want and need. There are many libraries throughout our region currently grappling with the process of getting a new system and many more in eager anticipation or dread of the looming process. In many minds what libraries mount for patron use over the next year or two could make or break their place in patrons' hearts and minds.

The Camp Process
All attendees are encouraged to present at or facilitate a discussion. Everyone is also asked to share information and experiences of the event afterwards. We'll establish a blog, with an RSS feed, to support the Camp. Before it occurs, all registered attendees will be encouraged to post their ideas for specific topics, pertinent readings, sample web sites and systems, attendee lists and any other background materials they believe to be of use. These entries will inform the content outline for the Camp. At the Camp there will be 3 short key presentations based on the blog discussions, of 15-20 minutes each distributed throughout the afternoon. These keys will be designed to stimulate conversations and provoke ideas among the participants. Following each there will be discussion breakouts, on specific topics as determined by the participants both from before-conference blog entries and on site during the Camp. Key points from discussions will be reported back to the Camp as a whole and all participants will get to vote and rank key points, concerns and ideas to create a Camp report.

Some background on Camps can be found at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BarCamp