Camp is next week

Folks,

The Camp is coming up fast, just next week and it's time to get just a touch more serious about the event. Thanks to all of you who have posted information about yourselves and your interests to the Camp Blog. If you haven't already submitted your introductory post there's still time.

For the next couple of days and through this weekend I think it would be effective to have folks post on the blog two primary bits of information.

First off, add your topics of concern and make sure you add labels. Our current label line up, which at least in part will help to drive our discussion groups is:

LABELS
introduction (12)
OPACs (9)
libraries (8)
next generation ILS (8)
resource discovery (5)
Open Source (4)
announcements (4)
camps (4)
Public Libraries (3)
access services (2)
PALS (1)
dogs (1)
how tos (1)
interlibrary loan (1)
library software marketplace (1)

So post up you topics and labels and we'll approach the first cut on our topics for the camp.

Second, figuring out who's going to give the 3 quick key presentation. You might remember from the very first posting about the camp:

At the Camp there will be 3 short key presentations based on the blog discussions, of 10-15 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

Who wants to step up? We're looking for thought provoking ideas and at 10-15 minutes no big prep time. Instead what can you say to make the attendees think and talk and create even more ideas? Suggest yourself or suggest another attendee. Post it on the blog and will come up with 3 for the Camp. At some camps they might wait until the event to decide the quick key speakers, but I think it would be more librarian style polite to at least give our quick key volunteers a couple of days to semi-prep .

Post to the blog. Email me any questions you might have. See you on Tuesday in Madison.

Later,

Mark

So what are you doing after ALA ....

So what are you doing after ALA?  Let's go to Camp.  The 2008 WiLSWorldCamp on Next Generation OPAC and ILS: Expectations and Discussions.

You can join Roy Tennant, John Blyberg, Karen Schneider, Jennifer Ward, Sue Dentinger, Jason Etheridge, and Steve Elfstrand  and all go to Camp together.  Many of our campers will be presenting and attending some of the great programming about Next Generation OPAC and ILS at this years ALA Annual conference.  Including sessions such as:

Building and Supporting Koha, an open-source ILS

There's No Catalog Like No Catalog:  The Ultimate Debate on the Future of the Online Catalog

Creating the Future of the Catalog and Cataloging

and many more.

WiLSWorld Camp is July 22, 2008, 1:00-4:30 p.m., at the Madison Pyle Center.
Registration is $40 and you can Sign Up Here

To help us prepare for Camp we've started a Camp Blog. Open for reading to anyone, Campers get to post, comment and help direct the conversations and content activities of the Camp. Check out the WiLSWorld Camp Blog

If you're unfamiliar with the camp process check out this Wikipedia article on the first Camp and then for an example Camp go look at the Library Camp Kansas wiki

Sign up now and come prepared to share your stories and ideas around the Camp Fire at the Pyle Center.

Introduction

I am Tatiana B. Miller, Collection Management and Resource Sharing Librarian from Medical College of Wisconsin Libraries. I manage two departments formerly called Technical Services and Interlibrary Loans. I am interested in the Next Generation OPAC and ILS. Our library is moving to our new WebOPAC now. I am interested in learning new ideas and see what other libraries do with their OPACs.

Welcome to WiLSWorld Camp

All registrants to the Camp will receive an invitation to contribute to the WiLSWorldCamp Blog. We believe the Blog is critical for initiating discussions leading to the topics, discussions and quick key sessions at the Camp itself. So participating in the Blog by posting and commenting is essential to the success of the Camp.

We hope that each WiLSWorldCamp camper will post an introduction about themselves. It doesn't need to be lengthy or in depth. But if you could:

• list a couple of areas of interest in the Next Generation OPAC and ILS
• give your self and your initial posting no more than 3 tags/labels that describes your viewpoint and interest in the Camp
• Any other interesting stuff you want to share (there's always the dog v. cats as pets discussions)

Here's a quick snapshot guide and reminder to posting:

Once you've signed in and chosen New Post, you'll see the editing page. Just a couple of important points to remember when posting to the WiLSWorldCamp blog. We want very much to track the ideas on the blog for use in the camp. So using "tags", which Blogger calls "labels" is very important. Please make sure you add labels to all your posts. In the bottom right there's the label area. You can click the toggle link (see all or hide all) to see all previous used labels and then click them to add, or you can type in your own new labels. As with any blog then remember, use links



create good titles, and of course remember to Publish your Post.




A camp is a creation of the participants, so thanks for making the WiLSWorldCamp happen. Later, Mark

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