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Overview
Community Forums
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Staff at the USMAI Library Consortium have created a new COVID-19 space for members. This space provides resources, community forums, a calendar of free COVID-19-related webinars, and more.
Most of the COVID-19 space is editable by staff at USMAI libraries who have a USMAI Member Portal account. (Don't have an account yet? Create one here.) So, if you have an idea for a helpful resource, create a page! Want to let your colleagues know about an upcoming webinar? Add an event to the Community Calendar.
Here's a quick look at what's offered so far. Don't hesitate to let us know what you think of the space by commenting on this post or emailing us at usmai-staff@umd.edu. If you have any questions about using Confluence (the platform for our Member Portal), please contact libclas@umd.edu.
Resources
Pages in the space so far:
Operational and Service Status of USMAI Libraries
What libraries are open? What libraries are closed? Where can I find out what services are being offered by a USMAI member library? This is the page you are looking for.
COVID-19 Continuity of Operations
How can I access Aleph from home? How does my library suspend resource sharing? The Consortial Library Applications Support (CLAS) Team provides information on this page.
Vendor Offerings in Response to COVID-19
How can I find out which vendors are offering free resources? Check out this page being maintained by the Electronic Resources Management (ERM) Task Group.
Community Forums
Community Forums are places for discussions about working from home, communicating with faculty and staff, and anything else related to to the impact COVID-19 has had on your life.
Forums in the space so far:
Cataloging and Database Maintenance
Electronic Resource Management
Special Collections and Archives
Webinars and Online Learning
As efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 continue, many organizations are hosting free webinars for library staff. The COVID-19 Community Calendar provides information on some of these webinars. The space also has pages with links to registration forms and archived recordings. (If you're looking for more general online learning opportunities, be sure to visit the Professional Development section in the Main space.)
Information on free webinars and webinar series gathered so far:
ACRL Presents - Academic Librarianship in the Wake of the Coronavirus
AL Live - Libraries and COVID-19
IMLS - Mitigating COVID-19 When Managing Paper-Based, Circulating, and Other Types of Collections
LITA - A Crash Course in Protecting Library Data While Working From Home
Through April 17, 2020, LYRASIS members and non-members alike are able to access LYRASIS' Learning Library of recorded classes for free. LYRASIS members will also have free access to all live LYRASIS Learning classes during that time period. From the website:
"Want to use this time to upskill your team? We are opening LYRASIS Learning to members and non-member institutions alike for 30 days. Members will have access to all live AND recorded classes at no charge during this time. Non-member institutions will have access to our vast library of recorded classes. Email es@lyrasis.org to register your institution."
LYRASIS Learning Catalog provides descriptions of recorded classes available in the library.
LYRASIS Classes provides a list of upcoming live webinars, free information sessions, and demonstrations.
Please contact es@lyrasis.org with any questions about access to these courses. If your institution is not a LYRASIS member, you will also need to contact es@lyrasis.org to register your institution so you can access the recorded classes.
Learn more about LYRASIS's response to the COVID-19 pandemic on their website.
Due to popular demand, CLAS has extended our weekly Data Warehouse Knowledge Sharing Sessions through May 1st (at least!).
Sessions are held on Fridays at 1pm. More details, including login information are listed on the Portal's Data Warehouse page.
If you have questions about using the data warehouse or want to share something you're putting together, the Knowledge Sharing Sessions are the place to be!
The USMAI Council of Library Directors (CLD) has been preparing for disruptions in operations and staffing during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. As part of our contingency planning, the CLD agreed on March 13, 2020 that in the event of any potential operational interruptions among any of our member libraries, all of the consortium's libraries will waive or suspend the accumulation of any user fees or fines for affected institutions and users, for the duration of the interruption. Such interruptions might include:
1) full or partial institutional or library closures of physical facilities,
2) other related decisions that might significantly reduce physical staffing of libraries, or
3) other circumstances that would interrupt full regular access to library services and resources by authorized users.
In support of this decision, Library Directors will instruct their library’s access services and resources-sharing teams to coordinate through USMAI's Consortial Library Applications Support (CLAS) Team and appropriate consortium working groups to develop simple and effective plans that can be put into effect as needed. The plans will include timely notifications among CLD members about operational interruptions/closures and appropriate communication between each library and CLAS. This will allow CLAS, for example, to enact system-level, programmatic changes that will disallow requesting and shipping of books to and from closed member libraries.
Related page: COVID-19 Continuity of Operations
Due to the evolving situation regarding the responses to COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) at USMAI libraries, the Shared Platforms and Systems Subgroup (SPASS) announced yesterday that it has decided to postpone today’s planned WebEx forum.
SPASS would like to give USMAI librarians and staff every opportunity to participate in this important conversation, but feel that our responsibilities related to our individual institutions take precedence at this time and that attendance would be impacted.
SPASS will work together to plan an alternate date, and will share that with you all as soon as possible. In the meantime, please feel free to send any initial feedback or thoughts to Bill Helman(TU, co-chair of SPASS) to be shared with the SPASS members.
To review recordings and additional material from the "Meet the Vendor" Series, please visit "NextGen ILS Series: Meet the Vendor." You will need to log into your USMAI Member Portal account to access most of the event pages in this series. To provide feedback on a specific ILS, please use this feedback form.
- Innovative Presents Sierra Library Services Platform (requires login)
- Ex Libris Presents Alma Library Services Platform (requires login)
- OCLC Presents WorldShare Management System (requires login)
- EBSCO Presents Folio Open Source Library Services Platform (unrestricted)
UMD's Digital Systems and Technologies (DST) division, including CLAS, will be closed for Spring Break on Monday, March 16th and Tuesday, March 17th in alignment with the University of Maryland's holiday leave schedule. Normal hours of support will resume on Wednesday, March 18th.
Reporting problems to DST
Instructions for reporting problems to DST can be found on the Portal's "Support" page.
For an emergency, please call the DST Help Desk at 301-405-9188 in addition to submitting an Aleph Rx or E-Resource Support Request - standard after-hours coverage will be in effect.
The USMAI Library Consortium is sponsoring group registrations for several webinars and virtual conferences in March. Unless otherwise stated, we have multiple logins that we can distribute to USMAI member libraries. Please see the list below and contact Katia Fowler at kfowler@umd.edu if you would like to reserve a login for your institution. Access information for archived recordings of these events will be made available to staff at USMAI member libraries after the event.
Course Reserves and Copyright: A Two-Part ACRL Webcast Series
Course Reserves and Copyright, Part One: Print Reserves
2:00 - 3:30 | Wednesday, March 4, 2020
Live Viewing Location: UMBC's Kuhn Library
Course Reserves and Copyright, Part Two: Electronic and Media Reserves
2:00 - 3:30 | Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Live Viewing Location: UMBC's Kuhn Library (Register)
Electronic Resources and Libraries Annual Conference (ER&L)
March 9-11, 2020
Logins Available (contact Katia Fowler at kfowler@umd.edu)
Current Live Viewing Locations: CSU, FSU, LNDL, MSU, UMES, UM-LL (Questions? Contact Katia Fowler)
Labor and Capacity and Building Data Science Skills: A Two-Part NISO Webinar Series
Part One: Labor and Capacity for Research Data Management
1:00 - 2:30 | Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Logins Available (Reserve One Here)
Current Live Viewing Locations: HS/HSL(Register)
Part Two: Building Data Science Skills: Strategic Support for the Work
1:00 - 2:30 | Wednesday, March 18, 2020
Logins Available (Reserve One Here)
Current Live Viewing Locations: HS/HSL, UMCP (Register)
Researcher Behaviors and the Impact of Technology: A NISO Virtual Conference
12:00 - 4:00 | Wednesday, March 25, 2020
No Logins Available
Current Live Viewing Locations (Register)
- Morgan State University
- Towson University
- UMB Health Sciences and Human Services Library
- University of Maryland, Eastern Shore
- University of Maryland Global Campus
The "Collections (Current)" Reporting Topic in the Data Warehouse Reporting Environment has been refreshed with data that is current as of February 1. All reports run in the Reporting Environment will now include the refreshed data set.
The next data refresh will take place in early March.
Want more information about the USMAI Data Warehouse?
Visit the Data Warehouse web page, read the Data Warehouse Reporting Environment User Guide, and join one of our weekly online "knowledge sharing" sessions on Fridays at 1pm.
The User Experience (UX) UnConference is around the corner. Join your USMAI colleagues at Loyola Notre Dame Library on Thursday, April 2nd. Hosted by the User Experience Subgroup, the theme this year is the UX of Service Design.
When: Thursday, April 2, 2020
Where: Loyola Notre Dame Library
What: 2020 UxUnConference: The UX of Service Design
Stay tuned for more information. This event is open to all staff at USMAI libraries. We hope to see you there!
Two Down. Two to Go.
We're halfway through the "NextGen ILS: Meet the Vendor" series.
Missed one or want to review something?
Recordings from both vendor days are now available for viewing by staff at USMAI libraries. (You'll need to log in or create an account to view.):
Let us know what you thought of Alma and Sierra by submitting a feedback form.
And register today for the next two vendor days.
Next Up: OCLC Presents WorldShare
Attend either in person at Loyola's Columbia Campus or online via Webex.
The Maryland State Library has purchased a statewide license from Niche Academy to provide training to all staff in the state's public libraries on serving homeless customers.
The presenter is Ryan Dowd, Librarian's Guide to Homelessness. The Statewide Staff Development Coordinator’s group in public libraries identified the need for such training and identified this resource. The course is also available for staff in academic and school libraries. There is no charge for this training.
The total training time including activities is approximately 4 hours, but the training is presented in short video clips that make it easy to participate over time. Niche Academy tracks your progress so you can simply pick up where you left off.
Public Library Staff can earn contact hours (CE Credit = 4 hours) by completing the training. You will need to document your participation by completing the Downloadable Notes and successfully passing the Quiz at 94%. Both can be printed while participating in the training. The staff development coordinator in your library system oversees the approval process for this course.
This training opportunity is available through October 31, 2020.
Enroll in the Training
You will need to create a Niche Academy account with username and password so that you are officially enrolled in the training. You can get an account and start your training from this URL:
https://my.nicheacademy.com/marylandstate-staff/course/2321
This project is supported in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act Administered by the Maryland State Library.
The "Collections (Current)" Reporting Topic in the Data Warehouse Reporting Environment has been refreshed with data that is current as of January 1. All reports run in the Reporting Environment will now include the refreshed data set.
The next data refresh will take place in early February.
Want more information about the USMAI Data Warehouse?
Visit the Data Warehouse web page, read the Data Warehouse Reporting Environment User Guide, and join one of our weekly online "knowledge sharing" sessions on Fridays at 1pm.
As Library Standards Alliance Members of NISO, the USMAI Library Consortium receives a limited number of logins for each webinar in the popular NISO Educational and NFAIS Forethought webinar series. Registration is now open for staff at USMAI libraries.
Schedule: 2020 NISO Webinars
How to Register:
Any staff member at a USMAI institution can request access to one or more of the webinars.
It's easy to register:
- Make note of the date of the webinar or webinars you would like to attend.
- Visit USMAI's eventbrite page for this series.
- Click "select a date."
- Click "tickets" next to the date of the webinar you want to attend.
- Use the dropdown box next to your campus name to indicate the number of people you are registering for the webinar.
A Few Things to Know:
- Since we have a limited number of logins, each institution should only expect to receive one login. This means that if multiple people at a single institution register for a webinar, we will contact the people who have registered and ask that they watch the webinar together.
- Attendees are responsible for booking a room at their library (if necessary) and for notifying colleagues of the opportunity to attend the webinar.
- Logins are provided to USMAI member libraries on a "first come, first served" basis. However, we may ask staff at nearby institutions to schedule a joint viewing in order to provide access for a more remote library.
- Once we have distributed all the logins for a webinar, we will close registration at the remaining institutions. The viewing locations for the webinar will be listed on the eventbrite page. Staff at member libraries not listed can register to attend a group viewing at another library.
If you can't attend a live viewing: No worries. Archived recordings are available free to all members. You will need to log into the Portal to access the credentials.
Questions? Please contact Katia Fowler
As part of its investigative "Next Gen ILS Series," the USMAI Library Consortium’s Shared Platforms, Applications & Systems Subgroup (SPASS) is hosting four in-person ILS demonstrations with vendors this winter. Staff at USMAI Libraries are able to attend either remotely via Webex or in-person.
Please visit our eventbrite page to register for one or more of these Vendor Days.
- Dec. 5th @bwTech South Innovative Presents Sierra
- January 23rd @ bwTech South Ex Libris Presents Alma
- February 5th @ Loyola Columbia Campus OCLC Presents WorldShare
- February 11th @ UMGC Academic Center EBSCO Presents Folio
All Vendor Days will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a continental breakfast served at 9:30 a.m. Lunch and a light afternoon snack will also be provided.
For in-person attendance, please register at least one week in advance.
For remote attendance, please register at least two days in advance.
UMD's Digital Systems and Technologies (DST) division, including CLAS, will be closed for the Winter Break starting Monday, December 23, 2019 through Wednesday, January 1, 2020 in alignment with the University of Maryland's holiday leave schedule. Normal hours of support will resume on Thursday, January 2, 2020.
Reporting problems to DST
Instructions for reporting problems to DST can be found on the Portal's "Support" page.
For an emergency, please call the DST Help Desk at 301-405-9188 in addition to submitting an Aleph Rx or E-Resource Support Request - standard after-hours coverage will be in effect.
Wishing you all a Happy Holiday!
