Panel shares strategies for sustaining technology access in tough economy July 11

Contact: Larra Clark


ORS Project Manager


(312) 280-2129


lclark@ala.org

NEWS


For Immediate Release


May 12, 2009

CHICAGO – “Doing more with less” has become something of a mantra in the current economic climate, and libraries are no exception to the rule. Librarians and researchers will share tips and tools as part of the panel “More demand, less money: sustaining technology access in a tight economy.” The program will take place at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference in Chicago.

While there can never be enough computers, IT staff or fast enough Internet access to meet the growing demand for public library technology resources, there are strategies for maximizing a library’s limited resources.

  • John Carlo Bertot, director of the University of Maryland Center for Library & Information Innovation and a principal investigator for the Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study, will discuss capacity planning for broadband in public libraries. Bertot will share factors impacting bandwidth, bandwidth management techniques and strategies for future planning.
  • Linda Yoder, director, Nappanee Public Library, will discuss how she helped start and grow an IT consortium that provides professional IT support for several rural libraries and complements IT staff at larger libraries. She will describe the consortial contract among the libraries and share pros/cons and tips.
  • Betsy Fowler, director, Chesapeake Public Library, will share examples of how she has partnered with local government agencies and non-profits to build relationships and visibility for the library and its technology resources. While at Central Rappahannock Regional Library, she positioned the library to provide IT services on behalf of the local city and now is leading a workforce development initiative that again highlights how library technology can be used to solve community concerns.

Panel presentations will be followed with a generous Q&A session. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions and success stories to share with colleagues.

For more information on ALA Office for Research & Statistics studies, please visit
www.ala.org/ors and
www.ala.org/plinternetfunding.

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