Creating Online Library Access

Expand Your Online Library Services the Easy Way!

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Overview
Topics
Contents
Features
Benefits

Overview

FutureU’s Library Web Tool is a detailed guide for school administrators and librarians who want to introduce or expand online library access to their constituency.

Co-authored by Chris Mays, MLIS, Gail Terry Grimes, FutureU’s CEO, and FutureU™ co-founder Claude Whitmyer, this web-based, decision maker’s planning tool consists of a series of more than 50 Web pages and includes hundreds of action steps, an ongoing peer discussion forum, and a Resource Tool Kit with a complete staffing plan and other planning forms, an extensive book list related to online library services, links to numerous school library sites, and other valuable resources.

FutureU™’s Library Web Tool is designed to assist in the planning and management of every step associated with online library access. Even if yours is already the most extensive online library service in all of academia, this tool will help you confirm that you’ve included every important step and resource.

Topics

Separating fantasy from the reality of what’s really possible for online library access
Assessing the readiness of your institution and your constituency (Includes a checklist and questionnaire.)
Determining how online library services fit into your school’s mission and plans
Developing a mission statement, goals, and objectives for the project (Includes a downloadable form.)
Building support for the project (Includes a downloadable welcome letter to new Online Library Committee members, plus a content submission form and a memo for enlisting faculty participation.)
Building strategic partnerships with other schools and libraries
Raising the funds
Choosing the technology
Building the staff (Includes the outline for a staffing plan.)
Creating policies and procedures
Launching online library Web pages
Building original online holdings, including:
- Academic course materials
- Faculty Web pages and publications
- Dissertations
- Your school history
- Special collections
Building online holdings from other sources, including:
- Material from other institutions
- Books and monographs (Includes an explanation of the legal issues associated with online delivery.)
- Periodicals
- Government documents
- Electronic databases
Creating online search and delivery services for:
- Reference and research
- Literature searching
- Bibliographic instruction
- Interlibrary loans
- Document delivery
- Information and referral
Cataloging
Patron Relations
Library Automation
Digital Preservation
Contract/Regulation Compliance

Part 1: The Big Picture

Chapter 1: Separate Fantasy from Reality
Chapter 2: Start Big or Small

Part 2: Readiness Assessment

Chapter 3: Assess Your Institution’s Readiness
Chapter 4: Assess Your Patrons’ Readiness

Part 3: Building Support

Chapter 5: Articulate the Case for Online Library Access
Chapter 6: Establish an Online Library Committee
Chapter 7: Enlist Support from Your Patrons
Chapter 8: Build Strategic Partnerships with Other Schools and Libraries

Part 4: Start-Up and Ongoing Operations

Chapter 9: Raise the Funds
Chapter 10: Choose the Technology
Chapter 11: Build the Staff
Chapter 12: Create Policies and Procedures
Chapter 13: Launch Your Online Library Web Pages
Chapter 14: Patron Relations
Chapter 15: Library Automation
Chapter 16: Digital Preservation
Chapter 17: Contract/Regulation Compliance

Part 5: Original and Linked Holdings

Chapter 18: Academic Course Materials
Chapter 19: Faculty Web Pages and Publications
Chapter 20: Dissertations
Chapter 21: School History
Chapter 22: Special Collections
Chapter 23: Material from Outside Sources
Chapter 24: Books and Monographs
Chapter 25: Periodicals
Chapter 26: Government Documents
Chapter 27: Electronic Databases

Part 6: Search and Delivery

Chapter 28: Reference and Research Services
Chapter 29: Literature Searching
Chapter 30: Bibliographic Instruction
Chapter 31: Interlibrary Loan
Chapter 32: Document Delivery
Chapter 33: Information & Referral
Chapter 34: Cataloging

Review of Action Steps

Resources: Links, Books, Samples

Discussion Forums

Features

34 Self-Paced Modules That Include:
- A narrative explanation of each aspect of the process.
- Action steps for completing most aspects of the process.
- Online “field trips” to other informative Web sites related to online library access.
- Prompts for helping you keep a planning journal.
Review of Action Steps: Abbreviated for easy reference, this 45-step list briefly summarizes all the action steps found throughout the Web Tool.
Resources: Dozens of books (titles linked to Amazon.com for easy shopping), plus all the links and sample forms in the Web Tool gathered together for easy reference.
Peer Discussion: Asynchronous online forum for you to share ideas, questions and answers with others involved in online library access. Also, access to a written transcript of the discussion for future reference.
A Flexible format that allows you to go straight to the module you most need.
Free technical support discussion forum.
Controlled access, password protected.
Email links to your management/administration offices.
File uploading and downloading to and from the course.

Benefits

The confidence that comes from taking a well-organized approach to a big, important project.
Better sense of both the big picture and the smallest details
Your new online library project off to an impressive start
Your existing online library services more fully rounded out and functioning better than you ever thought possible
Broader support from faculty and administration
Greater clarity about future needs for funding and training
Multiple chances to prevent or eliminate omissions (Have you really thought of everything?)
Enhanced results at every stage
The security of knowing that you always have easy access to advice and support from peers involved in similar ventures
A much easier experience overall
Continued reassurance that you’re on the right track

The Library Web Tool is self-paced and self-explanatory, with excellent navigation throughout. Like every FutureU™ Web Book and Web Planning Tool, this one exists as a series of simple webpages accessed by password on the Internet. You must have an Internet email address and access to the World Wide Web.

Two online discussion forums allow users to support one another easily and often. The first is just for technical questions. The other revolves around the process of planning and managing online library access. These forums are monitored by FutureU’s own support staff. For an additional fee (per incident or monthly), telephone support is available.