On Friday June 22, I attended an ALA preconference dedicated to the structure, functionality, and future of the new RDA Toolkit, currently in beta testing. I've assembled some of the main points, as well as my takeaways, below. If you have a subscription to the current RDA Toolkit, you are more than welcome to explore the beta Toolkit yourself.
I learned about a unique and brand new library in New Kid on the Block: How a Museum Opened a Library. Archivist Ryan Welle walked us through the steps it took to organize and open a new library at the Minnesota Military Museum. The Minnesota Military Museum is a nonprofit organization that was established in 1976 and is located at Camp Ripley, Minnesota’s National Guard training facility. While the museum started collecting library materials in 1989, it wasn’t until 2014 that the museum board voted to make the collection more widely available to the public. The library officially opened it’s doors to the public on May 24, 2018.
The Wednesday, June 13th deadline is fast approaching to submit a program proposal for the 2018 Upper Midwest Digital Collections Conference (#UMDCC18), taking place November 8th-9th, at St. Catherine University, St. Paul, Minnesota. You can help make this a great conference! Consider sharing your experience and expertise by submitting a program proposal for a session, workshop, or lightning presentation. The planning committee has created a list of potential topics of interest, but proposals on all relevant topics are welcome.
The National Digital Stewardship Alliance (NDSA) Fixity Survey Working Group announced the publication of the 2017 Fixity Survey Report. A common practice in digital preservation management, fixity checking is the act of reviewing digital content to make sure that it has not changed over time. Though an abundance of tools and methods for fixity checking exist, up to this point, there have been no established best practices. To better understand the common practices and challenges that exist for fixity checking, the NDSA Fixity Working Group published a survey in fall of 2017.
The 3rd Upper Midwest Digital Collections Conference (#UMDCC18) will be held on November 8th-9th, 2018 at St. Catherine University, St. Paul, Minnesota. You can help make this a great conference! Consider sharing your experience and expertise by submitting a program proposal for a session, workshop, or lightning presentation. The planning committee has created a list of potential topics of interest, but proposals on all relevant topics are welcome. The deadline to submit proposals is Wednesday, June 13, 2018.
Presented by Lizzy Baus (Minitex), this online module provides instruction on using Connexion Client to perform high volumes of searches and record actions using the efficiency of batch processing, including the use and management of Save Files. After completing this web-based training, learners will know how to use Connexion’s file management tools to manage online and local save files effectively, will be able to enter multiple search keys and record actions, process batches, and perform batch actions by OCLC number.
Presented by Lizzy Baus (Minitex), this online module provides instruction on performing basic bibliographic searches using OCLC’s Connexion Client cataloging software. After completing this web-based training, learners will be able to conduct basic searches for bibliographic records in WorldCat, and evaluate whether a given record matches the item to be cataloged. This is the second part of a three module series designed to enable basic copy cataloging work in Connexion Client.
Presented by Lizzy Baus (Minitex), this online module provides basic information about the WorldCat bibliographic database and the MARC record format. It also provides an introduction to the program interface, as well as instruction on how to set up and navigate the Connexion Client program. After completing this web-based training, learners will be prepared to read basic MARC records, set up Connexion Client on their workstation, and successfully enter commands via the program’s various input methods.
Presented by Sara Ring (Minitex), Maintaining Collections in CONTENTdm is the third webinar in the basic series for users new to CONTENTdm. This course provides instruction on editing collection items through CONTENTdm administration and the CONTENTdm Project Client. Additionally, the course explores workflows that make it possible through the use of tab-delimited data to import significant numbers of compound objects and/or legacy metadata in one operation.
Presented by Sara Ring (Minitex), this course provides instruction on the structure of CONTENTdm, navigating and using CONTENTdm Collection Administration to create and manage a digital collection that includes text-based materials, as well as using the CONTENTdm Project Client to prepare digital items for addition to a collection. After completing this web-based training, learners will have the foundational knowledge required to begin using CONTENTdm to manage textual materials.
Strengthening the knowledge, skills, and efficiency of staff in libraries throughout the Minitex region