Editorial

Citation

Gelfand, J. and Brown, M. (2007), "Editorial", Library Hi Tech News, Vol. 24 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/lhtn.2007.23924eaa.001

Editorial

This issue contains some interesting contributions in addition to the usual elements of conference reports where we feature the ACRL National Conference held in early April in Baltimore. At that conference there was a greater mix than in any of the 12 earlier conferences on the role of technology and non-public service functions of the full compliment of academic libraries.

There was a major international thrust with librarians from around the globe in attendance who presented as well as shared insights and learned the latest trends. Public services, with the emphasis on service have usually been the headlining themes as academic libraries explored and pushed the envelope with instruction and information literacy, scholarly communications, library-publisher relationships, virtual reference and other outreach activities. This time, librarians from all academic library units seemed to be represented, and another observation is that many more community college librarians were in attendance.

There are several features that should captivate your attention. Course Management Systems have become increasingly visible and important in academic libraries. Some are the upscale commercial variety, others are more customized in-house designed and rolled out products focusing on needed services at particular institutions. Anthony Piña shares some insights about changes in this marketplace and product line and how they are being incorporated in library information technology.

Two acquarium librarians share their collaboration efforts and visit when they again meet in Cuba at the Acuario Nacional de Cuba's Library. You are treated to some wonderful photos and a very progressive and global outlook when you see how many contributions our Cuban colleague makes to the international aquatics scene through several critical partnerships. Truly inspirational and motivating as nearly all services of this library are unique on this island.

LHTN Columnist Aimee Fifarek is back with a piece that explores Catalog 2.0, a new platform from Innovative Interfaces. This major player in the Online Catalog marketplace demonstrates a new potential and opportunity for the OPAC to become either more relevant or increasingly obsolete as it adopts web properties to increase its versatility. Learn how libraries are implementing and testing this program and see the potential applications for other technologies to supplement finding, retrieving and applying information about library resources and content.

We visit the University of Mississippi Library, known as "Ole Miss" and learn about some of the new innovations introduced and launched there. We have a product release about another new course management system, known as "RCampus" which contains some more advanced features to support distance and eLearning. Again, the potential is only as good as the implementation, promotion and use that is generated by the hosting institution.

Find some good titles for summer reading in the New Books column and keep up with industry trends and details in the New & Noteworthy column and figure out where you need to be over the next few months with the abundant listings of upcoming meetings noted in the Diary.

Enjoy this issue.

Julia Gelfand(jgelfand@uci.edu)Mitchell Brown(mcbrown@uci.edu)Co-editors, LHTN