Library hosts successful technology conferences
Event chair Amanda Clay Powers (from left), keynote speaker Aaron Schmidt, MSU Associate Provost Peter Ryan, Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman, and MSU Libraries Admin of Systems Stephen Cunetto pose for a photograph during the Emerging Technologies Summit.
Mitchell Memorial Library hosted more than 100 librarians, administrative staff members, libraries and information sciences students, and other professionals from across the country for its annual MidSouth e-Resource Symposium and Emerging Technologies Summit Aug. 11-12.
The MidSouth e-Resource Symposium, now in its 10th year at Mississippi State, fosters networking, communication and education among all members of the serials information chain and provides a unique opportunity to enhance knowledge of issues surrounding the acquisition, operation, collection and management of e-resources in libraries today.
This year, Matt Goldner, product and technology advocate at OCLC (Online Computer Library Catalog), shared a presentation on cloud computing and the future of libraries. Also featured during the symposium was a focused discussion on the use and management of electronic resources in libraries.
With more than 15 states represented from Oregon to Maryland and in its fourth year, the MSU Emerging Technologies Summit brings national attention to efforts in developing emerging technologies and social media tools for universities.
Aaron Schmidt, a principal with Influx Library User Experience Consulting, kicked off the summit by reminding those attending that it is the people and not the technology on which our focus should be, particularly in the design of online tools.
Schmidt set the tone for a day of "Steal-this-Idea" sessions from colleagues around the country sharing their own innovations from the field. From iPads using assistive technologies, to quadricopters for API programmers, to programming for mobile devices, it became clear that the libraries field is taking the lead on introducing new technologies and tools into serving our academic communities.
For more information on MSU Libraries, please visit http://library.msstate.edu/.
Lyle Tate | MSU Libraries
