ACRL New England Chapter News Online
Winter 2001, No. 92

On a bright, sunny morning Friday, November 17, 175 people gathered at the Hogan Center at The College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, MA, for the fall conference. Our topic was learning communities as they develop across our campuses, via technology, the Internet, and commercial software. The speakers were certainly up for the challenge. The keynote address by John Lubans, Deputy University Librarian from Duke University, gave us an exercise in interactive thinking about our library Web sites. He asked us to consider how "sticky" our websites are, the rate of return to our website, and how (or if) we want to use commercial sites or products. Lubans challenged us to think creatively about our methods of forming on-line communities with our students and faculty.

Following the keynote address, a panel of representating three types of "communities" presented their products and philosophies. Representing Abuzz was Jessica Brooks, Director of Communities and Affiliates. Dan Ream, from Virginia Commonwealth University, told us how he developed the concept and software for MyLibrary. Representing MascotNet, Michael Pergola, Technical Marketing Director, described his company's portal product for college/university services which aims to create an on-line community for a educational institutions.

A discussion about reactions to the vendor panel from the morning was the first activity following lunch. Session leaders were Dawn Thistle, from Assumption College, talking about Abuzz; Judy Montgomery, from Bowdoin College, discussing MyLibrary; and Lee Hisle, from Connecticut College speaking about MascotNet. Lively conversations ensued in each of the three rooms. The sessions were helpful in addressing the hands-on use and implementation of the three models.

We reunited in the auditorium to hear Dr. David Hummon, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at College of the Holy Cross. He and several of his students reported, using role-playing, their research on library behaviors observed in Dinard Library over a period of time. Hummon presented the results and outlined how students utilize our libraries as social space as well as work space. He suggested that this knowledge might help librarians to target instruction sessions to students.

Charlotte Keys, from Tisch Library at Tufts University, summarized the day, putting her wonderful analytical abilities to work for us. She concluded that we must pursue the goal of "community" if we are to continue to attract and keep our students coming to the library - whether it be the physical space or through our websites. After seeing and hearing vendors and academics, we had the balance needed to make informed decisions about marketing our libraries through various technologies. We were encouraged to be wary of holding onto our old ways. We must strive not to be too reticent to embrace cutting edge technologies. Our students will be doing just that, and we must also if we wish to keep them coming to us.

The day concluded with refreshments and a final few words with colleagues, as we observed from the top of one of Worcester's seven hills the glorious sunset and remaining autumn foliage so beautifully displayed.