How do YOU do that?! High usage best practices from your peers

If only there were a magic formula or silver bullet that would guarantee high usage of your library databases. In practice, it is most often a combination of many things. But trying something different or taking a new approach new CAN have a positive impact on usage and awareness of your library's electronic resources. When we want new ideas and methodologies, we most often look to our peers and colleagues at a library similar to ours, this makes the most sense because their library users are similar to our library users. But when we do this are we limiting ourselves? What if the best idea for your library is in use at a library that is NOTHING like yours? This panel will bring together librarians from public, academic, and school libraries in Florida who have consistently high usage of their FEL databases. They will share their best practices and lessons learned. The session will also include a 30-minute training session from Gale's Customer Education Specialist. She will share her top tips and tricks for getting the most from your Gale databases, the latest updates to features and functionalities, and how best to train your staff and end users. Bring your burning questions, all will be answered!

Track

Research

Speakers

Samantha Roberts, West Port High School
Tracy Pigott, Jacksonville Public Library 
Judi Tidwell, Broward College
Stacey A  Knibloe, A Cengage Company

K-12 Panelist:
Samantha Roberts, Media Specialist, West Port High School

Bio: Samantha Roberts is the media specialist at West Port High School in Ocala, Fl.  She serves over 2600 students and 130 staff members in online research, instructional resources, leisure reading, and technology needs.

Public Library Panelist:
Tracy Pigott, Training and Development Manager, Jacksonville Public Library 

Bio: Tracy Pigott is the Training and Development Manager for the Jacksonville Public Library.  She is responsible for planning, developing, conducting, coordinating, and evaluating staff development and training programs for over 425 library employees to ensure quality of service delivery to library customers across the county. Previous roles at the library include Youth Services Library Associate and E-Learning Specialist. Before joining the library, Tracy has served as a Public School Teacher, Training Coordinator and Early Learning Coach.

Higher Ed Panelist:
Judi Tidwell, Reference and Instruction Librarian, Broward College

Bio: Judi Tidwell graduated with her MLIS from the University of Texas, Austin in 2001. Since graduating she has worked at two different joint-use libraries; the first was a public library that partnered with a community college. For the past nine years Judi has been working as a Reference and Instruction Librarian at the University/College Library (a Florida Atlantic University and Broward College joint-use facility). Working in joint-use libraries allows for a wide variety of patron interactions and whenever possible Judi likes to collaborate with faculty to bring an information rich multiple exposure experience to the students allowing them a better opportunity at success.

Gale Training Consultant
Stacey Knibloe

Stacey Knibloe, M.L.S, Training Consultant for Gale Cengage Learning, has worked for the organization since 1999.  She’s responsible for providing consultative training services to libraries, including instructing libraries on how to use their e-resources to their fullest capacity and make the most of their subscriptions.

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