WebJunction:Resource for Rural Libraries

NEBASE HourNovember 7, 2007

Christa BurnsOCLC Member Services Coordinator, NEBASE

WebJunction is…

a virtual community to support library staff…

share ideas,

solve problems,

take online courses

WebJunction History

• Gates Foundation’s 5 year Library Program– Nebraska - http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/libdev/

gates/gatesactivities.html

• May 2002: Gates Foundation awarded OCLC and partners a three-year grant to build a Web-based community for public access & technology support

• Launched May 2003

• October 2006 – Gates Foundation grant - redesign and improve organization and navigation - new site launched February 2007

WebJunction Philosophy

READ

LEARN

SHARE

The Key is Community

• Community Initiated

– Feedback & Suggestions

– Comments & Discussion

– Articles, Handouts, Themes

• Volunteer Based

– Contributors

– Moderators

– Advocates

– Editors

Services to Rural & Small Libraries

• Collection of resources addressing the special challenges of rural & small libraries

http://webjunction.org/rural

• New partnership with Association for Rural & Small Libraries

• Rural Libraries Journal

• Rural Library Services Newsletter

• Conference & Organizational info

Rural Library Sustainability Project

• Partnered with state libraries

• Nebraska - workshops in 8 locations in 2006

• Keys to sustaining public access computing

– Library Community Connections, Technology Support, Upgrade and Maintenance, Staff and Patron Training, Funding, Outreach, and Advocacy

Brainstorms & Updates

• Brainstorms– Ideas & resources collected from

workshops, institutes and WebJunction discussion areas

• Updates– Rural Library Sustainability

Rural In Focus

• FREE, monthly Webinars

• Archived

• Closed Captioned – live and archives

• Message Boards

Sandboxes

• Advocacy

• Funding

• Outreach

• Technology

• Training

Questions??Christa Burns

OCLC Member Services Coordinator

NEBASE

cburns@nlc.state.ne.us

800-307-2665

http://www.nlc.state.ne.us/nebase