IT Reorganization -- Director of Project Management

One of the recommendations of the Consult4 report for Library Information Technology Division was to create a formal Project Manager position. To implement this recommendation Library IT is reorganizing, and on September 1, 2009 Beth Kraemer will take the position of Director of Project Management in Library IT. The formation of this position will allow us to better manage IT resources while implementing projects to meet Library goals and objectives. As part of the reorganization the two IT programmer positions, held by Michael Slone and Ed Brown, will be brought into the Project Management department, and will be supervised by the Director. The Project Management department will be better able to focus IT on the priorities established by the Libraries and complete the numerous IT services being requested.

Implementation Plan from Program Review Submitted

As the final step of the program review process, I have submitted the Libraries’ response and implementation plan to the Office of the Provost. This plan takes each recommendation of the external review team and responds to it – either accepting or rejecting the recommendation and then identifying objectives to advance the recommendation. Our Strategic Planning Working Group will use this plan as additional information for drafting our next 5 year strategic plan. The Implementation Plan has been posted on SharePoint on the Office of the Dean site, under Program Review.

Next Update

There will be no update on September 4.

Sony E-Book to offer Free Library Checkouts

From American Libraries Direct

Sony e-book to offer free library checkouts

Nilay Patel writes: “Sony will soon release the Reader Daily Edition, as well as updated Mac-compatible eBook Library 3.0 software and a new library content service. We’re geeked about the library finder service, which enables you to check out e-books and other digital content from your local public library on any of the Readers—for free. The New York Public Library is the flashy public launch partner, but there are thousands more libraries looped in. The Reader Daily Edition has a seven-inch touchscreen and can pull content wirelessly. It’ll launch in December for $400.”...Engadget, Aug. 25