Last week, we published the first of three installments highlighting the Charleston Neapolitan Sessions at the upcoming 2022 Charleston Conference. This week’s post will focus on the sessions that are scheduled on Thursday. The in-person sessions will all be held in the Charleston Gaillard Center, in Grand Ballrooms 1, 2, and 3.

Wednesday, November 2 (In Person) and November 16 (Online):
2:45 – 3:30 PM Eastern

1. The Psychology of Metrics

Presented by: Daniel Hook, CEO, Digital Science; Violeta Ilik, Dean, University Libraries, Adelphi University

Metrics and indicators have infiltrated every part of academia from our decisions on what to read and where to publish, to who we hire and what we fund. They are ubiquitous. This talk explores why we have become so addicted to metrics: the mechanics behind how they are constructed and what makes an appealing metric. We look at why they are bad for us, why AI could make it worse, and how we can break the cycle of dependency.

2. What to do in the Interim – Excelling in Library Leadership on an Temporary Basis

Presented by: Glenda Alvin, Interim Executive Director of Libraries and Media Centers, Tennessee State University; Cris Ferguson, Interim Dean of Libraries, Murray State University

Upon the retirement or departure of a colleague, a librarian may at some point be asked or apply to serve in a leadership position, perhaps in a department / unit or over an entire library, on an open ended Interim basis. An Interim leader can sometimes feel isolated, overwhelmed, and unprepared for the role they find themselves in. With this in mind, our presentation focuses specifically on the needs and experiences of librarians serving in Interim leadership positions as Deans or Directors. The first half of this presentation will focus on the broad issues that a librarian in an Interim leadership position is likely to encounter, such as financial / budgeting matters, personnel, fund raising, hiring and staffing, faculty development, and long term planning for library facilities and collections, etc. Then, in the second half of the presentation, a seasoned leader will discuss some of the challenges she has encountered specifically in her Interim role at her library, including a total organizational re-structuring, and what the results have been.

3. Whole Ebook ILL Redux

Presented by: Allen Jones, Director, Digital Library and Technical Services, The New School; Whitney Murphy, Lead Product Manager, Books. ProQuest, part of Clarivate; George Machovec, Executive Director, Colorado Alliance; Sylvia Bonadio, Sales Director, Brill Publishing; Lisa Nachtigall, Director, Global Institutional Resellers and Channel Strategy, Oxford University Press

Last year, at the 2021 Charleston Conference, we discussed how interlibrary loan (ILL) is evolving in response to changing dynamics in the library market, especially as it relates to whole ebook ILL. We also presented some early results from a successful whole ebook ILL pilot. After 12 months, we have learned much more and want to share what we have learned, including usage, technical challenges, and potential next steps.

Our panel will cover the changes witnessed over the last 12 months as well as examine opportunities around whole ebook lending. Additionally, we’ll share results and findings, from the library, publisher and vendor perspectives, as we conclude the successful whole ebook ILL pilot.

Key Takeaways:

• Share the latest trends around resource sharing, from the library and publisher vantage point
• Discuss evolving strategies to facilitate whole ebook lending
• highlight technical challenges to implementation and scalability – both on the service provider and the customer sides
• Outcomes from a successful whole ebook ILL pilot and next steps as this pilot concludes

If you haven’t already registered for this year’s Charleston Conference, it isn’t too late! And if you’re already registered, we’ll be sending out invitations for attendees to set up their profiles and create an agenda on the Cadmore Media platform the week of October 24 so be sure to mark your calendars. You can see our preliminary program now at https://charleston-hub2022.exordo.com/programme/sessions/2022-11-01.