ELUNA Steering Committee Candidates 2010
The following candidates are running for ELUNA Steering Committee positions: Edward Corrado, John Greer, Gary Johnson, Suzanne Julich, and Janet Lute. The candidates have provided the following biographical information and statements.
Edward M. Corrado
Binghamton University (SUNY)
Head of Library Technology
[email protected]Ex Libris products: Aleph, Metalib
Hello, I am Edward Corrado and I am Head of Library Technology at Binghamton University. I wish to ask for your vote in the ELUNA Steering Committee elections. For the past 12 years I have been involved with the ELUNA and the former Endeavor User Group (EndUser) community. I was elected to the EndUser Board and after Ex Libris and Endeavor merged, I became an interim member of the ELUNA Steering Committee and was elected to a full term in 2008.
For most of my professional life I have worked with the Voyager ILS, first as Library Systems Manager at Rider University and then as Systems Librarian at The College of New Jersey. Two years ago I become Head of Library Technology at Binghamton University (part of the State University of New York) and began working with Aleph and Metalib.
I believe that my past positions at small- to mid-sized libraries using Voyager combined with my current position at a larger library using Aleph and Metalib gives me a unique and valuable perspective to represent users of all Ex Libris products. This experience should prove particular valuable as Ex Libris continues to develop the URM. It is extremely important for ELUNA to represent and voice the concerns that libraries of all sizes – be they a small special library, a large consortium, or any size in-between. I have been a strong advocate for smaller libraries on the ELUNA steering committee and and, if re-elected, I will continue to do so.
Another major concern for ELUNA, and indeed for Ex Libris, is the budget difficulties that many institutions of all sizes are facing in this current economic climate. It is important that ELUNA advocates for reasonably priced solutions and products that produce a good return on investment. ELUNA, as an independent organization, must be a strong advocate for its member institutions, while still realizing that a strong, innovative, and financially viable Ex Libris is in the community’s best interest. Likewise, ELUNA needs to make sure to keep its membership fees and conference rates affordable.
Besides my participation on the user groups’ steering committees, I have been active in a number of other ways within the community. I have presented at ELUNA, IGeLU, EndUser and the Ex Libris Mid-Atlantic (EMA) regional user group (RUG) conferences on multiple occasions. I have also maintained mailing lists for Voyager users and for EMA. Related to my current role as Webmaster on the ELUNA steering committee, I have also implemented a document repository and re-architect-ed the ELUNA Web site. The new site is still a work in progress and I hope to continue to improve it. Besides my involvement with ELUNA, I am active in other areas of the library profession. I have presented at ASIS&T, Internet Librarian, LITA, IFLA Satellite meetings, and many other national and international conferences. I have authored journal and proceeding articles, and am a member of the Code4Lib Journal editorial board. I earned my Masters of Library Service from Rutgers University
In conclusion, I wish to thank you for considering voting for me for the ELUNA Steering Committee. I believe that if I am elected I will be a strong advocate, and a valuable asset to the ELUNA community and that I will do everything I possibly can to be a strong advocate for all ELUNA members. For more information about me, please see my Web site at http://ecorrado.us.
John Greer
The University of Montana- Mansfield Library
Head, Technology and Systems Services
[email protected]Ex Libris products: Voyager
I have been working at the Mansfield Library since 1998, first using the Dynix ILS and then being part of the migration team that selected and implemented Voyager in 2001. I took over as the lead systems administrator for voyager in 2005 and am certified for roll your own upgrades, which I have done several of. I am familiar with all levels of operation of the base ILS and also the Media Booking module. Our library system consists of the 6 libraries of The University of Montana plus a medical library and a tribal college library all hosted in one shared database. My experience includes serving on the board of the Northwest regional users group since 2007 and serving as the chair in 2008.
Gary Johnson
College Center for Library Automation (CCLA)
Director, Library Systems and Applications
[email protected]Ex Libris products: Aleph, SFX, Digitool, Metalib, Primo, Verde
I am the Director of Library Systems and Applications at the College Center for Library Automation in Tallahassee Florida. As such, I oversee workgroups implementing, maintaining, and developing Primo, SFX, MetaLib, and Aleph (currently installed), and Digitool and Verde (under contract) in support of our 28 institutions serving approximately one million students and 43,000 faculty and staff.
I am committed to the user community: fostering an environment of mutual collaboration; advocating for our best interests to Ex Libris; and working together to improve our software applications to be the best and most forward-looking in the industry. Certainly our libraries are changing and our library systems needs are changing. In the next few years Voyager and Aleph will be superseded by the next generation library system. The URM is the next generation system by Ex Libris. The need to be forward-looking has never been more important than now.
I have held several leadership positions that give me the background to serve you well on the Steering Committee. I have now served one term on the ELUNA Steering Committee and I am asking for your support to continue for one more term. My experience includes leadership in different organizations, as well as with a vendor. In the past, I have served as a member of the Aleph Product Leadership Group. I am active with IGeLU, the international group serving Ex Libris users.
In the past, for a dozen years, I was the director of the South Dakota Library Network – a state-wide, multi-type library consortium. During that time, I served as chair of the national user group for the ILS that preceded the ExLibris system in South Dakota. Prior to that I was a vendor, providing support to its ILS customers world-wide.
If elected, I want to contribute the perspective of smaller libraries and shared systems (consortia) to the organization. I want to promote a very positive relationship between ExLibris and ELUNA and its membership. I believe in transparency from the Steering Committee to the membership and look forward to continued opportunities for learning and collaboration within ELUNA.
Suzanne Julich
University of Iowa Libraries
Head, Applications and Web Services
[email protected]Ex Libris products: Aleph, SFX, Metalib, Primo
My name is Suzanne Julich and I am running for re-election to the Steering Committee. I am the Head of Applications and Web Services for the University of Iowa’s Library Information Technology department. The University of Iowa Libraries in general and I in particular have been active in ELUNA (and NAAUG before that) for several years.
In recent years, I have served as Secretary of the SC and for the past two years I have served as Treasurer. During my tenure as Treasurer, ELUNA membership has risen from around 75 members to over 300 members. I was the ELUNA representative to the IGeLU Aleph Product Working Group for two years. I have many years of experience, beginning in 2000, working with Ex Libris products, staff, and management. The University of Iowa uses Aleph, SFX/bX, MetaLib, and Primo.
Janet Lute
Princeton University
Intergrated Library System Coordinator
[email protected]Ex Libris products: Voyager, SFX, Meridian (ERM)
I am running for reelection to the ELUNA Steering Committee, having served a three year term including one year as Chair. Previously I was a member of the Endeavor Board for a number of years. This past work has given me considerable experience in the workings of the User Group leadership and how we can be the voice for users of the Ex Libris suite of products. I have worked extensively with Ex Libris senior and middle management and I have a proven track record of being able to manage concerns that arise between a user group and the company.
I am the Integrated Library Systems Coordinator at Princeton University in New Jersey. As such, I work with Voyager, SFX, and Meridian. My involvement in these products includes system administration, reporting, working with data extracts both within the library and beyond, field testing and generally getting things to work better and interface with other products. My institution is one of the development partners for the URM and this work is giving me the ability to influence direction and is providing an insight into what the future will be. My background is Technical Services but for the past 12 years I have been in the Systems Office. Previously I worked at Harvard and the University of Michigan. I have organized a number of large user group meetings, I have presented on various topics at every annual meeting since 2001, and I am active on the lists, especially Voyager.
If reelected I will work diligently on the Steering Committee for the user community as a whole.