Course image Librarianship: Cooperative Ventures and Referrals
Advanced Librarianship Courses
Course Summary:

Optional Print Course Material: Librarianship: Cooperative Ventures and Referrals

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

This course provides an overview of a number of cooperative ventures that a library with a commitment to genealogy patrons and organizations can initiate or in which it can participate. In addition, examples of referrals and recommendations that a genealogical librarian may be able to make to his or her patron are described in detail. 

Each of the examples of cooperative programs can be accomplished through open communications between the library and the potential partner(s) and through creative yet practical planning and execution. However, you may be surprised at some of the real-life scenarios presented and the way that their successes have been achieved.  

Reference referrals are an essential part of every library's or archive's operations. You will need to become familiar with your local service area and learn about other complementary collections, government documents repositories, and other resources in that vicinity. Your library will provide a focal point for connecting with many types of print, electronic, and document source materials. However, since no library has an unlimited collection development or electronic resource/database licensing budget, it is imperative that the genealogical library personnel are familiar with other places to successfully refer genealogical patrons.  

The Genealogical Librarianship Certificate Program is intended to provide overlapping and complementary content between courses. One of your primary goals is to assimilate the information presented in each course and integrate it into a "big picture" that will help you provide the best possible service to your genealogical patrons. Therefore, you will find that this course complements material presented in others in the Genealogical Librarianship Certificate curriculum, including Developing, Organizing, and Supporting a Core Collection, Helping Users with Specialized Genealogical Sources, Finding Aids, Brochures, Online and Multimedia Instructional Tools, and this Cooperative Ventures and Referrals course. 

At the conclusion of this course, you should have a strong perspective of methods of collaborating and cooperating with other organizations and institutions in order to further the services you can provide the genealogical patron and community. Likewise, you will become conversant with the wide array of referral opportunities that can extend your genealogical patron's research reach. 

Course Length: 7 weeks

Contact Hours: 18
Grading Scale: 50% Tests/50% Assignments
Course Length: 7 weeks
Course Content

MODULE 1
DEFINING A "COOPERATIVE VENTURE"
Introduction
What Is a “Cooperative Venture?”

MODULE 2
WORKING WITH SOCIETIES
Introduction
Identify Potential Partners
What Can Your Library Provide?

MODULE 3
WORKING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Introduction
Friends of the Library
Outreach to Clubs, Societies, and Other Organizations
Fundraising Initiatives
More about Collection Development through Memorial Programs

MODULE 4
WORKING WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
Introduction
Working with Educational Institutions
Planning Programs with Public Schools
Planning Programs with Academic Institutions
Hosting Other Educational Research Groups

MODULE 5
CREATIVE APPROACHES WITH SPECIAL MATERIALS
Introduction
Making Otherwise Ephemeral and Fragile Materials Available
Indexing Projects
Cataloguing Initiatives
Microfilming and Digitization Projects
The Digitizing Imaging of Special Collections (DISC) Project
Historical Newspaper Microfilming
Providing Physical Access to Rare Documents, Photographs, and Other Resources

MODULE 6
REFERENCE REFERRALS: EXPANDING THE PATRON'S RESEARCH REACH
Introduction
Identifying Places to Refer Genealogical Patrons
LDS Family History Centers
Academic Libraries
Local, County, State, Provincial, Territorial, and National Archives and Libraries
Historical Museums
Government Documents Repositories
Courthouses and Other Government Offices
Reciprocal Borrowing from Other Collections
Use of Traditional Interlibrary Loan
PERSI: The Periodical Source Index of the Allen County Public Library
Develop “Rapid Response” Interlibrary Services
“Extraordinary Service is Our Hallmark!”
Course image Librarianship: Developing a Genealogy Website
Advanced Librarianship Courses
Course Summary:

Optional Print Course Material: Librarianship: Developing A Genealogy Web Site

*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.

In this course you will be introduced to all the components of planning and building a genealogy library website. There are many specialized books and websites to help you in the building of an organizational website, of whatever size.

This course is designed to give you an overall understanding of all the areas that are involved, in some of which you may realize you will need further training. You will be introduced to the issues of planning, design, usability, accessibility and the technical language and definitions you will need to proceed on your own, or with a team, to build your genealogy library website.

Course Length: 8 weeks

Contact Hours: 21
Grading Scale: 50% Tests/50% Assignments
Course Length: 8 weeks
Course Content

MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION
The “Accidental Webmaster”
Planning Your Website
Choosing a Committee
Developing a Timeline
Library Website Policies
Storyboarding
Models for Website Structure

MODULE 2
THE TECHNOLOGY OF WEB BUILDING
Definitions
Language of the Web: Hypertext Markup Language
Web Authoring Tools
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
Content Management Systems
Images
Database-Driven Websites

MODULE 3
WEB DESIGN
Design for Usability
Personas
Look of the Website
Site Navigation
Accessible Design

MODULE 4
WRITING FOR THE WEB
Who Are You Writing For?
Make the Pages Scannable
Make the Text Concise
Watch Your Language
Use Links Wisely
Write So That You Can Be Found
Edit, Edit, Edit
Develop Web Writing Policies

MODULE 5
WEB CONTENT
Web Content Collection Development Policies
Types of Web Content
What Do Your Users Want to Find?
What Content Do You Already Have?
Unique Local Content
Partnerships Outside the Library
Instructional Materials
Copyright

MODULE 6
WEBSITE USABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY
Website Accessibility
Evaluating a Website for Accessibility
Website Usability

MODULE 7
FINISHING, PUBLICIZING AND MAINTAINING YOUR WEBSITE
Forms on the Website
Publicizing the Website
Maintaining the Genealogy Library Website
Updating the Genealogy Library Website