900 Library Professionals Attend Tenth Annual Endeavor User Group Conference to Discuss Best Practices, Trends and Challenges.

DES PLAINES, Ill. -- Keynoter Contends Libraries Can Hold Key Role in Digital Content Access; Users Learn Endeavor's Plans with Voyager, ENCompass, LinkFinderPlus, Meridian 

Now in its tenth year, some 900 library professionals worldwide recently attended Endeavor Information Systems' annual user group meeting, EndUser, to learn how to meet the challenges posed by popular search engines. Updating content delivery infrastructures, establishing the library as the primary place to access digital resources and delivering highly personalized service were all key topics of discussion at this years' event.

In the keynote address, "Thriving in an Amazoogle Environment," Cathy De Rosa, Vice President of marketing and library services for OCLC, Online Computer Library Center, said that despite the mushrooming use of search engines, most libraries continue to chart the performance of their information "containers." These include traditional measures such as total holdings, holdings moving through circulation, total reference transactions and total courses held or community programs.

Challenging this practice, the EndUser keynoter suggested that instead of offering containers that patrons can come to and open, libraries must move faster to deliver content at the click of a mouse using a plethora of digital services. As they do so, libraries will gain valuable measures of the outcomes when patrons access digital resources. Libraries also must do self-checks on their performance in personalized service fulfillment and their ability to deliver a dynamic, highly interactive learning space either on the premises or virtually.

Participants of EndUser 2005, which featured more than 80 user-led workshops, also gained value from the numerous best practice case studies, peer-to-peer idea exchanges and descriptions of system enhancements which were implemented successfully by Endeavor customers the past year.

The workshops covered a range of experiences and successes with the Voyager integrated library management system, the ENCompass system for managing, searching and linking collections and the LinkFinderPlus OpenURL-enabled link resolver. Presenters represented an international mix of small libraries, medium-sized institutions, research libraries and national libraries.

In addition, conference attendees heard from Endeavor's senior management about plans for future releases of the company's current library technology systems and upcoming new product initiatives. Endeavor's commitment to providing access to information in today's academic and research libraries continues with Voyager 5.0, ENCompass and LinkFinderPlus releases. Generating significant interest at the event was a new offering, Endeavor Meridian, the company's new electronic resource management system which is currently in field testing at sites in the eastern U.S. and Great Britain. Endeavor Meridian is a single, cost-effective database for information about a library's electronic collections.

Endeavor executive staff also outlined the company's successes in 2004, including an expansion of customer service and development staff, major product release initiatives, Endeavor's leadership with active standards committees as well as overall company vision.

"This is an event that's been built for the users, by the users. From the onset, EndUser established itself as an important learning forum and venue for idea exchanges, often sending a call to action on some of the more pressing issues facing library professionals today," said Donald Muccino, Endeavor's Chief Operating Officer. "This open forum approach is what keeps large numbers of users returning year after year. They tell us this event is extremely valuable in terms of helping them shape long range goals, while at the same time providing them with ideas and insight they can take back to their institutions and put to use right away. Endeavor supports this type of user education, networking and information exchange whole-heartedly."

Endeavor Information Systems

Endeavor Information Systems, based in Des Plaines, IL, produces advanced library management systems for research and public librarians seeking to integrate ever-increasing electronic resources within their collections. Since 1994, Endeavor has pioneered library management systems by offering enhanced functionality coupled with intuitive interfaces that increase usability and efficiency. Its heritage of technological innovation and service to libraries as well as its significant financial strength as a wholly owned subsidiary of Elsevier combine to make Endeavor Information Systems an industry leader. Visit Endeavor at www.endinfosys.com for more information about Endeavor Meridian, Voyager, ENCompass or LinkFinderPlus.

OCLC Online Computer Library Center Based in Dublin, Ohio, OCLC Online Computer Library Center is a nonprofit organization that has provided computer-based cataloging, reference, resource sharing and preservation services to 52,000 libraries in 95 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.oclc.org.