GIL Users Group Meeting 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Fort Valley State University

Dear Colleague:

We invite you to attend the 8th annual GIL Users Group Meeting, on Thursday, May 15, 2008 at Fort Valley State University in the Pettigrew Center.

Our keynote speaker will be Peter Morville, President of Semantic Studios.

In keeping with tradition, GUGM continues as a forum for ExLibris staff to update and inform the GIL community about the Voyager software and for us to continue to share best practices and learn from each other in software utilization and in serving library users. In essence, GUGM’s program success, popularity and strength reside in the meeting being one we make and do for ourselves. Scanning the session abstracts, you will see the names of returning knowledgeable colleagues and become acquainted with new individuals who are for the first time sharing their expertise and talent, a direct reflection of this year’s meeting theme “Technology and Public Services: Worlds Coming Together”.

For those interested in library education, there will be two new lunch-and-learn sessions. Representatives from Valdosta State University will provide an overview of their Masters Degree in Library and Information Science. Representatives from Georgia Perimeter College will do the same for their Associate Degree in Library & Information Science Technology.

GUGM 2008 is open to all USG library staff and to other Georgia ExLibris library staff.

Fort Valley State University Library tours will be offered at 8:30, 8:45 coinciding with the GUGM registration period. There will be one other opportunity at the end of the day at 4:30. Please indicate on the registration form if you wish to take the tour.

We look forward to seeing you for this exciting day in Fort Valley!

— The GUGM 2008 Program Planning Committee

Send questions, suggestions, and comments to: joy.schweiger@usg.edu

GALILEO Interconnected Libraries, or GIL, is an extension of the GALILEO initiative funded by the Governor and the General Assembly of the state of Georgia to enhance and expand educational opportunities for the citizens of Georgia. The successes that GALILEO has had in leveling the information access opportunities for the citizens of Georgia are being extended to University System’s Libraries through GIL by providing students, faculty and staff expanded access to the information resources of the University System’s Libraries.

Keynote Speaker Peter Morville

Peter Morville photo

Peter Morville is president of Semantic Studios, an information architecture and strategy consultancy. Since 1994, he has played a major role in shaping the modern practice of information architecture design.

Peter is co-author (with Louis Rosenfeld) of the best-selling book on the subject, Information Architecture for the World Wide Web, named “Best Internet Book of 1998” by Amazon and “The Most Useful Book on Web Design on the Market” by usability guru Jakob Nielsen.

As chief executive officer of Argus Associates (1994-2001), Peter helped build one of the world’s most respected information architecture firms, serving clients such as AT&T, Barron’s, Ernst & Young, HP, IBM, L.L.Bean, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Vanguard and the Weather Channel. He has also worked with libraries, universities, nonprofits and foundations.

Peter has managed teams of project managers, information architects, interaction designers, usability engineers, content authors and software developers to construct successful web sites, intranets, portals, online communities and information services.

He holds an advanced degree in library and information science from the University of Michigan, where he now teaches a popular graduate course in information architecture.

An internationally distinguished speaker, Peter provides keynotes and seminars on such topics as user experience, knowledge management, business strategy and findability.

Peter’s work has been featured in numerous publications including Business Week, Fortune, MSNBC and the Wall Street Journal.