Action for Libraries
BCReview Weekly E-news Alert Debuts
Action for Libraries Evolves to Quarterly Publication
By Sharon Hoffhines
Watch August 1 for the premiere edition of BCReview. BCR's newest electronic newsletter will be published weekly, while Action for Libraries becomes a quarterly newsletter, published online in July, October, January and March. BCR staff hopes the changes will allow us to keep you better informed about what's happening at BCR, while demanding even less of your time to peruse these publications.
The new BCReview will incorporate a number of Action for Libraries' features, including the "OCLC Update" and "In Reference..." columns. The content, however, will be more timely. Upcoming training will be highlighted. The newsletter will incorporate many of the messages staff now send out via BCR-L, BCR's general e-mail list cataloging and resource sharing news, as well as trials, renewals and new additions to BCR's numerous Online Information Resource offerings. The result: BCR-L subscribers should no longer find themselves inundated with so many different BCR messages they haven't time to differentiate between them.
Instead subscribers will now receive BCR's news incorporated into a single, weekly communique, sent as an e-mail message every Tuesday morning. You will know when to expect BCReview and can readily identify the particular items in which you have an interest. Current subscribers of Action for Libraries, The Third Indicator and BCR-L mailing lists will automatically be subscribed to the new newsletter. But if you want to ensure you receive that first issue, you may want to subscribe yourself now. Send an e-mail message to majordomo@bcr.org with subscribe bcreview-l in the message. Leave the subject line blank.
RSS Feed Available, Too
Or maybe you prefer to receive your BCR information via RSS format instead? That option also is available. Just go to www.bcr.org/publications/rss.html and subscribe to the BCReview RSS feed. When we update the RSS file, you will automatically be notified of each news item as it becomes available and can then read it on your schedule.
In the meantime, Action for Libraries becomes a more leisurely, quarterly read, although still full of important information for library staff. There you will continue to read about "Member News" and Michael Sauers' column, "The Internet Connection." You can also keep up with what's happening to BCR staff, Board of Trustees and OCLC Members Council delegates and perhaps even hear directly from a few of them. We plan to focus more in-depth on BCR services and products, at times highlighting innovative programs at member libraries. (See the Oregon State Library and Kansas State Library OverDrive consortial purchases in this current newsletter.)
However BCR's two news vehicles evolve in the future, we will work hard to see that they complement each other, provide you with all the information your library needs and make it ever easier for you to stay current about what's happening in library and information technology.