1. EG Grand Rapids 2010
Robert Soulliere
Cynthia Williamson
Doing an Evergreen Installation(Mohawk College, Ham. ON)

2. Quick Mohawk Timeline
Pre-Evergreen: Mohawk part of ILS Consortium using Sirsi (Unicorn & Webcat)
2006: Discovered EG
2007: Discovered Equinox & Mohawk hired Robert
2008: Testing and Experimenting started & continued into 2009
In other words we took lots of time!!
Had access to current ILS until March 2010, planned to go live with EG Spring/Summer 2009
Went Live July 6, 2009
2009: Contracted with Equinox to build booking module
Completed March 2010
March 2010:Mohawk wins 2010 Innovation Achievement Award from Community and Technical College Libraries, Canadian Library Association .
3. Systems Advice
Give yourself time for testing and learning before going live.
SQL is your friend learn it!
Dont be shy about asking Qs on the EG lists
Test server!Get one, theyre free!
Dont get stressed during the tough times.
4. Front End Operations & Training
Created a wiki to confer with & train circ staff
Encouraged staff to train themselves
Lots of good basic documentation out there (Sitka & Indianna)
Not so great documentation for systems & admin (the mailing lists are a necessity)
The constant refrain: Do you want EG to work that way because Sirsi worked that way or because that is the way you want it to work?What would work best?
2 biggest hurdles?
Lack of Reserves module
Lack of Booking module
Even more casual approach to cataloguing training.
Theyre Cynthias staff, it was (still is) learn on your own, consult her when needed.
Lots (and lots) of tweaks after going live
Staff did not do as much testing pre-live as we would have liked
5. In Hindsight
Cynthia should have spent a week or two on the circ desk for workflows/special issue identification
More specific staff training & testing exercises
give em a list & deadlines
Staff skills and enthusiasm will surprise you - both in their abundance & their lack thereof
let them in if theyre willing and able
be prepared to do more training than you might think is necessary
UPEI method entire team met every morning during the month before go live, they ironed out a lot before they went live.
6. Would we do it Again?
H*ll yes!!
Why??
Control over our own destiny
EG community is great, very helpful & friendly
Equinox (and others vendors) are a good alternative
if you dont have a systems librarian or the time to learn on your own
lots of flexibility, it isnt an all or nothing proposition
7. Questions??
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Thanks!