The world has changed tremendously since the Innovative User Group (IUG) first met back in 1993. The IUG is an independent organization from Innovative, a part of Clarivate, comprised of international member libraries who utilize the Innovative integrated suite of library software solutions.
Beyond grunge music and flannel shirts, the 1990s was an era of technological shifts that fundamentally changed the ways in which libraries worked on both sides of the counter. Just a year prior, industry analyst Marshall Breeding shared his thoughts about the pending paradigm shift within libraries thanks to the popularity of CD-ROMs, calling them a state-of-the-art tool with “a friendlier user interface” than traditional search methodologies.
CD-ROMs posed both opportunity and an interesting challenge for librarians: their intuitive interfaces meant more searching independence for the user, but also required the library to invest in new technology and workstation configurations. Both the challenges and the opportunities were addressed by librarians with help from their peers in the IUG.
This spring, the IUG will meet for their 30th annual conference on April 5-8, 2022. With the unexpected paradigm shifts experienced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this virtual gathering will serve as a useful tool for industry professionals as libraries work to anticipate the ever evolving wants and needs of library patrons.
This online conference will include both live and on-demand presentations, plus user forums, Quick Hits (brief instructional product presentations), and a virtual exhibit hall. In addition to the many sessions led by IUG members, Innovative leadership will also give several key presentations, including sessions on disaster preparedness, enhancing the customer experience, measuring patron engagement, library marketing trends and practices, getting the most out of your data, and more.
And while the customary gift for a 30th anniversary is pearls, we hope that you are all excited to receive your very own IUG 2022 conference notebook!
Registration for IUG 2022 is now open at innovativeusers.org.