From: Reichardt, Randy <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 1:22 PM

I have been on as many as five library advisory boards: Materials
Research Society, CRC Press, Knovel, Begell House, and SPIE.  My
experiences across the board have been only positive.  The answers to
all your yes/no questions below are YES, YES, and YES!

Participating in the various boards allows me to provide direct input
into the product being discussed: the SPIE Digital Library,
CRCnetBASE, Knovel, etc.  We do get advance insights into new
products, and our input does help shape the product.  In my library
work, I can refer to upcoming changes (when they are available in a
beta format on the site, for example), and can direct user feedback
back to the db and content producers.

Another consequence is that I get to meet the people behind the scenes
at these companies, and to establish solid professional relationships
with many of them.  I'm also afforded the opportunity to meet other
librarians from NA and elsewhere (Europe, SA) working in similar
subject areas.

We are treated with respect and I feel my and my colleagues' input is
taken seriously.

All in all, positive experiences galore!

Kind regards,
Randy

Randy Reichardt | Research Services Librarian (Engineering)
Science & Technology Library
1-54 Cameron Library | University of Alberta Libraries
Edmonton AB T6G 2J8
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