As a new Sierra Integrated Library System (ILS) administrator, stepping into this role can be both exciting and overwhelming. There's a vast amount of information to absorb, a complex system to navigate, and the pressure to become proficient quickly. In this presentation, I'll share my experiences and practical strategies to help other new administrators not only manage but thrive in this role. The focus will be on how to approach learning Sierra, how to leverage personal strengths, and the importance of embracing mistakes as part of the learning journey.
1. Digesting and Applying the Vast Amount of Information on Sierra ILS: Sierra ILS is a powerful system with extensive functionalities, which can be daunting for new administrators. The sheer volume of material to learn, ranging from circulation and cataloging to reporting and system configuration, can easily feel overwhelming. In this section, I will outline strategies for breaking down and prioritizing the learning process. I'll share methods for identifying key areas to focus on first and how to use Sierra's documentation, community forums, and training resources efficiently. Attendees will walk away with practical tips for managing the learning curve without feeling overloaded.
2. Leveraging Your Strengths (Even if They're Not Specific to ILS Administration): One of the best ways to succeed as a new administrator is to harness the strengths you already possess. Whether you have a background in librarianship, project management, customer service, IT, or even something seemingly unrelated, these skills can be extremely valuable when applied to ILS administration. This section will discuss how to integrate your unique talents into your role as a Sierra administrator. For example, strong organizational skills can help manage system updates and documentation, while technical troubleshooting experience can accelerate problem-solving. I will offer examples of how different skill sets can be applied creatively to make managing Sierra more approachable and efficient.
3. Embracing Mistakes as a Learning Tool: Mistakes are inevitable when managing a complex system like Sierra, especially as a new administrator. In this part of the presentation, I'll talk about how making mistakes is not only expected but can be an invaluable learning tool. I'll share examples of mistakes I made early on and how they ultimately led to deeper understanding and improved system management. We'll explore how to create a mindset that views errors as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks, and I'll provide tips for bouncing back quickly after missteps. This section will also cover how to document lessons learned from mistakes to avoid repeating them and to help others on your team.
By the end of the presentation, participants will gain confidence in their ability to navigate the steep learning curve of Sierra ILS administration. They'll walk away with actionable strategies for managing the breadth of information, ways to leverage their strengths, and the mindset needed to turn mistakes into valuable learning experiences. Whether you're new to the role, training a new ILS administrator, or looking for ways to optimize your approach, this session will offer practical advice to help you succeed.
Write Better SQL The second of a 2-presentation series delivered over two successive days. The goal is to be largely product-agnostic and to focus more on common concepts without deep dives into the database structure of either product. This session will resume wherever the first session ended. As time permits, additional topics will include: Creating and using temp tables; understanding and using window functions; writing performant SQL. Audience members are encouraged to chime in at any time to round out the presentation with input from multiple perspectives. Likewise, questions will be encouraged throughout, including on tangential database topics. I will be working with one or more Polaris SQL experts to develop examples for the Polaris attendees.
We are a consortium of 30 libraries on two Sierra servers. This makes managing Scheduler very difficult, particularly because of the limits of the Scheduler UI. This presentation will cover the processes I have developed to keep track of what is happening in Scheduler. I keep a full history of Scheduler activity in a spreadsheet, and I have calendars of what is happening when. This allows me to avoid problems in the future and do a better job of learning what happened if something goes wrong.
Follow up to optional pre-conference session on web design trends and how Vega products support your library's web design and marketing efforts to keep pace.
