The CMC Dishes the 411 at RFS

The Reaching Forward South (RFS) Conference was held on April 8 at the I Hotel and Conference Center in Champaign, Ill. The RFS Conference is a professional development opportunity for library support staff from central and southern Illinois libraries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the first time in two years the conference was held in person. This gave the staff of the Cataloging Maintenance Center (CMC) the perfect opportunity to connect with library professionals to create awareness of the CMC’s offerings. CMC staff packed up their swag and set off on a mission. Staff spent the day working a booth and explaining the services the CMC offers. While some conference attendees were aware of the CMC, many were not. They were pleasantly surprised to learn they could have local history, special collections, and genealogy items cataloged for free! Many were especially interested in the metadata projects and database clean-up services offered.

Wanting to be certain they completed the mission, CMC staff also gave a presentation outlining the services offered, what items qualify for those services, and who to contact about them. They also showcased some of the neat items they have cataloged for various libraries across the state. Items included foreign language books, kits, and realia, such as an Abraham Lincoln birthday bicentennial flag sent in by the Dixon Public Library and a Red Cross 1918 Roll of Honor Quilt cataloged for the Groff Memorial Library.

Does your library have items that might qualify for FREE cataloging? Contact the CMC today at cmc@illinoisheartland.org to find out!