One of the greatest benefits of attending a conference is the
encouragement received from other librarians. Currently, most libraries are likely under so many budget cuts and restrictions that the answer to any new idea is
probably "No." Over time, it begins to not only wear on a person, but it discourages
innovation. The obvious problem is that we need new innovative ideas
now more than ever. We don’t provide better services by cutting; we only do that by innovating.
photo courtesy of Jazzy Wright
I've spoken at the California Library Association and at Internet Librarian, but it was a special thrill to speak at the American Library Association's Annual Conference. I spoke about our "Job in a Box" program for E-Government in Action - Matching People with Jobs. This is part of our concept "Your Library in More Places" proving that our library can indeed be everywhere, when and where you need it.
We've been expanding our book machine program for some time. We recently purchased two more machines: the first to be deployed at one of our branch libraries, making it a 24/7 library, and another one near a school, much like our Cutler machine. Because our purchase of the machine was so close to ALA, PIK Inc. asked if they could display our machine in the exhibit hall. It has a new fun design on the side that will hopefully catch the attention of patrons.
Additionally, I participated in the ALA Outreach and Diversity fair for the California State Library's Literacy and Outreach programs. They also highlighted our book machines and other programs to help connect patrons with jobs.
The opportunity to participate in committee work is another benefit of attending a national conference. I currently serve on the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA) for the Leadership Skills Committee and now also the Human Resources Management Committee. LLAMA is at the forefront of providing programs that will help librarians step into management and leadership roles. To further this goal, LLAMA recently revamped the mentoring program.
National and state conferences contribute to the vitality and development of our profession. Participating in these conferences is beneficial to the individual librarian, but also to the home library and community. This work is invigorating, but one of the keys to maintaining that passion is to find ways to replenish it. Conference is a great way to do that and come charging back with fresh energy!
The Internet is the lifeblood for libraries. With so many people out of work or unable to pay for information, entertainment, and necessities, libraries providing free and fast Internet is the only means to stay connected. There are so many things that can be done online now, from something that requires little bandwidth like submitting a job application, to watching full length movies online. With the influx of services that can be done online, a problem arises with providing enough bandwidth to provide the basic services patrons expect.
Does Library Bandwidth need to double every 18 months?
The need for increasing bandwidth seems to flow right along with the rate of computer memory. Keeping up with technology comes with a price, as computers can handle more memory and work faster, the bandwidth required to make them effective also needs to increase. With many needed services going online, libraries need to keep up with this need, but the problem is bandwidth creep. It seems that library bandwidth needs to double every 18 months to keep up, but then it should be less expensive according to Nielsen's Law. Our communities depend on us now more than ever to keep up since:
1. Libraries are the only free internet resource in town, often the only resource.
2. Bandwidth for an individual goes up faster than in an organization.
3. Libraries can't do as much if content requires more bandwidth, leading to feature freeze
4. Services deteriorate if we can't keep up, other services become affected. By trying to pay for more bandwidth, ongoing costs to maintain it can burden other services in an already stripped down service economy.
As mentioned in this Ars Technica article a few weeks ago reporting on ALA's report on Bandwidth. It's nice to see mainstream blogs provide attention to these issues.
SNIP As we've reported, libraries across the United States have become something like first economic responders for low-income people thrown out of work by The Great Recession. As job listings go online, and more and more require an on-line application form, computerless employment seekers are besieging local libraries—often the only place where they can get free access.
END SNIP
SNIP But another problem is simple availability. As the ALA's report (PDF) points out, "moving from a 56Kbps circuit to 1.5Mbps is one thing. Moving from 1.5Mbps to 20Mbps or to 100Mbps or even to a gigabit—depending on the size and need of the library—is another." Even when they can pay for it, many libraries are finding that higher speeds simply aren't available.
END SNIP
Take for example a new service at our library. It is a VR Sorenson machine that provides a relay service for the deaf. A patron comes up to this machine, dials the number and a VR Sorenson employee signs to the person. This relay person can then contact any phone number anywhere and the person using the service can get help from businesses or other contacts that do not have a TTY machine or other services for the deaf. The machine requires high bandwidth. Most individuals can't afford this high level of bandwidth even though these machines are provided for free to many. It is superior to a TTY machine. Word of mouth spread like wildfire and we get several people using it per day. Even when it was getting set up, patrons knew exactly what it was and without advertising, word of mouth sold the service. It's an example of what a library can do, but without the bandwidth it wouldn't have happened. Without sufficient bandwidth, not only are library services frozen, but we are then forced to protect our scarce bandwidth resources.
Bandwidth Police
There is a recent article about libraries becoming bandwidth police. Libraries that don't have the ability to increase bandwidth have to rely on throttling so that all patrons can have enough bandwidth to get what they need online. Software vendors provide these tools to libraries, in which, an automatic limit is set so that one single individual cannot exceed a certain amount of bandwidth. A patron attempting to watch a streaming movie on Netflix would have their efforts hampered so that another patron can still use enough bandwidth for basic internet use, mostly textual in nature. Without enough bandwidth, throttling like this can affect services critical to library patrons, but because not enough resources have been providing for libraries to keep up with the bandwidth creep, libraries are reduced to this practice, leading to these articles on the practice.
"A short time ago, the American Library Association (ALA) released the latest update to the Public Library Funding & Technology Study, a long running survey of public access to the Internet. The survey reveals that public libraries are the only point of free Internet access in the great majority of communities, and many libraries do not have enough bandwidth to meet the needs of their patrons. The entire situation is an embarrassing reminder that the US has a hideous Internet access rate...
While the latter approach is certainly disconcerting (especially in a country with such poor per capita connectivity), I am terrified by the former bandwidth austerity measure. Libraries have become a proving ground for two dangerous arguments: that content throttling is not filtering and that resource limitations justify content throttling."
END SNIP
I have personal experience in which I tried to expand computer access with old assumptions about bandwidth. It used to be 1.5 Mbps for 50 computers would be just fine, but now you would be lucky to get access with four times that bandwidth rate. E-rate helped me out there, but for many libraries that don't have the funds, can't reallocate them, can't figure out Erate, or are doing all they can and it's still not enough bandwidth. It can be very frustrating. Now with throttling becoming more common, people are beginning to notice, but at least with the author, he is in support of libraries getting more bandwidth so that they don't have to do this.
What Libraries are doing for their communities
A recent Library Journal article highlighted what the ALA submitted to the FCC on libraries critical role to the economic well-being of their communities:
SNIP As Community Hubs:
Public libraries go beyond stopgap measures in creating and supporting economic opportunity
The added value libraries offer includes job training, information, and digital literacy programs
For Business Adoption and Usage:
The library as a small business
Libraries need high capacity broadband to provide essential services to the general public
Effective negotiation requires open dialog between service providers and small businesses
Broadband's role in regional economic development
Libraries are critical institutions in supporting regional economic development
Government-provided social benefit programs
Information literacy skills are critical to navigating online social benefit forms
Workforce development
The value of the public library’s suite of services cannot be overstated
END SNIP
A recent sneak peak at an FCC reports provides promising news to underserved areas:
"One proposal would use money from the Universal Service Fund to build broadband networks in underserved communities and pay for high-speed Internet connections for those who cannot afford them. The Universal Service Fund, which is supported by a surcharge on phone bills, was established to subsidize phone service."
What Libraries are doing for increased Broadband
The California State Library recently sponsored a competition called Fast Internet Matters @ Your Library. Libraries throughout California were to create video on Youtube that highlights why Fast Internet is important. Salinas Library was announced as the winner with this funny video:
Opportunity Online has been going around libraries and speaking with library staff and patrons about how important broadband is to the community. This is to help the broadband summit the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plan to have around the United States to help providing funding for broadband. You can watch some of those videos here.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have also announced a round of funding for broadband projects.
SNIP “Federal, state, and local government investments in connecting libraries to broadband are important steps toward realizing the vision of universal broadband access,” said Jill Nishi, deputy director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s U.S. Libraries program. “When libraries have access to broadband, they can effectively deliver critical educational, employment, and government services for residents that lack Internet access elsewhere. As community anchor institutions, libraries can also help drive local broadband adoption.”
END SNIP
The hope here is that with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation stepping in with states and combing the Federal Broadband Stimulus program that local libraries can provide better, faster access and ensure sufficient bandwidth in the future to keep up with demand. The American Library Association has been spearheading this movement and has consistently demanded more broadband and bandwidth for our libraries. They have submitted to the NTIA and now the have submitted to the FCC the critical role libraries play in the local economy.
The last round of broadband stimulus went towards the truly needy. If funding is only going towards getting locations to a 742 kbps or half of a T-1 line and that is a big step up for them; that's very critical. However, in the next two rounds libraries are pulling for expanding access for more modern needs. Without this round of stimulus, libraries will continually fall behind the fast moving internet, crippling existing services and stopping progress for future needs. More affluent communities will be able to maintain and increase access, but those that cannot afford it will be severely hurt. Increasingly, this will lead to lost connections with the rest of the world, leaving pockets of many Americans behind. The concept is scary.
Updated 5/24/2009, Apple reverses decision, allows Eucalyptus:
"Then early Sunday, Apple changed its position and accepted the app after discussions with Eucalyptus developer James Montgomerie, the developer wrote on his blog:
"Earlier today I received a phone call from an Apple representative. He was very complimentary about Eucalyptus. We talked about the confusion surrounding its App Store rejections, which I am happy to say is now fully resolved. He invited me to re-build and submit a version of Eucalyptus with no filters for immediate approval, and that full version is now available on the iPhone App Store. "
Apple Says no to Project Gutenberg
"Apple has rejected Eucalyptus, an ebook reader that facilitates downloading public domain books from Project Gutenberg, because some Victorian books mention sex (many of these same books can be bought as ebooks through the iPhone Kindle reader or purchased as audiobooks from the iTunes store). It's amazing to think that in 2009 a phone manufacturer wants to dictate which literature its customers should be allowed to download and read on their devices. "
If Apple really thought about it, they would realize that there are other apps that can download Project Gutenberg books, many of which are explicit. There is a list of 1001 books you should read before you die that include many offensive and explicit books.
This argument is difficult since it is over access to a book that most people believe should be banned. What's the big deal?
If a private company can do that, they can do that to ANY book. They could ban the Grapes of Wrath. This isn't considered an offensive book, but some people didn't like the way they are portrayed, so they burned the books. However in this case, people who don't agree with the book, don't have to burn it, they can delete them or destroy a program that provides access.
This leads into the Google Books Settlement controversy. If Google controls the digital versions of books scanned from public universities and have complete control of the digital copy, the same thing that's happened in the App store can happen over at google books. Google seems to be altering the settlement agreement:
"...it gives Michigan the right to the digitized version of any book in its collection, even if Google wound up scanning a copy held by a different library. Michigan will have the right to offer these digital versions through the equivalent of interlibrary loans, and the general public will apparently be allowed to purchase access to its collection, even if they have no association with the university—although this may just be through the online book retailing that will be part of Google's service. "
In particular, information provided by the Federal Government have been altered or deleted since the information provided made people nervous. They also do it in an underhanded way.
"It all began March 26, when a woman came to the reference desk and asked Martha Lee of the Bluffton (Ohio) Public Library for the Allen County Hazardous Materials Emergency Plan. Lee told American Libraries that after receiving the appropriate binder, the woman declared, “You can’t have it back.” The patron removed the materials and substituted a letter stating that the haz-mat manual would be “available for public inspection” at Allen County’s Homeland Security Office, although “proper ID may be required” to access it. According to Lee, the woman also said, “Well, I have a whole list of libraries I have to visit.”
These kinds of actions were far worse post-September 11th. So much disappeared out of fear rather than out of need. This raid had to be performed in person, getting a physical document. However, items online can be deleted just like an Itunes Store App, a Google Book, or a Government Document.
It's no wonder that when private companies are involved with books that they would encourage censorship of materials, even ones are that in the public domain. They can cite guidelines and restrictions and user agreement, but in the end private companies (nor the Federal Government) have no obligation (and certainly no incentive) to provide access to materials that some people find offensive or dangerous. What does our future for information look like if these trends continue?
PresidentObama'sintention for the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) is to find ways to stimulate the economy. Many libraries qualify for existing grants (even though no money has been provided just for libraries.) The real trick is often finding a local federal office and working with them to get funding. If you know the right local federal agency, the right grant, and apply it to the right project, there are huge benefits. (The American Library Association has a great deal of information on how to get stimulus funds, I liked this one from District Dispatch Blog). As librarians, we definitely need to be creative and snoop so that we can find money that is applicable to us. The process can be very confusing. Here was a good quote from the Technology Policy Summit discussing rural broadband potential:
Much of the money can be found in different places, and in many cases, wrapped into existing grant projects.
from Stimulating Broadband: Given that these continuing programmatic efforts of the Rural Development division of USDA -- the division which includes RUS -- operate under an established body of regulations, the NOFA to be issued by the agency for ARRA broadband stimulus funds must be groomed to coordinate with those strictures already in use in rural jurisdictions around the country. " There is also more potential coming from the state: Teri Takai: California Budget Crisis Won't Block Technology Progress
"The state also will step up efforts to prepare citizens for success in the digital economy. Schwarzenegger intends to sign an executive order promoting digital literacy within two weeks (article posted 5/17/2009), Takai said. And the CIO's office is launching efforts to assess statewide broadband Internet connectivity, with the intention of strengthening access in unserved and underserved areas."
After some investigation, we found our local Department of Agriculture office provides building construction and broadband connectivity to any public building in a rural area. For this alone, there is potential to get $300,000 in building construction money for library branches.
Broadband has been the biggest discussion in the library world. It seems like $7.2 billion is easy to get, but if your library already provides broadband, then what? The Internet Runs on This stuff Originally uploaded by Lacrymosa
Do we still qualify for broadband if we just need more speed? We really can't afford an ongoing cost to upgrade. There is a great deal of potential for rural libraries to update buildings, and provide the infrastructure for increased internet access. However, if I repair or build a building, it can last 5, 10, or 50 years past the grant cycle, depending on the project. For broadband, the costs are always ongoing and always increasing, but the stimulus money isn't. What do we do then?
This report is now available from Webjunction: Why Public Libraries Close This report was also presented at the American Library Association in Anaheim California.
I was very interested in this report. It isn't extensive as From Awareness to Funding which I wrote about in three parts. However, the Awareness report would seem to explain why libraries close more than this report does.
Very few libraries have actually closed, very few I read about this program in Library Journal when they reviewed the programs for the annual conference. It was rather slammed. The quote from Library Journal's review was, "Sounds alarmist, very few have actually closed. Very few."
One Tenth of One Percent After reading this report, the statement that very few libraries have closed seems entirely accurate. According to the ALA Fact sheet there are over 123, 291 libraries in the United States, 16,543 are public libraries. This report makes an assessment between the years 1999-2003. During that time 438 public libraries closed. Well...that's not accurate, 134 libraries actually closed. The first number includes libraries that have closed and re-opened or where services were merged, replaced, etc. It doesn't mean closed and no services. The 134 libraries closed are closed with no services and no alternatives. What is the ratio between the number of libraries in the United States versus the number that have actually closed in a four year period. One Tenth of One Percent!
More than a few flaws The report only retrieved anecdotal information from one library staff member at each library. I know from my own research into various best practices with libraries that it's important to get the person in charge, but then also speak to front line staff. For this research report, maybe just sticking to the data or using local newspapers may have been a better approach. It is hard to say what exactly is intended here. This approach doesn't seem to stand on solid ground.
Some segments from the report: The categories of closure are good as well as analysis as to why libraries fail. The ongoing issues are extremely useful:
1) specific actions to minimize potential impacts of the closure on existing library users are rarely if ever taken.
(my comment, how many libraries have used story time, closure, and other items as a political pawn when other cost savings could be implemented?)
2) during the 1999-2003 time period of this study, the socioeconomic and demographic
characteristics of the population within the immediately surrounding 1 mile radius the closed library tended to be poorer, less educated, and with more renters than homeowners when compared to the U.S. population in calendar year 1999 year as a whole.
(my comment, the poor are most affected. However, according to the Awareness report, they provide the least amount of support to the library.)
3) migration of America’s population to large population centers may be creating problems for rural libraries.
(my comment, we actually have the opposite effect. More people are moving to our community because of the low cost of living. This has created greater usage and strain on our services that we have struggled with. More houses mean more one time revenue, but not more operating revenue. That's a entirely different long term problem.)
Big error in data
"It was during this time researchers discovered a large number of the 438 outlets identified as potentially closed were never closed. Further discussions with the identified contact person for each of these “closures” showed that most had no idea on why the library was not listed in the FSCS database for that particular year. A few suggested that it could be due to their non-reporting of the requested FSCS data for that particular year but they remained unsure about this anomaly. There were 192 library outlets that fell into this “unsure why we weren’t listed in that year’s FSCS report” category out of the original 438 outlets. There was no further processing or analysis done on the libraries in this
category."
(my comment, My library is listed twice. One as part of a system and one as a stand alone. I have no idea why that is, nor do I know how to fix it.)
Conclusions The general conclusion about libraries was the best part. Even though not that many libraries closed, the advice to avoid it is very beneficial. Here is some advice from the front:
"Finally, question seven asked advice from the librarians for how to prevent negative
closures from happening... Neighborhood advocacy would help prevent closures. ...
“prior to opening a branch” make sure the library systems can sustain it– ...
Shopping centers might not be the best fit for libraries, if rent changes frequently or it is inconvenient for users to reach...
if the library does control or own the facility, possible closure can not be controlled...
Grants that are not recurring should not be used to open libraries...
open hours that are convenient for its users, in one instance banker’s hours where no one could get to the library led to its demise.
maintain an attractive building with services and resources that people need and can access. "p 25
In summary, it can be seen that public library closures are usually caused by the evolving needs of the local libraries (e.g., remodeling, branch relocations, library mergers) or due to factors that are somewhat outside of the library’s direct control (e.g., reduction in funding or staffing). Lack of library use at the closed library is not the primary reason formost public library closures. p 25
I feel really good after reading this report. There aren't that many libraries closing. The title is a bit alarmist, but not misleading. In fact, the advice provided on how to avoid a closure is gold. It is extremely valuable to emphasize meeting the needs of the community. We are building a new branch and we are looking carefully at the hours and resources so that we don't get in over our heads before we even open the building. It is far more difficult to pull services, than to never have provided them. In the end, I feel good since it confirms the comment, "very few libraries have closed."
We've been expanding our book machine program for some time. We recently purchased two more machines: the first to be deployed at one of our branch libraries, making it a 24/7 library, and another one near a school, much like our Cutler machine. Because our purchase of the machine was so close to ALA, PIK Inc. asked if they could display our machine in the exhibit hall. It has a new fun design on the side that will hopefully catch the attention of patrons.
Additionally, I participated in the ALA Outreach and Diversity fair for the California State Library's Literacy and Outreach programs. They also highlighted our book machines and other programs to help connect patrons with jobs. 
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