Job in a Box CLA presentation 2011 #calibconf

(I am posting the slides and text from my California Library Association conference presentation. It provides a little more detail from when we unveiled the machine back in June. Feel free to contact me for more information.)

Job in a Box CLA presentation 2011 #calibconf

View more presentations from Jeff Scott

Intro

Good Morning. My name is Jeff Scott and I am the Deputy County Librarian for the Tulare County Library. Our program is about our Job in a Box. This is a $60,000 LSTA project that would place a Brodart Lending Library book machine in the Visalia and Dinuba Workforce Investment Board One Stops. We fill the machines based on feedback from library staff, library circulation statistics, and job coaches at the One Stops.

Pitch an idea

For those unfamiliar with this new way of applying for LSTA grant, I will provide a little background. The program is called Pitch an Idea. Instead of investing the blood, sweat, and tears over a grant that may not get funded, the state library has simplified the process here. You get a notification that these grants are available and you have one week to write up your elevator talk, develop a total cost, and submit that to the state. The State Librarian, with a group of experts, then makes conference calls with questions about your proposal. If you make a compelling case, your project gets funded. I really like this approach since it saves a lot of time for library staff and it’s an opportunity to be very creative.

Inspiration

What inspired the project? This project was actually one of two we submitted to the state library. For those of you familiar with Pub-Lib Robert Balliot you may recognize the phrase, "There’s a Book for That." That was actually the title of our other project that we had submitted. The idea behind that was that we would place a machine in community centers around the city with a focus on that center’s purpose. For instance, if there was an Art Museum or non-profit center, we would place a machine in there and create a collection based on the users needs. If it is a history museum, we would place a machine in there and have materials relating to museum displays. Lastly, we included Work Investment Board One Stops. After carefully considering the work that would be involved in placing several of these machines in the city and throughout the county all at once, we decided to focus on the biggest need, job assistance.

Segway to partnership

Last year, the State Librarian’s office held a conference to help library directors collaborate with their local Workforce Investment Boards. The Department of Labor had recently instructed their local boards to work with their local community specifically targeting libraries.

De-facto job centers

For many years, libraries have acted as de-facto job centers. We help with resumes, set-up email addresses, and navigate an often complicated online application process. Even though we often receive no recognition (monetarily speaking anyway) for these efforts, it has become particularly critical for libraries to take on this role during our recent recession. We are the safe place to forage in this harsh winter of recession.

Funding

The biggest objective for a library to build a partnership with the Workforce Investment Board is funding. When you turn on the news and you hear about job bills that are trying to get pushed through Congress, much of that funding is going to your local Workforce Investment Board. Most of the money that they receive is distributed to partners in the area. Adult Literacy and Job Assistance are two of the key sources of funding. The key to receiving funding is to partner with WIB and put yourself in a position to receive distributed funds. One of the key aspects is to find out more about how your local WIB operates.

Libraries and WIBs are Similar     

WIBs and Libraries work in a very similar fashion. If you were to enter a facility and ask for job services, you would fill out an application, and then be whisked to a computer center. These centers look just like computers in libraries. Some examples:

Computer Labs

There are no time restrictions in the WIB centers. They can actually be there all day on the computers. It’s interesting how reversed this concept can be. Even though a library computer lab does not have to have a specific mission, a WIB center obviously does, yet you can get completely unrestricted time. Customers can go in the center and not do one bit of resume writing or job searching. Furthermore, there isn’t anyone on the floor to help them with the computers. Typically, there is just a security guard available. A typical WIB center doesn’t receive funding to provide this service, therefore, support is minimal. And you wondered why you receive so many job seekers at your computer labs; you are the only one there to help them in your communities.

Job Coaches

Most of the steps taken by serious customers involve Job Keys, Job Coaches, and Placement. A customer comes in and asks for job services. The customer is brought over to the computers and takes a job keys test. This makes an assessment of their abilities. If their abilities are below what the One Stop can support, they can refer the person to other services. Often, the library will see those people who don’t make that cut as they may require literacy skills or someone that can provide technology training that WIB doesn’t provide. Those that possess necessary skills are passed onto job coaches. Job coaches work with the customer to find out more about what the customer needs. If they possess the right set of skills, they can more likely be placed. Those successfully placed at a job provide the revenue for One Stops.

Where WIB makes its money?

One Stops make their money on placement. How many of the unemployed can they find jobs for? They do this very well. For example, a recent grocery store chain Vallarta came into town needing employees. WIB already had the names and abilities of people that would fit right into the job on their rolls. They established the interviews in their facility and helped with all the paperwork. The grocery store was able to get up and running far more quickly with their help rather than having to do all of the work, the advertisement, the placement all themselves.

How do libraries fit in?

Libraries can fit into the funding cycle by searching for ways to partner. The local WIB in Tulare County has an Employment Connect Council that coordinates all job training efforts in the county. CSET, Proteus, and other private contractors all go to this meeting and report. They also get many of the magnets to come in and give a talk about what they are looking for in employees. We were able to become part of this council and talked about our computer classes, literacy programs, and job seeking assistance efforts. After this meeting that the State Librarian coordinated, we got a seat at the table and began discussions on how we can partner.

Gaining a Foothold

One way the library could integrate itself into the One Stop service flow was by providing resources at critical junctures. When a customer came in, the ones that have the highest potential for getting a job are provided a job coach. This person provides guidance and resources. The library can play a very strong role here by providing the needed resource. In the past, we had tried office hours (providing a staff person available to answer questions and help with library services), but we wanted something that had smaller staff time and higher impact. Job coaches often refer their clients to book resources. What better place to get that resource than at the library? However, an easier way to go about it was to provide the books at the point of need. They may make referral to us, but that doesn’t mean we will see that person. This is how we decided on using the Brodart Lending Library book machine inside the One Stops.

Previous Experience

We have had previous experience with these book machines. Last year, we were awarded a United States Department of Agriculture grant to provide library services in poor rural areas. We used the lending library and placed it in the small town of Cutler near a school. The circulation on the machine by children was more than we could have possibly hoped for. The first day we had the machine, the books were almost entirely cleared out. We decided that we can use this as a model to expand future library services with minimal staff impact.

One Stops

We decided to place the machines in the Visalia and Dinuba One Stops. We decided on those two since out of the four One Stops in the county, these were the only two that were run by our library (Porterville and Tulare libraries are run by the city, but there is still potential to partner with them to expand the book machines there).

What needed to be accomplished

The many problems with this plan were manifest. We could place a book machine in the one stops, but who would choose the books? What would happen if they didn’t have a library card? What are all the obstacles that we could face? Furthermore, how could we encourage One Stop Customers to be full library patrons if they didn’t have to come to the library to get materials? What cross training was needed for WIB and library staff so that we can know what we both do?

Our plan was to coordinate the unveiling of these machines with a program that was paid for through the state grant. The grant would pay for cross training of both WIB and Library staff. Furthermore, Paul Clayton, a popular motivational speaker for One Stops, was hired to have the kick-off program in April of this year. Our main problem was how to solve these operational problem between February and April.

The Collection

What material would go in the machine? The library already had a strong test collection that includes GED, ASVAB, and SAT prep, but we had to research the most popular items that would be most beneficial for job seekers.

We surveyed our reference librarians and ran circulation statistics in the areas of 658 (business), 373 (secondary school) as well as other areas. We also asked WIB staff, particularly the job coaches, what type of books we should have. The result was a list of over 300 titles.

The problem that we encountered with this was that even though the machine could hold 300 titles, we wanted to focus on a core list and purchase duplicate copies inside the machine. That way, there isn’t a title that is missed. As you can see from the machine, you can only see what is in the front row of the machine. In the case of job help, it’s difficult to recommend a book if it is buried in the back.

Some example titles would be What color is your parachute?, How to write better resumes, 48 days to the work you love, GED, high school equivalency exam and How to prepare for the ASVAB.

Even as we filled the machine, job coaches approached us on what we were missing. Many of their customers were veterans recently returned from their tour of duty. We ending up purchasing books on how to adjust to civilian life after a tour of duty and what to do next.

Some interesting problems with the collection I will describe in detail later on. One of which was a misunderstanding at one of the one-stops about what should go in the machine. While we had agreed on workforce books, she had thought we should put childrens picture books in the machine. More on that later.

Issuing Cards

Another issue that we had to tackle was what if customers weren’t library patrons. Sure the books were there, but if there is no way to get a library card, then they are useless. After cross training WIB staff we described the problem. Staff were willing to provide library card applications since they often need customers to fill out paperwork. However, they did not have access to our database so it could not be activated in real time. What to do?

Our plan was to create dummy cards that were created with names like OneStop1 so that the WIB staff would have a live card that would work on the machine. WIB staff would issue the card, connect the library card number with the paperwork and fax the paperwork in. We would then create the patron. This worked exceeding well and helped accomplish another goal of the project, getting more One Stop customers to become full-time library patrons and realize all the library had to offer. We also saw a dramatic change in perspective in regard to the library.

Surveys

We conducted a pre-survey of WIB customers and their perception of the library. We asked them how often they used the library, what did they think of when they thought of the library, and what would make the library easier to use. What we found in the survey results was that the more people used the library, the more they saw the library as other than a repository for books. After three months with the machine in place, we reversed the perception as more WIB customers became library patrons. Whereas only 18% saw the library as a place to get books in the pre-survey, 75% saw the library as a place for job resources and computers after the survey. Even though, ironically, we found a way to integrate library services into the One Stop using library books. Customers found something tangible right in front of them and once they see a small aspect of what they could do, they wanted to see all the could do. Getting a library card at a WIB One stop resulted in more customers becoming full library patrons and utilizing all of our services.

Caveats

Some things to keep in mind in regards to the machine. The machine can hold up to 300 books at one time. Providing a variety of books in each row will only block the books behind the front book. It’s important to try to find a small selection of the most needed books and provide multiple copies of them. Some of these books can be quite heavy as well. An entire row of a heavy GED book may end up straining the coiling system on the machine. Sometimes it is necessary to use every other slot in placing the books or using two different rows. The Brodart Lending Library can be used with or without a connection to your catalog. If you choose to connect it, there can be issues with the SIP connection dropping that can leave the machine inoperable. We chose to leave the machine offline so any transactions are stored on the local computer inside the machine. The information can be retrieved and then uploaded to our catalog. This can even be done remotely with an internet connection. We haven’t had any issues with authentication, but using the machine in a different environment can lead to some minor problems. Even if you choose to not connect the machine to the Catalog, you will still need an internet connection to the device so that the manufacters at PicInk can trouble shoot or re-boot the machine if necessary. It’s easier to make a connection inside a facility with an internet connection as the One Stops do have. However, even in a remote environment, a sprint card can be enough of a connection to troubleshoot issues with the machine.

You should also look into moving the collection around to add more books and take out ones that aren’t moving. This isn’t necessarily a hot check-out spot since the collection is very specific as is the clientele. We don’t need to check on the machine more than once a month as circulation is low. We check-out around 10-20 books a month at each location.  

Lastly, it’s important to have all One Stop Center coordinators on the same page. Whereas we felt we were clear about what we were doing with the committee that was formed with Library and WIB staff, some people misunderstood. We had a complaint from the Dinuba facility about the collection. We had first thought that maybe the machine wasn’t working properly or we had the wrong books in place. It turns out that she had expected regularly library books, particularly children’s picture books. We explained that the machine was for workforce development materials. She still insisted on getting children’s books and actually tried to work up several rungs on the administration ladder (both up and down) to change this. This kind of issue ties back with general WIB management. While most One Stops are dedicated to providing services to the unemployed, others are not so vigilant about what customers do on their computers (in some cases booking their cruise) and therefore, would prefer to have just general library books in the machines. A further point, an ironic one at that, was that the One Stop was only three blocks from the library branch.

The Results

In the end, we changed the perception WIB customers had of our libraries. We also changed the perspective of WIB staff and administration. Our partnership was highlighted both in the Library’s and the Workforce Investment Board’s annual reports. This partnership now puts us in a position to partner with WIB for future grant projects whenever another Jobs bill is passed. Furthermore, the project in of itself has generated more publicity for the library. It has demonstrated innovative thinking in tough economic times. Furthermore, it’s generated enough interest from our foundation to warrant using the machines for a fundraising campaign entitled "Your Library in More Places". There are many underserved rural areas in Tulare County and we could use these to quickly deliver service that is more reliable and more available than a bookmobile stop. We hope to see these pop up all over the county in the coming few years.

Library Mobile Service without the Apps

There are so many great ways to create a mobile app for the library. With a little know-how and coding ability, the library can save thousands of dollars in the set-up of a mobile destination. Recent presentations have indicated that it is important to minimize content to the most essential parts. It’s great to provide this service. However, I think more often than not, libraries do not have the ability to create it on their own. They need to have a third party developer create an app for them, especially when it comes to the library catalog.

A problem that arises, not just with mobile services, but with digital library services is compatibility. Your library has audiobook services, but it suddenly stops working for iPod Touches, what happens next? Apps are also problematic for this reason, once the platform ceases to support the operating system; you and your patrons are just out of luck. The general business climate with Apple, Google, Amazon, and others in relation to app development impacts libraries trying to get into the same market. When the companies don’t play nice, we suffer the consequences. It has already impacted brand new innovative services.

From the Digital Reader: Spotify, Rhapsody have cut ties to their iOS apps

"Last Thursday saw new app updates from both Spotify and Rhapsody. And guess what? Both listings state that the only change was that the app dropped the subscription link. These streaming music apps are now as crippled as Netflix or the reading apps that fell victim to Apple over the weekend."

From No Shelf Required: Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble, Google Books remove in-app purchasing from iOS apps

"Apple’s new in-app selling rules are in effect, requiring retailers to give Apple 30% of revenues from book sales.  As a result, Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, and Google Books have stopped selling books through their apps."

From GigaOm: Google Books says goodbye to Apple App Store

"While Google hasn’t yet confirmed that the rule change is the reason for the app’s removal (we’ve contacted them and will let you know if they do provide comment), given changes that have taken place in other e-book apps in recent days, it seems very likely. E-reader software from Kobo and Barnes & Noble has been recently updated, and the links to their respective online stores are now absent from the app."

Finally from Life: Merging Greedy, greedy…:

"Now…I’ve always thought it silly that the app redirected me to the website anyway…shouldn’t an app do EVERYTHING? I guess not…"

(I feel this captures the expectations from most of our patrons, shouldn't an app do everything?

All this impacts how we deliver service.   If a patron used your downloadable audiobook site and it suddenly stops working, they stop using the service, blaming you, not the business environment. We have to look at other options in mobile service delivery.

Boopsie , Bookmyne, Library Anywhere, and LibraryThing for Libraries are three providers of mobile catalog services. (I am open to suggestions to anyone who can point me to others.) The problem with a reliance on apps is the exclusivity of service, but also an unrealistic demand. In the end, we are just as beholden to the technology market limitations just like any business and must be aware of these market trends. 

Some examples beyond the current news includes iPod Touches and Blackberries. IOS 3, which is the operating system for the iPod Touch doesn’t seem likely to receive further support. If Apple continues to provide a new toy for the public and then stops supporting it, we need to be aware of that change. (I know I was directly impacted when some of my apps on my iPod Touch went away after an upgrade several months ago.) Furthermore, RIM is in trouble. Even though they have never been a strong app creator and their native browser was one of the primary weaknesses, in which, Apple set its sites on when developing the iPhone. When it comes to any of these services, asking for mobile apps for the catalog, or other services, what can we expect from the vendor? When will the iPhone app come out, Android, Blackberry?

 It’s the pressure we put upon the vendor that’s put upon us by the public and the market, but it seems we really should be looking at a web based app that can do most of this kind of service. The content needs to be presented more mobile web friendly, not just app friendly. In that way, we can break free of many of these issues and not subject ourselves and our patrons to these problems. I think everyone would just like to take any device, point it at a url, and the easiest and appropriate interface should present itself. Without that it makes our services more difficult. I hope that we can see this alternative for our services including mobile catalogs, to mobile databases, e-books, and more. 

Top Ten Things

Roy Tennant has a post about 10 things library administrators should know about technology. This was a precursor to an event that happened this Fall at the Digital Library Federation Forum. This post went around the circles with little comment other than re-posting. I didn't find this list very helpful as an administrator. The discussion in libraries shouldn't be "don't be afraid of technology", but "don't be afraid of change." The implementation of that change and the removal of that fear are the keys to success.

From my perspective, I don’t view these types of decisions that Roy brings up as technology decisions. I am sure there are some who say no to technology, but those administrators often say no to everything. Technology is just another tool to use and an administrator weighs whether he can use the tool or not. It's not an either or situation.

Using Tools to Make Connections
Library administration should keep up with current trends so that when staff members come up with ideas, they understand where those ideas are coming from. It will lead to a faster implementation, another way to accomplish the idea, or if the idea will work.

I enjoyed the re-post from the M Word, Marketing Libraries blog for five skills that drive innovation:
SNIP
Associating: The ability to connect seemingly unrelated questions, problems or ideas from different fields.

Questioning: Innovators constantly ask questions that challenge the common wisdom. They ask "why?", "why not?" and "what if?"

Observing: Discovery-driven executives scrutinize common phenomena, particularly the behavior of potential customers.

Experimenting: Innovative entrepreneurs actively try out new ideas by creating prototypes and launching pilots.

Networking: innovators go out of their way to meet people with different ideas and perspectives.
END SNIP

I always remember when I went in for a demo on a product. It was for Vocera. He was demonstrating the product and talking about the things it can do. I remember constantly scribbling in my notebook while he was speaking, even when he was not speaking. My staff asked me if we were supposed to take notes and what was I writing. Even the demonstrator asked. I told them that while he was speaking I was making connections to all the potential for this device. All the things we needed for our library beyond what he was talking about. I think most librarians should be doing this during a product demonstration, but then ferret out what would actually be needed from the product, or if the product is needed at all.

I am not sure Roy's list is very helpful, but for a few points. Technology is getting cheaper and easier, true. It’s relative though. If you have a tight budget and staff uncomfortable with using the tool, or even if the tool will be useful, those weigh into the decision. There is also the danger of having no direction for new services, technology or otherwise. Is this right for the community? I also enjoyed the feature creep discussion here and here. Having new services and technology without rhyme or reason is dangerous for budgets and for staff.

Don't Drown Your Horse
I see the entire list as a re-hash of concepts that have been used before and can be applied to a general view. Don’t be afraid of failure, don’t try to be perfect, are commonly used. However, some of the examples such as "technology gets easier over time" is fine, but the example of installing Unix seems a bit off. That isn't a good example if this article is directed at administrators.

Another piece would be staff buy-in. We can say "don’t be afraid of failure", but when it fails, staff can get pretty frustrated, even angry. Furthermore, without buy-in it just looks like you are shoving things down their throats. Drowning the horse in trying to make him drink.

I don't think administrators are saying no to projects because they involve technology. They say no to projects that they don't understand or aren't sure they have the resources for, staff or otherwise. Those trying to implement or attempting to convince others to implement must have a clear vision of what is to be accomplished and tell a compelling story.

Additional Thoughts
 
"...focus on risk mitigation, not risk elimination," Teri Takai, California State Chief Information Officer.

"In dealing with new ventures, particularly in dealing with technology, you should find ways to mitigate risk, but not eliminate it. New ideas and decisions involve risks, there is no way around it. Knowing what to do when things go wrong is more important than making something foolproof."

Know the organization well enough to understand the impact of the decision.
From Giuliani's Leadership:

"Knowing the small details of a large system leaves a leader open to charges of micromanaging. But understanding how something works is not only a leader's responsibility; it also makes him or her better able to let people do their jobs. If they don't have to explain the basics of what they need and why they need it every time they request more funds or different resources, then they are freer to pursue strategies beyond simply spending what they're given."


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic". -Arthur C. Clarke

Don't abuse tech staff just because they know about technology. There is too much mythology behind those that can get things done. They work hard and love what they do, but they aren't magicians.

We need to move these conversations into conversations about change and not conversations about technology. Everything libraries do is about technology and what kind of service to roll-out is all tied together. It may put them on the cutting edge or the bleeding edge, it may put them on par with everyone else, or they can say it isn't right for them. The choice is made locally for that community. It shouldn't be implemented simply because someone else is doing it; it must be proven locally. Understanding the service to add or to change, knowing its impact on the library and staff, and understanding the return on investment are key pieces. A library needs to decide whether it is worth it to them.

Sony adds nothing new to Reader for libraries

I was disappointed that Sony's August 26th announcement didn't add more to libraries. In my previous post, I thought that Sony presenting at the New York Public Library would indicate improved performance and potential for new services at public libraries. That doesn't seem to be the case. Anything Sony has done for libraries has already been accomplished over a year ago. There's nothing new except one link.

A Link and Nothing More

If you go into the Sony Reader Ebook software, there is now a link to search public library ebooks. I entered my zip code and found the closest library that had Overdrive books. Thus, I was presented with two problems with this set-up. The site link goes to an Internet browser to the library instead of going inside the Sony E-book software. It's great promotion for libraries (that provide the service), but it isn't inside the e-book software to make the search and download process easier to use. It's just a link, nothing more. (photo by by inky (contact)   

Libraries have audiobooks, not as many e-books

The second part was that not that many libraries provide Overdrive, and of those, most provide audiobooks, not e-books. Which bring up this Teleread Post: E-books from public libraries? Not from MINE. Only audiobooks available

CLIP
"So, using the Sony library finder I went to the Somerset County library system. Bernardsville is in Somerset County, so I thought I had it made. Not! The Bernardsville Library, in Bernardsville, Somerset County, is not part of the Somerset County library system. That didn’t work. This week I guess I’ll try to go to a library that is part of the system and see if I can get a card. My own library tells me that I probably can’t. I called some of the other New Jersey libraries mentioned in the Finder but was told "residents only".
END CLIP

Why is this? Mostly because when those libraries began experimenting with services like Overdrive, they found that anyone could download an audiobook to any device. A cheapie from the corner drug store could suffice to open up a world of audiobooks. At first, Ipod users weren't able to, but in the last few months, they even have access. It's the best return on investment.

E-books have always been a tricky thing for Overdrive. At first, the only device the e-book would work on would be a windows Smartphone, but not much else. I lamented this fact in a Teleread post. Six months after I posted that, a Sony Reader upgrade enabled the device to download Overdrive E-books. It was great, I can get anything I wanted onto a device that is great for reading e-books. However, all the announcement from August 26th was a repeat of the fact that they could do that. It took a year for them to announce that? It was curious that they didn't push that after the upgrade. I still can't find much about it.

Just another locked service
So even though Sony is going far farther than others to provide the public with free reading material, they aren't going very far. They are late in the announcement of the compatbility with Overdrive. This affects libraries providing services. We wouldn't purchase and provide something there is no interest in. Often, we have to piggyback our marketing onto others so that we can promote what we provide. If Sony was pushing this, we would have received more demand, instead, we have a bunch of Sony Readers users wondering why more libraries don't provide e-books, but just audiobook downloads. Leading to further frustrate users, again from Teleread (Overdrive offers wireless download application) they announced that Overdrive was offering a downloadable software where you can download Overdrive titles right to your phone...except that it was only for audiobooks not for e-books, and just for windows, not iphone or symbian or android.

The Sony Reader is just as locked up as the Amazon Kindle. Of course, more format will go on the Sony Reader and allow library books, but no one else. It seems to be either an Adobe or an Overdrive issue. What allowed Overdrive books onto Sony Readers as a software upgrade to the Sony Reader itself, AND an upgrade from Adobe Digital Editions. If Adobe Digital Editions could allow the Sony Reader, why not an Iphone or ipod touch, a digital device more commonly used for e-reader (or really ANY e-reading device). Who is locking this down?


Save the Time of the Reader
From my librarian's perspective, what I would like to see is a way to provide free current reading material to the public. Libraries have traditionally provided this beyond any private or group of users. I have a budget to provide books to my community. I could pay for a subscription to something like Overdrive, provide free books online as I do inside our building.

What I would love to do is to be able to pay for a service for patrons to be able to download a program onto their device (cell phone, reader, whatever) and be able to download whatever they want right there. Overdrive seems to be developing it, but at an extremely slow pace. Any slower and they risk being irrelevant as a choice. I would even like to see Overdrive to be able to work inside the Stanza App for the Iphone/Ipod Touch. This is the kind of direction we should be going in. There are so many mobile devices out there, people should be able have access to reading materials that can stimulate, innovate, and please at their fingertips for free. We need to have the digital version of what libraries are already providing.

Post ALA Conference Report (The exhibits)

Now that the dust has settled from the Post-ALA posts, I thought it would be safe to share some of my experiences while I was there. This will be one of a series of posts that will report what I did during ALA and what I learned.

This first post will cover my experience on the exhibit floor.

The ALA exhibit hall was massive. There were over 3,000 different booths to choose from. The ALA exhibit guide was very helpful as I was able to plan out where I needed to go.
My mission was to hit the exhibits of vendors I was interested in purchasing from. There are several issues at my library and I was looking for solutions that solved ongoing problems with one time costs.

Demco Gaming Booth
We received an LSTA grant from the Arizona State Library Archives and Public Records for teen gaming. I have previously established a contact with Best Buy government services so that I can acquire the equipment. However, it would be easier if I can order some of the materials from existing vendors.

As a result, I headed over to the Demco Gaming booth. They had Guitar Hero going with a complete set-up. They had a boom chair, a Wii gaming system with a console that can store and lock the unit. It can also could store and lock video games.

They also had a big flat screen TV on the top of it. My library will be unlikely to afford that luxury. (Although, it was requested by the local Youth Commission.) We will probably go with a projector and project the screen onto a mobile screen or a white wall.

I spoke with the rep and he stated that Demco was looking to expand the gaming titles and equipment available. I sensed he was frustrated that his company couldn't provide more gaming titles. Demco also didn't offer any of the gaming consoles for sale. I sense that those are difficult to hang on to. Even the Best Buy rep I spoke to expressed concern over getting all of the equipment that I need.

I left with a brochure and information. We are now gearing up for our grant to purchase equipment. Our first program will be during Fall Break, October 2008.

E-vanced Solutions

We currently use Google Calendar to manage our community room. At times, this has been problematic for booking, particularly with double booking. I would like to try to find a system that can manage requests to use the room. Currently, I have the Google calendar on our webpage and people can email me to reserve the room. It is convenient because I can book the room from anywhere with an internet connection. It is difficult because I would rather have the public request the room through a formal process that can be done all online rather than print out a form, email me, and fax the form and so forth. This way, they can request the room and it can be approved by me. It can also set up a fee structure so that people who want to reserve the room can pay the deposit or fee up front.

They were very helpful in demonstrating the software. Staff can make reservations themselves and the public could do so as well. It is a one time cost and a small maintenance fee. It can help manage the summer reading programs and registration as well. The calendar is much cleaner and looks more professional than Google Calendar, plus it will be easier to manage. I can hopefully get this set-up within a few weeks after I see a more in-depth demo.

RTI

We needed a disc cleaning machine for our DVDs. We tried less expensive companies and the results were disastrous. In one case, machine purchased resulted in further damage of our DVDs, as opposed to cleaning or repair.

Instead of continuing to purchase cheap equipment that didn’t work properly, we decided to contract out with a company called Rubberdisc. It wasn’t as staff intensive as it involved mailing the discs off to be cleaned instead of repairing the discs with equipment that required a high learning curve and didn’t work properly. It was three dollars per disc to have the DVD cleaned. This, of course, added up to just as expensive as paying for an RTI machine. However, it is difficult to pay for something that expensive out of an operating budget.

We made a request for the machine and received funding from the city to purchase the mid-range model that cleans just one at a time for $5,000. We are looking to purchase the bigger model that can clean 20 at a time, but that comes in a three times the cost. I know some libraries simply purchase a new DVD instead of cleaning it. I am not sure if we could sustain that over time.

I spoke to the rep there. I have to say, it wasn’t as sharp as the other booths, but they don’t really need to advertise. Anytime disc cleaning machines are discussed on PubLib or elsewhere, RTI is always mentioned. I gave him my information and he sent me a quote on July 1st. I ordered the machine it was here two days later. I am already using it and we have cleaned well over 100 discs in the few weeks we have had it. It works like a charm, even has different settings depending on the severity of the damage. It definitely saves money through one time costs.


Overdrive

Our library is already part of the Greater Phoenix Digital Library, http://phoenix.lib.overdrive.com/ but I stopped at the Overdrive booth to see about IPod compatible titles and other items. The rep showed me DC Public Libraries website that already had the mp3 titles turned on.

He asked if I had an iPod and I pulled mine out. It was really easy. I selected my title, downloaded it to the new Overdrive Media Console and then selected the title to transfer. The new Overdrive Media Console recognized my IPod (it hadn’t before) and then I clicked to transfer. I had to have ITunes running during the process, and in a moment, it showed up. I downloaded Catch Me if You Can as an audiobook.


It worked great! I always love IPods because it always remembers your place without any fussing around. I can always pick up where I left off, especially useful for an audiobook.

There will be more MP3 titles available. In fact, the Greater Phoenix Digital Library will begin offering them on September 2. 623 titles will be available on that day so be sure to go to http://phoenix.lib.overdrive.com/ on September 2, the day after Labor Day.

One other cool thing to mention is that you can download the Overdrive Media Console to a PDA or Smartphone. The rep had it downloaded to his blackberry. That is a really awesome idea. Now you can go online and download audiobooks, music, and movies right to your phone! I don’t see it available yet, but I think he said something about enabling it for your site. I can’t find it, but I will keep looking.

AWE

At the library, we have 38 public access computers that provide access to the internet with a library card. Anyone can use the computers and those under 18 need their parent’s permission to get a card (they are also filtered).

However, we (like many other libraries) receive demands to have a children’s computer that has educational games loaded onto it, rather than having them access a website to play computer games. We had set one computer up and loaded computer games on it, but overtime the system crashed, more than one wanted to use it at one time and eventually it died.

Running a computer with kids’ games is problematic because of the high resource demands from the computer. Furthermore, if you have a Desktop interface before you launch the program, people can use the computer for other than kids’ games.

So I took my problem to AWE who provides Early Literacy Stations. They load all of the educational programs onto the computer for you, create an interface that is kid friendly (that doesn’t provide a windows desktop screen, you just go straight into the kids interface), and have equipment that is kid friendly (like a colorful mouse and keyboard). I ordered them and they showed up via UPS inside the Dell boxes. I was a little surprised as they arrived within a week after I ordered them. I was a little concerned that they were in Dell boxes. Would I have to load the software and set it up myself? That wasn’t the case; it was all ready to plug and play.

Set-up seemed fairly easy, they showed up, we connected them and turned them on, and that was it. Now we have four computers that have the games and parents are very pleased to have something that consistently works, provides all educational games, provides both Spanish and English, and is kid friendly.

Other exhibits
I did go to other exhibits on the floor and had a plan to look at vendors that had products I was interested in. I went to Equinox/Evergreen and met Karen Schneider (that’s always neat to meet someone you know online in person). Our county library is in the process of putting out a bid for a new ILS and I wanted to get some information on Open Source solutions with support. It may not be a product we would eventually go with, but it is good to get first hand knowledge of what you could do with the system.

I visited at the Library Thing booth and asked about Library Thing's possible integration with Polaris. I was told not to ask :) I think there are some third party issues to work out. Of course, with a little programming know-how, one could integrate things in Polaris using Library Thing. I bet I could find out how from the Maricopa County Library District (AZ).

I stopped by the Tech Soup booth as I was a contributor to the Maintain IT cookbook. If you were not aware, they are having book discussion sessions on how to maintain the technology in your library. They gave me a button that said I was a contributor, so that was nice.

I stopped by Tell Me More (Aurolog) which provides an alternative to the online Rosetta Stone (no longer available). They were very helpful about their product. I am a bit concerned that we are not getting the usage that we received with Rosetta Stone. I had over 160 students with Rosetta Stone after a year and a half. Three months in with Tell Me More, I have six. We will probably try another promotional run, but I fear that it is the name recognition that made Rosetta Stone popular.

I don’t have any other significant vendor visits. I will say that the vendor room was huge and had I not used the ALA In the Stacks booklet to plan my trips, I never would have accomplished anything productive. One thing I thought was really neat was the card. In the orientation kit, there was an orange card that read In the Stacks. I had no idea what it did and carried it on my badge when I visited the booths. I realized that whatever booth I stopped at in which I was interested to purchase, they took my card and scanned it. They gave them all of my contact information. I thought that was neat because I didn’t need to hand out as many cards to the vendors as I have had in the past. I think the response time post-convention was fantastic. I could credit it to that. In the end, I found four vendors and purchased their items which provided services within a few weeks of ordering. We are definitely enjoying those improvements.

I will include posts for other conference programs (I already included the Why Public Libraries Close which was part of the OCLC report From Awareness to Funding):

RFID In Libraries: The Myths
Not Evolutionary-Revolutionary! Library Re-organization Project
ALA E-Participation: Challenges and Opportunities
Library Leadership and Management Association Human Resources Committee Leadership Skills Committee Meeting
Mobile Libraries: Driving Services into the Future
Top Technology Trends
Programming for English Language Learners.

Mind the Gap or Turning a weakness into a strength

I have really enjoyed the rounds of "tech-nos" that have gone around numerous library blogs. It is always good to be honest about abilities. In contrast, I remember a discussion many months ago talking about a technology competency list for librarians.

This brought out a thought. On one hand, we are talking about our gaps in knowledge, and in the other, we are punishing each other for those gaps. Both of these conversations discuss technology gaps and technology needs. If we don't understand that our abilities are far in advance of our users, we may not realize that the technology applications (in the name of convenience) that we provide may be creating more barriers.

If I don't realize the gap between my ability and the ability of the public, it will result in having services that are too advanced for the average person. If I don't realize the gap between myself and staff, it can be even worse.

I was listening to LISTen Podcast this week and heard a very interesting piece about the average person in the United States and their interaction with technology. The host (Stephen) was speaking with Don Reisinger of the Digital Home Blog. Even as tech savvy as he is, when asked how many people are using applications like Facebook or Myspace, he said less than 10%. Furthermore, he goes on to say that the average John Q. Public is not on Facebook. Providing overdue notices or other interactions by libraries via facebook would not be an effective way to communicate with your users. It is easier for someone from the library to make a phone call about that overdue notice than to send an alert via facebook. Furthermore, it is difficult to predict this behavior. What is popular today in social networking won't be popular tomorrow. The key is not necessarily going where these users are, but just making it more convenient to use the existing services the library provides.

This brought up the question, am I making the library more convenient with technology. In some cases yes, the computer reservation system and self-check work well, but constant need for assistance at the public access computers or for the wireless internet is a constant grind. This necessitated training for staff.

I provided a six month training program for library basic training. I mentioned it over here. All of the surveys on technology competencies were the same. People needed to know how to operate the technology at the library. They understood Word the basics of computers, but they were not very interested beyond that. Teaching them how to use the computer reservation system, or to repair the self-check were more interesting.

So, at the brink of implementing a library 2.0 training program, I pulled back. Mostly from an aversion by staff to new technology items. They felt that they were at their limit. We had implemented many technology pieces, from self-check, to computer reservation, and wireless internet. We trained them on how to use all of it. (AND they remembered it because they have to do it as part of their jobs. ) However, too much technology can result in just as much work as having no technology. Furthermore, reliance on technology in place of people can result in catastrophe. If the technology breaks often, it is ineffective. As a result, we held off a bit on any technology push, even the advertisement of overdrive, so that staff could feel more comfortable moving forward. If staff aren't prepared for the technology that currently exists in libraries, they won't be able to handle new stuff thrown at them. For that matter, neither will our users.

The "Tech-no" conversation was a good conversation because it demonstrated our shortfalls. Many librarians would view themselves in this way, even though their general competencies are still well above the average person. We need to remember that and we also need to capitalize on the feeling we get when we run into our own technology gaps. If we remember all the times where we were stuck on something because we fell into our gaps when helping a patron, we will make that person more comfortable and more able to learn something new.

I can't follow directions very well. I even have trouble with the IKEA instructions and those don't even have words! I turned this learning gap into a strength because I now write instructions so that even I could understand it. That means that each step is very clearly defined, demonstrates indications that you are still on the right course, and what you should see when you are finished. When I worked reference, my guides were very detailed. When I try to describe how I did something, it is detailed to the point of painful. We should always remember our gaps and when we help people. Remember what it feels like to be stumped, and proceed as if we are helping ourselves. That's why these conversations are so important to me.

Children, Families, and Media:A Benchmark

Children, Families, and Media:A Benchmark
This report by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement and conducted by the Michael Cohen Group LLC, under the auspices of a grant to the Ready to Learn Partnership (RTLP) will focus on the use of media to help children learn to read. The purpose of the study was to examine technology acquisition throughout all levels of income. If technology had permeated throughout all of society, regardless of income, then it could be used as a tool for literacy.

From the report:

• Overall Key Findings
  Several key findings emerge from this research:
  Households at all income levels participate in media ownership. For example, among caregivers with annual household incomes below $25,000, nearly three-quarters subscribe to cable TV, two-thirds have DVD players, over half have mobile phones, more than one-third have computers, and one-quarter have home access to the Internet.

• Access equals ownership. For most, access to media technology translates
  into ownership of that technology. For instance, while Internet access may be
  found in places outside of the home (work, libraries, etc.), most individuals who access the Internet do so from home.

• Participation is in the full range of media content and technologies.
  Variation by income differs depending on the technology, however all technologies are represented in at least some households at all income levels.

• There are substantial differences in the incidence of ownership by
  income level for many media – in particular, more expensive and emerging
  media technologies are less commonly found at lower income levels. For instance, ownership of wireless handheld devices ranges from 8% of those with incomes of less than $25,000 to 50% of those with incomes of greater than $75,000.

• Other technologies enjoy near universal penetration. The least variation is found for a mature technology: television (which 95% of households earning less than $25,000 a year own, and 100% of those earning more than $75,000 a year own). Cable, radio, and CD-players are also found in most homes at all income levels.

• Ownership and involvement in media and technology is about both affordability and perceived value(s); not everyone necessarily wants all media. For instance, videogame ownership tops out at 58% of households earning $75,000 a year or more, and there is little income difference in ownership of this technology.

• In addition to ownership of media technology hardware, most individuals subscribe to additional services that deliver a wide range of media content. Most households with TVs also have cable service; those with computers also have Internet access (dial up or broadband).

• Once a technology is owned, the ways in which caregivers use the technology are nearly identical at all income levels. Usage rates in computer owning low-income households meet or exceed overall usage rates in such key areas as work and professional tasks (68% compared to 55%) and for study purposes (45% compared to 38%).

• Additionally, most caregivers engage in basic pre- and early-literacy learning activities with their children on a regular basis. There are some differences in the frequency with which children are read to and encouraged to spend time with books, but caregivers at all income levels are involved in fostering early language and literacy learning.
  
  Other Key Findings:
  
  Findings indicate that ownership of some media technologies is nearly universal (e.g., television) with little or no differences by income level. Other technologies are nearly universal at high incomes, but present in different degrees at other income levels (e.g., computers, mobile phones, cable). In contrast, some technologies – such as videogame systems – may not ever approach universality. This suggests that factors beyond income – perhaps limited interest or values – are at play. However, for some newer media technologies – including DVR’s (33%) and wireless handheld devices (14%) – it may be too soon to tell which ownership track will be followed.
  
  In relation to Computers and Internet:
  
  Computers are present in a majority of households. Sixty-three percent of caregivers’ households have computers. While levels of computer ownership differ considerably by income, nearly 40% of those earning less than $25,000 own computers.

• The great majority of computer owners (93%) have Internet access at home, with little variation by income except in type of access (broadband or dial up).

• Nearly two-thirds (65%) of children using home computers also go online. Not surprisingly, rates of usage are lower among children five or younger (36%) than among six- to eight-year-olds (75%).

• The specific ways in which computers are used (email, storing photos, household management, work or school related tasks, etc.) varies little by income.
  
  In relation to videogames
  
  Videogames
  Videogame systems are not a universally owned technology – at any income level. Indeed, just over half of households with incomes above $75,000 (58%) own videogame systems, compared with 40% of low-income households.

• This suggests that income and affordability are not the only variables to consider in describing and analyzing media penetration. Videogame systems may appeal to a smaller segment of the population than other media technologies.
  
  Print Media
  In this era of widespread electronic screen media, the findings show that print media – particularly books – continue to be a significant presence in all households. Independent of income differences, the great majority of caregivers report owning children’s books (96%) as well as adult fiction (87%) and non-fiction (92%). There is little variation in the presence of books in the home by income level.

• There is variation by income in subscriptions for newspapers and magazines. For example, virtually all households (93%) with incomes over $75,000 subscribe to print media, whereas only 44% of households with incomes of $25,000 or less report subscribing to publications.
  
  Conclusion
  ...some of these findings suggest that financial barriers to media and technology ownership are being lowered, and that the motivations to use media technologies are increasing, while other findings indicate that there continue to be real income differences in ownership and use, particularly for more expensive and emerging technologies. In fact, both are true. Regardless of how one assesses the current state, it is clear that, given the proliferation and increased affordability of media technologies, the metaphor of the “digital divide” no longer adequately characterizes the complex relationship between income and ownership of media technology. The current state is perhaps best described as a “digital continuum.”

Read the whole report here Children, Families, and Media:A Benchmark and webcast is here:http://www.rtlp.org/

Digital Divide to Digital Continuum: has the digital divide been bridged?

The general reason for public libraries to provide access to technology is the digital divide. Low income has always been tied to lack of access to technology. Libraries have increased the number of computers and internet bandwidth to keep up with demand. However, a recent report by the Department of Education (Digital Divide to Digital Continuum) refutes the idea that there is a digital divide in relation to income and technology. A quote from the GovTech Blog, Digital Divide Subtracted, :

SNIP
New research funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Innovation and Improvement and conducted by the Michael Cohen Group LLC, under the auspices of a grant to the Ready to Learn Partnership (RTLP) revealed that while television took nearly three decades to become universal, nearly 40 percent of low income families now have computers and almost a third have Internet access at home in just the last five to seven years. This new research suggests that given the proliferation of media across the socioeconomic spectrum, although significant differences do exist by income level, a stark digital divide no longer captures the relationship between income and technology ownership and that technology is integrated into children's lives, regardless of their families' income.
END SNIP

This means that for public libraries, basic connections is not enough anymore. Yes we have public access computers (new ones thanks to Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other local intiatives), with internet (although it needs to be increased), but are we providing anything beyond that to enhance technology opportunities. Or is this our role?

I like the developments that I see in many libraries. They provide a technology petting zoo to help their patrons understand and use new technology. It also helps to show patrons how it relates to library usage, such as downloadable items and database usage.

David Lee King talks about Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library's Techie Toy Box (photos). Princeton Public Library provides a Gadget Garage too.

More from the article:
SNIP
"According to the survey, families from every income level own and use technology, albeit with differences in the frequency of participation based on income. However, the rate at which lower income families have come to own media technology has been astonishingly quick," said Dr. Michael Cohen. "The metaphor of the digital divide no longer captures the relationship between income and technology ownership. The current state is perhaps best described as a digital continuum."
END SNIP

So technology acquisition is growing very fast. Is access an issue? Library's have traditionally provided content via books and over the internet. We slice away at the proprietary layer of the web by providing free access to content. Newspaper archives, research, and even free downloadable content. I think our role is to continue to provide access to content and to educate the public on a variety of topics, especially technology. Technology is often thrown at people as a solution and the public library continues to be a hub of learning for that technology. Technology is available at all levels of society and acquired faster, but do learning curves differ? Yes they do.

Lastly:
"For years, Congress has supported literacy-based television programming to help pre-schoolers get ready to read and to foster reading skills among school-aged children," said Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and a leading advocate for early childhood education. "This new study shows that we are making progress in closing the digital divide and that television and computers can be effective tools to reach children, regardless of income levels, in an effort to help them become productive and successful adults."
END SNIP

A webcast of the report will be available on October 25th: Digital Divide to Digital Continuum.
http://www.rtlp.org/

So what would a 2.0 library look like?

I don't think I need to mention the numerous discussions about library 2.0 in the recent months. Many libraries are using 2.0 tools and developing a library 2.0 model. I wonder, in the end, what it would look like when it would be considered implemented. Granted, any movement for change is one, in which, there isn't a destination, but a constant movement towards some sort of "Nirvana" if you will. A goal in which all of what is desired is implemented and working as it should.

What is a 2.0 library?

What do I know about this? Not very much. However, I have some kind of idea of what it could look like and it is not so much about the tools. If we look at the issue in a macro term, we stop thinking about a library and we begin to think about service. We then begin to think about what type of service is best for a community. The 2.0 part is how that service is communicated and implemented. How much control is relinquished so that the individuals in that community decide the best library services?

What libraries are doing now?

Libraries have begun strategic planning, performance based budgeting, and even the Balanced Scorecard. These are all attempts to provide an open conversation so that the library is always aware of the needs and can implement it. What if this piece is removed? Instead of people telling the library what they would want, what if they had direct control in implementing the service?

ILL 2.0
An example of this type of trust can be considered in allowing patrons to order ILLs at will. They have direct control of the interface and can order what they want. The library with the book processes the order, the book is sent to the library, and the patron picks it up. This would require very little staff involvement. The library had the book, the patron orders the book, the book is then available at that patron's library. In order to keep tabs on the system, some libraries have a limit on the number of ILLs a patron can have within a given time period. (I have also heard the term that ILL "sucks the life" out of circulation staff, which is why there are these limits.) There is a project called the Arizona Portal Project that looks to make this process even easier. Using worldcat.org, a patron could log into a general account and search for any type of material. The search would be organized by type of material and then by location. A patron could then choose to go to their local library and pick it up, have the item sent through interlibrary loan (2 weeks), have it send via FedEx overnight (from libraries that would agree to do that), or just order it from Amazon. I will blog more about that project later. However, if all libraries had one entry port, one portal, that would control all library content and location, that would greatly reduce the hassle patrons currently have using their libraries.

Collection Development 2.0
What if you did this with collection development? Allow patrons to order what books they wanted for the library to own? Currently, a library would take a purchase slip, which goes to the librarian, who would order it. Take out that step and have the patron order it directly. Same steps with ILL. It could be done through EDI and the local ILS in conjunction with the library's vendor. This is a little extreme and would need some tabs on the process (like a patron could order only so many books, requires a card in good standing, etc.)

Programming 2.0/Space 2.0
What about programming? A patron wants a program, have them perform the program, or contact the programmer to come down and the library helps with advertisement and other administrative items. Something that is very easy to implement is a community room. Most libraries have a community room that they may use for storytimes or for meetings. Your room should have temporary furniture that can be put away and stored. It should also have Wi-Fiin it. This way, if patrons want to come in and do something on their own, whether it is to have a club meeting, have an impromptu storytime, or set up a Wii tournament, they would have the space to do so. Providing the equipment is another step. Patrons could bring their own and the library can adapt its resources so that is always freely available. (WI-FI is great for tournaments since people can play against anyone anywhere in the world with Internet access) Space is the key, both virtual and physical. A library should be able to provide new technology tools and provide bandwidth to spare.

Reference 2.0
Reference could work the same way, having resident experts that can provide reference help on topics. This is already done on sites like yahoo answers. Either have a micro version in your community, or just integrate it into your service. This is something available online already. Librarians can go into that pool, but we didn't fill it. Unless it is something that is very specific (often a local question or a subject specialty) or something for someone who is not tech savvy(which there are numerous and always will be) the answers are often online.

Equipment 2.0
Tools are the second key part. A successful library should be able to provide and sustain new technologies, provide training of those new technologies, and provide space for collaboration and the ability to play with these new technologies. There will always be the need to provide a simple access point. Libraries provide this now simply by providing computers and bandwidth. It would be nice if, at some point, libraries would be seen as the top place to access and play with new technologies. All that would really require are up to date computers and lots of bandwidth. What is a library, a warehouse of information (and recreational) tools and access tools. Give the public the power to order what they want and arrange the services that they want.

ILS 2.0
The social opac should allow a patron to set-up their account originally using their library barcode number and a pin. After that, they should be allowed to set up their own unique username and password that only they would know. They could set up a profile and make it public if they wish. It can provide items they have tagged or commented upon in the catalog, books they have ILL'd, books they have read, books they have reviewed, books they have requested or ordered, articles from databases they have saved or shared, and other thoughts on how the library can improve their services. Some rewards for participation can be extra services like longer check-outs, increase the amount they can ILL or order, or other type of credits. Of course, this user profile could be found on the open web if the user enabled it. If not, it would just be a regular private account no one could see. This would also have to integrate into current social networking sites like a Facebook app, OR, these social networking pieces could be integrated into the ILS account interface.

What is the difference between libraries that exist now and a library that is 2.0?

The difference between library services provided with current tools (like strategic planning) and ones that provide services in a 2.0 type model is the difference between benevolent despotism and a democracy. Benevolent despotism makes all the decision, but the leader must be nice enough to allow input and provide services needed by the people. A democracy puts all the options on the table and lets the public decide (often by majority).

So what are the barriers? Money and staff time are major barriers. This is often the reply for libraries who cannot implement new technology initiatives. This isn't a simple solution. A library that can create this environment will need to do the following:

1. Have enough money as a buffer to provide this level of service
2. Be able to cut funding in other areas to provide that funding in these areas
3. Provide a long term plan to allow space, equipment, and flexibility to change.

Where to begin or the evolution of the library

1. Get a building (through bonds, renovation, or just use your house), get materials (books, movies, music, etc.), get technology (computers with Internet access).
Most libraries in the United States have those three elements. This is the beginning of library services. In the beginning (and it may still be now), a library consisted of books and a building.

A brief history

Andrew Carnegie began funding of public libraries around the turn of the century. However, all over the country, citizens have used and will use their desire and know-how to build a library and provide the service. Across the country, people will use their own homes, volunteer their own time, and use whatever books they can get their hands on to offer reading materials and more to their community. My library began in 1912, it received no Carnegie funding. The Woman's Club (yes that is how it is spelled) decided the community needed a library. They went out into the desert and collected stones and they built the community's first library. Desire drives that. A desire to have a better community.

2. Over time, a library will need to establish a funding agency.
Libraries are often built by volunteers often through the organization of a Friends group or a trust. In communities throughout my county, a library has been built or renovated with local funds to get started. They are run by volunteers. County money will often buy books or help with projects, but those who operate the library are unpaid. They do it because they are passionate about it, because they love it. These libraries will either establish a tax revenue through a millage or by merging with a local municipality. Thus developing recurring revenue. Over time, this will lead to paid staff, sustained revenue for materials, and reliable technology.

3. The library is sustained
The revenue will increase, paid staff will take over for volunteers, a head librarian, manager, or director will lead the library. Often, in small communities, these paid staff will not have an MLS, but again, they will have the drive and desire to build good services.

4. The library expands
Whether the library is a standalone library, or connected to a larger library agency, the library will need to expand and break off from its origins. This will include a new building, built to be a modern library, with plans for materials, staffing areas, more technology. This can happen through investments over time, revenue from taxes, or a bond measure. The library building expands, or builds additional locations, staff members expand, materials expand, and technology expands.

A brief story
This stage is usually the comfort zone for most libraries. The library has support from the community, the library provides services and collections that are used. If the library's budget is not threatened or cut, there is no desire to improve services. Furthermore, if the library's service level is just newly established, there is a reluctance to move forward (a "wait and see approach"). Steady reliable services are better than taking risks on services or cutting legacy services. If no crisis emerges, a budget cut, or if there is constant crisis (constant threat to services), the library will not want to change its environment. The original goal of the library founders would seem to be accomplished, established library services. This is how most libraries will operate currently.

5. The library is reactive
Not satisfied with merely providing basic services, the library desires to provide improved services that match-up with the needs of the community. This establishes a library as a service and not merely a warehouse of books and materials. The library watches the statistics and provides programs, materials, and services and reacts to the need. Christian living books get high check-out rates? The library buys more. It follows the philosophy that patrons vote with their library cards (and their feet).

6. The library is proactive
The library seems to always be behind the curve. Over time the library has provided good services based on the desires of its patrons, but the services are numerous and spread out. The library needs to focus and understand the general needs instead of just piecing together some reactive services. The library develops a strategic plan by gathering members of the community. Community leaders, patrons, library staff, friends members, and library board members are gathered with an outside moderator to determine the next few years of library services. After its completion, the library develops services to build the needs. This may require reallocating of resources, cutting programs to develop new programs, or in the best case, more funding. The library builds its services based on the needs of the community.

7. The library scans the horizon
Library admin and staff keep up on library trends and are familiar with most library trends and general user trends. They keep up with technology. When service is requested or otherwise needed, library staff should be aware of the service and know how to implement. It should be aware of 90% of the process including cost, staff resources, and amount of time it will take to implement. New items are implemented based on user and staff input.

8. The library experiments
The library is a learning environment. New programs, services, and collections are brought to the attention of admin regardless of their position. Job positions have duties, but there are extra activities and duties that go beyond the job. Any position can plan pieces of library services. This is usually the result of an established program, plan, or environment that allows staff to plan and react for their public. Decision-making is pushed down. All levels of library staff are aware of the objectives of the library and understand the service model. Library decisions and actions are more reactive. Library experiments with reducing as many barriers to service as possible.

9. Library increases user control
Patrons begin to have direct control of some library services. Full staff control of these services must begin before user control. This enables library staff to train the public on how to use these services.
Books and materials can be checked out without staff help (self-check)
Account issues can be resolved without staff help (unless a major issue arises) like paying by debit card online.
ILL's can be placed directly
Collections can be ordered directly
Reference questions are asked and answered by library users as well as all levels of library staff
Programming space is up to the users, an empty room that they can bring their ideas into whether it is storytime, club meetings, or gaming.

10. Superpatrons help guide library services
Library staff provide the vast majority of services, but patrons who have the knack will be permitted extra privileges to decide library services. This is something that is on a small scale as many will not have the skill to get to this level (maybe 1% of the library's patron base). Library will still provide all the same services, but it will enable and empower patrons to take an active role in library services by actually doing some of them.

Does this mean libraries need to follow this road? NO! I believe this is a path to next generation library services. Libraries will be able to serve their patron base by simply offering books and materials plus access to technology. Many libraries do not need to be proactive and can simply be reactive. However, if a library could follow this path, it would be a path to truly outstanding library services.

The Five Dollar Flash Drive

I had meant to share this before, so this will be a quick post. I had mentioned in my post about "10 Ways to Hack your Local Library"that we sell flash drives for $5.

For some time, our patrons have had problems saving documents to our computers. They were under the impression that if they saved the document to the desktop, that it would be there when they returned. We began to sell floppy and CD-RW discs, but this created another problem. Some of our computers have floppy drives and some do not. The floppy drive is now an upgraded piece of hardware. As a result, some computers have a cd burner and a floppy drive, some have one, and some have the other. To solve both issues, library staff suggested to only allow flash drives on the computers and to lock up the floppy and cd burner drives. This seemed a bit severe, but I understood why the extreme move. Patrons do not know which computers had floppy or cd available, so just enabling a flash drive seemed like a viable option. However, the technology was not readily available or affordable in town.

Now, I am the type of person that is reluctant to cut off a service that people need. Certainly when cost is a factor. In order to solve the problem, I decided the library should sell flash drives to the public. I remember that Webjunction gave away flash drives as a promotion. They weren't that big, usually 128 mb, but it was a neat marketing trick. They can provide something useful, but it also has their logo and information on it. 128mb isn't much for someone like me, but for the public, it is a huge improvement.

My task was to find a way to order affordable flash drives, that had a good amount of memory, and had the library logo on it.

I found one

Just to be straight, I am going to plug the company that provided the drives. They gave me a good deal and it is a great service.


http://www.allmemoryupgrades.com/customusb.htm

sales@allmemoryupgrades.com

Here are the rates
Capacity 25 50 100 250 500 More
64MB $17.00 $9.50 $8.50 $7.75 $6.50 Contact us
128MB $18.00 $10.00 $9.00 $8.50 $7.75 Contact us
256MB $19.00 $11.00 $10.50 $10.00 $9.50 Contact us
512MB $21.00 $15.00 $14.25 $13.00 $11.75 Contact us
1GB $25.00 $18.00 $17.00 $16.00 $14.00 Contact us
2GB $33.00 $27.00 $26.00 $25.00 $23.00

We started off with an order of 250 at 256mb. They gave us a deal for $5 each. They even go up to 8GB. You can customize them too, so your library logo and information is on the memory stick. I ordered 250 that I received August 1st, I have 50 left now.

Once we had the drives and advertised them, it spread like wildfire. Even the local schools are telling their students to buy the flash drives at the library. Patrons are buying them four at a time. Some people are coming in JUST TO GET THE FLASH DRIVES.

So I have been able to provide a resource to the community, without cutting off an essential service, plus I have word of mouth marketing that anyone would kill for. Just think of this story:

"I went to plug in my flash drive on my work computer when my co-worker asked what that was. I told her that it was a flash drive that the library is selling. (She holds up the flash drive that has the library logo and url.) Co-worker says "Wow, I didn't know libraries did that."

Next stop for her was the library.