The 2009 Library Lease Value Added Service has been deployed. This year there were two libraries to participate in the service, Austin Public Library and Chatfield Public Library. The computers are theirs for three years, which afterwards they will be returned and the library can get all new computers. The benefit to this is the computers will be covered under warranty for the entire duration of the lease period.
Austin Public Library received six new public computers that they are using as their new children's area PCs. Pictured above is Austin Library Director Ann Hokanson helping their first patron Igor, on their new children's computers. Austin's lease computers were deployed on December 30, 2008.
Chatfield Public Library also participated in the 2009 Library Lease and received five new computers. Two of the computers were setup as public systems to replace their oldest public computers. The other three computers were used to replace all their staff computers. This was a much needed upgrade of their staff computers as one had already failed and they were using a loaner computer to get by. Chatfield's lease computers were deployed on January 5, 2009.
SELCO's Automation department will be creating a Wikipedia article for all our public online libraries.
We will be including your library name, address, hours, phone number and an image of your library's façade (if there is one on your library website, SELCO's Flickr account, or if you provide one for me), along with providing links for your library website if you have one, and also the iPac and your library's location on Google Maps. While this is a barebones article, hopefully it will increase online visibility from web searches in Google, Yahoo and all the rest.
Please let me know either by email or a phone call by 1/15 if you are not interested in an article created on your library. Otherwise I hope to have these articles completed by the end of the month! Once they are created, anyone can update and alter them, just like any other article on Wikipedia.
A few things to keep in mind:
Wikipedia strives to have articles reflect a neutral point of view. Please keep this in mind editing articles.
It is often best to not have library employees write about your library since it is hard to keep a neutral point of view. If you are providing statistical information it would probably be alright to make these changes yourself, but Wikipedia recommends not doing this on a regular basis. You could probably ask library board members or other interested citizens to edit information for you.
I had the opportunity to visit the Wabasha-Kellogg Schools on January 5, 2009 during my day of visiting member libraries in Wabasha, MN. I started my visit at the Wabasha-Kellogg (W-K) Elementary Media Center where I met Anita Diesslin, W-K Media Specialist and Carol Giem, the Elementary Media Assistant. The elementary media center is a very nice space near the front entrance to the elementary school. There are numerous tables and chairs for students to sit and study. Six computers are available to students to search the online catalog, take their Accelerated Reader (AR) tests, or surf the Web. There is a storytime area in the back for students with a colorful rug for everyone to sit on. As you'll notice in the photos from my visit, there is quite a large amount of creativity going on at this school. There were numerous art sculptures in the media centers made by W-K students. Not to be outdone, the staff of the W-K elementary media center created a jeep and grass hut for their safari-themed Scholastic Book Fair held earlier this school year.
Elementary students have 25 minutes per week of scheduled time at the media center. Additionally, the media center is open to them during the school day and on the day that I visited, a few students came in to return books and complete an AR test. Anita and Carol are experimenting with different programming ideas to get students to use the media center's collection and keep them excited about reading, including exploring different genres and authors. They also devote a large amount of time to supporting the AR program at the school by labeling materials in the library with the appropriate AR level and helping students find these materials.
I ended my visit by accompanying Anita to the W-K High Media Center. There I met Gay Bulldis, the High School Media Assistant. The high school media center is a large, open, and bright space with numerous tables and chairs for students to sit and study. There is also a computer lab with a few dozen computers in the space as well. The high school has a large book collection. One of the challenges for the staff with the space is its openess. As it is situated in an open space surrounded by classrooms and hallways, noise and the ubiquitous "pass-through" by students are a common occurrence. However, the staff has done a good job and trying to minimize these distractions and make the environment good for study. Other issues that they are dealing with and probably aren't uncommon to many school media centers are keeping students interested in reading and reaching out to the reluctant readers.
I want to say thank you to Anita, Carol, and Gay for allowing me to visit the Wabasha-Kellogg Elementary and High School Media Centers and for being so welcoming!
When undertaking a library capital campaign, remember
-- the library is competing with every other organization. While the number of non-profits in Minnesota has grown
significantly, there is great demand and the competition for donor dollars is fierce. There is no "right" time. Waiting for the perfect time, whether that is
general economic environment or the completion of another local campaign, will only result in more waiting.
Capital campaigns are about transferring assets. Even small capital pledges, such as $1,000,
involve financial decisions and personal impacts for the individual, a family or
the business. Those making "the ask" need to
broker the importance of the library with potential donors. Capital donors make visceral decisions, as well as business decisions. They want positive
results.
Key factors for success ---
Conduct a pre-campaign study. Gather a small group of people who know and have influence within the community and who will make a substantial
donation.
Create a capital campaign planning document that outlines
the potential.
Start "the ask" with people who have given in the past.
Allow plenty of time. For example, initiate the
capital campaign 2-3 years before the ground breaking allowing 12-18 months for
the "quiet" or leadership phase.
Launch the public phase after a large portion of the funds
has been pledged but definitely include everyone so they feel that they can
make a difference. You want everyone in
town to feel they are involved, establishing broad community ownership.
Celebrate
your successes all along the way and definitely at the conclusion.
Before giving up hope of successfully undertaking a
capital campaign in a time of economic uncertainty, statistics show that in recessions, donor contributions continue just at a slower
rate. Howver, it must be noted that we are in uncharted financial waters with the current financial
challenges so it will be wise to move with caution in the next few years.
Other practical advice ---
The campaign cannot be done by the library staff. For best results, rely on a small leadership
committee. Decide who is going to speak
to whom and for how much. If involved at
all, the library director or staff member should be present to talk about the substance of library operation but never
to do "the ask".
Fundraising costs money. Remember to budget for staff, printing, collateral pieces, publicity,
etc. Don't expect that it can all be done gratis. Donors will accept expenses are involved in fundraising but
they must be reasonable.
The capital campaign is not the right time to try new special
events take which take lots of energy to plan and execute. Instead, consider a parallel publicity sharing information about the
library.
This article is a continuation of a much earlier posting to the SELCO Librarian with information gleaned from Peter Pearson
- President of The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library and Morgan Rasmussen
- Consultant, Library Strategies at the 2009 MLA Annual Conference. Their program was entitled, "Taking the Fear
Out of Capital Campaign Fundraising."
Due to un-allotment and the dramatic reductions in Local Government Aid (LGA) and County Program Aid (CPA), a number of public library directors have asked me to verify their 2009 Maintenance of Effort (MOE) amount. As a quick, ready reference, I've created a chart listing the 2009 certification amounts for the 36 cities and 11 counties supporting public libraries within the region.
Maintenance of Effort, or MOE for short, impacts city and county budgets in a wide-variety of areas from mental health to chemical dependency, including public libraries. Each year the Minnesota Department of Education certifies the minimum level of local support for each entity taxing for public library service. The certification letter is sent directly to County Auditor-Treasurers and City Clerks. A copy of each letter is also shared with the regional library and, in turn, SELCO shares a copy with the each member library.
As outlined in Minnesota Statutes 134.34 and 134.341, the minimum level of local support represents the equivalent of one of four financial amounts:
.82 percent of 2007, payable 2009 adjusted net tax capacity
$12.62 per capita
2007 dollars provided amount
2007 dollars provided amount adjusted to reflect adjusted net tax capacity decrease
If you have questions or need additional information feel free to contact me.
During my "Get Acquainted" tour to Wabasha, I had the opportunity to visit with Vicky Johnson, one of the volunteer library staff at St. Felix School. St. Felix is a private Catholic school serving Preschool/Pre-K through 6th grade students, with a enrollment of around 94 students. On the day I visited, the library was closed as library time for students is generally once per week, usually Wednesdays.
The library has a small collection of books and videos for students. These items are currently catalog in a physical card catalog (not online.) The school makes use of Accelerated Reader (AR) and most materials in the collection are labeled with the appropriate AR level. The library has a small circulation desk and new this year is a computer for the library staff to use. The school's computer lab is located in the library so the space is a multi-use space.
Vicky Johnson, whom I met with at the library during my visit, is in her first year as one of two volunteer library staff (the other is Sharon Busch.) Vicky is a nurse at Saint Elizabeth's Medical Center in Wabasha but is quickly learning how to manage the library at the school, such as ordering materials for the collection and cataloging items to put on the shelf. They certainly have done a great job of ensuring that students have access to the materials that they need!
I want to say a thanks to Vicky for taking the time to visit with me at St. Felix School. If you want to see a few photos from my visit, check out the SELCO Flickr site for St. Felix School photos.
Bright and early this morning (before 7:00 am), SELCO staff began their day as usual with the added task of recording time for the FY2009 workload analysis study. What had been a special project in FY2004 and FY2007 has become an annual activity each January. There are 10 broad categories, plus "none-task" for breaks, lunch or other time not directly related to SELCO. Additional detail is gathered within the administrative and information services areas. The broad categories are:
Administration
Continuing Education
Grants
Advocacy
Consulting
MnLINK
Automation Support
Delivery
Programming & PR
Collection
This year's study will also pay close attention to the subtle differences within the workflow of SELCO's catalogers. Rather than lumping all the tasks into one cataloging category, the study results will show time specifics for original cataloging* on behalf the Online Libraries, authority control, CatExpress, and vendor uploads.
Building on Staffing for Results techniques learned from Diane Mayo, statistics from previous studies and this new data, the SELCO management team and the Board of Directors will have current data to analyze workflows, measure workloads, and make informed staffing decisions. The SELCO website hosts the results of our previous studies, data comparison, this year's time line, and definitions of each work category.
*Note: Cataloging for the Chatfield Brass Band and Music Lending Library will be tracked separately as part of LSTA grant activities.
Have you ever wondered what trends are emerging in the library world?I know I did, until I encountered a very interesting blog this morning: HotStuff 2.0. HotStuff 2.0 automatically follows about 800 library-related blogs and "a daily blog post is generated using a single word that has seen a marked increase in usage over the last few days. A "Word Wheel" image shows the strength of the links between that word and other words that have also recently seen an increase in usage."
I find this kind of word play very interesting, and while the word of the day isn't necessarily earth shattering, it can be used to get a general idea of what is being discussed on all levels of the library world.
This morning's Technology Users Group meeting, despite a snowy Monday and deep-freeze temperatures, introduced participants to a SELCO-AquaBrowser joint venture and the creation of a dynamic online catalog. The Users Group agenda included five topics and there will be short blog posts for each. Check back for more!
AquaBrowser has a very specific definition of skins, broader than just the look-n-feel that includes different indices, relevancy rating, different data mapping as well as different graphics.
How are skins used? AquaBrowser mostly uses different skins in consortia for searches within the region or the entire state. There is a potential for presenting different searches and data views depending on the unique user groups --- such as child vs.adult or student vs.professors.
Questions from the group
Will SELCO need multiple skins? Probably not but the final recommendations will come from the AquaBrowser Working Group. Most, if not all, of the basic optimizations that we will want can be carried out within AquaBrowser, without resorting to a different skin. We can restict by library, access locally-purchased databases and integrate into a city or local library website.
Will we need a different skin for a Spanish version of the catalog? AquaBrowser offers a Spanish version of the catalog as part of the basic package and this will not need a different skin.
Federated searching is another key technology that SELCO will integrate into the new AquaBrowser catalog. This will enable the simutaneous searching of multiple databases. Traditional online searching requires the user to go out to each source separately. It is up to the user to know diverse resources are available, figure out the different layouts of each site, and the various methods to access unique the data at the source, all with varying levels of success.
While federated searching will be a major feature, it is not part of AquaBrowser's native functionality. Good solutions are available and can be integrated easily. SELCO has selected SerialsSolutions 360 Search.
AquaBrowser regularly works with SerialsSolution and the vendor technicians will integrate the search results from a variety of sources. In addition to the integrated search results presented by 360 Search, the initial search query will be also integrated. The primary data sources for federated searching will be:
Horizon
SELCO purchased/licensed databases
ELM
Locally purchased/licensed databases (Although it should be noted that this local component will come later in the implementation timeline.)
Specific details pertaining to relvancy ranking have not yet been determined and will be another task for the AquaBrowser Working Group working with the AquaBrowser technical staff.
There are some known downsides to federated searching. It can be slow since the search is not longer limited to a single server or several servers in the same room but accessing databases located around the country and even around the world. Donovan noted that SELCO does not anticipate any speed problems but we will have to wait and see what happens in the production environment.
Authenication in the federated search envirornment will be critical. For searching within the walls of an Online Library, there will be IP verification for all the workstations at that location. Like we have now, searching from remote locations will require the patron to enter his or herbarcode number and pin and then the Remote Patron Authentication (RPA) server will validate access by type of database whether the statewide, regional, and/or locally licensed.
Faceted searching will be another new feature of our AquaBrowser-SELCO online catalog - one that may be the most exciting. Faceted searching is a technique for accessing information by filtering that information by specific personal choices. Faceted searching starts with a broad search and allows the user to drill down to specifics.
How does AquaBrowser use faceted browsing? King County Library chose to introduce the faceted browsing results in a right hand navigation bar that includes the number of titles available for each category of the search. Search results are displayed in ranked order with the highest number of hits showing on top and then decending amounts of library resources. The Queens Library installation has a similar faceted search results list but with some variations
Question from the group
Where are the faceted results coming from?
Faceted browsing requires faceted data. Wikipedia defines faceted searching as "a technique for accessing a collection of information represented using a faceted classification, allowing users to explore by filtering available information."
What do we have, what can we add, where do we get it? Primary sources may include MARC records, the Horizon database, other databases resources such as example book sellers' data, tags. If we do not restrict our seraching to the MARC record, where will this data come from, where will it be stored, how will it be input, and what will it cost? At this point, we have lots of questions and these will be among the many that the AquaBrowser Working Group will need to answer.
Once the facets are identified, the questions continue? How will the results be highlighted and what arrangement? It is logical that public libraries and school media centers may need different faceted, but will there be others?
In the fall of 2008 SELCO implemented the option of online meeting participation through GoToMeeting software. It is catching on in popularity (with special thanks to the lovely winter weather we've been experiencing) and several board members and member library staff have taken advantage of this useful tool. This is why it is worthy to note that we experienced a first on Monday, January 12th when the entire Personnel Committee participated in their quarterly meeting online. As staff conducted the meeting from the SELCO building, the committee members, all trying out GoToMeeting for the first time, logged on, called in and had a lively and productive discussion all via web and Polycom. Thanks to the committee members for a great meeting and being such technology pioneers!
For decades, Minnesota libraries have been sharing resources and quietly going about the work of cooperation. While our "minnesota nice" personalites keep us from singing our own praises, library professionals around the country view our state as a leader with statewide delivery and reciprocal borrowing arrangements among almost all of the 350+ libraries.
In his State of the State address on January 15, 2009, Governor Pawlenty suggested:
Here's another way we're going to reform the business of government.
Our system of 87 different county governments was designed for a different era. Most county functions are duplicated 87 times over, to the detriment of taxpayers. I'm not proposing to eliminate counties. But I am proposing that we save money by encouraging counties to work together.
We should incentivize counties to create, join and operate no more than 15 new regional enterprises that will manage and run all human service programs so each county doesn't have to run their own.
The Governor and the Legislature can look to a structure they themselves created --- the regional libraries --- for a great example of enterprising operations.
Long before all the confusion at the end of the last legislative session , a hard working group of library system administrators, library directors, county commissioners, and State Library staff had been working to refine library maintenance of effort (MOE).
This was not an easy task. Library MOE is a very complicated formula. Supporters and detractors hold diametrically opposing opinions. There are those who firmly believe that without MOE library doors will close. Others believe all MOE requirements (and there are many more than just the one impacting libraries) are unfunded mandates that should be eliminated. Despite this wide range of opinions, the Minnesota Library Funding Committee crafted viable solutions which have at the core flexibility for local units of government while striving for a modicum of financial stability for library operations.
Their recommendations for changes include:
Averaging financial support based on the operational funds provided in the 2nd, 3rd, & 4th preceding years for the MOE base
Changing the formula to include corresponding reductions in LGA & CPA as eligible factors for an MOE decrease
Expanding the definition of capital expenses
Expanding the pilot project timelines from one to three years
Allowing some special earmarks to be excluded from MOE
Continuing lobbying efforts which support increased state funding for libraries and increases in LGA & CPA
The Minnesota Library Funding Committee produced two documents.
The Minnesota Library Funding Summary (PDF 47KB) is a one page handout listing the recommendations and designed as a quick reference tool. This was first distributed at Association of Minnesota Counties' annual conference.
The Minnesota Library Funding Recommendations (PDF 89KB) is a descriptive five page document which includes details about each recommendation, sample language for statutory revisions, meeting dates, document history, and a roster of committee members.
If you are interested in more information on MOE and possible approaches to change, another resource is the Association of Minnesota Counties' Minnesota Redesign (PDF 532KB). The AMC project focuses on governance, flexibility and transparancy and offers models for consideration at all levels of local and state government.
On January 5, 2009, I had the privilege of visiting the Wabasha Public Library. The Library was my last visit of the day during my site visit tour of SELCO & SELS member libraries in Wabasha. I met with Michelle McCaughtry, the Director of the Wabasha Public Library for a tour of the library as well as a time to discuss issues related to the Wabasha Public Library. The library is a brightly lit space, warm and inviting. The library's space is divided into two major areas. One side of the library contains the general library collection geared towards adult patrons. In this space includes the Library's public access computers, a large collection of books, DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks, seating areas for reading, and a local history/genealogy section. The day I visited was a fairly typical day, with the patrons checking out (and returning) materials, partons using the public access computers, and so on. There was plenty of activity going on!
The other section of the library is dedicated to the children's reading area and book collection. This space is brightly lit with lots of color, including a beautiful and colorful rug for storytime. The library has framed posters for Children's Book Week around this section of the library which is a great bit of history to take in. The children's section was quiet when I visited as it was during the school day.
Check out the photos from my visit at SELCO's Flickr site. I want to thank Michelle and her staff for welcoming me to the Wabasha Public Library.
Building on the Governor's suggestion in his State of the State address that Minnesota's counties should consider enterpise regions for human services cost savings, Mark Ranum penned a Star Tribune Letter of the Day. In his elected role as Legislative Chair for the Minnesota Library Association, Mark offers everyday examples of how libraries around the state are already working in just this collaborative style and could be the Governor's template for cooperative success. Great job, Mark!
The wait is over. More Things on a Stick, the follow up to the very popular 23 Things on a Stick program brought to you by the Minnesota Multitypes, has been launched! For those of you who completed or participated in 23 Things on a Stick, now is your chance to pick up with Thing 24 and explore 23 new things. For those of you who didn't participate in 23 Things on a Stick, now is your chance to join in. You didn't need to participate or even finish 23 Things on a Stick to participate in More Things on a Stick. Check out the press release below for more information about the dates of the program and how to get registered.
Do. More Things On A Stick!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
More Things On a Stick Program To Launch in January
ST.PAUL, Minnesota (January 15, 2009) --Minnesota's seven multicounty, multitype library systems (multitypes) will launch the More Things On a Stick: A Library Learning 2.0 Program on January 20, 2009.. This program is the new version of the very popular 23 Things On a Stick Program sponsored the Minnesota Multitypes last year. Staff in academic, school, public and special libraries, as well as members of library Governing and Advisory Boards are invited to participate in this fun, self-paced program that encourages participants to experiment with various Web 2.0 tools. Mashups, more organizational and productivity tools, and deeper uses of RSS and Delicious are just a few of the new offerings in 2009.
All details about how to participate and suggestions for getting ready are now available online at http://morethingsonastick.pbwiki.com. Registration will begin on January 20th at this same address (as part of Thing 1). Those who complete all 23 Things plus the evaluation within 17 weeks will win a completion prize.
More Things On a Stick are online activities that encourage participants to experiment and learn about new and emerging technologies that are reshaping the context of information on the Internet today. The activities are hands-on with experiential exercises, short readings and discovery work. Each Thing can take as little as one hour or as much time as you'd like to give it. The Minnesota Certification Program has approved this program for 25 contact hours to meet public service and technology competencies. Continuing Education Units will be available to all participants as well. Early endorsements of this program include but are not limited to, MLA, MEMO, MINITEX and State Library Services. Others are expected to add their support and will be mentioned on the More Things on a Stick wiki site.
Participants who wish to receive the completion incentive prize must register their blogs (Thing 1) by February 20 and complete all Things plus the evaluation (and blog about each one) by May 20, 2009. Receipt of the completion prize enters participants in a statewide drawing for additional prizes.
According to Ann Walker Smalley, Metronet Director, "Participants clamored for 'Thing 24' when they had finished the original 23 Things On Stick! More Things On a Stick builds on the learning from that successful program and offers people the chance to try new Things that will make their personal and professional lives more productive, more connected, and even more fun. Join this online learning community and start 2009 with a resolution to try all of the Things. You do not have to have done the original 23 Things On a Stick to do More Things." Participants are encouraged to work with others in their libraries or regions and to share their insights and discoveries either through the participant blogs or in person.
This program is the Minnesota twist on the 23 Things: Library Learning 2.0 program, developed by Helene Blowers at the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenberg County. Library organizations across the country have used the 23 Things concept to encourage staff to learn and use these Web 2.0 tools. The directors and staff of the seven Minnesota Multicounty Multitype Library Systems are the core of the 23 Things On a Stick team, with additional coaches available across the state. This group has worked together to develop More Things On a Stick and to customize it for Minnesota library staff. This group will track participants' progress as shown in the individual blogs and provide helpful hints and encouraging words.
The multitype library systems respond to the needs of Minnesota librarians by providing library support services, including continuing education. The multitype systems believe that knowledgeable library staffs are better able to meet the needs of their library users. The multitypes connect library staff in all types of libraries to professional and staff development opportunities and look forward to broad participation in this exciting learning program.
Contact: Ann Walker Smalley, Metronet Director, ann@metronet.lib.mn.us
Long time library advocate and Minnesota architect, Jeff Sherer, has written a letter to the New York Times supporting
the inclusion of libraries as part of the new President's economic
stimulus package which will be taken up by Congress. His comments have
been posted to ALA's Blog for American Libraries and the letter offers great talking points for anyone contacting their members of Congress on this issue.
SELCO hosted An Afternoon of ILL: In Region Items and Requests
on January 13th, 2009. The meeting focused on the daily functions and processes of the interlibrary loans that take place in the SELCO region. Over 25 people attended the meeting online or in person to discuss issues and suggest ideas for their fellow colleagues. SELCO staff members gave some updates on reports and delivery, while
Northfield Public Library's Laurie Kodet presented an Ill work process
overview (to view her presentation, please click here).
During
the meeting, we had great discussion focusing on the issues that are
important to our regional members. Please see some of the
recommendations mentioned in the meeting below:
Requests: When looking at the pull list options, if you have a sort and display preference when viewing the list, SELCO can help make these choices stick--if you would like your preferences
to automatically come up every time you activate the pull list, please
contact the SELCO Help Desk and they can make that happen.
Expired
List issue: When an item shows up on the Expired list, you technically
need to pull the item off the shelf, check it in, and then check it out
to the patron. If the item is expired and you check it out directly to
the patron, this action may cause data corruption, creating a snippet
that is attached to the request list. If this happens, please contact
the SELCO Help Desk and we can help remove it.
ILL Report Update: With the group's agreement, SELCO staff will no longer run a weekly ILL Report as there is now a
WebReporter report version. If you are interested in continuing to
view this type of report for acquisitions or tracking requests, it is
suggested that you use the Request Report in WebReporter. It is a
similar report to what SELCO staff was generating, containing information about current requests
that your library has, patron information, and item status, including
more status than the ILL report was giving to you. If you need
WebReporter training or need a refresher course, please sign up for
training at the SELCO training site by clicking here.
Notice reminder: Notices are run at SELCO between 1:30 and 3:30 PM, Monday-Friday.
Delivery
reminder: Please use the correct delivery codes when marking the items
for the delivery tubs. To access the delivery codes, please visit our
Delivery page by clicking here.
MnLINK
reminder: For MnLINK items, you should always use the barcode on the
item and use a fast add--it's easier and better for collecting
statistics.
Reimbursement: SELCO understands you are lending assets via ILL. If another library's
patron loses an item, it is very generous for the borrowing library to
cover the cost, but not necessary. SELCO will cover the cost. The library that is out the money should submit the bill to SELCO. There is a reimbursement form for in-region and out-of-region items on the SELCO website that should be submitted. The forms are located here.
If the bill is over $50, we encourage you to take legal action because
the law is there to do so, but if you are unable to do this, submit a
bill to SELCO.
For
more meeting information, please feel free to listen to the recorded
meeting when it becomes available and view the meeting documents on the SELCO ILL Meetings page here.
I
am on Facebook to stay connected with many of my friends,
ex-classmates and collegues - as many people I know also do. One of
the librarians I went to school with sent me the link toBrookyln College Library's Facebook page.
While it doesn't look like this entry has been updated for quite a few
months, it is a good example of what libraries and other institutions
can do on Facebook. A few things I particularly like:
Bright, attractive pictures of the library and its various reading & computer rooms.
A
schedule of events that not only allows patrons to quickly and easily
see when something is going on at the library, but they are also able
to sign up to attend the event right there in Facebook.
Bibliographical instruction videos on using the library catalog & databases.
A
WorldCat search widget to allow website visitors to see where they can
find specific library materials. This widget searches all of WorldCat,
not only the Brooklyn College Library catalog, so people from all over
can see what is available at their local libraries.
It
is always nice to see shining examples of what can be done on social
networking sites, and I hope this inspires you to use social networking
and Web 2.0 as a promotional tool for your library.
Earlier this month, Congressional leaders and YouTube announced a new technological partnership enabling lawmakers to post videos right from their offices. The Senate Hub and House Hub will offer constituents information about day-to-day Congressional activites, as well as provide opportunities for comment.
On January 22, I had the opportunity to visit the Lanesboro Public Library for a late afternoon visit. When I arrived I was greeted by Eliza Mitchell and Lanesboro Public Library Director Jill Veerkamp, who gave me a tour of the library. The library is located on the lower level of the Community Building in Lanesboro and is bright and inviting space. There are spaces for all ages of patrons. The children's area is located near the front of the library and contains a large collection of picture books, videos, and non-fiction materials, plus a large green frog compliments of a vendor at the Public Library Association conference in April 2008 (check out of picture of the frog and other photos from my visit here.) The teen section, which is adjacent to the children's section, has received extra attention from Jill as teen library services is a passion of hers. The section contains an number of new titles in teen and YA literature and were nicely displayed for easy access. The adult section of the library contains a wide assortment of materials for Lanesboro library patron, including audiobooks (cassette, CD, and playaways) as well as large print fiction and non-fiction collections. In addition to print materials, the library also has a number of public computers with internet access available for use by all patrons.
The latest addition to the Lanesboro Public Library was the opening of a reading room in the back portion of the library. The reading room provides Lanesboro patrons with comfy couches to sit and read a book, a meeting table and chairs, and a large flat screen monitor that is hooked up to both a DVD player and to a computer with internet access. In addition, there is a large display unit in the room. The library staff has started displaying some of the books that have become "classics' to help increase their patrons' awareness of what types of materials the library collection holds. Jill reports that there has been an slight increase in the circulation of these books now that they are pulled out of the stacks and put on display.
On the day I visited, the library was busy with patrons using the computers, checking out and returning library materials. Another interesting thing that was happening at the library during my visit was a basketball game going on right above the library. Yes, the Community Building also houses a basketball court! Though you think it might be distracting, it is amazing how quickly you tune out the activity upstairs. Plus, it is only for a limited time - basketball season does have an end date!
Programming at the Lanesboro Public Library has become a much more visible service the library provides. Currently, the library is in the midst of their Hot Reads for Cold Nights program. Some activities the Library is doing as part of the Hot Read program include a daily trivia question (like what Caribou Coffee does), book reviews, and the grand prize is a $100 Barnes and Noble gift card. Jill reports that participation is good and people are excited about the program. Earlier this fall, the library hosted a very successful and well-attended program by fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss. During the summer, the library had a successful summer reading program on the theme of "What's Cookin... at your library" which included a magic show by Magic Norm which was another success.
I want to say thank you to Jill and Eliza for making me feel so welcome during my visit. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Techie Toyboxes provides Online Libraries the opportunity to provide patrons hands-on experience with some of today's most cutting edge technology. We talk to Mollie Pherson, Regional Librarian, who explains the project and shows us some of the devices you can borrow for your library.
For about a year now, we here at SELCO have been dangling our collective toes in the waters of online video. We've experimented with videos of Online Library programs, screencasts of meetings at SELCO, interactive question/answer programs, and quick online training videos. I'm pleased to announce that we have now decided to jump in headfirst with a new venture: SELCOtv.
SELCOtv is an ongoing series of online streaming video programs on all things SELCO/SELS:
Meetings, including Advisory Committees, ILS Operations/Technology Policy Committee, and Technology Users Group
Training clips illustrating use and functions of Horizon and other software
Informational programs on SELCO services and Online Libraries
General topics of interest to the library community
Whatever else we can think of
Your suggestions
In order to keep these programs useful, we are attempting to keep them short whenever possible. Informational programs will generally run 15 minutes or less. Meeting video will be longer, of course, but we'll break them up into shorter segments to make it easier on the viewer. All episodes will be Flash files.
There are two ways to get SELCOtv:
All new episodes will be announced in the SELCO Librarian blog, complete with links so that you can start viewing with a single mouse click. The blog archive can be used to see back episodes.
Both of these services provide RSS feeds for those who want automatic updates on the latest episodes.
Episode One of SELCOtv, Techie Toyboxes, is coming out today (shortly after this announcement). We plan to release informational episodes at least once every two weeks. Meetings and other event video will be released as they are scheduled.
This is uncharted territory for us here at SELCO. We have adopted very few rules as to format and structure of the videos. As you watch, please don't hesitate to let us know what you like and don't like. That will help us refine the product and better meet your informational needs. You can also send us ideas for episode topics! Please email your input to selcotv@selco.info.
If you have difficulty viewing SELCOtv, please contact the SELCO Help Desk.
This recording is from the SELCO Advisory Committee meeting held on December 2, 2008. The SELCO Advisory Committee is made up of the directors from all of the public libraries in the SELCO region. The group meets 6 times per year in February, April, June, August, October, and December.
We have split the video into four segments for your convenience:
This recording is from the SELS Advisory Committee meeting held on December 3, 2008. The SELS Advisory Committee is made up of nine elected representatives from public libraries, school media centers, public and private academic libraries, and special libraries. The group meets 4 times per year.
We have split the video into four segments for your convenience:
I had the pleasure of sitting in on the Connecting Young Adults and Libraries program this afternoon with Patrick Jones and Jody Wurl—what a wonderful presentation!! If you didn't get a chance to attend the program, please view the handouts and PowerPoint presentation on our website by clicking here.
I just wanted to share some of the interesting points Patrick make during the presentation. At the beginning of the program, Patrick discussed the importance of viewing things from a teen's perspective—they are constantly asking themselves "where do I come from?" and "who am I?", so we need to remember this when looking at YA services. YALSA described teens/young adults as people ages 12-18—independence, managing excitement, and acceptance are their main drives.
10 Rules for Creating a Welcoming Environment for Teens
1. Let kids know what good service they are getting at the library • Tell them the variety of services available at the library • Help a young person find a good book and then let them know you can help them at a future time
2. Follow-up • At the end of a reference question, let them know that next time they need help, they can contact you—give them your business card or the library hours • The point is to try to create a relationship with the person, let them know that you are willing to help
3. Say yes • Find ways to say yes without breaking the rules, be creative
4. Show kids you know stuff • Look for ways to make connections to their lives
5. Be sensitive to place and time • Never take a keyboard or mouse out of the hands of a teen when teaching something to them
6. Listen & learn & link • Keep a school assignment notebook at the reference desk for collection development—it can give you a head start when trying to find materials for student projects (an idea may be to get the actual assignment from the school)
7. Triage • Get out from behind the desk and go to them, go to the computers, come to them and ask if they need help, don't wait for them to come
8. Relax • Most things are not that big of a deal
9. Reward • Reward teens with positive reinforcement, a simple thank you will work wonders
10. Moment of Truth • Treat every moment with teens as if it's a life changing moment because it truly could be just that for the teen
Patrick and Jody also discussed what YAs want to read. Young adults like fiction that: • Show YAs being independent from adults • Reassure YAs they are "normal" • Present role models • Demonstrate problem solving in action • Allow to feel like winners/overcoming odds • Display relationships of all sorts • Capture intensity and uncertainty of their life • Help development of socially responsible behavior • Explore lives of other teenagers
Want more cool tips from Patrick and Jody? • Create a bulletin board with the first lines of books or include the first line of a book in a book list for teens • If you are looking to improve your library space, read VOYA! • Celebrate Teen Read Week or make it Teen Read Month • Create online and print booklists that are kid-generated and that follow the "If you like...." Theme • When book talking, always do a good mix of fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and remember to use the books themselves • BUILD RELATIONSHIPS—give the teens your name, ask what they liked about a book and what they didn't like
If you are interested in speaking with the SELCO YA Consultants about a project you'd like to work on, please come to SELCOon Monday, February 9th at 1 p.m. To sign up for the workshop, please click here.
David King has a great blog post up equating the priortization of walk-in reference questions above questions submitted through online services with discrimination. I was especially struck by this passage:
In essence, you ARE discriminating. Discriminating against a growing, younger, web-savvy customer base. Customers who *almost* have all the tools in place to simply ignore you and your grad-degreed, professional information-retrieval services. Especially if they are treated like second class customers when they ask a question using their preferred, and handy, means of communication.
That's the best summary I've yet heard of the situation libraries face in the new, Googleized world. While the post is very good, the conversation that subsequently occured in the comments also warrents a read. Some very good points were made by librarians on both sides of the issue.
Donovan Lambright, Automation Librarian, introduced AquaBrowser as our next generation catalog. SELCO identified four primary objectives driving this migration.
Provide more powerful search capabilities
This will incorporate multiple datasources beyond the information of our Horizon database.
Integrating searches from more than one data source will save time and energy for library patrons and staff.
Better keyword and spell check, removing the burden from the library user to be able to spell perfectly.
All with a simplier interface.
Provide better information delivery tools
While we have some ability for relevancy ranking with our current catalog, AquaBrowser will be much richer.
More sophisticated sorting by location as well as integrating data results from more than one source.
Personalizing and social networking
This objective is less defined but no less desirable, offering such services as patron reviews and tags or integrating tools such as Library Thing.
Provide more elegant interfaces (beginning to see a theme?)
Extend the life of the Horizon ILS
The basic operational aspects of Horizon for behind the desk functions are basically just fine but the catalog doesn't offer the web-rich features that library patrons are experiencing with other websites.
History of AquaBrowser AquaBrowser was developed in the Netherlands and quickly developed as a discovery layer. One of its most popular feature is the "constellation" offering similar and related terms.
AquaBrowser is also partnering with other content providers, like LibraryThing, to offer more social networking capabilities.
AquaBrowser blends the positive aspects of a "out-of-the-box"- turnkey system which allows the library or the consortium to be ready to go and local creation.
Donovan moved into demoing three catalogs, moving first to the King County Library System. After mistyping "Lincoln" the catalog offered alternative terms - a feature that is not available with our current installation. King County has opted for format icons at the top of the page and this feature includes a count by media types. Questions from the group
Will we be able to run reports on the tags? Unsure at this time but SELCO staff will check.
Will we be able to limit by location? As the AquaBrowser Working Group begins meeting, this will be one of the many functional decisions. SELCO has had this as a goal for years and will very likely be part of our upcoming development.
The Queens Library catalog was next up for demoing with the caveat that Queens has done LOTS of local modifications so our cataglog will not necessarily include all of these features. Queens opted for tabs rather than icons for media choices. Queens has a customized search window that searches a specialized.
University of Chicago has a very different set-up and has a very nice feature with its breadcrumbs looking very "appleesque."
In the next six months, SELCO staff will focus on the new catalog with a lot of help from the AquaBrowser Working Group. Together, they will plow through options (too numerous to count) and refine the catalog for our region. The Working Group will provide input and expertise, guide the creative process, and collect input from the Online Libraries. With a meeting schedule of about every other week between now and June, they will be busy.
Mark your calendars for a special version of the Technology Users Group on March 10 when the Working Group will share the basic design and ask your reactions. In addition, the Working Group may need topical assistance as work progresses and focus groups may be needed to provide subject expertise.
The implementation schedule was approved in November and is on target. SELCO staff members Mick Reese and Mike Perry are setting up a new web server and working with AquaBrowser to install a basic "vanilla" out-of-the-box catalog.
In addition to the work being done specifically for the catalog, the Subscription Database Review Committee will consider possible supplemental resources for the region. These may be added in the future depending upon costs and available funding.
Our contract specifies AquaBrowser will develop 2-3 different looks based on their experiences with other libraries and consortia. For example we may start with a more traditional look or a catalog with an "Amazon-esque" appearance. That way the Working Group will be able to pick and choose what they like rather than starting with a blank screen. At the same time we are working on the look and feel, the Working Group will also deterime the specifics for federated and faceted searching.
Hopefully, in March-April we will be ready to recruit libraries willing to have both staff and patrons test a beta version of the new catalog. The test catalog will have much of the functionality, that is much better than an alpha test ,but not a completed product. Those willing to participate in testing will encounter some functions in their final state and others will still be rather fluid.
A public unvieling of the new SELCO-AquaBrowser catalog is planned for June for the public and special libraries with a launch date of September for the schools and academic libraries.
Miss the January Users Group meeting? Not to worry! In this episode of SELCOtv, we have the complete meeting screencast and all the audio from the presentations and audience questions. This meeting focused exclusively on the upcoming AquaBrowser project. The video has been divided into three segments for your convenience:
Meeting screencast and audio from the January 2009 meeting. Topics included AquaBrowser and the use of online forums as an alternative to email. We have divided the video into two segments for your convenience:
Rachel Gray, Information Services Librarian An Afternoon of ILL: In Region Items and Requests was held on the afternoon of January 13, 2009. This meeting brought together public library staff and school media center staff from the SELCO online member libraries to discuss issues relating to the requesting and sending of library materials throughout the region.
2009/01/07
