Displays Webinar

Displays Webinar Powerpoint

The End of Books

In the New York Times, a really nice examination of the history of the death of the book. There's even a little bit at the end of the article about how libraries also haven't ended as prophisied. Although the "death of the book" has been vastly over-reported, there has been a lot of prescience in past writing. From the article. One 19th-century inventor gave the names of “whispering-machine” and “metal automatic book” to something that sounds like a cross between the audiobook and the Walkman. Users “would place the machine in the hat, and have the sounds conveyed to the ear by wires.” Besides curing eyestrain, these “reading machines” would “permit of the pursuit simultaneously of physical and of mental improvement.” Instead of hunching over desks, intellectuals would be free to jog and with both hands free, their wives could read while washing the dishes: “the problem of the higher education of woman would be triumphantly solved.”

Everything's Fine?

I love fine amnesty. I've read in several places, from library textbooks to journal articles to the regular, old news that we don't actually make much money on fines. In fact, they cost money to keep track of! And we, in fact, alienate users -- especially teens -- with stringent fine structures. Some libraries don't even have fines.
Lots of libraries have programs to get rid of fines so they can up usership to the people that actually need to use the library the most. Those that can't afford to pay their fines!!
Here, today, in my old hometown, fine amnesty. Go Chicago!

Book Dominos

This video of the world record attempt at a Book Domino Chain Reaction is mesmerizing, relaxing, and fun.  It also links to so many other domino videos; who knew there were so many domino fanatics out there? Ah, the Internet...

Silly Photos of Serious Writers

Flavorwire just published this post of the gravest in literature coasting on the goofiest of grooves.  I've included my favorite, this literary study in irony.

Was Proust getting all Proustian for a more carefree time?  Could you ever imagine him this goofy?

Information Literacy Summit

“Learning how to learn.”

Best way to describe it, as detailed by Charlet Key of Black Hawk College in one of today's sessions noted below.  Picked up a lot of good, usable information here, such as how to help students with their projects and increase information literacy at the same time.  It doesn't necessarily happen in a normal classroom setting......this appeals to this public librarian.  Also, screencasting is easy and fun.  And e-reading doesn't engage in the same way as p-reading.  Lots of passion, good information, and a lot of it directly applicable to the everyday reference transaction.

Check It Out: Paper vs. Electonic Learning

Dorothy Mikuska (ePen & Inc Oak Brook, IL)

Marti Seaton (Glenbard South HS)

Laura Broderick (Glenbard East HS, Lombard IL)

eBooks are Best..?

The brain reads the words differently on paper than on an ebook.  We read 16% of words online, F-shape.  Rereading doesn't happen.  We distract to other sites.  IGA.  Information excess blocks focus.  Slow reading beats fast every time, like Aesops Tortoise.   

Screenagers

Will they grow up to read deeply.  HS syllabi are filled with digital texts, blogs, facebook pages, etc.  Over 3 million freshmen in 2008, 43% at 2 yr and 29% at 4 year unable to do basic work, more likely to drop out.  They cost society.  Can't comprehend complex texts.  Able to do main idea, word meaning, and supporting evidence, though...

Decelerate

Uninterrupted thinking vs multitasking.  Focus on values, perspectives, why's, over skimming, poor comprehension. 

Receptivity

Modesty is a precondition to learning vs. Youtube's "broadcast yourself" 

Kaiser Family Fdtn study 1/2010

Develop Habit of Slower Reading
Reading is learned -- develop new connections & pathways.  Plasticity can re-adapt back to slow reading.  The end of the author's wisdom is the beginning of ours (Proust).

Brain Changes from eReading

Grey cells over-activated.  Leads to shallow reading/thinking.  Decode rather than interpret.  

Read: Maryanne Wolf - Proust and the Squid

Imposition and superimposition of digital reading technology the academic...

pBook reading habits don't work with ebooks.  Fewer distractions so stay focused.  Better for reading entire book.  Easier to memorize, on eyes.  Kids prefer real books.  Less than 10% use ebooks.  Postits are easier than kindle highlights.     

Future Thoughts

Reading in depth, ereading is incomplete.  Will the economic consequence of today's narcissistic poor learners be felt tomorrow? 

However...can't stop a runaway train...e is happening.  We need to move p practices to e!!

The One Minute Mentor

F Elizabeth Nicholson, Lizzie Matkowski
Phillips Library
Aurora University by Jing (tm)

Tutorials
Offered to be quick, easy to understand, reference services to students who can't come to campus, answers FAQ's, short alternatives to live instruction.

Best Practices
Short, simple, learnable chunks.  Start with one, continue to others.  They build.  Consistent visual identity makes them easily identifiable, findable (same intro, outro).
  
Tools
Free, text based tutorials (students like to print), video, all led to Jing (free, 5 min, easy to use, and tracks #'s of views).  Can be used on the fly to send an example of question answer to patron via chat.

Topics
Make list of FAQ under 3 categories: getting articles, finding books, citations and formatting.  Avoid complex IL issues like narrowing a topic, plagiarism, etc.

Best Practices
Use a script, Match PowerPoint/screencast as closely as possible.  May be best to make PP first as script. Get away from desk noise to record.   Headphone/mic sets are $20.

Marketing
Mount on website page, include in email blasts, topic of "what's new" at library, post at point of need, mention during instruction sessions, demonstrate in off-campus student orientations.

Adjustments
Libguides are another good way to host.  Camtasia is something they're going to move up to.

Liberating Information Literacy: Inspiring Critical Thinking

Charlet Key, Black Hawk College keyc@bhc.edu

Background

Readers Guide to Periodical Lit is a thing of the past...a common interface.  Now we do Newsbank, LexisNexis, Ebscohost, JStor, Brittanica.  No common interface these days.

Experience leads to knowing search terms.  Kids show up with no research skills.  No Child Left Behind gives them Google experience.  Adult learners are terrified, intimidated that a younger person is showing them.

Microfilm, microfiche, etc. no longer used.  Now Phone has library app. which reads to them.

EasyBib Trends in Info Lit: 66% of students struggle with developing thesis.  57% of forms of literacy instruction are one-shots.  Sufficient?  Ready for the information age??  Must expand it.

Typical Research Assignment
Number of pages, type/number of resources, limits access to some formats, documentation requirements (shuts down learning), scant on topic management (little space left to do this).  When it’s online, teachers won’t often allow it.  A dissertation found online would not work, while the same paper in-person was OK.  Drove to Iowa to find out it didn’t check out.

Topic Challenges

“I need an article that’s pro police brutality.”  “My topic is food.”  Brains connect in different ways.  Topic has potential, but needs to be scoped.

Citation Project
Very clear they don’t know how to analyze their sources.  They often just cut and paste.

Intervention Needed
86,000 seconds in a day.  Most squandered. 

New approach

Topic brainstorming – Give choices.  Personal stuff works, engages them in the research even though it’s not usually allowed to use “you,” “I,” or “me.” Fills up Presentation Content.

Research Support – Show what you’ve got, then they have to say why they used it.  Or what they didn’t use.  If they care about it, they’ll put more work in.

Topics…College Core Values, Internet overexposure, Problem-Solution-2^nd Gen Problem. Hawaii rat problem, bring in mongooses, nothing kills the mongoose.  Red light cameras with increased front/back-end accidents.

Faculty Perspective

Consistence from 101/102 Students

Student responses to past & present topics

Alternate topic available (suggested by previous students)

Some students have not written a research paper by the time the get to english 101.  They have no familiarity with MLA or citing sources.

Librarian Perspective

It’s not information literacy but…

Connections are valuable

More time w/students allows for reinforcing the message about the process.  WebMD is run by Big Pharma.  Medline Plus is better, in Spanish.  Be on tumblr, meet them where they are.

Accept that some topics are duds

Engage engage engage.

How Do We Make Them Care / Be Passionate About Their Education

Make it a contest that's about them?  Part of education is learning the value of education.  It will come to those that are open to it.  Should be subtly worked into the curriculum.  Connect it to something they can relate to.  Need to persuade them that learning determines the world, makes the biggest difference.  They put the effort in and care.

Information Literacy in Ghana: Perspectives on a Growing User Education Program

Merinda Hensley

Balme Library University of Ghana

Upgrade from card catalog to Milcirc.  Improve bandwidth.  Automation.  Etc.

But also ask users what they need...a new approach.

Perception was off...they thought that librarians bought books, shelved them, but didn't answer questions.  And the library wasn't meant for anything else, like a cultural center.  Only old books.  No online resources.  A student was there, but acted bothered by questions.  Theft is a big issue, suspension for stealing books.

Access is different -- only 6 books for 2 weeks, vs 9,999 for 3 years at other schools.

Grant to upgrade research commons -- Had to beat rules like "do not read in this room."  Bought high-tech digitization equipment.  Local history items need metadata added to them. Study spaces, huge room.  Unlocking reference materials...?

Institutional Repository -- Also set this up at the same time.

World Book Night!

It began last year in the UK.  A way to give away books and show support for libraries, bookstores, and promote reading all at once, apparently tens of thousands of people will be out today giving away any of 30 selected free books on the anniversary of Cervantes’ death, as well as Shakespeare’s birth and death. 

According to the website, World Book Night U.S. is a nonprofit organization and applying for tax-exempt status as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, supported by American book publishers, the American Booksellers Association, Barnes & Noble, the American Library Association, the Association of American Publishers, and Ingram Book Distributors. 

Anyone doing this?

c2e2 2012!!

Welcome to c2e2 2012.  Surreal barely scrapes the tip.  I type with bad improv in the background...but it's about nerds.  As was the rest of the show.  Chris Hardwick has a big presence here, promoting his website.  Dot.com (yes Kevin Brown, as written by Tina Fey...he calls himself that) is hawking stickers and T-shirts at a table by the long boxes, bustiers, swords, action figures, and t-shirts -- really seems like something Fey could use for an episode of 30 Rock.  And I got to shake hands with Jim Palmer, who was almost too friendly (almost).  As always, though, there was a lot of good stuff for libraries here...mostly, focusing on the sociological study aspects.

Amazing! Pow! Costumes!  For people watching, it doesn't get much better than this.  So much avid fandom.  So much creativity.  So much skin... From the female Super Mario to the 15 year old Storm, I wish I'd come with a box of trenchcoats to cover these girls up.  It is a safe place and they are having a blast.  Repeat this mantra on the exhibits floor.

Seems like a lot of these people make their own costumes, especially the Mario-ette.  So, there goes...Mortal Kombat!  Black Canary.  Sailor Moon.  The lady at the ALA booth was dressed like Effie from The Hunger Games.  I'm surprised there's less Hunger Games here.  Maybe too mainstream?


Anyway, more costumes...Star Wars characters you vaguely remember and certainly couldn't name.  In fact, a lot of the costumes are hard to name because I just don't know who they are, neither does anyone I'm with.  They're for the devout.  For ex, I just overheard a couple of girls geek out: "Oh, there goes a little..wushubashoo..!" *gush* *gush* I obviously missed the last part, but whoever the kid was, she was dressed in orange and white and had a bishop cap.

Wonder Woman I get (though she needs a cardigan).  Poison Ivy, too.  Power Girl...  Costumes can be sexist, read here (in fact there's a whole panel I'll likely miss about geek girls.  Reminds me of this article that was hot about 6 months ago all about self-objectification and how geeks disinclude girls due to their sexism.)  Cat ears, silver and black bustier, tall boots?  Huh?  Jack Sparrow.  But random black and white guy with cowl?  Zombies are huge too.  And this brings in even more crossover...the haunted houses.  The Legendary Dungeon of Doom has a zombie/witch, with her mouth propped open on by a chrome device...all on top of an uncomfortable dual-foot stilt get-up that is as confounding as it is truly terrifying.  2 girls sat by me: orange hair, gold disc belt, black jumpsuit and red sash belt, black teddy, and lone ranger mask.  They were talking about gaming.  Exclusively.  I was really curious about their motivation, why they wear the costumes, (who they were supposed to be), etc, etc, etc.  But I didn't want to creep them out by asking a bunch of questions.  Whether it's empowering, it's not my place to judge.  Have fun kids.

Oh dear, improv!  What a collection of nerdiness.  As I type, they've actually announced that they are the Nerdalogues.  Nerdism is the thing here.  There's a Nerd City booth.  I know this because it's next door to the ALA booth.  Chris Hardwick is the star of c2e2 this year, funny stand-up (which is how he's on my radar) and he's making a small industry of it...

c2e2 2012: Wonder Twin Powers Activate - The Library/Retailer Relationship

Toby Greenwalt, Skokie,
Suggested comics -- Stumptown, King City, Big Questions, Darth Vader and Son, We3, 20th Century Boys, Bye Bye Babylon, WWIII Illustrated, The 99, Arab in America, Hookah Girl, Paying for It...

Trends -- Manga is going down.  Tokyopop closed.  Walking Dead is huge.  Generally, though, graphic novels outcirc traditional genres.  Less title, but better quality, more complexity.

How to Buy -- Increase copy depth (2,3 or 4 copies of Walking Dead, Avengers, Batman, etc.)

Partnership -- Graphic novels are a great tool for reluctant readers.  Libraries send customers over.  Helps the industry.  Having libraries stock GN's legitimizes the art form.  Share programming.  They don't have to be down the street.  The retailer will be hungry to work with you.  Administration may be hesitant...

Should libraries be teaming up with commercial interests?  They are strong, local user communities.  Comic store kids will become library kids.  Great tool for collection development.  Stores hip us to new things.  Buying from a local business beats saving a few bucks on Amazon.  Blanket ordering helps to take away selection time.  Get an "approval plan," get billed, no taxes, etc.  Book store will do RA, tell you what not to buy.  Ultimately, savings??

How to buy -- Traditional journals don't keep track.  Keep a spreadsheet.  Diamond bookshelf covers everything coming out.
Or the bookstore will work within your parameters, build you a list, etc.  Being able to see books can be helpful.  A trust relationship...which leads to SRP prizes.

Programming -- Great contact for creative community.  Hermits will go through comic book store before they will go through library.  Good mediators.  1st Saturday in May is always Free Comic Book Day, can contact the store or them directly.  Author signings, we provide the space while they provide the talent.  Involving kids in creating comics, can use artists.   Manga Studio EX at Skokie's Digital Media Lab.  Single-issue book discussions, bought just for the discussion.

Issues -- Digital content.  Nothing for comics yet.  Josh Elder's getting some content up soon, we have been told...though it's not searchable yet.  Industry has its ups and downs.  We are clueless, but free to push for a better solution.
We can provide support to Intellectual Freedom issues.

The future -- local content, creative commons.  Collection can reflect the community.  We need to get out in the community, make sure everyone knows we've established the library as public presence...comic book stores can help.

c2e2 2012: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Library

Gene Ambaum & Bill Barnes, librarians who are also cartoonists of Unshelved.

Reading is good no matter what kids read.

Book talks should also be about books kids want to read Preacher is a modern-day War and Peace for middle school kids!

Unshelved Book Club has has tons of guest artists, full page cartoons advertise book clubs nicely, helps kids to pick up Between a Rock and a Hard Place.  Here's a fuller list, since it's not easy to find.

The Homeless can be funny -- most of the situations have happened in their library, like the homeless person who lived in the ceiling.

A lot of people don't get their cartoons.  Even regular readers.  This was a tough, but hilarious one.  Easy for men to relate to.

Universal is that people are the same all over, no matter the library, country, etc.  Many libraries have had books returned with bacon as a bookmark.

Budget Cuts -- "for a good time call" on the bathroom wall to get hashmarks on those reference sheets during "sweeps week."

The History of the Bookmobile

From 1850's horse-drawn carriages to rolling job-readiness vehicles, Bookmobiles continue to serve a vital need -- hit 'em where they live. 

Read the article here.

PLA 2012: The State of Ebooks in Public Libraries and Publishing

Katie Dunneback LOC
Jessica Moyer, University of Wisconsin
Publishers are doing bad things.  Overdrive marks up their prices quite a bit.  Ebsco has a new ebook service, fair pricing scheme, they bought out NetLibrary.

Have purchasing habits of ebooks changed in last 6 months?
We buy more, I think.  Harper Collins still sells to libraries.  3M is hopeful.  People feel stuck in Overdrive due to the purchased content.  ILS and ebook companies blame each other for lack of compatibility.  We feel like they may trick us into thinking we can keep content and then switch to not offering that to new libraries after we see them be nice to a few to attract us.  We're leery to buy much because it's so cumbersome, slow, and changing so much.  More ebooks than audio.  Circulating readers.  Should we get video?  Reference titles bought outside of Overdrive.  Low-comfort titles, such as GLBT, erotica, etc.  Hard to move money around sometimes.  Getting same materials, but in eformats.  Suggestions via email vs. Overdrive's "want it now" button, libraries get percentage of the sale.  No one will sell us the products we want.  Ingram's just starting.  3M's fully integrated, very viable.

What do We Imagine Would Be the Perfect Model for ebooks?
Instant access to everyone.  Publishers won't sell.  The Digital Content and Libraries Working Group from ALA is hopeful.  As is Library Renewal.  Overdrive's "buy it now" links to a list.  Remove all the friction, that publishers want it to be difficult.  Freading takes .50 to $2 per title.  But no big 6.  No selection necessary.  Stocking and circulating readers.  300 nooks/kindles by genre lent out to patrons.  Very gray copyright area.  B & T has a popular lease program.  Could be like that, with some selection.  Hoopla is Midwest's AV streaming, soon to be downloading just for music, audiobooks, movies.  Or pay the database subscription rate yearly.  Universal file format vs. the Wild West, which it is now.  More ease of use.  Less phone reference on this stupid problem. 

Contract law, not copyright law, applies to ebooks, intangible items.  Why things are so crazy.  Librarians understand this better than the layman.  As a country, we may be too diverse to legislate this on a large scale initially (this is why education recently got worse), though ALA could help getting copyright reform to favor libraries.  The publishers shouldn't be sued, the multimedia CEO's need to be attacked.  The Dept of Justice lawsuit is scaring publishers.  But it may not have a lasting impact.

We can all advocate to publishers directly: "thanks for the show, I really like your books, I want to buy them for my patrons.  How."

PLA 2012 Backstage Pass to Concerts at Your Library!

Kelly Bennett, Derndale, MD
Kevin King, Kalamazoo, MI
Wesley Stace (aka John Wesley Harding)


Kelly Bennett, Derndale, MD / Kevin King, Kalamazoo, MI
KPL: big budget   ....   FPL: tiny budget

Why Concerts?
PLA 18 service areas, community chose 5, one was reading, viewing, listening for pleasure.  Hard to connect with 20's & 30's without kids.  Tap local musicians, friends come to see them, get cards, connect to services.  Get into local scene, pick up CD's, get acts to test out work in front of sober, nice test audience.  Can also bring children.  Elderly people also come, sit in back, enjoy, huge fans. Exposing young people to quality, local music, may become musicians.  Raises "cool" factor.  Monthly show attracts huge crowd of regulars in "listening room" environment.  Afterhours shows can be louder, but daytime can bring a nice, mellow vibe.  Hipsters/musicians enjoy unique venue.

Where/What
Cram people in.  70 at FPL, 170 at FPL.  Variety, make it fun.  FPL does rock, KPL does something more mellow. FPL does small acts.  KPL has hosted Justin Townes Earle, but mostly locals.

Musicians vs. Authors
Author visits highlight books and concerts to highlight.  It may have to use a booking agency, make an offer.  Look for what's already playing, if they want to stop over.  Be in the music scene, talk to people, personal connection gets acts.  Eventually, they start coming to you.  Be consistent: 3rd Weds of every month, First Stop Friday, etc.  Providing another venue, when others are disappearing will get not only locals, but local musicians talking: "have you played the library yet?  They treat you very well."

National vs. Local
National: potential for larger audience, more attention for library, higher costs, booking agents, contracts and riders.  "Routing gigs" have hotel costs, 1/3 or 1/10 of what a musician would normally get.  Riders can be strange just to make sure people read them.  Most are sound needs, fresh towels, water.  Some can be urban legendary.  Agents need to talk to someone who knows what he or she is doing, agents "like to talk dirty" and don't like to "pussyfoot" (JWH's words).  Give them a reason to do it.
Local: connection to scene, hipster cred, providing musicians a venue, not always professional (best to set ground rules before hand: "no drinking on grounds."

Promotion
Press release (early!), concert poster, social media, area calendars, what can I get the musicians to do?, music blog, word of mouth.

Pre-concert Prep
PA ($200) & Sound Engineer ($175), staff (1 person + volunteer(s)), room size, library open or closed?, set load in and sound check times (coordinate with sound person to be set up first), room set-up & lighting, merch table, "Green Room" (AV closet), refreshments, recording the concert, security (good to have available).

Concert Day!
Before/During: Load-in/soundcheck/set up gear, parking, food & drink, room set-up/chairs, volunteers, introductions, social media during concert (Tweet/FB at soundcheck to promote, also during show)
After: Sell merch, clean up/assist break down, performer feedback, post-publicity (website--Youtube channel).

Costs
$3-500 or $100 per person + travel, publicity, PA & Sound Engineer, refreshments, giveaways.  Or free (+ travel, publicity, PA & Sound Engineer, refreshments) for acts trying out new stuff, if you're FPL.

John Wesley Harding
His website.  NPR will be hosting a music/book combination.  Was offered to do a gig one night and a reading the next day.  Makes it much more attractive sans the money.  Then he performed a song called "I Cant Make Love to Bob Dylan."  A lot like Robyn Hitchcock.  "I can't get it on with Blonde Upon Blonde," best line.

PLA 2012 Social Networking, Gaming, and Summerreading.org

Vikki Terrile, Queens NY

Andrea Vaughn, Brooklyn, NY

Andrew Wilson, NYPL

Andrew Wilson, NYPL

Will be available very soon as an open-source Drupal code, before 2012, Flightpath did many of the updates, and can develop it. 

 Started in 2005 w/grant from the Wallace Foundation, for kids, teens, and adults.  2010, revamped, put in Drupal platform in-house at NYPL.  Log items, write reviews to get badges.  Avatars, badges, Google map of branches.  Avatar was so real name never showed on screen, auto-generated a three word phrase: “fantastic blue fox,” ex. all to protect identity.   Avatar creator was very popular.

Front/User End

Automatic Book Logging – from collection to ILS.  So they didn’t have to type each item, could choose to display it in profile or not.   All from circ scanning a barcode into the website.  If something was misspelled or simply not held, it could still be entered into the website.

First question on log-in was how much was read since last log-in.  Second was finding what you’re looking for, linked to Worldcat, which would link it to branch of choice.  Third was entering badge code, “read25” was reading to others.  Administrators could give them out too.  “Trigger” badges automatically gave badges...first book, fifth book, review (if liked, bonus), if you liked a review, etc.  Librarians could create badges if they thought of something new.   Safety warning with each review box.  Filtered reviews for inappropriate material with keywords.  Also, patron could report something they didn’t like.  Every one had to be approved, though.

Read Down Your Fines – Reading goals/hours would lead to a badge and a clearance of fines.

Certificate Maker – It pulled up number of books, hours, badges, time reading, etc.  Great to show teacher at end of summer.

Large Avatar – Print and hang up on the wall.  Bookmarks had avatars.  Inspired curiosity and promotion.

Back End

Registrants, books logged, media logged, badges won, hours spent reading.  And could be configured to show just a branch or full system.

Drupal form for badge creation would make badge available for everyone.  A new one was a book log, picture books read at story time.  All 10 ISBN’s were attached to “Picturebook25” and every registered kid would get those books logged just for being at the storytime.  Around 100 badges.

Summary List – Birth-5, 6-12, 12-17, then adults were the age groups.   Shows ages, reviews, can link to them, like them if no one’s doing that.  Etc.  Can also see popular titles.  Also, statistical breakdowns – showed what kind of info was in there and what was being inputted, helped to show what may need a promotional push.

Messaging Feature – Branch could send messages to all users.  Great to publicize programs.  Only appropriate to branch, age range (?).  Also system messages.  Expired when no longer relevant.

Different permission levels – admins could do more than branch staff. 

At schools – passed out papers with pertinent information asked for.  Gave them log in based on part of last and first name.  They were signed up, would log in to create and change profile, etc.

Vikki Terrile, Queens NY

3 separate library systems, 1 giant school system.  They work related.  But not totally together.  Very confusing for patrons.  Collaborating on SRP helped to make appropriate for unique patrons (160 languages spoken here!)

Outreach: schools, preschools/daycare, street fiars, clinics/hospital waiting rooms, family shelters, the beach (gave away beach towels.  Table outside subway, sign them up on the street.

In-library: SRP registration = advocacy (coincides with time of year, when fighting budget cuts, tell users that the numbers show community support), piggyback programs on summer meals, grant funded MLS-level interns, traditional summer reading club meetings.

Andrea Vaughn, Brooklyn, NY

2.5 mil residents, 60 million residents.  Celebration of reading, prize drawings, not based on amount read.

Print board -- stickers put on gameboard.  Flat Panda  -- another badge for making this fun craft, and taking it on subway, to Maine, etc.

Sign-up form -- First Name, last name, birthday, age category.  Use name and birthday to create unique username.  Spanish on reverse.  Print on demand in 7 other languages.

Cooperations -- RIF, Yankees, Favorite Libraries. Badges and outreach in one.

Outreach -- Powerpoint created so community leaders could show it to their groups.  Demo'd to school librarians, sent info to schools to be included in digital info, email blasts to parents, etc.

Adds terrifically to what's already there, doesn't replace traditional SRP.

PLA 2012 Plan Once, Deliver Nineteen Times: A Centralized Programming Model

Daisy Porter, San Jose PL

Diverse, Large Population

10^th biggest in the US, 19 locations.  Educational Priorities from United Way: Finance, Parenting, Culture, Literacy, Health, Community.  Each location decided which to do.   2604 programs each quarter, 40% done once.  18 hrs/month planning, 8 hrs marketing, 13 hours/month programming…3 hrs/month planning, 2 hrs doing outreach.  44 hrs/month for FT librarian doing programming and outreach.

Plan Once Deliver 19 Times

6 people in programming unit.  Called UPS for some reason.  Wanted generalists to do all ages & types.  40% of programs are “in a box” actual or virtual.  Passport to the United Libraries of America was a craft box that was sent to each branch.  Box helps people who know nothing about crafts to do this fun, easy program.  Teen notebook design.  Virtual – Teen Talent Show…script for MC, marketing, sign-up sheets, etc.  Each branch had own show.  Grand winner at Main.  22% of programs are delivered by volunteer experts.  9% are delivered by community partners  (orgs).  5% were delivered by UPS staff. 3% by paid for by performers.  These are paid for by Friends.  Branches still deliver 21% of their programs, ramping that down this year.

Try it once, turn it into a program in a box next.
Now has moved to reference unit.  19 more librarians, more clerical staff.  UPS staff can also cover the reference desk.  

Librarians choose the books, tape how to do fingerplays, order puppets, and so forth.  Only put books in the boxes that are already circulating.

How to Get Them Around

Use routing crates.  They use 40, so each branch could have 2—in case routing fails.  Which cost $50.  Worth not damaging equipment.  They travel with regular delivery.

In a Box

15-20 books, all storytimes have same theme for week.  Enough to not repeat books.  CD of popular storytime music.  Flannel board pieces, stickers.  Rubber ducks (for bath time).  Biggest problem, pieces got lost.  Now they're sent back to main for checking first.

Letting Branches Choose
Menu created of what's available, they can choose what they want.  Titles, categories.  An additional document outlines what each entails.  Now they're merged.  Terrific looking doc: prog title, stay & play? Room,Beginning Date, Repeats, Start time are the columns.  Planning for 2 months allows performer to visit every branch over that period.

Buy In
Meeting (PDAT...) allowed managers to bring concerns, ideas, etc.  Also, feedback survey forms (Zoomerang) include staff feedback, including feedback on the boxes and every element, like "The Walter Puppet didn't work.  No one sang "Man or Muppet."

Promotion
Flatscreen by checkout promotes new programs.  Twitter and Facebook promote all programs.  Blog has staff writing about programs.

Brooke Ballard, Teen Librarian San Antonio Public Library
Has used programs in a box for teens.  Teens want to talk about what they want and will come to your programs more if they help create them.  2 weeks of programs in each box.  Movie night has all info.  5 boxes so far.  Part timers use them because they don't have time to put into developing programs.

PLA 2012: Read/Watch/Discuss: Book and Film Programs in the Library

A presentation Kaite Stover from Kansas City Public Library and myself.  192 attendees, 80 discussion.  We ran over time and 15 people stuck around to wait in line with questions.  So it must have gone better than I thought!  Bonus, a tweet about me: "Russ Wxxds ‏ @bat_areas Alan Jacobson from oak park public library gave some great tips on how he gets people to leave the room after a film discussion. #pla12"


Special thanks to Kaite for thinking of me for this.  It was really nice to share what I do...and to watch a seasoned pro do the same.  

Lots of notes, including the PowerPoint can be found here.  Anyone interested in getting more info, please leave a comment or be in touch: libraralan at gmail dot com.

PLA 2012 Starting a Foreign Language Book Discussion Group in Your Library

Starting a Foreign Language Book Discussion Group in Your Library

Wendy Pender, KCLS

Jose Garcia, KCLS

Chinese Book Discussion

Genesis

Huge Chinese storytime, 70 kids. What can we do to outreach to this community for adults?

Facilitator

You won’t have complete control.  Different culture, way of talking to each other.  Cultivate partnerships.

A page led the discussions.  She had formerly taught psychology in China.  She had to be approached, email was best so they could get it interpreted.  She trained in with other groups.  She’s now created a community with the book discussion folks.

You may get a spouse.  Be very open.  You don’t know what you don’t know.  Ask around, “where else would you suggest.”  She would have friends “translate.”

No politics.  No religion.

Selection

Chinese books for Chinese readers.  Scholarly books might be our tack, better to select things people actually want to read.  Make friends with whoever’s buying materials.  This will help you to get things from outside of the normal channels.  Have to work within the confines of the system.  Elicit selector’s help.  Hard to add books to the system, need someone who knows the language, can be slow.  Vendors can help to get things across to you.  Get business cards from vendors to share with selection officer.  Also, patrons can help with finding & selecting materials that make more sense to the program.

Funding

The foundation center.org is a terrific resource.  Grants. 

Success/I’m Here for a Better Life

15 people per discussion.  Every book goes.  Self-perpetuating, very little work for coordinator to do.  In mainland China, it’s illegal to convene, discuss ideas.  Calling it a “reading group” was an important distinction because no one would be there to “report” on disagreements.  They were super appreciative.  Testimonials are helpful, if they won’t come and talk, you can speak for them.

Mexican American Book Discussion

1-2% leisure reading in Mexico.   Carries over to here.

Huge populations who see the library as after-school daycare, nothing useful to them otherwise.

Starting

Surveys became scrap paper.  Made community contacts – schools, churches, merchants.  Took a year or so.  Email word of mouth worked to individuals and organizations.  Professionals and moms responded.

Grant

Got an ALA grant for classic titles, Isabel Allende type of stuff.  Can get letters of support and put quotes from them and comment cards into grant applications.

Discussion

5-6 people, met in library, had them write down questions on paper, threw it in a hat.  In time, people wanted to learn about the immigrant experience and politics.  Jorge Ramos was a big hit as a Univision anchor who ‘s written about this.  Very big discussion.

Materials

Audiobooks help.  Also, oral stories can be a terrific conversation.  Less intimidating, can form community, be introduced to library resources.   There is no central place for Spanish language best sellers.  Also, solicit ideas from patrons…get to what they want to read – conversation groups can be a good forum.

Circulation

Was able to bring the books out, put them on display so they can actually circulate.  Increased demand which lifted numbers for the group as well.

Slowly…

Eventually was able to see the numbers rise in all aspects of usership.  Circulation numbers on the collection were quantifiable proof.

PLA 2012 Getting eContent to your Customers: Challenges, Best Practices, and Solutions

Alan Inouye

Digital Content and Ebooks, Happenings and Thoughts beyond the Library Walls

Recent Phenomenon – The Internet is only 20 years old.  Mass adoption of eBooks is only in the last few years.

Collections – We used to have total control, now we share control.  We no longer choose all the eBooks.  We can’t always access it.  We can’t archive it.  Privacy, the borrowing records and what they’re reading is under someone’s control.

We have to collaborate, be flexible, understand that we’ll be in a totally different place in 5 years.

Revisit Your Mission – Should drive lending practices, we have skills, expertise, reputational capital, thousands of outlets.  Work to our strengths to serve communities.

Digital Content in Libraries Initiative – To create systematic process for digital content…

Direct Communication with Publishers.  Met with 5 publishers.  Delegation is meeting with different intermediaries.  Communication will dirve to mutually agreeable solution.

Tom Peters

Revolution! More than getting just the big 6 publishers to sell/lease their stuff to us.

Multiple Concurrent Revolutions

7 billion people, 6 billion cell phones.  90% of us.

eContent focuses on experiences rather than products.  Why bookselling is dying.

Reading -- will it ever become collaborative.  Will authors change what they do?

Settle Old Scores

Many publishers never liked the library lending model.  Many tech companies don't care about us.

Libraries Over-purchased Print

Inneficiencies, flaws, in print distribution system, no cooperative collection development.

Basic Affordance of eContent

It has the pure potential to become an absolutely non-rivalrous public good.  Unlimited perfect copies to evryone anytime anywhere where 1 person's use doesn't preclude another's.  But when.

eReader is a Complete Thing

Content, reading device, place etc.

Stakeholders

Authors & Readers, says Amazon.  There must be an intermediary.

Goodbye, Big 6 Hello Big 3 (Maybe 4)

Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, and Google Books.

Can they thrive by selling exclusively to end users with few sales to libraris and other instutions.  How will this affect distribution?

Where Should Libraries Focus?

Get rid of that hold list!

Best Bets for Libraries

Protest/boycott.  Talk with publishers, etailers.  Sue?  Legislate may be the answer, since libraries are important for a democratic society.

Developments

CALIFA is doing an owned-in-perpetuity eBook service, like Douglas County.

US Dept of Justice Threatened Lawsuit vs the big 5/6 and Apple.

Lisa Hickman, Dzanc Books

Challengers:
eBook Acquisition, hosting, and delivery.  3 nightmares.

Ownership

Buying eBooks -- circ control, ability to move to different platforms, integrate to catalog, preserve them, cost effective, positive user experience.

Leasing eBooks -- More expensive.  Ease of integration when someone else receives, catalogs, and delivers eBook.  Contract expiration means books may disappear.

Distribution

OverDrive, 3M Cloud, Freading, My Library.  Patron checkout from anywhere, eBooks, removed automatically.  Lease only.

Problems

Personal information demanded, frequent website crashes, long waits, expensive for libraries, circulation & cost not regulated.

eBooks in 2011

35 million checked out, 17 million holds, eBook sales exceeded books, 17% increase in sales.

2009 2%, 2010 5%, 2011-2012 29% increase in ownership.  

eBook circulation is increasing while print is declining (17% in Douglas County)

Publishers & Libraries want to get books to the reader.  Libraries help sell books (10,000 people clicked on "buy now" link that Douglas County is trying out)  50% of users go onto purchase books by author they were introduced to in the library (LJ)

Publishers Can Be Distributors

Everyone is in crisis.  We need to get together and work this out.

Dzanc distributes directly to library.  Own content, integrate titles, contracts based on need, all devices, cost effective.  Works out well for publisher with "buy now" and they automatically increase copies in holds.

Michael Porter, Library Renewal 

Complicated Questions!

Communities need libraries, we need technology.  The majority of consumption will be electronic in the coming decades.  How can we provide and provide a place to create content.  We could be on the verge of renaissance.  

We need new solutions that are practical and it has to come soon.  We want to help.  We just need to know what to do.  Apply what we already do to a new milieu.  We could help create a new infrastructure, and be in control of it.  Has to tie into mission, honor budget.  

We need transparency, control, effective leadership...all leading to an elegant, intuitive, low maintenance interface for acquisitions, access, and distribution...pricing and licensing fairness that is clear and flexible.  We need something as good as Amazon & Netflix.  Urgently.

Get in touch with Library Renewal to lead, control, and implement a solution for this.  Lots of volunteers, board, outside experts (legal, tech, business, etc.)  Market analysis for fair pricing.  Etc!  Library eContent Alliance.

Q&A

Can Libraries Get directly to authors?  Maybe so, research shows that authors want to work with libraries and would actually get more money/book this way.  Publishers are agents of discovery and insist on DRM, which we could cohesively approach from an educational platform.  Some providers are becoming publishers, like Amazon.

Where are the Reviews?  Dzanc has reviews for each title.  But this is a problem.

Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore won this award.   And it's terrific.  One of the Youtube commenter put it well: "We all start out writing our life's story, Then all at once some event comes along that shake things up, For a time, we mourn the loss of what we had, But then we rediscover ourselves, We find our true place in the world, And finally we begin to write a story that we are most proud of, We share our lives, And enrich the lives of those around us, Until finally, we've come full circle, And we make a confident exit, Leaving behind a legacy of our own."  All about helping people appreciate reading, books, and life.  My favorite scene, where he floats away on the string of books. I guess the company that made this is based out of Texas.  Here's a nice piece on them.

My Article on Displays

Published in American Libraries this month talking about displays, and more specifically Good 2 Go 4 Grownups, the mixed-media display of adult material I maintain in the children's department.

I have really fine tuned it to the point where I feel like the right materials are in the right place for the right people.  But it could always be improved.  I really think tacos would also help things move.

Article here.

Local Interview with Library Film Presenters

Thanks to Meredith Morris of The Oak Leaves for a terrific representation of what we try to do in our film discussions at the library.  I just hope I got across two things: how incredible our volunteer film scholar (and co-interviewee) Doug Deuchler is and how happy I am that I have administration's support to continue developing quality film programs for our terrific patrons.  Wednesday's Winter's Bone discussion attracted 35 people.  And we usually have a half-dozen screenings and discussions every month.

Awful Library Books Best of 2011!

I love this blog and will share as often as I can think of it.  Their recap of the years best/worst is especially fun.