The State of America's Libraries

It's been released by the American Library Association. Read it here. Most folks look to it for the top ten challenged or banned books, posted below:

Out of 464 challenges as reported by the Office for Intellectual Freedom

1. Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey.
   Reasons: Offensive language, unsuited for age group
2. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie.
   Reasons: Offensive language, racism, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
3. Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher.
   Reasons: Drugs/alcohol/smoking, sexually explicit, suicide, unsuited for age group
4. Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James.
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
5. And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.
   Reasons: Homosexuality, unsuited for age group
6. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini.
   Reasons: Homosexuality, offensive language, religious viewpoint, sexually explicit
7. Looking for Alaska, by John Green.
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit, unsuited for age group
8. Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
   Reasons: Unsuited for age group, violence
9. The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
   Reasons: Offensive language, sexually explicit
10. Beloved, by Toni Morrison
    Reasons: Sexually explicit, religious viewpoint, violence.

Service Excellence in Your Library

Timberland Regional Library

Kate Laughlin, presenter

1. Why? We have a lot of trainings, but none on "customer service" -- which is our main focus.

Competition -- we're not the only game in town, days of the stern shusher are over. Hope, from Neil Gaiman: “Google can bring you back 100,000 answers, a librarian can bring you back the right one.”

Customers are everyone: patrons*, staff, vendors, publishers, citizen non-users, etc. A continuum.

*one who supports and uses an institution -- a very special term. 

Service sense of humor, multitasking, motivation to service, openness, follow-through, openness and fascination with general public.

2. Attitudes & Motivation

Attitudes prior life/work experience, upbringing, coworkers (good or bad), boss/mgmt, diet & exercise (mental & physical health), organizational culture, personality (intro vs extrovert, cultural origin), training, feedback, trauma/joy, and community (involvement & norms--some will approve a levy, some not).

Motivation self-awareness--to do a good job or just "collecting the paycheck," pride, empathy, praise/recognition, patron feedback/building relationships, new projects, mentors, lifelong learner, etc.

3. Service Excellence messages people get from us: 38% is paraverbal, 55% is non verbal, 7% is verbal (Mehrabian) get that "human touch" in there, smile in your voice over the phone, etc. Exemplary servers: TRL, this group can't stop talking about Zappos, which I've learned sells shoes. Also mentioned: Starbucks, Les Schwab, Costco, Massage Envy, Kohl's, AAA, Geico, Whole Foods/Trader Joe's, auto parts & hardware stores (little ones), honesty (what we offer vs sales), building rapport vs. "bait & switch," social media can help humanize online presences, learning names, knowing & caring about each other. And most of these places treat their employees well. Three aspects:

inspire top-down, management, policy/procedure must be nailed down, hire that service nature, fire those who don't show it (Zappos offers a $4k separation for employees who aren't fitting). Clear values, service principles, policies, procedures.

***Burlington PL offers 1 hr/wk for self-directed learning, staff bring up what they've learned at meetings.

buy-in each person, team has shared values and conduct and works with flexibility and being reasonable in meetings and day-to-day.

support internal service from tech services, etc. frees us to do the above things.

4. The Customer Experience

Approachability eye contact, smile, greeting, open posture, attentiveness (vs. working on something), roaming (OTB* even just with eyes), physical space/non-barricade (remove obstacles!), full attention given, humor, hygiene (strong odor), open door/signage, clear and open lines of communication, site navigation.

*Off The Butt, never sit for more than 15 min. at a time. Good for internal morale, workshopping, etc.

Acknowledgement  Knowing name "Skipper Bob," rewards (like SRP), prompt appropriate communication (can skip the niceties when rapport established internal/external), saying "what an interesting question"/validation, listen attentively, courteous professionalism ("thanks for coming in,") busting misperceptions ("Excuse me but, can I ask a question...THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE FOR*), reading people (whether they want detailed RA or just a quick in/out, "read the mood"), assume goodwill/see the best potential in everyone, responding to difficult situations with a thank you, customer comment form, well-wishes "have a good afternoon," emphasize that there are no dumb questions.

*Sign above library service desk: "Our job is to be interrupted."

Key Elements*
*flexibility/adaptability is key in everything 

Courtesy/Respect confidentiality, let patron know you heard them/listen actively/empathy, P's & Q's, nonjudgmental openness.

Reliability/Consistency staff support--equal training/footing, standard, reasonable, and updated policy/procedures, current techniques, materials, services, prompt follow-through, honesty & trust, answer the phone the same way.   

The extra mile/going above & beyond

cross-trained/thoroughly knowledgeable, OTB, anticipate needs, "+1" recommending a database in addition to the book just checked out aka exceed expectations/knowledgeable.

5. Consistency of Service

Interpreting Policy with Service Excellence as Goal

Clear Limits checkouts, computer use, fines, meeting room use, copies/prints, clarity is key. 

Variable Limits unattended child policy (intentionally fuzzy in RCW), annoyance policy "creating a  disturbance," service animals*, cellphone usage, exception cannot become the rule -- this is when you have to revisit the policy or talk to an employee about enforcing policy & procedure.

*don't need to be marked, can approach say "pets aren't allowed in the library," if they reply that it's a service animal, the conversation's over. Service animals need to obey rules of conduct, if barking, attacking, etc. they can be asked to leave. NEVER ask for medical reason, can ask what service the animal provides, but that gets people defensive. The goal is service excellence, not "busting the perp." PTSD is common for service animals.

6. Service Obstacles

Can be personal don't like kids, hard of hearing, racism/rudeness from patrons, ADD/multitasking, etc.

Can be institutional space, tech, vice, losing patrons, discouragement, work on most pressing first.

Can it be expressed to each other? can we tell tech services that we need something differently? Admin? You may need to step in as a supervisor or talk to a supervisor.

7. Service Strengths

from colleagues electronic/IT, affability, graphic design/creativity, intuitive teamwork (knowing the situation & people makes this possible), complimentary strengths (use knowledge to become collectively stronger), back-up, children's RA, storytimes, etc.

from organization many: friendly, quick, well-oiled smilers, community center, etc, etc...

World's Largest Atlas

I've always loved maps. I have a feeling I could get lost in this one for hours. Literally. Measuring 6 by 9 feet, "Earth Platinum" has broken the world record for world's biggest atlas.

Check out the article here.

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...