I spend a lot of time thinking about how to prepare my staff and community for change. I’m a big believer in trust, transparency, feedback, and letting the experts be the experts. As a trained librarian I wonder if we don’t give our profession enough credit for how intrepid we have been in the past and certainly can still be. For example, the MARC record would have never been introduced unless someone had realized that computing could greatly improve the way we locate and share resources. The Gates Foundation chose public libraries as early adopters of the personal computer because of their mission to equitable access to information.

I don’t believe library employees are any more reluctant to change than they ever have been before. I believe change-reluctance is human nature and as leaders we should always factor that reality into our plans. One way to address reluctance is to be clear that a new idea is not a judgment on past success or failure. An article by Rosabeth Moss Kanter from the Harvard Business Review states, “When change involves a big shift of strategic direction, the people responsible for the previous direction dread the perception that they must have been wrong. Leaders can help people maintain dignity by celebrating those elements of the past that are worth honoring, and making it clear that the world has changed. That makes it easier to let go and move on.”²

Change is simply an evolution of our current situation, whatever that may be. When we take good past practice and combine it with current technology and opportunities, we make something even better. This is something libraries have been doing well for a long time, and isn’t any different now. It’s time we brand ourselves as the innovators we have always been. Let’s reclaim this narrative and tell our story of transformation. We’ve done it before.

References

1. “From Change Management to Change-Ready Leadership,” Leading From the Library, Library Journal, Leading from the Library, Steven Bell, March 1, 2018, accessed 5/7/2018.

2. “Ten Reasons People Resist Change,” Harvard Business Review, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, September 25, 2012.

The post We Are Never Not Changing first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

I have seen some innovative things in libraries such as seed lending, tie lending, RFID tags, and 3D printing, but I have yet to see anything like this.  While it resembles a car wash, it does not use soap or water, but rather spinning brushes and air to wipe away dust and debris that have made a home on a book’s surface. A book is placed at one end of the machine and is gently pulled through a maze of whirling parts. Potential allergens and opaque, grimy dust is whisked away, and soon after the book emerges from the other end clean and refreshed. I had my doubts, but there is a noticeable difference between a cleaned book and one that has not been cleaned.

So, why would anyone want to regularly dust books in a library’s collection? Dusting books can help alleviate allergy symptoms for sensitive patrons and staff, and can also help increase the life of the book. Recently I read an article on cleaning books with disinfectant wipes as they are returned to the library. The idea was to prevent patrons from contacting unwanted animal dander and other allergens carried over from the previous borrower. For libraries currently using this technique, a book-cleaning machine might be something to consider (if you can afford the hefty price tag).

The Boston Public Library has commented that it does not use its book car wash to clean rare materials; it is mainly used for books without dustjackets. I can see where cleaning rare books with brittle and chipped binding could be problematic. Spinning brushes are not a good thing to have near fragile, delicate objects. The Boston Public Library also said that books are cleaned when they are loaned or copied. This makes sense, especially for digitization preparation. When making a copy of material, you want to make sure that its condition is optimal. Removing dust from a volume allows the library to make a more quality copy than one that is obscured by a coating of dust.

See the library’s video of the machine here.

The post Boston Public Library’s Book Wash Machine first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

1. : the introduction of something new
2. : a new idea, method, or device : novelty

Library Journal Editorial Director Rebecca T. Miller recently called on the library community to share library innovations. She observed the need for organizational commitment for innovation to succeed. Promoting innovation takes a conscious decision to change our management structures and organizational cultures. Below are a few ways companies are sparking creativity. Try one of these concepts at your library and see what new ideas you can ignite.

Changing focus to allow time for play and creativity is essential to creating an innovative workplace. Daniel Pink’s book Drive showed people who work on cognitive tasks are more motivated by autonomy and a sense of purpose than financial rewards. The Renaissance Society of America posted a summary on this topic: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us.

Other industries are successfully using these strategies. The Minneapolis-based technology company Clockwork has a human-centered approach allowing them to meet the needs of both their customers and staff. Known as a “Best Place to Work in America,” Clockwork allows staff to work when and how best meets their personal needs so long as the work gets done. Being a place people want to come to work is a key strategy they are using to meet their goals and to retain quality people. Australian tech company Atlassian allows staff members to use 20 percent of their time to work on any project they want with anyone they choose. The only catch is they need to share the results. This approach has helped them to become profitable and also a company that is recognized as a best place to work.

While libraries may not be able to offer this much unstructured time and keep the desk covered, the concept of free time is one we can use. Rather than scheduling a meeting for discussion, take some down time to think creatively with others.

Changing how we interact with each other is also key to becoming more innovative. The Second City recently published a book on improvisation called “Yes, And.” The company has taken improvisation off the stage and into the workplace to help companies transform their thinking. Improv theater relies on the performers being able to take another person’s ideas and transform them into comedy. The principle of “yes, and…” helps improv groups move a performance forward. The book describes how “yes, but…” thinking can kill an idea before it really develops. Try this in your next brainstorming session to see what a difference this way of thinking can make.

Expecting people to fail seems counter to improving library services. However, having a safe place to fail is important in fostering innovation. “Fail fast” is an entrepreneurial strategy used to pilot new ideas to see whether they will work. Failure is not a typical librarian goal. However, trying something new without being judged beforehand is important in fostering creativity. After all, fail just stands for “first attempt in learning.” If we, as librarians, are not learning, we are failing to grow in our profession.

Innovation is not only a catchy buzzword, but it is also a vital role libraries need to play as information intermediaries and creative spaces for the public. We owe it to our patrons and communities to foster our creativity to continue to offer relevant services.

Further reading

The Library Innovation Toolkit: Ideas, Strategies, and Programs. Edited by Anthony Molaro and Leah L. White. Chicago: ALA Editions, an Imprint of the American Library Association, 2015.

References

“The Best Place To Work In America?” November 14, 2014. Accessed November 27, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d8_lkiH7zs.

Leonard, Kelly, and Tom Yorton. Yes, And: How Improvisation Reverses “no, But” Thinking and Improves Creativity and Collaboration–lessons from the Second City. New York, NY: HarperBusiness, 2015.

Miller, Rebecca T. “Staff as Innovation Leaders: From Great Ideas to Great Implementation.” Library Journal, 016. October 31, 2016. Accessed November 27, 2016. http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2016/10/opinion/editorial/staff-as-innovation-leaders-from-great-ideas-to-great-implementation-editorial/#comments.

Pink, Daniel H. Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2009.

“RSA ANIMATE: Drive: The Surprising Truth about what motivates us.” April 1, 2010. Accessed November 27, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=youtu.be.

The post Make Space to Innovate first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

In library school, they teach you about multicultural librarianship and how to cater to diverse communities. Learning something can only take you so far, however. It is the application portion that is key. Libraries should “recruit Spanish-speaking personnel in all job classifications, i.e. librarians, paraprofessionals, clerical workers and volunteers.”[3] Librarians and library professionals should never underestimate the power of the “door knocking” approach. Get out into the Hispanic speaking community in your area to sit and talk to individuals who wish to have input on the Spanish and bilingual material located in your library; they are stakeholders as well.

Librarians can no longer sit back and wait for Hispanics to provide them with information regarding collection development. Outreach is the answer! Making contacts and connections throughout the community for assistance with this process is an integral part of the collection development process. If this is not accomplished, Hispanics will assume the library does not care about their needs and does not wish to have programs that cater to their community and culture. Whenever possible, advertise and post signage around the library in Spanish. This is a useful tactic that will let Spanish speakers know that the library indeed understands there is a Hispanic community and they are important as well. Social networking is obviously very popular in this digital age, so posting in English and Spanish gets the word out much better than only posting in English. If you do not speak Spanish, use Google Translate. It is a highly resourceful tool that goes a long way.

There are many ways to reach out to the Hispanic community. Do not underestimate the little things and do not assume the Hispanic community does not take notice. As Louis Pasteur once famously said, “Chance favors the prepared mind.”

[1] “Quick Facts Beta: United States,” The United States Census Bureau, accessed November 17, 2015, http://www.census.gov/quickfacts/table/RHI725214/00.

[2] “US now has more Spanish speakers than Spain – only Mexico has More,” The Guardian, accessed November 16, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jun/29/us-second-biggest-spanish-speaking-country.

[3] “Guidelines for Library Services to Spanish-Speaking Library Users,” Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), A Division of the American Library Association, accessed November 18, 2015, http://www.ala.org/rusa/resources/guidelines/guidespanish.

The post Collection Development: Catering to the Hispanic Community first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Retail marketing is often uses this type of information to make many decisions on how or where to place products. It also focuses on where complementary products or impulse purchase products should be placed. It questions whether there is a way to drive customers to high demand products by way of other things. Retail marketing explains why milk and bread tend to be in the back corners of the grocery store. Using some of these same general principles, what can your patrons tell you about your library through their behavior?

What do your dirtiest carpet and rattiest furniture tell you? If you’re in a cold weather climate, where are there white salty circles or carpet that never dries out from snow? In general, your carpet shows wear patterns even if you don’t live in an area with a lot of snow. It shows where patrons stop and how they travel within your building. Those are the places where the dirt never quite comes out no matter how many times it gets cleaned. Should you make sure there are more displays in this area or information about upcoming activities? Is this the place to put the OPAC, if people are already stopping nearby? The same is true of your furniture. Are there permanent indentations in some of the chairs from constant sitting or scratches on tables from where watches and other jewelry bump and scrape? If you know what chair everyone sits in, should you put materials or displays near it? If everyone stops where the new movies are located, do you need even more copies than you’re already buying?

Are there patches of grass that never grow or footprints in one of the flowerbeds? Your patrons are using the outside of your building as well. If everyone stands in the same spot to wait for the building to open, do you want to pave that place instead of trying to grow grass there? Should you purchase a bench? Should you place advertisements for library services there? Do you want to put an “ash can” in a different place because there are always cigarette butts getting caught in the lawnmower? Probably you don’t want to put outdoor signage, no matter how helpful, in the flowerbed that everyone seems to step through as they take a shortcut to the library, but putting pavers there may make life better for everyone involved.

Why do they keep moving the furniture? If you find at the end of most days that there is always a conglomeration of chairs in an area, it’s a good sign that you need to consider reorganizing your furniture or space a different way. Your patrons are congregating in a specific area for a reason. Groups are meeting somewhere. Should you find out why? Is there no other place to gather? Is the material there supporting the purpose of the gathering? Can the library support this group?

Why is this area always a mess? A surefire sign that people are using your materials is that they are in disarray. Do you let things get a little messy just to see what people are using? If things are still in order, then people aren’t using them. Sometimes order hides valuable information you can use. Magazines are a great example. What magazines are all crinkly with issues out of order? Those are the ones people are reading. Where do people leave their piles of materials they have looked at but are not taking home? Are you consistently finding materials from one section of the library being left in a different part of the building? It could be that the messy place has better lighting, more comfortable seating, or a better sightline to watch small children. Is there an array of cell phones strewn somewhere in your building? Does that tell you there needs to be more accessible outlets for people to use? It is frustrating to find your “house” a mess, but it is telling you what your patrons are using.

Most librarians love cleanliness, tidiness, and order. Look at what the absence of these things can tell you. How do you want to integrate what you know about how your patrons use your library into what you are doing at the library?

The post Being a Library Detective first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

One of the great aspects to this program is that not only are they reaching out to young girls, but they are also inspiring the girls’ mothers, providing an opportunity for both generations to learn in a fun environment. This ten-part workshop series provided opportunities to learn about circuits, engineering, architecture, art, and more. Many of the classes had the participants considering ways to better their worlds, like the first program where attendees considered how to make human experiences better in public spaces, or the workshop where they worked on posters highlighting shelter animals up for adoption.[1] Looking at the pictures in the Make-HER blog shows a glimpse of the fun had by attendees while learning.

Leading the instruction was a group of ladies who all have myriad experiences that enabled them to teach various skills to the attendees. Looking at their bios, one of the impressive things about the instructors was that they all had different backgrounds; some of them had studied their field of expertise, while others were self-taught.[2] What a great way to showcase the wide variety of ways you can learn and be excited about a topic!

While writing this post, I was thinking quite a bit about why a program like this is important. Providing an opportunity for girls and their mothers to work and learn together is a huge benefit. However, knowing what I’ve heard about girls and women studying and working in careers in STEM fields, I decided to see what kinds of articles I might find on the topic. Several pieces came up regarding girls and the maker movement, many of which focused on using making as a way to get girls interested in STEM studies.

One article that provided some insight came from Kristin Houser for iQ by Intel. The article mainly discussed findings from a report called, MakeHers: Engaging Girls and Women in Technology Through Making, Creating, and Inventing. This report says that the maker movement “could help bridge the gender gap in STEM fields.”[3] By hosting programs for girls, Sunnyvale is contributing to closing this gap. Houser also had information from Forbes stating that girls don’t often have female mentors or role models in the STEM world.[4] By having all female instructors for the Make-HER program, Sunnyvale Public Library has provided the participating girls with women they can look up to as examples.

Not only did Sunnyvale hold all these programs, but they put much of the information on their website. Check out the activities at home (or maybe in your library, too). A listing of some of the major materials used for the various projects is also included. I know looking at the different projects definitely got ideas flowing for me!

[1] “Blog.” Make-HER. 2015. https://sunnyvalemakeher.wordpress.com/blog/ (accessed August 19, 2015).

[2] “#LadyMakers.” Make-HER. 2015. https://sunnyvalemakeher.wordpress.com/ladymakers/ (accessed August 19,      2015).

[3] Houser, Kristin. “Girls in Technology: Maker Movement is a Natural Entry Point.” iQ. January 16, 2015.

http://iq.intel.com/report-shows-maker-movement-natural-entry-girls-women-technology/ (accessed August 20, 2015).

[4] Ibid.

The post Make-HER at Sunnyvale Public Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Research has fund that many kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have trouble communicating with other people. The robots take that person-to-person communication out of the equation. When asked why robots are so effective in helping to educate kids with ASD, Hartman said, “Technology seems to help create a social bridge — look around at all the people on their phones at the next tech meet-up — and I think robotics are the next evolution of this technology. . . I actually like robots better for education than a tablet or computer, because they get people away from the endless screens and keyboards.” (Brennan 2015)

According to the Robauto website, it costs $198 to purchase the Robot Inventor Kit, which includes both software and hardware, plus training for an Innovation Team member. Most of the team members of the Longmont Library Innovative team are kids with ASD. The library found that even when it appeared as though the kids were not paying attention, they were able to remember instructions and help build the robot.

The feedback from the librarians in Longmont has been positive. Overwhelmingly they felt it helped to create a more inclusive and diverse environment. Libraries strive to serve everyone in the public, and this is an innovative and creative way to serve the ASD population in any town.

Hartman brought his robot to ComicCon in Denver in May 2015. “By the end of the year, he hopes to roll out a robot commercially — developed through working with children from the community he hopes they’ll serve — carrying a price tag in the vicinity of $300-500. The ComicCon visit was in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Education, which rented a booth and subsequently invited the Longmont Library to bring Bibli.” (Brennan 2015).

Works Cited

Brennan, Charlie. “100: Jalali Hartman is Treating Autism with Robots.” Times-Call Community Review, 2015.

The post Diversity and Inclusion: Robotic Librarians Help Autistic Patrons first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

To prepare for the publication of these books, 1000 trees have been planted in a forest outside of Oslo for the sole purpose of providing paper to print the books. As noted on the Future Library website, “Tending the forest and ensuring its preservation for the 100-year duration of the artwork finds a conceptual counterpoint in the invitation extended to each writer: to conceive and produce a work in the hopes of finding a receptive reader in an unknown future.”

One author we know will be in this library is Margaret Atwood, who was chosen to be the first author to provide a manuscript for the project. She presented her manuscript to the library on May 26^th in a ceremony that included a walk through the Future Library Forest and a conversation with artist Katie Paterson, who created the Future Library concept. Atwood is a natural choice for inclusion in the Future Library as so much of her writing deals with what will happen in the future. “In the case of the Future Library, I am sending a manuscript into time. Will any human beings be waiting there to receive it? Will there be a ‘Norway’? Will there be a ‘forest’? Will there be a ‘library’?” wrote Atwood in an essay for the project. Another futurist author, David Mitchell, was chosen shortly after Atwood’s ceremony to write the second work for the Future Library. His manuscript will be added in 2016.

For $1000, collectors can purchase a printed certificate that functions as a piece of art until the Future Library opens, at which point the certificate entitles the owner to a complete set of the 100 works in the library

Paterson’s other artworks have involved broadcasting the sounds of a melting glacier live to a visitor on a mobile phone, mapping all the dead stars, compiling a slide archive of the history of darkness across the ages, custom-making a light bulb to simulate the experience of moonlight, burying a nanosized grain of sand deep within the Sahara desert, and sending a re-cast meteorite back into space.

Sources:

Future Library – Framtidsbiblioteket – Katie Paterson. Accessed June 9, 2015. http://www.futurelibrary.no/.

“KATIE PATERSON: Future Library Certificate.” James Cohan Gallery. Accessed June 9, 2015. http://www.jamescohan.com/editions/2014-09-05_katie-paterson-future-library-certificate.

“Margaret Atwood 2014.” Accessed June 9, 2015. http://www.futurelibrary.no/Future_Library_Katie_Paterson_Guide_2015.pdf.

The post Opening in 100 Years: The Future Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Our committee is a cross-section of talented staff from all departments and all levels, with a vibrant interest in our ACL MakerSpace project. We convened at the end of last year, and began by sharing what we knew. We first focused on gathering information, bringing examples from other libraries who have successfully built their MakerSpaces. After a month of envisioning where our MakerSpace would physically fit best and how we could finance it, suddenly we were stymied. We found ourselves considering a detour from our original direction. Why did we move from a project focused on Come-Do to one that invited How-To?

We couldn’t answer a major question: what would our adult patrons really want in the ACL MakerSpace? We already have some MakerSpace activities in both the Children’s and Young Adult Departments, like squishy circuits and Lego® challenges, but an adult-centered MakerSpace would be far too expensive to mount if based entirely on the philosophy of build-it-and-they-will-come. Our staff reflects the demographics of adults, ages 30 to 50, that we wanted to target, so months earlier we polled them about what they thought our MakerSpace should be. We found that although they showed a high interest in 3-D modeling and other technology-based activities, the majority chose more craft-based topics, more prescriptive and dependent on a set of ordered rules or directions. Would those activities lead to collaboration and experimentation inherent in an ideal MakerSpace? Again we wondered if we were heading in the wrong direction.

How could we reach our patrons easily to find out what they want to see in our library? One of our committee members suggested we hire someone to build a revolving, free-standing, four-sided, white dry-erase board kiosk, on which we would write questions to solicit patron input. It now stands in the space across from the Circulation Desk, and our Adult Programming Librarian monitors it. As appropriate messages are posted, she captures the input digitally and then erases the posts. She writes new questions on each side on a regular basis. We have gleaned a lot of patron opinion this way.

But what about our wider Anderson community? How could we reach them? A new business incubator project, e-Merge@The Garage, was coming to life in the remodeled City of Anderson garage. Its focus is to build and grow local and regional entrepreneurs, and is heavily funded with heavy-duty sponsorships. We invited the founder of e-Merge to share his vision with our committee. He offered his Grain Ideas, an open forum at his local pub, to help us find out what his clientele—who fit our targeted demographics—would like to see in ACL’s future MakerSpace. The forum was fun, and we established another community business ACL supporter, but unfortunately we did not gather enough representative feedback.

Each committee member had been searching for ideas as to what other libraries are doing to attract more residents to come to the library. Among all the interesting information we gathered was the article in American Libraries about Louisville (Ky.) Public Library’s first How-to Festival. Their schedule of presentations inspired us. If we held a similar venue, would it draw a large attendance? We could use our “How-To” to ask citizens what they thought a future ACL MakerSpace should be. “Yes!” we all agreed. “Let’s stage a How-To-Fair.”

Then cold reality hit us. The ACL calendar was already heavily booked with upcoming major events for the year: our Friends of the Library Spelling Bee, the Children’s Book Carnival, the Summer Reading Programs, the ComiCon, and our Friends of the Library annual three-day Storytelling Festival in the early fall. The only time when all our conference and meeting rooms were available on one day was in late April. We had less than two months to get it accomplished!

What did we need to do first? Find presenters to donate their time and talents? Advertising? Scheduling? All of it! One committee member quickly developed flyers to explain the nature of the event and to solicit presenters. Other members delivered them personally to community businesses as ACL ambassadors of the How-To Fair. We sent out emails to all staff members for suggestions as to anyone who knew someone who could do such-and-such. We made hundreds of phone calls and inquiries throughout the community. Key members of the committee created a presenter application form, a patron survey, the events schedule, plus a mapping of tables and locations, inside and outdoors. Within a month over 30 community presenters made firm commitments, and in less than two months our program was written in stone. With some trepidation and great anticipation, we held our first ACL How-To Fair on April 23^rdfrom 2-8 p.m. .

A local blacksmith set up his forge and made square nails. A local dog trainer demonstrated canine handling. The beekeepers association gave tips on local bee husbandry. Our genealogical staff helped visitors use online databases for family research. Reference librarians in our computer lab showed how to use Novelist and Mango. Rabbits cuddled in a conference room and chickens clucked in the Children’s patio area, as their breeders offered their expertise. Master gardeners talked compost, flower arranging, pruning, and heirloom seeds. Home Depot demonstrated cordless tools, how to make a sink backsplash, and summer garden preparation. Backpackers shared their love of trail walking. Lowe’s helped DIYs with deck treatment. AnMed Health sent a representative who spoke on advanced directives planning. There were demonstrations on making balloon animals, quilting, crocheting, origami, fabric bracelets, scrapbooking, how to brew the perfect cup of coffee, digital photography, how to pack a suitcase, how to repurpose junk, and how to jumpstart your creativity. The local theater group showed how to audition. Yoga sessions, kicking a soccer ball, and salsa dancing lessons added to the excitement! The Teen room ran continuous activity stations, like underwater painting, and the Children’s Department had Lego® challenges. Committee members were assigned areas to direct traffic, answer questions, and provided a hospitality room with refreshments for the presenters. It took every staff member who wasn’t at a service desk—our library maintained normal operations!–to work the Fair.

As one committee member commented, “We didn’t know where we were going, but we sure had fun when we got there.”

But, to where?

In our post-event analysis, we found that we had these positives:

• a collaborative and talented committee, seriously dedicated to staging the event, and newly emerging leaders;
• a successful and fierce social media blitz to advertise the event;
• enthusiastic presenters and attendees—a good start to amplifying community relations;
• a wide-variety of sessions of interest to a large cross-section of attendees;
• encouraging survey responses from both attendees and presenters, with calls for “do it again” next year!

But what about any 2^nd Annual ACL How-To Fair? What should we do the next time?

• Establish a How-To Fair Committee.
• Brand our How-To Fair and develop a logo for advertising, and even emblazon it on staff T-Shirts.
• Consult/contact other library systems that have held a How-To event. There is a lot of practical advice online from other libraries, but we reinvented the proverbial wheel. Learn what they learned.
• Plan far in advance. . . at least six months. Two months is not enough time to advertise effectively, communicate with potential presenters, and allow for last-minute scheduling adjustments.
• Appoint or elect a committee member to be the clearinghouse for presenter applications and contacts.
• Restructure the schedule to avoid clumping events in too narrow a time frame.
• Allow attendees more time to get from one presentation to another.
• Refine the presenter application and questionnaire.
• Encourage presenters to give multiple sessions.
• Consider soliciting local business sponsorships, perhaps to help with advertising, the hospitality room, etc.

Did we find out what our community wanted for the ACL MakerSpace? No, not really. We made the assumption that the public-at-large would know what a MakerSpace is, because we librarians know. MakerSpace terminology is so much a part of our active vocabulary that we neglected to provide something at the How-To Fair to explain it to our public. When we asked our attendees to fill out a survey as they left the venue, their focus and emotional involvement was with this How-To Fair and not necessarily with providing input for a future MakerSpace. We do know, however, that this sort of event truly appealed to them, and that alone was worth the effort.

And our ACL MakerSpace Committee’s future plans? We have refocused and are considering. . . ah, but that’s for me to tell you in a future blog.

References:

1. Kristin Fontichiaro & the Michigan Makers, University of Michigan School of Information, “What’s In Your Patron’s’ Dream Makerspace?” accessed May 20, 2015, http://fontichiaro.com/uploads/2014/booklist-makerspace-list.pdf.

2. “Grain Ideas-Growler House, Anderson,” accessed May 20, 2015, https://roundtown.com/event/2712891/Grain-Ideas-Growler-Haus-Anderson-Anderson-SC.

3. Judy Rosenfield, “Barbecue? Flamenco Dancing? Learning Gets Interactive in Louisville,” American Libraries, October 30, 2012, accessed May 20, 2015, http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2012/10/30/barbecue-flamenco-dancing-learning-gets-interactive-in-louisville/.

4. “eMerge @ The Garage: Driving entrepreneurship,” accessed May 20, 2015, http://www.emergeandersonsc.com/#!about_us/cjg9.

5. Website for Anderson (SC) County Library System: http://www.andersonlibrary.org

6. Link to Anderson (SC) County Library System’s How-To Fair: http://www.andersonlibrary.org/how-to-fair/

7. Facebook event page for Anderson (SC) County Library System’s How-To Fair: https://www.facebook.com/events/1593649477548555/

8. Facebook album for Anderson (SC) County Library System’s How-To Fair: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.952981931400316.1073741828.354814934550355&type=3

The post From Come-Do to How-To first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Here is some background on Salt Lake City Public Library’s 24/7 proposal. The idea of remaining open all night came out of a discussion with Jason Mathis of the Salt Lake City Downtown Alliance; Bill Evans, former director of government relations for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; and Bruce Bastian, one of the founders of WordPerfect software. The three of them were concerned with Salt Lake City’s teenage homeless problem, and inquired if it was feasible for the library to provide space for the teens at night. SLCPL Executive Director John Spears did not want to open the library up at night for only the homeless teens, but instead suggested keeping the library open at night for everyone. When queried , the library board was receptive to a formal assessment of this possibility as well.

For those of us working in public libraries we may be thinking that this 24/7 proposal seems like a potential logistical nightmare, but Spears has clearly put a lot of thought into it. He aims to keep only the bottom two floors open at night, while utilizing runners to fetch items from floors three to six. Security will also be on hand to alleviate concerns over drug use, prostitution, and patrons camping out.  He hopes to use a grant to fund this initiative, and the grant will pay for a permanent set of staff to work the night shifts. The period of the grant as proposed is for two years. After that time has elapsed, the program will be evaluated to see if it will be made permanent.

As expected, there are some concerns from the community. These concerns are primarily about security, the homeless, and alcohol/drug use. Anybody who has ever worked in an urban library knows something about each of these issues. One way to alleviate these concerns is Spears’ desire to fund the two year grant solely with private and corporate donations—no public money will be involved. Regardless, these are still some serious considerations to factor in. Along with. . . Who will really use the library at these hours? Will it be the desired late shift workers, night owls, hipsters, and college students? Or will it instead be a haven for those with nowhere else to go and those looking for trouble? We keep hearing how libraries need to adapt or risk becoming obsolete, but is there really a demand for our urban libraries to be open 24/7? I suspect the majority of patrons who will take advantage of this new implementation will be the displaced, and those looking for a last minute movie rental. For now, this is getting the library some publicity, and creating many conversations in the media. We will all have to stay tuned to see what happens.

Until then, what do you think? Would a 24/7 schedule help serve your community?

The post Up All Night at the Public Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Developing an Idea

The state library agency in Maryland is housed in the State Department of Education as the Division of Library Development and Services (DLDS). In 2012 DLDS staff began laying the groundwork to help bring the spirit of the maker movement to public libraries statewide.

Nini Beegan, DLDS’s project coordinator, first came across this concept during a 2005 Library of Congress episode on C-SPAN. During the episode, Neil Gershenfeld, director of the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT, challenged librarians to consider fabrication in public libraries as a means to bring people together to solve community problems. In 2010, Beegan attended BetaScape, a tech offshoot of the popular Baltimore art festival ArtScape. She talked with people who had built 3D printers using materials they had ordered from MAKE magazine while her children eagerly launched handmade rockets into the sky. This experience reminded her of Gershenfeld’s challenge; inspired, she began to explore ways that DLDS could help Maryland libraries use the maker movement to further their community-building work. Beegan met with local makers to explore potential library partnerships. This conversation marked the beginning of DLDS’s partnership with makers in support of Maryland’s public libraries. Later, when PLA’s 2012 Virtual Conference included a session about making and public libraries, DLDS knew that it was time to act.

DLDS decided to host a Maker Meet-up in fall 2012 to be followed by a hybrid event for library staff and the public in the spring of 2013. Beegan conducted an Internet search for makerspaces and hacker spaces to find more local contacts. She quickly discovered Michael Smith-Welch, an Artist-in-Residence at the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore; Smith-Welch was using his background in education and art to set up a makerspace in Takoma Park (Md.). He introduced DLDS to Matt Barinholtz, director of then-fledgling FutureMakers, a mobile maker and education lab that uses children’s innate love of tinkering to teach youth of all ages the core values of traditional crafting, contemporary design, and futuristic digital fabrication. As the newly hired youth services coordinator at DLDS, I helped keep our team’s efforts aligned with STEM education initiatives. DLDS reached out to other makers and do-it-yourselfers, and we established a group that included academics, tool librarians, video game designers, and others. In the fall of 2012, we hosted a Maker Meet-up. One hundred library administrators, public service staff, systems staff, and others met with our group of makers at the West County Area Library of the Anne Arundel County public library system. The day included a keynote, lightning presentations, hands-on maker fun, and plenty of time for questions and answers. The packed meeting room buzzed with energy, and great ideas were developed as library colleagues and makers conversed. DLDS set up a Maker Meet-up electronic mailing list for interested library staff to continue their conversations.

We returned to the idea of sharing these great learning opportunities with the public; we wanted to provide a venue for library staff and the public to interact within the context of the maker movement. We knew that in order for maker events, makerspaces, or even isolated programs and classes to be truly successful, we would need buy-in from library administrators, public service staff, and technical services staff. But what kind of event could generate this buy-in? In the fall of 2012 there had been a few libraries nationwide that had held Mini-Maker Faires, which are maker events officially endorsed and branded by MAKE magazine. The brand is very successful, and we thought that the caché it carried for individuals in the maker community might help us find quality exhibitors, as well as giving the event some instant legitimacy in the eyes of the public. We postulated that it would be more efficient to work with an existing template that was known to produce successful results. We filled out the application, entered into negotiations with MAKE, and began to consider options for a suitable venue.

Planning and Logistics

We were determined to hold the event in a library. We wanted public libraries to progress in their role as physical, collaborative, hands-on learning spaces, and holding the event in a library would allow both the public and the librarians to witness this in action. Our first choice was the Maryland State Library Resource Center (SLRC). SLRC provides cooperative, cost-effective resources and services for Maryland libraries and their customers—they are the resource arm of the state library. SLRC is physically located at the Central Library of the Enoch Pratt Free Library (EPFL) system of Baltimore, and has a collection and customer base typical of any large urban public library. SLRC’s presence means that EPFL’s Central Library also has deeper research resources and statewide and national customers who utilize them. The library is housed in a beautiful block-long building with neoclassical influences. Built in the 1930s, the library features large display windows and a street-level entrance to entice passersby. It also has a large central hall that houses a computer commons, a grand piano, several book displays, an information station, a laptop lounge, and the circulation desk. It is a wonderful place to hold events and it is regularly used for concerts, weddings, graduation ceremonies, speaker events, and fundraising galas. In addition to the library having advantageous architecture, it is located in central Maryland, making it an ideal spot for a statewide event.

Barinholtz from FutureMakers worked closely with me to craft a preliminary explanation of the event to share with the library’s administrative team. We had no interest in just “using the space,” but instead wanted to work in full partnership with the library. We hoped to ensure that the event was something that would be a success for their regular customers and staff as well as for the people who would be travelling across the state. As we worked with the administrative team of EPFL/SLRC, it became clear that the partnership with MAKE was not in our best interest. The primary reasons were financial—MAKE charges a fee to use their brand, a cost that is often defrayed through ticket sales and vendor license fees. Events sponsored by DLDS, SLRC, and EPFL are always free to library staff and members of the public, and we didn’t want to charge the exhibitors since we wouldn’t be allowing them to sell anything at the event. Additionally, the more we dug into the details of the planning process, the more our event deviated from a Mini-Maker Faire both in scope and intent. We let our contact at MAKE know that we were backing out, and parted on good terms. There have been very successful Mini-Maker Faires held at public libraries before and since, but we have never regretted this decision. Our event was being carefully crafted to fit a variety of needs and expectations, and it needed to be custom-built. I continue to be astounded by the generosity and the organic collaborative process that went into developing this event that is largely about collaboration and the free exchange of ideas.

After we ended our partnership with MAKE, we began to explore the possibilities for our event in terms of physical space. MAKE had been very concerned that we didn’t have a large outside space to work with; we contacted the city and discovered that it wasn’t terribly difficult or expensive to shut down the block of street behind the library. Although this would have undoubtedly added to the festival atmosphere and to the types of exhibits we could offer, we decided to forego the outdoor space. It would have cost quite a bit to rent the tables and tents, and the city charges extra if the event requires electricity. In the spirit of equality of access we would still not have been able to sell anything, including food or beverages. We probably would have needed to hire additional security. We also thought about holding exhibits throughout the library rather than only in the central hall. This idea, too, was eventually dismissed. Wesley Wilson, chief of SLRC and EPFL’s Central Library, and DLDS agreed that we wanted to keep the event manageable—we thought it would be far better to plan a smaller, more predictably successful day. If the event was a hit and we decided to hold it annually, there would be time to expand later.

Ensuring that event attendance was appropriate for the venue size was a major concern. We didn’t want 6,000 people waiting in line outside the building causing security issues and general mayhem, but we also wanted to be sure that people showed up. We didn’t want to spend months planning only to have an enlightened individual with a 3D printer sitting in a corner of the exhibit hall making whistles for a handful of random passers-by. We needed to send out a call to makers and figure out what kind of publicity we wanted. Barinholtz and I looked at the security waiver from MAKE and consulted with the library administrators about what kind of exhibits they were comfortable having in this historic library space. We worked with the library to find out how much electricity and Wi-Fi bandwidth would be available. We came up with a list of requirements that we sent out along with the call for makers, so that potential exhibitors would be able to make an informed decision about whether or not this event would be a good fit for them. We also let them know up front that they would not be able to sell anything at the event. In order to participate, exhibitors had to agree not to utilize items that emitted noxious or dangerous fumes, open flames (circuit soldering was permitted), fuel-powered projectiles, large power tools or machines, items that emitted smoke or particulates, weapons that could cause injury, and anything that could be considered dangerous in a large room full of people. We welcomed questions. We set up a Google form for registration. In addition to the usual contact information we asked for the age-range of the intended audience, the number of power outlets they’d need access to, and the type of interactive elements that would be included in their exhibit.

After we came up with the perfect name, Innovation Expo, we had a personal contact who is a design graduate student create a logo. We used this logo on all promotional items for the expo, including the one-inch buttons worn by all the exhibitors. We created a Facebook event page, and EPFL hosted a dedicated information page for the event which included links to the exhibitor application and the Facebook page. The library’s design department used the logo to create a large window banner that was displayed prominently on the front of the building. DLDS spread the word through statewide library communications, and the panelists shared event details with the maker and education communities. I spent some time doing Internet searches and setting up face-to-face meetings with local makers.

As these preparations were underway, it became clear that holding the expo in a large public library had some hidden benefits. The library already owned all of the display tables and chairs for exhibitors that we needed, so we didn’t have to rent furniture. They have a full-time professional security staff which, along with the exhibitor waivers, allowed us to keep our focus on the event itself rather than security logistics. The library has a large auditorium, as well as more intimate meeting rooms. These physical amenities made it possible to hold library staff trainings and host a keynote speaker presentation as parts of the event. Barinholtz suggested that we ask Corey Fleischer if he would be interested in giving the keynote address. Fleisher was a thirty-year-old senior mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin and a contestant on (and later winner of) the Discovery Channel’s Big Brain Theory. Fleisher was also an avid supporter of makerspaces. He was excited about the event and agreed to both present the keynote and run an exhibit showcasing an adult-sized working go-kart that is controlled by a Wii remote.

Beegan facilitated the library staff training portion of the day, which featured a panel discussion with Michael Smith-Walsh; Barinholtz of FutureMakers; Jan Baum, the director of Towson University’s Object Lab; Ben Walsh, director of Pure Bang Games and the founder of BetaScape; John Shea, director of the Station North Tool Library; Gary Mauler, founder of Maryland’s RobotFest, which is held annually at the National Electronics Museum in Linthincum, Maryland; and Mary Murphy from the Center For the New American Dream. Library staff who had been motivated by the Maker Meet-up and kept their excitement stoked by participating in the resulting electronic mailing list were excited to have their well-formulated questions answered by the diverse panel. Together they planned their own maker events, programs, and classes.

Fleischer’s keynote was well attended, and the expo was deemed to be a success by the library staff and customers who attended, the exhibitors, and the staff at SLRC who had worked during the extra-busy Saturday. Everyone agreed that it would be held again the following year.

The Second Annual Innovation Expo

Because we had already worked out the logistical challenges we focused our time on fine-tuning the event in 2013–2014. The public and library staff had largely been introduced to the concepts of the maker movement. Bre Pettis, founder of MakerBot, one of the most popular brands of consumer 3D printers, was interviewed by Martha Stewart. Dale Dougherty, the founder of MAKE magazine and the inventor of the Maker Faire, spoke at the American Library Association’s 2013 Midwinter Conference. Maryland public libraries had embraced the movement and hosted creative maker programs, hired FutureMakers to provide hundreds of classes across the state, held their own public maker events, and, in some cases, had even drawn up plans to build their own makerspaces. People were definitely still interested in experiencing the movement, but they no longer necessarily had to come to the Innovation Expo to do that. We felt that the tagline from the first Expo, “DIY in Maryland,” wasn’t exactly the message we wanted to convey. The DIY movement is definitely something that libraries should be involved in, but we wanted the name of the Expo to encompass more than that. We felt that “Create and Collaborate” was a better fit.

While the county library systems plunged forward with the maker movement, DLDS began deeply investigating public libraries’ relationship with education. The 2013-14 school year saw the rollout of Maryland’s new Career and College Readiness standards in all public K-12 schools. Citizens, librarians, and educators were all new to the standards, and struggled to figure out how best to implement them and discern what that implementation meant to communities. As I met with colleagues at the State Department of Education and traveled to various library systems throughout Maryland, I began to think about the education that children receive in public school. Maryland has been rated as having the best public schools in the country for several years in a row, but that doesn’t mean that each individual school provides the same level of opportunity or that there isn’t valuable learning that takes place elsewhere. In fall 2013, I read an article in WIRED magazine about a teacher in Mexico who got astounding results from his students by letting them study what they wanted to learn.1 I do not think that public schools in the United States will ever fully embrace this method, nor do I think that it would necessarily be appropriate for them to do so. However, the kind of learning that was discussed in that article, and that I subsequently read about in a variety of studies, is precisely what public libraries can offer. As I spoke with state leaders in other out-of-school time educational enterprises and continued to follow the latest education trends, I discovered that this kind of learning is particularly valuable and hard to find in the STEM sector. Students are, for example, rarely given the opportunity to take computer programming courses until high school. This is a gap that public libraries can fill. FutureMakers had already been offering digital classes and workshops along with their traditional crafting experiences. Why not add another degree of complexity without taking away the joy of tinkering? Why not offer our youth the opportunities to create their own video games in our libraries instead of just playing them? Barinholtz arrived at this same conclusion independently and FutureMakers began adding more computer science programs to their roster of curricula. New technical education organizations in Maryland were forming at this time, too. I met Gretchen LeGrand, the director of Code in the Schools at the Maryland Out of School Time (MOST) network’s STEM Symposium. Her nonprofit is helping Maryland schools offer fun and interactive computer coding classes to elementary and middle school students. I asked if they’d work with public libraries, and the response was a definitive, “yes.” I discovered that CPL had held a citywide coding camp in 2013. I started to think about the possibility of doing something similar at the state level in Maryland.

Education Is a Key Focus

This new idea helped us to develop a fresh strategy for the 2014 Innovation Expo. Instead of focusing purely on maker culture, we focused this year’s event on serendipitous STEM learning for all ages. Instead of adding exhibitors, we narrowed the field. Some of the organizations we invited included: The Maryland Science Center, The Baltimore Underground Science Space (BUGSS), The Prototyping and Design Lab from the University of Maryland, FutureMakers, Code in the Schools, The Baltimore Robotics Center, and The Digital Harbor Foundation. In 2013, each exhibitor had one table; this year, each exhibitor had several tables where they offered unique but thematically similar projects. Some of the activities included: learning how to solder circuits, playing a fruit keyboard, designing and 3D printing an iPhone case, electro-etching your own drawings into dog tag necklaces, designing levels of a video game, extracting DNA from strawberries, bio-painting, operating robots, and more. Because we have been rolling out statewide Minecraft programs in public libraries, we also set up a Minecraft Zone where people could play the game in a world designed specifically for the Expo. Carroll County Public Library provided a Minecraft Craft table that allowed participants to make a variety of Minecraft-themed jewelry, artwork, and other analog objects.

Teen and youth services librarians from all corners of the state came to participate in a library-staff-only workshop presented by Justin Hoenke from CPL. He told them that youth services is often the driving force behind library innovation, and offered them some practical ideas for engaging young people. The reviews of the workshop were overwhelmingly positive, and he stayed in the auditorium for a long time chatting and answering questions.
Hoenke also provided the keynote, “Create and Collaborate and Be an Awesome Person for Your Community,” in which he discussed the importance of forming equitable community alliances and how to leverage library programming as a positive change-agent for communities. This year we added an after event called After the Expo, which was held at the Baltimore Robotics Center. At the event, state library staff, the exhibitors, and other out-of-school time and STEM education organizations were invited to discuss future library and community involvement in tech education.

The second annual Innovation Expo was also a success. The exhibitors, library staff, and members of the public all commented that it was inspiring to see so many diverse people enjoy learning together. Throughout the day exhibit stations were perpetually populated by people of different ages, cultural, and economic backgrounds working together. We were all delighted by the exceptionally high ratio of entire families who engaged in the projects as teams. The visiting library staff members were pleased with the number of concrete programming ideas they walked away with, and were excited to see how much energy the customers exhibited while working on the various learning projects. Library customers had fun engaging with new ideas and technologies, and parents were enthusiastic about the level of family engagement engendered by the event.

The exhibitors had fun engaging with customers in new ways, and were glad to have the opportunity to learn more about partnering with public libraries. In his exhibitor evaluation, Tom Burkett of BUGSS wrote, “I really liked the way the public engaged in all of the activities, not just ours. I think the Innovation Expo is a great forum for makerspaces and educational programs in general.”

Reference

1. Joshua Davis, “How a Radical New Teaching Method Could Unleash a Generation of Geniuses,” WIRED (Oct. 13, 2013), accessed Dec. 4, 2014, www.wired.com/2013/10/free-thinkers.

The post Feature: Innovation Expo: Create and Collaborate in Maryland first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Currently, there are two programs exploring the writer/library relationship. They began in this past fall and both hope to continue in the future. Both the Public Library of Cincinnati’s “Writer-In-Residence” program and the “CHP in the Stacks” residency program from publishing company Coffee House Press (CHP) plan to offer stipends to selected writers to work in libraries and publicize their available resources.

Cincinnati Public Library hopes to show support for local writers and help to highlight their work through their residency program. The chosen writer will be given a monetary stipend and in turn will be required to teach a writer’s workshop, participate in library promotions, and speak at no less than four community events representing the library. Thanks to a donation from a local philanthropist, the library plans to continue the writer-in-residence program for three years.

Coffee House Press hopes that their writer-in-residency program will inspire other libraries to follow suit and collaborate with local writers. We’d love to hear about more writers-in-residency programs hosted by public libraries. If you know of one, tell us in the comments.

Sources

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/09/industry-news/libraries-welcome-writers-in-residence/#_

The post Writers-in-Residence at the Public Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Entitled “Building Inspiration: 21st Century Libraries Initiative: Reimagining The City’s Gateway To Information, Literacy, Economic Opportunity, And Civic Engagement,” this initiative is a model for collaboration among a large public library system, city government, and a local foundation. The William Penn Foundation contributed $25 million, with an additional  $35 million in total given by city and state government, and private gifts.

Strategic Priorities

How did this major gift take place? The William Penn Foundation’s Grant Overview application says it has “strategic priorities” for closing educational opportunity gaps, and that “it is more important than ever for us to allocate scarce resources for maximum impact.”  As the FLP press release emphasizes, this initiative will incorporate improving physical spaces through renovation and supporting outreach with new programs. The Free Library of Philadelphia is in a unique position to meet critical needs in the community, which makes it an ideal recipient for a significant grant.

In the library’s press release, Janet Haas, MD, Vice-chair of the William Penn Foundation Board of Directors, confirms that libraries are a logical entry point to strategically create meaningful change in communities.  “The community libraries, in particular, are becoming vital neighborhood centers, places where people come together to build community, engage with one another and use tools and resources needed to be successful. Libraries are places of life-long learning, which is why we are so pleased to be a partner in this important work.”

Here are some highlights from the initiative:

Central Branch

The FLP will construct two new areas at the main Parkway Central library, both of which have an entrepreneurial focus. One new area, The Common, will “serve as an active community space where individuals can gather to create, collaborate, and share.” The Business Research and Innovation Center will offer “incubator space for new projects and ideas” and support.

Neighborhood branches

The initiative will fund renovations and programming innovations at five city branch locations, by creating “hubs” to support specific community needs. For instance, the Tacony branch is “situated in the heart of a re-emerging commercial corridor,” so the FLP will focus on developing resources and space for small businesses and entrepreneurs. It should be noted that the five branch locations are prototypes, suggesting that evaluation and further development will continue to develop.

Partnership with City Schools

In addition to other partnerships with community organizations, the Free Library will strengthen its work with the School District of Philadelphia, “to ensure that all public school students receive the academic support they need to succeed.”  The FLP has already taken large steps to collaborate with the School District, including summer and after school reading programs, as well as completing an effort to make sure that all School District students have library cards.

For a deeper look at the initiative, see the FLP press release, or visit www.21stcenturylibraries.org for detailed plans.

The post Free Library of Philadelphia Building Inspiration Initiative— An Innovative Model of Library Service first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

With so many possibilities for 3D printing, the excitement is quickly building. New businesses are opening and creating innovative new products that are changing lives in ways that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago. Just as libraries have always been about providing access to new information and resources, they continue this mission by providing this new technology. The variety of filaments that can be used in these machines is growing, but currently the most commonly used are plastic, usually PLA (poly lactic acid) or ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene). However, some printers have been created that can print with food or cellular material.[i]

One of the larger considerations for 3D printing involves intellectual property. This concept is nothing new for libraries, and copyright is something we have had to think about for years, posting signs by our copiers and music collections. However, with creation of content and objects, we must begin to think beyond copyright, and move into the world of patents and trade secrets.[ii]

Further legal considerations involve liability. The tip sheet mentions liability that stems from the actual products that are created using the 3D printer.[iii] Beyond that, libraries will also want to mull over any liability issues from having the machines themselves and the possible dangers that can arise simply from machines whose parts can heat to over 200 degrees.

Then you have intellectual freedom. Libraries are champions of providing information and access to everyone. However, when possible public safety issues, like with 3D printed weaponry, where do our responsibilities lie? The ALA tip sheet also discusses the use of this technology as a way to create pharmaceuticals, and how that same use could spread to illegal drug production.[iv]

These legal matters can be intimidating. The great part is that many libraries have begun this journey and have started thinking about these issues. Warning notices regarding copyright have been created, such as the one at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (available via the link). User agreements and liability waivers have been written with the assistance of legal counsel, like the one from the  Fayetteville Free Library.

Overall, can 3D printing present some daunting issues? Yes. However, the wonderful implications of this technology far outweigh the effort of overcoming the obstacles. 3D printers aren’t the first new product libraries have offered, nor will they be the last. Here’s to being brave new librarians!

Works Cited

[i] United For Libraries, Public Library Association, and ALA’s Office of Info Tech Policy. “American Library Association.” Progress in the Making: An Introduction to 3D Printing and Public Policy. September 2014. (accessed October 13, 2014).

[ii]Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

Cover Image Credit: Chris McKenna

The post 3D Printing: New Horizons first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Brian Gambles

From August 12-13, 2014, the IFLA Public Libraries Section held a satellite conference, Public Library Futures in a Global Digital World, at the new Library of Birmingham, England. Its director, Brian Gambles, opened the conference with a keynote speech about change. “Leadership has to be hungry for change,” he stated. Small steps were made: a redesigned organization, a new dress code, shared desk space and welfare facilities, as well as new working practices. But change is not embraced by the whole organization: according to the 20:60:20 rule, 20% of staff agrees, another 20% is against. For Gambles, this last minority has to be left alone and “invited to exit the organization.”

The conference confirmed that these are the days of a “renaissance of space.” Here are four experiences of new spaces built by incredible staff and successful branding.

 Vera Binz and Sarah Dudek presenting the “Themenraum”

Themenraum

If you had an empty room in your library, how would you use it? 3D printers? The latest high-tech gear? Games? No way! Imagine a book display on a specific topic and let it explode in different dimensions. At the “Themenraum,” or “topic room,” at the Zentral- und Landesbibliothek (Berlin, Germany), web links are next to print bibliographies, while printed books sit next to a Twitter wall and news items. The topics, often inspired by the latest news or important anniversaries, change every month. The patrons’ favorite ones so far have been the Leipzig Bookfair, fairytales, the diversity of Islam, and “poor and rich.” The Themenraum shows how digital curating has emerged as a new skill required by librarians, as well as the public’s need for digital literacy.

Corinne Hill presenting the 4^th Floor

4^th Floor

“Transformation” is one of the main values of the Chattanooga (Tenn.) Public Library’s mission. The 4th Floor is a space in continuous transformation, thanks to a high performance staff. Before a chaotic repository of unused materials, now the 4^th Floor hosts programs and events about coding, genealogy, STEM, and makers. Print collections are still relevant though: “responsive collections” is another strong value of theirs.

Henriette Dybdal and Allan Thomsen Volhoj presenting the FolkeLab

FolkeLab

Public and academic libraries in Aarhus and Roskilde (Denmark) created a project with six temporary innovation spaces, such as TechLab, Wastelab, or GuitarLab. The lessons learned can be summed up in a decalogue: (1) people are not reduced to just guests; (2) people are more important than technology; (3) people have opportunities to engage at different levels; (4) people determine the clout of the maker culture; (5) people create together; (6) staff must be willing to change the frames and expand the ideas; (7) staff uses its own creativity and skills; (8) staff must assure different thresholds; (9) learning is something also done with the hands; (10) creativity comes from chaos and mess.

BiblioTech

BiblioTech in San Antonio (Tex.) went far beyond the library as a book repository, eliminating books completely. Despite being a recent pilot experience, BiblioTech enjoyed terrific global press coverage as the first “bookless library” [1]. The advancement of digital literacy, intended as something more than knowing how to use technology, is one of the main goals. The equipment includes 600 e-readers for external circulation, 45 iPads for internal use, and four surface tables. The library’s success is based on its programming (for seniors too), community partnerships (i.e. with the San Antonio Spurs Foundation), and an attractive brand.

Jens Thorhauge, the guru of the 4-space model, ideally closed the conference describing how the traditional role of public libraries has been challenged during the last 20 years. His provocative assertion that “access to information is not the librarian’s business anymore” hit the mark, considering it preceded by just a few days the launch of the Lyon Declaration on access to information and development.[2]. Thorhauge highlighted that nowadays libraries struggle to compete with fast-movers in the media market (i.e. Facebook), and with commercial media streaming services (Netflix or Spotify). He can’t see a new standard model for libraries though, so the discussion continues.

Table tennis at the Library of Birmingham

References

[1] BiblioTech – An Entirely Bookless Library, by Elena Rivera on February 21, 2013. BiblioTech opened in September 2013. Two satellite facilities were opened more recently.

[2] The declaration will be one of the main advocacy tools for IFLA in the next months.

The post Report From the IFLA Public Libraries Conference first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

FCPL is a pilot site for a newly developed program by SirsiDynix. According to Justin Swain, end user services consultant for SirsiDynix, FCPL was one of the library systems chosen to try the pilot program because of its openness to innovative services. “FCPL stays ahead of the game when it comes to providing new and unique services to their patrons,” says Swain. FCPL initially offered the dual use card just at their main branch but rolled out the program to all locations in the beginning of September.

I Love My Library Card is a Visa® prepaid card that has few additional fees for the cardholder, compared to many of the traditional options out there. Currently, about sixty cards have been given out at FCPL and about a third of the recipients have registered to use the debit side of the program. There’s hope those numbers will expand as the community becomes more aware of the platform.

“Customers have plenty of choices for prepaid debit cards, but this one offers a couple perks. For one, customers know that a portion of their fees are donated back to the library. For two, the card offers ‘Linkable,’ which is a rewards program that allows customers to get special deals from local and national businesses,” says Marie Slaby, FCPL’s interim manager of community and corporate partnerships office.

Swain agrees. He adds that patron privacy is upheld. It is up to library card customers to sign up for the debit card services. Library card information is not shared with the producers of the debit card and vice versa. “We ensure that all of our products comply with the most stringent privacy standards,” says Swain.

A third perk of the card is the involvement of the library with financial literacy programming. The card can be part of a larger lesson on financial responsibility. There are a number of “unbanked” individuals in the country and in Frederick County. Lower fees allow struggling patrons, who may lack the financial resources and knowledge many of us take for granted, to use the card. Also, no credit check is required.

It can be a bit of a challenge to educate library staff on the positives of this program. Although libraries and fundraising often go hand in hand, staff can be reluctant to understand the value of such a card. Slaby says, “Librarians are wary of offering any product that has a cost. We’ve offered things for sale before—t-shirts, used books, tote bags—but never a financial product. We are having to do a lot of education so that librarians know what prepaid debit cards are and how our card compares favorably to others that are available. But librarians often rise to the challenge of learning new roles in their communities.”

Swain says he is working with libraries in Mississippi and Illinois to implement similar programs, with the hope that other library systems will come on board in the future.

For a more in-depth article on this partnership, visit here.

The post I Love My Library Card: A Dual Use Library/Debit Card first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Recently I came across a reference book in my library on American innovators called They Made America by Harold Evans. This book details the big idea people that truly changed the American way of life. Important inventors and innovators ranging from historical figures like Eli Whitney, Levi Strauss, Henry Ford, and Walt Disney to current innovators like Larry Page and Sergey Brin the founders of Google, are each given a chapter. What do all of these people have in common? An idea (or two) and the passion and energy to act on it! Librarianship is a field that is still seeing almost constant change and lends itself to people with ideas who are not afraid of challenging the way things have always been done.

When I worked at the Delray Beach Public Library, I sat across the room from an underutilized computer lab. Ten computers in a quiet and ideal environment just glaring at me, almost begging me to be used. These underutilized resources irked me, and I was even more frustrated when patrons pointed at the lab when all the public internet computers were being used and asked, “Why can’t we use the computers in there?”. I had no good answer besides the fact that we only ever used the lab for our computer classes. I was beyond fortunate to have the opportunity as a member of the Sunshine State Library Leadership Institute to use this lab as my culminating project and turn the space into the Empowerment Zone – a career, eGov, and education resource that in a year would allow over 100 patrons a month to use the space and computers.

Next year, I would like to challenge everyone in our profession to try to smash the status quo. As mentioned previously, giving up takes little effort, but trying to find a way around a road block can be an important challenge. On March 21^st, the anniversary of the founding of Twitter (facilitator of change throughout the world), I propose #SmashTheStatusQuoDay, where every library professional attempts to create or reimagine an idea, or just plain blow up the status quo in a way that is beneficial to their library and profession. You can tweet about it, or mention it on Facebook and other social media platforms. The challenge is positive change for you and your organization. Good luck and remember that there are plenty of resources out there, including Public Libraries Online, to help you formulate your plan of attack!

The post Smash the Status Quo! Rejuvenating Your Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

New approaches, like priority-based and outcome-based budgeting, could help align a library budget with its services and dollars received. These methods can provide enhanced accountability and transparency to the budgeting process. They both have the potential to better communicate the goals and intended outcomes of new and existing programs. Outcomes, outputs, inputs, strategies, and performance are aligned and regularly evaluated. Governmental units, like libraries, can align more strongly with their city’s or county’s priorities.

A priority-driven budget is in some ways the opposite of a traditional line-item budget approach. The budget process begins with a review of the organization’s priorities rather than the dollars spent on activities the previous year. Each program or activity is evaluated based on predetermined performance indicators. The focus moves from dollars spent to effectiveness of programs and services in relation to the value of those services.

Creating priorities prior to funding considerations helps to focus on the mission and role of the organization. The process can also help to weight the value of one program over another. In cases where a program may be ranked at a lower value for results achieved, stakeholders and program participants have the opportunity to take on more responsibility for the success or support of the service. San Jose, Calif., is an example of how a city has applied this process.

Outcome-based budgeting is a specific form of priority-based budgeting. It is an approach that government entities have successfully implemented and is now moving to the non-profit sector.  It is interesting to see how some government agencies have used this method to incorporate their strategic plan initiatives directly into their budget process. An example is Newton, Massachusetts, a city that has used an outcome-based approach throughout their city, including their library budget.

The four principles of outcome-based budgeting include:

1. Establishing outcomes
2. Developing approaches to achieve outcomes
3. Developing a budget with approaches to achieve outcomes
4. Evaluating performance and making adjustments

These four principles allow the organization to align its budget tightly with its strategic plan.

Traditional library metrics and performance indicators need a tune-up. This is an opportunity for library leaders to adjust indicators to demonstrate long-term strategic priorities. By aligning them with the budgeting process, libraries will be in a better position to communicate value to financial stakeholders.

Resources

Stanz, C., Backes, S., Fokerts, N. “Budgeting for Results: Outcomes Based Budgeting.” Presentation of Nonprofit Financial Roundtable Series, Waite Park, MN, August 26, 2014. Powerpoint slides from the presentation.

Kavanagh, S.C., Johnson, J., Fabian, C. Anatomy of a Priority-Driven Budget Process, Government Finance Officers Association, 2011.

Outcomes Based Budget Overview,  City of Newton, Mass., 2014.

The post New Budget Processes for the “New Normal” first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The post Tell the World About Your Innovative Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.