Posts
Thursday, March 15th 8:15am-9:30am
Getting E-Content to Your Customers: Challenges, Best Practices and Solutions
Presented by Lisa Long-Hickman, Alan Inouye, Gina Millsap, Tom Peters and Michael Porter
This presentation drew together constituents involved in all aspects of the e-content market, such as publishers, librarians, and policy makers.
It was emphasized that when it come to e-content, libraries have little control of collections, access, archiving, and privacy. Control of collections is lost because libraries do not have full selection capabilities. There is also a loss of control in regards to access. Libraries do not own the material and there limits as to how many times an item can be checked out. Libraries also lose content after a certain amount of time and/or number of checkouts. Patron privacy is compromised because publishers require personal patron information in order to download content.
Further, there are other problems with e-content including website crashes, long waiting lists due to check out restrictions, and costly contracts. Also, because costs are not regulated, it is difficult to budget. Different e-readers also support different formats, for example kindles support .mobi formats and all others support .epub. This means costs are higher as not every e-book is usable by every patron.
However, e-content is the future and is what our patrons want and e-content copies are generally available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Approximately 90 percent of the world’s population has some kind of mobile device. Increasingly, information is born-digital, meaning it’s written and accessible through technology only. The publishing and bookselling models are changing as a result, as is the way we read. Reading has become more communal, with instant sharing and chatting instead of a quiet solitary activity.
The problem is that authors, publishers, and libraries are all in a crisis. Many publishers, obviously, do not like the library lending model and ignore libraries. Libraries need to find solutions if we want to stay relevant. We need to focus our efforts on new content, getting devices needed for the new content out to users, and finding ways to decrease our waiting lists for material.
All of these issues around e-content require that librarians develop a new set of skills, especially those related to negotiation. Librarians need to be the intermediaries between the public and the publishers. This also involves being able to communicate directly with publishers and content managers and understanding their needs as well as the public’s. Librarians need to communicate that we are important to publishers. Libraries are 10 percent of the market, and are a whopping 40 percent of the market in children’s publishing. When communicating with publishers, we need to emphasize how our relationship is mutually beneficial. For example, many users click “buy now” to purchase a book instead of waiting on lists and over 50 percent of users go on to purchase books discovered in a library.
Another major solution that will require negation skills is to try and change legislation that would encourage publishers to work with libraries. For example, the Justice Department is threatening to sue publishers for controlling e-book prices and hiking them up. Now would be a great time for librarians to lobby for legislation.
Libraries also need to seek out other option when purchasing e-content. There are smaller publishers out there that are willing to work with libraries. Dzanc books is a non-profit publishing company that sells e-books DRM (Digital Rights Management) free, which means purchasers own the book and patron privacy is protected.
What libraries also need to think about is buying versus leasing. Buying means that libraries own the content, have control, can use the content on different devices and platforms, easier catalog integration, preservation abilities, and cost effective. Leasing means higher costs and loss of control as titles disappear with contract expiration. We need to fight for content ownership and learn to negotiate for rights rather than just settle for whatever is handed to us in regards to e-content.
Distribution options: Overdrive, 3M cloud, Freading, my iLibrary.
Resources: The Revolution isn’t just Digital, ALA Digital Content and Libraries initiative, ALA e-content blog, CALIFA’s dealings with e-book publishers.
Thursday, March 15th 10:45am-12:00pm
iPads in the Library: From Tech Programming to Staff Productivity
Presented by Joel Nichols
This presentation detailed the many uses of iPads in the public library for both staff and patrons.
Uses for iPads in relation to the library
· Tablets can be used as e-readers.
· Tablets can be used for story times, though they may not always be the best option as they are not as big as books.
· Tablets can be used during story times to show pictures in a slide show and have children tell their own stories.
· They can also be used to enhance story times by incorporating animal noises, or videos that relate to the story.
· iPads can document programs using a camera or video and are able to seamlessly upload those files to the library’s website.
· Apps can be book tie-ins, for example to convert recipes from a book into a grocery list.
· Tablets are great for highlighting archival collections because they have the ability to zoom.
Uses for Staff
· iPads are excellent tools for meetings, conferences and travel because they offer access to maps, phone numbers, note taking applications, calendars, etc.
· Tablets can be used as a presentation tool. Apple TV can wirelessly mirror content onto a TV.
· iPads can also be used as a remote desktop and for roving reference. An example is D.C. Public Library, which wrote an app for their catalog interface. They also have a weeding app, check out app etc.
Thursday, March 15th 2:00pm-3:15pm
No Fear Management: Dealing with Difficult People, Difficult Situations, Difficult Conversations
Presented by Stacey Aldrich, Rivkah Sass, and Manya Shorr
This was an excellent conversational style program that talked about some difficulties in management and how to approach them. Overall, this session was beneficial in showing that, as a library, we are not going through difficult times alone. Many managers talked about the same personnel and budget issues that we are experiencing.
The sessions starting with the audience discussing personal issues they have had in a management position. Some difficulties included: managing people older than you, pettiness among employees, the 80/20 rule (more time and energy spent on the difficult 20 percent of employees and less attention spent on the 80 percent of employees who are doing a great job), people who do not want to be engaged or changed, negative employees, and technologically challenged employees. Another concern was whether we as libraries are even going to be here in 10 years.
6 Takeaways
1) Know the rules
· Know the union contract and/or policies, understand your library’s governance, know the basics like FMLA.
· It’s important to leave no vacuum in communication, everything needs an explanation.
· You can’t let people get away with things. It damages morale when there are staff members picking up the work for undisciplined employees when most libraries are already understaffed
· It’s important to have a discipline steps matrix and a documentation template to be consistent and to save time.
2) Sometimes you have to be a hard person
· Don’t let employee issues go, it’s not okay to waste taxpayer money.
· When approaching difficult discussions, write down the issues and then meet. Focus on what employees need to do to improve, not what they are doing wrong.
· Keep it simple and positive.
3) Compartmentalize relationships
· It’s important to differentiate between working relationships and friendships.
· You need to be fair and consistent.
4) Develop a hard candy coating
· Don’t be afraid to speak your mind, and allow for others to do the same.
5) Put on your big girl pants
· Everything is usually a communication issue
· Let them know the truth
· But also, pick your battles. Ask yourself, is this a hill worth dying on?
Resources:
Book: Don’t shoot the dog
Thursday, March 15th 4:15pm-5:15pm
The Speed Team: How We Got Rid of Our Backlog, Improved Customer Service and Saved Money without Using a Consultant
Presented by Sheryl Katzin
Sheryl detailed how she and her staff improved the Technical services workflow for the Los Angeles County System.
In LA County, it took an average of 52 (insane, I know!) days to get an item from receiving to check out. Sheryl and her Technical Services staff knocked the process down to 5 days and saved $850,000 in doing so.
Sheryl emphasized quantity and communication. She began the process by requiring staff to measure how long it took them to complete a task each day for a month. This was done in order to figure out where the bottlenecks were, but also to point out successes. It was also important to have base numbers off which to measure progress.
Staff then mapped out the work flow and cut what needed to be cut. This was done in a few ways. Staff was encouraged to click everything in the ILS, to work with it and press every button. You can find short cuts or solutions you didn’t know of by doing this. Next, outdated procedures were cut, for example date stamping, applying Capco covers, and retyping call numbers.
Outdated cataloging systems were also removed. The system stopped using ANSCR (a cataloging system for sound recordings) which takes a lot of time to implement and moved to organizing by general genre (rock, pop, etc.). Sheryl said patrons really appreciated this change as well.
Sheryl also suggested figuring out how departments fit together to cut down on processing steps and to create an overall sense of cooperation among the organization.
Overall, this session did not show me much more than what we already do, but I agree with the highlighted statement about music reorganization.
Friday March 16th, 8:15am-9:30am
What Makes a Collection? Redefining the Library through the Collection
Presented by Rebecca Newburn, JP Porcaro, and Patrick Sweeney
This was an amazing (and practical!) session that filled me with tons of ideas about ways we can diversify the collection. This session also detailed how to manage non-traditional collections and emphasized forming partnerships in the community.
In general, print materials are no longer meeting all of patrons’ needs.
E-Readers
It’s often asked, why should we circulate e-readers when we don’t circulate DVD players? The quick answer to that is that more people have DVD players, whereas only a small number of patrons have e-readers and a lot of patrons want to have access to this new technology and cannot afford the devices.
One library partnered with Barnes and Noble to get grants, which they then used to purchase e-readers for patron use. B&N staff volunteered to do classes and technical support for the library in regards to the e-readers.
A huge concern is how to circulate e-readers. This library circulated them in a case logic bag that is branded with the library’s logo, which also included directions as well as the rules and policies for e-reader use. Staff would select and load e-content because there is no way to have the pick their own content because of the registration required for the device. The library has a kindle for different genres, for example one for bestsellers, children’s materials, Spanish materials, etc. The Nook titles come up in the catalog whenever a patron searches for a title that is on the Nook.
Another major concern with loaning e-readers is losses and damages. However, out of close to 300 Nooks for both staff and patron use, only 2 have been damaged and 2 have gone to collections after about a year. All of the Nooks are locked up at check out desk. Patrons can check them out for 3 weeks and devices are charged after each use in the staff room.
Training for staff and the public was provided, though the public says the device is intuitive. Training documents and videos were also posted on the intranet for staff.
There are some concerns. Staff time is involved in continually weeding the devices as new version come out and adding new content and software updates. The library had to set up a special internet for wireless access, as the software would not display the “accept terms” page for their current wireless. B&N let the library register 6 devices per account, but publishers are forcing the one to one model which can increase costs exponentially.
This library found that e-readers are good tools for reaching out to homebound patrons, because they are cheaper to ship because of weight and they can enlarge text. The iPad touch also has a voice app for the visually impaired.
Seed Library
This collection was implemented at the Richmond California Library, which partnered with Collective Roots. Collective Roots dealt with helping patrons plant the seeds. The goals of this collection are to teach people how to save seeds, educate patrons about sustainability, aid in getting people fresh fruits and veggies, and to teach people how to grow seeds.
The only costs to the library were the purchasing of containers for the seed packets, which ran about $30. Obviously, this is not a collection where the seeds have to be returned, but so many are donated that it is not a problem. There is a binder near the collection where patrons write their name and what seeds they are taking.
Guitar Library
This collection was implemented at San Mateo County Library, which partnered with a local guitar store to purchase (at a large discount) 15 guitars for patron use. Guitars were purchased using grant money. Guitar lessons were also provided for free by the local music store. Guitars could be checked out for 8 weeks, but holds were not allowed to be placed to avoid having to ship them all over the system. Users were required to sign a responsibility contract, but the library does not charge for picks and strings. Staff learned how to maintain the instruments and restring them. Out of pure interest, many staff started taking guitar classes as well.
The purpose of this kind of collection was to supplement the print collection. The library has lots of guitar books and music books, but to get the full use of those materials, the instrument had to be available and many in the community could not afford to purchase a guitar. I thought this was a really cool idea.
Programming in a Box
This collection was implemented due to staff cuts in order to save on time without cutting down the number or quality of services.
For each program that a library in the system does, a box contain the materials used as well as directions for the program is made. Boxes are booked through the intranet and are not cataloged. The boxes are only for staff. There is a week gap between reservations to allow for transit time, but in busy weeks many staff just meet up to exchange boxes.
Some examples of box programs are a Fancy Nancy party, kitting programs, Wii programs, and art packs. Art packs are puppets, books, art activities etc. in a back pack that kids can check out. These were acquired through a partnership with the local art museum and are the only program “box” that is available for patron check out. These packs are always out!
The only staff time involved in this is restocking boxes with materials as needed. Many boxes also just have a list of items needed if they involve food. Storage space may be a drawback.
I think this is a really great way to offer a lot of quality, consistent programming. It also helps alleviate staff time spent on programming by not requiring them to always reinvent the wheel and encourages creativity among staff members.
Video Game Collections
The main point of this portion of the presentation was to justify videogames as an addition to the collection. Basically, the kids want them so we should offer them. There is plenty of support for gaming as a legitimate way to educate kids. Most games now have similar contents to a book such as linear narratives, and decision-making.
Friday, March 16th 2:00pm-3:15pm
Perfect Partners in Crime: Public Libraries and Sisters in Crime
Presented by Frankie Bailey, Mary Callahan Boone, Nancy martin, Nancy Pearl, Cathy Pickens, Hank Phillippi Ryan
This presentation highlighted various aspects of the mystery genre and promoted Sisters in Crime, an organized group of mystery writers.
Sisters in Crime members will do author visits to libraries and other book groups. There are chapters all over the country, so no city is too remote.
For more information, visit: http://www.sistersincrime.org/
