Library professionals are constantly discussing ways to prove the library's relevancy in today's world. With shrinking budgets and threats of closure, real or imagined, librarians struggle to find new ways to bring up their circulation numbers, draw bigger crowds to their events, and prove their worth through statistics and measurements. When policy makers wonder what purpose libraries serve when we have e-books and the internet, some librarians panic and adopt new technologies or try to reinvent themselves to prove their value. Keeping abreast of new technologies and trends is vital to the future of libraries; however, we cannot afford to lose sight of our original brand. Ask a person what they expect to find in a library, and most of them will be spot on. We cannot afford to fall behind, but we also cannot afford to lose sight of who and what we already are.
Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, said that he was "as proud of the things we haven't done as the things I have done." In his words, "Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things." Does your local library need to purchase expensive software or equipment it cannot maintain or use? Absolutely not. Should libraries be the first to adopt every new technology to come down the road? Of course not. Picking and choosing is critical when adopting new technologies. The library director must not only consider the cost but must consider staff time, maintenance, and instruction of these new technologies. A bright and shiny new toy is no fun for anyone if it can never be used or if it breaks down and nobody can fix it.
We should stop apologizing for our brand. Libraries do equal books, and we should not be ashamed of it. We should offer programming that highlights this service, and we should promote our reader advisory. It has been and will continue to be critical to our success. Libraries have also always been about providing information to everyone, regardless of background or income level. This is nothing new. What has changed is that people have more ready access at their own fingertips, in their own homes. Therefore, we need to offer and promote information literacy instruction. We must go out into our communities and remind people what we do. Outreach is crucial to promoting our brand and is a popular buzzword in the library professional community right now. As Noah said to the animals on the ark, "Go forth and prosper!" So must we.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
To Be or Not to Be
I recently read an article in the Library Journal naming the Movers and Shakers of 2014. I read the article with a little trepidation. Will hearing about these wonderful expamples of library professionals make me feel small in comparison? Would hearing about their accomplishments make me question all of mine? Do I want to be a Mover or a Shaker?
I will admit to being intimidated by some of the innovations and achievements highlighted about these library professionals. However, I was not intimidated or discouraged. Hearing about the exciting things that are happening in this profession of which I am proud to be a part energized me. Particularly, the segment featuring Caris O'Malley, the Teen Services Manager at the Maricopa County Library District in Phoenix, Arizona. Projects like his "Social Learning Labs" and a concert series titled "Notes from the Underground" in which the teens handle the production and make recordings were particularly exciting. His new summer reading program includes the development of a free, web-based, open source, interactive multiplatform tool.
Our library is currently planning our digital media lab. We want to include software and equipment that will allow students to be content creators as well as content users. Reading about other people advancing the field of library science encourages me to be an early adopter in some areas but proceed with caution and choose to be in the early majority in other areas.
If you would like to read more about Caris O'Malley, check out the latest edition of Library Journal.
I will admit to being intimidated by some of the innovations and achievements highlighted about these library professionals. However, I was not intimidated or discouraged. Hearing about the exciting things that are happening in this profession of which I am proud to be a part energized me. Particularly, the segment featuring Caris O'Malley, the Teen Services Manager at the Maricopa County Library District in Phoenix, Arizona. Projects like his "Social Learning Labs" and a concert series titled "Notes from the Underground" in which the teens handle the production and make recordings were particularly exciting. His new summer reading program includes the development of a free, web-based, open source, interactive multiplatform tool.
Our library is currently planning our digital media lab. We want to include software and equipment that will allow students to be content creators as well as content users. Reading about other people advancing the field of library science encourages me to be an early adopter in some areas but proceed with caution and choose to be in the early majority in other areas.
If you would like to read more about Caris O'Malley, check out the latest edition of Library Journal.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
The Website Experience
As part of my Information Technology course at the University of Alabama, I was required to design my own personal website. Having used HTML coding in the past and having had assisted with the development of our city and library websites, I felt confident approaching the task. I also love puzzles and finding that one little needle - or error - in the haystack. So I was excited rather than fearful when I embarked on the task. However, the project proved more difficult than I ever thought it would for several reasons.
First, I needed to conceptualize the website. Its purpose was clear; I wanted an "A". I always want an "A". Although the assignment was clear and the elements were determined for me, I still needed to decide how I wanted to convey - well - me. This was the challenging part. There are many facets of me; I have lots of friends, family, interests, etc. How do I narrow down all of me to one or two pages? Looking around at other students' websites and other personal websites helped. I googled "best personal websites" for examples and reviewed my classmates' pages for inspiration. Using books as background because of my deep love of reading, I put pictures of me and family in the foreground and used the about me page to share more.
The second challenge was choosing the necessary software and programs for building the website. We had suggestions from class, and we were all getting suggestions from each other as to other programs that might work better. As I felt myself being overwhelmed with the possibilities, I chose simplicity. I downloaded the programs suggested in the videos we had watched in class and crossed my fingers that they would work. Fortunately, for me, they did.
Another challenge was the actual coding. Finding the dash where an equal sign needed to be or the missing quotation mark at the end of a phrase was fun for me. However, the perfectionist lurking under the surface kept trying to interfere with the fun. Fortunately, I had given myself enough time at the outset that I was able to step away when the frustration set in. Again, the help of classmates came in handy at this point as well. Our cohort is strong, and so many people shared their frustrations and problems which helped find those little errors along the way.
The main lesson learned for me was not the coding or the transferring of files or uploading to the server. This experience reminded me of the importance of planning and of allowing yourself sufficient time to see a project through. Knowing what you want to achieve and giving yourself the time and space with which to do it is key to designing a website, whether it's for yourself, for school, or for your job.
First, I needed to conceptualize the website. Its purpose was clear; I wanted an "A". I always want an "A". Although the assignment was clear and the elements were determined for me, I still needed to decide how I wanted to convey - well - me. This was the challenging part. There are many facets of me; I have lots of friends, family, interests, etc. How do I narrow down all of me to one or two pages? Looking around at other students' websites and other personal websites helped. I googled "best personal websites" for examples and reviewed my classmates' pages for inspiration. Using books as background because of my deep love of reading, I put pictures of me and family in the foreground and used the about me page to share more.
The second challenge was choosing the necessary software and programs for building the website. We had suggestions from class, and we were all getting suggestions from each other as to other programs that might work better. As I felt myself being overwhelmed with the possibilities, I chose simplicity. I downloaded the programs suggested in the videos we had watched in class and crossed my fingers that they would work. Fortunately, for me, they did.
Another challenge was the actual coding. Finding the dash where an equal sign needed to be or the missing quotation mark at the end of a phrase was fun for me. However, the perfectionist lurking under the surface kept trying to interfere with the fun. Fortunately, I had given myself enough time at the outset that I was able to step away when the frustration set in. Again, the help of classmates came in handy at this point as well. Our cohort is strong, and so many people shared their frustrations and problems which helped find those little errors along the way.
The main lesson learned for me was not the coding or the transferring of files or uploading to the server. This experience reminded me of the importance of planning and of allowing yourself sufficient time to see a project through. Knowing what you want to achieve and giving yourself the time and space with which to do it is key to designing a website, whether it's for yourself, for school, or for your job.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
If I Don't Tweet, Am I A Twit?
I recently taught "Introduction to Twitter" to a classroom of 9 computer users, eight of whom have had zero social networking experience. One of the students, a middle-aged gentleman, asked me the question on which this blog's title is based: "If I don't tweet, am I a twit?"
What I found interesting while teaching the class is that what seems simple to me is not simple to everyone. Twitter prides itself on simplicity. However, if you are not familiar with the social networking world, there is nothing simple about it. The largest social networking sites bring with it an entire new vocabulary. If you are not familiar with Facebook, you do not know what it means to "friend" someone or how to "facebook me" if I ask. If you have never seen Twitter, a hashtag is just the pound symbol on your phone, and the @ symbol is even more confusing.
As librarians, we are expected to know how to use all of the new technologies. We are no longer merely teaching someone how to double-click their mouse; we are now teaching them how to access their bank accounts online, apply for benefits, download ebooks, and join the social networking frenzy. Elderly people are being awakened to all of the possibilities in the online social environment. They want to see pictures of their childrens' families, read what their grandchildren are doing, and reconnect with old friends and distant family members. However, many of them lack the skills to truly engage. Large companies are selling them devices they cannot use and systems they cannot comprehend.
It is up to us as librarians to help our patrons feel less like twits and more like tweeters. They do not expect to be experts, but they would like to feel competent and be less intimidated by what seems simple to many of us. Being patient and empathetic are crucial when guiding them down this often frustrating path. Everyone lives in the digital age, whether they understand or not. As information professionals, we should be helping people come to terms with this new world and leading them gently along.
What I found interesting while teaching the class is that what seems simple to me is not simple to everyone. Twitter prides itself on simplicity. However, if you are not familiar with the social networking world, there is nothing simple about it. The largest social networking sites bring with it an entire new vocabulary. If you are not familiar with Facebook, you do not know what it means to "friend" someone or how to "facebook me" if I ask. If you have never seen Twitter, a hashtag is just the pound symbol on your phone, and the @ symbol is even more confusing.
As librarians, we are expected to know how to use all of the new technologies. We are no longer merely teaching someone how to double-click their mouse; we are now teaching them how to access their bank accounts online, apply for benefits, download ebooks, and join the social networking frenzy. Elderly people are being awakened to all of the possibilities in the online social environment. They want to see pictures of their childrens' families, read what their grandchildren are doing, and reconnect with old friends and distant family members. However, many of them lack the skills to truly engage. Large companies are selling them devices they cannot use and systems they cannot comprehend.
It is up to us as librarians to help our patrons feel less like twits and more like tweeters. They do not expect to be experts, but they would like to feel competent and be less intimidated by what seems simple to many of us. Being patient and empathetic are crucial when guiding them down this often frustrating path. Everyone lives in the digital age, whether they understand or not. As information professionals, we should be helping people come to terms with this new world and leading them gently along.
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