Libraries are dead - not!

The other day I was asked a question that I am sure many other librarians get asked (although I wasn't technically 'asked' this question; it was more of a surprised statement).  The question was "People still come to the library? Don't they just use the internet?"  Far from being inactive, dying centres, libraries are part of what I think are very exciting times.  The last few years have seen a steady growth in people attending our programs, in the number of programs we hold, the numbers of loans and also the number of people who come through the doors.  Resources have grown from print items (books, newspapers and magazines), DVDs and CDs to include eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and downloadable and streaming media such as songs and movies.

We work hard to make sure that all these items are obtained through fair and honest means (by following rigid procurement policies) and to make sure that they fit our communities needs as much as possible.  That aside, we now offer so many, many more programs, programs that enrich lives and reach out to so many members of our communities.  We have Storytimes for babies and children from birth right through until they start school, school holiday programs, summer reading clubs, teen self esteem programs, cookbook clubs, help for jobseekers...the list goes on.

Libraries are vibrant, dynamic spaces, places for individual and group learning and very much community hubs.  As I said earlier, it is a very exciting time to be in libraries!

Makerspace seminar

I've been asked to do a presentation on Makerspaces and their relevance in libraries (public, school, academic) at a seminar in May.  I'm really excited by this, as it will give me an opportunity to talk about something I am really passionate about - creativity and collaboration in libraries.  It's also going to give me another opportunity to do more research and look at what has been trending and developing in recent months.

Stay tuned for more information as I can release it :)

Join more discussions on makerspaces in libraries via the LinkedIn group I created.

Day 7 Lists #blog12daysxmas

I love lists.  I love trying different apps and sites that will keep lists for me.  Whenever I feel like I have too much crowding my head, too much that I need to get through, creating a list makes me feel like I am that much closer to meeting my deadline or making it past an insurmountable task.  Once my list is out of my head, I feel as though I can power through things much more easily.

Having said that I love trying list apps, I don't feel as though I am getting through anywhere near as much as when I write down my dot points on a notepad (or piece of paper if my notepad is not in easy reach).  Quickly jotting down key words, line by line, as they form in my head, makes it simpler for me to think of the next task.  The very act of putting a line through things gives me a greater sense of accomplishment than striking through a word electronically ever could.

The majority of my list centres on work sitting at a PC, they are all relatively huge tasks and all have a sense of urgency.  Just as I crossed off one major one today, another major one appeared that I had forgotten about!  I do plan to make good headway into a different one in what is left of today.

Day 6 Gourmet 3D printing #blog12daysxmas

I came across an interesting article the other day...whilst not directly related to libraries (well perhaps not yet!), the fact that 3D printing has become so well known of late makes this device worthy of a mention.

The next stage of 3D printing is a 3D printer that can 'print' meals.  Co founder of Foodini, Lynette Kucsma, says that Foodini's main purpose is to "take on the difficult and/or time-consuming parts of food preparation that often discourage people from creating homemade food, whether it’s in a home kitchen or a restaurant".

The aim of the machine is to automate kitchen tasks whilst still allowing users to do a little personal customisation.  The concept is not new, but perhaps will become more refined and affordable in the near future?

Chocolate to go, anyone?

Day 5 Maker spaces and libraries - Pinterest board #blog12daysxmas

Following on from my post regarding maker spaces in public libraries and the LinkedIn group about maker spaces in public libraries, I started thinking about the ways that libraries could also harness ideas on what to do/create/make if they created such a space for their users.

A search on the internet didn't give as many ideas as I wanted, especially considering I wanted any activities to eventually become self sustaining, not ones requiring constant staff intervention.  A Pinterest search gave me better results, but these were still fairly fragmented, so I created a Pinterest board specifically with ideas for maker spaces in libraries.  Many of the activities here relate to the STEAM principles (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).

I'd be interested in your thoughts and welcome any contributions :)

Day 4 Makers spaces and public libraries - LinkedIn Group #blog12daysxmas

The development of the maker space at my branch entailed a lot of research to elicit what would work, what may work and what I (potentially) should avoid acquiring for the space.  This research started around April 2013 and was quite hard to do; there wasn't a lot of information easily available and meant that most of what I did get was through personal contact with libraries overseas.

Since then, I have established a good network of libraries (mainly US based) which has been invaluable in terms of acquiring information on development and sustainability of maker spaces in public libraries.  Interestingly, since April 2013, more and more of these spaces have been created in public libraries - these have either been a totally new set up (like mine) or else a roll out to more branches following high success with the initial space.

During the course of this information gathering and discussions with others, I realised there was no forum I could find that offered a place to share and exchange ideas and information on maker spaces in public libraries.  I have now created a LinkedIn Group, Maker spaces in public libraries where articles and discussions can be posted to connect like minded people together.

If you're interested in maker spaces in public libraries, then be sure to join the group and contribute to some of the discussions, or feel free to start your own.  It can be as simple as 'how do I start a maker space in my library?"!

Day 3 Maker Spaces/Hacker Spaces - does one fit in my library? #blog12daysxmas

Today I met up with Michelle, from Connecting Librarian, who I am partnering with to present a workshop on maker spaces in libraries at VALA2014 (look at Wednesday 5 February 2014). Our idea is to provide an interactive workshop where participants leave with a plan on how they can implement a maker space in their library, no matter which sector, what they will need, funding commitments (if any), sustainability and promotion, amongst many other things.

 Both Michelle and I thought it would take us a while to plan the session, breaking it up into meaningful sub-sessions, but it all came together really well.  I'm very excited about what Michelle and I put together.  If you're interested in starting up a maker space in your library, then you really need to attend this workshop at VALA2014!

Day 2 Gadgets #blog12daysxmas

I love technology and I really love gadgets, especially those that make things more efficient for me.  My husband knows this and has just bought me a Plox Powerbox (6000 series).  This is a portable battery pack that is able to charge a smart phone four times.  Because it has a 2.1 amp output, it charges extremely fast and I can charge more than one device at a time.  It has a micro USB charger, meaning I can use it to charge my Galaxy SIII, Kindle White and other devices that take the same connection. The micro USB charger is actually connected to the Plox Powerbox, so I don't have to have the charging cable with me.  Unsure yet if it has enough power to charge the iPad 4.  Mine is the bright yellow one :)

My next favourite gadget is the Laser 10 USB port charging station (mine is white).  This unit has an AC power cable and can switch between ten 1 amp outputs and five 2.4 amp outputs.  It sits on my desk and I have every thing I need charging when I need them to.

My latest gadget is the 2013 Kindle Paperwhite. I've always been a little ambivalent about owning a Kindle, mainly due to Amazon's proprietary hold, but I do like this eReader!  It's light, easy to hold and read from and quite smart looking. Now I just need to get some books that are compatible....

Day 1 A year in reflection #blog12daysxmas

2013 has been a big year professionally; in January the Mill Park Digital Hub started, being launched officially in May by the then Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy, Senator Stephen Conroy.  I continued to tutor in library studies for Charles Sturt University, Curtin University and Victoria University and even squeezed in a professional literature review.  I was named co-winner of the ALIA Victorian Favourite Librarian Award and took on a project role with ALIA, coordinating a return on investment project on special libraries.  The Health Libraries report, Worth Every Cent and More has just been released, with separate reports on Law, Government and Corporate sectors to follow. 

All of these were big learning curves for me, involving a lot of research and people/change management.  The biggest learning curve came with the development of the Mill Park Maker Space.  I applied for a small internal grant with very little lead up time and had to learn about maker spaces and their applicability to public libraries very quickly.  I was successful in obtaining the grant and the Mill Park Maker Space was officially launched in November, with over 200 official guests.

The biggest thing for me, for 2013 however, would have to be handing in my resignation at Yarra Plenty Regional Library, where I have spent an awesome 5 1/2 years immersed in innovation and creativity.

The maker movement

Whenever I speak to someone in the public library sector about including maker spaces in our services, I inevitably receive one of two responses.  The first is: "That's a great idea.  Why doesn't it surprise me?" The second is the much shorter: "Why?"  My first, short answer to that is "Why not?" :)

The longer answer?  Public libraries, to me, have always been about providing equitable access to information.  Traditionally this was through books (and one could argue that traditionally, books were all that were available) but now there are so many more mediums and platforms to provide this access.  Videos, DVDs, CDs, databases... we provide access to literacy programs, to computers, the internet...the list goes on.  We're providing access to things that some people may not have ready access to.  I put maker spaces in the same category.  They're a way to provide access to resources that have the potential to make significant changes in society.

I first read about the Fab Lab last year during a management workshop we had at work that was meant to challenge us to think outside the square.  There was an immediate connection for me. Libraries are places for people to connect, learn and get access!  Access to things I mentioned earlier, but also access to people.  In a maker space it's not necessarily the staff who are doing the 'showing' and the 'teaching'.  Members of the community who have this specialist knowledge can come in and share what they know.

This afternoon, a gentleman approached me about volunteering to help in our new maker space.  He has a degree in physics and a diploma of teaching.  He wants to share what he knows.  This is just one fabulous aspect of maker spaces....

Is the use of technology dependent on age?

A little while ago, @sharonu wrote a post, asking 'How young is too young for technology?' Her library service has recently acquired some iPads, with the intention of using them in their Storytime session.  Surprisingly, she met with some resistance to this, mainly that it is 'wrong' to have babies playing with technology.

Sharon tagged me in the post, as she knew that we are in our second year of running iTots and that the program has been enormously successful. Since I first blogged about iTots there has been a change in the way that we deliver it.  Rather than a 4 week course for participants, this year we started running it monthly, with a different theme each month.  Some of the content we have covered includes animals, shapes, music and colours.  If possible, the program has been even more successful than last year, with long waiting lists.  In June this year, I added an extra session with an additional 3 iPads in each, so we can include more each month. We're also thinking of opening it up to people bringing their own iPads, listing some of the apps that will be covered so they can come prepared.  That is in the final planning stages.

This brings me back to the title of my post and the question that Sharon also posed - how young is too young for technology?

I personally don't believe that this is a decision we need to be making.  Whether we provide programming with technology or not is moot - it is not going to stop parents from letting their children play with their iPads/smart phones/tablets.  Isn't this the perfect opportunity to show parents and caregivers the benefits of using ICT from a young age and help them make informed decision on downloading age appropriate, fun and educational apps?

I had some resistance to the concept of this program too, as well as using interactive eBooks for Storytimes and can't understand why.  There is still the exposure to stories and words that happens with 'real' books - the story teller is using a different format to tell the story.  We don't try to stop adults reading eBooks, as opposed to 'real' books; we are going out of our way trying to make eBooks more accessible to our communities, so they can borrow them like any other item in the library. Why should we prevent children/toddlers accessing these books?

Funding and resourcing can and will be an issue, but I think these tools and programs should be part of any public library's toolkit. I also think that eventually they (or their equivalent) will be as readily available in libraries as books, DVDs and magazines.

Day 9 A Digital Hub #blog12daysxmas

With the roll out of the National Broadband Network (NBN) in part of Melbourne's north early this year, my branch is now set to become a digital hub.

The lead up and preparation to this has been just as exciting as the imminent start up will be.  One space in the library has been reconfigured to allow for banquette seating to be installed, along with a hot desk for people to sit at and use the super fast internet that we'll be connected to (I think the super fast internet is what is exciting me the most right now! :-) ). There will be video conferencing facilities, an eBook download station, surface table and collaborative workspaces. I have a couple of great pictures but for some reason Blogger won't give me a 'browse' option when uploading a picture.

I blogged earlier about the number of computer classes already being run in the branch and the Digital Hub will now provide more opportunities for access to computer training and expertise due to a grant from the Department of Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy.

We've just hired an NBN Digital Hub Coordinator who will ensure that the Hub becomes a central location for the community to have opportunities for an interactive NBN experience.  The funding is for two years and during that time there will be a strong focus on digital literacy, especially in the areas of home, education, small business and health.

Day 8 on keeping up #blog12daysxmas

It's catch up time. I really admire those that have managed to blog daily and, in the process, generate interesting topics for discussion.  I took on a summer subject this semester and have been playing catch up with that. Doing this has been interesting - the subject is on children and youth in public libraries, an area I worked in for many years.  I particularly like the developmental aspect of it.

Public libraries can do so much to help children develop. I'd like to say 'especially in their formative years' (ie 0-5) but I really do think we can help with any age group.  The resources we own or subscribe to, the services we offer, the programs we run - they are really all about helping any age group.

And now, I shall check the cricket score and procrastinate just a tiny bit....

Day 7 on books and reading #blog12daysxmas

Reading has always been one of my 'things'.  No one who knew me as a child is ever surprised when they find out what career I chose.  It's quite ironic then, that I have read less since I qualified a few years, than I did before.  Working full time, and for quite a while, being a single mother of three, probably played a large part in this and I think it then got easier to get out of the habit of reading for relaxation, or even really reading at all.

I joined Goodreads this year to try and monitor my reading and to keep a list of books I wanted to start.  A final count up this morning showed me at 35 books, which is more than 1 a fortnight, way less than I used to read but much, much more than I have ended up reading.  There were also a few that I discarded after a few chapters - the storyline either didn't 'grab' me or the writing style was very poor - I usually find it very hard to get past poor writing.

I am wondering if I can exceed this in 2013.  This is definitely not a resolution.  I don't need to add another pressure to myself :)  It would be nice to get through the mounds of books though, majority of which are now in 'e'.

On my bedside table to read next are:

Eugenia - Mark Tedeschi
A mind for murder: the real life files of a psychic investigator - Noreen Renier
She's never coming back - Hans Koppel
A killing in the hills - Julia Keller

How was your reading list in 2012?

Day 6 TechTalk #blog12daysxmas

My intention today was to not write about programming, however I've been marking all day and my brain just can't come up with more than one paragraph of my original subject, so, programming again it is!

One of the gaps we'd identified early on with the introduction of more computer classes that I blogged about here was the need for more technical support.  We also quite often had phone calls trouble shooting various things as well as people coming in with IT equipment they needed help with.  We thought we'd trial setting aside a particular time a week to have a drop-in technology familiarisation workshop, predominantly aimed at those needing help with anything technology related.  The help given is wide and varied, including setting up accounts on mobile phones, learning how to send an SMS on a new phone, connecting to personal or library WiFi, using eReaders, downloading from Overdrive to iPads, Kindles (sorry no go!) and tablets and using Facetime on the iPad.  We started with one on a Thursday morning and now run another for Seniors on Tuesday afternoon.

Because of the increase of people in the community who have acquired technology, TechTalk has become an important program that we run.  One of the aims of these sessions was to have participants involved to the point where they would be able to help each other and this happens quite frequently now.

Day 5 iTots #blog12daysxmas

When I blogged on day 2 about some of the initiatives that had been implemented at the time of giving my branch update, I was reminded that, at the time, there were also things in development that have since been implemented; One of these is iTots.

iTots is a program aimed at 3-5 years olds that is designed to show parents some of the educational benefits of using ICT at a young age.  The aim was to demonstrate that technology can be a useful tool for preschool literacy and numeracy, creative play and school readiness.

The program is run using multiple methods of storytelling and interaction, rotating the use of the iPad and a flat screen TV, then individual use of the iPads with specific apps followed by free play. Four modules were created initially:

• Letters: using interactive apps and books to encourage children to read, spell and write words;
• Numbers: using apps to learn about pattern recognition, numbers and basic maths;
• Creating content: demonstrating how apps can be integrated with traditional play;
• Explore: using apps to explore science.

It would probably come as no surprise that most of the participants owned smart phones and had used apps such as Talking Tom so were at least familiar with this type of technology.

The sessions were first run with no formal marketing, only inhouse promotion and were limited to 9 places (we had 10 iPads).  The next session was included in our service wide marketing collateral.  We then ran another 2 which ended in November.  Its popularity means I am seriously considering running it on an almost continuous basis in 2013, with some minor tweaking to the program.

I do love how libraries are integrating traditional forms of programming with technology.  I am hoping now that iTots will soon be implemented across the library service.

Day 4 Core programs #blog12daysxmas

This morning some colleagues and I had a discussion via Twitter on core services in public libraries. The conversation centred around thoughts of what constituted a library's core business and who decided what "core" was-the community, the library service or perhaps the library staff.

Resourcing came up, namely staffing and funding, but I would imagine space could well be another issue faced by many libraries.  I'm fortunate in that I have a large branch and a large team but it is so often assumed that this makes it much simpler to run many programs and events. This isn't the case. A large branch also means that more staff are needed on the library floor at one time and,believe it or not, it can take quite a bit longer to do things because of the volume of work and the size of the floor space. Having said that, I can well imagine the frustrations of a smaller, under resourced library and what the staff must go through to get anything done.

I do believe though, very strongly, that where there's a will there's a way and there is always some way that programs can be developed and implemented. To me, a potentially fast way to facilitate some sort of community program is to put out an EOI in the library for some externally created groups to be actually run in the library. This can be a Book Group, a computer class or a patchwork group, utilising strong interests held by members of the community. Having someone keen to do this usually means they'll be a driver behind attendees participating and continued attendance, ensuring longevity for the group/s.

Volunteers in the library can be another way to implement something, even if it is a one off event, such as, for example, a card making demonstration, strategically held before Mother's Day or Christmas, or running a weekly homework help group.

Having the library available for community groups to hold events is another really good way to bring people to the library. Most of the time these groups will have their own promotional avenues which really helps with building an audience.

Creating a variety of programs is not without its challenges but I really do believe that little things can be done and constantly built upon to create meaningful and interesting programs for the community. There is also potential for these things to be used as leverage for future funding endeavours, for example using statistics gained to add weight to grant applications or to show merit for continued programming to funding bodies.

I would be interested to hear from others on interesting ways they found to run programs in their libraries.

Day 3 Value adding in library programming #blog12daysxmas

On day 2 I spoke about some of the programs that are now being offered in my branch (and which some of the other branches have taken on board, yay!) and hope to elaborate on these more in future blog posts.

I sometimes think it is so easy to get caught up in not being able to do things, on whether they are sustainable or even able to be implemented.  It's a mind set that is very simple to slip into, much harder to train yourself out of.

I had a discussion with a colleague once about her feelings on the need for us to be cautious with what we offer, as we are not early childhood specialists.  Quite honestly I don't think you need to be an early childhood specialist to offer many of the programs or services that we do. We don't teach, but I don't know of any library that says that they are.  There are many ways that we can add value to children's programs that cost little or no money.  Something that I spoke to staff about implementing this year was Letter of the week as an addition to our Toddler Time program.

Letter flash cards used for Toddler Time

Every week the staff member shows the next letter of the alphabet, pointing to the picture on the card and mentioning one or two other common nouns that start with that letter of the alphabet. The children then take home a colouring sheet about that particular letter. This has the added benefit of prolonging the children's memories of their recent visit to the library.

 The flash cards shown above were very inexpensive to buy but similar can be sourced for free from the internet or, with a little time, made up in Word. Another benefit that has come from this is the professional development of the staff member involved.  12 months ago she would not have thought herself able to run a program on her own, much less add an extra interactive component to it.  For 2013 she now wants to add colours and days of the week to her repertoire :)

Day 2 Library Programming #blog12daysxmas

Approximately once a year each Branch Manager in our library service is required to give a brief rundown of what has happened in the branch in recent times.  A few months ago it was my turn, however rather than give the usual rundown, read from notes on a sheet of paper, I put together a brief slideshow of photos that I could have running in the background while I gave an update on my branch "then and now". It's important to note that our service recently went through a branch restructure where we now deliver programs and services in three key areas - Reading, Meeting and Learning. I developed my presentation around those three areas.

Reading

I wanted the branch to have a higher strategic focus so put together a base literacy framework to tie our children's programs in more strongly with the Children's Services Strategic Framework and the Reader Development Framework (now being redeveloped as the Reading and Literacy Framework). I also felt it was important to tie in some more learning outcomes with the programming that was already in place.  Some of the initiatives developed (that I will discuss another time) have been:

• letter of the week;
• book of the week;
• baby of the month;
• dress ups;
• Pathways2Literacy program.

Compared with the delivery of programs in 2008-2009, when we were running 3 children's programs per week during school terms and another 2 specialty programs per month, at the end of 2010-2011 we were running 10 children's programs per week plus 5 specialty per month.  Number crunching all the statistics (yes, librarians love statistics!) shows that children's program delivery has increased by 271% and overall attendance at these programs has increased by 221%.  That's a much larger section of the community now benefiting from what we offer.

Meeting

The staff and I both feel that there are many ways the community can benefit from using the library, aside from us running programs and from traditional lending services.  We've worked with many community groups so they now use the library to run their own programs.  We have at least 10 community groups using the library per week and these are all self facilitated, easing the staffing and financial load.  Some of the classes that are being run include a knitting group, patchwork group, diabetes self help group and Mandarin computer classes.

Again, when comparing figures from 2008-2009 to those from 2010-2011, holiday program attendance has increased by 105% and the branch's footprint has gone up by 12%.

Learning

This would have to be the area showing the most increase, both in program delivery and attendance.

In 2008-2009 we were offering 2 PC instruction classes a month; in 2010-2011 we were running 20 per month.  This works out to be a massive 900% increase in delivery and 1800% increase in attendance.  Classes cover seniors, tech talk, shopping online, downloading eBooks and troubleshooting technology as well as the standard Introduction to PCs 1  and 2, Introduction to email, Introduction to Word and Introduction to the Internet.

My plan is to discuss some of the initiatives I mentioned above in future posts, as well as some newer things that are now in place.

What does your library service do to encourage community engagement?

Day 1 Christmas Day #blog12daysxmas

So today is Christmas Day and also the first day of a challenge that has been happening for at least the last three year, blogging every day for the 12 days of Christmas. This initiative starts on December 25 and ends on January 6. I always try to take part in this challenge as it forces me to reflect more and actually put some words down somewhere. I had initially decided not to join in this year, but in an effort to think about things more, I am joining in, yet again.

I have a tendency to think about things a lot however very rarely do I write any of it down. In an afford to be organised, I've written a list of things to blog about :)