Some libraries have come up with drastic ways to let people know what they might have to do without (great idea to even close the website!), but maybe we just need product placement.  Sure public service announcements are one way to go, but how many people see these? 

I also think we aren’t on the radar screens of a lot of people we could be helping, so perhaps we need to strengthen our link to popular culture.  Yes, we’re reaching people with Twitter and blogs and other social media, but television and films are still huge, especially for less technologically advanced people who can really use our services.

We know that the stereotypes of libraries aren’t always what we wish them to be.  Should ALA start lobbying screen and TV writers to include more library references in their productions?  It might go a long way to letting people know what’s available to them for free with a library card.  And I bet Hollywood would be glad to help - in fact they might be a great source for the super supporters we read about in From Awareness to Funding.

So I was enormously pleased when viewing this week’s Parks and Recreation (ironically a government department that’s often one of our biggest fiscal rivals) with the inimitable Amy Poehler of Saturday Night Live fame (start about 1 minute, 55 seconds in to avoid an ad and get to the good stuff).  OK, it’s not complimentary, but talk about smashing stereotypes!  Honestly, doesn’t referring to us as “diabolical”, “ruthless”, “punk ass book jockeys” who are “extremely well-read which makes them very dangerous” just add to our allure and coolness factor?

So how about it?  Let’s tell ALA we want to be in pictures!

Aurora, the city where BCR is located, lost its bid to create a general improvement district which would have given the library dedicated funding.  As their budget will be reduced by about 50%, they’ll be closing four of their seven locations (see Expected 2010 Library Cuts) and about 40 staffers will be laid off.   All this during a time when the unemployment rate means more people than ever are dependent on the resources libraries provide and in a city where over 15% of the residents live below the poverty line.

As of today, it seems that only 20,778 people (see bar graph) made this decision for a city of over 300,000.

Budget cuts are an almost universal problem for libraries.  In the last meeting of BCR’s Public Libraries Advisory Group, we were discussing how different funding models might help and that in some states, new laws must be enacted before libraries will even be able to consider such models (see last paragraph).  I know that in Colorado, libraries that have been able to form library districts are able to best ensure their funding.

Sweetwater (WY) County Library System is holding their 2nd annual Zombie Walk and Prom (?! what a combination).  Sioux City (IA) Public Library got a grant to help seniors with internet literacy via Generations on Line and on Halloween there, kids practiced their reading skills on Reading Dogs in full costume. 

Appropriately, Clifford the Big Red Dog

Slacker Pirate Dog

One library will soon install a vending machine with 300 items at a public transportation hub.  (I’d love to hear how these types of machines are doing – if you have one, please send in your comments.)  Bitterroot (MT) Public Library is heavily promoting downloadable audios and their virtual reference service.  Both these efforts have the added advantage of helping the environment since they reduce the number of cars driving to the library. 

It was great to hear that Multnomah County Library won the highest award for community service.

King County (WA) Library System is opening an unstaffed Library Express at a shopping center in an area far from any branches.  Customers can pick up holds, browse a small collection and get phone reference help.  They’ve also purchased five Sprinter Vans which house materials and computers.  Smaller than bookmobiles, staff can take them into neighborhoods or park them at transit stations.  Since staffers working the Library2Go service will know what their patrons need, they’ll make the decisions about where the vans should be and what items will be on them.

On a darker note, almost everyone is seeing or anticipating budget cuts and reductions, though luckily most libraries have avoided laying off staff so far.  Even the normally flush WY libraries seem to be affected as Sweetwater took a 13.5% cut.  Washoe (NV) County Library System has been devastated – they’ve lost half their funding in the last two years.  Let’s hope the customer testimonials their advocacy group is recording help their funders see how important a well financed library is to the community.  And King County will be able to help libraries reduce costs.  They got an IMLS million dollar grant to assist other libraries with implementing the Evergreen open source ILS software. 

We also discussed how to help libraries retain and increase funding.  It seems libraries that get the biggest budget cuts are the ones competing for funds with other public entities.  We need to know how to articulate to local government and politicians that the library is a service worth funding.  We also felt that in many states, we need to lobby for new laws or models that allow libraries to be funded independently, so they don’t have to compete for monies with police and fire departments.

I couldn’t find any images yet, so if you come across one of these, please send me a photo and I’ll post it here.

The annual salary survey from Library Journal just came out and for the first time since at least 1998, starting salaries have decreased.  There are also fewer full time jobs, and I’ve heard that in the Northwest at least, there’s a trend towards using temporary agencies for staffing (increasing the agencies’ revenues, but doing nothing for the security and stability of our profession). 

After getting my MLS in the 90’s, I worked 55 hours/week in two part time library jobs, with no benefits, for $10 an hour.  After a couple of years of this, I moved across the country for a full time position that paid about the same as waitressing, so I empathize with the bleak job market new graduates are facing.  Sure, working in libraries is a great job, it’s satisfying and self-affirming.  But are we expected to do it for love alone?  Without an inheritance or a rich partner to support you, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet as a librarian.  In what other profession does an advanced degree require such devotion for such minimal compensation?

Many libraries are reducing payroll through attrition, but that just puts more work and stress on the remaining personnel.  Automation is great, but there’s only so much machines can do (and I do regret the loss of the personal touch - just a couple of years ago libraries seemed to be the last bastion of customer service, but so many libraries now greet callers with the dreaded phone tree).   Training up is another popular tactic, though eventually there may be no one left to do the training.

So let me know, do you think we’re slitting our own throats?  What’s happening in your library or area?  Have you had difficulty finding a full time professional position?  What library positions do you think should require an MLS?  Or do you think it’s an obsolete degree (and if so, what should library schools be teaching to make the degree relevant)?

Ever wonder why you throw up?  Or what to do with your beloved dead pet?  Does it bother you that you don’t know the origins of Twinkies?  Or orgies?  Want to know the upside of nuclear war?  Or what to do when the Russians/aliens/robots come?

Well AbeBooks, your source for all things out of print, has a site for you.  Check out their Weird Book Room and see what you’ve overlooked when doing collection development

Market segmentation categorizes your users by their consumption behaviors and is based on census data and consumer surveys.  This conveniently lets you sort users into groups based on their demands, so you can use the profiles of the various groups in your community to make decisions on what they want based on verifiable, statistically significant data, rather than using the scattershot patron surveys normally employed by libraries.  This information also comes in handy for strategic planning.

ESRI, one of the companies that provides the underlying system, sorts your users into 65 different groups (see page 2 for the chart) such as -

- Rooted Rural who like hunting and fishing and rodeos

- Trendsetters that are into fashion, food and the latest technologies

- Up and Coming Families own dogs, spend lots of time in cars, and need advice about financing college

-Main Street, USA  types rent DVDs and buy lots of games and toys for their kids

-Rustbelt Retirees play bingo and belong to fraternal orders and unions

Getting any programming and collection development ideas yet?  The information can also inform meeting room policies and the layout of new buildings.  And what a great source for your next marketing campaign - you can tell if they’ll respond best to email or Twitter or your paper newsletter, and what will grab their attention.  Best of all, you can target your marketing to groups in specific areas.  This lets you get more bang for the buck as you avoid wasting your message on people who aren’t interested in that particular program or event.  And by not carpet bombing your residents with tons of library emails, they’ll pay more attention to the promotions they do receive.

Market segmentation details who and where  your customers are and what factions are most prevalent in your service area.  It covers what they spend their money on and what they do in their spare time.  Overlay this with data on your card holders and you can see who you’re not serving well.  This is also a great tool for your next fundraising campaign.  And, consider providing a database with market data for your business customers.  It’ll help them hit the audience most likely to respond to their offerings.

The hard data provided can be used with your board or funders to shore up your case for new funding, buildings or programs.  So stop making assumptions based on anecdotal evidence and increase library satisfaction and use now.

Might be a great way to draw nonusers in, and it’ll expand your listener’s and viewer’s advisory skills.  It will also allow those with learning disabilities to participate.  We decided against prescriptive librarianship long ago, so why the need to focus on reading?

After all, our libraries are loaded with other types of media, and we know that many people are kinesthetic or auditory learners rather than visual ones.  So why shouldn’t we shake the SRP concept up a bit?  If you’re worried that the program participants will just be watching worthless tripe, you could have a specific focus - say NOVA, documentary or foreign films.  A music program could aim to teach people about different genres.  Require them to listen to six albums - e.g. one each of classical, jazz, folk, famous speeches, world and barbershop quartet :)  You could even link it to reading by requiring that they read a little bit about the musical genre or the subject of the documentary, or country the foreign film is set in…  Or better yet, require each participant to answer the question “What’s the most interesting thing you learned about this ______________ (music genre, country, topic etc)?” and then link their comment (anonymously) to your catalog entry for that item.  Your patrons will love reading what others have to say about that CD or DVD.

So tell me, is this something you’re doing?  Or do you already accept DVDs or music or audiobooks on patrons’ summer reading lists?  Or am I just way off base (and if so, why)?

I’d originally considered being a school media specialist, in large part because of the 1990’s study by Keith Curry Lance and others, The Impact of School Library Media Centers on Academic Achievement, which showed how having a librarian in the school helps kids excel.  Keith continues to investigate this topic - here’s a (summary).  The sad fact is that in these days of budget deficits, many schools are cutting library staff.

With all the jobseekers in the library these days, and the hoards of people using us to replace the entertainment/educational materials/events they used to have the money to buy, there’s so much to do in the library that it’s tough to contemplate starting new services to schools.  But if your area has seen media specialist reductions, giving library instruction classes at the beginning of the semester can do so much to help youth academically that we have to try to squeeze it in. 

Just what we need, another area where government cuts result in increased library use.  Why can’t all our legislators see how important it is to give sufficient funds to libraries?

If fighting for your budget in the current climate is getting you down, you’ll come out of this training raring to get back in the advocacy saddle.  Just having this networking opportunity to hear how others have had success increasing funding and creating partnerships in their service areas is great, and then the course materials and presenters cap it off by really helping you discern your needs and formulate your strategies. 

The training isn’t just for directors - anyone in a positon to advocate for the library should go - Friends, trustees, library staffers etc. will all benefit by attending.

Don’t hesitate or you’ll miss this chance to get reenergized - sign up for it today!