American Libraries Magazine: Next Steps

Building a Competitive Advantage

Greg Landgraf — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 20:25:53 +0000

November / December 2011

By Brian Mathews

Budget and innovation put NCSU’s Libraries on track

When Susan Nutter took over the leadership role at North Carolina State University Libraries in Raleigh, it wasn’t a very inspiring organization. A study found it to be the academic library least able to meet its mission in the state; as a result, faculty were upset, and then they did something about it. In 1996 the faculty senate voted unanimously to use a portion of tuition increases to improve the libraries rather than to raise their own salaries. This was the spark that Nutter needed.

A 35% budget increase paved the way for a transformation. Nutter invested widely in new professional positions, print and digital collections, learning spaces, and a robust technology infrastructure. “At first the students were upset because they didn’t want to pay higher tuition,” said Nutter. “However, once they saw the facility change, and once the faculty had access to great research collections, it started a love affair with the library.”

Over the next decade, NCSU climbed the rankings of the Association of Research Libraries, moving from 99th to 32nd. The revolution had begun, but it was about more than just a financial surge. For Nutter the primary objective was addressing user needs. “By giving users ownership of the library when the changes were made, they became invested,” she explained. “You can be bold and take big risks because you’re not alone: The users have your back.”

Nutter strives to develop an innovative work environment that is project-oriented. She limits bureaucracy by encouraging small working groups instead of standing committees. “I prefer gathering a diverse group of people to work on a particular initiative, rather than having an ongoing group making all the decisions about directions we need to take.”

She also advances entrepreneurism through an opportunity fund that seeds new ventures. “We needed to have unencumbered money to do interesting things.” Nutter budgets $500,000 each year to launch new projects, encouraging librarians and staff at all levels to put forth ideas. This has led to the development of mobile apps, virtual shelf browsing, video walls, a technology sandbox, and a host of other creative efforts.

Implementation happens at a rapid pace. “I like to move on everything,” confesses Nutter. “We can’t wait three years to plan something when in reality we need to be doing it now.” She speaks with urgency about the need for libraries to act quickly to address emerging scholarly needs. “Things don’t have to be perfect. We can roll something out that still needs improvement and then let users guide enhancements.”

A good example of this is the Learning Commons in the D. H. Hill Library. Amidst construction delays, the library filled an open area with beanbag chairs. When students brought in their own furniture and supplies, the librarians realized that their initial plan was completely wrong. “It was clear this needed to be about collaboration, not service desks and stacks.” After observing student behaviors and work preferences, these flexible planners quickly reworked the commons concept, helping to make the space a popular campus destination that averages 10,000 visitors per day.

The next challenge for Nutter is opening a new building. Located on NCSU’s research-focused Centennial Campus, the futuristic Hunt Library resembles a spaceship rather than an academic building. With expansive use of glass, vibrant colors, and large open flexible technology-rich spaces, the facility has been dubbed “a library for the 22nd century” by the university’s PR department. This iconic building furthers the library’s vision of being NCSU’s “competitive advantage.”

Over the last 25 years, Nutter has continuously brought passionate and enthusiastic people together to solve problems. Her investment in professional development has allowed staff to build expertise and experience as well as confidence. “Once you build a culture of confidence,” she explains , “then you have a group of people willing and eager to take risks, and that’s when things get really exciting.”

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Broadcast Collaboration

Greg Landgraf — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 18:55:47 +0000

September/October 2011

by Brian Mathews

A look inside the NPR library

“Remind me how to pronounce Eyjafjallajökull?” “What music should I play for a piece about polar bears?” “David Hasselhoff—singing at the fall of the Berlin Wall. Can you find tape?”

Welcome to a typical day at the National Public Radio library in Washington, D.C., where over 10,000 such requests come in each year from staff, producers, and correspondents in the United States and around the globe. From fact-checking and pronunciation to background music, audio clips, and transcripts, the library helps deliver the news.

NPR’s collections are unique. While there are some print books, serials, and access to numerous commercial databases, the bulk of the collection consists of the audio archive of NPR news programs. Over 40 years of audio is stored on reel-to-reel tapes and CDs. Additionally, the library is digitizing thousands of tracks of musical recordings in preparation to move to the new NPR building in 2013. The archive also contains spoken-word materials: speeches, commercials, television show clips, and other historical and pop-culture references.

Laura Soto-Barra is the senior librarian, overseeing a staff of 17 plus interns. Embarking on this challenge six years ago, she helped to create a cohesive identity for the library by blending together the previously separate reference services and broadcast library, and by forming a team of researchers, digital and broadcast technologists, project managers, taxonomists, indexers, editors, trainers, and strategists.

Soto-Barra is a strong library advocate. “My job is to lobby for my staff. I make sure people are aware that we can help them.” Spending much of her time in meetings and talking with NPR staff at all levels, she is constantly reaching out. “I’m always volunteering how we can assist with whatever topic is pitched, offering research and staff hours or any additional help for projects.”

It’s necessary for this library to anticipate the needs of its users. One way is through an internal wiki that provides information on potential stories such as anniversaries, upcoming political meetings, and cultural events. For example, with the arrival of hurricane season, library researchers pull together background files, including storm names, damage records, financial impacts, and previous NPR stories.

The librarians constantly monitor hot topics and breaking news. Several have their desks located in newsrooms throughout the building, placing them in the middle of all the action. Being embedded with the reporters allows the librarians to be involved with planning and production. “When you sit with reporters and work on a deadline together, it makes you part of the team,” Soto-Barra explains. But co-locating librarians close to their users is just one way to collaborate; librarians are also embedded in production through collaboration with NPR developers on digital projects.

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the library is the anticipated move of NPR headquarters. The library is tasked with abandoning all physical formats in its new space. No tape reels, CDs, or print volumes—everything, including 130,000 hours of audio programming—must be converted into digital formats.

Another strategic project is Artemis, a digital asset management system that is a customization of Collective Access, an open-source product that will enhance search and retrieval by capturing NPR’s archival data model. This project will bring efficiencies to content production workflow and eliminate physical formats by implementing a “born digital” archival workflow for NPR programming. The library team also created scripts to pull metadata from transcripts to create shell catalog records, almost a million of which are migrating into the system. This is a source of pride for the librarians, who have leveraged open source solutions and industry standards to enable innovation and create new partnerships in NPR and in public media organizations. It is expected that Artemis will greatly improve workflow and enable librarians to focus more on content curation, taxonomy development, and other projects. Soto-Barra also envisions future access and sharing of archival material with hundreds of local NPR stations around the country.

NPR has transitioned beyond radio to become a digital media organization. Content that is broadcast over the airwaves is also pushed out to the web and mobile apps in text and audio formats. NPR is expanding its audience as well, by broadening into other digital formats including blogs, podcasts such as Pop Culture Happy Hour, and music and video offerings.

For the past 40 years, NPR has delivered unique insight and cultural programming. Today the library’s role is more critical then ever; not only does it help shape the content, but it also ensures its discoverability.

BRIAN MATHEWS is assistant university librarian at the University of California in Santa Barbara, and and the author of Marketing Today’s Academic Library (ALA Editions, 2009). This column spotlights leadership strategies that produce inspirational libraries.

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A Pioneer Evolves

Greg Landgraf — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 18:15:42 +0000

July/August 2011

by Brian Mathews

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh works both within and outside its building to engage the community.

Andrew Carnegie had a radical idea. In 1895 when he developed the public library complex in Pittsburgh, it included swimming pools, music halls, art galleries, and a natural history museum. He wanted to ensure that his mill workers and their families had easy access to excellent cultural assets.

The original building still stands today. However, what’s pioneering in one century is not necessarily compatible with the next. As libraries have evolved, these legacy spaces do not always promote the free flow of information. According to Mary Francis Cooper, deputy director of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, “We have had to work around the constraints of a building that was designed to be protective of books.”

When planning a renovation in 2002, CLP realized that a mere facelift would not be sufficient. The attitudes and behaviors of patrons had changed, and the library needed to be more accommodating. The administration wanted to become a preferred destination for information and social interaction. To help this process they hired MAYA, a design consulting firm, which led to the development of a more customer-focused framework that mapped the library experience. This resulted in improvements to both the physical and virtual space.

While CLP made great strides in enhancing library interactions, in 2008 it would face a new challenge. A budget shortfall left the board of trustees seeking new ways to reduce expenses. One of the leading suggestions was to close several branch libraries. This created an uproar in the community and led to calls for greater transparency. Cooper explains, “Because the library is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit, the board is not required to hold open meetings or publish its minutes,” and the sudden prospect of closing branches made a lot of people upset.

The library responded by re-engaging the community. Librarians, administrators, and trustees attended neighborhood meetings and other civic gatherings to share how CLP received its funding, and how it was spent. They articulated the issues and asked the community for feedback and for help spreading their message. Notes from the meetings were then posted online to allow the conversation to continue.

CLP also initiated an effort to increase visibility by having branch libraries set up tables in various locations around the county. The library system has 19 locations that provide service to 90 neighborhoods, so they wanted to reach out into new areas. This campaign was designed to establish a stronger connection between patrons and their local branches.

The most successful outcome of this promotion was the establishment of a library outpost at the Pittsburgh Public Market, a cross between a crafts fair and a farmers market. CLP teamed up with an iSchool marketing class from the University of Pittsburgh to develop and implement the concept. Every weekend since April 2011, the library has hosted a stand that features books about cooking and crafts, as well as materials for children. They provide free web access and other services, such as picking up holds.

According to Cooper, this is a direction CLP will continue to explore. “To what extent do services need to be building-based?” she asks, imagining librarians embedded throughout the city. “It’s important to us to consider what we can do for them out where they are.” To advance this prospect, CLP developed a coordinator of community engagement. The position is charged with keeping the community informed and involved with library matters, and with identifying advocates and new opportunities for outreach.

While libraries have evolved much since Andrew Carnegie’s era, his vision remains intact. He believed that “unless a community is willing to maintain public libraries at the public cost, very little good can be obtained from them.” CLP will have a chance to test this fundamental idea later this year when it seeks its first-ever voter initiative to increase property taxes to help sustain library operations. The library has made great strides to engage with the community, and now the people will decide the next steps of its legacy.

BRIAN MATHEWS is a librarian at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of Marketing Today’s Academic Library (ALA Editions, 2009). This column spotlights leadership strategies that produce inspirational libraries.

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We Never Close

Greg Landgraf — Thu, 19 May 2011 18:56:31 +0000

May/June 2011

by Brian Mathews

The honor system works for one college library

Imagine that your library building is open 24/7 with no overnight staff or security gates. What if trusting patrons to abide by the honor system actually worked? That’s the reality at Marlboro (Vt.) College's Rice-Aron Library, where an open-door policy has been in effect for decades.

To understand this library, you must consider the campus it serves. At Marlboro College, a private liberal arts institution founded in 1946 on two farms in rural southern Vermont, students develop a personalized Plan of Concentration. With 300 students and 40 faculty members, the educational culture is very intimate.

Emily Alling, who describes herself as a practitioner-administrator, is the library’s director. She is involved with day-to-day tasks, such as teaching, processing requests, and cleaning up messes, but also oversees the larger strategic vision. One of the most pivotal places she spends her time is the monthly Town Meetings where campus decisions are discussed and voted upon by students, faculty, and staff.

Each semester Alling approaches this governing body with a list of books that have gone missing and there is a vote to taken to purchase replacements, which always passes. “The money comes from either student activities fees or from the washer/dryer fund,” Alling shared. “It’s a way for the community to bear some of the costs of our open system, as well as enjoying the fruits of it.”

Alling runs the library along with another librarian and two staff positions, and a handful of student assistants. She uses a cooperative style of leadership where information is frequently shared and discussed, and the team explores all possibilities.

This approach has lead to some creative decisions. An example is the design of a new instruction space. It occupies what used to be a large circulation desk, described by Alling as resembling an upscale hotel bar. By adding stools, laptops, and a projection system, Marlboro transformed this underused service point into a critical interaction spot where faculty teaches classes and works with students on their assignments. Dubbed the “Research Bar,” the space has become a favorite of several faculty who use it for informal sessions.

Another transition has been a move toward open source software in what Alling describes as: less systems, more content. “Systems are very expensive and end users don’t get excited about the catalog. What they really want is a particular book or an article.” The library has made a concerted effort to shift money away from proprietary tools and instead invest in content. “The principles and economics of open source trumped the small amount of functionality that we had to sacrifice.”

In the summer of 2010, the Rice-Aron Library adopted Koha as its integrated library system and use CUFTS and GODOT for serials management and for link resolving. The library also runs Linux on library computers and promotes Zotero for citation management.

Open access scholarly materials also play a significant role. “Many vendors begin pricing products around 3,000 FTE and since we only have 300 students it can be challenging for our budget,” Alling noted. The library relies heavily on free discovery tools and instead invests in speedy access to content through interlibrary loan and on-demand purchasing.

Alling oversees all article requests herself and starts by checking academic repositories. She often sends thank-you notes to authors who deposit their works online. “It’s important for authors to know that their papers are reaching an audience who otherwise might not have had access to them.”

What’s inspiring about the Rice-Aron Library is its openness: the open building, the belief in patrons honoring the privilege of the collection, the instruction sessions held out in the open for all to see and learn, and the leap to open source tools and finding out that they work just as well as commercial systems. While many libraries talk about transparency, this is one that is actually living it.

Brian Mathews is a librarian at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of Marketing Today’s Academic Library (ALA Editions, 2009). This column spotlights leadership strategies that produce inspirational libraries.

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The Little Library that Could

Greg Landgraf — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 17:36:33 +0000

March/April 2011

by Brian Mathews

The aloha spirit keeps a volunteer-run library alive

Inspiring libraries are often the ones with big budgets. They have impressive buildings, enormous collections, and large staffs. The Makiki Community Library in Honolulu, Hawaii, has none of these things, but that doesn’t make it any less remarkable. This small donations-based, volunteer-driven organization effectively executes its deep-seated mission of engaging the community.

In the 1940s, the library was constructed as a research center supporting the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Association. In the 1970s, the land was turned over to the city and the community requested that the space become a branch of the state library system. Due to political disagreements, the building was transferred instead to the City and County Department of Parks and Recreation. As funding diminished in the 1990s, the library officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, run by a dedicated group of volunteers.

The Friends of Makiki Community Library is the governing body that oversees operations. The current president is retired librarian Wendy Maxwell. She manages more than 40 volunteers who do everything from curating collections and teaching classes to writing grants and cleaning bathrooms.

MCL excels at outreach. Recent events included family movie nights, astronomy viewings, poetry slams, music performances, language and computer classes, and workshops on civic processes. While many libraries host similar programs, what’s amazing about MCL is that it is volunteer-driven. The community bonds together, exhibiting the “aloha spirit” to keep the library alive.

The library is a platform for community improvement. For example, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, library volunteers organized service activities that brought together students and residents to paint over graffiti, pick up litter in the parks, and run a food drive.

Raising money is particularly challenging. Since the library is on city property it is unable to accept cash, making overdue fines impossible. “This shows how a penalty-free library can actually exist since we retain a majority of our loaned items,” explains Maxwell. “This act of cooperation on behalf of the patrons is a testament of the community’s goodwill towards the library.”

Fundraising is essential. The Friends host several annual off-property functions such as “A Taste for Books,” a cocktail event supported by local restaurants. The Friends are also developing a summer arts and literature festival to bring more awareness and hopefully donations to the library.

How does this library measure success? “It’s really about how many patrons return,” shares Maxwell, “but unfortunately we don’t have a way to track this because our collection and membership are not digital yet.” She compares the library to a community recreation center: “The more people who interact with the space, the better we can judge its value in the neighborhood.”

MCL has many aspirations for the future. One of the next steps is automation, and the library is currently looking into Koha, the open-source ILS. Stephanie Lake, a board member of the Friends, explains, “The last few years have been spent rebuilding the operational infrastructure, but we are just starting to address the challenges of a modern library.”

The 30,000 people of Makiki need a library now more than ever. “There is still no official State Library catering directly to the overly populated Makiki area, so we serve as the fix,” Maxwell emphasizes. Resisting and circumventing closure has become a library trademark. “Our patrons, volunteers, and community demand the comforts of a library, and we oblige as best we can,” says Maxwell. “We do this selflessly and with the hope that it will make a difference in people’s lives.”

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Forward Compared to What?

Leonard Kniffel — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:04:02 +0000

January/February 2011

Brian Mathews

To move ahead, libraries need to understand where they are now

As a forward-looking library faces the future, one of the most vital steps it can take is to determine where it stands right now. You might have a destination in mind, but without knowing your current location the journey ahead will be difficult.

We all have opinions on how well we are performing and the direction we should be heading, but those notions can be quite different from those of our patrons. Measuring their perceptions is tricky and no one tool will tell you everything that you need to know.

An approach that I have found valuable is to attempt to decode the personality of the library. By understanding your patrons’ mental associations, you can then seek to enhance the relationship you have with them. If they view your library as a friendly place, then you can build on that, but if it is viewed as unfriendly then that’s the place you should start.

The technique that I use is “persona projection,” a common exercise in marketing focus groups. It is an easy and effective way to get people talking, while avoiding the pitfall of just having them tell you what you want to hear. I typically start by asking:

Let’s say that the library is a person. What does he or she look like? Whom does he or she resemble? What is his or her age?

This opens the conversation by enabling your patrons to express their feelings. Architecture and interior design will take center stage at first. For example, one library that I worked with was routinely described as Jekyll and Hyde: Some areas were very pleasant while other parts were monstrosities. This motif transcended physical spaces and included interactions with various library staff.

Another library was described as a dying old man. Patrons strongly disliked the aesthetics and felt that the building was crumbling. They also felt that the collection was out-of-date and that the seemingly decade-old computers further diminished the mood. These results revealed a disconnect, as the librarians didn’t perceive the space in quite the same manner.

Once you’ve established the physical identity of your library, then you can dig into some more informative questions:

What is his or her personality? How does the library interact with others? Who are his or her friends? What is a typical day like for this person? What is one thing that might help this person in the future?

Obviously you don’t want to overwhelm your patrons by asking these questions all at once, but rather, dole out questions to keep the discussion moving. By chipping away at the variety of personality traits and characteristics, the library’s persona will emerge.

This framework can also be used to focus in on particular aspects such as services, collections, or staff. For example, with the dying-old-man library, I asked: “Can you trust this person?” The results were eye-opening as over half of the group felt that they could not. Obviously there were deeper problems than just an old building.

As you consider branding or rebranding your library, this persona projection technique allows you to discover the intrinsic feelings of your users. If you are trying to present your organization as extremely customer-focused yet your customers don’t view you in that manner, then obviously your efforts will be ineffective.

As you plan for the year ahead, consider what you don’t know about your patrons. Filling in those knowledge gaps is an ideal place to start and can help your library better align itself. This type of assessment can potentially enhance everything from programs and events to fundraising, renovations, service expansion, collections, and marketing campaigns. Find out how you are perceived and then work toward strengthening or modifying that image. This is a big first step toward taking next steps in your library’s future.

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The Stanford Innovation Juggernaut

Leonard Kniffel — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:00:00 +0000

November / December 2010

Brian Mathews

The libraries at Stanford University have reenvisioned scholarly communications

The libraries at Stanford University have been a juggernaut of innovation over the last 20 years. They have reenvisioned scholarly communications with the launch of HighWire Press, initiated digital preservation and archiving tools LOCKSS and CLOCKSS, become a founding member of the open-source course management software Sakai, and developed numerous enhancements to Blacklight, the open-source OPAC. On top of all that, they are also a major contributor to the Google Books project, offering over eight million volumes to be digitized.

Being located in Palo Alto, the birthplace of Google, has undoubtedly impacted the philosophy and philanthropy of the Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources (SULAIR). A key distinction of this paradigm-shifting organization is that it blends traditional library functions with campus-wide academic computing, as well as the University Press.

The leader of this ambitious unit is Michael Keller, a former Army National Guard tank driver and trained musicologist. He insists that SULAIR never set out to be a pioneer. “The big idea isn’t innovation for its own sake, but rather, the question that we ask ourselves everyday is: ‘What opportunities and assets do we have that can make scholarship and learning better?’”

Keller took the helm in 1993, a critical time in Stanford’s history when it was recovering from a damaging earthquake. The campus was eventually rebuilt, and it was from this chaos that SULAIR emerged as a model 21^st-century library.

The driving force of Keller’s leadership is stewardship. “Everything we do is for the benefit of the entire institution,” he says. Keller views success as improving the university, not just the libraries. “Everyone feels a great sense of satisfaction when they can see how their effort makes a difference to the students, faculty, and researchers.”

The entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley and the process of “constant reengineering and continuous improvement” have affected operations. Too many committees can kill productivity, so Keller encourages short-term task-oriented groups. “Individual responsibility is critical for getting things done,” he explains. This approach ensures that SULAIR maintains its project-driven start-up mentality.

This year Stanford opened its new Engineering Library, hailed in the press as “bookless” despite having 10,000 print volumes. Keller speculates that in five years it will be truly bookless, and views it as an experimental model.

The idea blossomed for Keller over dinner with the dean of engineering; they envisioned an “Information Collaboratory” where students and faculty no longer relied on print books and journals. Keller’s intention is to have librarians working closely with faculty and researchers in their classrooms and labs.

SULAIR is now focused on the mobile landscape. With alums, they developed the iStanford app, which has served as the prototype for several other libraries. Keller is excited to expand: “We’re planning a whole set of routines where people can request books from our storage facility and have them delivered, as well as better mapping tools to help people navigate the libraries.”

Mobile is also influencing the University Press. With new editions coming out in eBook formats, Keller believes that eventually the press will start publishing books and articles that are “tuned up” for devices like the iPad. “An eTextbook revolution is upon us,” Keller speculates. “This is a chance for a new narrative; reading will no longer just be a ribbon of text, but rather, a ribbon of ideas that include text, media objects, applications, spreadsheets, and other interactive components.”

While SULAIR may be driven by innovation, it is not immune to budget cuts. Last year, faced with a 15% reduction to its general allocation, SULAIR sustained numerous layoffs and vacant positions. Keller remains optimistic. “Regrettably, we lost some good people, but there are no backward glances. Our mindset is focused on the future.”

Transforming a Hodgepodge

Leonard Kniffel — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:03:26 +0000

October 2010

How one community transformed donation-based collections run by volunteers into a modern library system

In Stevens County, Washington, public libraries are a fairly new concept. Residents voted to form a library district in 1996, transforming a hodgepodge of donation-based collections run by volunteers into a modern system. Over the past decade library staff have worked hard—not only at providing service but also on shaping perceptions of what exactly a library can be.

Their message has a great distance to travel. The county is 2,500 square miles, roughly the size of Delaware; 42,000 people live scattered across unincorporated areas and small towns, the largest of which is home to 5,000.

The county’s nine libraries are administered by Amanda McKeraghan. This job is a passion of hers. Not only did she grow up in rural America, but she earned a master’s degree in anthropology with a focus on rural community development. “The best way to improve a rural community is through the library,” McKeraghan shared. “These areas lack a multitude of services and so the library has the potential to be whatever the people need it to be.”

McKeraghan’s vision is one of interaction. “We can’t just have passive buildings waiting for people to come to us.” Instead, the managers and staff of Stevens County Libraries are involved with organizations including the Rotary Club, Kiwanis, and the Chamber of Commerce. “Having the library at the table enables us not only to promote our services, but to understand local issues.” By participating in these local groups, the library is able to offer assistance with grant writing, preservation projects, and school events. Providing help isn’t limited to the reference desk, but extends far beyond it.

Take, for example, when a skateboard park opened across from one of the libraries. The staff grew concerned by injuries and worked with a nonprofit group to help provide helmets for all the kids.

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges facing Stevens County is web access. Broadband is limited, and most people rely on dial-up. The libraries, therefore, serve as free wireless hotspots. Last year they launched a subscription to digital content provider OverDrive. “It’s expensive, but it addresses so many needs,” McKeraghan maintained. “Our patrons typically drive long distances every day, so providing them with downloadable music, e-books, and audio books has been extremely valuable and well received.”

Space is another key challenge. “There are not many office parks, commercial locations, or even large rooms available, so we have to be creative with locations.” One of the libraries is located in a general store and another is in a former jail. McKeraghan is moving toward establishing “fusion centers” that unite the library with other service agencies, including economic development, energy assistance, legal assistance, and the unemployment office. By joining forces, these offices can save money on space while combining their technology and expertise to ultimately benefit more people.

Looking ahead

In November, the citizens of Stevens County will vote on a tax increase to support the library. “This community pools their money to pay for almost everything,” McKeraghan explained. “We need an increase to maintain our current level of service.” She is hoping that the past decade of library experiences have been so positive that the idea of reducing services would be unthinkable.

To ensure they are on the right track, the libraries conducted a survey over the summer. They made an effort to hear from frequent users as well as those who never visit the libraries. Books were the most valued asset, while a “well-trained staff” was number two, above web access and numerous other services. This is insightful. While professionally there is much emphasis on technology these days, it is important to remember that people are one of the most important attributes of libraries.

The Customer's Always Right

Leonard Kniffel — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:45:31 +0000

September 2010

Brian Mathews

To thrive, the library must be an essential component of the community’s educational infrastructure

We strive to provide great customer service, yet few of us actually use the “C” word. We have many names—patron, borrower, user, reader—but “customer” remains controversial and typically we avoid it. Not so at Howard County Library, located in the Baltimore suburbs. At HCL, they embrace the term, feeling that it accurately conveys the relationships they are building with their community.

This is part of using strategic vocabulary. “Circulation” became the “customer service desk.” “Librarians” and “library associates” became “research specialists” and “instructors.” “Programs” were tagged “workshops,” “seminars,” or “events.” And, perhaps most controversially, “storytimes” became “children’s classes.”

HCL President and CEO Valerie Gross explains, “We use smart terminology in order to be more intuitive,” adding, “We want to be very clear about what we do, how we do it, and how we talk about it.”

Gross has strategically positioned the library inside the realm of education. This is evident from HCL’s mission statement: “We deliver high-quality education for all ages” and by the use of the term “curriculum” to describe the library’s agenda of providing instructive and transformational experiences. HCL operates very much like a business and behaves like an academic organization.

The library’s most successful initiative is A+ Partners in Education, an ambitious collaboration with the local schools. Each of the county’s K–12 public schools is assigned a branch library along with a liaison. Library staff work closely with teachers in planning assignments, assisting with access to instructional content and research field trips, and celebrating academic achievement. Gross says, “The aim is to bring the library into the schools, as well as to bring the schools into the libraries.”

This effort has paid off. Not only has the library seen a rise in gate counts and borrowing, but it has also solidified a strong relationship with the community through events such as a regional spelling bee and a reading competition dubbed Battle of the Books. According to Gross, when county executives had to make a 3% budget reduction last year, the main sectors that were impacted were transportation and community services. Education, under which the library resides, was left untouched. “It’s important that we align ourselves with what is valued most in our community,” she observes.

Success fuels ambition, and HCL recently revealed its aspirations for the future. A top priority is to focus on key subject areas including health, environment, finance, and science education. The library will also explore virtual instruction, which would reach more people online through webinars, videocasts, and classes.

Another area of concentration is the customer experience. HCL will form a customer insights team tasked with gathering and assessing data, implementing new strategies, and examining service perceptions and expectations. One goal is to increase “customer convenience” through “impulse borrowing” and other merchandising techniques, shifting collections to maximize visibility, and studying usage patterns both online and within the buildings.

Retention is another prominent theme: 90% of the community has library cards, so the library is looking at ways to build incentives for frequent borrowers. Another focus is to place an emphasis on making a strong first and second impression as well as creating a lasting impression that leads to fiercely loyal customers.

Gross admits to being inspired by Nike’s outreach tactics and strives to make a similar emotional connection with her customers. “Education is timeless; 200 years from now, self-directed education will still be critical for economic advancement and quality of life, and the public libraries that embrace this will always be center stage, regardless of the current technology.” She contends that we shouldn’t just strive for relevancy, but rather, that we should embed the library so that it becomes an indispensable component of the community.

Unquiet Library Has High-Schoolers Geeked

Leonard Kniffel — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:40:30 +0000

August 2010

The noise became a buzz at Creekview High School in Georgia, where the Media Center has three times as many Facebook fans as the football team.

The students are skeptical when the librarian says, “I want everyone to take out their cell phones and check to see if you can get reception in the library.” The young scholars hesitantly pull out their mobile devices unsure of what to make of this request. “Your assignment is to charge up your phones for class on Friday.” This wasn’t like any librarian they had met before.

Welcome to the Creekview High School Media Center in Canton, Georgia, or as it is commonly known around the halls, “The Unquiet Library.” The school opened its doors in 2006 and its library services were conceived during the Web 2.0 boom. This is evident in its design as a highly participatory learning environment embedded with interaction and technology from the beginning.

When Friday morning arrives, the students are excited for their library session. They anticipate how they might use their cell phones. The librarian draws their attention to a Smart board and demonstrates how they can text to it. This technology enables them to submit answers simultaneously, fueling the class discussion. With a grand gesture, the librarian has transformed their social devices into instruments of learning.

Buffy Hamilton and Roxanne Johnson are the media specialists who oversee this busy operation. Hamilton initiated the “Unquiet” brand. “To me, ‘unquiet’ evokes a sense of activity and being a bold force of nature,” she says. “I want our library to make some positive ‘noise’ as we build a program that makes a difference in the lives of our students and teachers.” Hamilton and Johnson are shaking up expectations of what a high school library can be.

The librarians view the 9,000-square-foot media center as the largest classroom on campus. The space is carved out into distinct zones: places for lounging, reflection, teaching, and casual conversations. The library offers 60 desktop computers and a variety of furniture that can accommodate over 70 students. Food and drinks are allowed; in fact, two teachers host a coffee shop there every morning. The space also accommodates a variety of encounters such as trivia contests, musical performances, poetry readings, art exhibits, and gaming.

Not only are the students excited about the library, but the faculty is buying in too. Last year Hamilton and Johnson collaboratively planned 100 lessons with teachers. A successful strategy has been to meet with a group of teachers of a particular subject and develop assignments together. This helps to cultivate relationships and positions the librarians as full members of the teaching team. Hamilton also co-taught Media 21 with an English teacher, exploring the idea of transliteracy and providing students with educational experiences using social web and multimedia tools.

Teaching is the foundation of this library and the stats reveal just how popular it has become. Last year librarians taught 1,533 class sessions, having over 45,000 student interactions. Keep in mind that this is a three-person operation. Hamilton confesses that scheduling is chaotic and that on some days she teaches seven hours straight. Over the summer Hamilton is planning to incorporate e-readers and e-books, develop a parent outreach program, and create a virtual library of student work as a part of the collection.

Major challenges lie ahead, though. Districtwide cuts dictated the loss of a media clerk, reducing the amount of time available for teaching and other programs. In order to optimize their efforts, the librarians have met with teachers to assess activities that work best. Hamilton stresses that her first priority is “protecting the integrity of our instructional services.”

There is a great amount of library spirit at Creekview High, where the Media Center has three times as many Facebook fans as the school’s football team. Additionally, students proudly wear stickers that read “I geek the Unquiet Library.” It’s inspiring to see such a high level of pride in a library.