 | This year the American Library Association's Annual Conference was held in Chicago, IL. We decided to drive to Chicago and stop in Cleveland first to visit some family and see the sights. Along with the amazing Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, we saw the Worlds Largest Rubber Stamp (which in keeping with our profession says "FREE"), the Cleveland Public Library, Museum of Art, and the Kelvin Smith Library. |
Then it was on to Chicago for the conference. This year more than 20,000 people attended and there were more than 2,500 events during the five day conference. ALAAC is the Big Show in the library world.
Friday
Thursday was spent checking in, getting settled, putting a game-plan together and trying to meet up with people we hadn't seen in years. Friday was the beginning of the real conference so I'll start there.
This was not on how to raise funds for the library, but how libraries can help train patrons to be more financially literate, and what challenges they face therein. FINRA is an investor education foundation started in 2003 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and ORS is ALA's Office of Research & Statistics.
Aside from the topic being of interest, I will be moving to the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL) branch when Mid-Manhattan closes for full renovations. This seemed like a good session to start things off with, as SIBL offers a wide variety of business and finance related classes, programs and even one-on-one finance and career coaching and a SCORE office, so the info will no doubt come in handy there.
Financial Literacy is a serious subject, but there's no reason it has to be boring, stuffy or soul-crushing. The Richland Library in South Carolina created the Growing Savers program which commissioned the local group Lunch Money to write and perform the song "Shake Shake your Piggy Bank" as a part of their programming. There are ways to incorporate the topic in summer reading programs, movie nights and other events at the library.
Aside from the topic being of interest, I will be moving to the Science, Industry and Business Library (SIBL) branch when Mid-Manhattan closes for full renovations. This seemed like a good session to start things off with, as SIBL offers a wide variety of business and finance related classes, programs and even one-on-one finance and career coaching and a SCORE office, so the info will no doubt come in handy there.
Financial Literacy is a serious subject, but there's no reason it has to be boring, stuffy or soul-crushing. The Richland Library in South Carolina created the Growing Savers program which commissioned the local group Lunch Money to write and perform the song "Shake Shake your Piggy Bank" as a part of their programming. There are ways to incorporate the topic in summer reading programs, movie nights and other events at the library.
If there was one theme that came up a lot during this year's conference it was marketing: Just because you build a great program doesn't mean anyone will show up for it! libraries often feel somehow adverse to advertising, but it is an important part of building successful programs, financially related or not. The Greenville County Library put up bus ads about their financial literacy programs which targeted housewives specifically. The program was a huge success and they were able to build a strong partnership with the local transit system for future campaigns as well.
Partnerships are equally vital to the process. Ironically though, the one field to avoid partnering with directly is financial services companies. Doing so winds up on a slippery slope of promoting one company over another when really what patrons are there to learn is financial literacy as a whole.
If your library has space to do so, an exhibition on financial literacy such as the Thinking Money Financial Exhibition can be very effective, especially when multi-generational groups participate. When parents, children and even grandparents partake they end up coming away with different perspectives that they can share with each other. Especially effective was one section of the exhibition on Financial Brain Hacks: ways to trick your brain into making better financial decisions.
Kelsey Henke from ALA presented the key findings of the 2016 Personal Finance Survey. It turned out that very few libraries had space on their website for personal finance information, but interestingly enough urban libraries did roughly twice as much on the topic as rural libraries.
Liesl Seborg from Salt Lake County Library Services out of Utah discussed financial literacy instruction designed for refugees and new immigrants. Assisting this growing population can be challenging as they often do not know where to go for help. Many are unaware that libraries have programs, or that these might be of use to them. To that end they partnered with many groups that already help refugees in order to spread the word and reach out.
Partnerships are equally vital to the process. Ironically though, the one field to avoid partnering with directly is financial services companies. Doing so winds up on a slippery slope of promoting one company over another when really what patrons are there to learn is financial literacy as a whole.
If your library has space to do so, an exhibition on financial literacy such as the Thinking Money Financial Exhibition can be very effective, especially when multi-generational groups participate. When parents, children and even grandparents partake they end up coming away with different perspectives that they can share with each other. Especially effective was one section of the exhibition on Financial Brain Hacks: ways to trick your brain into making better financial decisions.
Kelsey Henke from ALA presented the key findings of the 2016 Personal Finance Survey. It turned out that very few libraries had space on their website for personal finance information, but interestingly enough urban libraries did roughly twice as much on the topic as rural libraries.
Liesl Seborg from Salt Lake County Library Services out of Utah discussed financial literacy instruction designed for refugees and new immigrants. Assisting this growing population can be challenging as they often do not know where to go for help. Many are unaware that libraries have programs, or that these might be of use to them. To that end they partnered with many groups that already help refugees in order to spread the word and reach out.
When aiding this particular community it is very helpful to have multilingual librarians, not only to provide instruction and converse with patrons, but also as a source of input for even those programs and classes conducted in English. The local libraries, even ones not in the same system, joined in and partnered with each other for the program. They also reached out to local colleges and universities with programs in language, finance and other related topics. The best way to breach the language barrier is to actually show them how it works through hands-on instruction and role playing.
You can't just plunge into how to use a bank before first making sure the concept of a bank is understood. | Sometimes just knowing what refugees and immigrants need to know is half the battle. Different cultures have different views on finance, and some are even religiously opposed to our banking systems or are unaware that banks even exist. You can't just plunge into how to use a bank before first making sure the concept of a bank is understood. Money itself has different value and meaning in different cultures, and many people are here working to send money back to their families which brings currency values and conversions into play. The concept of credit, how to develop it and why it is important in our financial system is a very complicated , even controversial matter. |
On top of everything else one has to broach the subject of fraud and other financial dangers legal and otherwise. Predatory lending, shady check cashing places and outright scams are important aspect of our financial ecosystem that librarians are incorporating into their lesson plans and programming, sometimes with unexpected consequences as many of their refugee patrons are suffering from PTSD. This is yet another area of library life in which social workers or social work training is extremely useful.
There are also some cultures that do not believe in earning or paying interest and find the practice offensive. There are banks that are open to working with these groups' financial needs, but patrons aren't always aware of this. Even when the practice of earning interest is set in stone, some banks have been known to work with Imams to collect all the interest from accounts of their followers into one account that is then used to donate to charities and better the community. In this way this "dirty" money is put to positive uses and this removes a bit of the stigma.
There are also some cultures that do not believe in earning or paying interest and find the practice offensive. There are banks that are open to working with these groups' financial needs, but patrons aren't always aware of this. Even when the practice of earning interest is set in stone, some banks have been known to work with Imams to collect all the interest from accounts of their followers into one account that is then used to donate to charities and better the community. In this way this "dirty" money is put to positive uses and this removes a bit of the stigma.
| Underlying all of this is a difference the presenter said came as a surprise to many she worked with: numerosity itself! Even the concept of numbers and counting systems are different in some places which complicates things greatly. Testing is also an issue: not everyone is "test-ready" and many are terrible at test taking even if they do know the answer. Different counting methods, the inability to count or to do math... these are major issues for which entire curricula have to be developed, and classic assessment tools are only sometimes useful. | Even the concept of numbers and counting systems are different in some places... |
Many can be helped with image cards: using pictures instead of words is a great way to ensure the ideas come accross. One useful assessment tool was follow-up calls. a few weeks or months after a patron attended a program or class they would receive a call from the instructor or librarian. The results of these calls showed what was successfully retained over time. There were discs available with some of the teaching ideas and assessment questions and these are also available online as well.
There is no exit training on how to successfully manage your finances when you get out of prison, so the libraries are filling in those gaps. | One group that she also discussed who fell outside of those with refugee and immigrant status were the formerly incarcerated. Banking has changed a LOT in the past few years. Just think of all of the advances and new challenges associated with the banking industry from the last decade. If you have been locked away from it all you would come out completely lost. There is no exit training on how to successfully manage your finances when you get out of prison, so the libraries are filling in those gaps. |
The next presenter, Rachel Wedeward, talked about the Personal Finance Resource Guide for ALA. Tax season is especially busy for libraries. The ironies of the government directing people to libraries for their tax needs while simultaneously cutting library funding has been a topic of discussion since I was in library school most of a decade ago.
Since the financial crisis of 2008 it has been more important than ever for libraries to push patrons to be their own financial advocates. Oddly there really haven't been many research guides made on the topic, but she provided a few highlighted resources along with an actual guide:
Since the financial crisis of 2008 it has been more important than ever for libraries to push patrons to be their own financial advocates. Oddly there really haven't been many research guides made on the topic, but she provided a few highlighted resources along with an actual guide:
- Book resources:
- Web resources:
- Newcomer’s guide to Managing Money from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Save and Invest: Teen Finance resource from the FINRA
- Econlowdown from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
The full guide can be found here, and is in two sections.
One hopeful note from the session is that though the press loves to bash Millennials as lazy or ignorant, this young generation is using the libraries more than any other at the moment.
The panel was one of the best I attended and was especially relevant as I will be moving to the Science, Industry and Business Library while my branch is under major renovations for the next few years. No doubt I will be able to use a lot of the things I learned.
I headed off to meet my girlfriend who was at another session, and we grabbed seats for the opening ceremony. Though these start out slow, with the introduction and recognition of lots of people whose actions and donations earned them an award or position in the library world this year, there is always an interesting speaker as well. This year's was Reshma Saujani, Founder and CEO of the national non-profit organization Girls Who Code which attempts to close the gender gap in the tech industry. Her TED talk has well over 3 million views and there are currently over 10,000 GWC alumni.
First, Rahm Emanuel, controversial Mayor of Chicago came out. This is typical of ALA Conferences, but I never remember somehow and am always surprised when it happens. While not everything he has done in office has been beneficial to libraries and schools, libraries in Chicago have seen some assistance and support from Emanuel. One interesting recent development was the combining of a public library with a High School library. It will be interesting to see how that works. A few years ago I had the chance to visit the San Jose Public Library branch that was combined with a college library and that seemed to work well.
Mayor Emanuel touted his support for libraries, this year saying “It’s no longer just about books—it's about using the Internet to explore in the world. I know these are difficult times, not just financially. When you have a national government that is eliminating funding for libraries, it can feel like your work is going unappreciated. I'm telling you: your work is appreciated and never been needed more. Stay strong in what you do.” However, this didn't stop then ALA President Julie Todaro from pressing him a bit, making sure he was entirely aware of what libraries mean to his constituents and that his support needs to continue and increase given current events.
First, Rahm Emanuel, controversial Mayor of Chicago came out. This is typical of ALA Conferences, but I never remember somehow and am always surprised when it happens. While not everything he has done in office has been beneficial to libraries and schools, libraries in Chicago have seen some assistance and support from Emanuel. One interesting recent development was the combining of a public library with a High School library. It will be interesting to see how that works. A few years ago I had the chance to visit the San Jose Public Library branch that was combined with a college library and that seemed to work well.
Mayor Emanuel touted his support for libraries, this year saying “It’s no longer just about books—it's about using the Internet to explore in the world. I know these are difficult times, not just financially. When you have a national government that is eliminating funding for libraries, it can feel like your work is going unappreciated. I'm telling you: your work is appreciated and never been needed more. Stay strong in what you do.” However, this didn't stop then ALA President Julie Todaro from pressing him a bit, making sure he was entirely aware of what libraries mean to his constituents and that his support needs to continue and increase given current events.
Chicago is also the only public library system that offers free 1 on 1 tutoring via any internet device for after school homework help. In person tutoring is also available as well.
RESHMA SAUJANI was great, and if you want to know something of what she said I highly recommend her TED Talk which was similar. After a failed run for Congress she started Girls Who Code which has since taught over 10,000 girls how to write computer code. Many have gone on to prestigious schools to major in computer science. Her book Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World hit the market a week before this blog went live.
One thing she said that really struck a chord was that boys are told to be brave and are expected to throw themselves into new things, while girls are told to be perfect. As a result, when faced with showing work that was not perfected, many of her students would rather show nothing at all. This cuts out a major part of the learning process and is an ingrained roadblock that must be demolished for them to be fully actualized.
RESHMA SAUJANI was great, and if you want to know something of what she said I highly recommend her TED Talk which was similar. After a failed run for Congress she started Girls Who Code which has since taught over 10,000 girls how to write computer code. Many have gone on to prestigious schools to major in computer science. Her book Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World hit the market a week before this blog went live.
One thing she said that really struck a chord was that boys are told to be brave and are expected to throw themselves into new things, while girls are told to be perfect. As a result, when faced with showing work that was not perfected, many of her students would rather show nothing at all. This cuts out a major part of the learning process and is an ingrained roadblock that must be demolished for them to be fully actualized.
After that the Vendor Floor opened and thousands of library workers streamed in, on the hunt for this year's top swag, contests and of course way too many free books. There were over 900 exhibiting organizations plus several pavilions and stages this year. We saw one of my co-workers while waiting to get in, and that was the last time for the rest of the trip. The sheer number of people at ALAAC is amazing and easy to get lost in. The opening of the floor is always interesting and entertaining with lots of wacky fun to be had. And this year there was even a Lincoln!
Our friend from library school met up with us and we loaded up on giveaways and did a bit of networking for the next few hours. She left with an impressive haul, some of which didn't even make it into the photo:
Saturday
The shuttle bus was... problematic and I missed a session on the dark web I had planned on going to, so the first one I attended for the day was
Richard Gilman-Opalsky was first up and was an excellent speaker. He said that the concept of libraries has always indicated a place for books, paper and scrolls. Really at it's base, these were only there for the words they contained, not the materials themselves. The content is the important part, and the medium has always changed.
There are many forms of communication that do not involve words at all. Art, performances and the like are just as important to the community. Among these non-verbal forms of knowledge is Revolt. It may seem as though Revolt and Libraries do not mix. After all, Revolt is loud and emotional where libraries are quiet and contained. Revolt is a kind of politics, one that tests the boundaries of law, often crossing the line, but it is also an activity of knowledge production and analysis. Knowledge is always about power.
There are many forms of communication that do not involve words at all. Art, performances and the like are just as important to the community. Among these non-verbal forms of knowledge is Revolt. It may seem as though Revolt and Libraries do not mix. After all, Revolt is loud and emotional where libraries are quiet and contained. Revolt is a kind of politics, one that tests the boundaries of law, often crossing the line, but it is also an activity of knowledge production and analysis. Knowledge is always about power.
Libraries must be a place of knowledge, of power for ALL people. | The bias towards textual and pure objective information often leaves out the subjective experiences of women and others. This is not acceptable. Libraries must be a place of knowledge, of power for ALL people. The hardest part of figuring out revolts is not why but why not until now. What happens in politics here in America has very little to do with the people, as the people tend to not participate in politics. The trick is to bring the Revolt into the Library, to welcome its knowledge like any other format has been welcomed. |
Archives are a domain of preservation, and the knowledge of Revolt cannot be lost or its lessons will be as well. Archives, much like libraries also bring the question of the future into play. If there is no future there is no need to archive. Archives need a future worthy of themselves. Baltimoreuprising2015.org is a collaborative project to preserve digital content relating to Freddy Grey and the protests associated with his killing. It is free to all and contains audio files, interviews, videos, 1st hand accounts, photos and more.
Can the library make contact with historical struggles and open its doors to let the revolt inside? Should they provide people with spaces of refuge, places to strategize and plan? Things are changing rapidly and libraries need to negotiate a future without text and paper. Libraries often rethink themselves and they need to do so now to invite in the noise and conflict of revolt!
Can the library make contact with historical struggles and open its doors to let the revolt inside? Should they provide people with spaces of refuge, places to strategize and plan? Things are changing rapidly and libraries need to negotiate a future without text and paper. Libraries often rethink themselves and they need to do so now to invite in the noise and conflict of revolt!
Robert Camina was up next, discussing the films he has made documenting the social activism of LGBT communities. He started out by saying that movies and documentaries will never replace the written word. There will always be a need for written accounts and the written word, and text has the ability to go far more in depth on any topic. At the same time, documentaries can bring life to the subject. There may not be as many details, but the format can truly bring home certain points, make certain situations understandable in a way that text just can not.
Because of smartphones with cameras we all now have the power to capture history, to document and preserve it. It is our duty as citizens to shed light on our society's injustices and our duties as librarians and archivists to preserve that information so that future generations can learn from it and be better for it.
Because of smartphones with cameras we all now have the power to capture history, to document and preserve it. It is our duty as citizens to shed light on our society's injustices and our duties as librarians and archivists to preserve that information so that future generations can learn from it and be better for it.
Destroying records is a political act, just as preserving them is. | Sonia Yaco then spoke about what it means to create a social justice movement. in 2007 she became the special collections librarian and university archivist at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. She realized that many records from the times of segregation were missing: after Brown Vs. Board of Ed the records at many African American schools were destroyed. "Destroying records is a political act, just as preserving them is." |
Those who wanted information from that period had a lot of trouble accessing it so she began working with groups to recover these historical documents from several Southern States. She went on to found the Desegregation of Virginia Education (DOVE) project which seeks to preserve this history and make it available to those who need it.
After that I headed out to grab a seat for Sarah Jessica Parker who was being named Chair of the new Book Club Central. In her introduction, then President of ALA Julie Todaro said she had been doing a lot of looking at various library blogs and the popular new thing seemed to be the What Are You Reading variety with celebrity interviews. Well well well!
Parker was great and really drove home her love of books and libraries and at one point mentioned bringing her kids to the Jefferson Market Library at which several dozen people in the crowd cheered. She has championed libraries all her life, and her love for them is palpable.
Parker was great and really drove home her love of books and libraries and at one point mentioned bringing her kids to the Jefferson Market Library at which several dozen people in the crowd cheered. She has championed libraries all her life, and her love for them is palpable.
The inaugural book chosen for the club was Stephanie Powell Watts' No One is Coming to Save Us, and the author joined Parker on the stage for a discussion of the book which is something of a new take on The Great Gatsby.
I left before they were done to meet people on the vendor floor. Just as I found my girlfriend she pointed behind me and said "Hey isn't that Carla Hayden?" and so it was. I walked over and asked her a few questions which you can find in my blog What Are You Reading? Politics Edition. She was really great to talk to, very warm, personable and sharp. We need more of that in the world.
We headed to the ALA Membership Meeting which often has interesting tidbits, insights, and a chance to win free attendance next year. #Someday!
We headed to the ALA Membership Meeting which often has interesting tidbits, insights, and a chance to win free attendance next year. #Someday!
Federal programs and the situation in DC
This time Kathi Kromer and Adam Eisgrau presented on the Federal programs and situation in DC (pertaining to libraries). There was a lot to learn given the actions of the current administration.
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports are now freely available online! Usually they are only available from a member of Congress, but two Congress members have gone public with them. Net Neutrality is currently a major issue and The Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) is working with the FCC on the issue. The new FCC Chairman wants to repeal the new bill and fight for neutrality as well which is a bit of good news. Unfortunately a quick internet search says otherwise.
The President has proposed to get rid of all Federal funding, but thankfully Congress makes final decision. There are members of Congress that are actually fighting for more library info tech access and ALA has lobbyists in Washington as we speak. They are currently working on The Patriot Act (especially the sections on privacy and surveillance), copyright laws, net-neutrality, national infrastructure, and appropriations.
Additional help is coming from an unexpected source: major corporations. The Corporate Committee for Library Investment (CCLI) is an organization made up of a variety of businesses who work to promote
Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports are now freely available online! Usually they are only available from a member of Congress, but two Congress members have gone public with them. Net Neutrality is currently a major issue and The Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) is working with the FCC on the issue. The new FCC Chairman wants to repeal the new bill and fight for neutrality as well which is a bit of good news. Unfortunately a quick internet search says otherwise.
The President has proposed to get rid of all Federal funding, but thankfully Congress makes final decision. There are members of Congress that are actually fighting for more library info tech access and ALA has lobbyists in Washington as we speak. They are currently working on The Patriot Act (especially the sections on privacy and surveillance), copyright laws, net-neutrality, national infrastructure, and appropriations.
Additional help is coming from an unexpected source: major corporations. The Corporate Committee for Library Investment (CCLI) is an organization made up of a variety of businesses who work to promote
| libraries because they believe that libraries are places for people to get job training, learn new skills, and in general better themselves. When people are better they are able to do more, and when they are able to do more they are of more use to the corporations they work for and the communities they (and those corporations) are a part of. Plus they generally make more money which can be spent on things those corporations provide. Seems pretty damn straight forward and it would be lovely if everyone would catch on to this. In the meantime they are fighting the good fight, using their clout to reach Congress members with their message. They have also realized that the more funding the library system gets, the more money the libraries have to spend, money that corporations could earn providing goods and services to the libraries. It's entirely win-win. They started out with 26 companies and have grown to around 100. | the more money the libraries have to spend, the more money businesses could earn providing goods and services to the libraries. It's entirely win-win. |
So what can we do to help? Letters and calls to government officials are definitely a good start, but branch out beyond that as well. One suggestion was to write letters to the editor at various newspapers about what your library did with funding it got and how it benefited everyone in the community. If you raise awareness among the community the community will raise awareness among their representatives. Even just 20-30 people out of 700,000 writing to a government official puts the issue on their radar.
You can also become a library advocate at districtdispatch.org, and learn all about what fights are currently being fought and how to join in. The ALA Government Relations website also has a lot of similar information as well. They asked for more suggestions about how to get people involved: given the pace in DC there is not always time to smooth the way so they need ideas to make this type of activism that much easier for us. I got up first and suggested they take a ResistBot approach: set up a simple text message service where people can text what they'd like to tell their government officials and it will generate faxes, emails and letters to them. Make it EASY!
You can also become a library advocate at districtdispatch.org, and learn all about what fights are currently being fought and how to join in. The ALA Government Relations website also has a lot of similar information as well. They asked for more suggestions about how to get people involved: given the pace in DC there is not always time to smooth the way so they need ideas to make this type of activism that much easier for us. I got up first and suggested they take a ResistBot approach: set up a simple text message service where people can text what they'd like to tell their government officials and it will generate faxes, emails and letters to them. Make it EASY!
A woman asked what people who live where their representatives already support libraries can do to help, a question many of my fellow New Yorkers have about many progressive issues. Their answer was simple: Saying "Thank You" is tremendously important. It keeps them focused and gives them positive reinforcement. And even though the individual member supports it in their position now, they might be in a larger position of power in the future where their current stance is unpopular. If you keep them on the right track it's for the best.
After that we left for the Springer mixer on the roof of the Hyatt Centric. Food, drinks, fancy tables with fire and librarians to chat with... what could be better?
After that we left for the Springer mixer on the roof of the Hyatt Centric. Food, drinks, fancy tables with fire and librarians to chat with... what could be better?
Sunday
I got a decent seat for the big event of the day: Carla Hayden in discussion with San Francisco's City Librarian Luis Herrera, Chicago Public Library's CEO Brian Bannon and The New York Public Library's President Tony Marx.
On top of learning a lot about the Chicago and San Francisco Public systems, I learned a thing or two about the head of my own library system. I knew that Marx had spent time in Africa participating in the anti-apartheid movement, but I didn't know that he presented Nelson Mandela with his last honorary degree!
"We are the one place everyone gathers, even in these fractured political times" he said to the hundreds in attendance. "If you value Democracy then you value the library!" He went on to say that the capacity to innovate at the library is amazing. We are not as constrained as other institutions, and can grab the innovations and start providing new classes and services.
However, he said, we now have major competition and we are losing. The average American spends 5 hours a day in front of screens and they ain’t reading Dostoyevsky. We need to get out in front of people, we have to promote and market and make people realize that we offer these new things. "We’ve got to get in the game before we lose the game. "
Luis Herrera agreed, saying that future readiness is extremely important. Libraries are needed more than ever and we can really make a difference but to do so we must adapt and change when needed. We need to push our mission to provide meaningful services for the communities we serve. Interestingly the one area of growth that has seen the most increase is actual people coming through our doors. We need to really focus on infrastructure to make sure our spaces can comfortably handle this influx of users.
On top of learning a lot about the Chicago and San Francisco Public systems, I learned a thing or two about the head of my own library system. I knew that Marx had spent time in Africa participating in the anti-apartheid movement, but I didn't know that he presented Nelson Mandela with his last honorary degree!
"We are the one place everyone gathers, even in these fractured political times" he said to the hundreds in attendance. "If you value Democracy then you value the library!" He went on to say that the capacity to innovate at the library is amazing. We are not as constrained as other institutions, and can grab the innovations and start providing new classes and services.
However, he said, we now have major competition and we are losing. The average American spends 5 hours a day in front of screens and they ain’t reading Dostoyevsky. We need to get out in front of people, we have to promote and market and make people realize that we offer these new things. "We’ve got to get in the game before we lose the game. "
Luis Herrera agreed, saying that future readiness is extremely important. Libraries are needed more than ever and we can really make a difference but to do so we must adapt and change when needed. We need to push our mission to provide meaningful services for the communities we serve. Interestingly the one area of growth that has seen the most increase is actual people coming through our doors. We need to really focus on infrastructure to make sure our spaces can comfortably handle this influx of users.
We are shifting the library into proactive education facilities.
The NYPL is currently the biggest ESL source in the city after the school systems.
Like many major cities, the Chicago Public Library has a recording studio patrons can use. Some time ago a high school student got suspended and decided to spend some of his newly found free time in the library. He really got into the recording studio and learned all the different aspects of it. The idea of information and media being made freely available to the public became very important to him, and when he eventually started actually producing his own music in that studio he made it all free to the public. Chance the Rapper has since won three Grammys and still comes back to host open mic nights at his library branch.
SFPL also has a program in which ex-homeless patrons come into the library and help the currently homeless population. They also have buses that park outside providing free showers and access to barbers. They've accomplished this amazing but simple piece of outreach through partnerships with several local non-profits. Given the proximity of the cosmetology school which includes a hair salon, this seems like something Mid-Manhattan could do once we return to the building.
SFPL also has a program in which ex-homeless patrons come into the library and help the currently homeless population. They also have buses that park outside providing free showers and access to barbers. They've accomplished this amazing but simple piece of outreach through partnerships with several local non-profits. Given the proximity of the cosmetology school which includes a hair salon, this seems like something Mid-Manhattan could do once we return to the building.
When it comes to outreach, SFPL actually heads out into the areas where people may not know much about libraries. They send techmobiles into housing projects meeting communities on their own turf which makes them more comfortable. Once people see the value and are comfortable with these outreach programs, they are much more likely to come into a branch and use the resources available.
As far as internal outreach goes, Carla Hayden said that she loves eating in the cafeteria where she gets to mix and mingle with everyone from librarians to pages and support staff. This provides her with ground-level information about what is going on within the library, what needs to be addressed, and how things are working in general. Tony Marx echoed her sentiment, saying that he needs to hear from the people in our organization. "I can’t do my job if you don’t tell me what is needed!"
From there I headed downstairs to the next panel:
As far as internal outreach goes, Carla Hayden said that she loves eating in the cafeteria where she gets to mix and mingle with everyone from librarians to pages and support staff. This provides her with ground-level information about what is going on within the library, what needs to be addressed, and how things are working in general. Tony Marx echoed her sentiment, saying that he needs to hear from the people in our organization. "I can’t do my job if you don’t tell me what is needed!"
From there I headed downstairs to the next panel:
When assisting troubled patrons, trust-building is key! Ask their names, not just what’s wrong with them. Reflective Practice is key when dealing with some of the often disturbing interactions you may have with distressed patrons: reviewing an experience to process it through thinking and feeling in order to learn from it and improve your work. What Happened? What does it mean? What’s next?
Often social work is akin to rescuing victims of our other crumbling infrastructure:
Often social work is akin to rescuing victims of our other crumbling infrastructure:
What is the flood-wall that could have prevented this before it got so bad?
Some libraries have actually hired trained Social Workers. You have to assess what skills you or your staff missing that social workers could help with. Check out Wholepersonlibrarianship.com for more info!
Heather Lowe Adult Services Administrator at the Dallas Public Library spoke. In 2015 over half a million Americans were experiencing homelessness, and 7 million more were at risk of becoming so. Nearly half of Dallas residents can’t afford their own housing. She urged a trauma informed approach to care.
The library staff are the face of the library to the homed and homeless population alike, so unified front should be formed providing empathy and compassion from ALL staff not just the social working staff. She also suggested getting your library involved in homeless counts. It makes sense as the homeless make up a decent percentage of library patronage. As in many places, the Coffee and Conversation type outreach programs are very popular.
Some libraries have actually hired trained Social Workers. You have to assess what skills you or your staff missing that social workers could help with. Check out Wholepersonlibrarianship.com for more info!
Heather Lowe Adult Services Administrator at the Dallas Public Library spoke. In 2015 over half a million Americans were experiencing homelessness, and 7 million more were at risk of becoming so. Nearly half of Dallas residents can’t afford their own housing. She urged a trauma informed approach to care.
The library staff are the face of the library to the homed and homeless population alike, so unified front should be formed providing empathy and compassion from ALL staff not just the social working staff. She also suggested getting your library involved in homeless counts. It makes sense as the homeless make up a decent percentage of library patronage. As in many places, the Coffee and Conversation type outreach programs are very popular.
Ashley Horn, Social Work Program Coordinator for Brooklyn Public Library was up next. BPL has partnered with Breaking Ground, New York City's largest supportive housing provider. At first the staff struggled with how to help the homeless patrons. Since the homeless are already in the library, and comfortable it provides a safe space for social workers to approach and offer support. She echoed the unified front approach: the social-work committee works with all branch staff to discuss advocacy, inclusive programs, and how best to help this often at-risk patron population.
Sarah Johnson, Visiting Assistant Professor, Reference and Instruction Librarian at Hunter College Libraries spoke last. The Hunter School of Social Work is the oldest and largest program in the city with 570 students. As a side note it would be a great place to partner with if NYPL ever wanted to get some social workers into the branches.
As it turns out there is a lot of skill overlap between librarianship and social work. Reference interviews are very similar to social work interviews in a lot of ways. We are there to help, and to show people how to help themselves. At this point many libraries are providing services that border on social work anyway; it just makes sense to team up with some people who are trained for it so we can better serve our patrons.
Sarah Johnson, Visiting Assistant Professor, Reference and Instruction Librarian at Hunter College Libraries spoke last. The Hunter School of Social Work is the oldest and largest program in the city with 570 students. As a side note it would be a great place to partner with if NYPL ever wanted to get some social workers into the branches.
As it turns out there is a lot of skill overlap between librarianship and social work. Reference interviews are very similar to social work interviews in a lot of ways. We are there to help, and to show people how to help themselves. At this point many libraries are providing services that border on social work anyway; it just makes sense to team up with some people who are trained for it so we can better serve our patrons.
Just as that was ending my friend from library school texted my girlfriend and I that Congressman John Lewis was signing books on the vendor floor. I had tried to contact him a few times about doing an interview after last year's ALA when I spoke with one of the co-authors of his graphic novels series March.
I ran to meet them and got there as he was signing his last book. I managed to sneak in a short interview with him as well as artist and co-author Nate Powell. Lewis has a calm, quietly fierce intelligence to him and I am grateful I got the chance to speak with him, however briefly, even if I was wearing a dogs playing poker shirt at the time.
I ran to meet them and got there as he was signing his last book. I managed to sneak in a short interview with him as well as artist and co-author Nate Powell. Lewis has a calm, quietly fierce intelligence to him and I am grateful I got the chance to speak with him, however briefly, even if I was wearing a dogs playing poker shirt at the time.
A few days before, my girlfriend had sent me an article about Ben Bizzle who happened to be hosting the
I wasn't disappointed: it turned out to be a highlight of the conference. He was engaging, funny and informative, and I came away with many ideas for promoting the library. I am not in any position that would allow me to do so, but at least I can pass the ideas along to those who are, within their systems.
Bizzle is the CEO of Library Market, a marketing firm that seeks to increase not only foot traffic, but use of all library offerings, electronic and physical, by increasing visibility and upping their digital presence.
There's a problem in the library world: many have this odd idea that advertising and marketing are dirty words, that spending money on such things is a waste at best, willful squandering of public funds at worst. Yet simultaneously one of the biggest challenges facing libraries today are lack of awareness: of the citizens who do come to the library, many are still unaware of the programming and the digital offerings such as eBooks and databases.
Bizzle is the CEO of Library Market, a marketing firm that seeks to increase not only foot traffic, but use of all library offerings, electronic and physical, by increasing visibility and upping their digital presence.
There's a problem in the library world: many have this odd idea that advertising and marketing are dirty words, that spending money on such things is a waste at best, willful squandering of public funds at worst. Yet simultaneously one of the biggest challenges facing libraries today are lack of awareness: of the citizens who do come to the library, many are still unaware of the programming and the digital offerings such as eBooks and databases.
| Given this you would think that campaigns to raise awareness would be a simple fix, but in the library world these are often considered a waste of money. A library will spend hundreds or even thousands to buy this year's updated set of reference materials that gather dust on the shelf, but consider advertising a waste of money. "If you think advertising is a waste of money" Bizzle said, "you are doing it wrong!" |  |
Libraries are apparently at war with Google, Wikipedia and Amazon, but really these are just other entities that can be useful, and at very least can be used as an example of branding success. Branding is every touch-point and between you and your patrons, and your game needs to be strong to keep you in their hearts and minds. Your library WILL be judged by its website so don't muck it up! Since we do not do this for profit our ROI is solely based on value to our patrons. The more patrons using our collections and services, the more often those collections and services are used, the more valuable the library becomes!
As far as social media goes, Bizzle is a strong proponent of libraries using these platforms. Among other things, he is a firm supporter of Facebook advertising. Facebook has a network of partners so when you do an ad it can appear on CNN.com or Foxnews.com or any of the others in their network, plus they have branched into mobile sites as well. And it's affordable: a $50 ad will reach about 10,000 people!
As far as social media goes, Bizzle is a strong proponent of libraries using these platforms. Among other things, he is a firm supporter of Facebook advertising. Facebook has a network of partners so when you do an ad it can appear on CNN.com or Foxnews.com or any of the others in their network, plus they have branched into mobile sites as well. And it's affordable: a $50 ad will reach about 10,000 people!
| As far as more traditional marketing goes, he was all for it. Bookmarks, postcards, flyers... all well and good, just make sure they are engaging! And don't just put them in your library, throw posters up around town. Don't be afraid to branch out too: there are a million ways to reach out to your community and if you are having trouble thinking ways up you can always ask your patrons. Libraries are full of creativity, so crowd source some of that and you will not only get new ideas but engage your patrons even more. |
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Don't limit yourself to the common library promotional tools. The internet and smartphones have brought tools into the libraries that are capable of tapping creativity and mainlining it straight to the public. Videos don't just have to be bland instructional tutorials, you can shoot simple but fun skits, song parodies, and short book reviews as well. If they agree, put your patrons in your videos and promos because they will take ownership of it and gives them an opportunity to feel like they make a contribution. Not only will you attract new patrons, you will increase existing patron library love.
The creativity doesn't have to be limited to the digital realm: Bizzle had amazing freedom and support at the Arkansas library he worked at. His campaigns included funny billboards and even coasters he provided to the local bar. The coasters, a whole series of "Add a word to ruin a book title" cartoons. The next day the bartender called and asked if it was ok that people were just taking them. This was a no-brainer: "Yes, of course! Now all those people will have a coaster at home with my library's info!"
He gave some coasters out, but anyone can go online and download the templates he's made available.
The creativity doesn't have to be limited to the digital realm: Bizzle had amazing freedom and support at the Arkansas library he worked at. His campaigns included funny billboards and even coasters he provided to the local bar. The coasters, a whole series of "Add a word to ruin a book title" cartoons. The next day the bartender called and asked if it was ok that people were just taking them. This was a no-brainer: "Yes, of course! Now all those people will have a coaster at home with my library's info!"
He gave some coasters out, but anyone can go online and download the templates he's made available.
It is important to know the line though. Some of his or his coworker's ideas sometimes shocked certain patrons. This promo was branded as offensive at first, but then other patrons chimed in pointing out that it wasn't anything you wouldn't find on a prime-time sitcom, and why shouldn't the library be slightly edgy? When the dust settled it was one of the most engaged posts the library had ever put up, and it got people really thinking, talking and posting about the library... which is the point.
If you have people that just show up for work and do the bare minimum and are negative about everything... they gotta go! The staff is there to engage the community, and to get them excited about coming in, using the collection, and taking advantage of the programs. If that's not for you maybe find a less public facing position and industry.
All these fun things you can do to promote your library are not simply for fun: by providing the funny, cute marketing you may be getting someone’s attention who would otherwise not have paid any. This person might really and truly need the library and its services. You may change lives with that silly cat meme! And don't hold back on non-book related programs. A program that gets people into the library will make them aware of what you have to offer, and clearly books are a major part of that. Hosting some wacky fun now and then won't hurt your efforts to get people in the door. Once they are in, they are in!
If you have people that just show up for work and do the bare minimum and are negative about everything... they gotta go! The staff is there to engage the community, and to get them excited about coming in, using the collection, and taking advantage of the programs. If that's not for you maybe find a less public facing position and industry.
All these fun things you can do to promote your library are not simply for fun: by providing the funny, cute marketing you may be getting someone’s attention who would otherwise not have paid any. This person might really and truly need the library and its services. You may change lives with that silly cat meme! And don't hold back on non-book related programs. A program that gets people into the library will make them aware of what you have to offer, and clearly books are a major part of that. Hosting some wacky fun now and then won't hurt your efforts to get people in the door. Once they are in, they are in!
Also, he noted, once you've done a program once or twice it's important to do an assessment of it: meet and discuss how it went, what worked what didn’t, and get a feel for how to best promote its future.
After that we headed to the New Members Round Table Social as my girlfriend has been an active member for some time now, and is their former Secretary. We stayed for the awards ceremony before heading back to her hotel to drop things off and take a breather before the night's events.
An hour later we headed downstairs to the conveniently located Spin, a ping-pong bar and the location of this year's Mango Languages party! Mango is a language app that many libraries subscribe to, and we've been hanging out with them at ala for six years out of the 10 they have been around. Good people who make a great product and throw some epic librarian parties... what could be better?
We ate, drank and ping-ponged with a few hundred peers. At one point Ben Bizzle joined our table too!
After that we headed to the New Members Round Table Social as my girlfriend has been an active member for some time now, and is their former Secretary. We stayed for the awards ceremony before heading back to her hotel to drop things off and take a breather before the night's events.
An hour later we headed downstairs to the conveniently located Spin, a ping-pong bar and the location of this year's Mango Languages party! Mango is a language app that many libraries subscribe to, and we've been hanging out with them at ala for six years out of the 10 they have been around. Good people who make a great product and throw some epic librarian parties... what could be better?
We ate, drank and ping-ponged with a few hundred peers. At one point Ben Bizzle joined our table too!
Monday
Today was the big day! I ran over my presentation again in the cab (I wasn't chancing it with the shuttle) and headed straight to the room the Ignite Sessions were being held in. There was a huge crowd there for the previous panel which was just wrapping up. Most of them filtered out though, and I wasn't too sure what the crowd would be like since at Computers in Libraries I had a bit over a dozen people in attendance, plus the people eating nearby. But... this is ALA!
As we sat there up on the stage the crowd swelled. Jules Shore came up and said "I know you know this, but YOU GOT THIS!" which was really nice. The room filled up and people began to sit around the edges and clog the door. As I listened to the other speakers I did a quick count. There were at least 400 people there! Without a doubt the largest crowd I've found myself in front of. I took a quick and blurry panorama.
As we sat there up on the stage the crowd swelled. Jules Shore came up and said "I know you know this, but YOU GOT THIS!" which was really nice. The room filled up and people began to sit around the edges and clog the door. As I listened to the other speakers I did a quick count. There were at least 400 people there! Without a doubt the largest crowd I've found myself in front of. I took a quick and blurry panorama.
Each person (or team... there were two girls presenting together) got five minutes to speak. The slides auto-advanced every 15 seconds. It is a really interesting format and I plan on attending more like it.
First was Min Chou of Jersey City University who spoke about copyright policy and fair use laws. There are definitely some changes that need to be made to modernize how things work. She pointed to Lawrence Lessig's Code and Other Laws from Cyberspace as a good source for those interested. Also the Association of Research Libraries has a Code of Best Practices in Fair Use that should be looked at.
Up next was I Missed the Event Planning Class in Library School, presented by two women from the Free Library of Philadelphia: Caitlin Rietzen and Gillian Robbins. While programs are essential to libraries, it is almost unheard of to find a class on planning events in library school. In five minutes the two strove to fill in some of the blanks. First you have to assess the community needs, but also make sure you aren't starting something from scratch that others have already done and can provide a blueprint for. Look at the numbers, get feedback from the community and match everything up to see where the needs are. Check out what is offered by local government, nonprofits and such to see what you can provide that isn't redundant, and to see what you can supplement. They echoed Ben Bizzle's point about assessing current programming: see if there is anything you currently offer that can be improved upon so you don't have to start from scratch.
First was Min Chou of Jersey City University who spoke about copyright policy and fair use laws. There are definitely some changes that need to be made to modernize how things work. She pointed to Lawrence Lessig's Code and Other Laws from Cyberspace as a good source for those interested. Also the Association of Research Libraries has a Code of Best Practices in Fair Use that should be looked at.
Up next was I Missed the Event Planning Class in Library School, presented by two women from the Free Library of Philadelphia: Caitlin Rietzen and Gillian Robbins. While programs are essential to libraries, it is almost unheard of to find a class on planning events in library school. In five minutes the two strove to fill in some of the blanks. First you have to assess the community needs, but also make sure you aren't starting something from scratch that others have already done and can provide a blueprint for. Look at the numbers, get feedback from the community and match everything up to see where the needs are. Check out what is offered by local government, nonprofits and such to see what you can provide that isn't redundant, and to see what you can supplement. They echoed Ben Bizzle's point about assessing current programming: see if there is anything you currently offer that can be improved upon so you don't have to start from scratch.
After them came Vera Haynes, who made online headlines with her response to Jason Chaffetz's statement that people should just forego buying an iPhone so they can afford medical treatment. Hailing from the Hays Public Library, she presented Disability Etiquette. Many aren't sure how to interact with disabled patrons, or think they do, but end up making them uncomfortable. In five minutes she ran down a great list of tips. Get to know patrons with disabilities just the same as you would those without disabilities. It seems simple enough, but it's necessary to mention as often people do not.
Never offer medical advice: chances are they know more about their condition than you do. | Respect their space, just like you would anyone else. Remember that not all disabilities are visible, and never offer medical advice: chances are they know more about their condition than you do. Focus on language that you’re using and avoid negative terms, but don't perform linguistic acrobatics in an attempt to avoid perfectly reasonable terms like disabled. Educate yourself, in general but also specifically: if you have a regular in the library who you frequently interact with, find out about their disability and how better to serve them. |
The last talk before mine was Taking Care of Business in the 21st Century: A New Service Model for Entrepreneurs, presented by Caitlin Rietzen also of the Free Library of Philadelphia. She urged the crowd to create quick & dirty business model canvases, a place where you can throw the ideas on a page or board and plot them out. You need to define your customer and figure out the best way to reach them and meet their needs. Don't forget to show them how to do market research! Like so much else in the library world, it is helpful to form key partnerships with local small business administrations and businesses. You can read more here.
Of course, I wasn't up on the stage typing out notes: I borrowed my girlfriend's for this write up. She also took this photo. Clearly, she's the best!
My presentation was well received. I managed to zip through and hit all the points I wanted to hit in the fast paced format. Almost exactly a year before I had proposed a program in which I took headshots of our patrons so they would have a decent, professional looking photo of themselves to use online. These are increasingly necessary for those looking for a job, as LinkedIn, Careerbuilder, Glassdoor and all the other online job sites require (or strongly suggest) a profile picture. My library purchased a simple pop-up background and I put my old photography studio experience to work. A few weeks before, we took our 200th person's headshot. For details, check out my Powerpoint! FYI That's my old phone number.
After I was done and the room cleared out, we made our way to the session:
Of course, I wasn't up on the stage typing out notes: I borrowed my girlfriend's for this write up. She also took this photo. Clearly, she's the best!
My presentation was well received. I managed to zip through and hit all the points I wanted to hit in the fast paced format. Almost exactly a year before I had proposed a program in which I took headshots of our patrons so they would have a decent, professional looking photo of themselves to use online. These are increasingly necessary for those looking for a job, as LinkedIn, Careerbuilder, Glassdoor and all the other online job sites require (or strongly suggest) a profile picture. My library purchased a simple pop-up background and I put my old photography studio experience to work. A few weeks before, we took our 200th person's headshot. For details, check out my Powerpoint! FYI That's my old phone number.
After I was done and the room cleared out, we made our way to the session:
Karen Gavigan of the University of South Carolina was awarded the 2016 Will Eisner Innovation Grant for a collaborative project between the Birchwood School at the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice and the School of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. Not only did the grant provide a new graphic novels collection for the Birchwood library, but students got to work with a graphic novel illustrator who guided them through the process of writing, storyboarding and producing their own graphic novel: AIDS in the Endzone.
When they were looking for a school to work with on the project they found that the only school that would even touch a project having to do with HIV/AIDS was the one in the Department of Juvenile Justice. The fact that schools turned down the opportunity to create a tool for spreading awareness of a disease that continues to spread to people of all ages is truly a sign of our country's denial issue. Only "20 states require that if provided, sex and/or HIV education must be medically, factually or technically accurate" which is horrific. These particular students brought a whole other dimension to the project, and really made something helpful and interesting by bringing their own experiences to bear.
They were taught the fundamentals of plot-writing: write a synopsis, break it into scenes, create a hook, and give it a strong ending that shows how the characters have changed over the course of the book. They also wanted to make sure the book was realistic, but not hopeless.
It took the students about six weeks to write and storyboard the project, and then the illustrator spent the summer working on the it. The students participated in the artistic process and their work went up on display in the community center and went to the library afterwards. Upon graduation the students received their artwork. These incarcerated youth were shown that their voices mattered, that they were able to actually create something good and tangible that was out in the world. This kind of program is invaluable when it comes to improving lives and reducing recidivism.
Anyone interested in doing such a program should check out Write Your Own Graphic Novel by Natalie Rosinksy and Make Beliefs Comix.
The last session of the day for us was
When they were looking for a school to work with on the project they found that the only school that would even touch a project having to do with HIV/AIDS was the one in the Department of Juvenile Justice. The fact that schools turned down the opportunity to create a tool for spreading awareness of a disease that continues to spread to people of all ages is truly a sign of our country's denial issue. Only "20 states require that if provided, sex and/or HIV education must be medically, factually or technically accurate" which is horrific. These particular students brought a whole other dimension to the project, and really made something helpful and interesting by bringing their own experiences to bear.
They were taught the fundamentals of plot-writing: write a synopsis, break it into scenes, create a hook, and give it a strong ending that shows how the characters have changed over the course of the book. They also wanted to make sure the book was realistic, but not hopeless.
It took the students about six weeks to write and storyboard the project, and then the illustrator spent the summer working on the it. The students participated in the artistic process and their work went up on display in the community center and went to the library afterwards. Upon graduation the students received their artwork. These incarcerated youth were shown that their voices mattered, that they were able to actually create something good and tangible that was out in the world. This kind of program is invaluable when it comes to improving lives and reducing recidivism.
Anyone interested in doing such a program should check out Write Your Own Graphic Novel by Natalie Rosinksy and Make Beliefs Comix.
The last session of the day for us was
Most libraries are sold on the benefits of maker-spaces, but often in our increasingly test-based curriculum educational system it is difficult to get teachers on board. Here the speakers covered some of the amazing kits that are available to make these programs a reality, and how -through taking it slow and purchasing/promoting the use of one type of kit at a time- to get faculty on board.
Funding can be secured from a variety of sources. There are many grants on both federal and state levels for such things, and often the local library consortium will have some available as well. There are also organizations that fund-raise for educational programs, such as Donorschoose.org.
The presenters got a grant from local library council to buy $2,000 worth of Makey Makey kits and pieces, which can do a lot of cool things but don't come with much in the way of curriculum based resources. They created their own lesson plans and created new kits for them which were then distributed to the libraries in their system. The teachers have been taking their ideas provided and running with them.
These kits cost about $50 each and turn the world around you into an input for your computer via a USB plug. You can create circuits using just about anything, including the user! When kids actually get to be part of a circuit that makes something light up or move they get really excited about science. One pro-tip offered though was to never connect the alligator clips directly to mushy food or play dough as it’s very hard to clean off them.
Funding can be secured from a variety of sources. There are many grants on both federal and state levels for such things, and often the local library consortium will have some available as well. There are also organizations that fund-raise for educational programs, such as Donorschoose.org.
The presenters got a grant from local library council to buy $2,000 worth of Makey Makey kits and pieces, which can do a lot of cool things but don't come with much in the way of curriculum based resources. They created their own lesson plans and created new kits for them which were then distributed to the libraries in their system. The teachers have been taking their ideas provided and running with them.
These kits cost about $50 each and turn the world around you into an input for your computer via a USB plug. You can create circuits using just about anything, including the user! When kids actually get to be part of a circuit that makes something light up or move they get really excited about science. One pro-tip offered though was to never connect the alligator clips directly to mushy food or play dough as it’s very hard to clean off them.
LittleBits is another circuit kit. Their website has a ton of amazing activities ideas, and they are really good about replacing pieces if they break, clearly important when dealing with kits being used by lots of kids.
Germany's Unimat makes woodworking tools for kids that are so safe you can touch the spinning blade and not get hurt. Kits come with four different tools, and require lighter woods like balsa to work.
There are a lot of good options out there, but there are some simple but important things that will make or break such a program. It’s not a good idea to buy things that are too device specific. If it only works with one brand of tablet or computer or something then maybe go for a more open ended competitor. Also, it may sound obvious but, it’s really important when you get something for your library to make sure people know how to use it! Training needs to be part of the program. And if you run into a wall and can’t think of how to use something in your programming, don’t forget to ask the kids themselves. They often have some great ideas, and brainstorming projects is educational in itself.
For more information they recommended: Invent to Learn, Worlds of Making, and The Art of Tinkering.
We were pretty exhausted by the time we got out, which is good since we had to get up really early for
Germany's Unimat makes woodworking tools for kids that are so safe you can touch the spinning blade and not get hurt. Kits come with four different tools, and require lighter woods like balsa to work.
There are a lot of good options out there, but there are some simple but important things that will make or break such a program. It’s not a good idea to buy things that are too device specific. If it only works with one brand of tablet or computer or something then maybe go for a more open ended competitor. Also, it may sound obvious but, it’s really important when you get something for your library to make sure people know how to use it! Training needs to be part of the program. And if you run into a wall and can’t think of how to use something in your programming, don’t forget to ask the kids themselves. They often have some great ideas, and brainstorming projects is educational in itself.
For more information they recommended: Invent to Learn, Worlds of Making, and The Art of Tinkering.
We were pretty exhausted by the time we got out, which is good since we had to get up really early for
Tuesday
We weren't exactly sure when to arrive since the closing ceremony didn't start until 10am, but word went out that the doors would open at 7am and given the speaker it was likely there would be a line by then. By 7:30 we were in line along with a few hundred others. By the time it started moving into the theater we couldn't see the end of it anymore.
The beginning is always about recognizing contributors, award winners, and passing the torch from one ALA President to the next. This year people were even more ready to get to the speaker than usual.
 |  |
Just a few people showed up.
They zipped through the awards and such and then Julie Todaro made a brief farewell speech before turning the podium over to the new ALA President: Jim Neal.
They zipped through the awards and such and then Julie Todaro made a brief farewell speech before turning the podium over to the new ALA President: Jim Neal.
A short speech later it was time for Clinton. As with every closing speaker, she was doing a bit of promoting for her new book, or rather a new, picture book edition of her 1996 book It Takes a Village. She also spoke about an upcoming book, What Happened, about the experience of running for president, and how to remain resilient in the face of such a loss.
I had been disappointed to learn that there would be no Q&A or book signing (though not all that surprised either, given the inherent safety issues), but half way through she ran down a list of books she grew up reading and books that have been helpful to her since the election, which is what I would have asked anyway for my What Are You Reading blog.
The talk was well worth the wait. Really it was something of a love letter to libraries and reading. She spoke about the importance of reading to children, how reading fiction increases empathy, and how incredible it is that libraries now offer so many programs to such diverse communities. She even touched on the parts of librarian life that aren't often acknowledged, including the fact that librarians are now being trained to use Naloxone to save lives when addicts in or around their library OD. How librarians are often placed in the role of social worker, therapist and conflict mediator.
I had been disappointed to learn that there would be no Q&A or book signing (though not all that surprised either, given the inherent safety issues), but half way through she ran down a list of books she grew up reading and books that have been helpful to her since the election, which is what I would have asked anyway for my What Are You Reading blog.
The talk was well worth the wait. Really it was something of a love letter to libraries and reading. She spoke about the importance of reading to children, how reading fiction increases empathy, and how incredible it is that libraries now offer so many programs to such diverse communities. She even touched on the parts of librarian life that aren't often acknowledged, including the fact that librarians are now being trained to use Naloxone to save lives when addicts in or around their library OD. How librarians are often placed in the role of social worker, therapist and conflict mediator.
As promoters and teachers of media literacy, sorting truth from alternative facts, and critical thinking, libraries are more important than ever. "Librarians... are guardians of the first amendment and the freedom to read and to speak. You stand up to censorship by highlighting banned and challenged books. Because we should all be reading books that challenge us! The work you do is at the heart of an open, inclusive, diverse society; I believe that libraries and Democracy go hand in hand."
You can, and should, watch the entire speech on Youtube (below). I came away feeling a renewed sense of purpose when it comes to library work. And with that high note, the conference was over.
You can, and should, watch the entire speech on Youtube (below). I came away feeling a renewed sense of purpose when it comes to library work. And with that high note, the conference was over.
A month later several dozen of the NYPL staff who attended met to discuss our experiences over lunch. Christopher Platt led the meeting, and started off by asking the first time attendees what their take-away was. All agreed it was an overwhelming but wonderful experience. One said she was really wowed by the rock star status of authors, who often had lines of fans that snaked around the vendor floor. One noted that she often saw the same people at the panels she attended and that she would have liked to meet different sets, but I suppose that is the bubble effect all over again: you are likely to see people interested in the things you like more than those who aren’t. Of course, everyone came home with tons of books.
We discussed the effect an NYPL badge had on people. It definitely resulted in the hard sell when it came to the vendor floor because people don’t realize most of us have no power over purchasing (especially the furniture dealers). Some people said they turned their badges around while they walked the floor. You definitely get more free books and such when they realize you are NYPL and especially if you are on this or that committee.
We discussed the effect an NYPL badge had on people. It definitely resulted in the hard sell when it came to the vendor floor because people don’t realize most of us have no power over purchasing (especially the furniture dealers). Some people said they turned their badges around while they walked the floor. You definitely get more free books and such when they realize you are NYPL and especially if you are on this or that committee.
staff appreciation means ALL the staff, not just the librarians. | Several people presented on the Library Support Staff Round Table and found it very rewarding. Almost 80 people attended at 8:30 in the morning while Coretta Scott King awards were being conducted elsewhere, so they were amazed at the turnout and high level of interest. It really showed that staff appreciation means ALL the staff, not just the librarians. All types of libraries were represented, and many levels of support staff were in attendance. |
Others presented at the Conversation Starters about customer experience, but it was 4pm on Monday so the energy level was a little low. Even so, they saw people taking notes which is always gratifying! Some others had a poster session, but this year the posters were kind of off the beaten path so attendance wasn’t great. They did have a good spot though so they managed to meet and speak with a decent number of attendees during the session.
Several people attended a pre-conference which ran 9AM-5PM. They were worried about keeping their energy and attention that long, but the presenters had been working together for years and were expert at keeping everyone engaged. There were several team building activities, and it sounds like the Everyday Democracy folks are coming to NYPL and will be training people and teaching us how to better engage the community. Everyone agreed that Carla Hayden was amazing, personable and really engaged. Platt pointed out that she has really become a library star, that her predecessor was never really recognized or hounded like she is. All of a sudden everyone knows who the Librarian of Congress is.
Several people attended a pre-conference which ran 9AM-5PM. They were worried about keeping their energy and attention that long, but the presenters had been working together for years and were expert at keeping everyone engaged. There were several team building activities, and it sounds like the Everyday Democracy folks are coming to NYPL and will be training people and teaching us how to better engage the community. Everyone agreed that Carla Hayden was amazing, personable and really engaged. Platt pointed out that she has really become a library star, that her predecessor was never really recognized or hounded like she is. All of a sudden everyone knows who the Librarian of Congress is.
librarians collected suggestions from those they spoke with and then brought the resulting programs out into the community | Two people attended a session on community engagement assessment and how to use that to build programming. One library in Madison had the community submit proposals to them and gave the winners a budget. They got 3 completely unique and excellent programs. It’s a kind of participatory budgeting model and requires giving up control to your patrons. It’s scary, but incredibly rewarding when it works out. The two of them may be teaming up to start such a program up. Similarly, Broward County got a grant for a van to go out into the community. The librarians collected suggestions from those they spoke with and then brought the resulting programs out into the community via the same van. |
Platt opened it up to suggestions at the end of the meeting. It was recommended that we encourage some of our capital planning people attend so that the furniture and other physical goods vendors can actually sell to them. Our furniture and equipment is often woefully out of date and this could help. Another suggested that we need to make our website more multilingual so that it more reflects our patron population. We should have an NYPL meetup at ala so that we can all compare notes and see who is presenting where and when. Platt himself suggested that we should make networking more of a priority. Smaller libraries do not usually have the barriers that we have, so they are freer to try certain programs that we don’t seem to be able to. It makes them the perfect test kitchen and so finding out what works for which places would be very helpful.
There was a good discussion about getting more people to attend. It seems that most attendees work in the central offices and not many branch people go. Perhaps people who attend a lot could mentor and act as a guide so it’s not so overwhelming. Also there are committees to help new attendees, and people thinking about going for the first time should be steered towards these.
There was also a discussion of how to make conference attendance more affordable. Most people can’t float the price of attendance, hotels, or airfare, let alone all of the above. Apparently there has been a 10% cut for such things, which is highly disappointing. I brought up that some conferences wave fees if you present. Someone spoke about splitting hotel rooms with colleagues. It’s also helpful to attend conferences and events that are closer to home.
There was a good discussion about getting more people to attend. It seems that most attendees work in the central offices and not many branch people go. Perhaps people who attend a lot could mentor and act as a guide so it’s not so overwhelming. Also there are committees to help new attendees, and people thinking about going for the first time should be steered towards these.
There was also a discussion of how to make conference attendance more affordable. Most people can’t float the price of attendance, hotels, or airfare, let alone all of the above. Apparently there has been a 10% cut for such things, which is highly disappointing. I brought up that some conferences wave fees if you present. Someone spoke about splitting hotel rooms with colleagues. It’s also helpful to attend conferences and events that are closer to home.
You made it to the end!
Here's a cute puppy:
