Choices;Hispanic Heritage Month; "The reading connection"

News September 28, 2007 (mp3 file: 6.48 MB, 7:05 min.)
Choices; Hispanic Heritage Month; "The reading connection: bringing parents, teachers and librarians together."

This week, it seems, it’s all about choices. Everywhere I turned, in articles in professional journals, webinars, a discussion with a student, an instant message with a colleague, it was choices.

A great deal of debate has been going on about the relative value of Library 2.0 connections vs. traditional library services and methods of delivery. Frankly, that baffles me. It doesn’t have to be either-or.

Take tagging, for example. On the one hand, skeptics suggest that we need the traditional classification schemes, and if we let users add their own tags to the library’s catalog or website everything will go to you-know-where in a handbasket. I happen to disagree with that notion—that’s a subject for another podcast—but the point is: we have the choice, and we can give patrons the choice. There IS value to classification schemes but there is value, also, in letting people find items in our catalog in the way they want to find them. We can offer them both. (And I would argue that we should offer them both)

Or, take continuing education. There are those, both providers and consumers, who resist online learning, saying it just doesn’t work for them. True, different people have different preferred learning styles. I went through elementary and high schools, college and graduate school forced into the in-person classroom/lecture style. It’s not the style I prefer—in fact, it’s pretty awful for me, but that's the only choice we had in those days and I had to adapt to it. I would have LOVED to have online and self-paced learning as an option. How glorious that now we DO have that option. It doesn’t mean the in-person opportunities go away, it means that new opportunities open up—that’s the beauty of it: choices for you.

And we, as librarians, have choices about the choices, of course. We can choose to not offer the choices to our patrons, for whatever reason, or we can choose to start giving them more choices for how they use our services. It doesn’t have to happen right now or tomorrow or all at once. After all, if you offer choices it means there are new things to plan and learn, and you have one or two things to do already. (I know it can be done, though; I’m seeing many of you offering those choices now.) That’s what we’re here for, to help make it easier to offer those choices to your patrons. The days when we can expect them to take the services we offer in the way we want to offer them are gone—our patrons have MANY choices now for where they get information and books and videos.

It’s all about choices—our patrons’ choices for where they go for the services we provide, our choices about how we provide and deliver services. It IS all about choices, and isn’t it grand that we live in a world and time in which we have those choices to make and offer. --Karen

Links from today's podcast:

• New Early Childhood Literacy Website
• Dia de los Ninos/Dia de los Libros
• Colorin Colorado
  

Book Reviewed by Marcia:

The reading connection: bringing parents, teachers and librarians together, by Elizabeth Knowles and Martha Smith. Libraries Unlimited, Inc. c. 1997

Video as a tool; "Programming for Libraries"

News September 21, 2007 (mp3 file: 3.6 MB, 3:56 min.)
Video as a tool; "Programming for Libraries"

This week we received a toy, er, tool that I’ve been wanting to get for some time—a digital camcorder. The final impetus for the purchase was the early childhood literacy initiative, so we could do some short video clips that demonstrate reading to very young children. But we have other things in mind, and I expect that we will be thinking of more things.

So, video as a tool. To do what?

My first plan, that’s been in my mind for a few years now is to video-record a walk-through of a library, as a tool for the staff and board to use when thinking about the physical appearance of the library. When you walk past something every day you tend to not “see” it, and the video camera helps to see things through new eyes, as a new patron (or even an old, faithful patron) sees that signage, or the box of sale books right at the front door, or that easy chair that looks pretty tattered…

And I’ve also wanted to use it to record tours of new libraries, or buildings that work very well, highlighting features and ideas for those libraries that are contemplating a building project and want to see what other libraries have done—what they have liked, and what has not worked as well as they had hoped.

Video might also be used for short library virtual tours, or short tutorials on using library resources. Or video book reviews. Or even a short welcome message from the library director. Perhaps an author talk.

I think there are many options for using video in libraries—from planning to promotion to learning. Tell us some of your ideas, and if you’d like a video walk-through of your library, let me know! --Karen

Book reviewed by Marcia:
Programming for librarians: a how-to-do-it manual for librarians, by Barbara J. Brown. Neal-Schuman, c1992.

Librarians at the Table; Privacy, Policy and Intellectual Freedom,

News September 14, 2007 (mp3 file: 5.6 MB, 6:08 min.)
Librarians at the Table; Privacy, Intellectual Freedom and Policy; "Working With Library Boards"

At the top of the ‘cast today: Librarians at the Table.

More and more we are hearing about ‘A librarian at every table,” working to see that librarians are included in conversations and planning about all manner of things, from education to city planning. It’s not that we’re experts on those things, but we are at the heart of our communities—talking with and working for people in all walks of life, in all stages of life. If the library is the center of the community—and it usually is, particularly in small communities—then it makes sense for the library staff and trustees to be “in the know” and involved in the community and what happens there, and how it comes about.

I’ve been thinking about that in relation to teacher librarians in the schools and public librarians—if ever there was a table to be shared, that is it! Though school and public libraries have different missions, different governance, and different funding we also have a great deal in common. So, sitting down at a table together seems a good way to support each other, and learn from each other. My equivalent to teacher librarians here at SWILSA are the AEA media consultants, and I learn a great deal from Deanna and Karen. We do projects together (and Deanna is on the SWILSA board) but even when we don’t it’s helpful to talk with them, hear about what’s going on, and get perspective on what’s happening with libraries and teacher librarians in schools.

Since the return to the Code of the requirement for a teacher librarian in each district there is a great opportunity to build a new working relationship with colleagues in schools; many districts that have not had a teacher librarian for awhile will have one—or be getting one. And in districts that continued to employ a teacher librarian even when not required, it’s a good time to continue the connection with colleagues.

And “at the table” may be, literally, the best choice—have lunch together once a month. If it’s difficult for the teacher librarian to leave the building, join her at the school for lunch sometimes. Or maybe an afternoon snack, or a Saturday lunch. Share something you’ve learned, something you’re thinking about trying, glean ideas from each other, be sounding boards for each other. Maybe you’ll find some things to work on together. And together is better when it comes to serving the people of your community. --Karen

Link from today's podcast:

ALA Privacy Tool Kit

Books on today's podcast:

Protecting the right to read, by Ann K. Symons and Charles Harmon, Neal-Schuman, 1995.

Intellectual Freedom manual, 5th edition, Office for Intellectual Freedom of the American Library Association, 1996.

Working with library boards: a how-to-do-it manual for librarians, by Gordon Wade. Neal-Schumann, 1991.

Downloadable audiobooks; Censorship and multiculturalism; "Creating a financial plan"

News September 7, 2007 (mp3 file: 5.8 MB, 6:11 min.)
Downloadable audiobooks; Censorship and multiculturalism; "Creating a financial plan"

Southwest and Southeastern Library Service Areas are working to put together a consortium of our member libraries to provide downloadable audiobooks to their patrons. .

Users would be able to download audiobooks, for free, from the consortium’s website. The books could then be transferred to mp3 players (except iPods) and some could be burned to CDs, depending on publisher’s restrictions. So many people now are listening to books—as they drive, or work around the house, or just to relax.

Participating libraries would contribute a monthly amount to cover the providers service fee and to build the collection of audiobooks. The monthly fee is larger than any of our individual libraries could afford and the consortium will enable many more libraries to offer this service. States and consortiums around the country are offering this service, including a new consortium in Iowa, through North Central, Northeast and East Central LSAs. A link to the website for their consortium, NEIBORS, is on the blog.

SE and SW libraries received an e-mail earlier this week, asking you to complete an online survey if you’re interested. The survey also asks you to estimate the amount that you could afford to contribute to the project each month—we need to assess the interest & feasibility of the project. If you haven’t visited the survey, please do so soon. If you’ve misplaced the link to the survey, just let me know and I’ll send it again.

I hope you’ll consider the consortium—I know that audiobooks on cassette and CD are popular in your libraries and this is another way for you to provide that valued resource to your patrons.
--Karen

Link from today's podcast:

• NEIBORS Downloadable audiobooks project in NE Iowa

Books:

• Protecting the right to read, by Ann K. Symons and Charles Harmon. Neal-Schuman, 1995.
  
• Creating a financial plan: a how-to-do-it manual for librarians, by Betty J. Turock and Andrea Pedolsky. Neal-Schuman, 1992.