PVLD Director's Blog

Bringing 'Em In

I am currently reading and thoroughly enjoying Letter from Point Clear by Dennis McFarland.  This morning I read a scene in which the young pastor (whose name is Pastor!) of a growing evangelical church who, while describing the church's plans for a new Christian Center complete with a gym, basketball courts, meeting rooms, and running track, says "Half of it is getting them in the door....the other half is building community."

My immediate reaction was "could have been spoken by a library director".  And if you think basketball courts and running tracks are beyond the mission of the library, here's a reminder that this may not be so from Neal Pierce of the Washington Post Writer's Group in a recent blog post on the important role libraries play in the assimilation of immigrants -

"The idea of libraries as social gathering places is hardly new. Andrew Carnegie, the steel magnate who built 2,500 free public libraries around the world in response to the immigrant flows and broad social gaps of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, intended them to be places to attract young people. Robert McNulty, a library advocate and president of Partners for Livable Communities, reminds us that Carnegie actually built gymnasiums, boxing rings and swimming pools into some of his libraries -- hoping that once there, the youths would "be exposed to books and learn to read." "  (emphasis mine)

Puts the 21st century debate about gaming in libraries into context, doesn't it?

Hmmm...as we think about the expansion and remodel of the Miraleste Library maybe we ought to think about a gym!

Bookstores as For-Profit Libraries?

Last week George Needham of OCLC wrote a post titled "Is Borders Becoming a For Profit Library" at It's All Good.  He linked to this article on Borders' new strategy for integrating technology-based services into the bricks and mortar bookstore experience:

"... Borders' newest retail strategy: a digital center where you can download music or books, burn CDs, research family histories, print pictures and order leather-bound books crammed with family photos — with help from clerks who know how to do those sorts of things and won't embarrass you if you don't...reinventing itself as a hub for knowledge, entertainment and digital downloading."

Ah, what you can do with money!  Here at PVLD we'd love to offer services like this, and to have the resources to train staff to "do those sorts of things".

For me, however, the most telling part of the article was not the description of the gee-whiz technology, or the description of how the new Borders "concept "store will be organized, with "... new themed book islands are built around lifestyle genres, including travel, cooking and health."

No, for me the most telling part of the article was this (emphasis mine!) -

"One of the saving graces for bookstores, say analysts, consumers and industry officials, is they offer people with shared interests a site to gather and socialize. The addition of coffee shops — which you'll find in nearly every Borders and Barnes & Nobles store — has accelerated the trend. Now, Jones hopes digital downloads can take the stores to the next level.

"Bookstores are typically the place that people like to go and congregate, so if (the stores) can monetize that, it's powerful," says Schick, who calls Borders' move "an attempt at evolution."

That's something that Amazon, for all its considerable market muscle, can't quite duplicate."

A major theme of the article is the threat that the slowing economy poses to bookstores.  When people are worried about job security, the housing market, and gas prices they are less likely to buy books.  That's good news for libraries because we offer much of what the book store does (ok maybe not the digital kiosk!) and its free.  That's why library use goes up in tough economic times, while bookstore sales go down.

The bad news? 

If you didn't know they were coming from Borders, phrases like "a hub for knowledge, entertainment, and digital downloading" or "they offer people with shared interests a site to gather and socialize" could have come straight from the strategic plan of many a library.

I'm one of those who thinks that bookstores actually do pose a competitive threat to libraries and that we need to face that threat head-on, and articles like this just reinforce that view. 

Borders and its ilk are definitely playing on our turf, and if they succeed in "monetizing" services that we offer for free (or close to free) while we struggle to maintain and improve services with budgets that are under even more pressure than usual in tough economic times, we're going to have to be pretty creative to hold our ground long-term. 

But back to some good news...evidence of our creativity abounds!  With examples like the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenberg County's Learning 2.0 program; the growing use of free Web 2.0 tools like Meebo or eBlogger to deliver library services; a culture that encourages sharing and collaboration; and technology-based tools that make that collaboration easier than ever before (witness the viral spread of the aforementioned Learning 2.0 idea), I think we have the ability to meet the competitive challenge, even if it sometimes feels like David vs. Goliath.  We should disregard what the bookstores are doing at our peril, though!

What Are Libraries For?

First, a disclaimer:  This post contains links to some content that might be considered "adult".  Venture forth at your own risk!

I spent some time cleaning up my computer desktop today while I was eating lunch, and I cam across this post on "Defining What Your Are For (Just Like Porn)" that I had saved for future reference.  Hugh McGuire's blog is great because he's not a librarian (at least I don't think so!) but he often writes about stuff that is on topic for libraries and librarians.  And he is President of the Atwater Library in Montreal - a public library funded almost entirely by private donationsn now there's a challenge! -so he has does have insider library knowledge.  And I like his taste in music, too!

Anyway, I thought Hugh's comments about the risks of defining your institution in terms of what you do, rather than what you are for were very thought-provoking:

He writes that institutions

"...have defined their existence by various functions they perform within a given ecosystem. In the context here, these institutions grew up in an ecosystem where information was scarce, and information distribution limited. The ecosystem has changed (info distribution & access is abundant), and institutions are having a hard time adapting. So: music labels think they sell CDs to people; newspapers think they get writers to make news articles, and get people to read them; libraries think they give people access to books and computers; universities think they provide a place for people to learn and do research; governments think they try to improve society by implementing policies wanted by the people … etc. But I think they are all wrong.

All those kinds of definitions get you tied up in the functional stuff you do, and they don’t really get to the core of what’s important, what the real thing is that you are doing. I don’t have answers, but any business/institution that thinks like this is going to get creamed in the next ten years, unless they take a look at what they are really for."

Then, in a real stroke of genius, he makes the comparison to the porn industry, which has no illusions about what it is for and is one of the most enduring and profitable industries in the world...but you'll have to read the post to learn more!

Anyway, I re-read Hugh's post and then, still munching on my hummus and pita chips, I spent 20 minutes listening to the latest Joan Frye Williams and George Needham Thinking Out Loud podcast from Infopeople.  They were talking about the book Forces for Good: the Six Practices of High-Impact Non-Profits and what lessons there might be for libraries. 

The whole podcast was interesting, but one comment from Joan particularly struck me.  In talking about the need for libraries to be actively engaged with their communities she said "you have to have a place at the table, but you also have to bring a dish once in a while".

Another way of saying it's not enough to talk about what you do (your function), you actually have to connect with people in ways that they find useful (what you are for)!

Since lunch the thought that has been rattling around in the back of my mind is that while I think there are some core things that I think all public libraries are "for" - centered around literacy, reading, access to information, and lifelong learning - the ways in which we deliver these services so they are of use to our local communities can be very different.  And I also think there are other things that we are "for" because they meet unique needs in our community, and sometimes these feel like they are a long way from the core of functions that we feel comfortable with. 

This month's Library Journal (the print version, available online only to subscribers) recognizes the Chelsea District Library in Michigan as the "2008 Best Small Library in America".  One of the reasons?  They have gone outside the library walls to bring services and activities to the Chelsea Senior Center - including video gaming (Nintendo Wii bowling leagues), music events, and more.  Not much mention of books and reading in that outreach effort...but it clearly says to the Chelsea community that "the library is for seniors, wherever they are and whatever their interests."

In Palos Verdes there is a need for safe, comfortable places for young teens to socialize and relax (and maybe do a bit of homework) after school.  The library has always served this function to some extent, but when we opened the Annex and started offering fun activities for teens over at Miraleste the message we sent to our community is "we are for kids who need a place to go after school but don't want to sit still, be quiet, and study".   

"What are we for?"  "What dishes are we bringing to the potluck?"  Great questions that I suspect will be rattling around in my head for a while....thanks Hugh and Joan!

More reasons I love this job

While I love my job, some days and weeks seem to be more of a struggle than others andthe past couple of weeks fit that category.  Little issues to be resolved, too many meetings, not enough time in the sunshine, and the lingering effects of being sick over the holidays have been sapping my energy. 

Even during this low-period, though, things happen that remind me that this is a great job in a great community -

1.  Last week we opened an envelope that was probably dropped off at the library over the holidays but didn't get opened due to staff vacations and illnesses.  Inside was $50 in cash and a letter, written in pencil on looseleaf notebook paper, that read

"Dear Librarians,

I would like to donate my birthday money, $50, to this library.  I enjoy coming here to rent books and use the study areas.  This library is a very important and helpful place to me.  Thank you and I hope you have a great holiday.

Sincerely,

[Name withheld to protect privacy]
5th grader of Montemalaga

Now if that doesn't lift your mood I don't know what will!

2.  Yesterday a local family came to the Annex with their arms loaded with boxes which turned out to be the hot video game "Rock Band" which they were giving to the Annex.  Within 1/2 hour the kids had the drums, guitars, and microphone set up and it has been in constant use ever since. 

3.  Over the year-end period there has been a steady stream of donations to both the Friends of the Library and PVLD.

All of this is evidence that the library is making a difference in our community, and people appreciate what we do...and that's what makes the tough days and weeks worthwhile!

The Power of Conversation/The Power of the Internet

Today I had one of those serendipitous experiences that would not have been possible without the Internet. One of the blogs I read regularly is Christoper Carfi's The Social Customer Manifesto which often has interesting stuff about interacting with customers in the age of the social web. A few weeks ago I saved this post on the power of conversation to go back and re-read. That post led me to the World Cafe Community Blog and a post which included this fabulous quote from Chilean biologist Humberto Maturana – "We bring forth our worlds through the networks of conversation within which we participate".

That got me back to thinking about the role that libraries can play in fostering communication. Take a look at this video, and then imagine hosting a "world café" in our Annex, with people of all ages coming together to discuss an issue of common interest

What a powerful way for the library to fulfill its mission of connecting people, information, and ideas!

My exploration of the World Cafe website led me to the Dialogue Project website where I learned about the amazing Dialogue Project public art installation, which is intended to spark conversations between people who may not even know each other. I loved this little scroll of conversation-provoking quotes that the Dialogue Project has put on its website for all to share:

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I also loved the idea of bringing the Dialogue Project to the library. I can just see the panels in our foyer! I've emailed the Dialogue Project to see what is involved….so stay tuned.

Most of all I loved the way I was able to use the Internet to follow a chain of concepts from website to website, picking up new insights and ideas for the library along the way.  Would that have happened in the pre-digital era?  Maybe, if you had endless time to spend browsing your way through the library - certainly not in the 20 minutes I spent today.

Facebook, Online Communities, and Libraries

I no sooner finished my last post than I came across this post by "The Other Librarian" about how libraries can use Facebook to build rapport with users and potential users.  (Thanks Sarah over at the Librarian in Black http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/ for pointing me to a great blog!)

http://otherlibrarian.wordpress.com/2007/09/10/facebook-and-rapport/

I thought the discussion of Facebook culture vs library culture was a particularly good articulation of some of the things we librarians may need to let go if we are to truly thrive in the world of online social networking - our tendency to introversion, or our desire to try to mold new technologies into old models (e.g. trying to use social networking to provide "reference").  I also loved how he pointed out that whether our libraries are engaged in online communities or not, our staff are - so we have an experience base we can use.  Judging by the number of PVLD staff who are already my Facebook friends, are on LinkedIn, or who participate in online gaming communities like World of Warcraft this is definitely true!

Building Online Communities

Here at PVLD we've talked a lot about the role of the library in building community and we have a Strategic Plan goal "To Enhance PVLD's role as a center of community life" which includes exploration of the use of online social networking tools (such as MySpace and Facebook) as a means of achieving that goal. To date, however, we have taken only small and ad hoc steps in this direction. We have a teen page on MySpace that is updated periodically, a number of staff members participate in Facebook , LinkedIn, and other online communities, and I recently formed a PVLD group on Facebook. We also have a presence on Flickr and a smaller presence on YouTube, and of course several blogs including this one.

I don't think, however, that we have really developed a plan for using these technologies to support our community outreach and community building goals. As David Lee King notes in the following post, people are doing much more online than doing research or sending emails, and libraries need to be active participants.

http://www.davidleeking.com/2007/10/02/its-about-the-community/

David's post links to another excellent post on online communities and how Microsoft may be missing the boat. In it he notes that social networks are not just for kids and that people of all ages are participating.

And of course, young people are participating at astonishing rates as this bit of information passed on by Helene Blowers relates

"From the National School Board Association's report, CREATING & CONNECTING//Research and Guidelines on Online Social — and Educational — Networking

"Nine- to 17-year-olds report spending almost as much time using social networking services and Web sites as they spend watching television. Among teens, that amounts to about 9 hours a week on social networking activities, compared to about 10 hours a week watching TV...

Overall, an astonishing 96 percent of students with online access report that they have ever used any social networking technologies, such as chatting, text messaging, blogging and visiting online communities, such as Facebook, MySpace and services designed specifically for younger children, such as Webkins and the chat sections of Nick.com. Eighty-one percent say they have visited a social networking Web site within the past three months and 71 percent say they use social networking tools at least weekly."

My own personal experience backs all of this up. I joined Facebook only a week or so ago, but I have already got a network of 21 friends that includes family members, current and former colleagues, family friends, and a couple of people who I met via Facebook but are interested in libraries in general or PVLD in particular. The most recent addition to the list was my stepfather, who in his early 60s is taking his first step into the brave new world of social networking as a way of connecting with his kids and grandkids. I've also started a "wall-to-wall" conversation with the high-school-aged daughter of long-time family friends who before this I communicated with only on the rare occasions when we were together in person, and have had more communication with my nieces (a high school junior and college freshman) in Canada via Facebook since I joined than I would normally have in a year. For me it truly is becoming a community that brings together parts of my life that would otherwise not be connected.

The possibilities for the library are limitless – I can see using tools like Facebook to engage and communicate with donors, to create virtual book discussion groups, to create a community of Friends of the Library members, to engage interested community members in helping develop library services…..and I'm sure the staff here will think of many more!

Economic Value of Libraries

In recent years there have been a number of efforts to calculate/demonstrate the economic value of libraries.  Many of these focus on the return on investment in public library services - for example the economic benefit of a one time investment in library materials vs the cost if people had to individually buy the books and other materials that the library provides for free; the value of literacy and job search services; what people would have to pay for the kinds of special programs and events that libraries offer for free, etc.  SOme studies also look at the role libraries can play in economic development for example by providing enhanced services to the business community.  A good overview of the research can be found in  OCLC's study "Public Libraries: Return on Investment" - http://www.oclc.org/roi/

A less "academic" approach  is exemplified by this calculator from the Maine State Library - http://www.maine.gov/msl/services/calculator.htm  We are working to adapt this concept for the PVLD website, and I often use a similar type of analysis to talk to community groups about the value the PVLD delivers to our community.  For example - if people had to purchase the over 600,000 items that we circulate each year at an average cost of $25/item it would cost a total of $18million or three times our total annual operating budget.

Something that is less well analyzed, although I have heard plenty of anecdotal discussion, is the percieved beneficial impact of libraries on surrounding businesses.  This article from the Medford, Oregon Mail Tribune describes the impact of the closure of the Medford branch of the Jackson County Library on local businesses.  For those who don't know, Jackson County Oregon, recently closed all branches of the County library system in response to the budgetary impact to the county of the loss of a substantial amount of federal funding.  The closure was described by some as a calculated bet, as shortly thereafter there was county-wide ballot measure for a tax to restore funding for library services and many believed that the community would see the value of libraries and support the measure.   This belief proved to be wrong, the ballot measure failed, and the libraries remain closed.

This article describes how local businesses veiw the closure of the library and its impact on their businesses -  http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070729/NEWS/707290315/-1/LIFE

While the library closure is not seen as a good thing, it is also not seen as the disaster that library promoters would have predicted.  Food for thought.....

Building connections on the web

I learned today that Michael Stephens, one of my favorite bloggers ( http://tametheweb.com ) had to put his beloved canine companion, Jake, to sleep yesterday.  Michael chronicled Jake's last hours on http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/564463388/

My heart was heavy as I read Michael's Flickr entry.  We went through a nearly identical experience when we put our old Bonnie-dog - a faithful companion for 15 years - to sleep in April and I know how devastating it is.

I've never met Michael in person, but the emotional connection I felt despite knowing him only through his blog and his published articles was strong and a reminder of how Web 2.0 allows me to "get to know" people I would likely never meet face to face.  Powerful stuff!

Michael - my thoughts are with you.