Crossover Appeal: Books that Work for Teens and Adults

This program was sponsored by the AAP Children's Library Marketing Committees.  It featured a moderator and a panel composed of four YA authors:

-Matthew Quick (Every Exquisite Thing)
-Robin Talley (Lies We Tell Ourselves)
-Marissa Meyer (Heartless)
-Paul Rudnick (It's All Your Fault)

The moderator, Tina Jordan, noted that a recent survey showed that 55% of YA readers are actually adults - and why this is the case. Although the children's book industry is a relatively new market, it has grown quickly to become worth millions of dollars worldwide, with authors such as JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer becoming favorite authors.

It used to be shameful for adults to read books written for teenagers, never mind admitting that publicly, but nowadays it has become quite common.  Some reasons why:

-escapist appeal - distracts adults from the real world
-the books are exciting and engaging
-full of passion and drama
-discusses important themes of love, friendship and identity

This is the note on which they left us: adults are just people too, and we are entitled to read and like YA as much as anyone!

Gressco does children's

I've only ever known Gressco as the the media locking case folks. But, they also do children's furniture and panel games. Could be some fun stuff for the 2nd floor, or on some of our blank spaces (where ever those might be).
http://www.gresscoltd.com/products/by-manufacturer/the-children-s-furniture-co.html

Dragons in the Library: Tabletop Gaming and the Public Library


This was another fascinating and fun program and a great way to end the conference, presented by two Librarians from Fresno County Public Library. I'm not a gamer, especially RPG, but this was still really interesting. This coming weekend FCPL is presenting their annual 2 day gaming con, BookWrym! In 2014 186 people attended over two days. In 2015, 320 attended. They have many many tables and many DMs (Dungeon Masters). People register in advance and there is a number of different games, not just D&D, but most are still RPG. I could see us doing a program like this as a Cultural Arts Night with games in Teen, Non-Fiction, and Children's. Can't you just see a group playing Bean Farm? Or Codenames? (I feel much cooler just knowing what these are now)
April 30th is tabletop gaming day. Just saying...
The idea behind alternative programming like this is to bring non-traditional library users to programs. Studies show "those people" are coming to the library. But, they do not attend programs. So, new programs=new users. Also, these alternative programs help to build a community, beyond books.
Other programs beyond gaming are:
Santa Clara offers fitness classes
coloring books for adults (I think we're already looking into this)
trivia nights (hello, San Jose!)
Denver offers "Overdue" Beer, Books, and Bands Together at Last (would Risk Management go for that?)
How to: caching in on the Pinterest and How-to crowd.

From one great iconic nerd:
http://wilwheaton.net/2011/01/librarians-are-awesome/

Building Digitally Inclusive Libraries

This program was fascinating. Don would have loved it, I am sure. There were three speakers, the first being Kelvin Watson, Chief Innovation & Technology Director of the Queens (N.Y.) Public Library.  Queens has developed a virtual library of digital access that keeps people using their tools, even after they leave the library and extends the library beyond its traditional walls. They have 5,000 (!!!) tablets that they loan for 1 month, with an option for 3 months of renewals. When they log in they are taken to the Queens Library Interface which has buffet browsing curated to the needs of the patron. Patrons are able to view training videos, browse events, make donations, and essentially access everything they would via the library website, but now through the tablet. The https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SofOEsh3BNUinternet is accessible, though they make it difficult, and it is filtered. There is less than 10% loss of these devices and 25% of them are loaned in conjunction with a mobile hot spot.
The next two presenters spoke on the same topic, the Library Whitespace Initiative, one of them working as the national team to implement, and the other from the Manhattan (Kansas) Public Library that is using the program. From what I am able to understand, long range wireless data communications is made possible using the free public spectrum that opened ups when TVs went digital. Essentially, wifi travels in the space between the TV signals (the whitespace). There are no towers, no wires, no carriers, no permissions, no monthly fees. Rather, this is like your local network, but over a wide area outside of your library. Like your TV, the waves can travel over small hills, through trees and buildings. There is more access in rural areas where the space between signals is greater. Think of our local stations. There are lots of them in LA, the Bay Area, and other major metropolitan areas. But, a town in Kansas most likely only gets the Topeka affiliate of NBC, ABC, etc. So, they have more "room" for this access.
Check out this youtube video to learn more:

Inside the 2015 New Landmark Libraries

Inside the 2015 New Landmark Libraries (program sponsored by Library Journal)

I wanted to attend this program to hear about the most innovative, recently opened new library buildings or major renovations.  A little background: the New Landmark Libraries honors public libraries completed between 2010 and 2014.  Below are the winners, selected from more than 80 entries by a panel of judges from the field led by project coordinator Emily Puckett Rodgers, School of Information Entrepreneurship Program Manager at the Univ. of Michigan.  

The presenters are showing a powerpoint that breaks down the current trends, along with an example of a library the exemplifies it:

Trend:  Libraries as Placemakers – Jasper Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Trend:  Creative Culture Catalysts – Madison Central Library, Wisconsin

Trend:  Aspirational and Accessible – Vancouver Community Library, Washington

Trend:  Libraries Breathe and Grow – Bayview Linda Brooks-Barton Branch, San Francisco Public Library

Trend:  Transparent and Light-filled – Pico Branch, Santa Monica Library

Trend:  Connected to the Environment – St. Helena Branch Library, St. Helena Island, South Carolina

Trend:  Boundless – Lawrence Public Library, Kansas

Mega-Trend: Green, LEED certified – Mitchell Park Library, Palo Alto, CA

Mega-Trend: Sustainable – Cedar Rapids Public Library, Iowa

All in all, this was very interesting, and definitely something I am going to read more about.  For complete profiles, trends and more, refer to the September 15, 2015 issue of Library Journal and Library By Design!

The Visible Library: exposing collections through linked data

Denver Public Library, Anythink Libraries, Edmonton Public Library and Worthington Ohio Libraries are embarking on a new way to get their holdings out front on the Web. They are using a service called Zepheria which converts MARC records into something called a Bibframe, which allows the item record to show up in web searches. This program was more techy than I could comprehend but from what I understood, this is something very new and when someone questioned the cost of the conversion, the panelists were very vague so I suspect this is pricey.
Worthington Public Library's pilot project in 2015 - 102,170 records genererated 500,000 Bibframe resources and by July 2015 335,000 MARC records produced 1,600,000 Bibframe records.
Each library seemed thrilled with the conversion but the impact remains to be seen.

I did a little test and typed in Google "Harry Potter book Denver" and the library's catalog link was #6.  I did the same for Harry Potter book Rancho Cucamonga" and the top result was Barnes and Noble..

Lights, Camera, Advocacy: Digital Storytelling for Your Library

This program was presented by staff from TechSoup (a nonprofit that offers technology solutions) and Kixal (a training and instructional design firm).  I was curious to see what they had to say since I worked on the California of the Past digital storytelling grant team.   Basically, they discussed how to use digital storytelling to increase public support for your library.


They offered the following digital storytelling tips:
1.  Do storymining - ask questions that illustrate impact
2.  Show a transformation
3.  Have a hero
4.  Know your story's paradigm - make it a story of self, us or now
5.  Pull Apart stories
6.  Put it on paper
7   Surprise yourself




Ways to get organized before making your video:
1. Collect, organize, script
2. Use a storyboard
3. Make a production schedule
4. Log your shots
5.  Use an equipment checklist (camera, mic, tripod, lights)




In closing, they mentioned that TechSoup holds an annual challenge which helps nonprofits learn how to increase their storytelling skills for fundraising and advocacy purposes.  This year's challenge is called Storymakers 2016 - they also have a contest in which they give away $7,000 in cash prizes and a new camera.  For more information, check the TechSoup website at http://meet.techsoup.org/

From Reading to Learning

John Horrigan, Ph. D.,  Pew Research Center - speaker.


I attended this program to learn about adult education and how libraries support it through technology and digital literacy.  The premise is that the path to learning is not smooth for all.  Technology impacts learning and there are gaps created by socioeconomic status and level of adults' digital skills.


Findings of Pew Research Center
1.  The internet plays a role in learning but place matters
2.  Those with less education are less likely to pursue personal learning
3.  Digital skills matter a great deal in opening up the possibility of using technology in learning
4.  There are gaps in awareness of library services - presents opportunity for libraries to reach out to non-library users and change their perception - close to 1/2 of the people surveyed through the Pew study didn't know what services were offered at the library
5.  Library use by adults has declined - in part because the job situation has improved so adults go less to the library to look for jobs
6.  Lifelong learning is not evenly distributed - lower income adults are not as engaged in lifelong learning but they do trust the library - 73% of all Americans consider themselves lifelong learners
7.  There are also gaps in digital readiness - if you have a college degree, you're more digitally ready  - this was assessed in study by asking adults if they were aware of contemporary "ed tech" terms (i.e. distance learning, digital badges, common core standards)
8.  Senior like technology once they get past the hurdles and their fear of it


The results of this 5 year Pew Research Center study were interesting and thought-provoking.  Another well organized presentation.

Big Ideas: Sherry Turkle

Sherry Turkle talked a bit annoyingly and was repetitious but I liked her message.  She's an incredibly smart (and famous as she mentioned) MIT professor and clinical pyschologist who studies conversation.  Lots of insight regarding conversation and technology:

*People use texting more and more as a flight from conversations esp those that are open-ended and have tangents.

*People find ways around face-to-face convo, which is the most human, messy and uncertain, and the most important kind.

*we must do what we can to keep libraries as places of learning and connection, not just transactions.

*7 minute rule- it takes seven minutes to see where a convo will go.  Most of us don't have convos that long any more.

*we have gotten used to edited life - without the boring bits and imperfections.  Her MIT student don't come to office hours.  They want a perfect email written to her and a perfect email back.

*Decline in empathy among college students - due to lack of connection to ppl thru technology

*Turkle says technology can make us forget what we know about life.

*solitutde is important to prepare yourself for time with others.  We need the capacity to be alone and quiet but all that is shrinking in tech world.

*Conclusions- we need to reclaim conversation, capacity for solitude, empathy, sociability, unitasking. 

Overall a fascinating talk by a "famous" expert and author of "Alone Together:  Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other".

Extraordinary at any size

This program was a recap of the Libraries Transforming Communities initiative, a two-year project where chosen libraries implemented a very specific action plan (called the Harwood Method) to transform their community.  

Here are the core COMPONENTS  of the method:

*based on Pebble theory of change- one small change has a ripple effect

*Libraries should be moving outward not inward; not trying to bring community to the library but rather taking the library to the community

*Librarians are no longer just stewards of books, but stewards of knowledge within the community.

*Libraries must tailor their changes to the communities capacity

*The change process is iterative.

Here are the core ACTIVITIES of the method:

*Go outside; talk to "unusual suspects"

*Ask different questions to groups - what is your wish for the community, what do you think is the strength of the community, what are the gaps, etc. (think Appreciative Inquiry)

*Aggregate and digest the data. Share the data.

*develop action plan- who, where, what, when, how

*Take action within the community.  Don't be afraid to fail.

*Repeat!

Three libraries then discussed their experiences with the the Harwood method- San Jose PL, LAPL, Spokane County PL.  lots of successes and failure among the three.

If you're curious how "outward" you may be focused, try this "Turned Outward Quiz":

http://www.ala.org/transforminglibraries/sites/ala.org.transforminglibraries/files/content/LTC_TurnOutward_0.pdf

Hospitality: the essential ingredient

This was one of my favorite programs: a conversation between a library director and a restaurant owner/chef.  The director asked the questions and the chef provided the following answers:

*What is hospitality?  The emotion, intent, desire to help someone.

*How does it differ from customer service?  Customer service is the "black and white platform" that we build hospitality upon.  Hospitality is much more connected to emotion.  It's knowing someone is on your side.  (Wow!! Are we at the library on our patrons' sides?)

*How do you recognize hospitality?  It's an ease, greeting, warm, friendly, makes us want to stay, you feel connected and well taken care of.  It's a good feeling that stays with you when you leave the place.

*How do you find the right people to provide hospitality?  Look for happy people. Ask them what they enjoy, what makes them happy?  How they answer is all important: empathetic, lack of ego, strive for excellence, want to make people's days better.

*How do you provide feedback?  Coach staff in the moment.  Provide constant gentle feedback. It takes courage and humanity to have these conversations.  Know what outcome you're looking for.  Work on problems, don't just talk about them.

*What can libraries do to build hospitality?  Have passion about your products.  Make staff your magical component.  Put heart into the library.  Stay connected to the "why"!!

Trauma Informed Care or Services

Trauma Informed Care or Services
Elissa Hardy, Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Denver Public Library
Ann Schwab, Children's Services Librarian, Denver Public Library


Staff at the Denver Public Library wrote a grant to create a team to research and develop resources to better help the homeless in the community. Through this grant the team wrote a proposal to bring on a LCSW that could help develop and provide services. Through the grant the library was able to offer "Monday Meditation", journaling, and more.

Something unexpected was the benefit to the staff.

Many of the customers that are struggling with homelessness, poverty, abuse, and addiction that are coming in to the library have suffered some form of trauma.

Trauma affects the brain. We know in children that it affects the development, growth, and function permanently. In adults, trauma affects their ability to think rationally and make logical decisions. The fight or flight response is triggered and has taken over. This can create difficult and challenging situations for staff when serving a patron who has been affected by trauma.

We now know that an individual does not have to experience the trauma first hand to suffer, examples include large scale disasters like 9/11 or the terrorist attack in San Bernardino. Staff may not realize that they are affected.

Symptoms may include -

• depression
• isolation, no longer wanting to see friends 
• exhaustion or burnout, and more. 

The first line of defense if empathy. Instead of looking at these challenging patrons and saying -

"What is wrong with the patron!"

Flip it - 

"What has *happened* to that patron." Knowing that they have suffered some form of trauma.

By thinking of that patron in a different way, it allows you to remember not to take it personally, and in turn offers better services.

She gave the analogy of an empty cup being filled with water. Each difficult situation (wake up late, car accident, bad news) all filled the cup with water. We are never sure how full our patrons cups are with water. We need to also watch our own cups of water.

The same things we are looking for in service - clean, welcoming environment, good service is what our patrons want.

What is also important is to practice self care - everything we know we should be doing, but actually *NEED* to do.

- Exercise
- Take your breaks, take your lunch
- Get outside
- Breathing or meditation
- Venting
- Safe, supportive environment
- Looking out for each other (supervisors and staff can help each other - be the spigot to help drain each other's water)

Finding your own routines, an example she included was a friend had a small sign in her car one side saying to start the day was three things she was grateful for and on the opposite side a sign saying home bound.

Self care is promoted from the top down, an example - an email sent from Library Director saying if your free at 12 noon we're taking a walk, join me at the fountain.

Accessibility from every angle

Accessibility from every angel

Renee Grassi, Glen Ellyn, IL Public Library

Holly Jin, Skokie, IL Public Library

This was a great program Casey and I attended about "disability awareness, services, and programs combined with the basic principles of universal design."

The first half of the presentation was very similar to what our grant funded training in Deecmeber with the occupational therapist covered. 

• Use person first language (girl with autism vs. autistic girl)
• Have empathy and patience
• Speak to the child or person, not the group
• Offer choices
• Visual supports (social story and picture cards)

The presenters had some great ideas about some additions to more accessible services. 

• STEM learning kits (great for all children)
• Sensory kits (similar to our backpacks now)
• Toy collection
• Creating a hi interest / low reading level collection in teen / adult areas

Great examples of universal include

• curb cuts (wheels, chairs, strollers, elderly or ill difficulty with steps, young children)
• closed caption titles (those who are hearing impaired, new a language, sensory sensitivites)

A sample sensory storytime might include telling a song or story with choices / multiple formats.

Old MacDonald

•  as a book with pictures (many children that have a special need are very visual)
• file folder with felt / pictures of animals in the song (child can grab each animal in song)
• ipad where a child who can't speak can touch the animal and make the sounds, participating with the group

There are both inclusive (everyone) and targeted (programs just for children with special needs) programs.

Currently all of our programs are in inclusive and we are piloting targeted programs with our sensory storytimes.

The program ended with a list of sample targeted programs.

Verna Meyers - Diversity Slides

Big Ideas: Verna Meyers

Author of Moving Diversity Forward: How to move from well meaning to well doing

Author of What if I say the wrong thing? 25 habits for culturally effective people 

The message I took away was recognize the impact and importance of culture and diversity and be a part of the change. Have empathy and seek opportunities to be the change - "look for the opportunity to be uncomfortable." 

Verna mentioned if you're willing to put yourself to the test, you can test your biases at www.implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo

Collection Analysis - Data Driven Collections

Data Driven Collection Analysis: Right-Sizing Library Collections

Thomas Finley presenting statistics collected by Elizabeth Chase - Frisco, TX

Debra Lambert - Indianapolis Public Library

Fellow data lovers unite and bask in the glory of reports, graphs, charts, and more!

This session was presented by two different library systems facing the same problem - too many items, not enough space, and needing to get handle on what patrons actually want and giving it too them (adjusting budget / space). 

Right-sizing is a term used to mean - right budget for right collections based on patron interest based on data and in turn creating the right spaces in the right places.

In order to make a collection right for you community you need data! Now to be fair, these libraries have a special collections department whose sole job is to focus on the collection. I think we do a pretty great job without one!I *LOVE* that we have the opportunity to have a direct hand in our collections and use the feedback we we see and hear from patrons first hand versus a collection department.

So the key to a healthy, functioning, good collection is data analysis!

We currently look at this type of data through horizon - how many times an item has checked out in a year, total, it's date to determine an items turn over and relevance in our collection. Selectors do this with each of the collections they order and often with the help of the *AMAZING* and *WONDERFUL* Jacquie, Kristin, and Don!

One of our biggest troubles (or enemies) is time. It takes time to do a good analysis. Both of these libraries, aside from having specific staff, have a special subscription database called collection HQ that gathers all of this data and then does the leg work and analysis FOR YOU!!!! Of course something that great is not free (darn!)!

The bottom line is that their collection analysis was able to tell them ...

- what was not checking out

- how much to adjust their budgets (decrease here / increase there)

- based on space (measuring of their shelves) how much to reduce / weed their collection so it would fit

And the results were *AMAZING*!!!

Circulation increased as well as number of new cardholders (37% increase)! And an increase in circulation by 18%!

Stats need:

- Books / circulation

• number of books in each collection
• circulation of collection
• circulation / age of individudal item
• % of collection that checks out at a given time

- Shelf space

• each shelf accurately measured
• amount of books that can fit on the shelf

They recommended starting this project at the beginning of the year (or same point) so that you could compare apples to apples.

The Frisco Library in Texas, about 20-30 miles from Dallas, has some similarities to RC - 

• Town population of about 150,000
• about 1.1 million in circ
•  60 staff
• 55,000 sq. ft
• 3 floors located in a wing of city hall
• 70% of circulation is youth materials
• Opened in 2006
• By 2009 "full" running out of space

As a newer library it was difficult to let go of items that were still in good condition and getting some use. The collection analysis helped them.

Weeding needs to be constant, at least three times a week.

After doing the statistical work, weeding, shifting, they moved into the next step, which was evaluation and examining policies and procedures.

This gave them the opportunity to try out some additional ideas to help with circulation / space -

- Extending check out periods

- Have an automatic renewal

- Instead of purchasing multiple copies of dvds, lease until the rush is through

As well as exploring new marketing techniques and shifting of placement of items. One of the great examples shared was of items, only recently expiring from new status moving up to the top floor, where circulation would drastically decrease. They tried offering a special display collection on the first floor of some of these newer and more attractive items and circulation drastically increased! Instead items that were not big movers and niche audiences shifted to the top floor.

Really good program and important reminder about the importance of collection analysis and management.

Exhibits

Meandering down the countless aisles of publishers, shelving companies, furniture (always drop by Burgeon to see what cute children's furniture they have - had a mini- book drop this time) came across the maker space area and took a few pics for possible programming ideas.