Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Digital Learning Day is February 6

National Digital Learning Day is February 6 -

This is a day to recognize educators and librarians for all the work that they do to integrate technology into our education system, preparing children and families for the realities of our increasingly digital world.

Here in Huntington Beach we are taking the week after Digital Learning Day to Celebrate Digital Literacy - in our increasingly electronic and digital society, we all need to be familiar with and adept at using new technologies.  The Library offers many resources that can help everyone hone their digital skills. We are planning a week's worth of activities, all tied into the digital content and resources that we now offer.  We will be highlighting our EBooks, our EAudiobooks, our Digital Learning tools and our Digital resources.  It will be a week devoted to Geek Training, and for Valentine's Day the Overdrive Digital Bookmobile will be in town, in front of the Central Library. 

Want to learn more about using the Library from your home computer and how to find things through the Library web site?  Come visit us on Monday, Feb. 11.

Want to find out how to learn something new online, either in the Library or from your home computer?  Come visit us on Tuesday, Feb. 12, where we will be giving demonstrations of Mango Languages (online language learning for all ages), Brainfuse's Help Now (online tutoring service, with skills and writing workshop components) and other Digital learning tools.

Want to learn more about the Library's computer resources?   Or find out about the new Chromebook computers available for check out?  Come visit us on Wednesday February 13.  We'll also be having a Laser show for kids that day.

Want to know more about EBooks, EReaders and other EContent?  Come visit us on Thursday & Friday, February 14 & 15, and visit the Digital Bookmobile where you can test gadgets and find out about the Library's growing EBook and EAudiobook collections.

Learning sessions will be offered throughout the day - a schedule will be posted for the week.  Check our web site www.hbpl.org for more information. 

It will be a fun week of gadgets, geeks and digital learning!  Hope to see you there.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Books and Ebooks - Library Service in a Digital Age

The Pew Institute recently published their most recent study on Library services in a digital age.  The results are very interesting - people want more digital services (this was no surprise to me), but they also still value print books and the more traditional library services. 

Based on the results of this recent survey, here in Huntington Beach we are giving people what they want - we still have a large print collection AND we are growing our EBook collection (even with the challenges in the EBook market).  We provide each of the services identified as being of value in the study - and we are doing an especially good job on providing programs and services for Early Childhood Literacy. 

I admit that most of the results of the study were no surprise - libraries reflect their communities, and our community is diverse.  So our range of services is diverse, and it looks like it needs to continue that way for at least the near future.  And things keep changing - new technologies emerge, and then are rapidly replaced or superceded by the next new thing.  Video gave way to DVDs which are now giving way to Streaming video.  Streaming Video and Audio are now available for libraries - not to mention mobile services and Apps that help people use their libraries more effectively.  We just keep adding on, and the challenge is how to balance the new with the old, just as it always has been.  (Am I just getting old?  This doesn't sound like anything new.  Maybe it is just the pace that is changing...) 

The one finding that I do think is interesting - most people (80% of those surveyed)felt that Reference Librarians were a VERY important service for libraries.  Naturally, I do too, but our reference service has changed dramatically in just a few years - most of our professional librarians are working behind the scenes now, managing schedules, developing and delivering training, handling contracts and doing quality control and then, OCCASIONALLY getting to do some real reference work for a member of the public.  But the nature of the questions that come to us has really changed - people really seem to want directional assistance or reader's advisory.  Real, meaty, in depth reference questions are just not being asked all that often. 

So what is it about librarians that people value?  Is it the personal touch?  Many customers seem to prefer taking care of themselves.  But I do see others that really value the personal contact and service that all our librarians and library staff provide.  What do you think? 

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

A Bookless Library?

There has been a lot of buzz in libraryland about the proposed "bookless" Library system starting up in Bexar County, Texas.  A county judge is championing a new county service, BiblioTech. 

The new system is described as a "supplement" to the library services provided by the City of San Antonio and other towns in the county.  "Think like an Apple Store" is the description used for these new county libraries.  Ereaders and Ebooks will be the primary content available at these outlets - customers can check out the readers or download content to their own readers. 

It isn't clear what kind of staffing will be present, but the articles also describe the Biblio Tech outlets as a "low cost" supplement.  Low cost?  Have they looked into the cost of readers, digital content, furniture? 

I am trying not to be judgemental or negative, but I don't know that this really will supplement library service - just smacks of elitism to me.  The judge seems to assume that EVERYONE has an Ereader and/or knows how to use it.  Yes, Ereaders have boomed, and lots of people have them - but it is tied to economic issues and exposure.  I'm all for getting the digital content out to the people, and giving people access to the devices they need.  But if you have a device that you have no clue how to use, you HAVE to have some "geniuses" behind the bar, don't you think?   Just saying...

Does the Biblio Tech really qualify as a Library?  What do you think? 

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Books, Butchering, Bowling and more....

Yesterday, January 8, the Wall Street Journal had a great article about libraries - Check these out at the Library: Blacksmithing, Bowling, Butchering. 

Libraries across the country are experiencing a boom in programming and are offering all kinds of "new" services - tool libraries, seed libraries, cooking programs, etc.  You name it, if there is interest libraries are bringing it to their communities.

Here in Orange County, the Newport Beach Library has a regular cooking series, where local chefs come in and do demonstrations.  We've done some of that here at HBPL too, thanks to our amazing Friends of the Library.  And don't forget the Taste of Huntington Beach event that is the primary fundraiser for our Friends of the Children's Library. 

We have seen an increase in our program attendance over the past year, and the demand for our meeting rooms keeps growing.  More groups want/need space to offer programs - we have everything from College planning to Zumba classes going on. 

What would you like to see at your library?  What kind of programs would bring you into the library?