Brian Mathews, the Ubiquitous Librarian, had a very interesting post today, about Library pride and Library spirit. I find Brian's take on the User experience in libraries to be spot on, even though we work in different library realms - his academic environment vs. mine in public libraries.
He was talking about what he wants to accomplish by engaging his students and what his marketing and outreach efforts are really about - generating a brand and inspiring a sense of pride in the library. (And I have to admit that his reference to college football and bowl season resonated with me, avid football fan that I am.)
In many ways, that is what I want for the Huntington Beach Public Library too. I want everyone in our community to be proud of their library - proud that they live in this amazing place, with a fabulous library.
So how do you generate library spirit? How do you generate pride? These are some very interesting questions to ponder as we look ahead into the new year.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
The Holidays, Ebooks and Google Books
The Holiday season is here, and I feel like I am suffering from a strange form of attention deficit disorder. My thoughts and energy are all over the place, as I am sure it is with most people. So I apologize for any strange tangents or jumps of subject matter in this post.
This holiday season, I expected that there would be a lot of buzz and talk about Ebooks and Ebook readers, and there is. As you know, I have a Kindle and I do take it with me out in the community - it is often my reading choice for lunch time. This is garnering more and more interest - it used to be that I'd get odd looks and the occasional "Excuse me" inquiry. Now, it is an attention magnet. People come up (sometimes more than 1 or 2) and immediately ask how I like it, what I think about it, etc. And like Kathy Gould, the Director at the Palos Verdes Library, I am asked what do I think about Ebooks and is the book going away?
I have developed a kind of standard response - I like my Kindle, especially for travel, where it is much easier carrying the one device that gives me access to a bookstore anywhere I am, that I think there are still things that can be improved with the reading experience and that sometimes I still like the feel of a real hardback. And how I don't think paper books are going away anytime soon.
Since interest is growing, I thought it would be important for all of my staff to know more about the hot new reading devices, so we've done a couple of mini "crash courses" on the iPad and the Kindle. This gives our staff the opportunity to look at the devices, learn the basics and ask questions about the gadgets - so they can answer more questions from the public.
Just to make things more interesting, Google Books opened this week. Google has scanned LOTS of titles and you can now buy this e-content for a variety of devices. Google's bookstore is different than Amazon and iTunes, and they are actually working with Independent booksellers, like Powells Books of Portland OR. So it is another interesting addition to the whole Ereader/Ebook landscape.
Still no discernible library model out there - though I did read about an idea for "ungluing" ebooks and creating a kind of open ebook collection at the Go to Hellman blog. The more I think about the idea of "unglueing" digital content, the more I like it. Sooo... how do we get this started?
This holiday season, I expected that there would be a lot of buzz and talk about Ebooks and Ebook readers, and there is. As you know, I have a Kindle and I do take it with me out in the community - it is often my reading choice for lunch time. This is garnering more and more interest - it used to be that I'd get odd looks and the occasional "Excuse me" inquiry. Now, it is an attention magnet. People come up (sometimes more than 1 or 2) and immediately ask how I like it, what I think about it, etc. And like Kathy Gould, the Director at the Palos Verdes Library, I am asked what do I think about Ebooks and is the book going away?
I have developed a kind of standard response - I like my Kindle, especially for travel, where it is much easier carrying the one device that gives me access to a bookstore anywhere I am, that I think there are still things that can be improved with the reading experience and that sometimes I still like the feel of a real hardback. And how I don't think paper books are going away anytime soon.
Since interest is growing, I thought it would be important for all of my staff to know more about the hot new reading devices, so we've done a couple of mini "crash courses" on the iPad and the Kindle. This gives our staff the opportunity to look at the devices, learn the basics and ask questions about the gadgets - so they can answer more questions from the public.
Just to make things more interesting, Google Books opened this week. Google has scanned LOTS of titles and you can now buy this e-content for a variety of devices. Google's bookstore is different than Amazon and iTunes, and they are actually working with Independent booksellers, like Powells Books of Portland OR. So it is another interesting addition to the whole Ereader/Ebook landscape.
Still no discernible library model out there - though I did read about an idea for "ungluing" ebooks and creating a kind of open ebook collection at the Go to Hellman blog. The more I think about the idea of "unglueing" digital content, the more I like it. Sooo... how do we get this started?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and as we all gear up for the holiday, I thought this was a good moment to pause and consider what I am thankful for here at the Huntington Beach Public Library.
As a librarian, I am thankful for all my colleagues that inspire, challenge, encourage and engage me. If it wasn't for the greater library community, I would not be nearly as good a library director as I (hope) I am. I find new ideas, think about things differently and find new solutions from conversations and ideas that my peers and colleagues share.
As a Library Director, there are so many things to be thankful for that I could go on for quite some time. I am thankful for my staff who continue to amaze me with their resilience, creativity and dedication. We've gone through some major changes this past year, really in just the past few months, and everyone keeps surprising me. Their willingness to look at things differently, talk about what we do and how we can do it differently but efficiently and still maintain our service standards is remarkable. Each and everyone of my staff make a difference everyday in what we can do for the community.
I am also immensely thankful for our amazing community supporters. Without the strong interest and support of our library patrons, Friends and volunteers, the library would be a much less vibrant and exciting place. Thank you all for making it possible for me to work with you to make the Huntington Beach Public Library a truly transformational place.
I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving!
As a librarian, I am thankful for all my colleagues that inspire, challenge, encourage and engage me. If it wasn't for the greater library community, I would not be nearly as good a library director as I (hope) I am. I find new ideas, think about things differently and find new solutions from conversations and ideas that my peers and colleagues share.
As a Library Director, there are so many things to be thankful for that I could go on for quite some time. I am thankful for my staff who continue to amaze me with their resilience, creativity and dedication. We've gone through some major changes this past year, really in just the past few months, and everyone keeps surprising me. Their willingness to look at things differently, talk about what we do and how we can do it differently but efficiently and still maintain our service standards is remarkable. Each and everyone of my staff make a difference everyday in what we can do for the community.
I am also immensely thankful for our amazing community supporters. Without the strong interest and support of our library patrons, Friends and volunteers, the library would be a much less vibrant and exciting place. Thank you all for making it possible for me to work with you to make the Huntington Beach Public Library a truly transformational place.
I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving!
Monday, November 8, 2010
E Readers - is it the Kindle?
Wired magazine reported that out of all the e book reading devices, it looks like the winner is... The Amazon Kindle.
As a Kindle owner, this makes me feel good about the decision to buy the device. The Kindle is the most popular device for reading e books right now. HOWEVER only 7-8% of Adults are actually reading e books.
Whenever I see another Kindle reader out in public I do feel like I'm a member of an interesting club. I've had more conversations with strangers because of my Kindle than I can count, so there is definitely buzz and interest.
Even though I really enjoy my Kindle, as a librarian, I keep coming back to what does the Kindle mean for libraries and the profession?
I think some of my online colleagues, like Kathy Gould and Genesis Hansen, have it right. We have to start really looking at things differently. Start blowing things up, as it were. :)
The big thing for me with e books, especially with the Kindle is the essential problem of the economic model. The book and the device are conjoined - BN does allow very limited borrowing on their Nook, and it looks like Amazon plans to follow suit, but again, 1 loan per title, and only some titles will be available? And why the restrictions? Because someone could lose money?
I do feel like I'm sitting on my hands, waiting for everything to shake out, but by then it may be too late - we will be on the outside looking in.
Why is it so hard for us to make our case to the industry about the value of what we do? Do we need the American Library Association or IMLS to have a publishing summit, where libraries have a seat at the table and can make some contribution to the development of the digital publishing market?
Maybe we need to find someone close to Jeff Bezos...
As a Kindle owner, this makes me feel good about the decision to buy the device. The Kindle is the most popular device for reading e books right now. HOWEVER only 7-8% of Adults are actually reading e books.
Whenever I see another Kindle reader out in public I do feel like I'm a member of an interesting club. I've had more conversations with strangers because of my Kindle than I can count, so there is definitely buzz and interest.
Even though I really enjoy my Kindle, as a librarian, I keep coming back to what does the Kindle mean for libraries and the profession?
I think some of my online colleagues, like Kathy Gould and Genesis Hansen, have it right. We have to start really looking at things differently. Start blowing things up, as it were. :)
The big thing for me with e books, especially with the Kindle is the essential problem of the economic model. The book and the device are conjoined - BN does allow very limited borrowing on their Nook, and it looks like Amazon plans to follow suit, but again, 1 loan per title, and only some titles will be available? And why the restrictions? Because someone could lose money?
I do feel like I'm sitting on my hands, waiting for everything to shake out, but by then it may be too late - we will be on the outside looking in.
Why is it so hard for us to make our case to the industry about the value of what we do? Do we need the American Library Association or IMLS to have a publishing summit, where libraries have a seat at the table and can make some contribution to the development of the digital publishing market?
Maybe we need to find someone close to Jeff Bezos...
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Simplicity, service and libraries
October marks the beginning of a new Fiscal Year here in the City of Huntington Beach, and this new budget year has brought LOTS of changes to the Library.
We have completely rearranged our public desk schedules, to adjust to new staffing levels (8 full time staff members retired on September 30. A BIG change!). When you are dealing with big changes like this (a 22% decrease in full time staff) questions come up tied to what you do, how you do it and why you do it. Maintaining the highest quality service possible is essential, but how do you do this with fewer people, in a busy library?
Simplification is important - we are trying to figure out ways to make the library simpler to use. How do we do this? Do we need to do everything we've done in the past, and do we need to do it the same way? Can we change it? What do our patrons really want anyway?
Should we try and implement self service checkout? People often think that Self Service connotes NO service. But is that really the case? I don't think so. Think about all the things that we do for ourselves - banking with ATMs, self service kiosks at the grocery store, self service ordering at Fast Food outlets, online shopping, etc. Some online businesses give better service and provide a better experience than on ground stores. Zappos is a good example of an online business that makes it easy to get what you want, when you want it and makes it easy to send things back or make changes.
Personally, I like the choice - I can choose to use the online store for some kinds of shopping and then on ground, in person for other kinds. I get to choose my experience. And isn't that really what service is all about? The experience? Sometimes you want or need more care, more time and attention. Sometimes you just want to get in and get out fast. Both are satisfying, both meet your needs, and it really just depends on your circumstances, doesn't it?
So we are grappling with some interesting and complicated issues, as we try and make things simpler and easier for our patrons. I think as long as we keep asking the questions, and working with each other, we will be headed in the right direction. It certainly will be interesting.
We have completely rearranged our public desk schedules, to adjust to new staffing levels (8 full time staff members retired on September 30. A BIG change!). When you are dealing with big changes like this (a 22% decrease in full time staff) questions come up tied to what you do, how you do it and why you do it. Maintaining the highest quality service possible is essential, but how do you do this with fewer people, in a busy library?
Simplification is important - we are trying to figure out ways to make the library simpler to use. How do we do this? Do we need to do everything we've done in the past, and do we need to do it the same way? Can we change it? What do our patrons really want anyway?
Should we try and implement self service checkout? People often think that Self Service connotes NO service. But is that really the case? I don't think so. Think about all the things that we do for ourselves - banking with ATMs, self service kiosks at the grocery store, self service ordering at Fast Food outlets, online shopping, etc. Some online businesses give better service and provide a better experience than on ground stores. Zappos is a good example of an online business that makes it easy to get what you want, when you want it and makes it easy to send things back or make changes.
Personally, I like the choice - I can choose to use the online store for some kinds of shopping and then on ground, in person for other kinds. I get to choose my experience. And isn't that really what service is all about? The experience? Sometimes you want or need more care, more time and attention. Sometimes you just want to get in and get out fast. Both are satisfying, both meet your needs, and it really just depends on your circumstances, doesn't it?
So we are grappling with some interesting and complicated issues, as we try and make things simpler and easier for our patrons. I think as long as we keep asking the questions, and working with each other, we will be headed in the right direction. It certainly will be interesting.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Institutional Knowledge and Library Snapshot Day
This upcoming week, the California Library Association is sponsoring Library Snapshot Day. California Libraries are being asked to take a "snapshot", basically show a day in the life of a library. We will be gathering statistics and taking pictures, and if you come into the Huntington Beach Public Library on Tuesday, October 5, you may be asked a couple of questions about the library. We hope to give a good picture about what goes on during a regular day here at the Huntington Beach Public Library. It should be fun, and by involving all the libraries in the State, I think we will create a fascinating picture of what modern libraries are like.
All of this is happening while the HB Library is undergoing a lot of changes - today, we are losing 8 full time staff members to retirement. I am very happy for all our retirees (and all the others in the rest of the City of HB), but I got to thinking the other day about what this represents. We will be changing a lot of things, because we have to and it is a good time to look at how we do things, focusing on what our community wants and needs. But we are also losing a lot of amazing talent, skill and energy from the organization. In all, our 8 retirees represent 165 years of institutional memory and knowledge. That is pretty amazing.
Each of our retirees has made a lasting impression on the Library and the services we provide. I honor their dedication and thank them for their years of service.
Things will definitely look different starting tomorrow - the Library Adventure continues, but we will miss our outgoing colleagues.
All of this is happening while the HB Library is undergoing a lot of changes - today, we are losing 8 full time staff members to retirement. I am very happy for all our retirees (and all the others in the rest of the City of HB), but I got to thinking the other day about what this represents. We will be changing a lot of things, because we have to and it is a good time to look at how we do things, focusing on what our community wants and needs. But we are also losing a lot of amazing talent, skill and energy from the organization. In all, our 8 retirees represent 165 years of institutional memory and knowledge. That is pretty amazing.
Each of our retirees has made a lasting impression on the Library and the services we provide. I honor their dedication and thank them for their years of service.
Things will definitely look different starting tomorrow - the Library Adventure continues, but we will miss our outgoing colleagues.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
September is National Library Card Sign-up month - why everyone needs a library card
September is National Library Card Sign-up month. An important part of the start of any school year is coming into the Library and getting your library card.Why a library card? Your library card is a passport to all kinds of adventures. You can read the latest bestseller, catch up with a favorite author, learn a new language (both in the library, by book or our online Mango Languages program), find online job resources, learn about new cultures, get help with homework, and the list just keeps on going.
Studies have shown that students do better when they use the library - libraries provide resources for homework, introduce children to new ideas and concepts and make learning fun. A library card is your gateway into this expanded world of knowledge.
Libraries provide high speed Internet access, so if you need to look for information, keep up with friends on Facebook or look for a job, we can help you. We have computer coaches available and trained professional staff that can help you find out about new careers, new places, new hobbies. We have what you need.
All of this is available with your Library Card. Come on and in and start your adventure.
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