Inside The Alberta Library
As we start a new year, one of the key things that we’re focusing on is the creation of a new strategic plan for The Alberta Library to ensure that we continue to be responsive to emerging issues.
We have a lot of material to draw from – much of it from the discussions at the NEXT Symposium in Edmonton last October. In fact, there were almost 250 pages of comments about the future of libraries captured at the symposium, and a number of them relate to the role of The Alberta Library.
At the end of November, we also posted a library community survey and, despite the fact that we were going into the busy holiday season, over 170 people responded. That’s an impressive number, especially since it represents members from all sectors of the library community.
As our planning team (which includes Nancy MacKenzie, Pilar Martinez, Dan Mirau, Kenton Good, Renee Reaume and Michelle Toombs) reviewed the feedback, we were struck by a couple of encouraging things.
First, over 95 per cent of the survey respondents said that TAL has an important role to play in the future.
Second, there is a desire for bold, responsive leadership. There seems to be a growing realization that the risks of not taking action on key issues, such as the creation of a One Card system, outweigh the risks of the status quo.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to give us your insights and ideas. We hear you. And we look forward to putting a new strategic plan in place and using it to drive innovation.
Stay tuned.
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Bighorn Library video focuses on members
Rose Reid of Bighorn Library knows the key to keeping her library relevant to her community – “be aware of and sensitive to the community’s needs.” So creating a video that illustrates how the library meets members’ needs was a natural thing to do.
The idea of producing a video may seem overwhelming, but by involving their members and using a handy web-based tool Bighorn Library created an engaging video that reflects their belief that the library is the heart of the community.
Rose and her assistant Bonnie Ryan started by getting feedback on how the library meets the community’s needs. Over the span of a few weeks, Bighorn Library members were asked to answer the question “What are the five things you get from the library?” Rose and Bonnie were delighted by the response. “Members wrote paragraphs in answer to the question and the responses we got were different than we expected - books only came up a couple of times,” says Rose.
The next step in the process was to synthesize those responses into short phrases that could fit onto 14 X 10 inch paper. Photos were then taken of members holding up their signs. “Members were excited and they wanted to participate,” reports Rose. She adds that the kids really liked getting their photo taken.
The technical aspects of producing a video can be daunting, but Bighorn Library found a simple solution. They used a web-based tool called Animoto. Rose says, “It was the easiest thing ever. It was quick and cost almost nothing.” Once they uploaded and selected the photos to use in the video, all they needed to do was choose background, styles and music from the Animoto catalogue and add the text for their message. Then just by clicking a mouse, their video was made. For such a simple process, the results are high quality and professional. See the results for yourself.
Bighorn Library plans to use the video as part of their marketing efforts and Rose will use the video in some conference presentations she’s participating in later this year. She encourages people to enjoy the video and share it with others so it’s posted on YouTube, Library Futures and the Bighorn Library’s Facebook page.
Rose reports that the making of the video “generated a lot of good feelings from members.” She says that in a small town, the library is a social outlet and the Bighorn Library encourages members to feel like the library is an extension of their living room. Projects like the video “help members feel ownership of the library,” says Rose “and that will help our library remain relevant into the future.”
TAL Profile: Terry Donovan, Public Services Librarian, Portage College
What drew you to your profession?
I have been frequenting libraries as long as I can remember when the Edmonton Public Library Bookmobile used to stop by Rutherford School. When the Idylwylde branch opened, it became part of hanging out at the Bonnie Doon Shopping Centre. The U of A Library provided everything I looked for as an undergraduate, which I found amazing. When I was looking for a career change in the late 90s, a friend pointed me in the direction of librarianship.
Why do you think libraries are important?
I recently read this quote in an article about library closures in England: "It's the only local place you can come without spending money. It's local and friendly. And it's classless." This demonstrates that libraries can be a great leveler. No matter what our circumstances, libraries provide opportunities to expand our knowledge and alter our lives.
Who had the most influence over your career?
The late Ken Willmott, formerly with the Paul Martin Law Library at the University of Windsor was definitely the person. When he was at Queen’s University and I was looking for a new career direction, he provided lots of information and encouragement about becoming a librarian.
What major changes have you noticed in your time in the library community?
The proliferation of online materials, whether e-books, databases or even the Internet has changed the way librarians operate.
What has been the most rewarding part of working with the library community? What have you enjoyed the most?
When I am able to show a student how to locate something they find really helpful, or better yet, teach them how to find those things, I am rewarded. I most enjoy the camaraderie I find at professional events such as conferences or meetings.
What is the best/most memorable item you ever borrowed from the library?
This is a tough one, but I’m going to say Ki in Daily Life by Koichi Tohei, which I found in the Edmonton Public Library. This was just the start of a extensive exploration of EPL’s alternative health section that I poured over when I first took active responsibility for my own health.
Tell us something about yourself that might surprise others in the library community.
In the 1980s, I was a bush pilot in Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. I flew lots of people around, including trappers with their sled dogs, civil servants, tribal leaders and international tourists wanting to see Nahanni National Park from the air. I also flew lots of groceries, building supplies, drums of gasoline and other assorted freight. Early one morning, a woman had a baby on board, enroute to Ft. Simpson. (There was a nurse on board).
What is your involvement with The Alberta Library?
I represent Portage College on the TAL Board and volunteered to serve on the Postsecondary Library Directors Standing Committee of TAL when it formed in late 2010.
Share your knowledge at Netspeed 2011
The Alberta Library (TAL) invites proposals for conference and pre-conference sessions at Netspeed 2011, to be held October 19-21, 2011, in Calgary, AB.
Technology, and how libraries can use technology, is the focus of Netspeed. Sessions that address technology-related issues affecting libraries, highlight possibilities created by new tech tools or share first-hand experiences implementing technology are welcome.
Past sessions have covered a range of topics including game-based learning, open source software, distance service delivery and creative uses of social networking. Netspeed organizer Stacey Bissell emphasizes that she would like to see topics that shake the program up a bit this year. Sessions that feature cutting-edge technology or unconventional applications of technology are encouraged.
Stacey adds that she wants people to feel comfortable presenting on projects that are works in progress. “It doesn’t matter if your project is not finished and polished. Your experiences will benefit others.”
Sessions are 1 hour and 15 minutes and presenters have the freedom to choose the format they prefer (Q and A, presentations, hands-on etc.). Presenters can also target various skill/knowledge levels from greenhorns to geeks.
The benefit of being a Netspeed presenter, aside from the obvious resume-building opportunity, is the chance to showcase your work and your library. “Netspeed is a wonderful opportunity to highlight an inventive project you’ve tried or get feedback on a project that’s in progress,” says Stacey.
Conference organizers are also looking for suggestions on speakers and topics. “Is there a topic you’re interested in but don’t feel qualified to speak about? Let us know and we’ll try to find someone to address it,” says Stacey. “We are also open to presenters from outside the library community,” she adds.
The deadline for proposals and suggestions is February 11, 2011, so start thinking about ideas now. Contact conference organizers at netspeed@thealbertalibrary.ab.ca.
Library Q & A: Stettler Public Library
Deborah Cryderman, Library Manager at Stettler Public Library, shares what's new.
Stettler Public Library Staff (from left):
Lindsey (page), Gina (circ assistant), Ashley (page), Deborah (manager), Anna (page), Jill (page), Shaunzy wearing hat (teen programmer), Heidi (circ assistant), Morgan (teen programmer), Crystal (assistant librarian)
Missing: Jordan (page) and Alicia (outreach)
What is your library's biggest current challenge?
Our biggest challenge at the moment is physical space. We have grown at an unprecedented rate and have seen a 377% increase in visitors through the door over our visits of six years ago. We have simply run out of room for people! Over the past several summers, we have rearranged the library hoping to find the best space plan that will allow us to maintain our collection, keep the collection accessible and allow space for programming, seating and computers. Fortunately, the community has been very understanding in realizing that there are times when it is just not going to be quiet in the library.
We have been very well supported by our municipalities (both the Town and County of Stettler). The library is housed in the local recreation centre which, after 20 years of operation, is starting to show signs of age and use. Currently a needs assessment for the entire building is underway. Although I do not know what the community’s comments are, I do know that we are approximately 1/3 the size recommended by the Public Library Services Branch’s standards and we would welcome an increase in space!
What area is changing fastest in your library?
As more and more people “discover” us, more and more programs are being delivered to meet the needs of our community. In addition to typical programs like story time and book clubs, we offer some really fun programs as well. Game Over (all night gaming party for teens), Craftapalooza, a Mad Hatter Tea Party and scrapbooking retreats are examples. The combined attendance for all our programs will be over 6,700 people in 2010, or a little less than 10% of our total annual visits.
More visitors certainly mean more circulation. Not only has circulation increased over the years, but it has changed and we are currently working hard to meet the needs of the community in terms of the format they want. Non-print materials, including DVD’s and audiobooks and, more recently, e-materials are becoming a bigger focus of our collection.
What idea are you most proud of over the past five years?
I’m proud of a number of things. Making the library a welcoming place for people to visit has been very important to us. The library belongs to the community, so it is important to us that they feel pride of ownership and that they are entering a room in their home when they come here.
As simple as it sounds, having our holds available for the public to pick up themselves has been one of our more forward-thinking ideas. As recently as a few years ago, we kept patron holds behind the circulation desk and retrieved them for patrons. That was a suitable arrangement at the time, but the number of holds increased to such an extent that there was not enough room for them behind the desk anymore.
Another reasonably innovative move has been purchasing laptops for public use. The laptops take up less room than a conventional desktop computer allowing us to make more computers available in a smaller space. Thanks to their portability, we can move them where we need them. With WiFi, we do not have to keep them near networking to have them be internet-capable.
We have really made our library teen-friendly over the past several years. Two talented teen programmers have built a loyal group of teens who come for twice-weekly programs and this past summer 389 teens attended a Summer Reading Program. The programmers have also hosted a number of all night gaming parties for teens. We can count on the group of teens to visit us anytime school lets out early or is closed for any reason.
And finally, our outreach program is probably the most innovative program we have introduced in the past five years. Since our library serves communities as far as 100 km away, there are a large number of un-served but potential library users in our rural areas who face challenges getting to us. Rural regions depend on a very limited tax base which certainly prohibits the provision of quality library service to that large a geographical region. The Stettler Public Library is very lucky to have a Board with innovative voices who have allowed us to hire an outreach librarian who takes library programs on the road one day/month to each of our outlying communities.
Where do you see the most opportunity for innovation over the next decade?
There are always opportunities for innovation and not being innovative is a sure recipe for a drop in use and community support. We will certainly continue to make it a priority to provide outreach services to our rural areas, hopefully expanding the types of programs we take “on the road”. Stronger partnerships and collaboration with other service groups would be a fantastic means of getting services of all groups out to our rural communities.
Technology will undoubtedly continue to be an opportunity for us. Eliminating barriers to technology and providing a level socio-economic playing field so that everyone can access technology is a goal. With so many of our rural patrons still using dial-up technology to access the internet, the library has certainly been a place for them to access digital information much faster than they can get at home. As well, others who do not have technology at home, whatever the reason, should still have access to information available electronically and the library is the ideal location to provide that. The support and expertise of our Regional Library (Parkland) is essential in allowing us to learn, grow and support our patrons.
Balancing technology and outreach service with provision of materials and programs is delicate. Despite changes in technology and opportunities to provide more and more information electronically, people still want to curl up with a good book in paper format. Keeping our collection current and meeting the reading requirements of our community is almost an innovation with a nod to the past.
We feel materials delivery has a lot of room for innovation. We are currently piloting a service that combines a reader’s advisory with materials delivery. People call, email or even stop us in the grocery store, post office, etc. with their materials requests. We select materials for the patron, package the materials in a handy bag and have the bag available for pick-up by noon the next day. If the library’s hours do not work for the patron, we can also make the materials available to them at the recreation centre’s office which is downstairs from the library. Thinking beyond tradition, even by providing services as simple as that, keeps us fresh and innovative in our community’s mind.
How does your library stay in touch with clients / library users?
The Stettler Public Library certainly uses the usual means of communicating with our users. Newspaper, posters, our website and our presence at the local trade fair are all regular methods of letting users know what’s happening in and around their library. We have a Twitter feed and a very successful Facebook page (Stettler Bibliotheque) on which we post all our upcoming events.
Stettler Public Library has a great group of frontline staff. These staff members regularly update community members regarding events and services in the library during regular circulation, reference and programming transactions.
How do you stay in touch with political leaders in your community?
We are fortunate to have representatives from both our Town Council and our County Council on our board so we get to meet with them every month.