November 2011
In this issue...
Inside The Alberta Library
As a member of the library community, what kind of skills will you need in the 21st century?
Because Alberta’s libraries are evolving so rapidly to meet the needs of an increasingly information-driven society, it’s not an easy question to answer.
When library community members came together at the NEXT Symposium to talk about the major shifts that are likely to affect libraries in the coming years, they said libraries need people who are confident with technology, confident with people and have an understanding of the diversity of their communities.
So, let’s see, libraries need people with relationship building skills, business skills, technology skills, teaching and coaching skills, and the cultural competence to interact effectively with people of different cultures.
We also need people who are self-motivated and self-reflective, creative problem-solvers, flexible and adaptable to change, outward-looking and future-oriented, tolerant of ambiguity and able to manage conflict, willing to take risks, good communicators with strong listening skills, advocates and, naturally, independent life-long learners.
Sounds like your average, every-day superhero.
All of this has been on our minds as we think about our role in providing the best and most appropriate professional development opportunities for our members. As part of our strategic planning process, we’re reviewing our annual Netspeed conference and considering options for the future.
The first Netspeed was held in 1997 as a joint project with Alberta Community Development to help members of the library community keep up with the latest and greatest innovations in technology. Since then, technology has become integral to virtually every aspect of the services our libraries provide.
Should we continue our focus on the role of technology or explore new opportunities? We would appreciate your thoughts. You can help us by completing the survey we will be sending out later in November, or simply send me a note.
We think we have a role to play in the professional development plans of tomorrow’s library superheroes. With your help, we can work out what it is.
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Mango Mania Contest
Got a sweet spot for marketing and promotions? Check out The Alberta Library’s Mango Mania Contest.
Mango online language learning tools are a great way for all kinds of people to build their practical conversation skills in the world’s most popular languages.
Mango Mania is your chance to win a Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet, a Logitech Headset with microphone, a set of 20 Lonely Planet travel guide books and a big basket of Mango swag.
Here’s how the Mango Mania Contest works.
Develop and implement a promotional plan that:
- describes and demonstrates the benefits of Mango
- uses creativity to engage audiences
- engages staff in learning about this cool new language tool
Document your activities and submit your entry by Friday, March 16, 2012. Click here for more information.
Contest winners and submissions will be profiled at the Alberta Library Conference in Jasper in April 2012.
Because Mango is so fresh, fun and user-friendly, the ways that you can tell people in your community about it are limited only by your imagination. Host a Mid-Winter Mango Party. Create a Mango flash mob. Use QR codes in a fun way to direct people to your Mango web page.
The more our library community promotes Mango, the more Albertans will use it and tell their friends and family. Boosting our number of users will increase the likelihood that the provincial license for Mango will be renewed in 2013, so everyone benefits.
Create some Mango magic in your community!
People You Should Know: Jill Griffith, Red Deer Public Library
Each issue TAL Tales introduces you to another member of Alberta’s vibrant library community. This month, say hello to Jill Griffith, Manager of the Dawe Branch at Red Deer Public Library.
Jill Griffith
How would you describe your job if a friend asked you what you do?
I manage a joint school/public library branch in a busy community centre. Our branch also houses RDPL’s adult and family literacy programs. As a result of our diverse communities, I need to know a little about a lot, so I do a bit of everything. The great thing about this job is that not only do I have the opportunity to shape the direction of the branch, I also get to keep a hand in the “fun stuff” like weekly storytimes.
How long have you worked at Red Deer Public Library?
I have worked at the Dawe Branch of Red Deer Public Library for 22 years; and I’m still a relative newbie here. Some of my staff has worked here for over 30 years!
How have the needs of your community and your library users changed over the years? How has your library responded to the changes?
Technology. Instant information. Customer demand. Red Deer Public Library has responded by listening to customer input and adding value based on this input. RDPL recently launched our digital library powered by Overdrive and next up is Bibliocommons.
The Dawe Branch recently underwent a total revitalization to update our nearly 30 year old space. The result is a bright, welcoming and multipurpose environment with a more functional space, a fireplace and a new collection to meet the diverse needs of our community.
We added RFID self-checkout and would like to add self pickup of holds. Customers are at a crossroads with libraries. They want to do more themselves, yet many still need help navigating all the changes that this entails. We are up to the challenge.
What do you like most about your job and working with the library community?
I like the variety. I also love working with children and teenagers. Who says kids aren’t reading anymore? I love watching the faces of children when they find the books they want or discover an author they have never tried. If a child says he/she hates reading, it just means they haven’t found the right book...yet. The most important thing I do is to promote reading – to children, to adults, to new Canadians, to everyone.
I am also grateful for, and humbled by, the amazing people I work with in all areas of the library. There is so much talent in all departments and at all levels of our library.
What are some of the things you’re working on right now?
I have been concentrating my efforts on ramping up our library programming now that we have this beautiful new space. We are programming within the library,
co-programming with our community centre, with our kindergarten to Grade 9 school community and with our Red Deer community.
What do you like to do in your spare time outside of work?
I love spending time with my three teenage children and keeping track of their busy lives. I play golf, or I would never see my husband in the summer. I work out, and have a passion for movies, books, and cats. I would love to travel more – I am currently planning our 25th wedding anniversary trip to New York, and I’m taking a Bollywood dance class!
Is there anything else you’d like to comment on that we haven’t asked about?
Maybe it’s because of our new space, but I don’t see a slow-down in libraries any time soon. Red Deer Public Library is thriving, with new people coming through our doors every day. I have great optimism for both public and school libraries in the future.
Digital media creation lab now available
A new digital media creation lab is now available to members of the Alberta Public Library Electronic Network (APLEN).
The lab, funded by APLEN, fulfills recommendation 3.5 of the Alberta Public Libraries Technology Report and Recommendations. The lab is intended to enhance programming options related to digital content creation for library patrons as well as provide training to staff on these technologies.
The lab features powerful laptops, short-throw projectors, ultra-light scanners and cameras with video and still photo capabilities. APLEN Training Librarian Lauren de Bruin worked with PC Corp to purchase high-functioning hardware and assemble top-end labs.
Lauren is most impressed with the short-throw projector. “The projector requires very little distance between the projector and the screen and projects a very clear image, making it ideal for small spaces.” She adds, “Because the light is so intense, the projector can be used in a lit room which is very useful.” Other components are just as impressive. The laptops can handle all types of multimedia software and the scanners can scan double-sided documents in one pass through.
The lab can be split up into four separate pods each containing five laptops, one projector, one scanner and one camera; a feature Lauren says increases the functionality of the lab. Libraries can book one or more pods, depending on their needs and demand for the labs.
Lauren is excited about the possibilities the digital media creation lab opens up for library programming. Digitization projects using the scanner to scan letters and photos could benefit a community history project. Teens might like to create and edit videos or mix music. “The lab was designed to ensure that the hardware has the capability to support any software program libraries want to install. There are many readily-available, open-source software options that libraries can experiment with,” says Lauren.
The labs also have an important role to play in staff training. Libraries can book the lab to train staff in preparation for offering a community program. The labs are also very useful for professional development events like regional conferences and staff training initiatives.
Interested libraries can contact Lauren at ldebruin@thealbertalibrary.ab.ca or at 780-414-0805 ext. 230 to request the lab. But don’t delay; the lab is proving to be very popular. Lauren reports that it is already reserved until after Family Day!
Outside the book thinking
In many people’s minds, libraries are synonymous with books. Some Alberta libraries are working to change that stereotype by offering innovative lending initiatives that show there is more to libraries.
Although offering items that are outside the norm may stretch the boundaries of library acquisitions and cataloguing, they also present opportunities to build relationships with new library users and offer additional value to existing ones.
In this issue of TAL Tales, we launch a series that will showcase innovative lending initiatives in libraries across the province.
Outside the book thinking: museum passes
Chinook Arch Regional Library System member libraries lend out passes to the Galt Museum & Archives located in Lethbridge. Fifty family passes have been distributed among 31 libraries in the System and the response has been positive. In 2010 the passes were checked out over 323 times and not only by Lethbridge residents. Terra Plato, Manager of Consulting Services with Chinook Arch reports that approximately half the passes were signed out by local patrons from Chinook Arch member libraries in rural areas.
The initiative, which started in December of 2009, was the result of a partnership between the Galt Museum & Archives, Lethbridge Website Design and the Chinook Arch Regional Library System. Chinook Arch CEO, Maggie Macdonald, says that being part of the initiative was an extension of the library’s role of promoting culture, lifelong learning and access to information.
Because the museum passes are a different format than most other library resources, Chinook Arch staff put quite a bit of thought into how they would be incorporated into the collection. It was decided that the same circulation rules would apply as other items which meant for instance that the passes could be put on hold and renewed. To increase durability, each pass was placed in a jewel case that has a pocket inside to hold the pass and the cases are held behind the circulation desks at the libraries.
Chinook Arch was excited to be involved in this pilot project and encourages their member libraries to do something similar by partnering with their local museums and similar organizations.
A fine example of outside the book thinking.
Library Spotlight: Medicine Hat College Library
Each issue TAL Tales shines the spotlight on one of Alberta’s many great libraries. This month, Keith Walker tells us about the Medicine Hat College Library.
What is your library’s biggest current challenge?
Life in libraries always comes with interesting challenges and there are a number that our library currently faces: the ability to stay relevant with our students in order to ensure the library meets their needs and in ways that communicate with them; keeping up with facility needs such as study space, group work areas, computers and technology; adapting roles for staff as technology changes their work; and finding ways to ensure that the wealth of resources that are in formats that aren’t as popular now can still be useful.
What area is changing the fastest in your library? Why?
The use of the various collections is an area that is changing as we work with a hybrid model of having both print and electronic resources, with pros and cons of both formats. Some users prefer everything in electronic format but there are a surprisingly large number of students who ask, if the item is an e-book, “does the library have a paper copy I can borrow?”
What idea are you most proud of over the last five years?
The fact that the library staff took to heart our new vision and mission statement that is embodied in the slogan: Library Services: Service Above and Beyond. They are known throughout the college for their excellence in customer service and in fact the library received an amazing 100% satisfaction rating in the Student Satisfaction Survey a couple of years ago! The staff care about the library users and the users feel that, from the use of our social networking (one of the first colleges to use text messaging reference service) to our marketing efforts (users line up to be the next Library User of the Month).
Where do you see the most opportunity for innovation over the next decade?
There are a number of areas where we look to be innovative: developing our already successful information literacy program so that we are working as a team with the faculty to ensure student success; working with the community to promote the library as a resource for them as well as the college; and finding different ways to use the existing library space or work with the college to expand the facility in a way that will make the library as popular and welcoming as it is now.
How does your library stay in touch with your clients/library users?
We encourage feedback through suggestion forms, surveys when students enter for draw prizes, student satisfaction surveys and LibQUAL (an academic library user survey), Free Speech Fridays (a white board in the library for comments), and social networking tools.
How do you stay in touch with political leaders/decision makers in your community?
The library staff are known for volunteering as they serve on numerous college and external committees. The librarians serve on professional associations which bring recognition to the college and the staff are encouraged to take on leadership roles: members of the staff currently serve as Chair of the AUPE and as the non-academic member of the Board of Governors. It is also important for the library staff to participate and be seen at college events.
Is there anything else you’d like people in the library community to know about your library, services or staff?
The library has an interesting partnership with the Medicine Hat Public Library where a collection of “hot seller” novels and DVDs owned by the public library are displayed and circulated through the college library. It is very popular, especially with the faculty.
The library offers free memberships to alumni and community members.
Also, there is a branch library in the city of Brooks that provides excellent services and resources for the programs at the campus.
Netspeed 2011 highlights
Another Netspeed conference has concluded and we thank all of our speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and delegates for making this year a resounding success.
Here are some of the highlights from Netspeed 2011: The Human Side of Technology.
Jesse Hirsh and the battle for the future
As Jesse Hirsh took the stage at Netspeed 2011, he knew he already had the audience’s attention. That’s what happens when you title your keynote address Libraries and the Battle for the Future.
“It’s nice to have more than five minutes to talk about these ideas,” Jesse said, in a sly reference to his best-known role as a regular technology commentator on CBC Radio and occasionally on television.
What followed was 90 minutes of engaging, provocative and entertaining ideas that drew heavily on the work of Marshall McLuhan (Jesse is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s McLuhan Program) and McLuhan’s colleague and mentor, Harold Inness.
While Jesse freely admits that he “rips off” McLuhan’s ideas daily, there is a key difference. McLuhan had a vision of a world enmeshed in media, where everyone is connected. Jesse Hirsh, on the other hand, lives in that world, reports on it, and is deeply engaged in it.
And what a strange world it is – a world where anyone who can command attention has power, because the media tools are so easily accessible.
Welcome to a world that worships celebrity, from Lady Gaga to Jersey Shore’s Snooki.
“What’s missing,” Jesse noted dryly, “is critical thinking.”
But Jesse Hirsh is not your run-of-the-mill, ivory tower, hyper-media-savvy social critic. He advocates for a more human world that puts people and community, rather than technology, first.
And that’s where libraries come in.
According to Jesse, we need to talk about how we are using technology and why we are using it, and libraries are in a unique position to engage people in that conversation.
If that sounds like a daunting task, Jesse Hirsh made it look easy, using the language of pop culture to talk about important abstract and intellectual ideas.
He also wasn’t afraid to take it to the streets. Before his keynote speech, Jesse walked to a nearby McDonald’s for an early breakfast and to engage a group of local seniors in the issues of the day, using his hotel-supplied copy of the Calgary Sun as a conversation starter.
Somewhere, Marshall McLuhan was smiling.
Kevin Franco thrillerizes
It may seem ironic that the publisher of the world’s first transmedia thriller novel would use simple old-fashioned yarn to illustrate his company’s approach to storytelling, but that is exactly what Kevin Franco did during the closing keynote address at Netspeed 2011.
Kevin’s company Enthrill Entertainment published the groundbreaking novel, One Child, in 2010 and set the bar for a new type of reading experience - one that integrates multiple media channels to give readers a richer experience.
Kevin used the yarn to illustrate how a transmedia story has multiple story arcs that intersect with the main story line and how, at any intersection, readers can branch off and follow a story arc to learn more about the characters or a particular sub plot.
He then extended the multiple story arc analogy to libraries. Every patron that uses the library is a character in the library story and each character has multiple story paths that are shared throughout the community. He continued the comparison of transmedia stories and libraries by noting other similarities – both focus on “experience” and are more robust than people realize.
Kevin offered an observation that applies equally well to his work and to libraries. “People are expecting more from their devices and readers are expecting more from stories.” he says. Because of this change in expectations, Kevin believes the reading experience has to change to give readers a richer experience and this is what drives Enthrill Entertainment to create immersive, multi-media stories.
Libraries find themselves in a similar situation, responding and adapting to patrons’ changing expectations about materials, services and programs. An enthusiastic advocate of libraries, Kevin is confident that libraries can meet the challenge.
If the lineup of people wanting to talk to Kevin after his presentation is any indication of the excitement generated by his comments then it’s fair to say the library community is brimming with ideas.
Breakout sessions
Delegates were hard-pressed to choose between 21 idea-filled sessions on topics such as e-books, usability, online training, using technology to engage communities, and digital preservation. Conference proceedings for a number of the sessions are posted already and we hope to have more for you soon.
Taylor Family Digital Library reception
Thank you to Dr. Tom Hickerson and his staff for hosting a reception at the University of Calgary’s new Taylor Family Digital Library. This state-of-the-art facility turned heads and opened eyes.
Tours of the library highlighted many of the innovative ways technology has been integrated into the facility such as power outlets and USB ports built into couches, the automated book return system, video and audio editing suites, and touch-enabled computer screens.
More on this amazing facility in the December issue of TAL Tales.
Gameapalooza
Very few people can say they played the Intellivision game Astromash in this century. Netspeed delegates who participated in Gameapalooza are some of the few.
In addition to Astrosmash, participants were treated to an eclectic mix of video games including Rock Band, Mario Cart and Dance Central.
Thank you to U of C gamer librarian Jerremie Clyde for arranging this fun evening.
ORC celebrates 10 years
When the Online Reference Centre (ORC) was established in 2001, it revolutionized the way Alberta teachers and students access digital reference resources.
Before 2001, Alberta schools licensed and purchased their own digital reference resources. Because funding for resources differed from school to school and not every school had a school library, teachers and students were not guaranteed access to these types of resources.
That changed when the ORC was created. The ORC’s mandate was to secure provincial licenses for digital reference resources that supported the K-12 curriculum. “The ORC leveled the playing field,” says Diane GallowaySolowan, ORC Project Coordinator. “The ORC ensured that every student studying the Alberta K-12 curriculum had access to a consistent core of high-quality resources.”
The principles of access, quality and consistency still apply today. The ORC licenses and provides access to thousands of digital reference resources with rich educational content. Alberta teachers and students can access ORC resources through the LearnAlberta.ca portal.
Over the years, the ORC’s resources have evolved. Diane has seen a change from text-based resources to resources that are very interactive. “Many of the vendors have improved the functionality of the resources by adding features like the ability to share articles through social media and translation options that modify text to speech,” says Diane. She also reports that the resources have evolved to support 21st century learning skills such as inquiry research, the ability to evaluate and differentiate reliable resources and the use of a wide selection of media types.
The way teachers and students use the resources has also changed. Many classrooms now incorporate technology. “Instead of having to go to the library or computer lab to use the resources, the teacher can pull up the resources on the SMART board in the classroom,” says Diane. A change Diane believes has increased the usage of resources. “The easier it is to incorporate digital reference resources into the class, the increased likelihood that teachers and students will use the resources.”
Improvements in technology infrastructure have also contributed to the rise in use. “The Supernet has made a huge difference. Resources can be downloaded more quickly which increases the probability that they’ll get used,” says Diane.
Diane is confident that the efforts to license digital reference resources on a provincial level are paying off. “It’s taken some time, but usage of ORC resources is increasing. The ORC is doing the job it was intended to do,” says Diane. “Teachers are beginning to understand the value these resources provide in supporting them and their students.” For Diane, a sign that Alberta teachers are getting comfortable with using the resources is the increase in the number of requests for vendors to customize the resources to meet Alberta curriculum needs.
Since its inception, the number of digital reference resources licensed by the ORC has increased from five to 14. A growth Diane attributes to both an increase in usage by students and teachers and a commitment by Alberta Education to fund resources. “The ORC continues to be a unique project in Canada for K-12 education. Other provinces have made some efforts but not on the same scale as Alberta. Only Alberta has taken the initiative to continually fund and maintain the number of digital reference resources the ORC includes.”
Diane values the relationship the ORC has built with Alberta Education. “I appreciate the collaboration between the ORC and Alberta Education to ensure the LearnAlberta.ca portal and the ORC resources meet the needs of Alberta students and teachers,” she says.
As the ORC celebrates 10 years of leveling the playing field for Alberta students and teachers, Diane is more convinced than ever that provincial licensing of digital reference resources is valuable. She applauds the vision of Alberta Education and the contribution of three teacher-librarians who made the ORC possible - Teddy Moline, Thalia Hartson and Linda Shantz-Kerestes. Diane also recognizes the efforts of Anne Carr-Wiggin, the first ORC Project Coordinator.
“These innovators laid the groundwork that enables teachers and students to have online access to good-quality reference resources no matter where they are in Alberta. When I talk to teachers around the province, the feedback I get reinforces how valuable it is for the ORC to provide these resources,” says Diane.
Congratulations to the Online Reference Centre on 10 years of connecting teachers and students to information, learning and ideas!