Inside The Alberta Library
Libraries across the province are evolving to meet the needs of Albertans who are living, working and playing in an increasingly information-driven society. Sometimes, pausing to celebrate that evolution can put things in perspective.
This fall, Peace Library System is celebrating its 25th anniversary. One of the astonishing things about the system is its sheer size – 88,000 square miles from Fox Creek in the south to High Level in the north, from Calling Lake in the east to the B.C. border in the west. That’s larger than the land mass of Great Britain.
Starting from a small office in the courthouse of the Town of Peace River, basic services such ordering and cataloguing books, consulting services, interlibrary loan services and author readings have evolved to include automated circulation, wireless services, online databases and access to e-books.
Yellowhead Regional Library is celebrating its 40th anniversary, offering many of the basic services it provided back in 1971, along with new and valuable services such as TRACpac and YourLibrary Apps, Websites for Libraries Project, and eResources to name a few.
These two systems are great symbols, because they reflect the changes taking place in libraries across the province. Because the fact is, Alberta’s libraries are evolving to meet the needs of incredibly diverse communities.
From metropolitan areas to rural hamlets, from research-intensive universities to colleges of art and design, Alberta’s libraries are places where people increasingly learn, engage and connect with each other.
Today, our libraries are shifting to innovations such as digital and downloadable books, music, movies and magazines, Internet access, electronic databases, eReaders and gaming, as well as reaching out to a new generation of library users via social media such as Twitter and Facebook.
And yet, for all the changes taking place, the basic commitment to connecting libraries, people and resources has only grown stronger over the years. Certainly it helped lead to the creation of The Alberta Library in 1997.
Congratulations to Linda Duplessis and everyone at the Peace Library System, to Kevin Dodds and everyone at Yellowhead Regional Library, and to everyone who has contributed to the evolution of libraries over the years – and helped to create a culture that is collaborative, innovative and solutions-driven. That’s something we can all celebrate.
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People You Should Know: Peggy McKenzie, Olds College Library
Each issue TAL Tales introduces you to another member of Alberta’s vibrant library community. This month, say hello to Peggy McKenzie, Manager, Library Services, Olds College.
Peggy McKenzie
How long have you worked at Olds College as the Manager of Library Services?
I have worked as the Manager of Library Services for four years, but have been with Olds College Library for nine years.
What drew you to working in the library community?
I began working in the library community 27 years ago while living in a very small hamlet and wanting to find part time work until my children started school. As an avid reader and frequent user of the library, I was asked to consider working in the library a few hours each week.
How would you describe your job if a friend asked you what you do?
It is an ever changing and rewarding opportunity to work closely with students; a chance to help them meet their research needs and find their way through the current information access mazes.
Have you noticed any changes over the years in the way students conduct research or in the questions they ask?
There have been great changes over the years in the ways students access information. It was only over the last fifteen to twenty years when the Internet became available to students. Back then they were using mostly books and journals in paper format to find their information and the “web” information was very limited and not necessarily pretty or easy to access. When it became much more user friendly it was a very exciting time in schools, especially those with limited budgets as it opened up a whole new library of resources to supplement limited collections.
At that time the information students could access was more reliable than it is now. Over the past decade, a whole new generation of “Google” researchers have developed who have become dependent on the web for most, if not all, of their information. As we know the information found there is often not reliable and unfortunately we are seeing more and more students who do not question what they find. It is fast; it is easy. Why ask questions?
Students are often overwhelmed with the amount of information available and often have not learned how to refine their searches to pull out the “good stuff”. Today, in libraries, we are not only helping students find information, but are teaching them how to use the many resources available.
What are some of the things you’re working on right now?
Developing training materials and courses for both on- and off-campus students and staff to help them develop their research skills and utilize the ever evolving article databases and library resources.
What types of tools and methods are you using to deliver the training? How are you overcoming the challenges in distance delivery?
I’ve been working to develop online courses through Moodle and using Softchalk. I’ve also developed tutorials and videos available on our website and through YouTube, to teach the research process and assist distance students in using the tools we have available for research. We have an instant message system on our website to allow students to ask questions of the librarian on the desk. They can also email me questions and participate in discussions through Moodle. I have recently begun looking into the possibility of delivering some of my classes through Webinars and Video Conferencing.
When educating staff and students about research, what is the key skill you try to develop?
I try to teach them the importance of focusing in on exactly what information they need by writing a few questions to be answered in their research and then using those questions to develop a list of keywords, which then get plugged into the available resources to bring back all the “great stuff” available out there for them.
I understand you’re a key person in liaising with staff and students at Olds High School. Tell me about that.
Olds High School and their library collection have become a part of the Olds College and Library only in the past year and a half. We are working closely with the teachers and administrators to encourage student and staff use of the greatly expanded collection and resources they now have access to. We conduct library orientations at the beginning of each year for incoming new students and I have been working with a number of key teachers to incorporate library instruction into their research related assignments. I plan to introduce a new resource each month to the staff at their staff meetings. We have created a library webpage, which has been added to the High School’s website and include library news in the High School’s monthly newsletter.
How does what you do support your library?
It is my ongoing goal to ensure that everything we do in the library supports the information needs of our students and staff in the formats they require, looking toward full online access.
What is the next idea you’re excited about exploring?
I am looking forward to building our e-collection and finding new ways to get information out to our patrons, wherever they may be.
What is the best/most memorable item you ever found at the library?
I came to this library from small libraries that did not have access to article databases. As a lover of new information, I quickly fell in love with these resources which gave me almost instant access to so much.
What do you do like to do in your spare time outside of work?
I love to camp in the Kananaskis, paint, and play with my granddaughters.
Is there anything else you’d like to comment on that we haven’t asked about?
While libraries and the way we access information has changed so much since I began down this road 27 years ago, I am more excited than ever about the direction we are headed and what the future holds for all of us from an information access perspective.
Transmedia novel donated to Alberta libraries
Alberta libraries will soon receive copies of the world’s first transmedia thriller novel, courtesy of innovative publisher Enthrill Entertainment.
Kevin Franco of Enthrill Entertainment is a keynote speaker at this year’s Netspeed conference and has generously donated copies of the novel, One Child by Jeff Buick, to be distributed to libraries across the province.
Transmedia storytelling incorporates technologies like video and audio content and interactive social media to create a new type of reading experience.
When One Child was released in the summer of 2010 it was launched in real time over a span of 30 days. Chapters were posted live and readers could interact with the characters via the characters’ social media profiles. Audio content in the form of soundtracks and fictitious radio broadcasts and videos of selected segments of the book were easily accessible. A Facebook community was even developed to facilitate discussion of the storyline by readers of the book.
One Child has been released in many different formats all of which incorporate technology to enhance the reading experience. The online version features soundtrack, embedded video, images and hyperlinks. The ePub version which is available for many platforms features images and hyperlinks and in some cases video. Even the print versions provide a URL to link readers to the interactive online content. Alberta libraries will receive print versions of One Child.
The Alberta Library is excited to be able to provide copies of One Child and present Kevin Franco at Netspeed 2011: The Human Side of Technology. Transmedia storytelling is the right blend of “human” and “technology” that so perfectly fits this year’s Netspeed theme.
Library Spotlight: Rimbey Municipal Library
Each issue TAL Tales shines the spotlight on one of Alberta’s many great libraries. This month, Jean Keetch tells us about the Rimbey Municipal Library.
What area is changing the fastest in your library? Why?
Everything is changing in the library. The fact that there are books and magazines on the shelves is the only thing that remains a constant. Patrons used to come in and peruse the shelves; now they place holds on books months before they are published. We’ve adapted to the “fast food” mentality. Mothers in a rush grab “Busy Bags” of books with crafts and activities chosen with a theme in mind. Patrons order a bag of “Go Books” that we will choose and check out for them to pick up the next day. We have baskets of books on the shelves – not sorted by genre or author – but by reading ability – so the rushed student can grab something at an appropriate reading level.
The library no longer circulates only reading material and music; we now have Fortis electrical monitors, e-readers, and Victor Readers available for loan. Books are available electronically as well as in paper and e-audio as well as audio. Senior citizens are bringing in e-readers their children have purchased for them asking us to load them with their reading material. Popular block-buster movies as well as seasons of television programs available in DVD are flying off the shelves faster than we can bring them in.
The biggest change has been the atmosphere in the library. People used to come in and whisper. Now our library resonates with the sound of children laughing and playing, adults discussing a variety of topics, and sometimes; depending on the day – you can even hear a baby goat bleat or a puppy bark!!
What is your library’s biggest current challenge?
There are so many challenges – but the biggest one is space. We are desperately short of space. Our library is only about one third of the size recommended in the document “Standards and Best Practices for Public Libraries in Alberta” developed by Municipal Affairs, Public Library Services Branch and issued spring 2011; yet this summer we had over 1,200 people attending approximately 40 different programs. This, along with one office and no workroom for six staff members and no programming room makes for a crowded and noisy library!
Also, we have a generous town and county so we are able to have a decent sized acquisitions budget. Unfortunately we have no room on the shelves for these new books. Twice a year we have to do a major weed to make room for new materials. While I think it is wonderful to get rid of books that are dirty, water damaged and worn it is a shame to have to discard perfectly good books just to make room for more. While all the stakeholders understand the need for a larger library, no one is willing or able to finance one. A booming economy in Alberta makes construction nearly cost prohibitive.
What idea are you most proud of over the last five years?
I would like to take credit for the idea of the library being the hub of the community, but unfortunately my staff and I can only take credit for implementing it in Rimbey. The number of programs offered and those that are attending them has risen exponentially in the last few years. As well as offering the expected pre-school story time and adult book clubs we have tried to meet the needs of the whole community.
Studies show that children who are exposed to the arts have higher literacy levels than those not – yet in rural Alberta, children don’t have the same opportunities for this as they do in urban centres. We have an annual spring festival during the week of spring break and we offer quality professional programs. We have an award-winning international children’s musician entertain one evening, we bring in a professional story teller, we have an illustration workshop with a professional artist, and then we have an afternoon with a magician, balloon artist and face painter. This has gradually led to more professional performing arts performances and workshops throughout the year.
We offer a family movie night once a month during the winter and once a week during the summer. We have a “chick flick” movie with wine and cheese for women who want a night out together without the expense of driving to the city. We have after-school programs for children and youth and evening programs where pizza is included. We have had adult programs on estate planning, tax tips, adaptive technology, political forums, wine tastings, and health issues. We have an armchair traveller that meets in the evenings and an adult coffee club that meets in the mornings.
The community now views the library as a place to go, learn, relax and have fun. They suggest more programs for us to implement than we can come up with on our own. We have truly become the hub of the community.
How does your library stay in touch with your clients/library users?
We try to use every possible means to stay in touch with our library users and potential users. We purchase a monthly ad in the newspaper listing all of our upcoming programs. When possible we submit an article to the newspaper informing residents of important issues such as literacy and censorship.
We have a website that we update regularly. The website has a place on it for patron comments and requests as well. We make use of social media in the form of Facebook and Twitter- although I tend to be more of a Twitter lurker than an actual tweeter!
We also kill a lot of trees. We make posters of upcoming events and hang them all over town. We put QR codes on nearly all of our promotional materials – directing patrons to more detailed information about the event. We make our own bookmarks and pamphlets promoting our events and give them to all our patrons. We also take these bookmarks to the local schools to use in their libraries.
We make colouring pages for children with activity information printed on the bottom and take these pages, along with dollar store crayons to local restaurants and doctors offices – anywhere where children typically wait.
Most importantly all of my staff are excellent at interacting with the people who walk into the library – carrying on conversations that often result in suggestions for us to take – or information for them to use!
How do you stay in touch with political leaders/decision makers in your community?
Living and working in the small rural community in which I grew up – this is the easiest and most natural part of my job. I attend all interagency meetings and special event meetings in the community. The library shares a building with the town office – letting me see MLAs and MPs as well as the county officials when they come in the building. With our bathroom just outside the door it is very easy to have an “accidental” meeting with them! The library hosts all the of the election forums – municipal, provincial and federal – allowing me to network and build relationships with these people.
I shop in the mayor’s grocery store; I patronize the previous mayor’s furniture store; and I buy my vegetables from one of the town councilor’s booth at the farmer’s market. I attend nearly every major social event that happens in the area. No matter where I am or what the event I have an opportunity to socialize with people who are the “movers and the shakers” in the area. Conversation invariably turns to the library, our frustrations, our successes and our needs.
The clock on which my pay is based stops at 5:00 – the networking and advocating for the library never does.
Is there anything else you’d like people in the library community to know about your library, services or staff?
We are easily one of the busiest libraries per capita in Central Alberta. We offer incredible customer service and because we are a small town and know most of our patrons we are able to offer a personalized service that is not readily available in bigger centres.
None of this would be possible without quality staff. Managers often complain about the difficulty in hiring and keeping quality employees. My staff are without a doubt some of the best around. They are an exceptional group of women who are as skilled at programming as they are readers advisory; as good at helping patrons with computers as they are at hauling boxes of books up and down the stairs and cleaning up messes. Without a team approach where each and every employee is as valuable as the next we could never accomplish what we do with as little as we have.
Make it yours: word of mouth marketing
One of the simplest and most effective ways to promote your library is to talk about it. Although talking about all the great things your library does is easy, finding a way to break the ice and start the conversation can sometimes be difficult. Make it yours, the new APLEN marketing campaign offers Alberta public library staff a way to open up a dialogue with library users, community members and decision-makers.
The starting point of a word of mouth marketing campaign is giving people something to talk about. Make it yours is a fun way of focusing attention on your library and gives you an opportunity to talk to your community about the range of resources, services and programs your library offers.
One of the most visible Make it yours tools is the newspaper ad that will appear in weekly newspapers across the province. Sized at a ¼ of a page, the ads will really stand out in local papers. The radio spots are also very distinctive and will definitely get people talking. When someone tells you they saw or heard the ad be ready to respond with your key messages about how your library is valuable to the community.
Another key element of word of mouth marketing campaigns is providing tools that make it easy for a conversation to take place. Tools such as the tradeshow display, screensaver and personalized poster application are useful conversation starters.
Setting up the tradeshow display at community events is an easy way to open up a dialogue about what your library offers. Even used within the library, the display highlights the diversity of items and experiences offered by your library.
Sharing the screensaver with your library users so they can put it on their home computer or their laptop is a great way to keep your library visible in their lives.
The web-based personalized poster app gives people a chance to create a poster that shows their personal mix of what they’re into. By giving the choice of 16 icons that represent everything from clubs, ESL programs, and movie night to magazines, books and e-books, the app reinforces the message that the library experience can be customized to fit anyone’s life. This personalized aspect can be a starting point to talk to library users and non-users about all the things they can do at your library and how they can customize the library experience to find what they are looking for.
When it comes to word of mouth marketing, the important thing is to start talking. We’re confident that the Make it yours tools will help you talk about your library – and get other people talking too.