(Reporting from the Internet Cafe)

Libraries have come a long way in how they provide downloadable materials to their patrons.  So many people are getting e-readers (for themselves or as gifts), and they expect their libraries to have titles for them to download.  Here are some suggestions to try to meet these demands:

• Libraries should be continually adding popular titles to their collections
• Watch “on hold” lists closely to see if more copies should be added
• See if your library can increase its budget for downloadables

Remember to make this collection simple for patrons to find and access on your website and catalog.  Also consider customer service training for some of your staff, and don’t forget to market your downloadable collection the the public!

Here’s a relevant topic for libraries: how to get the most from your Facebook and Twitter accounts.  Did you know that 225 million people have Twitter accounts, and 51% of people 12 and over have Facebook accounts?  Here are some ideas and suggestions to make social media effective for your library.

Twitter – A key question:  what can you say in 140 characters?  Another idea: retweets are free advertising for your library!  People are talking about your library now, and you should be part of the conversation.  So don’t be passive and build an audience using Twitter.

Facebook – This is a good way to provide information about your library, including news and event notifications.  You can also ask for feedback from your customers.

Recommendations:  Provide staff time so that your Twitter and Facebook pages will be up to date.  Follow people back on Twitter, and respond to comments made on social media so people will see that you are interested in their comments.

Note:  I’m glad this is a blog post and not a tweet because I’m way over 140 characters!

In that vein, I am going to present to you a summary of their top ten benefits of tough economic times in reverse order;

10. Refresh Your Organization- This is the opportunity to look at the positions in your organization to see if the needs can be met through making positions more diversified or by changing the roles and services provided by the positions. You should be asking yourself if there is a need for the position, how else it can be filled, what else can be done? How much of the work is really relevant and how much is just filler? Its important to make the positions more fulfilling and satisfying by utilizing the talent that the employees.

9. Developing Staff Skills – Tough times can give libraries the opportunity to learn and grow from each other. Instead of paying for coaches and consultants, you can utilize the knowledge of your staff to train other staff members. Its important to allow staff to cross train other staff in a various roles and positions to give them the opportunity to grow and help people on multiple levels. Allowing staff to work together to teach each other can also help staff work more effective in teams, improve moral, or to work more collaboratively.

8. Make New Friends- In the good times, all these good friends existed out there but we weren’t talking to them. Now, in the hard times, we need to renew these friendships and make new friends. It’s important that you rely on local organizations and that you encourage them to rely on you for the resources that both can share. For example, the library can supply the community space for a food or hunger organization and the organization can provide the program.

7. Finally Write That Grant – Get someone who has an affinity for writing, has attention to detail, and most importantly has an interest in writing a grant. It would be helpful to get someone on your staff to help review state and federal grants so that they get trained (for free) about the grant writing process. You can also utilize volunteers who are looking to keep their work experience solid while they are unemployed to write grants.

6. Say It Better (Improve Communications) – good old fashion face-to-face communication. These times we have gone through have created so much fear and libraries are relearning the importance of communicating effectively to staff. Simple things, like leaving your door open, can help staff change their perception of you.

5. Kill Mission Creep – The most important skill a manager has is to demonstrate confidence with a clear message and knowing what they want. You want staff to get behind your initiatives and know where the library is headed. It’s important to revisit the strategic plan to make sure that all staff is working towards the same goals. Bad things start to happen if the only thing your working towards is keeping the doors open. Figure out what is it you really want to do and do it really well instead of trying to do to many things part way. In order to accomplish this, you should figure out how to say no to things that lie outside of goals of the strategic plan.

4. Enjoy Spring Cleaning (Leaner Facilities) – There is a lot you can do to fix up and change your facility for little to no money. Take this opportunity to clean out and throw away what you don’t need and to create a leaner space. Remember the adage, there is a place for everything and everything in its place and having too much “stuff” around the building leads to less efficiency. Explain the why’s of why a leaner space is a better space. For example, decrease the number of flyers on the desks and teach staff to be better salesman with face-to-face interactions.

3. Weed’em and Reep – Many libraries are weeding significant portions of their non-fiction collections to make room for more computers and chairs or other resources that patrons may need at a higher level. Perform a turnover analysis on all of your collections and anything that is low should be considered for downsizing.

2. Meet New Needs and Create New Users – Its important to have fun and change with the needs of the community to gain a new set of users. If people had an experience that is relevant to their lives, its more likely that they will vote in favor of the library when it comes time to go to the taxpayers for funding. We have created many rules to preclude patrons from using the facilities and we should be starting to change to more welcoming spaces.

1. Adjust Your Attitude – A fish stinks from the head down. Managers and leaders who are up against the challenges of the economic downturn and are negative will not inspire staff to rise above the challenges to solve the problems. By solving the problems from a positive space the manager creates a sense of team and comradely. Even if you’re not in a leadership position its possible to lead through your attitude towards staff and situations.

ALA President Roberta Stevens said OITP’s brief clearly lays out why public libraries are in the midst of a true revolution. “The most recent development – the rapid growth in e-book usage – is another example of the fundamental changes affecting libraries. Such changes present many new opportunities for serving the public as well as challenges in how to best serve them,” Stevens said.

“‘Confronting the Future’ provides a straightforward yet profound way to think about future visions for public libraries. Anyone who cares about public libraries should read it,” Stevens said.

Public libraries fulfill a key role in providing information services to America’s communities.

“Commercial enterprises have been driving many information innovations, with many benefits derived by the public, but some critical important values – such as information access for all regardless of the ability to pay – are not well addressed by commercial interests,” OITP Director Alan Inouye said.

“This policy brief helps to develop effective strategies for public libraries that preserve these values while leveraging emerging technologies for the benefit of communities,” said Inouye.

Bonnie Tijerina, chair of OITP’s advisory committee, said competition and innovation are paving the way for a revolution in library services, but at this point there is much uncertainty over how libraries should handle matters such as e-books licenses as well as the question of potential products such as the pending Google Book Search.

“The brief also provides creators of new technologies and information services with guidance on how to serve communities through public libraries,” said Tijerina.

The issues raised in the brief will be discussed at an OITP program during the ALA’s Annual Conference in New Orleans June 23-28, 2011. The program, “Confronting the Future: Strategic Visions for the 21st Century Public Library” will be held on Saturday, June 25, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, Room 292. Press interviews with Dr. Levien may be arranged by contacting Jenni Terry at .

The Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award joins the ALA Youth Media Award announcements, which include such prominent literary prizes as the Coretta Scott King Book Award, John Newbery Medal, Michael Printz Award, Randolph Caldecott Medal, Schneider Family Book Awards and 13 other distinguished awards for youth literature.

The award is administered by the ALA’s Stonewall Book Awards Committee of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Round Table and is awarded annually to English-language works for children and teens of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered experience.

“Children’s books regarding the GLBT experience are critical tools in teaching tolerance, acceptance and the importance of diversity,” said ALA President Roberta Stevens. “Our nation is one of diverse cultures and lifestyles and it is important for parents, educators and librarians to have access to quality children’s books that represent a spectrum of cultures.”

The demand for quality GLBT children’s books continues to grow as the nation becomes more diverse. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services an estimated 14 million children have a gay or lesbian parent, and the most current U.S. Census data shows that more than 56 percent of same-sex households have at least one child under the age of 18.

Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards guide parents, educators, librarians and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature and media.

For information on the Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award and other ALA Youth Media Awards, please visit www.ala.org/yma.

Picturing America, an exciting new initiative from the National Endowment for the Humanities, brings masterpieces of American art into classrooms and libraries nationwide. Through this innovative program, students and citizens will gain a deeper appreciation of our country’s history and character through the study and understanding of its art.

Participating institutions will receive:

• Forty large, high-quality color reproductions of the selected masterpieces (24” x 36”).
• A Teachers Resource Book providing a wide range of ideas and background information to support educators using the works of art in core subject areas.
• Additional resources and lesson plans available through PicturingAmerica.neh.gov.

You can peruse these materials and apply online. Applications are due by April 15, 2008; public libraries, K-12 schools, and home school consortia are eligible.

National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) is a two-day event in which people who care about libraries participate in advocacy and issue training sessions, interact with Capitol Hill insiders, and visit congressional member offices to ask Congress to pass legislation that supports libraries.

A $20 registration fee covers 3 whole days of congressional collaboration, including:

• The Lobbying 101 pre-conference
• A briefing day at the Holiday Inn on the Hill
• A Congressional Reception
• A day of congressional visits on the Hill

NLLD is an excellent opportunity to lobby for your local library with your national representatives! For more information, visit the ALA Washington Office online. The registration deadline is April 4, 2008.

We are also still recruiting bloggers for the conference. No experience is required, but great writing skills are desirable. Drop us a line through the contact form with your name, title, library, and blog URL (if you feel like sharing), and we’ll get you all set up. If you have submitted your information to me already, you’ll be hearing from me very soon.

Are you heading to Midwinter? What are you looking forward to most? Least? Feel free to leave us a comment and let us know. And don’t forget to hit the 2008 Midwinter Meeting Wiki when planning your trip!