As someone who used to work at YOUmedia at the flagship CPL location,Harold Washington, I saw first-hand what a positive impact this space has for teens. Not only does it provide a safe space for teens to hang out, mess around, and geek out, it also provides a productive environment that can help develop personal interests into lifelong careers. Just ask Chance the Rapper, who regularly talks about the impact YOUmedia had for him; it provided him the ability to hone his craft (with music) in the recording studio and the open mics dedicated solely to the teens that use the space. That’s part of what makes this program so special, and why so many other libraries and institutions have followed suit.

Not only does it include the public library itself, but it’s a platform that is perfect to network and connect with other institutions in the community, all for the benefit of the teens that use the space. The mentors at YOUmedia come from places like Hive Chicago and the Digital Media and Learning Hub. It makes for a much richer experience for everyone involved. There are other YOUmedia spaces all over the country now, and other public libraries are modelling their own spaces off the ideas that have come to fruition at YOUmedia. Places like the Evanston Public Library, for example. The Loft at Evanston Public Library is also a dedicated teen space that uses the Connected Learning model. It has partnered with local institutions like Youth and Opportunity United, Northwestern University, and a slew of others. At this point, it’s not a question of whether or not a dedicated teen space should be created in a public library, it’s a necessity. There does seem to be some resistance to this idea because libraries never had spaces like this before, but given the popularity and growth at YOUmedia, it is obvious that there is a need for it now. We want to help these almost grownups; we want them to develop a love of lifelong learning, and we can provide them with those means.

 References

Link to source article: (1)

http://www.infodocket.com/2017/04/08/chicago-public-librarys-youmedia-program-receives-more-than-1-million-in-new-public-and-private-investments-more-labs-planned/

Additional Sources used: (2) http://www.ala.org/transforminglibraries/future/trends/connectedlearning

https://hivechicago.org/about/

http://youthopportunity.org/index.php/about-us.html

https://www.epl.org/venue/the-loft/

https://www.chipublib.org/programs-and-partnerships/youmedia/

https://dmlcentral.net/

The post Chicago Public Library’s YOUmedia Program Expanding first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

At this point, public libraries function as community centers where people come to convene, learn and grow, not just check out books and study. And it seems like the next logical step is to not just bring the community into the library, but to reach out to the community itself. This can be done in new and sometimes surprising partnerships. Reaching out to a local humane society or shelter, for example, where cats waiting to be adopted need to develop social skills, is a perfect union for public libraries looking to do something creative to encourage children’s literacy skill development. Cat and child enrichment, increases in adoption, and community engagement are all fostered through a program like this.

You may have heard of different Book Buddies programs. The most common ones usually involve dogs that come to the library and are read to by children who sign up ahead of time. Both child and dog receive a positive experience. Wilmette Public Library in Illinois has a K9 Reading Buddies program where children can sign up for a 15-minute slot to read to a trained therapy dog. This is just one example of countless popular programs like this and it does bring patrons into the library.

Because some patrons have allergies to cats, it might be easier to bring animal/cat-loving children to a local shelter than have the local shelter come to the library. Although, at the beginning of April, Wilmette Public Library held a program where a therapy cat named Max came to the library to educate patrons on their therapy animal program. But in case your library doesn’t want to bring animals in, going out into the community to find a space for patrons with an itch to hang out with animals provides a suitable scratching post, if you will. With the popularity of cat cafes sprouting up in big cities in Japan, the UK, and the US, this seems like a winning program idea to bring to the public library.

Link to source article: http://www.messengernews.net/news/local-news/2017/03/reading-to-the-cats/

Additional Sources used: http://aspcapro.org/resource/saving-lives-behavior-enrichment/cats-kids-reading-enrichment-adoptions-compassion

Wilmette (Illinois) Public Library  http://www.wilmettelibrary.info/

The post A “Purrfect” Literacy Program first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Many public libraries are using arduinos, makey makeys, raspberry pis, littleBits, Scratch software and so much more to educate and explore with children all the way through adults. Public libraries like Skokie Public Library and the Chicago Public Library as well as my own library, Vernon Area Public Library District, in the Chicagoland area alone are all exploring open source software with technology. Want to make a banana piano? Purchase a relatively inexpensive kit through Makey Makey and check out their free apps or work with free Scratch software to come up with your own invention. Want to learn how to program code and work with a breadboard? Purchase a relatively inexpensive arduino, which is the hardware, and use their open source software to make it do something interactive.

But Shapiro is right, more public libraries need to make use of open source technology because in the end we can benefit not just by increasing our relevance as a source for digital literacy, but also save quite a lot of money in the long run as an institution. Charlie Reisinger, an innovative IT Director for Penn Manor school district in Lancaster County, discusses some of the incredible things his juniors and seniors are doing in a TED talk. His students are literally writing the code for an operating system that is run for the entire high school and used by all students and teachers.

Open source software allows the public to learn about innovation and invention, and collaboration, so that they are no longer “technology tourists” but have the control and confidence to be a part of this community as well.  One of the most interesting elements of this is that open source is actually more secure and stable than proprietary software or “closed” software because more people are looking at the code and constantly making it better, more reliable, and more productive. Whereas proprietary software can only be manipulated by the original “authors” of the code, open source allows for not only improvement but also the expectation that the code will continue to be shared by everyone. If the original authors no longer work with the code, the software will still be out there and available for public use.

Reisinger discusses how free and open source software is a “philosophy of free living.” It’s a way to study and review code, to modify it and give software control to the public, to the community, and to schools as well as public libraries. There are no costly computer programs where the “building blocks for coding are literally locked under glass.” (14) Public libraries are empowering their patrons in so many ways, why not also empower the institution itself? Something to think about.

Link to source article:  https://opensource.com/life/16/9/public-library-open-source

The post Open Source and Open Access: A Perfect Marriage first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The Sonoma County library system is not the first to include fitness classes in their programming. Jessica Zaker, a 2015 Library Journal “Mover and Shaker” and supervisor at the Sacramento Public Library’s Arcade branch, created their popular Punk Rock Aerobics class and a Zombie Survival Fitness class. The Alamance County Public Libraries in North Carolina have had an extremely successful adult Zumba class in the evenings, as well as a dance and exercise class for kids called “Moving and Grooving.” The Programming Librarian discusses this growing movement as kinetic or physical literacy. “Physical literacy gives us an awareness of our bodies in time and space; it allows us to ‘read’ what is going on in any given environment and figure out how to respond…This self-awareness can go a long way toward empathy for others and self-acceptance.”[1]

Taking your library in a health-minded direction can also offer new partnership opportunities. Many of the libraries mentioned in this post, including Sonoma County, partnered with outside groups including the YMCA, a junior college, and the Northern California Center for Well-Being. Public libraries already practice outreach and often connect with outside groups to enhance their programming and broaden their reach, so this is simply another avenue with a different focus. You don’t need a $30,000 federal grant to get started, although it certainly helps.

References

1. (1)http://www.programminglibrarian.org/blog/kinetic-literacy

Additional Resources:

http://sonomalibrary.org/events/programs/healthy-living-at-your-library

http://www.alsc.ala .org/blog/2016/06/yoga-storytime/

http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/03/people/movers-shakers-2015/lori-easterwood-jessica-zaker-movers-shakers-2015-innovators/

https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2014/02/getting-fit-the-library/

https://sonomalibrary.org/about/strategicplan

http://www.sonomahealthaction.org/content/sites/sonoma/cnha_2016/Sonoma_CHNA_FINAL_Report.pdf

Link to source article: (1)http://www.pressdemocrat.com/lifestyle/6121752-181/get-fit-healthy-at-sonoma

The post Promoting Health and Fitness Literacy at the Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Nick Higgins, director of Outreach Services at Brooklyn Public Library, started this “TeleStory” program in 2014. He had previous experience working as a librarian at Rikers Island for a few years and proceeded to work closely with the Department of Corrections to turn visitation rooms, used primarily for video chats with attorneys, into a warm and welcoming environment for prisoners to video chat with their families. The process to schedule a “visit” is fairly simple: The family of the incarcerated gives the BPL forty-eight hours’ notice before a desired visit so that the appropriate paperwork can be filled out and the visit can be arranged and scheduled. The demand, however, has gone up so much that some families have had to be turned away, so the additional TeleStory stations will alleviate the lack of resources and bring more families together.^[4]

What BPL is doing is not just innovative but also incredibly necessary. As more and more prisons are doing away with in-person visits and favoring video visitation instead, they are also charging family members of the incarcerated about a dollar per minute for the privilege to communicate with each other. For low-income communities with high incarceration rates, the cost of communication/contact with imprisoned family members can leave a family deeply in debt, furthering the incarceration cycle; “Poverty, in particular, perpetuates the cycle of incarceration, while incarceration itself leads to greater poverty.”^[5]

Although it has been statistically shown that the more in-person prison visits an individual receives, the less likely they are to return to prison by violating their parole or re-offending after release, prisons continue to remove in-person visits in order to save money.^[6] Texas has been a prime example of this phenomenon: Texas legislators passed bill HB 549 in May of 2015,^[7] which stated that prisons must “provide each prisoner at a county jail with a minimum of two in-person, noncontact visitation periods per week of at least 20 minutes duration each.”^[8] At least twenty-two counties in Texas have since won an exemption to the bill, thereby confining visits to video chats only.^[9] And they are continuing to charge exorbitant prices, sometimes as much as thirty dollars for twenty minutes of communication.^[10]

The battle for in-person visitation is beginning to move towards other states.^[11] It’s clear that the tele-visit is not only staying but is the only option for some families. The fact that the BPL is creating a safe and affordable space for families takes away some of the toll, both financial and emotional, that incarceration puts on the incarcerated and their families, hopefully abating the damage of the poverty-prison cycle.

References

[1] Stephen M. Lilienthal, “Prison and Libraries: Public Service Inside and Out,” Library Journal, February 4, 2013.

[2] Jack Smith IV, “Prisons Want to Use Tech to End In-Person Visits — These Librarians Have a Different Plan,” Mic, June 23, 2016.

[3] Chris Weller, “This library’s heartwarming program lets inmates read stories to their kids on video chat,” Tech Insider, June 30, 2016.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Saneta deVuono-powell et al, “Who Pays? The True Cost of Incarceration on Families,” Executive Summary (Oakland, CA: Ella Baker Center, Forward Together, Research Action Design, 2015), 11.

[6] “Prison Visits Make Inmates Less Likely To Commit Crimes After Release, Study Finds,” RJNews 13, no. 1, March 2012, reprinted with permission by Corrections.com.

[7] Jack Smith IV, “The End of Prison Visitation,” Mic, May 5, 2016.

[8] An act relating to certain duties of the Commission on Jail Standards regarding visitation periods for county jail prisoners, House Bill 549, Texas Government Code 20 (2015): 4.

[9] Jack Smith IV, “The End of Prison Visitation.”

[10] Jack Smith IV, “Prisons Want to Use Tech to End In-Person Visits — These Librarians Have a Different Plan.”

[11] Jack Smith IV, “The End of Prison Visitation.”

The post TeleStory Connects Familes at Brooklyn Public Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Words are powerful, and the Library of Congress (LC) regularly changes its subject headings to reflect the preferred or most neutral terminology used by the population. Most of the time, there is no major uproar when a subject heading is changed, but the recent retirement of the “illegal alien” subject heading has caused some politicians in Congress to order the Library of Congress to keep the subject heading to match the current legal language.^[1][2]

This change made by the LC was not necessarily a political move, although it has now become a political issue. The LC often looks at proposals to change their subject headings and, in fact, had denied the same request to change the subject heading “illegal alien” in 2014.^[3] It was only when a group of students from Dartmouth College formed a coalition called CoFIRED (Coalition for Immigration Reform, Equality and DREAMers), along with the help of different librarian associations, petitioned the LC to stop using the term that the proposal was accepted. CoFIRED calls “illegal alien” a “dehumanizing, inaccurate, offensive, and inflammatory term.”^[4]

Despite being used in law, the LC believes that the term has now become pejorative and instead of using “illegal alien,” would use the more neutral “noncitizen,” and “unauthorized immigration” to refer to the broader issue.^[5] House Republicans argue that “illegal alien” is not a pejorative term but is simply the definition of someone who enters into the country from a foreign country without authorization. House Democrats argue that the U.S. Code is often “slow to catch up to the times,” with words like “negro,” “oriental,” and “retarded” all being used at some points.^[6] Although “illegal alien” does technically mean what the Republicans are arguing, it is often used to refer to a very specific demographic, thereby, arguably, making the term indeed pejorative.

What nullifies the challengers’ point, however, is that even if the term “illegal alien” remains retired, it will still be cross-referenced to “noncitizen”; a “see noncitizen” statement would follow someone’s search of “illegal alien.” In “Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings,” J. Beall states that “using a controlled vocabulary with cross references from variant forms of names is crucial to providing access to these materials.”^[7] The digital catalog has made this transition very easy. Those who feel strongly about the legal speak can still look up information using “illegal alien” and then proceed through “noncitizen” to obtain their materials.

Since librarianship is a profession that stays on the forefront of change, especially in recent years, librarians need to be reminded that we can and do actually positively affect our society. In 1972, after a letter was sent to the LC requesting the reclassification of books dealing with the subject of homosexuality under the category of “Abnormal Sexual Relations, Including Sexual Crimes” to a less pejorative one, the LC decided to change the subject heading to “Homosexuality, Lesbianism—Gay Liberation Movement, Homophile Movement.”^[8] As Charles Duhigg describes in his book, The Power of Habit, “News of the new policy spread across the nation. … Within a few years, openly gay politicians were running for political office in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Oregon, many of them citing the Library of Congress’s decision as inspiration.”^[9] Indeed, the reclassification was so influential that the Gay Rights movement was not making any headway before it at all.^[10] This issue is not about being politically correct or whitewashing a term until it has no meaning; it is about making stigmatized terms neutral so that society can move forward.

References

[1] Lisa Peet, “Library of Congress Drops Illegal Alien Subject Heading, Provokes Backlash Legislation,” Library Journal, June 13, 2016.

[2] Stephen Dinan, “House orders Library of Congress to maintain ‘illegal alien’,” Washington Times, June 10, 2016.

[3] Jessica Chasmar, “Library of Congress drops term ‘illegal alien’ after Dartmouth students protest,” Washington Times, March 30, 2016.

[4] Lisa Peet, “Library of Congress Drops Illegal Alien Subject Heading, Provokes Backlash Legislation.”

[5] Stephen Dinan, “House orders Library of Congress to maintain ‘illegal alien’.”

[6] Ibid.

[7] J Beale, “Ethnic Groups and Library of Congress Subject Headings,” Colorado Libraries 32, no. 4 (2006): 37–44.

[8] Charles Duhigg, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business (New York: Random House, 2014), 44.

[9] Duhigg, The Power of Habit, 99.

[10] Duhigg, The Power of Habit, 99–100.

The post “Illegal Alien,” See: “Noncitizen” first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin stated that “[the federal guidance letter] is a truly significant moment not only for transgender young people but for all young people, sending a message that every student deserves to be treated fairly and supported by their teachers and schools.”[6] They can now follow clearly stated guidelines like those already written in the CPS policy on the support of transgender and gender nonconforming students. And despite the conservative backlash, the idea that schools can lose federal funding[7] if they don’t comply with the guidelines is a remarkable step forward, especially after North Carolina’s controversial HB2 ruling in April, which states that public institutions must designate bathrooms based on biological sex.[8] But the HB2 ruling has seen its own backlash in North Carolina, including from library institutions.[9]  Macey Morales, deputy director of ALA’s Public Awareness Office, stated that “The law contradicts the core values, purpose, and diversity work of ALSC and undermines civil rights and the fundamental principles upon which libraries are founded” in regards to the Association of Library Services to Children cancelling their conference in NC this year.[10] The Chapel Hill Public Library’s Director Susan Brown had this to add: “I do believe that libraries should carve out that political-neutral space when it comes to endorsing candidates and things. But when it comes to whether or not we open our doors to everybody, and one of our core values of being open to all, then I think that’s a bit different.”[11]

School and public libraries have a responsibility to support the new federal guidelines on transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. Public libraries are closely tied to schools, and it’s important to be an ally, to provide a safe space that really is open to all. It goes beyond designating a single bathroom as gender neutral, which only keeps the issue as separate but equal. This is a civil rights issue, and libraries are at the forefront of making positive change happen. As  Rebecca T. Miller, editorial director of Library Journal and School Library Journal articulates, “The joined voices [of libraries] are a testament…to how far we’ve come in instilling positive, inclusive policy to support the wide-ranging diversity of human experience among us. Let’s make the free society we claim to have a reality for those who have been disenfranchised.”[12]

References

[1] “Chicago Public Schools Introduces New Guidelines to Support Transgender Students, Employees and Adults,” Chicago Public Schools press release, May 3, 2016.

[2] Gregory Korte, “Schools must allow transgender bathrooms, Department of Education says,” USA Today, May 13, 2016.

[3] Emanuella Grinberg, “Feds issue guidance on transgender access to school bathrooms,” CNN, May 14, 2016.

[4] Gregory Korte, “Schools must allow transgender bathrooms, Department of Education says,” USA Today, May 13, 2016.

[5] “GUIDELINES REGARDING THE SUPPORT OF TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONCONFORMING STUDENTS,” Chicago Public Schools, May 3, 2016.

[6] Emanuella Grinberg, “Feds issue guidance on transgender access to school bathrooms,” CNN, May 14, 2016.

[7] Gregory Korte, “Schools must allow transgender bathrooms, Department of Education says,” USA Today, May 13, 2016.

[8] Jeff Brady, “When A Transgender Person Uses A Public Bathroom, Who Is At Risk?” NPR, May 15, 2016.

[9] Lisa Peet, “North Carolina Librarians, Library Associations React to HB2,” Library Journal, May 11, 2016.

[10] Macey Morales, “ALSC Cancels 2016 National Institute in Charlotte, North Carolina in response to HB 2,” American Library Association, April 18, 2016.

[11] Lisa Peet, “North Carolina Librarians, Library Associations React to HB2,” Library Journal, May 11, 2016.

[12] Rebecca T. Miller, “Defending Inclusion,” Library Journal, April 26, 2016.

The post Do Not Go Gentle into That Gender Neutral Bathroom first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Dr. Briony Birdi, a lecturer in librarianship at the Information School in Sheffield, England, was interviewed by BBC, and when it was suggested that public libraries are “dead in the water,” she wrote her own response: “Libraries aren’t over, they will just look different.”[3] And perhaps this will be the case. Public libraries in England are rolling out Wi-Fi for all their (remaining) libraries, as well as adding digital and e-lending options in order to stay up to date. They are trying to stay relevant in a society where the use of public computers and book checkouts is in decline.[4] But in the future, will the face of public libraries be a volunteer?

Volunteers are a part of the fabric of a public library, whether in the United Kingdom or in the United States, and help with necessities like administration, program assistance, and shelving, but Birdi points out that “some politicians and other commentators seem to forget that there is an important distinction between volunteers used to supplement an existing service, and volunteers either replacing the specialised roles of paid library staff, or working in ‘community-run’ libraries.”[5] There are success stories with running a community library, but as discussed in “Words With Jam,” it depends on very specific circumstances and affluence. Communities with disparity and poverty are not necessarily the right places to remove public libraries with the expectation that those communities will then run them themselves. Volunteering at a library requires time and commitment, and beyond that, a community-run library still requires money in order to function. Birdi also adds that people working in community-run libraries feel in competition with public libraries and don’t have access to the same level of resources and connections.[6]

Because of all these aspects, Birdi sees “an utter lack of consistency of provision across towns and cities.”[7]  Librarian Ian Anstice, who runs Public Libraries News, states that “[England’s] public library system used to be envy of the world. Now it is used as a cautionary tale that librarians use worldwide to scare their colleagues.”[8] He also states that what’s happening now with the addition of community-run libraries “atomises the public library system into various local clubs, run by people often without any training.”[9]

One thing is very clear with all these cuts: It is the underprivileged members of society that are really the victims. And perhaps Anstice is correct that American public libraries might indeed view what’s happening in England as a cautionary tale. But all’s not lost in England as Birdi concludes: “[P]ublic libraries haven’t disappeared yet – but if we stop talking about them…we’re not exactly contributing to a rosy future.”[10]

References

[1] “Libraries: The decline of a profession?” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[2] “Libraries lose a quarter of staff as hundreds close,” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[3] Briony Birdi, “Libraries aren’t ‘dead in the water’ – even if some have given up,” Conversation, March 30, 2016.

[4] “Libraries lose a quarter of staff as hundreds close,” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[5] Briony Birdi, “Libraries aren’t ‘dead in the water’ – even if some have given up,” Conversation, March 30, 2016.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ian Anstice, in “Libraries lose a quarter of staff as hundreds close,” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[9] Ian Anstice, in “Libraries: The decline of a profession?” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[10] Briony Birdi, “Public librarianship research is dead in the water – isn’t it?” Information School News (Sheffield), February 5, 2015.

Resources

Voices for the Library

Public Libraries News: Practicalities

Words with Jam: Who Do We Want Running Our Libraries?

The post Cuts Too Deep? England’s Public Libraries in Trouble first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

It appears that this came to fruition when there was a complaint from an owner of a nearby tutoring company at a Board meeting. The owner had issue with a rival tutoring company using the Park Ridge Public Library as the meetup for its tutors and their tutees. He threatened to end his lease and send his own tutors to the library to save money on rent.[3] The Board then considered this issue for over six months and looked into other Illinois libraries and what their policies are in regards to tutors. (Read more about this case using the Resources below.) Interestingly, there are other Illinois libraries that do have policies that prohibit tutoring. For example, the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library stipulates on its patron behavior page that conducting for-profit business involving two or more people is prohibited, but the Park Ridge Public Library does not have a distinction between for-profit or not. This means that high school students that tutor peers or school teachers that tutor in their free time are also required to pay $10 for every hour they spend assisting a student.

This is not the first fee requirement from PRPL, as they charge reciprocal borrowers to use their computers as well as for attending their programs. And the idea of charging patrons at a public library for services certainly isn’t new, as most of us charge patrons for printing, overdue items, and using materials in Maker Spaces. It makes sense to do this particularly when budgets are lean; but what about the idea that the public library is meant for the public? As the newest ALA public awareness campaign states, libraries transform and we as a profession are trying to make libraries more accessible and even more a function of the community. We want to build public awareness about all the great things that the library has to offer and to get more people in the door. With business centers cropping up in other libraries like the Skokie Public Library that encourage people to come in for help to start, manage, or grow a business, the idea of restricting someone’s livelihood seems to also decrease public trust.

And beyond that, how will a rule like this be enforced? The task of policing what people are doing will fall directly onto the librarians at PRPL. And according to the PRPL policy, they will only accept cash or check because the reference desk does not have a credit card reader. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Add your thoughts in the comments.

References:

[1] Jennifer Johnson. “Businesses offer space, money to Park Ridge tutors after library announces fees,” Chicago Tribune, January 26, 2016.

[2] “Use of Library Facilities: Business Organizations in the Library,” Park Ridge Public Library, January 19, 2016.

[3] Anne Lunde. “$10-An-Hour Library Fee…How Park Ridge Got Here,” Journal Online, January 25, 2016.

Resources:

Park Ridge Public Library Adopts New Policy for Conducting Business On its Premises 1/19/2016

Patrons Conducting Business in the Library – FAQs

Tutors’ free use of Park Ridge library up for debate

Park Ridge City officials speak out on library fee controversy

Unenforceable Fees

A Valedictory Address Worth Watching

Edited 3/10/16

The post To Charge or Not to Charge? A Tutoring Story first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Services like these are another great way for public libraries to showcase their relevance and make themselves more flexible in the modern public sphere. Providing 24/7 access to movies and books in more convenient places for busy commuters who may not be able to access the public library during regular hours is a wonderful opportunity to connect.[3] The kiosks are simply extensions of the same service behind having book drop boxes in areas other than the library: patron convenience. Public libraries in the United States are inputting kiosks at airports as well as local YMCAs and community centers. Japan has kiosks that allow patrons to scan their library card, choose an e-book, and then receive a QR code to scan with a smartphone or tablet to get their book!

The TPL project will cost $200,000 per kiosk and be funded by the city, but other public libraries have used alternative funding sources such as grants to open kiosks in their own cities or towns.[4][5] Beyond being a friendly convenience and service for patrons, having the library represented in unexpected areas is a great advertisement—a reminder to people that haven’t been to a library in a while that we’re still here and viable (and the e-book element is a nice tool to showcase that not only are we here but that we’re along for the modern ride).

References:

[1] Kendra Mangione. “Library book-lending kiosk coming to Union Station,” CTV Toronto News, August 6, 2015.

[2] “Book-lending machine coming to Toronto’s Union Station.” CBC Books, August 6, 2015.

[3] Jim Coyle. “Toronto Public Library gives commuters a ticket to read,” The Toronto Star, January 3, 2016.

[4] “Book-lending machine coming to Toronto’s Union Station.” CBC Books, August 6, 2015.

[5] Kendra Mangione. “Library book-lending kiosk coming to Union Station,” CTV Toronto News, August 6, 2015.

The post Toronto Public Library Installs Book Kiosk at Union Station first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The tech center, since officially opening on November 7, 2015, has seen over 15,000 visitors, with over 800 people attending programs and events. On the Do Space’s blog, the Executive Director, Rebecca Stavick, writes that she hopes that the space will inspire Omahans to feel “empowered to lead the nation in innovation.” It’s actually a part of their Vision Statement: “Do Space, as the heart of a community technology movement, inspires Omaha to lead the nation in innovation.” Appropriately, Rebecca Stavick previously worked for five years as a Staff Development Specialist at OPL and in her free time on Open Nebraska, an organization she cofounded that focuses on technology education and emphasizes open access; it will also be partnering with the tech center in the future.  It seems like Do Space is a perfect marriage of Stavick’s two previous roles, and she is the perfect liaison to bring both the OPL and Open Nebraska on board as community partners.

John B. Horrigan, in Libraries at a Crossroads, points out that there are “some 30% of those ages 16 and over [that] think libraries should “definitely” move some print books and stacks out of public locations to free up more space for such things as tech centers, reading rooms, meeting rooms and cultural events; 40% say libraries should “maybe” do that; and 25% say libraries should “definitely not” do that.” So how can other libraries develop either an affiliation with a center like this or create one within their own space if possible? The important elements for public libraries to take note of in Do Space are the community partnerships that lead to the space developing and going from just an idea to fruition. YOUmedia and the Maker Lab at Harold Washington Library in downtown Chicago, for example, are both grant-funded and offer technology programs as well as equipment to mess around with. They partnered with groups like the Digital Youth Network  and the MacArthur Foundation as well as Motorola and the City of Chicago in order to develop spaces for teens and adults to tinker, learn, and grow in, and it’s free to use just like Do Space. Public libraries need to continue to work towards empowering their patrons to develop their information and digital literacy skills, and sometimes reaching out to the community at large can make something really special happen!

Sources:

Horrigan, John B. “Libraries at the Crossroads.” Report by the Pew Research Center, 15 September 2015. Web. http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/09/15/libraries-at-the-crossroads/. Accessed 7 January 2016.

Kelly, Bill. “Will A Nebraska Community Tech Center Force Us To Consider Libraries Without Books?” NET, November 30, 2015. Web. http://netnebraska.org/article/news/1001826/will-nebraska-community-tech-center-force-us-consider-libraries-without-books. Accessed 7 January 2016.

Peet, Lisa. “Rebecca Stavick, Omaha’s First Digital Librarian.” Library Journal, April 27, 2015. Web. http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/04/people/rebecca-stavick-omahas-first-digital-librarian/. Accessed 7 January 2016.

Resources:

http://www.dospace.org/space

http://omahalibrary.org/

http://www.chipublib.org/maker-lab/

http://www.chipublib.org/youmedia/

http://digitalyouthnetwork.org/

https://www.macfound.org/

The post Tech Centers Are Coming to a Library Near You! first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Schools, churches, individuals like Ms. Estella and her Brilliant Bus, as well as public libraries are on the forefront of introducing these services to communities, but it’s really public libraries that can take advantage of this as an opportunity to better their community and do something special. This is a chance to partner with other groups and corporations, such as Best Buy or local organizations, that can bring in money, supplies, and mentors for patrons to really help add to the tech lab/mobile lab experience. And public libraries are in the unique position to receive subsidies for providing this service. The article  “Can ed-tech inequality be solved by roving buses with Wi-Fi and loads of equipment?” discusses this in context with comparing programs that schools are now starting to provide as well as outside groups like the City of Chicago’s Destination: Chicago Mobile Van which is run through the Digital Youth Network. “Federal e-rate subsidies for educational Internet can’t be used for buses or other off-campus applications. Oddly enough, bookmobiles are eligible for e-rate, because they’re considered a mini branch of the library.”

This seems like a great time for public libraries to bust out the old bookmobiles and revamp them for the modern digital age. Although this service may not be green in the long run and can be very expensive, it’s a hole for public libraries to fill before hopefully access to the Internet becomes more of a utility like water or gas for all Americans. Examples of public libraries using mobile labs to their benefit include the San Francisco Public Library’s Techmobile that offers classes ranging from Basic Computer Skills, to Intro to 3D Printing and LEGO Robotics. Kokomo, Indiana has a bookmobile that beams out free Internet in low-income neighborhoods, and in Providence, Rhode Island, their bookmobile loans out 4G mobile hotspots.  This is so important when we have what the ed-tech inequality article discusses as “technology deserts” in lower income neighborhoods that often hold minority or immigrant residents. And it’s a great way to connect with and get those patrons to come to the actual library once they understand the types of assets that the public space can provide them. Beyond that, it’s an opportunity for public libraries to advertise just how important and pertinent they still are in these modern times.

Source article:

Berdik, Chris. “Can Ed-tech Inequality Be Solved By Roving Buses With Wi-Fi and Loads of Equipment?” The Hechinger Report. Last modified October 21, 2015.

Further resources:

http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000795701

http://hechingerreport.org/kids-no-internet-home-parking-wifi-enabled-school-bus-near-trailer-park/

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/mayor/press_room/press_releases/2015/july/mayor-emanuel-launches-destination–chicago-mobile-van-to-bring-.html

http://estellasbrilliantbus.org

http://estellasbrilliantbus.org/about-our-ceo/

http://news.microsoft.com/features/microsofts-super-bowl-ads-feature-the-inspiring-stories-of-estella-pyfrom-and-braylon-oneill/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cw4jmKQs0E

The post From Bookmobile to Techmobile first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The European Bureau of Library, Information, and Documentation Associations (EBLIDA) is an independent umbrella association of library, information, documentation, and archive associations and institutions in Europe. They’ve issued a press release on the topic “Public Libraries in Europe Welcome Refugees”. The release includes this important statement: “EBLIDA understands the concerns of some countries in dealing with the refugee crisis and acknowledges that careful consideration requiring governmental measures at European and local level are necessary to facilitate the mass migration. At the same time, EBLIDA believes that libraries all over Europe should act as a platform for democratic and open-minded values, and be a safe place where social inclusiveness for all is a priority.”  Many European countries have taken this to heart accordingly and appropriately.

In Germany, there has been an initiative launched that focuses on not just providing the basic resources of food and shelter to refugees, but also offering education and cultural programming to promote integration. France had a conference in Calais on September 29th regarding how to handle the refugee crisis titled: “Migrants in libraries: what do they need, how to welcome them, which services to provide?” Norway is holding fundraisers, donating books, giving library cards to refugees, and the Norwegian National Library has a grant for 10,000 Euros to buy more books in Arabic. Some British libraries are using their spaces as donation centers so that refugees can receive much needed supplies including tents, sleeping bags, clothing, shoes, soap and blankets.

The Network, a UK website that deals with social exclusion in libraries, museums, etc., discusses the refugee crisis in an article titled “How Can the Cultural Sector Support Refugees?” and points out that not only should libraries provide information to refugees, but that the libraries also should provide information about refugees to the greater community. Specifically, “about the realities of refugees’ lives, and to support refugees themselves, celebrating their achievements, as well as helping with understanding of why they have become refugees.”

Public libraries in the United States can take some of what is being done in Europe with the current refugee crisis and apply it to their own communities, particularly for communities with large immigrant populations. Although not all immigrants are refugees, they have left their countries, are in unfamiliar territory, and may not have a lot of knowledge about their new culture or a large support structure. As an immigrant myself who regularly used my American public library for access to materials, I cannot emphasize enough how important it was for my family and me to be able to integrate into the community with the help of our local library.

That library happened to be the wonderful Skokie Public Library in Skokie, Illinois, which continues to be aware of its diverse community and pushes its patrons to look outside their own bubbles. This includes the fantastic Coming Together in Skokie and Niles Township program that “spotlights” a particular culture. 2015 focused on race in general, while previous years focused on specific communities including Korea, Greece, Assyria, and the Philippines. We should be proud that our profession as a whole chooses to be so inclusive and open-minded, and we need to continue to find new ways to expand our patrons’ bubbles (as well as our own), and continue to look at new ways to stay inclusive and supportive of diversity.

The post Refugees Supported by Public Libraries in Europe first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Although the idea of no overdue fines is fairly fresh, it is by no means brand new. Other public libraries in states such as Massachusetts, Ohio, and Colorado also have similar policies in place. The big question is whether or not this becomes a drawback as far as funding for the library itself and whether or not patrons will actually bring items back without the incentive of fines. VAPL details some of their answers to this on their website athttp://vapld.info/fines. It appears that fines only amount to less than 1% of their total annual budget. VAPL also states that the cost of staff time to handle overdue fines and of processing the amounts to more than what they’re earning back from patrons. And just because overdue fines are eliminated does not mean that patrons will not have consequences for not returning items. Depending on the library, patrons have thirty-five to forty-five days to return overdue items before they are charged replacement costs as well as a $10 collections processing fee. VAPL states that most often it will not come to this; patrons are motivated to return items because others are waiting and because there is a due date, not because of a dime per day overdue policy. Beyond that, library cards will be suspended two weeks after patrons do not return their items. Along the way, reminder emails and letters for the items to be returned are sent out, and patrons always have the option to renew the item to avoid it becoming overdue in the first place.

The American Library Association also discusses fines and fees in Article V of their Library Bill of Rights. Although not specifically referring to overdue fines, they do state that: “All library policies and procedures, particularly those involving fines, fees, or other user charges, should be scrutinized for potential barriers to access.”  This is a particularly important note given the future of public libraries in general. We want to make the library institution as accessible as possible for anybody. We want the poor to be able to come in and lift themselves up; we want the youth to be able to feel unhindered to come into the library and enjoy our programs and materials. Unfortunately, funding for public libraries is not universal and there are public libraries that function off a shoestring budget so eliminating overdue fines may not work for them. However, they can implement Food for Fines or waiving fines from children and teen library cards for reading. Although it doesn’t completely eliminate barriers to access, this may be a great way for public libraries that continue to charge overdue fines to promote trust and goodwill with their patrons. The trend with public libraries does appear to be moving towards a more goodwill approach, so perhaps we’ll see more libraries jumping on the bandwagon in the next few years.

Source Article: http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/08/12/vernon-area-public-library-no-longer-collecting-overdue-fines/

Additional sources:

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/economicbarriers

http://yalsa.ala.org/blog/2011/07/28/waiving-fines-to-promote-literacy/

http://vapld.info/fines

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150811/news/150819815/

http://patch.com/illinois/crystallake/no-more-overdue-fines-algonquin-public-library-users

http://www.eapl.org/no-more-late-fees-another-reason-love-your-library

The post The End of Overdue Fines? first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Weeding or “deaccession” is a standard all librarians are familiar with. Following the CREW (Continuous Review Evaluation Weeding) guidelines, items at libraries need to be removed or replaced in order to make room for new titles as well as items in good condition. However, when a library has not properly weeded items in many years, and when a centralized plan of action is put into play, many community members and professionals in the field cry foul play. This is not just something that BPL is currently under fire for; many public libraries have had to deal with backlash when large numbers of books are removed.

The Urbana Free Library in Urbana, Illinois, another community with a large and well-known academic environment, was criticized for a similar large-scale weeding project back in 2013.  That summer was known as “#bookgate” in Urbana. I called and spoke directly with Celeste Choate, who has served as executive director at Urbana Free Library (UFL) since April of 2014. She expressed that the removal of books is a really complicated situation that leaves emotions running high amongst community members. Although there was a negative response to the UFL weeding procedure, two years later it appears that the community does trust the library. Choate stated that even above how much librarians love books, they love their patrons more. So what can public libraries do to try to keep emotions at bay? Be as transparent and open as possible and be ready to have a conversation with the community at large. Beyond that, it’s important to keep a consistent and centralized collection development policy that’s approved by the Library Board. Jeff Scott, director of the Berkeley Public Library, seemed to be doing just that, but it wasn’t enough. A petition asking for the removal of Scott was signed by over one thousand people, leading to his recent resignation. 

Link to source article: http://www.berkeleyside.com/2015/07/14/protesters-rally-check-out-books-to-make-clear-concerns-over-weeding-at-berkeley-central-library/

Additional Sources used: http://www.berkeleyside.com/2015/07/08/berkeley-library-fans-voice-concern-over-weeding-of-books/

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2015/08/12/berkeley-library-director-admits-vast-discrepancies-in-numbers-of-weeded-books/

http://www.berkeleyside.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Jeff-Scott-explanatory-letter-7.6.15.pdf

https://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/sites/default/files/files/inline/2015_07_01_bolt_agenda_packet.pdf

http://www.berkeleyside.com/2015/08/31/breaking-jeff-scott-resigns-as-berkeley-library-director/

The post Weeding Backlash at Berkeley Public Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Self-publishing was something libraries considered amateur fluff when it began to flourish, but self-publishing is not a new business. Many famous authors have self-published in the past, including Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Stephen King, and E. L. James. The exponential increase in self-publishing began with the advent of technology, e-books, and more control and a higher percentage of profit to the author. At this point, Amazon’s self-published book sales are over 30%, offering the author 70% of the profit. Compared to the 8% to 15% revenues offered by publishers to their contracted authors, no wonder both amateurs and well-knowns are flocking to self-publishing.

Public libraries are feeling the pressure to showcase self-published works, and a great way to highlight this type of collection (available oftentimes digitally or as a print on demand title) is to showcase local authors. This is exactly what the Soon to be Famous Illinois Author Project is all about. In order to submit a self-published work, the writer must be a current Illinois resident and the work must be sponsored by an Illinois Library (including school and special libraries). For now, submissions must be Adult Fiction, but perhaps that may change as the project evolves. Additional information on the submission process can be found on the Soon to be Famous Illinois Author Project website. Beyond that, the website offers other Illinois libraries the opportunity to get involved, as well as an application for librarians to serve as a judge. In 2015, there were over 100 submissions by local authors. The 2016 applications are not available currently, but the project will be accepting nominations from October 12^th, 2015, through January 4^th, 2016.

Sources:

1. “The Making of the Illinois Author Project.” American Libraries Magazine. Accessed July 23, 2015. http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/the-making-of-the-illinois-author-project/.

2. Barrington Library. It’s A Writingful Life: The Soon To Be Famous Illinois Author Project, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgjAvSBkoKg.

3. “Soon to Be Famous (TM) Illinois Author Project.” Accessed July 23, 2015. http://soontobefamous.info/.

4. LaRue, James. “The Next Wave of Tech Change | Self-Publishing & Libraries.” Library Journal. Accessed July 23, 2015. http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/10/publishing/self-publishing-and-libraries/the-next-wave-of-tech-change-self-publishing-libraries/.

The post Spotlighting Self-Published Authors – the Challenge to Libraries first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Summer Reading Club 2015 – Read to the Rhythm from Vernon Area Public Library on Vimeo.

The video itself took approximately two months to make, from the initial concept to the finished product. Three Youth Services Librarians, including myself, were on the SRC promotional video team and we decided that a current hit would be a good way to engage all ages. Once we picked “Uptown Funk,” we had to write the lyrics! Youth Services Librarians are known for their creativity and silliness, and our crew is no different. We knew what main points we wanted to cover and filled in the lyrics to go with the original melody. We made sure to emphasize that it really was for all ages. We then recorded our lyrics on GarageBand and used a karaoke version of “Uptown Funk” as the main track.

At this point, it was time to storyboard, which turns out to be the most important element of making a great, professional-looking video. It’s also a great way to keep the filming process on track. You can google “storyboard template” for a variety of free templates. We had an idea of how to visualize the video based off our lyrics and then combined moments similar to the original music video. We used the library’s camera, a tripod, and iMovie and GarageBand on our library’s Macbooks to do the film and soundtrack editing. We didn’t use anything that most public libraries wouldn’t already have on hand!

For more creative shots, we used duct tape and taped our camera to a library cart for stability. We also recorded more footage than we needed in order to ensure that we had enough material to work with. How did we convince other departments to participate? By gently reminding them that “it’s for the children” and by bringing donuts for all participants as friendly bribery. We filmed for an hour before the library opened one morning, and for an hour after the library closed one night, with all participating staff paid for their time (something we had discussed with all of our department heads ahead of time).

One caveat of making a quality music track and music video is that you do need to have at least one person on your team who is comfortable working with or learning to work with iMovie and GarageBand. If no one on your library’s staff is familiar with this technology, you can use lynda.com for some training if your library has it available, or search on YouTube for instructions. Once you know the basics, you’re ready to make a promotional video that engages the library staff and your patrons. Plan ahead and you’ll have a rollicking start to next year’s Summer Reading Club!

The post Summer Reading Club Promotional Videos first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

New York City has over 730,000 homes without internet or broadband access. Unlike smaller cities like Chattanooga, Tennessee, that are making public broadband a reality through their local government, it is simply not feasible for New York’s large and diverse population to do the same thing. In this day and age, people do expect to have internet access anytime and anywhere, just like other public utilities (i.e. water or power). And although the FCC officially classified broadband as a public utility this past February, it will not involve itself in pricing decisions/negotiations. This leaves the cost of internet to be, on average, $60 per month, fundamentally turning a public utility into a luxury item for many.

New York City is trying to give the largest internet companies a reason to become more competitive. The city developed free wireless access points with mobile computer labs and Wi-Fi hubs, including underground and public spaces as well as defunct payphone booths. Unfortunately, many residents in New York are still being left out of these smart communities.

When an affordable internet connection is a problem, it can be extremely difficult to access important online resources from home when someone is unemployed or underemployed. It can be just as difficult for someone’s school-age children to do their homework or do research without online access. Some families struggle with these issues, but find relief in the accessibility of public libraries. However, when the local public library closes at 5pm on some days or doesn’t open at all, the digital divide widens. NYPL decided that all of their patrons should still be able to access online resources, even when they are at home.

Partnering with the Knight Foundation (along with Sprint), which awarded NYPL a $500,000 grant for this purpose, the library rolled out their hotspot lending program this year. And so far so good! A PBS story discusses one family’s journey into digital literacy growth because of the hotspot lending program. Since borrowing a hotspot from NYPL four months ago, a struggling single mother is now working on her nursing degree online, and her children can do their schoolwork at home instead of rushing to the library to complete their assignments before the building closes for the day. It’s clear that for this family and many others, NYPL has given them a sense of stability that most people take for granted.  There are other cities and public libraries developing similar lending programs for their own communities. Look into grants for your library and see your own community’s digital confidence and overall well-being grow!

Source

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/internet-scarcity/

The post Narrowing the Digital Divide: New York Public Library Loans Out Hotspots first appeared on Public Libraries Online.