The library in Panjwai is just a slice of the work that Wesa’s organization, Pen Path, does to bring books to the most war-torn regions of Afghanistan. He’s started seven libraries in rural Afghanistan, collected twenty thousand books, and has worked to reopen schools closed because of violence throughout the country.^[2]

Improving Literacy in Afghanistan

Access to books and magazines in a country where literacy rates are at 31 percent for adults and 20 percent for women is vital. The low literacy rates in the country can be partly attributed to poverty, as well as to the dominance of the Taliban and war.^[3] Education is one of the many priorities of humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan, but female literacy is one of the slowest areas to grow over the last decade.^[4]

Muhammad Nasim Haidary serves as the librarian in Panjwai, as the collection is located in his own home. While the library is available to both men and women, he has faced a small dilemma when it comes to serving the female readers in his community. Sharing women’s names publicly is not accepted socially, so he can’t keep their names in the library’s register. One solution proposed by the people in the village is to create pseudonyms for the women so they can still check out books, but remembering who is who might get confusing.^[5] Even so, the fact that the women in Panjwai now have access to books and magazines is a small yet significant step for improving literacy rates.

The Importance of Libraries as Safe Spaces

The Panjwai library not only serves the need for literacy and information access, but it is also a place of peace and safety. Hazrat-Wali Haidary, the eldest son of the family who houses the library, said that he wouldn’t have agreed to host the library a few years earlier.

“Everyone was suspicious of everything, and I wouldn’t have wanted to welcome trouble. But now, relative to other places, it is peaceful here over the past three years, and there is an atmosphere for the people to turn to education and books.”^[6]

The concept of the library as a place of safety is an international one. The Ferguson Public Library, for example, provided a safe haven during the protests around the police shooting of Michael Brown.^[7] Public libraries in Europe were on the forefront of taking in refugees seeking asylum from civil war in Syria.^[8]

In Panjwai, the library provides both opportunity and sanctuary. The libraries are just one part of Wesa’s mission for the Pen Path organization.

“Education is humanity’s best tool as it allows us to give more freedom, and brings peace, prosperity, and a better future to the people of war torn countries,” he told Global Citizen in a recent interview.^[9]

To learn more about Pen Path and Matiullah Wesa’s incredible work in Afghanistan, visit www.ppcs-qalam.org.

References

[1] Mujib Mashal, “To Feed Hungry Minds, Afghans Seed a Ravaged Land With Books,” New York Times, March 30, 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Joe McCarthy, “This Afghan Student Is Bringing Libraries to His War-ravaged Country,” Global Citizen, April 15, 2016.

[4] Lauryn Oates, “The Mother of All Problems: Female Literacy in Afghanistan,” The Guardian, June 21, 2013.

[5] Mujib Mashal, “To Feed Hungry Minds, Afghans Seed a Ravaged Land With Books.”

[6] Ibid.

[7] Lisa Peet, “Ferguson Library Provides Calm Refuge for a Torn Community,” Library Journal, November 25, 2014.

[8] Julia Pyatetsky, “Refugees Supported by Public Libraries in Europe,” Public Libraries Online, November 24, 2015.

[9] Joe McCarthy, “Why This Man Risks His Life to Educate Girls in Afghanistan,” Global Citizen, August 4, 2016.

The post The Power of the Library in a War-Torn Afghan Village first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

ID Search allows journalists to search by document source (such as the Panama Companies Registry), person, or company. Journalists can also set up email alerts notifying them when new results appear for their searches or for persons on official watchlists. They can set up their own private watchlists as well. According to OCCRP, “most sources” on ID Search are updated every twenty-four hours.^[2]

IDSearch is part of OCCRP’s Investigative Dashboard (ID), a platform that brings together data search, visualizations and researcher expertise.

Journalists and Librarians Are a Natural Match

Journalists and librarians have common a goal: the pursuit of the truth through information and research. Libraries can actively support local journalists by highlighting tools such as ID Search and other research databases.

One way might be to curate a page on your website of tools and resources for journalists or create a postcard to send to local media outlets. This blog post from TechSoup for Libraries offers even more ideas for catering to local journalists as well as some of the benefits of inviting media into your library.

You could also team up with a media outlet to offer programming around media creation and journalism. The Dallas Public Library and The Dallas Morning News are supporting the next generation of journalists through an initiative called “Storytellers Without Borders.” A Knight News Challenge grant-winner, the program encourages high school students to engage with community members while learning about opportunities in libraries and journalism.^[3] The application process for Storytellers Without Borders opens in August.

Why Libraries Should Support Journalism

Kelly Baxter of the Dallas Public Library wrote about how journalists and library science professionals experience many of the same challenges: Both have to deal with constantly changing information sources and technology. The project not only demonstrates the role libraries play in the “research, creation, and dissemination” of journalism but also “reinforces the public library’s role as a community center; a neutral space where diverse individuals are encouraged to come together to educate one another through the sharing of ideas and experience.”^[4]

Public libraries can facilitate factual, research-based journalism, whether that’s training the journalists of tomorrow or sharing tools such as ID Search.

Resources

Ginny Mies, “The Library as a Newsroom,” TechSoup for Libraries, February 11, 2014.

References

[1] Tom King, “OCCRP Launches New Search Engine for Investigative Journalists,” Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, May 30, 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Christine Schmidt, “Dallas Public Library, Dallas Morning News Team up to Develop Teenage Storytellers,” The Scoop Blog, June 23, 2016.

[4] Kelly Baxter, “Storytellers Without Borders: Activating the Next Generation of Community Journalists Through Library Engagement,” Knight News Challenge, April 22, 2016.

The post Journalists and Librarians: A Common Goal first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Diving Into the Survey Results

According to Pew, the majority (62 percent) of U.S. adults gets news on social media, and 18 percent answered that they do so often. These numbers have shifted from a slightly different Pew survey from 2013, where 49 percent of adults reported “seeing news” on social media. The new study removed three sites (Pinterest, Myspace, and Google+) and added one (Snapchat).Here are a few other key results when it comes to news on social media platforms:

• Seventy percent of Reddit users receive news through the platform (up 8 percent from data reported in 2013)
• Sixty-six percent of Facebook users receive news through the platform (up 19 percent from 2013)
• Fifty-nine percent of Twitter users receive news through the platform (up 7 percent from 2013)
• Thirty-one percent of Tumblr users receive news through the platform (up 2 percent from in 2013)

The study also examined the reach of these social networks among U.S. adults. Facebook is the largest social network and reaches 67 percent of U.S. adults. Pew writes, “The two-thirds of Facebook users who get news there, then, amount to 44 percent of the general population [of the United States].” By comparison, at 48 percent, YouTube has the second largest reach in terms of use among U.S. adults. But only about 10 percent of YouTube users reported that they get news from the video platform.^[2]

How Social Media Users Find the News

In terms of news-seeking habits, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram users are more likely to find news “by chance” when they are doing other online activities. On the flipside, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Reddit news users are evenly divided between seekers (those who actively look for news) and non-seekers (those who find it by chance).

This makes sense as Reddit has forums dedicated to news topics (such as an election or a natural disaster). Twitter, on the other hand, has become a favored tool for journalists, professional and amateur, who “live tweet” events as they occur. The Pew Research Center covered the live-tweeting phenomenon after Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast.^[3]

The Impact for Libraries

When libraries are sharing news with patrons, whether it’s about an upcoming program, a local bond measure, or an event relevant to the community, it’s important to consider the right platform. From Pew’s findings, it is apparent that Facebook is probably your best bet for sharing such information.

Libraries should be aware, however, of Facebook’s Edgerank algorithm for pages. Edgerank determines what posts people see and where they show up in people’s feeds. In other words, despite Facebook being the best place to share news, your community might not actually see your posts.^[4] Thankfully, there are a few strategies you can take to use Edgerank to your advantage, which are detailed in this TechSoup for Libraries blog post.

This survey report is also useful for library staff in understanding how patrons find time-sensitive information. If it comes from Facebook or any other social network, however, librarians might need to assist a patron with verifying that the information is factual and correct.

References

[1] Jeffrey Gottfried and Elisa Shearer, “News Use Across Social Media Platforms 2016,” Pew Research Center, May 26, 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Bruce Drake, “Twitter Served as a Lifeline of Information during Hurricane Sandy,” Pew Research Center, October 28, 2013.

[4] Michael Patterson, “A Guide to the Facebook News Feed Algorithm,” Sprout Social, January 26, 2015.

The post Pew Report: Facebook Most Popular Platform for Seeking Information first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

CIVICTechnologies, a company that provides location-based web-software solutions to libraries, published the first big data study on library services in March 2016. “Core Customer Intelligence: Public Library Reach, Relevance and Resilience” investigates the habits of core customers across ten library systems in the United States[1]. The goal of the study is to help libraries retain core customers and reach and recruit new audiences.

Collecting Core Customer Intelligence

The report defines “core customers” as a library system’s  top 20 percent of active cardholders who have checked out the most physical items. The ten library systems in this report were selected because they currently use  CIVICTechnology’s CommunityConnect, an application that integrates library data with demographics[2].

Together, these ten library systems serve 7.8 million people. The report looked at four million cardholders who made 6.74 million book and physical media checkouts in 2014 (the privacy of the individual customers was protected). Each library’s customer and checkout data was aligned with census block data, and an outside firm performed the analysis.  The report also defines customer types, a key tactic in market segmentation, such as “Green Acres” (rural upper-middle-class married couple families) and “NeWest Residents” (urban lower-middle-class mixed families)[3].

What the Report Found

As one might expect, core customer characteristics and behaviors are complex and unique from library system to library system. And even within individual library systems, the report found diversity within that top 20 percent of active cardholders. For example, some metro areas, such as Las Vegas, had “fragmented, diverse segments” of customer behavior.

Because of this diversity across systems, the report finds that the “business of public libraries is hyperlocal.” In other words, there is no one-size-fits-all model for core customer characteristics[4].

The report recommends that libraries use core customer intelligence do the following:

• Reach—The report found that libraries have core customers in every major community market segment. Data can help libraries gauge how effective their reach is.
• Relevance—The study found that libraries have relevance across a variety of customer segments. Libraries can benchmark and measure the strength of library connections to the community.
• Resilience—Data gives libraries the tools to stay flexible and adaptable in complex community and business environments.

The next steps from this report might be the creation of a toolkit or guide to exploring big data collection and reporting for public libraries. The report provides some excellent framework for getting started, but staff whose libraries did not participate in the study might wonder how they can use these same tactics. With some direction, other library systems can be empowered to make data-informed decisions as well.

Diving Even Deeper Into Library Data

While this report only covers ten library systems, it opens up a conversation about how libraries can borrow strategies from the sales and marketing world and it apply it to their own communities. Public Libraries Online’s Kristen Whitehair writes that there is great potential for crossover between the field of data science and libraries[5].  As libraries become more customer service-oriented, this sort of research is vital for longevity.

It would be fascinating to continue this research and expand it to digital items, such as e-books or audiobooks, library online database use, or even programming. Library Journal’s Lisa Peet interviewed some of the participating libraries, who shared that they’d like to see a similar study on these various facets of library service[6]. Hopefully this initial study helps pave the way for libraries to continue learning more about the customers they serve.

References

[1] Mark Futterman and Danielle Patrick Milam, “Core Customer Intelligence: Public Library Reach, Relevance, and Resilience,” CIVICTechnologies, March 2016.

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Kristin Whitehair, “More than Buzz Words: Big Data and Data Science,” Public Libraries Online, May 9, 2016.

[6] Lisa Peet, “Core Customer Study Analyzes Library Demographics,” Library Journal, March 29, 2016.

The post Using Big Data to Address Local Needs first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

He was searching for a venue to host a RailsBridge workshop, weekend event that teaches coding to diverse groups of people, in the East Bay Area in California. The local library seemed like a good place to start. He connected with Dan Beringhele, an adult services librarian at the Berkeley Public Library’s Central Library. With the support of Anwan Baker, the supervising librarian for adult services, the three planned an introductory class to coding for adults.

Berkeley has a diverse community and Baker and Beringhele wanted to see what the interest level was in learning how to code or program. The library already offered basic computer classes, but nothing more advanced so they considered the class sort of an experiment or trial run.

The Rise in Demand for Free Coding Classes

A recent Library Journal article explored the popularity of coding and programming classes at a few different library systems. Like the Berkeley Public Library, the Orlando County Library System (OCLS) offered basic computer classes in a few different subject areas. Because of the rapid growth of Orlando’s technology sector, there was an increasing demand for courses on programming language and app development. The OCLS programs have been so successful and well-received by the community, that the library system has added online classes in addition to the in-person classes.[2]

The article also discusses the need for coding courses that don’t require a long-term commitment or a high fee to attend. These free library coding classes allow anybody to test out the technical waters to see if it is something they’d like to pursue—without the financial burden.

Offering coding classes isn’t just a benefit for the community; it helps the library as well. It will likely bring in new members of the community or people who have never attended a library program or class before. At Berkeley Public Library, Baker and Beringhele noticed that many of the attendees at the class weren’t library regulars and they hadn’t seen them at any of the other computer classes.[3]

Trial and Success

Beringhele said that he and Baker don’t have much experience with coding so they left it up to Siruguri to design the curriculum.[4] Siruguri framed the class around the basic concepts of how a browser works and how coding works, which covered HTML5, CSS and JavaScript.

The class was a full house with all twenty of the classroom’s computers taken plus a few other people who brought their own laptops. Baker and Beringhele said the feedback was overwhelmingly positive from the community.

Siruguri was also pleased that not only had many attendees say they learned something, but a handful wanted to learn even more, especially about JavaScript.[5] They are planning to do a follow-up class that focuses on JavaScript and a few other advanced topics later in the spring. It will require some pre-requisite understanding of HTML so the three aren’t sure if the interest levels and attendance will differ from the previous class. But Siruguri, Baker, and Beringhele are excited to see where this new track of programming takes the Berkeley Public Library.

“We can continue to refine the process to see what classes work for our community,” said Baker. “We’re looking forward to positive things to come out it.”[6]

References:

[1] Sameer Siruguri (library volunteer) in discussion with author, March 2016.

[2] Matt Enis. “How To Talk Code | Digital Literacy.” Library Journal. February 24, 2016.

[3] Anwan Baker and Dan Beringhele (Berkeley Public Library librarians) in discussion with author, March 2016.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Sameer Siruguri (library volunteer) in discussion with author, March 2016.

[6] Anwan Baker and Dan Beringhele (Berkeley Public Library librarians) in discussion with author, March 2016.

The post Breaking Barriers: How One Library Is Making Coding More Accessible first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Protecting Patron Privacy

It’s a known fact that libraries collect personal data about patrons or volunteers, whether it is information for a library card, a name on a public access computer sign-up sheet, or a digital record of websites visited. The Pew Report found that “91% of adults agree or strongly agree that consumers have lost control of how personal information is collected and used by companies.”[1] Furthermore, the report found that Americans have “a deep lack of faith in organizations of all kinds, public or private, in protecting the personal information they collect.”[2]

How do libraries keep the faith of patrons and ensure that the library is a trusted organization? We know how committed libraries are to privacy, but our patrons might not.

Interestingly, Pew’s panel of experts interviewed for this report argued that privacy is no longer a “condition” of American life but rather that it is becoming a commodity to be purchased. The American Library Association (ALA) addresses the conundrum of the expectation of privacy in a public place: “To the greatest extent possible, the user should be able to work independently, both to afford privacy and to reduce the quantity of confidential records for which the library must be responsible.”[3] What if the library was a place where privacy was not only a condition, but a right?

A Policy and a Pledge for Digital Privacy

The ALA advises libraries to create a privacy policy to ensure that patron data is protected. The privacy policy should communicate your library’s commitment to protecting user data and should be shared with your community. The ALA recommends consulting with an attorney to craft a policy.[4]

Another step your library can take to keep the privacy faith among your community is by taking the Library Freedom Project’s Library Digital Privacy Pledge of 2015-2016. If aren’t familiar with the Library Freedom Project already, it is an excellent resource for public libraries looking to more deeply explore tools and resources on privacy and surveillance.

This year’s pledge focuses on the use of HTTPS for delivering library and information services. The Library Freedom Project writes that “HTTPS is a privacy prerequisite, not a privacy solution.” [5] HTTPS is a protocol for secure communication over a computer network. It is becoming a standard for modern websites, particularly with Mozilla announcing its intention to phase out Firefox support for HTTP in favor of the secure HTTPS protocol.

An Opportunity for Education

When it comes to educating users about privacy, American public libraries have a huge opportunity. Pew reports that “some 86% of Internet users have taken steps online to remove or mask their digital footprints, but many say they would like to do more or are unaware of the tools they could use.”

After the Snowden revelations, the San Francisco Public Library hosted an event on encryption tools with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting for citizen digital rights. Both the Philadelphia Free Library and the Monroe County Library in Indiana have also held classes and workshops on privacy and online safety (which you can read more about in the links).

The entire Pew report is worth reading as it provides a look into the behavior, concerns, and knowledge surrounding privacy and surveillance. Public libraries not only have the unique opportunity to educate communities but also to be leaders in privacy practices and technology.

References:

[1]Rainie, Lee. “The State of Privacy in America: What We Learned.” Pew Research Center. January 20, 2016. Accessed February 11, 2016. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/20/the-state-of-privacy-in-america/

[2] Ibid.

[3] “Questions and Answers on Privacy and Confidentiality.” American Library Association. July 1, 2014. Accessed February 11, 2016. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/qa-privacy

[4] Ibid.

[5] “The Library Digital Privacy Pledge.” Library Freedom Project. Accessed February 11, 2016. https://libraryfreedomproject.org/ourwork/digitalprivacypledge/

The post How Public Libraries Play a Role in the State of Privacy in America first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

At the end of 2015, IFLA released its Annual Report 2014, a good tool to get a look at the organization’s accomplishments, alliances, and strategies.  It also provides an overview of global libraries’ most pressing issues and how other governing organizations view libraries. IFLA’s 2010-15 strategic plan “focused strengthening the library and information field and positioning libraries as a force for change.”^[1] The report presents IFLA’s four Key Initiatives for 2013-2014 and describes how the organization worked on them over the past year.

Key Initiative 1: Driving Access to Content and Digital Resources

This initiative probably has the most relevance for the work you do in your library. IFLA’s Trend Report, also a fascinating read, states that new technologies will both limit and expand access to information.^[2] After the launch of the Trend Report, IFLA hosted workshops, discussions, and virtual meet-ups pertaining information access and digitization.

One interesting piece of this initiative is IFLA’s involvement in the copyright and intellectual property (IP) fields. IFLA advocated on behalf of libraries and archives at the World International Property Organization (WIPO). IFLA, however, was frustrated by the stance the EU took on IP issues, so it issued a joint letter signed by more than  one hundred library, archive, and research institutions.

Another hot issue IFLA tackled was communications surveillance. At the regional Internet Governance Forum in Istanbul, IFLA represented the library community by advocating for clear guidelines on government surveillance and human rights.

Key Initiative 2: International Librarian Leadership Development

One of IFLA’s major focuses is to raise awareness for the library profession and elevate voices in the field on a regional, national, and international level. Key Initiative 2 was focused on the International Leaders’ program and the Building Strong Library Associations (BSLA) programs, which focused on developing individuals within the programs’ skills in advocacy, planning, and collaboration skills.

Key Initiative 3: Advocacy and Advancement of the Librarian and Information Sector

The new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which succeed the UN’S Millennium Development Goals, include Quality Education, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and much more. It seems logical that libraries should play a big role in helping the UN meet these goals along with other philanthropic and charitable organizations. IFLA’s made it a priority to “ensure that the new UN Sustainable Goals recognize the importance of access to information for development, and that libraries are able to play a key role in implementing the goals.”

Throughout 2014, IFLA was active in the UN Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals and released a call for action, the Lyon Declaration on Access to Information and Development, urging UN Member States to commit to information access.

Key Initiative 4: Cultural Heritage

“Culture is a basic need. A community thrives through its cultural heritage; it dies without it,” states the fourth and final Key Initiative. IFLA has worked with UNESCO in several areas including solutions for long-term sustainable digital preservation, action plans for preserving cultural heritage in area of conflict or natural disaster, and the preservation of documentaries.

Why International Librarianship Matters

Getting a global perspective on library and information services can help us better understand how other international organizations, such as the United Nations and WIPO, inform policies and access. Additionally, having a better understanding on global library issues like surveillance, cultural preservation, and digital resources can help you prioritize and target your own library‘s goals.

References

[1] “International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions Annual Report 2014.” December 1, 2015. Accessed January 13, 2016. http://www.ifla.org/files/assets/hq/annual-reports/2014.pdf.

[2] “Trend Report.” IFLA Trend Report. Accessed January 13, 2016. http://trends.ifla.org/.

The post Global Issues, Local Impact: Diving Into the IFLA Annual Report first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The chaos of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), with its walls of giant flat screen TVs and rush of business suits, might seem like an odd place for library staff to be. But as Jason Griffey has shown in his previous years’ CES coverage for American Libraries and on his blog, librarians and staff should, at the very least, be paying attention to the news coming out of the show. Not only is CES a useful tool for your library’s own technology planning, but it can also help inform staff training. After all, those shiny new tablets and smartphones might be making their way to your reference desk in a few months.

Making Way for New, Faster, and Touchable Technology

While it’s hard to predict exactly which products and models will debut at CES, you can get a sense of what types of gadgets we’ll see by looking at the show’s schedule and show floor. For example, this year CES will have Wearables Marketplace showcasing fitness trackers, tech-enhanced jewelry and augmented reality devices. With wearables becoming more in-demand, could we have a wearable loaner program someday? Or what about drones, cameras that shoot 4K video (more on that below), or a new fleet of mobile devices for loan? CES is a great way to gauge what emerging technology is coming down the pipeline and headed to stores in your community.

It is also a useful event to plan out and support your library’s existing technology. Library Journal points out some trends seen at CES and a few questions library staff should consider. For example, is your library website responsive to more touchscreen and hybrid computers surely headed to market? Should your library plan out some programming around emerging technologies, such as drones and virtual reality consoles? Additionally, last year’s CES was a big year for 3D printers, with more models available at affordable price points. If your library is considering investing in one, you might pay close attention to what’s announced at the show.

Finally, devices, mostly TVs, that support 4K video resolution made a big splash at last year’s show. 4K resolution essentially means more pixels – about four times more than a 1080p television can display (read more about 4K resolution at Tech Radar). This year, we’ll likely see more TVs, cameras/camcorders that can capture 4K resolution video, and 4K content (both streaming and Blu-ray discs). Can your library’s streaming media be played on large UltraHD/4K TVs? Can your library’s broadband support streaming 4K video?  While it might not be in high demand yet, 4K products and services should certainly be on your radar.

Supporting Staff and Patrons with New Devices

CES isn’t a huge show for mobile devices as many manufacturers wait until Mobile World Congress in February to showcase their new smartphones and tablets or announce them independently (such as Apple). But there will surely be some new smartphones and tablets with new features, different interfaces, and varying screen sizes. One potential pain point with Android devices in particular is that manufacturers will put their own overlays or interfaces on the operating system. So you think you might know the ins-and-outs of your own Android phone, but the one that shows up at your reference desk looks totally different. If you do device and tech training for your staff, you’ll want to pay attention to both CES and Mobile World Congress news and the specs for the new devices. Depending on what’s released, you may need to update any trainings or documents you provide to your staff.

Even if your library isn’t ready to embrace some of these new technologies, staying on top of the greater consumer technology world is an important – and fun – task. The Verge, Tech Radar, and CNET all have stellar coverage so make sure to visit those sites starting January 4 – 9, 2016.

The post CES 2016 Is Your Library’s Technology Crystal Ball first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The FCC’s E-rate program connects the U.S.’s schools and libraries to broadband. In a survey of E-rate recipients, the FCC learned that nearly half of respondents reported lower speed Internet connectivity than the average American home – even though on average libraries have nearly 200 times as many users¹. To expand broadband capacity, the FCC adopted the E-rate Modernization Order on July 11, 2014.

In order for a modern library to be successful, it must have high-capacity broadband. But to take advantage of this new phase of the E-rate program, libraries actually need to apply. Use the following programs and resources to help your library get the broadband it deserves.

A LEAP toward Better Broadband

The American Library Association (ALA) and the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) started the Library E-rate Assessment Planning (LEAP) project to develop strategies to increase broadband capacity in libraries. The two-year initiative will target libraries in five pilot states: Alaska, California, Iowa, Kentucky, and North Dakota.

This pilot program will help state-level entities provide technical support and develop best practices to assist E-rate applicants so they can fully participate in and benefit from the FCC’s program. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), which administers the E-rate program, helped ALA and COSLA identify the gaps in services to libraries.

Marijke Visser, associate director of the ALA Office for Information Technology Policy, said that the USAC will work closely with the LEAP Advisory Group to develop state strategies that can be scaled to benefit libraries throughout the nation².

A Crowdsourced E-Rate Website for Libraries

If your library isn’t in one of the pilot states, there’s still help available to you. The ALA E-Rate Task Force (ERTF) wants to ensure that all libraries have the information they need to take advantage of E-rate so they came up with the Library E-Rate Clearinghouse³. This website will aggregate and crowdsource resources to assist libraries in understanding broadband planning and E-rate funding.

The goal of the Clearinghouse is to establish best practices and be a trusted resource for those just starting to explore the world of E-rate. Library staff will also have the opportunity to share their resources and advice to the greater community by way of the Clearinghouse.

An Opportunity for Tribal Libraries

According to the Whitehouse’s Broadband Opportunity Council Report and Recommendations, broadband deployment and adoption in Tribal Lands is well below national averages. And broadband speeds of at least 25 Mbps (download) and at least 3 Mbps (upload) are available to only 37 percent of people living on Tribal Lands. For context, 92 percent of urban households have access to these broadband speeds⁴. Clearly, there’s an opportunity for tribal libraries to take advantage of E-rate funding and build up the broadband capacity of their communities.

But according to the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museum’s (ATALM) Digital Inclusion in Native Communities report, only 15 percent of tribal libraries it surveyed had received E-Rate discounts in 2013. The report suggests that this low number can be attributed to “complicated eligibility requirements and a general lack of awareness” and that prior to 2013 “information about E-rate had never been disseminated specifically to tribal libraries.” But the libraries that did receive E-rate funding stated that “it makes a significant contribution to digital access and opportunities in Native communities.”⁵.

The ATALM has made equitable access to E-Rate funding a priority and encourages tribal libraries to reach out if they need assistance with the applications. Like libraries in rural and urban areas tribal libraries rely on Internet access to provide essential services to their patrons.

As Marijke Visser writes in American Libraries Magazine, Internet access is no longer optional for today’s libraries. “Without it, many library services grind to a halt and our patrons are left without access to the resources they need for education, employment, entrepreneurship, individual empowerment.”  RESOURCES

[1] “Universal Service Program for Schools and Libraries (E-Rate).” Federal Communications Commission. Accessed November 11, 2015. https://www.fcc.gov/e-rate-update.

[2] “ALA, COSLA Help Libraries LEAP Ahead and Increase Broadband Capacity.” American Library Association. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2015/10/ala-cosla-help-libraries-leap-ahead-and-increase-broadband-capacity.

[3] Visser, Marijke. “Broadband Is Coming-Is Your Library Ready?” American Libraries Magazine, November 9, 2015. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/e-rate-broadband-is-coming-is-your-library-ready/.

[4] “Broadband Opportunity Council Report and Recommendations.” U.S. Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of Agricutlure. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2015/broadband-opportunity-council-report-and-recommendations.

[5] “Digital Inclusion in Native Communities Initiative.” Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, & Museums. Accessed November 11, 2015. http://www.atalm.org/node/312.

The post Better Broadband: How Your Library Can Take Advantage of E-Rate Funds first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Why Tell Your Story Online?

Many libraries are restricted by city or county rules on employee advocacy. When funding or programs are at risk of getting cut, staff have to get creative in promoting the value of the library in the community. Digital advocacy is a great method of not only visualizing that value, but also disseminating it to your community through social networks, email newsletters, and your website.

The Rockefeller Foundation published a report in 2014 called Digital Storytelling for Social Impact, which offers insights and ideas from interviews with thought leaders in entertainment, brand strategy, and philanthropy. One of the key quotes from the report reinforces the importance of digital storytelling or advocacy for community-centric organizations, such as public libraries:

“Stories can embody values; they can show how an organization is living its life by giving tangible examples. Putting faces and names to [an organization’s] values goes much further to promoting high-level concepts that aren’t as tangible.” [1]

So where to begin? One place to start is by interviewing community members or staff members about what they like about the library and what they do while they’re there. You could also frame your story around library usage data or a timeline of a project, such as a summer reading program or an event of which you’re particularly proud. Also remember that digital advocacy comes in many forms, from blogs to videos to digital slideshows.

A Few Examples of Digital Advocacy in Action

TechSoup has an annual digital storytelling contest called Storymakers, but we’re always supporting nonprofits and public libraries in telling their stories online through educational webinars, product donations, and informative content. I thought I’d highlight some of my favorite examples of digital advocacy that we’ve seen over the years.

The Norton Public Library won the prize for Best Library Video in the 2012 Storymakers contest with its video, 12 Things to Do in a Library. Teen patrons created the video to promote the library’s collection of pop-up books. This project not only gave the teens a chance to show off their video skills, but it also created a new generation of library advocates.

The Oakland Public Library (OPL) is also engaging its community to tell the library’s stories. Sharon McKellar, the community relations librarian, talked about the importance of sharing everything you do on a TechSoup for Libraries digital storytelling webinar. Much of the library’s sharing is done on the OPL’s network of blogs, where library staff and partners write about events, share new additions to collections, and answer community questions. Sharon also does a fantastic ongoing series on strange ephemera found in the Oakland Public Library’s books, which has gotten the attention of local media as well as Library Journal.

Digital advocacy doesn’t end after the creation and production of your story. The M.N. Spear Memorial Library in Shutesbury, MA got a construction grant from the Massachusetts Boardof Library Commissioners, but it needed a local match to actually receive it. The library had to privately raise funds in five months, so library staff members produced a video called Where Would You Be Without Your Library?

The staff reached out to the Massachusetts Library Association to promote the video and somebody from the association got Cory Doctorow of BoingBoing interested. After he shared it, the campaign went viral with promotions from John Hodgman, Wil Wheaton, Neil Gaiman, and other library-loving celebrities. But the video’s success wasn’t sheer luck: the library strategically reached out to cause-driven websites and newsletters, as well as library and book-related blogs, and told them about the campaign.

At the 2016 Public Library Association conference, Crystal Schimpf of Kixal and I will be presenting on behalf of TechSoup for Libraries about the ways that digital stories can be used for advocacy efforts, from raising awareness to political action. We’ll be sharing tips and ideas on how to create a compelling story for your library, and how to leverage it to show your impact in the community. Be sure to drop by Lights, Camera, Advocacy: Digital Storytelling for Your Library session at PLA 2016.

References
1. The Rockefeller Foundation, May 06, 2014, “Digital Storytelling for Social Impact.” p. 8. https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/blog/digital-storytelling-social-impact/. Accessed October 26, 2015.

The post Share Your Library’s Impact with Digital Advocacy first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Why Tech Planning?

You might be in one of two camps when it comes to tech planning: either you’re required to create one by your administration or board or you’re making one of your own volition. But in both scenarios, you should have an understanding of why you’re creating a tech plan and what it can accomplish for your organization. This understanding will help propel you through the process. In a blog for TechSoup, Kyle Andrei of Idealware frames tech planning like this:

“Technology should be helping your organization, not holding it back. Luckily, some simple planning can go a long way toward resolving problems and preventing future issues.”

Instead of looking at it as a chore, however, you could look at tech planning as a road map to all of the amazing things you want to accomplish for your library in the next three years.

Getting Started

Now that you understand why you’re creating this tech plan, you can start building one. Block off a few hours across a week or two because this is not something you’ll be able to get done in a single afternoon. You’ll need a good sense of what technology you currently have in order to get started. Therefore, reserve your first chunk of time for doing an inventory of your current technology (computers, software, online services, staff skills, your network, and tech-related programming.).

Next you’ll want to pick a few key areas that connect to your library’s overall goals and objectives. Do you want to increase your library’s online presence? Improve your public access computers? Amp up your technology-related programming? Focus on how these things might tie into your library’s strategic plan and mission.
As you’re building out your plan, be prepared to make multiple drafts. The first time your write something out won’t be the final version. Get input from other staff on your plan, since something you have down as a goal might already be happening or in progress. Additionally, inviting outside input can help drum up support for your plan and engage other staff.

What to Include in Your Tech Plan

Libraries are different in their needs, budgets, and sizes so your tech plan isn’t going to look identical to the library the next city over’s plan. Julie Elmore, library director of the Oakland City-Columbia Township Public Library in Indiana, made some recommendations for what to include in a tech plan during TechSoup for Libraries’ Technology Planning Tips for Small Libraries webinar.
1. Mission statement. Including a mission statement can help remind you what your library’s overarching goals are and set the direction for your plan.
2. Technology inventory. Make sure to include web properties such as your website, ILS, and social media profiles in addition to hardware and software.
3. Goals and objectives. Be explicit in what you want to achieve with this plan.
4. Professional development strategy. Staff training for new technology should be incorporated into your plan.
5. Budget. Stating your budget upfront can help you stay focused on what technology goals and plans are realistic.
6. Evaluation process. Be clear in how you’ll determine what technology or software to purchase.You can make those tech dreams of makerspaces, innovative STEM programming, and new computers a reality for your library. It just requires a little (tech) planning.

More Tech Planning Resources for Libraries

Webinars:
• Technology Planning Tips for Small Libraries (TechSoup for Libraries webinar)
• Tech 101: Tactical Technology Planning (TechSoup webinar)
• Webjunction’s Tech Planning topic page

Templates, planning tools, and samples:
• Indiana State Library’s template (automatic download) (your state library may have a different template – be sure to ask!)
• TechSoup for Libraries’ Six-Step Technology Planning Tool
• Thirteen Ed Online’s tech planning questionnaire (for schools, but still can apply to libraries)

The post Tech Planning Tips for Libraries of All Sizes first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

But not all libraries have the capacity to serve summer meals. This is where Range, a mobile app created by Caravan Studios (a division of TechSoup), comes in to help. Range helps youth and those who work with them find locations where free summer meals are served.

Caravan Studios’ Community-Centered Approach

I spoke with Anna Jaeger, the CTO of Caravan Studios, to learn a bit more about the team’s approach to developing apps. Caravan’s model for understanding and prioritizing community needs is not unlike how many libraries develop programming.

Jaeger describes Caravan’s app development process as a “community-centered approach.” It’s a five-step process that begins with events called generators, where leaders from the nonprofit and library communities discuss what gets in the way of delivering their missions. The Caravan team then listens and identifies ways that technology can intervene to solve or alleviate the problems.

Caravan worked with the California Summer Meals Coalition, particularly with its director, Patrice Chamberlain, who served as an advisor for the app.

“As we start to design, build, and select, we have advisors in the community who are trusted experts who are willing to give us input and help guide our work,” Jaeger said.

Chamberlain introduced Caravan to the California Department of Education and the USDA, who further guided the team’s work. The USDA also provided Caravan with a dataset of summer meal sites across the country.

Screenshot of Range App

How Libraries Can Use Range

Public libraries are starting to play a larger role as a referrer of community health and social services. Many larger public library systems (such as Washington, D.C. and San Francisco) are adding social workers to their employee roster. In a recent TechSoup for Libraries and WebJunction co-hosted webinar, we examined social service referral programs from three libraries of varying sizes. And at ALA 2015, WebJunction showcased its Health Happens in Libraries program along with five library participants at a poster session.

But for libraries that don’t have the budget or staffing to develop a robust social services or meal program, a tool like Range is an easy (and free!) way to get started. One librarian I spoke with said that she posted a flier about Range on her library’s community bulletin board. She said that although they don’t get a lot of questions about social services, there is a high poverty rate in her community. She thought that posting Range’s information could help a family in need if they were too afraid to ask.

What’s Next for Range

One exciting addition to Range, coming in 2015, is that the app will show the locations of nearby public libraries, using library data from IMLS. That’s a whopping 17,000 libraries! Caravan held a crowdfunding campaign last spring to raise funds to also add the days and hours of operation for all of the libraries in the United States (the IMLS dataset doesn’t currently provide that information).

Why add libraries to Range? In the aftermath of the events in Ferguson, MO and in Baltimore, MD, it was evident that libraries are viewed by the community as safe places in times of crisis. But during a normal summer day, the library is also a safe place for a child who isn’t at camp, swimming, or on vacation.

You can download Range today to help youth in your library’s community locate free summer meals. Range is available for Windows Phone, Android, and Apple iOS devices.

The post How Range Can Help Libraries Connect Kids to Summer Meals first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Many of these locations are reachable by the Bay Area Rapid Transport (BART) system or close to the Moscone Center, where the conference is held.

Unique Libraries

The San Francisco Main Library, located just a few blocks away from the Moscone Center, has a fantastic History Center located on the 6^th floor with photo and book arts collections. Also, be sure to take the ALA tour of five new/renovated branch libraries.

If you’re staying in Oakland or simply want to check out what’s on the other side of the Bay, the African American Museum and Libraries is not to be missed. Close to BART, this branch of the Oakland Public Library holds over 160 collections that document African American history in California.

The Society of California Pioneers’ Alice Phelan Sullivan Library was one of the first libraries established in San Francisco. The collection boasts books and documents from the Gold Rush and biographical information on the early California Pioneers.

While you’re exploring San Francisco, you might see the name “Sutro” come up (Sutro Tower, Sutro Baths, Sutro Forest, etc.). You can explore San Francisco’s 24^th mayor’s collection at the Sutro Library, where you’ll find rare items such as Shakespeare’s folios, a collection on Mexican culture, and a first edition of the King James Bible.

And if maritime history is more of your thing, be sure to check out the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park Library, at beautiful Fort Mason. The library has over 3,000 maps and charts dating from 1850 to the present.

The Prelinger Library, located near Moscone Center, is an independent library with 19^th and 20^th century periodicals, maps, and books. There will also be an ALA evening gala on Sunday, June 28^th with library founder Rick Prelinger.

Cool Library-Related Nonprofits to Visit

The San Francisco Center for the Book is a nonprofit that promotes books and bookmaking. Drop in and visit the SFCB’s gallery, or maybe even coincide your visit with a book release party!

The Internet Archive’s physical headquarters is open to the public on Fridays from 1-3 pm. The Internet Archive founder, Brewster Kahle, is presenting at ALA in a session called “Building Libraries Together,” from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 27^th.

Has your public library requested software or hardware from TechSoup for Libraries? Or perhaps you’ve attended one of our webinars and have some suggestions? TechSoup is headquartered in San Francisco (full disclosure: I work there) and we will be in full force staff at ALA!

Bookstores and Literary Attractions

San Francisco has so many wonderful bookstores, so this is by no means a full list. City Lights in North Beach is not to be missed for its history in the Beat and counterculture movements. Green Apple Books might not be as well-known, but it’s regularly voted the best bookstore in local publications. And be sure to check out Marcus Bookstore in the Fillmore neighborhood, the oldest black bookstore in the nation.

A quick BART ride away from Moscone Center, the Mission neighborhood is full of unique bookstores such as the much-loved Dog Eared Books, the sci-fi specializing Borderlands, the collectively-owned Modern Times, and Mission Comics and Art.

The San Francisco Chronicle’s The Literary City maps Bay Area bookstores, literary sites, author homes, and much more. Travel to Gertrude Stein’s childhood home (Oakland), see where the Maltese Falcon was lifted (San Francisco), and see where the drive-in was in Hunter S. Thompson’s “Generation of Swine” (Daly City).

But if you absolutely don’t have the time to spare while at ALA, that’s okay too. Just make sure to take a second to watch the June fog roll in, briefly people-watch at the San Francisco Pride activities, and, while it might be a tourist cliché, grab a clam chowder bread bowl for lunch.

The post Explore San Francisco’s Libraries, Bookstores and Literary Landmarks While at ALA 2015 first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

What Makes a Site “Mobile-Friendly”

So what exactly qualifies as “mobile-friendly?” If you’ve ever tried to navigate a site on your smartphone that isn’t optimized for mobile, you may have experienced the frustration of not being able to read text because it’s too small or accidentally clicking on the wrong link. These are two of the elements Google checks: text size and link distance.

The other element Google checks is your site’s mobile viewport configuration. A viewport determines how a webpage is displayed on a mobile device. Without a viewport, mobile devices will display your page at desktop width, scaled to fit the screen, making it a pain to navigate. A responsive, mobile-friendly website has different layouts for different screen sizes: from large tablets to smartphones with 4-inch displays.

How to Check the Mobile-Friendliness of Your Site

If you’re not sure where your website stands in mobile-friendliness, Google helpfully provides you with a few free tools:

• You can also test individual pages using Google’s Mobile-Friendly test, which analyzes your page’s URL and reports if it has a mobile-friendly design.
• Google’s Mobile Usability feature, part of the Webmaster toolset, can help you identify mobile usability issues with your site.
• Fetch as Google lets you see your web pages the way Google’s smartphone crawler would.
• Chrome’s Device Mode and Mobile Emulation tool lets you check your mobile website’s responsiveness across various screen sizes, and assess its performance across varying connection speeds.
• If you need further assistance or explanation, you can always ask questions (and find answers!) at Google’s Webmaster Central Help Forum.

How Your Content Management System Can Help

Many content management systems (CMSes), including library-specific CMSes, offer some sort of toolset or themes to help you take your site mobile. WordPress, for example, offers WPtouch, a plug-in that automatically enables a mobile theme for visitors reaching you by way of their phones. Drupal, an open source CMS, offers mobile-friendly themes for your website. Google has a helpful guide for optimizing your Drupal site for mobile. Sites built with LibGuides are responsive out of the box so you don’t have to do any of the work to ensure your site displays correctly on all devices.

Google’s ever-changing search and indexing algorithms can be frustrating to deal with. But this particular change should serve as a nudge to start thinking about a mobile strategy for your library’s website. As nearly two-thirds of American adults own a smartphone (Pew Research Center), it is becoming increasingly important to reach your patrons wirelessly. By beginning the mobile optimization process, you will not only stay ahead of the Google game, but you’ll also better serve your smartphone-carrying patrons.

The post What Google’s Algorithm Change Means for Library Websites first appeared on Public Libraries Online.