Looking back over the last twelve months, it’s been quite a year for libraries.  There have been some bad times (okay, lots of bad times - a number of libraries closing or being threatened by closures; lots of budget cuts; stress due to staff attrition, increased business and grumpy, overwhelmed customers…), but it really feels like this is the year libraries lived up to their full potential. 

We’ve always done great things and helped lots of people, but the bad economy has expanded our influence by leaps and bounds.  Media coverage exploded as the press “discovered” the many important services we provide our users.  Residents who previously eschewed holds lists to buy their own books and DVDs realized the folly of their environmentally unsound practices and the virtues of patience.  Frugal or broke customers gave up their internet connections to use ours and attended our movie nights and programs instead of spending and arm and a leg at the local cineplex or music venue.  Laid off employees and besieged unemployment offices depended on our help.  We jumped into the breach to help our struggling towns with tips on jobs, saving money, free services, helpful government programs etc.  In short, we became a more vital and necessary part of our communities than ever before.  Now if we can just parlay that interconnectedness into increased funding.

And somehow, despite being busier than ever due to huge increases in patronage and circulation, we’ve managed to still be the innovators and thought leaders in our communities.  We’re going greener - Rangeview (Brighton) is the first carbon positive library in the US; Jefferson County has the first green bookmobile; Seattle Public recycled 75% of construction waste; North Adams Public Library heats and cools with geothermal wells and Oaklyn Branch Library took advantage of the constant temperature of the earth and found itself a snug home in the side of a hill.  We’re providing better customer service - Houston PL will deliver materials to your car, elsewhere staffers are roaming the stacks to help patrons at their point of need, libraries are using market segmentation to refine their offerings.  We’ve got kiosks in shopping malls and airports, staffless libraries and vending machines.  We’re using marketing in new ways - cereal boxes and trucks, license plates and trading cards - we’re even using huge outdoor screens to advertise services.  And we’re keeping our patrons informed - through RSS feeds, Twitter, Facebook and blogs.  We’re more accessible than ever - we’ll answer reference questions that come by text, Twitter or chat.  We’ll even go to community meetings or out to the local commuter rail station to answer questions.

So yes, it’s been a tough year, but it’s been an amazing year too.  Public libraries are stretching themselves to serve their areas in truly amazing ways and I’m just astounded by all we’ve managed to accomplish, and by how we’ve secured an incredibly important and relevant place in this modern, technologically-obsessed society.

I’m flying to Sioux Falls for PLA’s great Turning the Page training so I finally having a chance to catch up on my professional reading and saw Public Libraries’ “Economy Issue” (July/August 2009).  Since it looks like it won’t be freely available until 2010, do yourself a favor and beg, borrow or buy a copy if you don’t get it already.  

There’s a great introduction from PLA prez, Sari Feldman, p.4-5 who points out that less than half of top 100 US retailers accept in-store job applications, which underscores how important the classes and internet access we offer are to the fiscal well being of our communities.  She also stresses the need for broadband to attract businesses to our towns.  The jobs they bring will also spur local economic recovery and growth.  Classes to help investors make hard decisions, for those facing foreclosure and to counsel people on fixed incomes are also mentioned.  But she cautions that we can’t lose sight of our core values even as we grow and change.  A literate society is able to adapt and grow and think critically – qualities we need to nurture in these times of rapid transition, when just finding a job or reducing costs can tax our imaginations – so we still need to encourage people to read.

The issue is packed with useful information and tips.  On p. 6, Paula Moore (Arlington Heights Memorial Library) tells of their checklist with six positive actions for jobseekers.  Dianne Harmon of Joliet Public Library (p.9) suggests alleviating shelving staff shortages by leaving unshelved carts in the library with signs letting users know that every item checked out from them means one less thing for someone to shelve (a great example of emotionally intelligent signage).  She also gives other helpful staffing hints like using volunteers to take pictures of programs.  (Photos are a great way to promote the library and its activities, so be sure to take advantage – those with concerns over violating patron’s rights should see these discussions on photography in libraries – they’ll put your minds at ease.) 

Just providing somewhere for folks to “get out of the house” is yet another benefit of libraries – and this shouldn’t be underestimated.  For the unemployed, as time goes on, it can be harder and harder to get motivated, so the library as “Refuge” (p. 24) can provide much needed structure and play a role in the psychological well being of our service areas.  Joliet’s also intent on helping newcomers so staff in all departments are being trained in reference interviews so they can all welcome newbies with library instruction and enthusiastic promotion of their services.  I laughed at her offhand remark that they are seeing an increase in the number of authors asking the library to buy their new books – seems like the unemployment crisis will add to our store of printed knowledge.

Peter Pearson’s article, Fundraising and Advocacy in Tough Times on p. 21 had some really hopeful information about why we shouldn’t be afraid to continue our efforts in the downturn.  Our donors may not have been greatly affected by the economy.  But remember – outside support should never take the place of government funding (p.42).  And see another helpful article from PL’s 9-10/09 issue on how language can help validate our impact (Transforming Our Image Through Words That Work: Perception is Everything by Valerie J. Gross), especially when seeking donations or budget increases.

The article on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (p.44) had some very creative ways for libraries to benefit via senior employment and rural facilities grants - for those who think it’s too late, look for more funding in early 2010.  And to help libraries advertise service cuts proactively, there’s a great list of FAQs from Phoenix Public Library on p. 38.

The whole issue is about being flexible and responding to our users’ needs - or as James B. Casey from Oak Lawn Public Library says on p.35 “the single most important factor assuring future development and public acceptance will be the library’s willingness to invest the time, talent and money needed to keep up with the technological innovations and trends that capture the public’s interest.”  So check out this issue and find out ways to do just that.

I did a free webinar last week called Recession Relief that covered ways libraries can help patrons during these tough economic times, and you can watch the archived session and access my PowerPoint slides and notes (which include all the links I mention in the presentation). 

BCR does these hour long Free Friday Forums fairly regularly, and if you miss one you wanted to see, you can always view them later by going to the archive.

9/24 Just saw a newspaper article on the eTrain Mobile Training Lab - a partnership between my local workforce center and library.  Cool!

Just listened to this IMLS podcast series (also available for download or you can read the transcripts).  Four state librarians from North Carolina, New York, Washington and Connecticut as well as state library staff from Michigan and Washington discuss what libraries in their states are doing to help residents during these difficult economic times.

In NC, the state library gave a series of job search workshops to teach library staff how to help job seekers.  They brought in government employment agency personnel to help, which in turn has led to a number of partnerships between libraries and these agencies.  Community colleges were included as so many people are now attending them to train for new careers.  A wiki was set up to exchange ideas, and their electronic resources collaborative, NC Live, updated their job resources so every Tar Heel now has access to the latest e-books on resumes, interviews and the job search process.  Mary Boone also mentioned how many job seekers are in need of computer skills training.

NY brought another perspective as Bernie Margolis felt that creating jobs was of prime importance, so he spoke about how libraries help entrepreneurs and cited Lojack and Duck Boat tours as two companies that were started solely by using resources from public libraries.  He also mentioned the free entertainment options we offer.  NY is trying to increase broadband internet access, but they haven’t forgotten about the unemployed and are trying to get Department of Labor personnel stationed in public libraries.

Sheryl Mase spoke about the resources available on the Michigan eLibrary which can be accessed with your driver’s license number – a great idea!  MI wants broadband access everywhere too and they are partnering with their department of education to realize this goal.  A number of their libraries have career centers and/or small business support centers.  But MI has been hit harder by the economy than most places and has long been suffering from budget cuts so they are supplementing funding by partnering with private enterprise - see their museum pass and parks pass.

I’ve blogged about WA’s efforts previously, but I’m still impressed by their Hard Times site as besides providing employment and financial help, it links to local resources for basic needs.  They are advocating for libraries by keeping the media informed about exploding library use.

Ken Wiggin from CT had similar comments, but mentioned how many small businesses use the library as their office – which we’d noticed savvy entrepreneurs starting to do several years ago.

IMLS has posted a link to various states’ resource pages for helping patrons during tough economic times.

What programs have you added to deal with the onslaught of unemployed patrons?  Do you feel like more of a career counselor than a librarian these days?  Are you helping a lot of people who really need to brush up on their computer skills?

I was just catching up on some professional reading and came across a couple of articles in Public Libraries that are so relevant in these difficult times.  Unfortunately, the 2009 issues aren’t freely available online, but track down a copy of the March/April 2009 issue and see the appendix to the article by Torrey, Esposito and Geller on page 51 - Suggestions for Dealing with Problematic Mentally Ill Individuals. 

The mentally ill have long been some of the most frequent patrons of public libraries.  While the majority don’t present big problems, a small percentage may scare or intimidate library staff.  The authors of Problems Associated with Mentally Ill Individuals in Public Libraries have put together a comprehensive check list of best practices for serving and helping these people and keeping staff safe.  They advise that library staff should be aware of these patrons and alerted when they are in the building, but they also suggest educating the staff on interacting with them (also consider making one staffer a specialist at this), having and enforcing rules, having a plan in case of a crisis and that you under react when dealing with them.  Not to be alarmist, but they also say we shouldn’t underestimate the potential for danger.  All good advice, not just for the mentally ill customer, but for handling any problematic patrons.

But we are librarians, so we also have a list of local resources to give out if they ask for assistance.  Greensboro Public Library (SC) goes one better and has a Winter Series of helpful programs for the homeless (Public Libraries May/June 2009 p. 15).  What a great idea and it would work well not just for the homeless but for all the people who are struggling after losing their jobs, savings and homes.  Have a forum with representatives of all your local social service agencies so people can find out what options are open to them and where they can get much needed help. 

Have any of you tried this yet?  Which aid organizations were there?  What did attendees find most helpful?

Many of us have had the opportunity to do (or have at least heard about) the 23 Things training originally developed by Helene Blowers of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County.  It’s a training program developed to give library staff experience with Web 2.0 technologies.  It’s great that we are getting the chance to understand newer technologies used and offered in our libraries and by tech savvy patrons.

But, in this economy, so many of our customers are having to reinvent themselves and learn new technologies to be employable.  For some of these patrons, Web 2.0 concepts and terms, the internet, and even computers are a whole new world that they just don’t understand.  Sure, we offer computer classes and assist them with Flickr and YouTube and help them download audio books, but I haven’t heard of a public library that has done a 23 Things program for patrons.  For so many of us, continuing education is part of our missions and what better way to educate your residents in what they need to know to avoid becoming obsolete.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Technology Playground event is certainly a great start.  And the Aarhus Public Libraries in Denmark’s amazing Transformation Lab gives us an extreme version of how to introduce new technologies to the public (but could any US libraries afford to create this?) and really involve them in the library.

In the March issue of American Libraries, Chrystie Hill tells us in Inside, Outside & ONLINE (see p. 38 and especially p. 39 Where is the library?) that between 2005 and 2007, using a library website was the only online activity that declined among regular internet users!  While ideally a 23 Things for Patrons event would be done in the physical library space so confused users would have a staff member close by to help them, perhaps creating an online version of the program (and linking to some of the Web 2.0 technologies used on our websites) would be a way to improve our online usage.  It would also give patrons who can’t make an in-house program convenient 24 hour access to an opportunity to learn about Web 2.0.

So are you contemplating doing a 23 Things for your users?  Or have you already done one?  If so, please share it so we can learn from your experience.

As I mentioned in my last post, libraries are very popular right now (did I really need to tell you that?).  Gerry Meek from the Calgary Public Library sees us as a recession sanctuary.   So is it time to start rethinking the way we do business? 

David Lee King’s done an interesting (and controversial, see the comments and thanks to Hazman Aziz for his comment for the Meek quote) post that addresses this point.  But the commenters bring up other issues that are important.  Janie H. addresses Bobbi Newman’s lament about lack of infrastructure.  Perhaps retrofitting old buildings so there are enough power outlets, good lighting, working spaces, equipment and software should be our number one priority.  Libraries’ success hasn’t been just about circulation for a long time now.  Consider this list of the most popular uses for library computers.  How would focussing on these change your budget priorities? 

We really are becoming the help center for our communities - we seem to be the one place where customer service isn’t exclusively available via an annoying phone tree or the web.  And look at Alex Zealand’s comment about a 24 hour library - should we slim down the number of staff per hour and increase the hours we’re open so we can be there longer with the same amount of people?  Lots of cross-training is happening now and at some libraries that even involves people in Technical Services.  If you trained them to work with the public too, then all staff could share the burden of working more nights and weekends.  Of course, this is only possible at larger libraries with more than a skeleton staff…

Or maybe we should forget about books and provide a service that everyone wants

What do you think should be our priority in this year of high unemployment and an unpredictable stock market?

Well, this truly is our heyday!  As budgets implode, library use explodes, so how do we provide more with less?  Websites can help relieve some of the stress on information desks by linking to resources that answer some of the most frequent questions from the unemployed.  The Washington and New Jersey state libraries have excellent sites with links to job resources, unemployment forms, community resources for the needy and economic development resources (especially useful for those who’ve decided to give up on finding a job and start their own business).  And Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library has compiled a Job Search Kit for checkout that has resume and job search books as well as information on local resources.  BCR offers BrainFuse’s JobNow to help patrons with interviews, resumes and the job search.  We also offer Facts on File’s Career Guidance Database to let customers explore new job choices.  If you want to create a page with specific resources for your state, try starting with TheCanned which has information on health insurance options and unemployment benefits for all the states as well as job links.

We also need to help shore up local businesses so there are some jobs out there for our increasingly anxious patrons.  Some libraries are offering personalized services to help businesses grow.  Librarians interview companies about their informational needs then run specific searches on specialized single user databases on a regular basis that alert the businesses to new opportunities.  Sites like Growing Local Economies can give you lots of ideas about how you can start your own program and BCR has partnered with CIVICTechnologies to offer their BusinessDecision database to help you help them with research and marketing.

Remember too that there are confusing decisions for the newly laid off to make about finances and savings.  Those who need to move sums from pensions and 401(k)s may be particularly vulnerable to scams but the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has an excellent page on managing finances after a job loss.

So share your ideas!  I’d love to hear from you about ways your library is helping out in these difficult times.

I know lots of libraries have put their building plans on hold or have lost mil levies or funding that would let them expand, so I think the time of the mini library has come.  We want to be more involved in the community, and what better way to do this than to open kiosks in a few highly accessible places.  Bookmobiles do a great job at this, but have their limits – they often lack bathrooms, are cramped, web access can be tough etc.

But there’s been discussion on the Alaska Library Association list serv, AKLA, about putting little library kiosks in the airports, which is a great idea, especially for those states with a statewide library card program so all residents could use them (plus, the airport is the one place that patrons will always have their identification with them!).  Other libraries put kiosks in malls, but what about recreation centers, busy motor vehicle departments, groceries and other high traffic locales?  If the library had plate glass windows, or was not enclosed at all (except maybe by a cage type contraption for when you’re closed but the facility is still open), you may not even need two staffers at all times as the person tending the kiosk would feel secure since employees of the host facility are always around.

I just saw a great letter in American Libraries March 2009, page 10 from Beth McNeer – Libraries as a Business Model.  She points out how librarians know how to economize and how AIG and all the industries that need bailouts now could take a tip from the way we do things.  It’s well worth reading.

4/8 After getting my alert on this blog post, I realized the article link may not take you directly to the article, so if it takes you to the American Libraries page, scroll down and under Online Features on the left side, click on Login is no longer required to view the current issue and in the search box enter the article title.  Then click on the result from the 3/09 issue and on the right side under Page, enter 10 and press enter.