A non-library issue - Marriage Rights for All

I responded to a Facebook comment that disturbed me. Yes, this is typically a library blog. Seeing as how I've now been out of libraries a year, I say it's time to blog about whatever I want. :)

A family member posted a comment to her status regarding a Fundamentalist Mormon reality television show and somehow same sex marriage came up. The angst seemed to stem from the word marriage for same sex couples. I responded with questions:

-quote-
How does calling same sex marriage a marriage something that is wrong?
How is marriage only limited to a man & a woman? How does 2 men or 2 women who want to have their commitment recognized by the state threaten or effect your ma...rriage?
No other heterosexual couples' marriage diminishes the meaning & value of yours to your husband.
Why is it that heterosexual couples can marry & divorce faster than you can say "Britney Spears" and not two other people who have been together for 20 years already?
I have a lot more questions on this subject because it boggles my mind that 2 people who love each other cannot get married. Marriage rights for all is something I care about significantly. I hope I can learn more about what your thoughts are on this rather divisive issue...and I am grateful you have such a wonderful husband/father of your children/partner/lover/and all the rest of what Ben means to you.
Please think about a couple that has that same love for each other...but they just happen to be gay.
How is celebrating love so wrong? 
-end quote-

This was my response to her comment. When one states that it is merely their opinion and does not back it up with why, I provide more information in the hopes of education, thereby squashing fear. It is only through communication and education that this society can flourish and grow.

My response:

I understand not wanting to get into a long debate. Regardless, I would like to address your points and ask more questions. Indeed, the way we think is quite different from each other. Nevertheless, I love you and respect our differences. I value your opinion and I believe that it is through discussion that we can grow and learn as individuals.

Firstly - what would my opinion on the Arizona law SB 1070 matter? It is a completely different issue. This is a discussion about why people/fellow citizens of this country should not be discriminated against and be allowed to marry. Note - to tie it back into the Fundamentalist Mormons - I point to Warren Jeffs, taking *children* and forcing them to marry adults.
We're talking about consenting adults that love each other and want to marry. - How would you feel if your marriage was put to a vote or suddenly nullified because other people just didn't agree that using the word marriage was wrong in the case of you and Ben?
- What are your thoughts on interracial marriage? - It was not too long ago that blacks and whites were not allowed to marry.

Why does the word 'marriage' upset you? It is the legal union of a couple as spouses.  The basic elements of a marriage are: (1) the parties' legal ability to marry each other, (2) mutual consent of the parties, and (3) a marriage contract as required by law.
- taken from: http://topics.law.cornell.edu/wex/marriage
The rest is something that is tied to a rather unfortunate lack of separation of church and state.

What does salt and pepper have to do with it as well? Let's see if we can call salt (same sex marriage) pepper by the above legal definitions.
1 - Right now, it's legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Washington, D.C., and - well...California, again.
(Bringing it back to the Mormons - Millions was raised and spent by out-of-state Mormons who wanted to interfere in the private married lives of Californians. I know that I don't make campaign contributions to representatives from other states because, it doesn't affect me. Why would anyone worry about what other people in another state are doing with regards to marriage??)

States which recognize same-sex marriage but do not grant same-sex marriage licenses: New York, Rhode Island, and Maryland.

- So that ticks off #1 - in the places where it is legal, it's a marriage!

2 - Consent. These people want to get married and create a binding and legal contract to celebrate their commitment and love for one another. This fulfills #2 above.

3 - Obtaining a marriage license involves the consent question above and in some states a test for STDs. The signing of the license is the marriage contract. Everything else in between is up to the couple. But boy howdy, does it make it easier to obtain the over 1,000 benefits that come with marriage.

Here are a few of the 1,138 benefits the United States government provides to legally married couples:
      Access to Military Stores
      Assumption of Spouse’s Pension
      Bereavement Leave
      Immigration
      Insurance Breaks
      Medical Decisions on Behalf of Partner
      Sick Leave to Care for Partner
      Social Security Survivor Benefits
      Sick Leave to Care for Partner
      Tax Breaks
      Veteran’s Discounts
      Visitation of Partner in Hospital or Prison

Here are a few of the state level benefits within the United States:
      Assumption of Spouse’s Pension
      Automatic Inheritance
      Child Custody
      Crime Victim’s Recovery Benefits
      Divorce Protections
      Domestic Violence Protection
      Exemption from Property Tax on Partner’s Death
      Insurance Breaks
      Joint Adoption and Foster Care
      Joint Parenting (Insurance Coverage, School Records)
      Medical Decisions on Behalf of Partner
      Certain Property Rights
      Sick Leave to Care for Partner
      Visitation of Partner in Hospital or Prison
The full list of benefits is here:
http://www.gao.gov/archive/1997/og97016.pdf

I am bisexual. Here's the latest definition from the American Psychological Association: “Bisexual persons can experience sexual, emotional and affectional attraction to both their own sex and the opposite sex." I can and have loved both men and women - not necessarily at the same time! It means that while I'm not required to love the same gender or even the opposite gender - I do. I was born this way.
It does not mean I should have to jump through hoops and legal battles if I am fortunate to find love and want to marry a woman. Heterosexual couples do not have to do this.

Much like freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose...marriage is an opportunity to tell the world that this person, my partner..my love is who I want to spend the rest of my life with. What is wrong about love?

I hope you are having a good summer as well and I hope that I've shared some information that may help you to understand why this issue matters to me.

ALA Election Time! (VOTE NOW!!)

As an ALA member, I am grateful for those on ALA staff that work for me. That sounds pretty egotistical of me to say but they're also working for you too. Mary Ghikas, John Chrastka, Jenifer Grady, Jenny Levine, Lois Ann Gregory Wood...the list goes on and on.

Mary Ghikas has been emailing the ALA Council email list daily with information regarding the election which is currently underway! (VOTE NOW!!)


"As of 3/30/2010, 3:04pm:

Of 55,325 eligible -- 5,167 have voted (9.34%)

  

This compares to 3/30/2009:

Of 56,067 eligible -- 6,286 had voted (11.21%)

On April 5, we (ALA) will begin sending email reminders to eligible voters who have not yet voted.  Polls close on April 23."

Let's get out the vote!! (VOTE NOW!!)

Here are my endorsements for ALA election.

ALA President: Molly Raphael

I had the opportunity to meet both candidates at ALA Midwinter and most recently at the Public Library Association Conference this past week. (More blog entries to come re: my PLA experience.)

My first encounter with Molly was when she spoke at the NMRT All Committee Meeting at ALA Midwinter. Both candidates had the opportunity to stump for herself to those that attended our Candidates Forum at this meeting. One of the things that struck me was Ms. Raphael's experience with pioneering library services to at-risk and underserved populations in the District of Columbia. Upon further reflection into both candidates' experience, I am casting my vote for Molly Raphael.

Intellectual freedom is an issue that strikes at the heart of our profession. Ms. Raphael's experience in this realm in addition to ALA BARC (Budget Analysis and Review Committee) and her commitment to strong relationships between school libraries and other outreach programs really sealed my vote.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for both of the candidates. Campaigning for office at the national level can be very difficult for even the stalwart of candidates. I am always impressed with the candidates the ALA Nominating Committee have chosen. Sara Kelly Johns would definitely bring an experienced voice to the plight of school libraries across the country, most recently in Los Angeles, California. The issue affects not only school libraries but public libraries as well. Public libraries are faced with rising use but dwindling budgets. Public libraries will be stepping further into the role of replacement school librarian as well.  I wish both candidates the best of luck and most importantly: VOTE NOW!!!

Do you want to change the face of ALA Council? Shakeup the lineup and add players into the mix that typically may not have a shot? Let's do this! (VOTE NOW!!)
---
Have you ever read the candidate bios? There are quite a few remarkable leaders in our profession that are on the ballot for ALA Councilor at Large. 

1. Matthew Ciszek - I value his willingness to meet the challenges of a profession that has radically changed over the past 15 years. I have had the opportunity to meet with Matthew and feel he would bring a significant spark to ALA Council.
2. Kelly Czarnecki - I was impressed by her work with developing technology literacy for incarcerated teens. Outreach to the youth, especially in the area of technology literacy is key to the advancement and progress of our communities!
3. Loida A. Garcia-Febo - Loida's concerns encompass things that I am extremely passionate about: Intellectual freedom and international librarianship within a diverse/global landscape. I am duly impressed by Ms. Garcia-Febo's active commitment to the American Library Association in her various roles.
4. Larry Grieco - Another concern within the library profession that I think about is library services to rural communities. Larry will come to ALA Council with over five years of experience with rural/small libraries. 
5. Julius Jefferson - I am a "fanatic for fairness"as well. His recent presentation in 2008, entitled: "An Endangered Species: The Black Male Librarian," addressed the concerns of a dwindling diversity within our profession. We need more voices such as Mr. Jefferson.
6. Xudong Jin - Mr. Jin's work on projects such as the IMLS funded project entitled: Think Globally, Act Globally along with his work serving as President of the Chinese American Librarians Association should definitely considered as you place your vote.
7. Melissa Johnston - Often there are not too many candidates from the school library media specialist arena. Ms. Johnston's varied experience ranges from national programming events such as School Library Media Month to regional and state level leadership opportunities.
8. Mike Marlin - As more and more ability and access issues arise within the field of librarianship, I value Mike's role in addressing the concerns of library services to people with disabilities, especially serving our internal customers (our esteemed staff).
9. Jessica Moyer - I had the pleasure of working with Jessica on a co-sponsored program between RUSA RSS Marketing Reference Services to Users entitled "Marketing to Generation X" for ALA Annual 2007.  She is an intensely bright person that I feel has a lot to offer our profession not only through her publications and research but her passion for embracing shifts within libraries.
10. Cecilia Poon - Did you know that Cecilia established the APALA’s Mentoring Program with Sherise Kimura? Did you know that mentoring minority librarians is an issue that is near and dear to her? Two reasons why I'm voting for Cecilia Poon for ALA Councilor at Large.
11. Michael Porter - Many people know Michael through his work with David Lee King on addressing the concerns of an ever-changing landscape and evolving services of libraries. C'mon, let's vote for someone who can and will shake things up significantly on ALA Council!! VOTE NOW!!
12. Jacquie Samples - Two key points stuck out for me on Ms. Samples' biographical information: Her work with the American Indian Library Association and Association for Library 
    
    Collections & Technical Services. It also really rocked my socks that she mentions evolving and "leveraging ALA’s computing power in this digital age."
13. Kevin Scanlon - Youth recruitment efforts to promote librarianship! Addressing transparency concerns within the American Library Association and ALA Council! Youth access to materials & services! Kevin's experience with YALSA also sold me on a vote.
14. Sarah Smith - I had the pleasure of meeting her at the Federal Libraries Workshop. Sarah served as one of the organizers for this all-day pre-conference at this most recent ALA Midwinter in Boston. Sarah is serving as the president of her library school student organization at Simmons. I was especially taken by her passion to become more involved in the American Library Association.
15. James Teliha - I had the opportunity to talk with him at ALA Midwinter and I was taken by his enthusiasm to serve as an ALA Councilor at Large. His experience within the realm of Intellectual Freedom and his statement of Professional Concerns won my vote.

Casting an "Emerging Leaders" slate would also shake things up as well. - VOTE NOW!!

- Great job to NMRT Councilor Jenny Emanuel for creating a list of Emerging Leaders running for ALA office. So many awesome people on that slate too! Just remember to vote!!! - 

People that have experience on Council that I respect and think deserve your vote:

1. Doug Archer - Intellectual Freedom Fighter!
2. Gladys Smiley Bell - Ms. Bell has over ten years of experience on ALA Council working on issues such as ethnic librarianship.
3. Roberto C. Delgadillo -- Has significant experience with the Ethnic and Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table and REFORMA. In addition, a background in public and academic libraries. The balanced outlook that Mr. Delgadillo has on generational shifts in libraries is something that I value as a fellow Councilor.
4. Karen Downing - Karen has past experience on ALA Council and has been off for a while. During this time, she completed a PhD that investigated: "The Relationship Between Social Identity and Role Performance Among Academic Librarians." Additionally, her activities surrounding minority recruitment and the Spectrum Scholarship program swung me. 
5. Bernard Margolis - His cunning use of Sturgis Parliamentary Procedure leaves me smiling along with his wealth of experience as a gadfly and respected member of our profession. It is so unfortunate that he is going through a major health battle at the moment.
6. Melora Norman - Melora has been a strong supporter of issues such as electronic participation. I have appreciated her well-thought out contributions to various debates of the day.
7. Cristina Ramirez - I have had the pleasure of serving on Council with Ms. Ramirez. Like myself, she is a newish librarian. I have admired her outreach efforts within ALA and would like to see her shine a little more on Council.
8. Elizabeth Ridler - While I often find myself on the opposite end of the voting spectrum with her, I respect the balance that her outspoken opinion provides. Some of the issues she consistently rises in discussion relate to concerns regarding library services to people with disabilities.
9. Susan Roman - She has over 30 years in our profession but has only been on Council since 2007.
10. Bill Turner - Current chair of the Resolutions Committee. Extremely approachable and willing to assist those that want to propose resolutions - especially MEMBER RESOLUTIONS (Yes, VOTE NOW but also learn more on how YOU can write resolutions to present at an ALA Membership Meeting. Action/Participation + You = OMG Engaged Membership!!!) The ALA Governance page should have more information for you but it currently has a number of dead links. - Will report that ASAP. Still, email Bill or any member of ALA Council regarding Action Items YOU would like to bring forth to the membership. Anytime. We're here to serve YOU!

I realize that I did not list many of my esteemed colleagues that have a wealth of years of experience on Council. I respect their years of service and I truly desire to have an overall balanced Council. The unfortunate predicament we are facing within our profession is finding that balance between experience and giving other ALA members a chance to shine. It is my hope that my experienced picks do not offend and provide a balance to the "shake-up" list I provided above. 
For more information on the ALA Election, check out the ALA Election info page!

Stop the bickering in ALA!

I want to start posting more. I started multiple posts about getting laid off and my ongoing job search, but I kept feeling embarrassed to be writing about being unemployed, even while knowing that I have nothing to be ashamed of. It's just really weird to be unemployed.

I just made a comment on John Berry's article on anonymity and free expression. In an attempt to write more or at the very least publish what I write, I'm pasting the comment here.

-----

One of my major gripes within our profession are the self-created and self-imposed great divides. The techies and the non-techies, the old and sometimes seemingly entrenched and the young and sometimes impatient, social activists of ALA and those that think ALA should not take stands on things that they consider to be non-library issues, intellectual freedom champions and those that put their entire lives available for public consumption in addition to individuals that appear to be uneasy with the notion of anonymity.
By no means do I wish to present these issues as dichotomous and/or simplistic. I just find the gall of the various camps and their staunch vehemence that there
I sometimes wonder if we have far too much in-fighting to continue as a profession.
We need to not be so put off by those that do not see take an interest in b/vlogs, RFID technology, webinars and the like.
We need to be open to the suggestions of all while being willing to listen to the counterarguments without prejudice.
We need to stop thinking that our way is the best/right way.
We need to be willing to try something for a while, just to see if it works. If it does not,
We need to be working together as a profession as opposed to tearing down each other.
Work together to build our own automation systems, share advocacy tools, create searchable databases that rival corporate products in breadth and reliability,

I agree that Annoyed Librarian's blog entries should be anonymous. While I am not comparing Annoyed Librarian to Voltaire in style, I appreciate that both have written to critique
I, too, am not a fan of "obsessively self-revelatory librarians" and for better or for worse, I see that as the primarily accepted lifestyle within this profession at the moment.

I by no means think that I have all of the answers. I want to see libraries flourish and thrive for years to come. It has been devastating to see so many colleagues laid off and to read of numerous library closings. Perhaps I'm a bit shell shocked and skeptical of a continued prosperity and relevance of libraries. I honestly think that the bickering, passive aggressiveness, snark, stonewalling and overall conceited notion that is pervasive in this profession is what may be ultimately holding us back.

Ohio Public Library Fund Cuts

Copying and pasting email message from Doug Evans, Ohio Library Council Executive Director:

[quote]

The Ohio General Assembly's conference committee on the 2010-2011 state budget today accepted a proposal to cut Ohio's Public Library Fund (PLF) $84.3 million over the next two years. The cut is substantially less than the approximate $227.3 million cut proposed by Gov. Ted Strickland on June 19 but will still have a significant impact on the services provided by Ohio's public libraries.

Ohio's public libraries have the citizens of Ohio to thank for exerting extraordinary influence on their elected representatives in the Ohio General Assembly to minimize the cuts to library funding. We believe the overwhelming groundswell of public support convinced the legislature to reject the Governor's massive cuts, and attempt to preserve library funding as much as possible during this challenging financial situation.

The budget cuts, combined with the precipitous drop in the PLF in the first six months of this year as a result of declining state tax revenues, will result in library funding dropping as much as 25-30% in 2009 as compared to calendar year 2008. The decreased funding comes at a time when Ohio's public libraries are experiencing an unprecedented increase in the demand for services.

In July 2009, public libraries received 22% less funding than they received in July 2008. It is expected that based just on the formula, public libraries will likely receive close to 20% less money in 2009 than they did in 2008. Although Ohio's economy is faltering along with that of rest of the country, public libraries believed that they could withstand those reductions through layoffs, reduced material purchases, and reduction in operating hours. An additional cut of 11% will be difficult to manage by some libraries.

This is a budget with which no one can be happy, but the OLC appreciates the Ohio General Assembly's effort to restore $143 million to the Public Library Fund. This bill means that Ohio's public libraries will not face cuts that could have amounted to 50% of previous funding. However, depending upon the accuracy of the projections made by the Ohio Department of Taxation, libraries could still be looking at cuts that could be as much as 30%.

[endquote]

Still not pleased about VLT/slots bits though. As Pat Wagner of Pattern Research was saying to me, "You'd get better odds from a guy running numbers than state gambling." Also, it's not providing jobs that have transferable skills/career advancement. It's just really sad for Ohio that it has come to this.

Rushing hither and yon to more ALA Annual stuff.

Save Ohio Libraries!!!

At a news conference on Friday, June 19, the Governor proposed a cut to state funding for public libraries of $227.3 million in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 as part of his plan to fill the $3.2 billion gap in the budget that must be balanced by the Ohio General Assembly's Conference Committee by June 30. This will mean a more than 50% cut in funding for many of Ohio's public libraries. Libraries could close or face significant reductions in operations as a result of the Governor's proposal. This cut is in addition to the 20% reduction in funding that libraries are already facing, because their funding comes from 2.22% of the state’s declining General Revenue Fund.

With some 70% of the state's 251 public libraries relying solely on state funding to fund their operations, the reduction in funding will mean that many will close branches or drastically reduce hours and services. The Governor's proposed funding cuts come at a time when Ohio's public libraries are experiencing unprecedented increases in demands for services. In every community throughout the state, Ohioans are turning to their public library for free high speed Internet access and help with employment searches, children and teens are beginning summer reading programs, and people of all ages are turning to the library as a lifeline during these difficult economic times. Ohio's public libraries offer CRITICAL services to those looking for jobs and operating small businesses. Public libraries are an integral part of education, which Governor Strickland says is critical to the state's economic recovery. But it is unlikely that many of Ohio's public library systems, especially those without local levies, can remain open with these proposed cuts.

About 30% of Ohio's public libraries have local property tax levies that supplement the state's funding. However, with the Governor's proposed drastic cuts in the state funding for libraries, even those libraries will face decisions regarding substantial reductions in hours of operation, materials, and staffing. Heights Libraries would lose more than $1.2 million per year in state revenue. The library board would decide, with input from the public, what reductions in services and hours would be made.

Let your state legislators and the governor know what your library means to you!
Call or click here to directly e-mail those listed below:
Congresswoman Barbara Boyd
614-644-5079
district09@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Vernon Sykes, Chairman of the House
Finance Committee
614-466-3100
District44@ohr.state.oh.us

Representative Armond Budish, Speaker of the House
614-466-5441
District08@ohr.state.oh.us

Governor Ted Strickland
614-466-3555

Senator Shirley Smith – District 21
614-466-4857
senatorsmith@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Senator Nina Turner – District 25
614-466-4583
senatorturner@maild.sen.state.oh.us

Additional information from Library Journal:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6666479.html

Website:
http://saveohiolibraries.com/

SLA Shrinks Dues for Lower-Income Members

I just saw this in the February issue of Computers in Libraries. (Heights Library has a subscription and the Febrary issue just got to me.) I find it very intriguing. I would *love* to see this happen for the American Library Association.

"The Special Libraries Association (SLA) added a new dues tier for members with incomes lof less than $18,000 per year. Designed to assist members in the global economic crisis, the new tier requires those with lower incomes to pay only $35 annually for a full membership, as opposed to the $160 fee for those making $35,000 or more and $99 for those making less than $35,000 and more than or equal to $18,000. Those who fall into the sub-$18,000 category will still have access to all of the SLA's members-only services, including professional development, the SLA Career Center, and networking opportunities. According to the organization, the new tier makes SLA membership affordable for those working in any economy as well as students, unemployed and part-time workers, and those who are retired."
-Computers in Libraries, News Desk, Bill Greenwood, Feb. 2009, p. 30

This issue has been brought before Council often and it has been referred to other committees multiple times. It is unclear if/when this issue will ever be revisited by Council and/or the ALA Executive Board. During these trying times, I would like to ALA try to reach out to its members. Those that are unable to pay are disenfranchised by a system that is inflexible and rigid. If ALA were to move to a tiered model, we would have these members in our ranks, enabling them to take advantage of the services ALA membership provides. How can we reach out to these members and keep them in the fold?

I'll investigate creating a resolution to bring before Council at Annual. Maybe even nudge Keith Michael Fiels, Executive Director. We need to do whatever we can to help our members stay, not letting them fall away.

Last Day to Vote in ALA election!!!

I wanted to re-iterate my call to vote. Voting has decreased significantly. I'm not terribly sure why. If people complain about our leaders in ALA, why don't they vote? Do they not think it'll make a difference? The motto that I try to live by when discussing politics or activism is: Change from within. You can gripe all you want...only if you're trying to do something to change things.
I know it's always a possibility that at some point, I too may throw my hands in the air and leave but for now, to quote Margaret Cho, "I've chosen to stay and fight."

For Council:

* Aaron Dobbs - He is passionate about our profession and has served well for this past year.
* Heidi Dolamore - She is a dynamo! I admire her constant vigilance of representing under-represented groups such as library school students.
* Reese Evenson - An Emerging Leader that noticed that I was on Council and asked, "How do you get involved in that?" She is young, vivacious and enthusiastic about getting more involved in ALA.

For ALA President:

* Roberta Stevens - Having served with her on Council, I see her as a leader that seeks to hear numerous sides to an issue and is driven to serve as a voice for younger librarians. I will freely admit that I did not appreciate Kenton Oliver's remarks regarding electronic participation. I felt that he neglected to visualize the possibilities and I feel that Roberta Stevens at least is willing to embrace them. He stated that our conferences are a cash cow. But, with all due respect, I feel that the ALA Executive Board reveres them as sacred cows, not to be tampered with. Roberta Stevens is open to change and I respect that as a candidate for ALA president. Please consider voting for her.

For AASL President

* Terri Kirk - If there is one person I admire in ALA, it is Terri Kirk. Her steadfast service to ALA and school libraries is nonpariel. She too has served on ALA Executive Board and her wealth of knowledge makes her the most prepared and qualified candidate! If you are a member of AASL (That's the American Association of School Librarians), please vote for Terri Kirk as your new president!

But most importantly: VOTE!!!!

The polls close at 11:59 P.M. CDT on Friday, April 24. THAT'S TONIGHT!!

If you haven't received your e-mail ballot by March 20, please call ALA Membership and Customer Service at (800) 545-2433 (press 5) or send an e-mail to membership@ala.org. They can then send you a Web ballot.

Day 1 - Computers in Libraries 2009

This is my first Computers in Libraries and it's been pretty great so far. I think only one session was a major disappointment although I'm sure the substance of the talk can be useful for other areas in my life. Nonetheless, I was nonplussed as I sat in the Obstacle or Opportunity talk.

Like many conference attendees, I was having some issues with wireless and when I couldn't tweet or form coherent/decent blog entries, I took notes on the presentations.

Website Redesign Pitfalls - presented by - Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian, University of Pittsburgh
Bad reasons to redesign
- it's been x months/years
- boss says I have to
- boooored with site

Good reasons to redesign
- navigation is dysfunctional
- site doesn't scale
- difficult to navigate
- code is hopelessly sick
- site poor usability
- not performing based on site's goals/objectives

redevelop - high costs - open heart bypass
redesign - low costs - cosmetic surgery

Amazon 2000 vs 2009 - Take a peek through Internet Archive!

It's important to mamaintain some consistency.

Book to read: The Quiet Death of the Major Re-Launch - Jared Spool - 2003

Some people freak out over re-designs
- mitigate those concerns
- beware the vocal majority and operate from an evidence based notion.

Discovery stage
- Before we launch, we need to have a strong set of data supporting the need for redesign
- account for the assessment time and effort
- spend your money where the water is - know where your water is.
* If renovating - do the kitchen/bathroom - think where the services/highest profile/content of the library

Learn about your site before you begin
- Look where people are going in the site and where they are NOT, what pages they enter into and where they leave from
- google analytics and clicky
- Review past usability studies
- It's it's been a while - do one now
TIP - Find and document your current page rank

Get consensus on goals and buy-in
- show director/manager other library sites
- show data indicating that the site is not functioning as well.

But don't try to reach too much consensus
- design by committee = death
- Data + evidence-based practice = harmony and world peace

Planning
Is a traditional page based model best?
- CMS
- Blog
- Wiki

Don't spend too much time redesigning
- don't create an original design - copy. It's not terrible to do!

Goals:
increase google page rank
improve overal site usability
measurable increase in use of ejournal finder
measurable decrease in content update lag times
show increase in user engagement as measered by # of blog comments

Communication is key
Consider a redesign blog or wiki
- tells people about what you're doing and why
Manage expectations

Execute
usability.gov
useit.com
surl.org
uie.com

Pitfall - communicate too much (committee)
Keep looking towards evidence based info

Provide users a clear path
- define the primary functions of the site and make sure these paths are clear.
Don't reinvent the wheel (CSS, javascript)

Spend time. money and effort
- remarkable content
* Staff full of experts
- reading lists
- course based

remarkable tools
- next gen opac
- photo tagger
- assignment calculator
- fed search

cut and paste - die die die
- remarkable content - invest time in rewriting content

Design for SEO - Search Engine Optimization
URL - simple URL
page titles - descriptive
proper and consistent user of structural HTML
descriptive tags

Design with SMO in mind social media optimization
addthis.com
tag your pages
redesign w/user generated conent in mind

update robots.txt file
update analytics definitions paths/groups, etc.
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I really enjoyed: Help Your Library Be Omnipresent w/o Spending a Dime presented by Nina McHale, Assistant Professor, Web Librarian, Auraria Library, University of Colorado - Denver and Curt Tagtmeier, Adult Services Librarian and Technology Coordinator, Fremont Public Library. I tweeted most of that.
Nina - widgets (DCPL iPhone catalog app, chat widgets, etc.) While they are nifty tools, how can we share that information with others?
- Steal this code, please! Remix our source code for customized apps. Web pages, gadgets, widgets, oh my!
- A catalog search widget w/nifty code to steal is in slide handouts. We have one on our site. This is neat and useful!
- How to create tool. Decide what kind of widget code chunks you want to offer (catalog, web-based IM chat) Plan layout & generator.
- Auraria Library - Univ of Colorado has a steal this code page. The steal the code model gives people the opportunity to fiddle/tweak/improve kinda similar to Linux movement.
- Curt's mobile content .mobi slides/info is on page 38 of the conference booklet.
- http://www.mobisitegalore.com - Creates template for mobile website. Speaker mentioned that there is advertising at the bottom but users might not see that anyway since most people don't scroll all the way to the bottom of the page even/especially within a mobile website environment.
According to dotmobi website, our site doesn't scale onto the web. Will investigate creating a mobile page too.
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After lunch, I attended the Social Software Solutions for Smaller Libraries presented by Laura Crossett, Library Branch Manager, Meeteetse Branch Library and Mikael “Mick” Jacobsen, Adult Services Librarian, Skokie Public Library.
Wordpress blog as a website and utilizing Google Maps as tools for generating dynamic and meaningful content. I had initially decided I wasn't coming to this session but changed my mind forgetting the program description. I don't think it was a terrible session. On the contrary, it was more results based/less ephemeral than other programs. The notion of a blog as a website has been explored by many libraries, including Heights Libraries as we utilize a blog for our Teen page.
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Obstacle or Opportunity—It’s Your Choice! - presented by: Pam MacKellar, Author, The Accidental Librarian
I honestly did not feel as if this talk had a place at this conference. It was more of a motivational talk as opposed to looking at anything that had to do with Computers in Libraries. I felt that it was riddled with cliches and was floored that this was an offering. This talk would've been better at a state regional conference or PLA. Here are my notes:

Knowing your communities information needs is vital.

Common obstacles:
We're just a small library in a little village
our budget is too small/we don't have enough $
We don't have enough staff
I'm not a tech expert
Tech can't improve on the services we already offer
Our computers are too old
We don't have the right hardware/software
It's not a good time for new ideas when the economy is in such bad shape
We have other purchase that are more important
I don't have time to learn new tech
I don't know enough about tech
Our network is out of date.

What happens when we see mostly obstacles?
- less productive
less excited about new ideas
disengages
go through the motions
skills atrophy
environment becomes negative
valuable staff members quit and customer turn away = neg lib marketing

Reality is ever changing
We can flip a negative into a positive

When you see mostly obstacles and barriers, they become your reality
Why not focus on the opportunities?

Overcoming barriers
- stay committed
- think big
- strive for a purpose or goal
- stay in your power
- keep trying
- be fearless
- don't listen to criticism
- just jump into it
- believe in yourself

5 steps to changing your mind
1. Evaluate your own outlook
2. Identify the problem
3. Decide to change
4. Develop a guiding principle
5. Take Action

Tests to look at:
Learned optimism test - Dr. Martin Seligman's book
Optimistic movement optimism test
Human Mind Project Optimism/Pessimism Test

Materials can be found http://www.accidentallibrarian.com/CIL09

- What negative thoughts about your work situation go through your mind regularly?
- What thoughts about your work situation must you face to turn your attitude around?
- Write down one attitude you want to adjust or thought pattern you want to redirect?
- What resources do you need (to change)?

Decide to change
- Our outlook is the result of choices we make
- Your outlook/attitude is not permanent
- You can choose to change
- You cannot change someone else
- People can only change if they want to change

Develop a guiding principle
- know where you are going
write a statement of purpose
change is fun when you know what you are aiming for

Take action

Change your vocabulary
Instead of "We can't" - We can!
Instead of "I don't think" - I know
We will make enough
I'm confident
I will
Expect the best
All things are possible

Set yourself up for success
- use tech as a tool to help you meet an identified need in your community
- use free tech tools
- do something that will make a difference in lives of others
- take free webinars
- try something easy
- do something that doesn't require a lot of time and staff
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The last presentation of the day was: Continued Online Community Engagement
Rebecca Ranallo, Internet & Media Services Manager, Cuyahoga County Public Library
Clyde Miles, Chief Strategist, Optiem
Susan Conlon, Teen Services Librarian, Princeton Public Library
Jennifer Peterson, Community Programs Manager, WebJunction

Rebecca - CCPL - Continued Community Engagement
She mentioned that there is an epic struggle w/marketing and the web team. Even went so far as to say that she can't wait for the current head of marketing to retire. I was taken aback by that statement. More so when she appeared to discount the shock of my colleagues in saying that everyone at CCPL is fully aware of the feelings between marketing and the web team. I know that I sometimes say some things that are out of line but that....was beyond the pale. That was recorded. That was in public. That was an embarrassment to CCPL.
She's there to keep brand in place and keep growing w/what our customers expect

Engage a community: We trust staff to engage our customers. Transfer that trust. Rhetoric in action. Used to mgmt not always practicing what we preach. (Yowza! She was on a roll!)

There was a library Facebook page for the levy. At first, they didn't do anything else. Now, they're capitalizing on the fans and maintaining that connection. They have pages for programs on Facebook too.
Twitter - There is a branch twitter page and someone appears to have added CCPL on Library Thing Local
Let go when you can: What is tied to your brand? Where can you let go? What needs to be a system wide project? Systemwide Facebook?
Trust = Trust staff, give guidelines, provide opps to learn. Best practices = guidelines & look @ those that have come before you.
Evaluate: Honestly assess performance. Find the right person for the job. Accept it'll take time. Accept that there'll be mistakes.
It's a learning process. There are some people that shouldn't be updating the website. Find the people that have a passion for it.

Clyde Miles from Optiem:
Tools that we should be using. Most marketers are using social media as market research tools. Listen, watch, learn.
- Google alerts (set up around name, library director, etc.) Technorati for our blogs and where we are being mentioned.
- Blog comments : backtype - This is where the conversations are taking place. Social comments: yacktrack
- Discussion boards: boardtracker Type in brand, etc. Twitter - using it for search. Friendfeed! :)
SM2 by techrigy is a tool to use. Speaker mentioned there is a freeware version. Will investigate that further. SM2 - Can use for SEO. Can tell the emotions of posts? Wow. Next thing they'll do is track blood types of bloggers???!

Webjunction speaker:
- Cultivate a culture of learning. We exchange info through the library. Our role has changed as well.
- Libraries : channel for engagement. Place to build social & civic engagement. Blog post: Pull Open the Circle - http://bit.ly/d85BG
- Stewards of community resources - Webjunction is a platform for shared knowledge within an information exchange amongst libraries.

Princeton Public Library:
- Discussed a concrete event: Princeton Public Library Environmental Film Festival, an event in its 4th year!
- Don't think of community as the audience. Think of them as partners/active participants. Become organizers of events.
- What does the community want? Heck, in CLE. It's jobs, knock down those abandoned homes, how to deal w/foreclosure.
- Design public programming w/and for public participation. Plastic dress! A lady wearing a plastic bag dress from the event.
- Combine online and f2f connections to enhance community engagement. Well, nowadays that's what you do! How did they do it? (That is what kind of irked me but I did realize that she was only given 5 minutes to talk. Didn't appreciate that previous speakers were not as courteous as they could have been with regards to ensuring everyone had equal time.)
- I think that our film events could be bigger if we collaborated with community groups. Maybe base it on topic & not just the book.
-------------------------------------------------
Overall, I came away with some new ideas to bring back and I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of the conference. Wow!

Computers in Libraries 2009 - Keynote

Information's pretty thin stuff unless mixed with experience - Clarence Day

Having some wireless difficulties. I'm really excited about this as my first CiL.

Lee Rainie from Pew Internet Research
- Friending Libraries: The newest nodes in people's social networks

He's explaining Twitter which is very useful for about 90% of the audience.

2000:

45 - use internet
5 broadband
50 - own cell phone

2009
75% of adults surveyed use the internet
57% - broadband at home
82& - own cell phone
62% - connect to the Internet using wireless

The ecosystem has changed:
1. Volume of information has grown.
2. Variety of information has increased
3. Velocity of information speeds up - more information is coming out you in different ways.
4. Times and places to experience media enlarge (can read newspapers on laptops, watch videos with iPod)
5. People's vigilance for information expands and contracts
6. Immersive qualities of media are more compelling
7. Relevance of information improves.
8. Number of information voices explodes and becomes more findable
9. Voting and ventilating are enabled.
10. Social networks are more vivid

- Does this just ensure that you are getting the information you think/believe/goes along with your ideals, thereby sheltering you from challenging notions? How can we serve as nodes in social networks when some people in the world think we are irrelevant?

Motivated by mobility groups
Group 1 - Digital collaborators (8% of the population)
- They lead the pack. Are always on (broadband, cell connection) -
- How to serve : Be a place that they can jack in, give them a place to collaborate and share, enlist their help in giving you coaching and feedback on tech experiments that we want to try.

Group 2 - Ambivalent networkers (7% of the population)
- They are worried about connectivity and find mobile devices intrusive. They feel obligated and always available.
Heavy student cohort - fanatic cell users/texting.
How to serve- be a sanctuary and a place where they have permission to go offline, heavy into gaming so offer a gaming haven, help them figure out online social networking etiquette and help them navigate information overload.

Group 3 - Media Movers
- Fanatic about gadgets? Missed a bit because I was tweeting simultaneously. :P
Serve: outlet for sharing creation, navigate material

Group 4 - Roving nodes (9% of population)
- Think working soccer mom or caregiver of an aging parent. Way too busy to be blogging. - More female.
Serve: Be more efficient and give access to tech so they can check in more frequently and deal with info overload.

Group 5 - Mobile newbies - 8% of population
Just got a cell phone and they are so freaking excited. Not really using it as mobile tech tool, more just a cell phone.
Serve: Teach them how to, offer tech access, tech support, they are afraid of the Internet - Teach them!

Stationary media majority - Desktop veterans
2004 was the best year of their lives.
Hrmm.... the stats started making me cross-eyed at this point. @justnathan said it best: How can libraries help net and mobile users? Educate, support, provide structured opportunities for collaboration and sharing.

Friending libraries are 5+ things
- We are pathways to problem solving information
- We are pathways to personal enrichment (serendipity in collection roaming
- We are pathways to entertainment
- We are pathways to new kings of social networks built around people, media and institutions
- We are pathways to the wisdom of crowds

We just need to find better ways to get inside social networks. I think this gives more food for thought. Just need to figure out how now..... Hrm.

ALA members, VOTE!!

This is the time of year where we elect the officers that represent the various associations and roundtables of the American Library Association. What's really cool is that it's not just one day and you can do it from the comfort of your home (even in your bunny slippers.) It's voting time!

So far:

Of the 47,268 who received email notification -- 4,414 had voted (9.34%).

Of the 7,498 who received notification by mail -- 202 had voted (2.69%).

Of the 16 sent paper ballots -- 0 have voted.

Voting started last week and I did it over the weekend. You don't have to vote all at once. You can come back multiple times.

I'm writing this entry in the hopes that there is a better turnout. I also would like to encourage people to vote for some particular candidates for Council and for ALA President.

For Council:

• Aaron Dobbs - He is passionate about our profession and has served well for this past year.
• Heidi Dolamore - She is a dynamo! I admire her constant vigilance of representing under-represented groups such as library school students.
• Reese Evenson - An Emerging Leader that noticed that I was on Council and asked, "How do you get involved in that?" She is young, vivacious and enthusiastic about getting more involved in ALA.

For ALA President:

• Roberta Stevens - Having served with her on Council, I see her as a leader that seeks to hear numerous sides to an issue and is driven to serve as a voice for younger librarians. I will freely admit that I did not appreciate Kenton Oliver's remarks regarding electronic participation. I felt that he neglected to visualize the possibilities and I feel that Roberta Stevens at least is willing to embrace them. He stated that our conferences are a cash cow. But, with all due respect, I feel that the ALA Executive Board reveres them as sacred cows, not to be tampered with. Roberta Stevens is open to change and I respect that as a candidate for ALA president. Please consider voting for her.

But most importantly: VOTE!!!!

The polls close at 11:59 P.M. CDT on Friday, April 24.

If you haven't received your e-mail ballot by March 20, please call ALA Membership and Customer Service at (800) 545-2433 (press 5) or send an e-mail to membership@ala.org. They can then send you a Web ballot.

Roberta Stevens Podcast

I'm voting for Roberta Stevens for ALA President. I want to try to get the word out about her candidacy as much as I can. This post came through on NMRT-L and I hope that you submit questions to Michelle.

She not only has a plan and a promise not to go with the status quo, she has a lot of author connections that can generate more advocacy for libraries. Additionally, I feel that she has the experience to handle the duties of ALA President. She has even committed to taking a year absence from work should she be elected. That speaks to me that she will be a very dedicated ALA president.

I was really surprised that she came to the NMRT Meet and Greet which was tucked away in one of the Convention Center rooms. She talked to everyone. She was vivacious and had a lot to say about the benefits that NMRT provides to ALA as an organization.

We are a graying profession and I value that Roberta Stevens is making the commitment to extend leadership opportunities to younger members and not maintain the status quo.

Join the effort to see Roberta Stevens elected as the next ALA president!

Hello,

As a volunteer for Roberta's campaign, I want to let you know that Roberta is committed to getting students and new members involved in ALA. She has said in an email to me, "I am making the commitment that if I am elected, I will ensure they [younger members] are placed on committees, task forces, etc. and given the opportunity to contribute and 'make their mark' on the association. I want to move the association forward. You have my word on this."

With this in mind, Roberta is planning to record a podcast that addresses the concerns of students and new members. If anyone has questions they would like Roberta to answer, please email them to me at michelle.chronister@gmail.com by February 20.

More information about Roberta, including links to her blog and Facebook fan page can be found at http://www.robertastevens.com.

Thanks,
Michelle

We serve all...

I still have a Midwinter post to create but I wanted to share the thoughts that I posted to the ALA Council list-serv (which you can have read-only access to by going here: ALA Council List-serv)

/start msg/
As Councilors, we represent various divisions, round tables, associations, etc. One thing I've noticed is within the group of Councilor at Large, we are tasked with representing the outliers, those that do not necessarily have a formalized group. As such, individual opinions blend with the multitude.Yet, all of these diverse opinions serve a noble end. We are all members of the American Library Association.

I am proud to serve as a Councilor at Large. It gives me the opportunity to point out other perspectives that may be missed and allows me to walk a mile in each member's shoes, all 60,000 of them.

Indeed, the comments the anonymous member stated were disrespectful. Nonetheless, it is important to not dismiss those views.
At the heart, the perceptions that these members have should be spurring us to consider why these members do not feel welcome within ALA while considering what we can do to assist the members that are uncomfortable with the changes relating to electronic participation. We do not want to alienate future members or the members that have a wealth of knowledge and experience.

I do not feel as if we are making mistakes with regards to electronic participation. It was unfortunate that Councilors felt so rushed.
As much as I hate the phrase, it seems we are experiencing a paradigm shift within ALA. I do not want to "throw the baby out with the bathwater" either and I applaud the efforts of the Task Force that presented recommendations that are now being considered by the Executive Board.

It is my fear that we sometimes take our membership for granted. Yes, we are doing many things right. However, we still need to remain vigilant and serve those that think we are not.
/end message/

It was like it was yesterday....

While I was researching topics for the Reference Services in Public Libraries discussion group, I came upon an article that discussed relevancy, sharing resources across library networks, centralized v. decentralized reference, increased use of para-professionals in reference, and maintaining a better catalog.

It's a very timely piece written by Geraldine B. King, entitled: Current Trends in Reference Service in Public Libraries. The most interesting thing is that it was written in 1983. (Library Trends, v31 n3 p447-56 Win 1983)

What does this say about our profession? It's been 26 years since this article was published and yet these issues are the thorn in our side.
We still haven't quite hit the mark with a catalog that is intuitive and not bogged down by search terms that even leave me scratching my head. Example: If one wants to learn how to speak Spanish, Greek, French or some other foreign language, one would use the search terms: " spanish language self instruction " and substitute the other language instead of spanish to find those materials.

It troubles me to say this but it's not our websites that we need to fix, it's our catalogs. However, does it really matter anymore? How can we earn back the public's trust in us to find information easily, place items on reserve, etc.? Are we too far gone and everyone's going to Google and Wikipedia?

Not to turn on a dime from my previous paragraph, I still think we need to fix our websites. Our databases are buried. These are things that could be immensely useful for our patrons. We spend thousands of dollars on these resources. We should make information easier to find!

I don't mean to be Little Ms. Negativity here. I want our users to have a welcoming experience. I want our users to be able to find the things they want and come back again for more. Our users need this. We, as a profession, need to do this.

Even though my library revamped parts of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library website last year, I want to change more. I'm going to invite members of the community to discuss their thoughts on our website, especially our Do Research page. (I wasn't keen on linking to it because I find it so ghastly but if others can provide insights/criticisms, I'm open.) I'd still prefer a better working catalog first.

These statements are not new. While we step into virtual realms and enter social networking environments, are we neglecting some of our most basic needs that are the platforms of our institution? I don't hold the catalog sacred. Yet, we need to seek out better catalog interface systems. We can't just make them for librarians anymore.

Choose to Read Ohio

I'm definitely looking forward to helping to get this implemented at my library.
Yes, I'm a technology driven librarian but I still get a kick out of community reading programs.

The website hasn't launched but it is a program that will be launching at the Ohioana Awards in May. It involves communities reading books for a six week period. The program lasts until the end of 2010.

For more information: http://winslo.state.oh.us/newsletter/jan09choosetoread.html

Here's the list of books that communities can choose from.

Children’s Titles
Margeret Peterson Haddix, Found, 2008, Simon & Schuster, Ages 9-12

Louise Borden, The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey, 2005, Houghton Mifflin, Ages 9-12

Shelley Pearsall, Trouble Don’t Last, 2003, Yearling, Ages 9-12

Andrea Cheng, Where the Steps Were, 2008, Front Street Press, Ages 9-12

Children’s Classic:
Robert McCloskey, Make Way for Ducklings, 2004, (reprint - original in 1941),Viking, Ages 4-8

Young Adult Titles
Sharon Draper, Copper Sun, 2007, Simon Pulse, paperback, $8.99, Grades 8 up

Chris Crutcher, Deadline, 2007, Harper, Grade 9 up

Jacqueline Woodson, After Tupac & D Foster, 2008, Putnam, Grades 9 up

Jaime Adoff, The Death of Jayson Porter, 2008, Hyperion, Grades 7 up

Young Adult Classic:
Sharon Creech, Walk Two Moons, 2003, Harper, Grades 6-9

Adult Titles
Anne Hagedorn, Beyond the River: The Untold Story of the Heroes of the Underground Railroad, Simon & Shuster, 2002

Toni Morrison, A Mercy, Knopf, 2008

Dan Chaon, You Remind Me of Me, Ballantine Books, 2004

Lee Martin, River of Heaven, Shaye Areheart Books, 2008

Adult Classic:
Harriet Beecher Stowe, The Annotated Uncle Tom’s Cabin, edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Hollis Robbins, W. W. Norton, 2007

Libraries can get their local independent book stores involved. There could be programming that ties into the history or other aspects of the books, not to mention book discussions! I'm definitely looking forward to this!

Free Book Download from Simon & Schuster - Night World

I love free books, especially free e-books. And vampires are hot right now. Yee-ow!
Twilight, True Blood and this latest launch by Simon & Schuster, the Night World series.

Check it out! Free book!!!!

Night World No. 1

By L.J. Smith
Cover by Howard Pyle

To coincide with the release of the Twilight movie on November 21, 2008, S&S is offering a free download of the first book in the New York Times bestselling Night World Series, Secret Vampire.

Secret Vampire will be available for free download for 1 month—November 21st-December 21st.

Vampires, werewolves, witches, shapeshifters — they live among us without our knowledge. Night World is their secret society, a secret society with very strict rules. And falling in love breaks all the laws of the Night World. In Secret Vampire, Poppy thought the summer would last forever. Then she was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Now Poppy's only hope for survival is James, her friend and secret love. A vampire in the Night World, James can make Poppy immortal. But first they both must risk everything to go against the laws of Night World.

The 242 page book is the first in the Night World series of 9 books, and the first book in the 3 book bind-up Night World No. 1—available now. Night World No. 2, containing the next three books in the series, is also available, and No. 3 will be available on June 23, 2009. The never before published 10th book in the series will be released by Simon Pulse in 2010.

Click here to download your free book.

Interested in presenting at ALA Annual 2009 in Chicago?

One of my friends and colleagues on ALA Council, Aaron Dobbs posted an entry on his blog to get the word out of an amazing opportunity for those that are not affiliated with a committee/round table/etc. in ALA.

Aaron the Librarian's blog entry

It would be a great opportunity for those that want to get more involved and share what you are doing that can improve library services.

I would love to pair up with someone on free software, reader's advisory and/or using Twitter as a library tool for marketing, etc. I'm just not sure who/how to get this off the ground. I'm just starting to think about making presentations about what I'm doing, what I'm really excited about and what I see as the future of library services. It's not that I want to be the next Helene Blowers or the next Nancy Pearl. I am really excited about the tools that we can use to be where our patrons are, that enable libraries to provide quality service to those aren't even *at* the library, that launch us into the 21st century.

I sent out the call to all of our reference and children's staff in hopes that they might be inspired to create a program and share it at ALA Annual 2009.

I hope the Creating Connections initiative by Jim Rettig, ALA President has some fantastic programs. Maybe one of them will be yours?

Cool signage @ Cleveland Heights

Re-post from Ohio Library News which is a re-post from PLA Blog October 24th, 2008 by Anne Heidemann

http://oplin.org/ohiolibrarynews/?p=268

We have lots of cool signage and it was noted by Anne Heidemann from Canton Public Library in the Greater Detroit Area. She was visiting our library since she was in town for the PLA Results Boot Camp.

I'm so glad that someone else thinks our signage is pretty nifty. While we still get questions on where's the bathroom and the like, I think our signage is pretty informative and useful. I think when the library renovated in 2006, it gave them the opportunity to wipe the slate and start anew.
I think many libraries should do that. Sometimes there is way too much and the landscape is cluttered with signs. In some ways, I wish there were more.
Things like table tents and flyers just lying on tables to advertise activities and services. Little things can help in such a big way.

OPLIN list firestorm

There is a bit of a firestorm going on the OPLIN list-serv discussing one library's decision to disallow patrons to check out books if they have > $0 balance on their accounts.

Many people, including myself, find this less than desirable. While it is not necessarily a punishment, the plan leaves a very sour taste in my mouth.
In these tough economic times, we need to innovate to find new ways that we can raise funds. Yes, fines are a revenue source. But we should *never* rely on that and hold our books hostage. Fines are merely to deter the patron from keeping the books.
It would be fantastic if we were able to move to a model of "If you want to keep it, we'll bill you for it, no questions asked." That way, we can replace that book immediately. Should a book be irreplacable, we should scan those. The patron is still billed for keeping the book but the digital copy will be also available.
Irreplacable is typically out-of-print. Out-of-print does not necessarily mean out of copyright so that would be something to consider.

By no means have I figured out the perfect solution to the library fines dilemma. However, zero balance for checkout is not an option.