Check out Steven and his speaker’s gift.
Aaron Schmidt, Thomas Ford Memorial Libary
Bernadine Goldman, Los Alamos County Public Library
Hardware Solutions (Bernadine)
- Problems
- Stolen memory
- fights over who’s turn it is on the Net
- reams of left over printout paper
- staff: is this what i went to school for?
- Researching a solution
- vendors at conferences
- library lit
- WebJunction
- LITA Listserv
- Site visits
- vendor websites
- online demos
- Features Wanted
- Internet access
- application software
- print cost recovery
- workstation reservations
- time management
- patron authentication
- Three environments
- PCs
- Thin clients
- USerful / Open Source
- Why we Chose Thin Clients
- not vulnerable to tampering
- updated from central server
- less physical space
- familiar software applications
- fit into technology plan
- (problems with USB drives not being supported)
- Technology planning
- take care in constructing it
- people take it very seriously once it’s in black and white
- Getting your selection through the system
- local government procurement
- had to justify a sole source
- must be authorized to sign a contract
- allow plenty of time for attorneys
- be prepared to pinpoint many details
- Rules for installation
- no such thing as a turnkey solution
- it’s never as simple as they claim
- installation takes longer than expected
- be a problem-solver
- be prepared to learn a lot
- Time line
- net access – day 1
- apps – gradually
- print cost recovery – 2 months
- workstation res – 5 months
- timer software – 5 months
- Patron reactions
- delight
- outrage
- privacy issues
- age-related
- alow for games
- screen flickering
- want more features
- Staff reactions
- stress!
- need time to learn the new technology
- wish system came with a manual
- wish it were more stable
- happy to stop waste of paper
- happy to have more workstations
- Lessons learned
- new tech is time consuming
- do your research
- can’t be over prepared
- pay attention to infrastructure
Smart Computing at Your Library (Aaron)
My fingers are tired, find it here.
Jessamyn just showed us the cameratossblogged flickr tag.
David King, Kansas City Public Library
Michael Stephens, St. Joseph County Public Library
Hiring and Keeping Techie Staff (David)
- External Hiring
- Job ad
- Get lots of applications
- Get apps from suitable candidates
- Attract, describe basic requirements, written from applicants viewpoint, use specific wording about the skills you want
- Be specific with “must have” skills
- Place the job ad where qualified people will see it
- Online for techie jobs
- ALA, LITA, Chronicle, LISJobs.com, Your Web site
- NON-MLS: Local newspaper, Monster
- Weeding candidates
- focus on basic job requirements
- preferred qualifications
- interview who’s left
- Internal Hiring
- Can hire “good library employee” then train them
- Offer interally first is a good option
- Steal from other departments
- Why internally: skills, library-friendly, will work for food
- “This person should be a quick learner and enjoy technology changes”
- Hiring goals
- dedicated to the library
- enjoys service
- willingness ot learn
- already helps out with technology
- Keeping Staff
- Obvious things
- benefits, praise & recognition, pay, interperonal relationships
- If your the leader, be flexible and be willing to experiment
- Keep the involved in the library
- committees, planning, yearly goal setting for the library
- make them feel personally invested in the library
- Training
- buy lots and lots of books
- Techies like toys! Give them some.
Ten Steps for Staff Buy-In (Michael)
Here’s his blog post explaing all of them
- Listen
- Involve staff in planning
- Tell stories
- Be transparent
- Report & Debrief
- Do your research first
- Manage Projects Well
- Offer training for all technology (including the board!)
- Let them play
- Celebrate successes
- Breathe & take care of yourself
If you’re at the conference and looking for a great place to eat, be sure to check out India’s Clay Oven. Just go out the front of the Portola Plaza Hotel, cross the street and turn left. There’s a sign outside and it’s up on the second floor. (Warning: The Eggplant is spicy.)
Ken Weil & Joe Latini, South Huntington Beach Public Library
- First public library to circulate iPod shuffles!
- Started with a collection of 29 titles
- Starting to do music on the iPods (marketing to younger patrons)
- Why?
- Downloading cheaper than purchasing cassettes and CDs
- $1616 on cassette vs. $695 from iTunes for the first 29 titles
- Savings used to buy the iPods
- No replacement costs for tapes & CDs
- Titles available sooner
- Conserve shelf space
- More portable
- Licencing varies from company to company (iTunes, OverDrive, Recorded Books)
- There is no single good solution
- Why iPods?
- iTunes = library now ownes the item, others you need to repurchase on a schedule
- Downloading items via dialup is not viable, therefore circing the iPods
- Can import from existing Books on CD
- iPods popular
- Work with both Mac & Windows
- Universal access (no patron computer needed)
- (iTunes gets their titles from Audible.com)
- Copyright issues
- SHPL limits circ to the number of copies that the library ownes
- Apple knows what they’re doing
- Purchasing
- iTunes ccount (CC or debit account)
- software
- search
- download
- store files on server (central location for downloader & desk where iPods are checked out)
- Cataloging
- Equipment: iPod Shuffles (They now have 20)
- Titles: eAudio books (original cataloging)
- Order Record (title, iTunes listed as publisher)
- Bib record (replaces order record)
- Material type
- Pushed on the front page of the Web site
- Catalog says “Required iPod Shuffle or other MP3 player” on these titles
- Processing
- title card w/ barcode
- contents card with iPod barcode
- CArying case
- iPod
- power adaptor
- radio transmitter
- audiocassette adapter
- user’s guide
- aux input connector
- [M: Way sweet! Don't make them use headphones]
- Circulation
- check out titles and equipment
- loan rules
- 2 weeks
- no ILL or DA
- restricted to district residents
- $1/day overdue (they’ve been circing laptops for the past five years without any problems)
- borrowing terms & conditions
- Will also load titles on to borrower’s iPods, form indicates that loading library titles will erase all items on the iPod.
- Newer software and iPods are reducing this problem
- User Survey Results
- 46% borrow 2-3 times/month, 26% once/week
- 48% listen in car, 19% in portable player w/ headphones
- 35% prefer fiction, 29% new or bestsellers
- ever borrowed? 81% no
- 73% male
- age 30% 55-64, 21% 45-54
- What’s new?
- Circing music on iPods
- Developing YA collection
- audio books & music
- selected by young adults
- Art exhibits audio tour
- Podcasting library programs & events
Be sure to check out the Flickr page for the conference. (Tag: IL05)
