Thanks to Stephen Abram’s Lighthouse blog for bringing it to our attention.

And, if this post was interesting to you, dig into the information to understand library technology even deeper at webjunction. Read, discuss, and share for free. Attend $5 classes when you sign up to join the PA community. Ask your district consultant if you have questions.

Online, you can search a database for examples of possible areas of collaboration. Consider how streamlining the work your organization does by combining forces with other libraries and non-profits could help to expand the impact and make the outcomes of your work more visible in the community. Collaboration Ideas.

Use the search to find examples of other non-profits who have joined together in a collaboration to:
-Purchase goods and /or services together
-Share (co-locate) or better utilize space
-Combine marketing efforts
-Share development (fundraising) activities
-Share advocacy efforts
-Form a confederation
-Merge
-Share staffing
-Share staff training

How could your library apply to win the next Collaboration Prize?

Shortcuts to Greatness: Or Ten Things That Great Libraries Know and Maybe You Don’t
1) Interesting examples of things other libraries are doing to reach out to and involve the community.
2) Examples of visions statements that were interesting (I thought most of them were more like tag lines than vision statements).
3) I enjoyed reading the qualities of a leader – these slides could be interesting in the assessment of leadership within an organization. I also enjoyed the slides on job descriptions. different approach!
1. Connect to customers–affection, respect, heartfelt connection.
2. Look cool–facilities, website, people
3. Humor important.
-awesome handouts from this powerpoint.
-shake it up.
-look at vision!

Books: The Top 5 of the Top 5
Different classification of new books
1. New authors.
2. Trends in books.
3. Share your favorite books with patrons. Read widely and become very familiar with collection.

Advanced Black Belt Librarians: The Top Ten Security Issues in Public Libraries
-Try a periodic review at staff meetings on how to handle security issues.
-Try 30-30-30 as a way to increase awareness: for 30 days every 30 minutes, stop for 30 seconds and observe what’s going on in the library. When staff try this, it will raise their level of awareness of what is going on around them.
-Enforce rules based on customer behavior rather than customer appearance.
-It’s about communication not confrontation.
-Use a clip board for potential problems, security incident report, problem log.
-Staff should not enforce rules based on appearance. They should enforce rules based on behavior!
-keep procedures simple and hold people accountable to follow them.
-hire and train the right staff for the right public positions.
-bad guys will find the shortcomings in your policies.
-staff is paid to think: let them use common sense to handle the situation when they can.
-blackbeltlibrarians.com
-The conflict that often exists between policy and common sense.
-Consistency of policy and enforcement is important.
-Front line staff fear problems of their bend the rules if even for a practical exception.
-Have CLEAR procedures to go with the policies
-Keep a security log/incident sheet
-Use walkarounds as a deterrent.
-Constant awareness is necessary, especially with reduced staff
-Documentation can help catch problems before they happen
-Keep rules SIMPLE.
-Spin rules positively on signs

Adrift or Right on Target: Perspectives on Floating Collections
-Peer Driven Quality Improvement Team (PDQI) made the project work.
-Biggest benefit: Fewer copies needed because holds were directed to the audience who needed them.
-How you set up your ILS is key to getting delivery benefits. How is location considered in the holds queue?
-small collections of “no holds” items is okay. What would be wrong with a No-Holds policy on the NEW items for 3 months? That way those people with an immediate need to have the item could buy it at the bookstore and donate it to us?
-It should be a priority for new ILS selection that the system can differentiate between items with a hold list and items that are simply a delivery selection. -Systemwide uniform weeding policies are important!
-All collection management decisions are important in floating collections for long-term success.
-Can rules be set up to allow “floating” only to certain branches?
-Could upcounty float just to upcounty and downcounty float just to downcounty on collections like DVDs or things that package differently?
-”Weeding Branch” concept!
-A greater way to loan books and save on budget
-Specific Webreporter report assists in weeding and moving materials.
-Floating collections results in greater circulation of fewer copies.
-Libraries created a grid that helped determine the number of copies purchased and where they start.
-Still depend on library staff for unique library needs.

Cracking the Code: Beyond Dewey: Words Vs. Numbers
Forcing patrons to translate what is in their mind into Dewey is bad customer service.
Bookshelves should be on wheels!
Libraries using Words vs. Dewey numbers are more popular materials based
WorkThink Grid concept, translating BISAC to unique spine labeling
Libraries using Words for classification are doing so in conjunction with a physical move to a ‘community center’ design.
Signage/displays is the key to finding materials. Word-based systems can work. Need a user map.
Molly Moyer: Retired Bookseller/Librarian: Dewey is predictable, familiar, and “easy” for librarians. Bookstores arrange things very differently.
Focus on shelving, display, furniture, signage (fonts that are readable up close and far away and words that users use), and collection.
1. map of the library w/ the various sections labeled
2. put as few barriers as possible between book and patron
3. Shore’s point of library as a ‘third place’
- images on signage (numbers scare patrons)
- shelving by subject using WordThink

S.Y.A.S.S. Save Your After School Sanity
1. Vetting workshop presenters wasn’t done very well with this session. 2. There are still a lot of librarians out there who are perpetuating the stereotypical librarian. 3. Only one presenter had any truly sensible things to say on this panel, and she read everything. This was a really poor presentation.
1. some people don’t really like or understand teens 2. there seems to be a lack of creativity in looking at this issue 3. negative attitudes are going to beget negative behavior
-The presenters are scared of teens. -There are many bad ideas. -Sure, sometimes there are problems with behavior, but patrolling with a billy club won’t solve them.

Marketing as Conversation: How to Interact with Your Community Through Your Website
- Taking pictures of community events and posting on Flikr. – Library service is really all about connecting with people and building relationships.
You have a great chance of success if you can get everyone “on the bus”. Create an environment to facilitate conversation – places where patrons can comment, make suggestions, etc Combine social networking tools to feed off of each other – facebook ties into flickr ties into twitter ties into a blog, etc.
1.flickr can be an amazing tool for capturing both the library and the community and starting online conversations 2. twitter has more uses for the library than I initialy thought. I have an account;need to explore this more in general 3. for me it would be important to “leave space for others” since I tend to like to be the eager beaver librarian who tries to provide all the answers…let it be a conversation, a sharing
How to use social media to get out in the community, be engaged, listening and participating to market services. The need to continue to manage your organization’s online identity. Getting staff to understand that talking with customers via online social media tools is as necessary as talking with people on the phone or in person.
Ask now widget embedded link to a librarian/website. Post building expansion photos on Flickr This stuff takes time.

Inside the Author’s Studio-Seaman interviews Roach
Mary Roach is hilarious!! I’m definitely going to read her next book. She presents her information in a fun and engaging way.
The author is funny. The library has many of her books.
1. learned about Mary Roach and her books 2. her books help take intimidation out of science 3. someone actually has a job title: Curator of Cosmic Dust

LITA’s Top Technology Trends
Will be difficult for libraries to provide e-content due to publishers, copyright and cost.
Individuals can purchase econtent cheaper than libraries.
Lawsuits in the 80′s for libraries to checkout videos started the content wars.
Augmented reality was a new term for me.
Use QR codes to provide addtional content to your patrons.
The iPad will change the face of the eBook industry.
Libraries = Content + Community
Learned what augmented reality
Started thinking about new aspects of digital divide
Libraries can circulate physical formats of digital content.

Cross-Over Readers Advisory
New Readers’ Advisory Handbook – new title Types of books that appeal to teen boys What aspects of teen books appeal to adults
1. learned a lot more about epic fantasy, a genre that I’m interested in and needed to learn more about 2. overall list of book suggestions very helpful 3. I want to read more epic fantasy.
-Books with the Prince award are great cross-overs for adults. -Try a teen/adult reading group for something different. -Teen readers know when you are talking down to them. -Alex Awards for good reading lists for Teens -Try Sci Fi or Fantasy for reluctant readers. It can bring together various age groups.

If You Didn’t Work Here Would You Come Here?
sites.google.com/site/plaportland2010/
1. after hours important for drawing in people
2. e-mail list, blogs, social networking crucial
3. quality programming w/ that liberal arts twist…I liked many of Crosby’s ideas
-20-30 somethings are an important demographic that the library system needs to do more to attract.
-We can take better advantage of modern existing technologies like facebook and twitter to prmote the library among this demographic. Find out what programs would bring this group to the library. Existing book discussion groups are not addressing all demographics.
-Many great ideas for “out of the box” programming
-”Make yourself a missionary for the library”
-Market to group you want to attract Feedback on Twitter After hours are important
-Alcohol and after hours are two key components to attracting 20-30′somethings.
-20-30′somethings are an important demographic for civic support, they pay taxes and vote
-Use Google Alerts to keep track of social networking hits about you
-Ladies night out at the library (making candles, soaps, beauty products), library block parties, art shows, literary speed dating, Green environment resource campaign. These types of events help to join together people interested in specific topics to help form mini-communities for your library.
-Multonamah County uses a “Giant Library Card” in their advertisements/media for good photo opportunities.
-Program Idea: Meet the Past: Have people dress up as historical figures and have someone do interviews. Partner with public television topical areas.
-Offer after hours events, hosted by the library, not always in the library. Staff can plan and promote the event. Local press will cover innovative programs (like dating!) hosted at the library.
-Make yourself a missionary for your library everywhere you go. Marketing from the staff word of mouth makes all the difference.
-Get your staff liking your library Facebook posts and resharing it on their own personal pages.

As of the day of this posting, the public libraries in the three county Capital Area Library District do not offer any commercial service for downloading print ebook content to the popular e-readers, however, full text versions of many novels and works of reference and nonfiction are available online through Netlibrary, one of the resources in POWERlibrary. If you have your library card handy, login to see what is available: ebooks from Netlibrary

Listeners:
Library customers do have access to a public library sponsored collection of downloadable audiobooks at http://capitalarealibrary.lib.overdrive.com/

The OverDrive service just released an app for the iphone so users can skip the download to their personal computer and just download direct to their iphone. Let me know if you like it. App store: Overdrive
There is a mobile version of the site for those with other smart phone operating systems.

Digital media is changing the way content is provided in all parts of the industry. What should libraries do about it?

Comments always welcome; suggested solutions to meet short and long term needs will be applauded.

Check out this book, a Creative Commons free to download in pdf format online Read right now here or available for purchase via Amazon (for you or your library collection: buy Art of Community at Amazon ) that dicusses building and leading a community.

Start a conversation. This space is available.

We will host all of the sessions at CADM, in the training lab.

You will receive 1 CE credit for each session you attend.

There is a limit of 9 people in the room at any time, so signups are on a first come, first serve basis. Sign up FAST.

Please review the session details at this website: placonference.org/virtual_conference.cfm and then use the sign up link next to the corresponding title for each session. This post has the links to register for Day 1 sessions. Day 2 sessions are not yet finalized. Stay tuned for a second posting for Day 2 (March 26) with additional topics.

COST: Your library will be billed after the event $5 for each session each person from your location signs up for. Please try not to cancel at the last minute, because then we’d have empty seats.

Schedule and Individual Session Registration Links:
Thursday, March 25, 2010
10:45 a.m.
Welcome and Introduction (Anyone coming for the 11:00 session can attend this.)

11:00 – 12:00 p.m.
If You Didn’t Work Here, Would You Come Here? Register for If You Didn’t Work Here, Would You Come Here

12:15p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Cross Over Readers Advisory Register for Cross Over Reader’s Advisory

1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
LITA’s Top Technology Trends Register for LITA’s Top Technology Trends

2:45 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Inside the Author’s Studio with Booklist’s Donna Seaman Register for Donna Seaman

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Marketing as Conversation: How to Interact with Your Community Through Your Website Register for Marketing as Conversation

5:15 – 6:15 p.m.
S.Y.A.S.S. Save Your After School Sanity Register to Save Your Sanity

6:15:
Happy Hour/Wrap-Up (If there is interest, anyone in the room is welcome to hang around to view for FREE. Note: We may be happy, but we’ll have to leave the drinks–there’s no bar in library unless you rearrange the letters. :)

Audio Poster Sessions: As an important element of the conference experience, ALL Virtual Conference attendees will receive access to explore our audio poster session which features PowerPoint presentations or Web tours with audio narration. As part of the last PLA National Conference (2008), we offered twenty poster sessions for attendees to peruse, on topics like Early Literacy, Website Accessibility, Cataloging Video Games, Public/Academic Library Collaboration, and Impact of Library Outreach. We also featured poster sessions on library programming like 52 Books – 52 Weeks, A.R.T. Revolution forTeens, Local History, and more.

Access to Archived Programming for One Year: All virtual conference registrants will have access to archived Virtual Conference programming for one year after the event. Maybe some of your staff can bring the information they learned back to train your local staff too!

Libraries who do not meet state aid standards for a specific reason can apply for a waiver.

What do you think?
Registered users of the site can comment below.

Here is the agenda packet that was distributed to all attendees: Handout Packet

workforce resource grant brochure

What should your library know about public attitudes and perceptions of libraries?
Download the important OCLC report From Awareness to Funding here How can you harness support for your library?

Below you’ll find a few highlights from the meeting and some of the ideas that were discussed. Here, see the detailed notes from Nancy Deering Martin that were recorded from discussions at the meeting: leadership-conference-summary060809 We used the attached list of questions to prepare for the meeting. Big Questions It might be a nice exercise to try to answer the questions yourself or to use them with staff to start them to thinking about ways to improve libraries. Ideas that came out of the discussions and networking with others during the meeting included extensive talks about regional and statewide collaboration on technology, statewide library card, a statewide referendum for more stable funding, and much more.

M. Clare Zales Update Highlights:
Leadership is about showing up and being present in the community. Leadership is individual and shaped by accumlated experience.
During this “fiscal crisis” our ideas and values of leadership will be essential. We all know that changes in the library community are coming and we will need principled leadership. We need all the different types of leadership responses to be shared. We need to stay informed and motivated because this is a challenge like no other in Clare’s career.
As for the budget, the cycle is off-trend in that it started with S.B. 850 instead of with the House. The databases that POWERLibrary offers would cost more than $40,000/library and if lost may be hard to get back. Especially critical is the precedent that could be set if Keystone funds, restricted receipt funds, are eliminated for libraries and are allowed to be spent on other things. Ask politicians why the deep cuts to libraries? Tell the stories about how your library gives users opportunities that help to keep them off of food stamps and other assistance programs.
There is so much at risk. Even our status is threatened. Lead through this time with commitment and verve.

Nancy Deering Martin on Change Leadership:
The periods of calm that used to allow time for recovery and preparation are infrequent now. We need to learn how to communicate and implement change better.
Identify and act on staff who are either Engaged, Disengaged, or Actively Disengaged.
People don’t leave organizations though, they leave bosses.
The greater number of decision makers the less likely something will happen.
Lead more lament less.
There is often a great difference between intent and results. Good leadership brings projects to good results.
Don’t let “tyranny of the inbox” conquer you.
Identify your own leadership strengths and your individual style. Work with it. (A good exercise for identifying strengths was completed.)
Spend more time on Planning and Problem Prevention to reduce time spent fire fighting. Your routine organizational work will someday be less daunting.

POWERLibrary Marketing
The Ivy Group will be working to create a marketing plan for POWERLibrary. They told us about their plan to make POWERLibrary more accessible and accepted ideas and feedback. The planning for this project is still in the research phases.

See what other libraries are doing for advocacy:
NCLD’s advocacy campaign
Example from NY

2009 District Statistics Summary

Agenda topics include:
-Office of Commonwealth Libraries Update from Anne Kruger’s notes:
• OCL new website: take a look around, allow time to find things if you haven’t visited yet. CCommonwealth Libraries
Lots of downloadable resources: Library Resources
• Web Junction: PA is a participating partner. Sign up and use the items and collaborative workspace: webjunction.org
• 2010 One Book, Every Young Child distributions coming soon. Jane Hillenbrand, a Kindergarten teacher from Ohio and her husband Will Hillenbrand wrote the book. Attend the kick-off Tuesday, April 13, 2010 in the Capitol Rotunda followed by the Early Learning Forum the next day. The speaker will be announced at a later date.
• Summer Reader (Evanced) still provided.
• LSTA for 2010 or 2011?

-Annual Report Updates: Due dates, statistics for e-resources and other district services

-Training Ideas for 2010