Transforming Texas Libraries: Update on State Visioning

Thursday, April 17, 2:00 - 3:50

• speakers: Steve Brown, Julie Todaro

 

Gloria Meraz

(intro)

(missed first few minutes)

 

Peggy Rudd

thoughts and progress from the TTL Summit

 

social networking

• came up as a particular service need for public libraries
• how are we going to make library staff and patrons comfortable with these technologies?
  • we need training
  • working with systems staff for training that can be delivered online

 

state-wide resource sharing

• TexShare stands out as the most prominent name in this area
• the public is not aware of what TexShare is, what they can use it for
• how are we going to brand the TexShare experience? how can we "sell" it to the public?
• what about a state-wide marketing program?
• help the public immediately recognize the value and benefit of library programs
• authenticated for TexShare in a number of ways--but what about people who are not coming through libraries?
• it's always been connected to libraries, but...
  • what about people who have no access to a library?
    • unincorporated areas without libraries?
    • can they be authenticated at the state-level, or can we partner them with nearby libraries?
• goal: universal access to these materials and information

 

state-wide library card: are we ready?

• do we have enough experience with TexShare card that we can begin to look at that model?
• we could think of that card as a passport, gaining entrance to any library we want to use
• it's about user convenience and access

 

re-thinking ILL

• already have three models
• ILL group is meeting right now, looking at three recommendations out of the visioning summit

 

Texas Heritage Online

• small grant to test a data collection instrument
• how are we going to take this info and really push public access to those primary source materials?
• what about areas of preservation? we want people generations after us to have access to these resources, better access than we even have now
• students said this kind of material are one of their highest motivators

 

how will we integrate library services across region and type of library?

• integrated, full-range access to materials and support that users need and expect
• now, we're working hard to tear down those silos so that we can reach across these barriers or distinctions

 

Steve Brown

• felt a great sense of urgency; Julie pulled this into its beginning
• how do we take it down to the local level?
  • all of this is meaningless until it's implemented at the local library level
• discussions with Melody Kelly, incoming TLA president--continuation of the process
• change isn't easy or overnight; we'll have to keep pushing at this until it becomes something that is expected
• 80% of the cities and towns in Texas have populations smaller than the attendance at this conference
• idea of putting together toolkits that build to make the transformation process possible in even the smallest libraries
  • really want feedback and suggestions

 

Julie Todaro (Next Steps)

Repackaging and delivering

• giving each library the tools to do this...
• broke videos into about 7-minute chunks
• elevator speech (less than 5 minutes)
• dinner speech (less than 30 minutes; could be prefaced with 5-minute video)
  • could deliver this to teachers, faculty, etc.
  • goal is to excite them about this, foster discussion
• workshop I
  • (pulled workshop II out)
  • 2 1/2 hours
  • start with video and handouts
  • discussion Q's, small group activities
• webcast/webinar (less than one hour)
  • video, powerpoint, handouts that could be printed beforehand
  • possibly discussion Q's for afterward
  • flat, asynchronous webcast
  • OR interactive webinar (possibly both) -- allow live Q's, etc.
• publications
  • video, handouts, press releases, etc. (mentioned above)
  • articles with rationale ("why"), and "how to"
  • handouts for district meetings (let people know this is going on)
  • online toolkit
    • structure for this entire event
    • components would be added as we go along
    • poll of Texans, gathering data from library users and non-library users (constituents)
  • updated blog
    • pre-wiki system within TLA; looking at true wiki for this content
    • structure by 1) size of library and 2) type of library
    • discussion of what handouts worked for them, etc.
  • transforming wiki for libraries who are "transforming" and telling others "how"

 

Events scheduled so far

• PLANT
• TCAL
• Austin Public staff meeting
• probably TASLA

 

Steering Committee will be discussing events that can be scheduled

• want feedback on the lists above, as well (7:30 meeting tomorrow)
• what might we have missed?
• think about how you might transform your own environment
• how you might use a piece of the re-packaging/content
  • what do you think about the items on this list? what do you need/want?

 

Discussion

• face-to-face communication is very important, particularly for small libraries (system discussing this with each library)

 

• in small community libraries, if we aren't forced to get out of our little boxes, it never happens, because we're so understaffed (no time to seek out change) -- need that face-to-face contact for change to happen

 

• Melody Kelly: next year, perhaps the journal's theme should be the transformation process; document those who have already taken the first steps and their experience with it
  • find people to write articles on each theme (six of them), so that each journal had a theme, and you could follow along throughout the year
  • tie into next year's conference; using the draft Transforming report as basis for the Conference Theme statement
  • goals for next year: partnerships/collaboration (that's where we build our community constituents) -- we talk to ourselves, but not other people who share our beliefs and would be happy to transform us
  • "One Texas, One Card, No Barriers." -- take this to legislature next year

 

• branding -- would love to see a single brand/logo for all libraries in Texas. hire a marketing company--(Julie says they've already done this).
  • Julie: the PR committee is actively involved in the poll; divided into teams. One team will go look at other state-wide campaigns. (Wyoming's mudflap girl is one example.) Sarah Booth will be leading the team getting ideas from other associations.

 

• our patrons have trouble carrying our library card--why can't we just use our TXDL's?
  • it's been discussed in other states--but it's at once easy and also provides "too much" info on one card. This will be looked at, to see what will be easiest. One other problem is not being able to get a DL or ID card--cuts out kids, etc. Perhaps something with a variety of arms to it--what age can they have a card of what type, etc.

 

• university environment: what used to be their remedial centers (not needed) as supplemental centers. repackaging--no matter the content, have something that gives the characteristic issues that specific types of libraries are facing (for instance, community college libraries)--on state or national level, data/info you could take to administrators.
  • doing something about the profile of the community college and the students there.

 

• universal card doesn't scare me--however, the wiki and myspace terrifies me. we have no time for it; we're doing new programs with the youth, etc. we don't have the talent, the money to hire the talent, or the time to acquire it ourselves. this is really frustrating to me.
  • the way to transform is not us to give you five things to do--it's us helping you get there and discover what you need. the transforming should give you an idea of where you need to go. the high school kids may be one place you can tap to get help with these areas. the transforming process provides us a variety of ways to prepare for the future.

 

• Danielle Plumer w/ State Library; idea of a "technology petting zoo." May be worth considering because there may be a lot of resistance--you always need to "transform" (learn a new technology) before you can "transform."
  • want to make the packaging as diverse as possible.
  • critical: if you want to do something, out of all the options presented, and you don't have the manpower or resources, that puts the burden on us (state-level admin./org.) to help... where are the resources to help you do what you want to do for your community? Bounces back to state-level to make these things available to let you get it done.

 

• Linn: we need to remember the big part of the morning summit discussion, which was we need to give the library to the users. we need the users to share in library ownership. we need to design the system to give it to the users and invite them into our system so that they are a part of it.

 

• like the universal card idea, particularly TXDL idea. But the kids seem like an issue with that idea--what would you do for their access?
  • model of Houston, where kids getting the card was really hard. We would be careful about wording and how we would use the brand so that it's applicable for all libraries.

 

• Chris: does the process include implementation, or is this truly a planning process? how far is this process going to go? will we use the momentum and get these things actually done?
  • this question is on the agenda for the Steering Committee meeting tomorrow morning. we know we need to transform, but it will depend on the different scenarios that come out of this. we want to gather all the data in order to look at it, and see what groups/people we'd like to do what.
  • the kits will be arranged as they are, to get people to select what they need, relevant to the environment they are in. two-tiered or three-tiered approach to things to implement now, later, and ask for help to implement at a state-wide or regional-wide level. want take-aways that are immediate. things that people can do with the resources they already have (even though these might be shrinking). what can change now, and how can it change very inexpensively? what can we change in the community, and ask for help from the state library? 1) immediate, 2) short-term, and 3) long-term implementation.

 

• tried to get TLA CPC involve people from areas outside of Denton--just went ahead and tried online meetings and using wiki. draw on your TLA colleagues that are in your groups, and ask them how to do these things. also draw on your library schools. There are students that can perform these projects.
  • who's going to sustain it?
  • that's part of the problem, but it may also have a brief lifespan if it's done its job. let's see how we can pool state-wide resources and find people who might be interesting in getting things done.
  • the nature of some of this technology is that it's ephemeral. we are going to provide things to help people get from A to Z. this isn't about getting everyone on the technology bandwagon--it's about change and how our constituents are changing. this also applies to the print world--we need to address the basics of this. help people look at what they need to change and how.
  • if you could start with your board, major users, city, etc., and talk about changing nature of the world and libraries--could bring up change.

 

• how do i make my brain change, to consider things from my users' perspective? if i take this to my administrator, won't he think that a state-level means that he doesn't need me? will my users see a need for me? the process and trying to use these things ourselves, listening to users, may help us veterans see how users look at things a bit differently than us. it's scary, but good.
  • i would be thrilled if people came into the library to talk about change and discovered the databases there. there are lots of people who still don't know about these things. get the message across that the library is a changing place that provides various kinds of information. libraries offer information in several different ways.

 

• we tell them, but they aren't getting the message--so what are we doing wrong in how we communicate these things to the users?
  • our goal is to help them enrich their lives.

 

• when you go out into the community, you need to be careful what you say. made a comment that I had learned about Flickr and blogs and wikis, etc., and one of my commissioners said, "well those sound like good names for dogs."
  • Julie: one of my favorite stories: high-ranking legislator (still there): "you really don't need a library, because you can get everything on eBay." the transforming process may be taking a state-wide marketing campaign, bringing people in for discussion, and showing them resources you already have.

 

• has any work bee done toward the Viagra model of marketing, of getting our content providers to do direct marketing to our constituents? get Ancestry.com to market your local library--have we approached them? we discussed this at the transforming summit.
  • had discussions with some of the providors; some of the DB providers have been trying for this for some time. Ebsco will roll out a substantial campaign in summer/fall. They are moving in that direction; the hope is that the marketing is sufficiently directed that it's about the product, but telling that these things are located at the library.
  • we can't legislate for a product or a vendor, but we are looking for partners for product placement.

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