Mobile Reference workshop

Hosted by OCLS

OCLS is in Mobile Gamma – a concept stolen from Flickr meaning perpetual improvement.

Model = greet and walk with (Going on a trip? Take patron to DVDs and travel books.)

Customer service scores improved 20% as measured by a survey tool on website and in library.

Initially trained a team of 10 people to roam. Now, entire main library reference staff engaged in roaming. 55 staff (11 MLS). Staff rotate between a telephone reference department and roaming hours.

Get continual staff feedback on service.
Staff are scheduled for 2 hours of roaming at a time.
Follow a star pattern for roaming; more movement through stacks and back to a central staff point.

Installed 11 phones throughout the building (like at Target) for patrons to summon help.

Staff wear ID's and Vocera badges.

Do not have to "ask" every patron if they need help; just make eye contact and nod.

Interactions (stats) went up 25%.

Started with PDAs, then moved to end-panel OPACs.

There is a staff computer at one service point per floor (where a print station is), but this service point is not "staffed"---roaming staff rotated around this point and use it when necessary.

Security matters: By hitting dark corners more often, the number of security incidents decreased. However, they do have an off-duty police officer most hours and they trespass individuals frequently.

On the 4th floor, they retain a reference desk (for now), but have moved from that model on all other floors.

There is also a "Community Resources Center" where ALL internet PCs are. Librarians do not have to handle that.

[At this point, Howard County librarians in the audience shared the following. At one branch, they have moved to a call center model. Staffed by Info and Circulation staff. No incoming phone calls on the floor---Redeploy staff in the age of Google---now two staff are in the call center instead of having 4 or 5 staff throughout building on phones.

Circulation has increased.

Crosstraining both Circulation and Information Services staff. Staff camaraderie has increased.

Some librarians have said that they will never buy into this model, but now it is tied to their reviews.

How did you market it to patrons? We didn't do formal marketing. In the weeks leading up to the change, we just let people know by word of mouth as we were assisting them.

It requires more flexible scheduling. [end Howard County comments]

[resume OCLS presenters]

They recommend Gaylord's Mobile Service Desk.

Mentioned that Denver PL, now allows for 1-hour appointments with librarians for research-intensive questions.

In a way, many small branches at public libraries nationwide are functioning on a mobile model; it is only new for main libraries.

OCLS used to schedule for 5 service desks; under mobile ref, they now only have 3 service points. They recommend removing staff phones away from service desks, if moving to a mobile model. Funnel all calls to a behind-the-scenes telephone reference area.

What I really meant was... (Improving Communication)

Facilitated by Face2Face

Concentrate on active listening

We often jump to conclusions and leap to defense. If someone touches your hot button, you immediately shut down and you aren't listening anymore.

Note non-verbal cues

Perceptual errors
1. Judge ourselves more charitably than we judge others.

2. Influenced by what is most obvious.

3. Cling to first impressions.

4. Tend to think people are just like us.

5. Favor negative impressions over positive.

Filters: We all have them. Our set of experiences. We process all information through these filters. We need to be aware of them.

Be clear when speaking.

Ask questions and stop trying to read minds.

Say exactly what you mean.

When you're having a hard time expressing yourself, try using the following statement:

I feel ______ when you (said or did) _______, because I think you ________.

Avoid shortcuts like acronyms or jargon.

Avoid assumptions.

3 key phrases for clarity

-Help me to understand... (This is a non-threatening diffuser.)

-What I heard you say was... (Clarification)

-What I really meant was...

Communication styles

Driver: achieving, decisive, independent, efficient, intense, deliberate

Analytical: logical, serious, factual, well-organized, reserved, linear

Amiable: supportive, friendly, relaxed, patient, cooperative

Expressive: lively, outgoing, enthusiastic, persuasive, humorous, gregarious

Ideally, your team is made up of people who reflect each of these styles.

Bridging the Divide: Civic Engagement and Democracy in practice

People are alienated from politics because of a lack of public space for them to engage in discussions. People are remarkably isolated in such an age of diversity.

Libraries' role = provide a safe, neutral place for issues discussions.
Libraries can bridge this divide.

How can we engage people?
Reclaim democracy?
Allow people to reconnect?
Bring people back to the public square?

Nancy Kranich’s 7 functions of a library
1. Library as civic space.

2. Library as public forum, place for dialogue and exchange of ideas.

3. Library as civic information centers. (Not passive, active. Engage.)

4. Library as provider of community-wide, issues-focused reading clubs.

5. Library as partner in public service. (Not competitive with other organizations.)

6. Library as enabler of civic literacy.

7. Library as public advocate. (Not just access to info, but engagement with people.)

No need for libraries to do this alone. There are likely local organizations who want to partner or are already doing some of these things.

Libraries should be moving from access to engagement.

Example: Johnson County Public Library’s (Kansas City, KS) Community Issues Forums

Questions
What surprised, delighted or inspired you from what has been discussed thus far?
What might be challenges or opportunities for libraries to do this in practice?

Highlights from Table discussion
1. Moving from access to engagement

2. How diverse are our libraries really? Are the people who would be interested in Community Issues Forums be people we already reach?

3. How do you avoid debates devolving to extremes on either side?

4. Will some administrators perceive this as courting unnecessary controversy?

5. Libraries can provide the facts. We have many strong views on taxes, gov’t, etc, but very few facts to back up fervent views. (Example: Can you quote how big the total county budget really is?)

6. One system employs a "Community Engagement Librarian"— bring people in to talk about things in a different way; teach how to disagree and be civil; skills that communities need to rediscover and cultivate.

7. Establish the library as place.

8. World Café idea, great discussions forums, community reads

9. Community blog—how do you ensure civil discourse and not have it devolve into contention?

10. In community debates, we used to worry about the library being at the table. By hosting forums, libraries can set the table.

11. The goal should be providing neutral information from a variety of perspectives on local issues.

National Issues Forum model for talking to your community, building issues maps, creating discussion guides, etc.

In Virginia Beach, Betsy McBride's project to discuss proposed zoning changes:
-Present balanced information

-Created an 8 librarian research team (met every Monday for 2 years), ran library forums

–City manager learned librarians didn't just shelve

-City manager now sees librarians as problem-solvers

-Built citizens into the process of bureaucracy and civic issues

-Initially they received flak from the Chamber and the commissioners who wondered what is the library trying to do and what story is the library trying to tell; They saw their programming monies cut (they believe) because the county did not initially see this as a role for the library.

-They decided to use grant/gift fund monies, rather than operating monies for this project, but continued to move forward because they understood the benefit of the forums.

-Being responsive to community in times of limited staff and budget

-Introduction to each discussion—The reason we’re doing this is because…

-When you start you aren't sure of the outcome, but you have to trust the process.

-We have to practice the habits of Democracy.

What to do if Admin isn’t convinced?
-Lobby, report info to the director.

-Explain why we need to do this, we need to partner with these 3 groups because…

-Politicians are starting to realize the need for citizen input; libraries are poised to help, to bring people to our safe place.

Kranich hosts at State College, PA. Their newspaper is a partner, the library is the location and patrons see that national/global issues apply locally.

More notes on National Issues forum model (see handouts)
-You are not discussing academic approaches, rather real-world public views.

-True authentic dialogue = deliberative forum

-Help public weigh-in, make informed approaches and decisions

-Goal = understanding and collective action

-Goal = listen to those who don't agree with us

-Goal = weigh pros and cons, come to common ground

-Discussions often start by centering on two or three viewpoints; group discussions will often result in building a new approach which draws from each viewpoint.

Guidelines
1. Moderator remains neutral.

2. Everyone encouraged to participate.

3. No one or two individuals dominate.

4. Deliberation will focus on approaches.

5. All major approaches are considered.

6. An atmosphere is maintained for deliberation and examination of trade-offs among
choices.

7. We listen to each other, seek common ground and understanding.

After the discussion, what now? Steer people to advocacy groups representing the variety of viewpoints.

ALA has established a membership initiative group on this topic.

National Issues Forum = public policy training.

Upcoming conference:
National Coalition for Discussion and Deliberation Austin, TX Oct 3-5

T R A I N. Coonoor
Originally uploaded by Claude Renault

in the past six months...

after finishing a big project...
after catching up with my old advisor...
after starting a new job...
after attending a 5-day workshop...
after trading emails with helene...
after more work on more teams...
after killing my old blog...
after lots and lots of managing...
after far too little leading...
after much reading and consideration...

i find myself here.

this is not an about page. i won't be articulating a vision.

in the future, i will, no doubt, contradict myself. it happens when discussing thoughts and ideas...but...i join the conversation. this space is open. to share, to discuss. recommendations and new things.

to that end--did you read about google's knol yet?

i wonder how it will stack up to wikipedia?
how will the two sites be alike or different?
all very interesting.

Week 9: Thing 23 -- Thoughts and reflections

Monopoly Ship at sea
Originally uploaded by Mamluke

Those of us who work in libraries stand in a pretty weird spot in the information landscape.

We (generally) aren't the ones out there making technological discoveries or breakthroughs.

Nor are we like (some of) our public--wandering around without a map, hoping someone will help us, but mostly afraid to ask for directions.

We're kind of in the middle. We bought a map. We can point out all the places we've already visited and, more importantly, we can see all of the places we have yet to go. We're comfortable with travel; we just want someone to tell us what boat to get on. At least, that's how it feels to me.

With technology, I know just enough to know how much I don't know. That can be kind of scary, but it is also what makes a program like 23 Things so beneficial.

I don't have time to try every single new thing, but if someone tells me...here's one new thing that's worth your time this week...then it is less daunting.

What do I take away from this? The most important thing is confidence. Stumbling through these tools and discovering that I can't really break anything diminishes anxiety.

The other thing that I take away is something we learned way back in the beginning: the importance of play and its role in learning.

A familiarity with 2.0 tools is great. It's nice to understand the language that some of our patrons are already speaking, but I guess the next step is figuring out how these tools can enhance the work we do.

How can we integrate them into our daily work? Our websites?
Which tools will reduce workload or improve accessiblity and which tools--while shiny and cool--will just add another unnecessary hoop for patrons and staff to jump through?

These are all great and exciting questions and, having completed 23 Things, I feel more comfortable joining that conversation.

Week 9: Thing 22 -- Downloadable audiobooks

Drawing for an audiobook article in the NY Times
Originally uploaded by caffeinated_zeitgeist


I established a NetLibrary account and started to play.

I searched for Gladwell. Nothing.
I searched for Godin. Nothing.
I searched for World without Us. Nothing. Too new? Maybe I need to search fiction.
I searched for On Beauty. Nothing.

I tried to stay positive and decided to use the browse option.

I ran across Colson Whitehead's Apex Hides the Hurt; I liked his book, John Henry Days, when we read it for bookclub, so why not.

Downloading was fairly painless, but since iPods are not supported (Grrr!!!), no moving it over to a portable device.

I liked the fact that you could select radio quality to download faster; that's one positive thing.

I might have to read more of the FAQ to see if you can use bookmarks. When I listened for a while, closed and reopened, it started at the beginning. That wasn't cool.

I hate to be so negative, but I'm glad that we looked at this service at the end of 23 Things. When you compare it to the things we looked at in previous weeks, it's easy to see just how far libraries and their vendors have to go before they match the selection and accessibility of other products.

It's true that this was our first foray into copywritten content and DRM, but I still think that companies like NetLibrary can do a better job.

Week 9: Thing 21 -- Podcasts

34
Originally uploaded by Alain Astruc


Free podcasting software, like Audacity, gives folks a voice--much the same way Blogger did when weblogs first took off.

Just a short time ago, we could only hope to read about someone's misadventures with their cat.

Now, thanks to podcasts, we can hear them describe it in their own whiny voice.

I heart technology.

Seriously, though...Podcast Alley led me to the Hollywood Saloon.

Yahoo!podcasts led me to the library-related podcast, Open Stacks, as well as, the super-cool Architecture Radio which features--public lectures on architecture and issues effecting the built environment.

I subscribed to the RSS/podcast feed with my Bloglines account and was pleasantly surprised to discover that within each new Bloglines entry there is a player to listen to each podcast. This was unexpected and convenient.

[NOTE: A few days have passed. Greg, the creator of Open Stacks, left me a comment. (Cool!) He has a new site and new podcast. Check it out at Uncontrolled Vocabulary.]