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April 5, 2006

The "New" Customer Service

The Public Library Association Conference in Boston. was all about customer service but not the traditional "service with a smile" concepts we are all so familiar with. It was about a new generation of library users needs and expectations. For deeper background information, you can scan the handouts
and check-out the PLA Blog but, basically it boiled down to "RELEASE THE INFORMATION"

The conference seemed to support the OCLC Survey that library users and non-library users view ease of access and the ability to personalize data as key to what they consider their information needs to be. This translates into:
*Letting patrons place tags in your online catalog
*Creating blogs and e-spaces for people to communitcate
*Inviting people into the library on their terms, not necessarily the librarians
*Empowering the user to shape, borrow and reconfigure information and resources to fit their personal style and the way they want to use material.

The role of librarian has definitely evolved beyond the smiling gatekeeper of all the knowledge the library has to offer to being an active collaborator in the exchange and development of knowledge. Librarians can no longer be reactive and wait for individuals and new trends to come to them. They must even go beyond being proactive to what I will term "infoactive." Librarians must ride the waves and currents of information while trying to shape it and direct it to people who need it. The constant question echoing in the back of the information professionals head must be "How can I add value to this transaction?"

At this point, you may be scratching your head and asking yourself "What is she talking about?" Let me clarify, librarians need to host community blogs, join local gaming groups, create online communities of interest, and generally be where people are or could benefit from using information. Librarians need to create an authoritative role for themselves as respected information sources. This can be accomplished by actively scanning resource for information of interest to groups, be willing to answer questions that arise in a group discussion, and anticipate information needs. Most librarians tend to be "know-it-alls," why not tap into that ability. For example, create a blog on issues and topics of interest to the small businesses in your community. Allow readers to comment and ask questions. Ask your target audience what information they need and how can you make it easier for them to get it. Then adapt your catalog and services to better meet their needs. Next, back-up the online services with in-person group meetings at your library that allow them to network. Then once a month give them something special: twenty free copies, two free faxes, thirty minutes of research provided by a librarian, a free cup of coffee from your cafe, coupons to some service or spa in town, whatever they might want.

Think of all those little incentives and freebies we give to kids during summer reading and apply it to other targetted groups. Wouldn't it be great to have 200-300 adults signed up for your libraries local business networking service or support group for new Americans? These things can be done.

It would require libraries to focus on the key groups that are important to their communities. This would require a reimagining of libraries. People and resources would need to be used differently.

What do you think?

Posted by anna at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)

February 9, 2006

Trustee Training

When I was on the Local School Council at my daughter's school in Chicago, we had to file form, run for election, and go to six, 8 hour Saturday training sessions. It was tough giving up that many Saturdays but, the training was well worth it. I was really surprised when I found out library trustees didn't really have similar structured training.
This lack of training puts public library trustees at a disadvantage. Trustees face major legal and financial responsibilities and many are not sure what there duties are.

NSLS is working with the Trustee Training Task Force to create a curriculum of classes and training opportunities. We are exploring many different delivery formats. The task force has already created a brochure and helped design a Web page. Take a look and let us know what you think. If you have any ideas or suggestions please share them with a task force member.

The wonderful members of the task force are:

Directors : Dan Armstrong, Palatine Public Library District, Carole Medal, Gail Borden Public Library District, and Lynn Stainbrook, Arlingotn Heights Memorial Library

Trustees: Kathy Caudill, Ela Area Public Library District, Kim Isaacson, Fox Lake Public Library District, and Estelle Cooperman, Morton Grove Public LIbrary District.

NSLS Staff: Sarah Long, Director, Anna Yackle, Public Library Liaison

Posted by anna at 8:48 PM | Comments (0)

The new face of virtual reference in Illinois: MyWebLibrarian and Ask?Away

In January, 2006, the Illinois State Library did a soft launch of a dynamic new service called Ask?Away. This is one of the first multi-state virtual reference services in the country. They are inviting libraries of all types to join in this groundbreaking project.

For NSLS libraries, this probably all seems very confusing. First we had Answers Unlimited and then we had MyWebLibrarian and now libraries are being asked to join yet a third incarnation of virtual reference service. Don't give up! This project is well worth exploring.

You probably have many questions about this service such as what will happen to MyWebLibrarian, and how can it benefit your library.  Bill Pardue, Chair of the MyWebLibrarian Governing Committee and I have created an FAQ.

Remember, the true expert and actual coordinator of this project is Debra Aggertt, at the state library. If after reading this, you have further questions, she is a good person to contact. You may also contact Bill Pardue , Bruce Brigell, or Pam Leffler.

Ask? Away: The New Virtual Reference Service
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), February, 2006

The Illinois State Library is building on the success of virtual reference projects like Answers Unlimited, Ask Us!, and MyWebLibrarian (MWL) to create a new and dynamic 24/7, multi-state, affordable virtual reference service called Ask?Away. The Illinois State Library has hired Debra Aggertt as full-time project coordinator to implement this service.

Who are the partners?
You can be a partner with the Illinois State Library (ISL), Wisconsin Library Services (WiLS), and libraries of all types across the states of Illinois and Wisconsin. As a partner, your library’s patrons will have access to the back-up services provided by OCLC’s Question Point 24/7 (QP24/7.) This means that there will always (24/7) be someone to answer questions and queries requiring more in-depth research can be referred on to an appropriate library.

Who will be answering my library patron’s questions?
The thing to remember is that your patron’s questions will be answered by trained staff 24/7. When it is your library’s turn to staff the service, questions may be answered by your own employees. If your institution feels they should be the primary provider of this service, the purchase of a queue of your own maybe arranged. Questions that come in during regular library hours but, when your staff is not covering the virtual desk will be answered by other Illinois librarians. After normal library hours or during especially busy times, QuestionPoint 24/7’s staff of degreed librarians will meet your patron’s needs.

How can other librarians know about my library and its resources?
First, questions from your library users will go into a queue or “doorway” for similar type libraries. To make sure the librarian answering the question will have a basic understanding of the work you do, libraries are currently divided into either academic or general queues. Second, all member libraries will be filling out a detailed QuestionPoint profile which will be available to the librarian answering taking the question no matter where they are located geographically. Questions from your patrons that require local attention will be forwarded to you via email.

What about MyWebLibrarian?
Many of the libraries currently participating in MWL will be joining the Ask?Away project. That means that these seasoned veterans will be bringing their knowledge and expertise in providing virtual reference services to this new project. The ISL sought the input of these librarians, particularly, Bill Pardue and Bruce Brigell, in creating the framework of this project. Ask?Away is viewed as the next evolution in virtual reference service in Illinois. On June 30, 2006, the MWL libraries will be providing their services under the Ask?Away “banner.”

What should my library be doing if we currently belong to an existing service?
Your library staff should contact the coordinator of your current service. Each group will probably have a different plan and timetable. Libraries participating in MWL should follow announcements made to the Clickaway electronic mailing list. The governing board is developing a transition plan and will keep participants informed.

What about Night Owl?
Night Owl has been an important partner in MWL. They have provided training, administrative oversight of daily functions and finances for the service, as well as providing after hours coverage. The partnership will end on June 30, 2006 as MWL merges with Ask?Away. For more information or questions about Night Owl and its other services, please contact a Night Owl Board representative.

How is Ask?Away being funded?
The Illinois State Library is providing 3 years of grant funding for this project. During this time, the focus will be on increasing the number of participants in the service. Each year the grant funding will decrease. However, increased membership should help keep costs low. Sustainability is an important part of the service. Once the service has been operating for awhile (at about a year and a half into the project), the Ask?Away Advisory Committee will focus their efforts on the matter of sustainability.

What are the benefits of membership?
You can be a pioneer and break new ground in the formation of one of the first multi-state virtual reference services. Your library’s users will reap the real benefits of the service. They will be able to easily locate the service from the link on your library’s home page. Their questions will be answered on a 24/7 basis. Because you will create a detailed library profile, the degreed librarians providing back-up support can customize their answers for your patrons.

What does my library have to do to participate?
Your first step is to contact Debra Aggertt at (217) 558-1945 or daggert@ilsos.net., at the Illinois State Library. She will be able to walk you through the required steps, explain what is expected of participants, and outline the fee structure.

How much money and staff time will it cost to join?
Pricing and staff hours required are based on your library’s size and type. A small public library can join for as little as $25 and 1 hour per week of required staff time. Staff time contributions need not be filled by actually staffing the service. Participation in promotional, administrative or quality control functions will count towards a library’s staff time commitment. School libraries can join for between $25 and $100, with staffing optional. For more details, Debra Aggertt at the ISL has developed a pricing model that you will find attached.

What if I still have questions?
Go to the expert:
Debra Aggertt
Illinois State Library
Illinois Virtual Reference Coordinator
300 South Second Street
Springfield, Illinois 62701
Phone 217-558-1945
Fax 217-557-2619
Office of Jesse White, Secretary of State and State Librarian

Posted by anna at 8:27 PM | Comments (0)

January 31, 2006

What do you think of Wikis?

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, by now you have at least heard the term " wiki" and you have probably heard about all the controversy surrounding Wikipedia (kind of an online encyclopedia with articles submitted by the general public). Recently, some inaccurate information was added to a Wikipedia biography and the subject of the biography became very upset, questioned the validity of the entire body of work, and threatened to sue. Then in turn the Dec. 14, 2005 issue of Nature magazine ran an article stating that on scientific topics Wikipedia was as "accurate" as Encyclopedia Britannica.

Wikipedia describes Wikis as follows:
"A wiki : (wee-kee or wick-ey) (according to Ward Cunningham) is a type of website that allows users to easily add and edit content and is especially suited for collaborative writing....The name is based on the Hawaiian term wiki, meaning "quick", "fast", or "to hasten" (Hawaiian dictionary). "

I personally love Wikipedia and adore the concept of individuals collaborating to create a free, easy to access body of knowledge. However, the potential for erroneous information to be disseminated to an unsuspecting public is a significant. The advent of wikis require librarians and teachers to stress the value of "information literacy." A good article on this topic appeared in the eSchool News

Wikis test students' research skills
'Information literacy' is key in dealing with online sources
By Roger Riddell, Online Editor, eSchool News

"Wikipedia and other reference sites that allow users to submit and edit content themselves are creating new challenges for educators. Experts say the rise of these kinds of web sites underscores the need for educators to teach students strong information-literacy skills..."

Evidently some teacher or librarian successfully instilled this idea in the heads of some young journalists in Minnesota. A 22 year-old, convicted sex offender was pretending to be a teenage member of the British nobility and wanted to enroll in their school. Even though this imposter had created a false entry for himself in Wikipedia, the student reporters unmasked him. The story appears in the Belleville News Democrat...

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/nation/13613746.htm

Claim of royalty, a con revealed
" Joshua Gardner showed up at Stillwater Area High insisting he was a British duke. He had the card, the crest and even the accent. But the student newspaper staff had its doubts — and uncovered an impostor."
BY ALEX FRIEDRICH and MARY DIVINEPioneer Press ...

Skeptical journalism students at Stillwater Area High School helped unmask a convicted sex offender pretending to be a jet-setting, teenage member of British royalty who wanted to enroll at the school.

Posted by anna at 11:07 AM | Comments (0)