Laura K. Ball. Drexel University

Transcription

1 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 1 21 st Century Public Libraries and Technologies Laura K. Ball Drexel University

2 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 2 Abstract This paper addresses the questions What are the main roles of a public library in the 21 st century?, and What types of new(er) technologies are being employed in public libraries, and how are they helping the staff and patrons? What technologies that are not being used could be implemented to increase library usefulness? Survey participant Janet s* answers are compared to research compiled, leading to conclusions that Web 2.0 technologies, if effectively utilized, assist the library staff members in fulfilling the main role of the public library: to promote literacy and fluency in the patron.

3 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 3 Introduction In the 21 st Century, the public library should strive to be a community center, a place of education and entertainment, a supplier of information, and a safe place in times of crisis. But in reality, what are the roles of the library? And what define those roles? And looking at a library, if only as an information hub, what technologies are being employed that assists the librarians and staff as they perform their jobs? What technologies could be added to the library, or improved upon, to assist the patrons the most effectively? This paper will explore how libraries and librarians in Northern America have answered these questions, and what a library in Kenton County, Kentucky, can do to answer their own. Literature Review Today s 21 st century public library acts as a community center, for both everyday life and in times of crisis, as well as providing users with the materials they require, whether they are for entertainment purposes or educational. However, the main purpose of the public library is to promote literacy and fluency in whatever subject required, be it reading, internet technology, digital media, language, etc. In order to achieve this goal, librarians and staff members must make sure they stay current with emerging technological trends, which can be difficult when in places like Ontario, Canada, only an average of twenty-six hours a year per librarian are spent on formal professional development (Auster and Chan, 2004, p.63). While this is hardly enough training to keep professionals informed enough to assist patrons in their quest for information, much more time is spent in informal

4 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 4 coaching, where librarians and staff show each other new things, or attend conferences, which appears to be a preferred method. (Other methods of informal training are discussions with coworkers and colleagues, taking part in discussion lists, selfdirected projects, reading professional literature, among many others.) Conferences allow library professionals to network both professionally and socially, both within and out of their area of interest. This social networking leads to the sharing of ideas and innovations, and also to the dos and don ts from others that have already done what another library is just now attempting, in order to improve patron literacy, especially in the area of information technology. Since informal training is not regulated by guidelines of time or professional associations, this method appears to be the more beneficial one for public librarians since they, more than any other type of librarian, can be called upon at any time to answer a question on any topic. Almost two hundred and forty eight hours were spent on informal professional development in a year, with much of the time spent in discussion with colleagues and vendors (Auster and Chan, 2004, p. 61). Literacy is such a subjective term though, how can librarians use it without sounding offensive? The term illiterate has such negative connotations associated with it, so to call someone illiterate, especially in a field like information technology where things are always changing, can do more harm than good, often discouraging those who feel insulted from making any further attempts. Instead, Gordon and Gordon suggest the term fluent replace literate, as the standard of literacy is always changing bending to the demands of the time and place, social, technical, and economic circumstances (Gordon and Gordon, 2003, p. 16).

5 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 5 Gordon and Gordon point out multiple times throughout their article that employers are looking for fluency rather than literacy; however, schools and libraries in the 21 st century focus on literacy, pushing students just hard enough to pass their statemandated exams and graduate. Being literate certainly sets an individual up for educating themselves to the point of being fluent in any field, whether it is by formal or self education, but if schools and libraries today are only pushing for literacy and literacy alone, are they setting children up for failure? And where should this journey to fluency begin? Gordon and Gordon say it should begin in the home, with the parents. Parents should designate time every night for children to spend on homework, and should then review it with them. Gordon and Gordon state that parents should be held up as role models to their children in this respect if children see their parents striving for fluency, they will strive for it themselves. However, Gordon and Gordon make no mention in their article of the children whose parents work hours opposite school hours, latch-key kids, or those who go to a daycare program after school is over for the day. There is also no mention of programs such as The Boys and Girls Club of America, the YMCA, or other worthwhile afterschool programs that not only help working parents keep their children out of trouble, but also help with school work and tutoring. Gordon and Gordon place all responsibility on the shoulders of the parent, and while the parent is responsible for the child, no question, there are circumstances which keep parents from being with their children after school, much less doing homework with their children.

6 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 6 By the time the next generation makes it to adulthood, should they strive for fluency, it may be hard for them to find anyone able to assist in their search, which will cause a strain on America itself, as well as the global economy as a whole. Eisenburg, Lowe, and Spitzer (2004) state that for a truly democratic society, citizens must be literate so they can be informed; however, after the 2008 Presidential Election, the argument could be justifiably made that citizens must be fluent in current technology, especially Web 2.0-based technologies, rather than just literate. Literacy may not have won President Obama his office fluency with Web 2.0 technologies and the ability to successfully utilize websites like Facebook, Myspace, and MyBarackObama, are much more likely to have helped his success (Gordon-Murnane, 2009). President Obama is not the only one using Web 2.0 technologies to share information libraries around the world are actively using these resources as well, just in a different way. Library websites can link to Wikis and other innovative technologies, and are able to serve multiple purposes, with the most popular being a calendar and blog of events. However, some libraries, like the University of South Carolina in Aiken and the Douglas County Library System in Oregon, actually use Wikis for the library web site, which enabled the staff of each institution to build their website for free and still link to other sites, like the library catalog or the University of South Carolina s numerous other pages, which the library Wiki matches impeccably (Farkas, 2008). Another technological innovation for the library is the adaptation of YouTube. This user-uploaded video database allows for ten-minute clips up to one hundred mega bites in size, and Webb (2007) discusses the different tutorials and introductions to library collections that an academic library could house on an account, as well as an

7 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 7 explicit warning to watch out for copyright infringement when looking at adding music and other clips to your video. The library account could include as much or as little information about the location and collections as the account administrator would like to include in the Channel, which shows up under the video while others are viewing it. However, if the administrator and other librarians were so inclined, other services could be included via the YouTube account, like programming videos for the Homebound patrons or story hour for children (or parents) who are unable to make it to the library. As e-books become more and more prevalent from providers like Overdrive and Recordable Books (and many others), the push is being made to add downloadable songs and movies to library catalogs as well. This move towards digitization, along with the Open Access movement, would allow parts of the library catalogs to become accessible to patrons twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, which would work well with the many who no longer work the normal nine-to-five five day work week or have a way to get to the library building itself. However, when digitizing a collection or parts of one and moving it to the web, one must be careful to not become sloppy. Herring (2008) points out that even when more prestigious journals are digitized, important pieces of information are left out, like footnotes. Many times proper citation is ignored, and often, when the researcher has used an electronic source, either the URL given is typed incorrectly or is dead. When documents are converted from.pdf files to.html files, many times entire sections of the document are lost in translation. There are many benefits to digitizing collections, and the pros far outweigh the cons, but one of the points Herring makes is that digitization must be done in the correct

8 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 8 manner. References must be cited properly, including the date when an electronic resources was accessed. Links must also be regularly checked after publication to make sure they still work, so others can follow the researcher s work to see how they came to the conclusion that they did. Social book marking websites, such as Delicious, could be linked to library websites to patrons could log onto a general library account and not only tag what they have been reading, but also see what others in their community have been reading as well. Such web tools would allow users to get a better idea of what the material consists of than a generalized catalog entry on the library s website, and would also be an easier way for patrons to keep up with new materials added to the library s collection, especially the fiction books, which often have waiting lists before the library acquires them. Survey Results The Erlanger branch of the Kenton County Public Library is 34,300 square feet and serves Kenton County in a three-branch system. According to the 2000 US Census Bureau, the city of Erlanger was home to 16,676 people while 151,972 people lived in Kenton County, and estimates that in nine years the population of Kenton County has increased by about 8,000. Janet*, the manager of the Erlanger branch, participated in the Future of Public Librarianship Survey. She states that the branch utilizes the library county system website, blogs, RSS feeds, and YouTube externally for patrons, but notes that YouTube is more for public relations and advertisement of the library system itself than anything else. The library also uses Wikis, and services like on-line image sharing internally for staff members.

9 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 9 Janet s answers appear to strengthen the research findings. Her library is employing many Web 2.0 technologies, but she expresses interest in utilizing websites like YouTube in a more effective way, instead of just an advertisement for the library. Some of the technologies being employed by her staff are only being used internally, like RSS feeds and Wikis, but would be more effective if these were turned into outreach tools and the community was included in the development, or at least these tools were made viewable to the community as a whole so they were better connected to the library. Conclusion The main roles of a public library in the 21 st Century include providing the materials for patrons that are both wanted and needed, and promoting fluency, as well as literacy. Fluent employees are what employers are after, and according to a 1998 National Adult Literacy Survey, the U.S. Department of Education stated that at least a twelfth-grade reading and math comprehension level was needed for at least eighty percent of occupations (Gordon and Gordon, 2003). There are very few individuals born in the country that are illiterate and very few that immigrate here are illiterate as well. Everyone in the United States can go to a store and purchase merchandise, knowing how much it will cost. Everyone can buy gas, everyone can order food from a menu. Communicating what is wanted to the person behind the register may be a challenge, but our market is so inundated with pictures that even toddlers can order from menu boards at fast food restaurants. However, fluency, in whatever language of field an individual is interested in working in, is what is required to succeed, and public libraries provide the tools to achieve this.

10 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 10 Many technologies are being used to assist librarians and staff, but not all are being used to their full potential. In the case of the Erlanger branch of the Kenton County Public Library system, using YouTube as more than just an advertisement for the library would further utilize this tool. YouTube could be used to distribute tutorials on how to effectively use different programs and electronic tools available on the library s website, discuss the library s collections, and give a tour of the library. The Erlanger branch could also use YouTube to record and distribute their programs (in segments) to their Homebound patrons, and distribute special programs for those unable to make it to the library on their own, like young children and new mothers. In order to make library services available all the time for those patrons on a schedule that does not allow them to come to the library when it is open, this branch, and any other, could utilize and advertise services available through the Open Access program, which allows readers to access academic and scholarly materials (mainly journal articles) free of charge both to them and the institution to which they belong. The idea of e-books can also be built upon by subscriptions to services such as Overdrive and Recorded Books, who offer downloadable audio and movies to libraries and their patrons, viewable via their downloadable player. In order to let patrons know what is available to them and when, Wikis and RSS feeds can be employed for public viewing. These will allow the librarians and staff to update the content when needed, and alert the subscribing patrons when changes have been made. Tools like Delicious will not only help keep the patrons who use them informed of new materials the library acquires and allow the library members to set up their own

11 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 11 catalogs that may be easier to navigate for some, but will also aid librarians and staff in the weeding process. Having a written record of what patrons think of materials will help weed through materials faster if there happen to be any questions about the book s usage and there is not a firm weeding policy in place. Digitization of materials will not only allow patrons access to them at times when the physical library building is not open, but will also help individuals in their pursuit of fluency of their chosen subject. Having this unfettered access will inspire and encourage patrons to continue their readings in their chosen field, and if done correctly and the links monitored, will allow readers to trace the resources used by the author to continually expand their knowledge base. These changes, when combined, will help lead to the future of public libraries. These future services will include the digitization of many materials, like movies, audio recordings, and serials, so patrons will have access to these materials when the library is not open and much more shelf space will be left available for reference books, the children s collection, fiction, young adult, and any special collections the library may have. This digitization will save libraries money in the amount of storage space they require, and in the case of branch systems, materials such as audio recordings and movies would only have to be purchased once since they would only be put into one catalog. The digitization of materials will also make library items more accessible to homebound patrons, as they will not have to wait through the time it takes to submit a request, have it process, and then delivered. If it is possible, perhaps county systems could even go so far as to share their digital materials in a cooperative agreement. If an

12 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 12 individual can cross three counties in Northern Kentucky in less than twenty minutes, it seems pointless to have all three county library systems spending the same amount of money on the same digital materials, when it would cost much less to share the costs of the materials. The addition of links to social bookmarking tools like Delicious, or the inclusion of a library LibraryThing account to public library websites will allow users to tag which materials in the library collection are in the physical collection and which have been digitized, and will provide direction to the catalog where patrons can find the materials they want. This will be just another way for patrons to find what they are looking for, and can only help the library. However, social tagging should not take place in the library catalog proper since there are not enough hours or manpower to monitor the tags to ensure searchers will be able to find what they are looking for.

13 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 13 References Auster, E., and Chan, D. C. (2004). Reference Librarians and Keeping Up To Date: A Question of Priorities. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 44(1), County Population Estimates. (2009). Retrieved May 27, 2010, from the US Census Bureau Web site: Ding, Y., and Jacob, E. K. (2009). Profiling Social Networks: A Social Tagging Perspective. D-Lib Magazine, 15(3/4), Retrieved May 27, 2010, from Erlanger Branch Information. (2010). Kenton County Public Library. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from: Erlanger city, Kentucky Fact Sheet. (2000). Retrieved May 27, 2010, from the US Census Bureau Web site: 00&_geoContext=01000US 04000US US &_street=&_county=e rlanger&_citytown=erlanger&_state=04000us21&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ac tivegeodiv=&_useev=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuid=factsheet_1&ds_nam e=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3anull&_keyword=&_industry=&s how_2003_tab=&redirect=y Eisenberg, M. B., Lowe, C. A., & Spitzer, K. L. (2004). Defining information literacy. In Information literacy: Essential skills for the Information Age (2nd ed.). (pp. 3 11). Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited. Farkas, M. (2008). CMS the Wiki Way. American Libraries, 39(11), 35.

14 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 14 Gordon, E. E., and Gordon E. H. (2003). Literacy: A Historical Perspective. Principal Leadership, 4(3), 16 Gordon-Murnane, L. (2009). The 51 st State: The State of Online: Election 2008 It s a Wrap. Searcher, 17(5), 28-33, 52. Herring, M. Y. (2008). Fool's Gold: Why the Internet is no substitute for a library. Journal of Library Administration 47, Rogers, M. (2007). Ebooks and Downloadable Audio Making Progress. Library Journal, 132(17), Speidel, N. D. (2008). Open Access and Science: New Paths for Public Libraries. Public Libraries, 47(2), Spielvogel, C. (2007). Libraries Lead the Way to Movie Downloads. Library Journal, 1(supplement), Webb, P. L. (2007). YouTube and Libraries: It Could Be A Beautiful Relationship. College & Research Libraries News, 68(6),

15 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 15 Appendix Public Library Services Survey Thank you for agreeing to take this survey about the future of public library services and about new technologies for library services. It should take you roughly minutes to complete. General Library Information 1. In what state (or country if outside of the U.S.) is your library located? (type in the box below) Kentucky 2. How many people reside in your service population? Less than 1,000 1,000-2,499 2,500-4,999 5,000-9,999 10,000-24,999 25,000-49,999 50,000-99, , , , , ,000+ Not sure/don t know

16 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 16 Technology Training & Needs 3. Does your library use any of the following technologies: Library website Yes, internally for staff Yes, externally for patrons Blog(s) Wiki(s) Social networking (e.g. Facebook, MySpace) Online image sharing (e.g. Flickr) RSS feeds Social bookmarking (e.g. Delicious, Furl) Podcasts YouTube LibraryThing Other (please specify): No, not at all Not sure/ don t know Other (please specify): Other (please specify): 4. What technologies do you feel are most critical to meeting your patrons needs online (including, but not limited to, those listed above)? A well-working catalog and website-based calendar with program registration capability seems most useful 5. Are there barriers that prevent you from implementing new technologies in your library, such as insufficient staff time, limited funds, or a lack of professional development opportunities for staff?

17 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 17 Yes No Not sure If yes, please explain. I think there s a lack of planning and proactive or strategic implementation of technology solutions. Also, our catalog doesn t work that well sometimes.

18 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES 18 The Future of Public Libraries 6. Over the past few years, have online library services, such as chat reference and online renewals, affected the services that you provide within the library building? If so, how? I think it has increased our reach into our community and made our services more accessible we certainly haven t experienced a reduction in our inlibrary business in reference or circulation 7. Has the recent increase in the kinds and amount of information that is available online affected your work over the past few years? If so, how? It s trickier to keep track of trends and what s going on. New things appear every day and it s challenging to see how they all fit together and fit in with our current services 8. Does your library provide any services via online social networking tools, such as Facebook, MySpace, or YouTube? If so, please describe these services. Our FB and YouTube presences are primarily for PR purposes. I wouldn t say they re really providing any services. 9. How do you think your job is likely to change over the next five years? I would like to think mobile technology and new library formats are going to make my job easier and more portable!

19 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES How do you think your library s collection is likely to change over the next five years? I don t think we ll experience a shrinkage in print materials, but I do think our AV is going to change particularly if we can tap into downloadable movies at full quality. 11.How do you think your library s public services are likely to change over the next five years? I think if our library specifically doesn t start doing a better job of predicting the direction of new interfaces and media we re going to be sliding into irrelevancy. 12.What do you see as the likely future trends for public library services in general? Just-in-time, on-demand, 24-7 access to as much stuff as possible with the shortest wait times possible. I also think we ll be seeing a demand for more personal and personalized High-Touch services one of the only places you can go to get free one-on-one help. 13.What do you see as the major roles of the public library in today s society? Helping people learn and navigate the information world, provide entertainment and educational experiences for those who have limited resources or abilities to purchase those things. I also think we act as a community center where everyone is welcome, regardless of your race, age, language or ability to pay.

20 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES How, if at all, do you think these roles of the public library might change in the future? I don t think those realities will change soon. The way people interact with us will, and the ways we provide services will, too. Demographics 15.What are your areas of specialization? (Check all that apply.) Reference services (e.g., information assistance, readers advisory, etc.) Technical services (e.g., cataloging, acquisitions, etc.) Systems, database or network management (e.g., website maintenance, IT support, Library administration etc.) Children s or young adult services Other (please specify): Special Services to the older population 16.How long have you been a librarian in a professional-level position? Less than a year 1-3 years 4-9 years years More than 20 years 17. What is your highest educational degree? Bachelor s degree Master s degree Doctorate Other (please specify): 18.Age: 25 and under and over

21 Running Head: 21 st CENTURY PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND TECHNOLOGIES Are you: Male Female THANK YOU!