1 / 38

New Technology Challenges & Successes

New Technology Challenges & Successes.

jonah-saunders
Download Presentation

New Technology Challenges & Successes

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. New Technology Challenges & Successes • A look at technologies that are being utilized in our newest branch library, with emphasis given to the role that RFID, wireless access, blogs and wikis all play in daily library operations, including the real world benefits that such technologies can provide. • Michael Casey, Branch Manager, Gwinnett County Public Library • Chris Hall, IT Coordinator, Gwinnett County Public Library • Computers In Libraries • 22 March 2006 Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  2. UnConference Fundamental Law of Conventional Conferences The sum of the expertise of the people in the audience is greater than the sum of expertise of the people on stage. Dave Winer at http://scripting.wordpress.com/2006/03/05/what-is-an-unconference/ So……please participate, ask questions!. Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  3. Building a New Library From the ground up… July 2005 Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  4. Choosing Technologies to Advance the Library • So many factors to consider… • Community needs • Library needs for service delivery • How do you deliver your materials and services? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  5. Decision Making Considerations • Library’s strategic plan • Organizational culture • Library’s budget • Size of building • Expected return on investment Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  6. Decision Making Considerations • Library’s Strategic Plan • What are your strategic goals? • If technology serves no goal then it serves no purpose • Must operate within the framework of your mission and vision • What tools serve those goals? • Input from all parties required • Bleeding Edge vs. Leading Edge vs. Close Follower • Always looking, always alert • Emerging Technology Team or some outward looking group that matches technology with library needs Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  7. Decision Making Considerations • Questions? • Comments? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  8. Decision Making Considerations • Organizational Culture • What is your library’s technology culture? • Buy it off the rack? • Build it yourself? • Piece it together using existing parts? • What place does IT have in the organization? • Do they play a part in all levels of planning and decision making? • Are they brought in early or only after the idea has been decided upon? • Or, worse, are they only brought in after the product has been purchased? • What is your library’s comfort level? • Single vendor versus best of breed • “We’ve bought from them before, we’re buying from them again.” Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  9. Decision Making Considerations • Questions? • Comments? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  10. Decision Making Considerations • Budget • Finite resources • Firm ROI expectations • Size of Building • Finite amount of space • Community needs should take priority Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  11. Decision Making Considerations • Return on Investment • How does this technology impact your library • customer service • staff efficiency • bottom line numbers • circulation • library visits (real or virtual) • votes in the upcoming election • Set your expectations before implementation and stick to them during the review! • Be willing to change or discard anything that’s not giving you what you need. • It’s easier to change now than later! Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  12. Decision Making Considerations • Questions? • Comments? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  13. Technolust No discussion of new technologies would be complete without mentioning: “Technolust - an irrational love for new technology combined with unrealistic expectations for the solutions it brings.” Technoplans vs. Technolust by Michael Stephens Library Journal, November 1, 2004 How to avoid this? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  14. Technolust Keep it grounded Always ask… How can it allow us to best serve our customers? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  15. Good Use of Technology • How Do We Serve More With Less? • Efficiency • Does it make better use • of staff energy and time? • Effectiveness • Does it reach more users • with equal or less effort? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  16. What Tools Did We Choose? RFID – Radio Frequency Identification WiFi – both staff and public wireless network access Blogs – internal and external communications Wikis – knowledge management Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  17. What Tools Did We Choose? • Two Views • Internal and External Benefits of the technology • Actual Implementation • Installation • Maintenance Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  18. RFID • Internal Benefits • Efficiency • Role in new branch opening • more work upfront with tagging • mobile tagging – taking it to the shelves • Check-out and Check-in time reduced • Less material handling • Material quickly placed back into the stream • Self-service customer use • Greatly improved inventory control • and more….. • RFID is new! There will be growing pains! Long term savings will be there! Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  19. RFID • External Benefits • Staff have time for direct customer service to more users • Customer’s more independent when completing simple tasks • Customer satisfaction and empowerment • RFID is new! There will be growing pains! Long term savings will be there! Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  20. RFID Implementing Test, test, retest Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  21. RFID • Questions? • Comments? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  22. WiFi • Internal Benefits • Un-tethered network access to serve anyone anywhere with the right tool • Going to the customer • Expansion or remodeling freedom – only power and space are required to move computers • Customers utilize own equipment, not library’s hardware or software Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  23. WiFi • External Benefits • Customer’s more independent when completing simple tasks • Their hardware, their software, our data • Access to WiFi in surrounding parks or seating areas Town or citywide WiFi? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  24. WiFi • Implementation • Staff WiFi • security • Customer WiFi • coverage • maintenance • simplicity for user Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  25. WiFi • Questions? • Comments? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  26. Blogs • Internal Benefits • Communications in general – speaking to different people about different issues • Horizontal and vertical communications • Horizontal • Staff Staff • Vertical • Management • Staff • Trust issue – should names be used on posts? We do. New staff New branch Stressed management ? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  27. Blogs • External • Board • Customers Administration • Staff • Library news that allows for easy feedback • Public / open communications • Direct communication with board • Get your message out Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  28. Blogs • Implementation • WordPress • Movable Type • Blogger • WordPress.com • TypePad Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  29. Blogs • Questions? • Comments? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  30. Wikis • Internal Benefits • Knowledge management • Captures valuable and fleeting information • reference desk questions • Reduces the excuse of “the guy who knew that is gone” • Digital repository for library documents • Improves staff comfort with library history and philosophy • policies and guidelines – history behind their creation • mission and vision – what was the thought process Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  31. Wikis • External Benefits • Community knowledge management • local history • geneology • shared user knowledge Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  32. Wikis • Implementation • MediaWiki • TWiki • Kwiki • PBWiki • JotSpot • Socialtext Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  33. Wikis • Questions? • Comments? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  34. Review RFID – Radio Frequency Identification WiFi – both staff and public wireless network access Blogs – internal and external communications Wikis – knowledge management Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  35. Review • Only one way to do more with less… • Efficiency • Does it make better use of staff energy and time? • Effectiveness • Does it reach more users with equal or less effort? Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  36. Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  37. Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

  38. New Technology Challenges & Successes • Contact Info Michael Casey http://www.librarycrunch.com michael@librarycrunch.com AIM: librarycrunch Skype: michaelcasey Chris Hall chall@gwinnettpl.org Thank you Casey & Hall, Computers In Libraries. 22 March 2006

More Related