What’s New & What’s Best @ Your Public Library

1. @ your library What’s New & What’s Best @ Your Public Library

2. @ your library Ann K. Symons Past President American Library Association Librarian, Moscow and St. Petersburg The Anglo-American School www.aas.ru

3. Who am I? 60 years: an avid public library user 36 years: a librarian A library advocate, a wife, a mother, a friend, a traveler, a hunter -- of information

4. Best Practices Programs, initiatives or activities which are considered leading edge, or exceptional models for others to follow

5. Best Practices #1: "customized" service #2: Reflecting Community #3: Reaching Out to Teens

6. Free Internet Access* Not Leading Edge Free public Internet Access 99% of all public libraries in the United States offer free internet access to users In 2006 61% of public libraries will offer wireless internet access, up from 36.7% in 2004 [Public Libraries & the Internethttp://www.ii.fsu.edu/plinternet_findings.cfm]

7. #1-Customized Service Best practice - #1 - "customized" service Meeting the needs of the patron in the way that best suits each individual patron by both promoting the library as “place” and at the same time dramatically increasing remote services to patrons

8. Virtual Reference Virtual reference is reference service initiated electronically, often in real-time, where patrons employ computers or other Internet technology to communicate with reference staff, without being physically present. Communication channels used frequently in virtual reference include chat, videoconferencing, Voice over IP, co-browsing, e-mail, and instant messaging. Guidelines for Implementing and Maintaining Virtual Reference Services http://www.ala.org/ala/rusa/rusaprotools/referenceguide/virtrefguidelines.htm

9. Ask - You Own Way

10. Visual Clues…

11. My Account • My Account allows you to manage your library card online: • Change your PIN • Change your e-address. • Check the status of your holds • Pay Fines • Renew items • Save searches • Put books in your basket • Have books mailed to you if you qualify as homebound

12. Digital Library Services ListenIllinois provides patrons from participating libraries with a large collection of digital audiobooks available for checkout, all thanks to your local library!!

13. Patron Initiated Interlibrary Loan MeLCat is here! The Ann Arbor District Library is pleased to announce the return of patron-initiated interlibrary loan service through the Michigan eLibrary Catalog (MeLCat), a statewide-shared catalog.You may request interlibrary loans directly by going to MeLCat. There is also a link to MeLCat from the Request ILL page on our website

14. Library As Place Seattle Public Library

15. Do It Online • Your library online “Anything you can do in the library, provide a way to do it online, 24/7 --- e-books, e-audio, online reference, online full-text magazines, newspapers, digital collections, online discussions, blogs, wikis, book reviews, online programs and displays, community services database, online tours, podcasting of storytimes and other programs, etc.” Sharon Morris, Colorado State

16. Seattle Public Library Big Bold Dynamic

17. #2 - Reflecting Community

18. Queens - A Leader in Diversity

19. Interpreters to help you use the library

20. Russian Home, Vietnamese Home, Spanish Home, French Home, Chinese Home…

21. Leaders Serving Diverse Populations Queens Borough Public Library www.queenslibrary.org Toronto Public Library www.tpl.toronto.on.ca Seattle Public Library www.spl.org

22. #3 -Teen Services • #3 - Services to Teens are “hot”, digital, inclusive - in and out of the library • Library Web Pages with Information/Graphics for Teens • Teen Advisory Boards • Monies for Collection Development • Newsletters • Homework Centers • Help with Children’s Programs

23. Teen Central http://www.phoenixteencentral.org/

24. Think Creatively • Encourage customer input • find new ways to allow users to comment on books they've read - hi tech or low tech • Engage with your users in new ways • start a blog - see Santa Fe PL's blog http://santafelibrary.blogspot.com/ • Share pictures of your library's experiences - put up pictures on Flickr; • Open an instant messaging account and put the login name on your main library page

25. Banish “No”- Say “Yes • Banish “no” from your vocabulary • Cast all rules/limitations in positives • “No cell phones” • “Enjoy texting your friends but please mute your phone while in the library”

26. Innovate The drive-up window!!!!

27. Celebrate

28. U.S. Public Libraries Take a virtual visit to some of America’s best public libraries: Ohio Utah Oregon Indiana Washington Hennen's American Public Library Ratings http://www.haplr-index.com/HAPLR100.htm

29. Technology Leaders • Ann Arbor District Library • www.aadl.org • King County Public Library • www.kcls.org • Seattle Public Library • www.spl.org • Orange County Library System • www.ocls.org

30. Must See Public Library Websites Ann Arbor District Library www.aadl.org Seattle Public Library www.spl.org King County Public Library www.kcls.org St. Joseph County Public Library http://sjcpl.lib.in.us Denver Public Library www.denver.lib.co.us/

31. The Challenge • Vision - Staying Ahead of the technology curve • Librarians continuing as early adapters of technology • Libraries staying relevant with new technologies • Finding ways to stay relevant in the community • Adequate funding

32. Ann Arbor District Library http://www.aadl.org/

33. AADL Values Ann Arbor District Library Values •Excellence in customer service •Providing, supporting, and advocating access for all •Acting with initiative, creativity, and flexibility •Working together, with enthusiasm and optimism, to reach goals •Responsible stewardship of resources

34. AADL Vision Vision Statement The Ann Arbor District Library provides collections, programs, and leadership to promote the development of literate and informed citizens through open and equal access to cultural, intellectual, recreational, and information resources.

35. 24/7

36. Services

37. Useful Websites American Library Association, its divisions and conferences Urban Library Council OCLC

38. www.webjunction.com

39. The Future of the Internet II http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Future_of_Internet_2006.pdf

40. Pew Internet II Conclusions* - 2020 • A global, low-cost network thrives • English displaces other languages • Autonomous technology is a problem • Transparency builds a better world, even at the expense of privacy • Virtual reality is a drain for some • The internet opens worldwide access to success • Some Luddites/Refuseniks will commit terror acts • * Half of the survey respondents disagreed with each statement

41. By 2020 The majority of respondents to Pew’s Future of the Internet II survey say: Building network capacity and technological knowledge should be top priority including passing along technological knowledge to those not currently online.

42. Change

43. With thanks to…. Sally G. Reed, Executive Director, Friends of Libraries USA [FOLUSA] Patricia Smith, Executive Director, Texas Library Association Nancy Bolt, Nancy Bolt & Associates, former Colorado State Librarian, consultant, and Past-President, Public Library Association Jan Sanders, Director, Pasadena Public Library, President-Elect, Public Library Association Deborah Jacobs, Director, Seattle Public Library Karen Schneider, Director, Librarians’ Index to the Internet Peggy Barber & Linda Wallace, Library Communication Strategies Inc. Dr. Joseph Janes, Associate Professor, The Information School, University of Washington