Libraries Online: At the Centre of Everything Good

1. Libraries Online: At the Centre of Everything Good Your Presenter: Peter Atkinson

2. Evolution of The Web • Web 1.0 was static; site owners posted content, limited interaction between users • Web 2.0 is dynamic; Create, Discover, Connect, Share • Tools drive innovation, creativity, efficiency • Web-based applications, apps, open source software bring opportunities, new ways to learn, connect • Value creation shifts from site owners to users • Prosumers, Freemium Model • Smartphones, tablets deliver the web anywhere • Web 3.0; The Semantic Web, The Internet of Things

3. Why Does The Web Matter? • 2.4 billion people online worldwide; 28.5 million in Canada, or 85% of the population • 71% of Canadians average 45 hours/week online - more than they spend watching television, twice as much as any other country • CheckFacebook. Com; almost 19 million, or over 50%, of Canadians have Facebook accounts – 14 million DAILY users • There are almost 1.2 billion Facebook users worldwide; if it were a country, it would be the third largest in the world. (It’ll be #2 by the end of this year) • The fastest growing segment of users is those 55 years of age and over • Approximately 24 hours of video is added to YouTube every minute; it is the second most popular search engine after only Google • Over 30 new articles are added to Wikipedia every hour • Wikipedia: 31.6 million articles in 260 languages, (4.3 million in English ) • Encyclopædia Britannica Online:120,000 English-only articles • Just watch...

4. Why Does the Web Matter to Libraries? • Libraries aren’t about books

5. The Opportunity • Allows people to connect more deeply than other communications tools; distance doesn’t mean separation • Artists, writers, artisans, businesses, not-for-profits connect with new and existing customers around the world; location becomes almost irrelevant • Goes beyond the physical; we can all have it • Sites offer free access to drive usage, charge for additional services; barriers to entry fall – everything is possible

6. The Opportunities for Libraries • Contact, Connect, Engage • Patrons • Not just a Facebook page, a way to communicate and tell our story • Non-Patrons • Not just a Facebook page, a way to get more teens into the library • Community • Not just a Facebook page, a way to partner with local groups to promote your community • Library 2.0 in Your Community • Enrich community by driving innovation, communication, creativity • Local small business, entrepreneurs, cultural organizations, artists & artisans, local government 3. Creates The Future for Libraries

7. Channels • Channels: the tools that are used to send the messages – e.g. was newspaper, posters, now website, Facebook, etc. • You tell the story you want to tell in your own words; no more hoping for a newspaper article • Share information that would ordinarily be cost-prohibitive to create or promote • Meet patrons on their terms: people who like videos can visit your YouTube channel, people who like photos can visit your Flickr photostream, etc. • Each has its own characteristics – lurk to learn • Communicate with specific segments of patrons; can have one Facebook page for the library, another for Local History, another for Teens, etc.

8. Content • Content: What you share through a channel • Content is King, Queen • Good content gets read, shared and is valued • Ideas are everywhere; patrons, current events, new arrivals, programming • Informational & Inspirational • Write from reader’s perspective • Ok to share content created by others • Ok to re-purpose and cross-post

9. Context • Now emphasis on Context • Content is King/Queen, but context is the Kingdom • We know what, but not why; what are they trying to accomplish • It’s different online: 50 Shades of Grey – book vs. e-book • Actions taken/not taken • Poor design? • Poor content? • Privacy concerns? • Just not interested? • Hard to pin down • Accept uncertainty • Minimize, not eliminate • Test theories

10. Keys to Content Success • High quality content: Timely, authentic, relevant, useful • Organization! • Consistent online presence: knowem.com, namechk.com • Security: LastPass.com • Decide on a ‘voice’ • Add guidelines if multiple posters • How to handle questions, negative comments • Create a content calendar; plan at least 3 months in advance, (can always add more) • Establish a consistent schedule whenever possible, (day of week, time of day) • Use data tools!

11. Contact, Connect, Engage • Marketing! • Understanding what patrons want and communicating the products and services that best match that • Starts with branding • Increase patron knowledge and understanding of, and their affinity for, the library • Limitless opportunities to communicate with your patrons; new channels and tons of content

12. Contact, Connect, Engage • Create or Share Content • Tell your story! • Announce new arrivals AND link to: • The book in your catalogue • The e-book in your catalogue • Read-alikes and other works by the same author in your catalogue • Online print reviews • A YouTube video of the author doing a reading or an interview • A Flickr photo tour of the book setting or the author’s hometown • Facebook – respond helpfully to comments

13. Contact, Connect, Engage • Remember - both directions • Like/Follow/Subscribe to others • Interact! • Want a friend – be a friend • Use a channel just for gathering content, e.g. Twitter, Google + • Social Listening • Identify keywords, key people to follow

14. Channels: The Big 3 • Website: Digital Core • Design – poor design reflects on organization • Search ‘Web Design Best Practices’, make any changes possible • Facebook • Has become a must-have • Blog or Pinterest/Instagram/Flickr • Blog’s best if you are/have a writer • OK to post links to other relevant content • Pinterest – connect, Instagram – original content, Flickr – storage, organized display • Use words over images

15. Other Channels • Twitter: Twitter-Lite? Just listen? • Video; YouTube, Vimeo – Vine? • Geo-Location; Foursquare, Google Places, Yelp • QR Codes; deliver depth to your info

16. Identify Tools • Start with the Big Names; Wordpress/Tumblr/Blogger for blogs, YouTube/Vimeo for video, Flickr/Photbucket for photos, etc. • Google Analytics, Crazy Egg for data • Pagemodo for content ideas • Shortstack, Hootsuite to manage content • Google what you want to use/accomplish, e.g. ‘free online video editing’ • Get comfortable • Read online reviews • Check trustworthy sources: Mashable, MakeUseOf, New York Times, TechCrunch, Wired • Check the dates of reviews!

17. Identify Tools • Test drive options, if possible • Ok to use a throwaway email address • Look for data collection features; automated collection is always better • Protect your valuables; look for a way out if working with high-value resources • Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good

18. Facebook Analytics

19. Facebook Analytics

20. Google Analytics

21. Google Analytics

22. Google Analytics

23. Crazy Egg Heatmap

24. Crazy Egg Heatmap

25. Crazy Egg Confetti Report

26. Crazy Egg Scroll Map

27. Hootsuite

28. Hootsuite

29. And in Conclusion… • You don’t compete, but you are in a competitive environment • Tell your story before someone else does • You tell it best • Don’t leave a vacuum for other people to fill • Often negatives • Connect to engage patrons

30. In Your Community • Share Web tools • Help people achieve dreams, goals • Library drives artistic, business, tourism, cultural development • Puts the library at the heart of the community • The smaller/more remote your community the bigger the potential gains

31. Library 2.0 • Your library can use these 2.0 tools too to: • Create & share content • Edit and save archival photos • Work collaboratively • Run contests • Create unique prizes, awards, gifts • Raise funds; product sales or donations

32. Library 2.0 in Your Community • Artists & Artisans • Build a website with Wix, Weebly, Moonfruit, Flavors.me, Wordpress or Tumblr • Sell handicrafts on Etsy, Ponoko • Build a webstore with Payvment, Goodsie or Storenvy to sell on Facebook • Create art with Sumopaint, Inkscape, Gimp • Design and create your own fabric with Spoonflower • Create product designs at SoleCreator or SneakArt, NikeID • Print and sell your art on anything from t-shirts to skateboards at Cafe Press and Zazzle

33. Library 2.0 in Your Community • Photographers • Promote a portfolio on Tumblr, About.me or with a website • Sell prints on Etsy, Ponoko • Sell photos as stock images on iStockphoto and Shutterstock • Build a webstore with Payvment, Goodsie or Storenvy to sell on Facebook • Store photos on Flickr, Photobucket • Edit photos with Fotoflexer, Flickr, Picnic • Add fun effects with Dumpr, BeFunky • Add paint-type effects with psykopaint • Create photobooks on Flickr, Blurb, Lulu • Create tilt shift effects with Tiltshift • Create photo mosaics at AndreaPlanet • Create seamless panoramic images with Autostitch and Clevr • Resize multiple images for uploading with Fotosizer or SmushIt

34. Library 2.0 in Your Community • Writers • Write with and organize with Storybook, Protagonize • Self-publish on Lulu, Blurb • Upload books as e-books and sell on Amazon or Chapters • Create a blog on Wordpress, Six Apart or Blogger; use Zemanta to find free images • Create illustrated children’s stories with Storybird, MeeGenius, ePubBud • Build an audience at Scribd • Hone your craft at Fickly and 50WordStories • Create your own comic strip with Strip Generator • Publish your own magazine with issuu or Press Jack • Contribute to Kibin to access their free editing service

35. Library 2.0 in Your Community • Businesses • Create a listing for Google Places, FourSquare • For restaurants, let customers pay with their cell phones via Tabbed Out, list restaurant menus on MenuSpot.ca or build a website using Bistro Square • Let customers schedule appointments on Google Calendar • Create a loyalty program with Punch Tab or Punchd • Manage your business with free web-based tools at Google Docs, Microsoft Skydrive or Zoho • Manage your books with FreshBooks or Mint • Collaborate with Asana, Podio • Create professional invoices with Billable.me • Collaborate online with Notable, Flowdock of Freedcamp • Create electrical or system diagrams, flow and organizational charts with Gliffy and LovelyCharts • Create PDF forms at FillanyPDF, online ones at Wufoo • Create memorable presentations with Prezi • Create e-business cards and e-flyers with Hyplet • Accept payment online with Payvment, Pay Pal – accept credit cards anywhere with Here, Stripe • Build a webstore with BigCartel, goodsie or storenvy • Accept payments by mobile phone with Zong • Stay organized with Todo.ly, RemembertheMilk and Evernote • Host webinars and remote presentations with Vyew, Tokbox, Skype • Organize your trips with TripIt • Backup and share important documents with Dropbox, SugarSync or Box.net • Create customer surveys with Survey Monkey • Use Mail Chimp to manage, build and send marketing emails

36. Library 2.0 in Your Community Financial backers & Product Design: Kickstarter Quirky IndieGogo • Music and Video • Create a TV show at Viddler, ubroadcast • Create a YouTube Channel • Edit videos with Clip Converter or Lightworks • Edit and convert file formats or create ringtones with Audacity • Compose at JamStudio or Ujam • Write music using MuseScore • Create and share a radio station on Last.fm • Build an audience by adding music to Last.fm • Sell music on iTunes, Amazon and more with Tunecore, Bandcamp and Nimbit • Build custom Facebook pages with RootMusic • Build a webstore with Payvment to sell on Facebook, goodsie or storenvy • Create web tutorials with Greenshot, 5min, Screenr, ScreenJelly, Screentoaster • Heritage & Cultural Organisations • Build your own website with Wix, Weebly, Google Sites, Wordpress, Moonfruit • Create online maps of local sites/cemeteries/historical architecture with Google Maps • Build your own website with Wix, Weebly, Google Sites , Moonfruit • Accept donations online with CanadaHelps.org • Sell tickets with Eventbrite • Share photos, videos, interviews online through the many channels available

37. Library 2.0 • Sound exciting? • So why the resistance?

38. Technology is Frustrating • 2010 study conducted by Harris Interactive and sponsored by Intel, eight out of ten American adults get frustrated waiting for technology • Yelling or cursing out loud when their technology can’t keep up with them; 62% • Hit their computer mouse; 29%   • Bang on their computer screen and keyboard; 24%

40. Technology is Frustrating • Often managed by departments with different priorities; budget, security • Web-based applications are accessed through a web browser; most don’t require any download, minimal computing power • Often perceived as expensive • Most web-based applications offer free access to a limited range of services that are sufficient for most users. Costs for full access tend to be very affordable, usually ranging from $2 to $5 per month. • Often perceived as hard to use • Advances in user experience, software have significantly improved usability. And with free access its easy to experiment to confirm • Often perceived as faceless machinery • Technology does not design or build itself. All technology is designed, created, managed, maintained by people; bad technology or bad technology implementation just means decisions by people with other priorities, other information, other perspectives • Often perceived as a threat/unnecessary/compared to past failures • Technology is sometimes implemented without sufficient planning/impact on current processes; guarantees failure/resistance • Sometimes technology itself is not the real issue…

41. Beloit College Survey • Each year provides a comparative review of the world/arts/culture of the freshman class • For the class of 2016: • Czechoslovakia has never existed • Robert De Niro is thought of as Greg Focker's long-suffering father-in-law, not as Vito Corleone • John McEnroe has never played professional tennis • Bill Clinton is a senior statesman of whose presidency they have little knowledge • They have never seen an airplane “ticket” • Ice skating competitions have always been jumping matches • ‘Viewer Discretion’ has always been a warning on TV shows • American companies have always done business in Vietnam • Fergie is a pop singer, not a princess • They never twisted the coiled handset wire aimlessly around their wrists while chatting on the phone

42. Change! • People Don’t Like Change! • Rate of Change is accelerating • Medieval peasant wouldn’t have a hard time adjusting to 1900; still an agrarian society, limited pervasive technology • Someone from 1970 would struggle today; HIV, human rights advances, terrorism, Internet & computers, recycling • William Gibson; future is here, there is no present time • Constant state of mild anxiety; what’s unknown? What’s coming next? • People Don’t Like Change • Really? • Got married • Went to school • Moved • Changed jobs • Had children

43. Change! • People don’t like IMPOSED change • Change Management; considered one of the most important skills today • Regain Control: • Educate yourself; get the facts • If possible, become part of the process • Make an informed decision, avoid pure emotional evaluation • Reframe: • How critical is it that you like this new thing? • Does it improve a process? • Learning new things keeps work interesting • Accept: • Only way to improve something is to change it • Decisions are made for many reasons; understand the big picture • You will get comfortable with the new thing in time

44. Wise Words on Change • If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got, (Various) • The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (Chinese proverb) • A good plan today is better than a great plan tomorrow (General George Patton) • How do you eat an elephant? One piece at a time (Any precocious six year old)

45. Building Your Social Media Plan Ready, Fire, Aim or Ready, Aim, Fire?

46. Building Support • Identify a problem/opportunity • Identify a solution • Craft a vision • Build a plan but sell the sizzle • Elevator Pitch

47. Choosing Projects • Answer the 5 Ws: • What is the project and what resources are needed? • Why are you doing this? (The outcome) • Who is involved? (Who this is for - e.g. Staff, Teens, Local Historians - and who will actually do it?) • Where will it be?, (Where will people experience it, e.g. your website, Facebook, public computers login screen) • Make sure the channel fits your target audience • When does it need to be ready? (Any time constraints, e.g. a connection to a particular event, a start and an end date?

48. Planning • Define the scope! 1) Set Goals & Objectives 2) Identify Tools 3) Evaluate resources 4) Decide how you’ll measure success 5) Build and implement your plan 6) Evaluate and communicate

49. Goal Setting • If we know what’s important we can prioritize • If everything’s important, nothing’s important • Don’t ignore the big picture of what’s important to your library, your community

50. Set Goals & Objectives • The SMART goals acronym: • Specific: “Increasing circulation” is not as clear - or as valuable - as “increasing circulation by 5% through posting read-alikes on Facebook” • Measurable: Know when a goal is accomplished, the impact of your project • Attainable: In addition to being demoralizing, unattainable goals waste resources. Be ambitious but realistic • Relevant: Libraries offer such a range of services wanting to appeal to the broadest possible segment of their communities that it can be easy to stray from the mission statement. Some of the least exciting goals can be the most valuable • Timely: A deadline creates a sense of urgency that helps match the goal to organizational priorities. If a goal isn’t worth a deadline, it may not be worth doing