Thursday, March 30, 2017

Our popular speaker presents new findings about how people have shifted to the mindset of lifelong learners and the implications for libraries and librarians. He discusses how people’s disposition toward information and knowledge—are they engaged or are they wary?—shapes how they use library resources. He also shares the Center’s research about future technology trends and how we all will have to adjust to them.

Featuring leading-edge companies, the exhibition offers visitors a choice of products in all aspects of library technology, including web-based products and services, integrated library and information systems, online services, document delivery services, and more.

Just when you thought the battle of augmented reality (AR) was over with Pokémon GO, libraries across the nation have been exploring additional AR options in order to meet the needs of the mobile learners walking through their doors. With the use of free AR software, four individuals team up to become the ultimate masters of AR. Hear from a panel of closely networked professionals, each with a unique story of embedding AR into specific library services directed for higher education. These stories range from embedding AR with liaison departments to incorporating AR into information literacy sessions (both online and face-to-face).

Increases in the use of learning management systems (LMSs) at academic institutions for both online and faceto face courses have made the accessibility of library resources more feasible and more important for librarians. The LMS gives librarians direct access to students and faculty courses (including the course syllabi!). Hear how some for-profit academic institutions embed their library’s resources within a LMS system to support teaching and learning. Topics include useful digital tools, library marketing, instructional design, accessibility, and copyright.

Video on the web is one of today’s hottest social networking trends. But what can online videos do for your library? Why use video on your library’s website and social media channels? King explores the reasons behind making videos to promote your library, to engage with your customers, for outreach and learning through a variety of case studies. Get tips on what types of content works best, and learn what to consider when planning for and implementing a video presence at your library. Yavapai College Library’s videos are used in libraries and institutions around the world. Creative videos can be the hook needed to grab users’ attentions. Whether your goal is to promote collections, engage students during instruction, or disseminate information quickly to online students in a way that will stick, you’ll get to see examples of successful video techniques as well as a framework that reviews goal setting, management, the storyboard process, and video and audio tools. Walk away with tips and tricks for creating entertaining videos that can be used in the classroom, on digital signage, through social media, and more.

Colleges, universities, and libraries are considering adding video making, or visual literacy, as a core skill. Preparing individuals for a highly visual communication landscape requires critical thinking to offset consumerism as well as multimodal learning and cognitive skills. Researching, creating, and sharing video playlists are important ways to create personalized learning pathways and promote continuous learning. Explore a number of case studies that demonstrate the positive learning outcomes of multimodal learning in academic and corporate settings and discover how to create playlists that can be annotated, edited, and shared across teams.

How do learners across grade levels consider authority of online information? An IMLS-funded study asks whether STEM students are format agnostic. Working with late primary, secondary, community college, undergraduate, and graduate students, the survey seeks to determine how and if students identify containers when making judgments relating to the academic use of digital resources. Hear preliminary findings from search simulations across grade levels. Engage in a conversation about the implications. Participate in the research! Join us for a lively, face-to-face and back-channeled conversation.

Featuring leading-edge companies, the exhibition offers visitors a choice of products in all aspects of library technology, including web-based products and services, integrated library and information systems, online services, document delivery services, and more.

Breeding coined the term “Library Services Platforms” to describe the new genre of products for the management of library collections and operations which differs substantially from the long-standing category of integrated library systems. This session includes an updated view of the characteristics of library services platforms, how they differ from ILS, as well as status of the current products and projects. Those that follow a hybrid model or which partially incorporate the characteristics are also discussed. Breeding shares his insights as to whether library services platforms have lived up to their promises.

From the Tools You Can Use columnist in Information Today, Inc.’s Marketing Library Services newsletter, comes a quick-fire roundup of the tools you need to make marketing and promoting your library easier. Burke highlights at least 25 different tools (free or low-cost preference given) that you should be aware of for social media, metrics/ analytics, design, research, production, and/or planning and how your library can use them to make your marketing jobs easier and better. Timing of the session allows interactive discussion among attendees over whether they are currently using a tool, their success stories, and some crowdsourced recommendations. Screenshots, summaries, and live URLs are shared for all tools in the roundup.

Our speaker, a librarian and 3D printing enthusiast, shares 30 ideas for programs and services, as well as some useful tricks that can save you time and money. Whether you’re looking to bring 3D printing to your library or build on an existing service, you’re sure to find inspiration!

Raspberry Pi is an inexpensive computing tool that is ideal for new projects within libraries. It’s a powerful single board computer that plays high-definition video, yet it’s only the size of a credit card. The Raspberry Pi 3 was released in February of 2016, and the built-in networking options make it an exciting fit for library applications. Learn how Raspberry Pi can be used as a people counter, a dedicated OPAC, a social media tool, and more.

In the 2002 film adaptation of H.G. Well’s classic novel The Time Machine, the protagonist travels to the public library of the future. However, instead of encountering a human librarian, he is assisted by an artificial intelligence (AI) system able to access a vast amount of information within seconds. Seemingly more emotionally intelligent than a search engine, the system conducts a reference interview and attempts to predict the patron’s next query. Current research suggests this technology may be closer than we think. At Aberystwyth University in Wales, U.K., a group of students from various disciplines created a robot (Hugh) that assists patrons with finding books in the library. Students simply tell the robot the name of the book and author, and the robot escorts the student to the shelf where the book is located. As information professionals and technology enthusiasts, the Emerging Technologies committee of the DCLA is conducting a case study on how Hugh and other projects such as Hugh were conceived, how they work, and how future iterations will impact library services. Speaking with the inventors, librarians, and patrons that come into contact with Hugh and evaluating these AI library reference projects, they seek to understand how this emerging technology is impacting libraries today and what predictions can be made about the future of AI in libraries. Get some insights from their research! Then hear about the biometric system in use at the Paul Sawyier Public Library. The system is used for logging on to public computers as well as checking out items from inside the library from the mediabox disc-vending system. The pros and cons of using biometrics as well as the trials and tribulations of introducing the system are discussed.

Featuring leading-edge companies, the exhibition offers visitors a choice of products in all aspects of library technology, including web-based products and services, integrated library and information systems, online services, document delivery services, and more.

This session provides an overview of Do Space in Omaha, Neb., a new kind of community technology library which was recently featured on NPR and the American Libraries Design Showcase. It discusses the vision behind the project, lessons learned during its first year of operations, as well as how the community response to this experimental space helps to better understand the future of all public libraries.

The question of whether libraries are still needed always comes up when faced with growing and changing demands. Thirty-seven years ago, the idea of a “paperless” society or being able to search the library files “electronically” was perceived as “extreme and painful.” Today, we think the same way of the Internet of Things and virtual reality in libraries. Unless librarians engage in new opportunities to advance teaching, learning service, and research, libraries are vulnerable to “becoming just another campus utility like parking, dining services, and IT rather than the intellectual soul of the community.” UMKC School of Law initiated a new experiment and hired graduate students from the Engineering and Computing schools to help work on innovative projects that can benefit not just the law library but also the law school and the entire university. The students work on various projects designed to solve existing problems such as a library mobile application and a room schedule display system; the students also get to work on experimental projects such as the short story dispenser and close proximity notification system. Hear about their experience leveraging existing, new, proven, and unproven tools to improve services and solve persistent problems, and get tips for initiating similar programs.

Having technology in your building is old-school; taking it outside is the new norm. Librarians from San Jose Public Library upped their game by launching a 39 foot vehicle called the Maker[Space]Ship.The vehicle is an innovative mobile workshop which overcomes access barriers in San José to foster creative ideas, connect people with technology, and encourage problem-solving, collaboration, and discovery. They share how you too can get out of the building and deliver exciting and  innovative programming in the community.

Hear how another public library hosts an 8-week showcase for regional filmmakers called Unscripted: An Indie Film Experience. The format of the program is simple: A director shows a short film, conducts a Q&A, and then performs a live commentary while the film screens again. This event has been very successful in fostering an independent film community in and around the Owensboro, Ky., area. It has expanded to include a film school portion, leading to two short films and a feature being produced inside the library using a crew comprised of experienced filmmakers and patrons interested in learning how movies are made. This talk covers the trials and tribulations of connecting with filmmakers and organizing Unscripted, shares films shot, and more.

The first presentation shares the results of25 interviews of leaders from library systems,Knight News Challengewinners, key programming partners, and others to understand better how innovation is being discussed in the field.  A sneak peek at some of the points of their report: challenging, requiring clear communication & technology, lack of processes &/or commitment.  For more insights and details, join us!

Also hear from a private college in Chicago which restructured the institution into a partnership of IT, online learning and the library. Get tips from North Park University for working collaboratively to advance shared technology goals through well-attended training, embedded librarianship, and innovative university committees, and find out how the library leverages this successful partnership to improve its profile and services despite limited resources.

Brampton Library is committed to enhancing its technological resources, but it’s difficult to keep up with the newest resources when faced with obstacles such as budget constraints and the need for coaching. However, the library is providing the community with innovative programs and resources and succeeding on a shoestring budget. Offering an exciting makerspace, computer classes, an extensive list of e-resources, and staff who are committed to creating new and innovative programs, it is also working on a culture shift to empower a system of more than 150 staff to enhance their skills and spark curiosity in new resources. Get lots of ideas for establishing your library as a hub of innovation. Orange County Library System has three innovative resources, all built on open source platforms, that enable the library to connect with a wide range of community members. Right Service at the Right Time connects in-need users statewide with egovernment and social services in an easy-to-use manner; Orlando Memory is a community-based local history project documenting the history, past and present, of the greater Orlando area; EPOCH (Electronically Preserving Obituaries as Cultural Heritage), a free site where anyone can post an extensive tribute to deceased loved ones, has been expanded to four states (Florida, Oklahoma, Utah, and New York). The development and impact of the projects, as well as potential for replication, is shared.

Featuring leading-edge companies, the exhibition offers visitors a choice of products in all aspects of library technology, including web-based products and services, integrated library and information systems, online services, document delivery services, and more.

All libraries do promotion and marketing, but how many use a strategic marketing approach to develop integrated marketing programs that meet the needs of both external and internal clients? This session begins with an overview of a strategic marketing plan and its many areas of focus. It shares strategies for engaging with internal clients, including branch staff, who sometimes have a confrontational relationship (trying to get branches to “follow the rules” or get public service to stop asking for flyers and bookmarks, etc.), rather than a collaborative “value-add” approach to marketing. It provides tips and techniques on how to change that dynamic and collaboratively develop integrated program and marketing plans that meet the strategic marketing needs of the organization.

Be tech-smart and culture-savvy by using game-design thinking and gaming activities to connect with current users in a fun way and draw in new ones. Hear from a library communicator who literally wrote the book on this topic. Online games are incredibly popular; libraries, book apps, and learning institutions are leveraging this to bring in new audiences and engage with existing ones in new ways. Why are they doing this, what is the benefit, and how do you make it work to promote your library? Get the answers here!

Video is a powerful, emotional storytelling medium that plays well in social media, and its use is still fast-growing. Video can spread your library’s story, and you can do it without hiring an expensive pro. A tech-savvy info pro shares basic video facts, along with her favorite tools, tips, and techniques that almost anyone can use for creating short, compelling videos to promote library services, staffers, and resources.

Big data isn’t just for big business. Libraries can and should get into the game, and the 2016 Core Customer Intelligence report from CIVICTechnologies, done with 10 leading national public libraries, was meant to kickstart that discussion. Having a deep understanding of users—and non-users—enables librarians to develop better experiences, more-popular services and programs, and better strategic plans. Plotting data onto GIS-enabled maps for market segmentation makes the info even more insightful. Hear from a librarian who participated in this first-ever Big Data analysis of library usage and learn how the results can increase an organization’s reach, relevance, and resilience.

If you’re emailing the same messages to all of your customers and wondering why the emails aren’t being opened, then segmentation could be your key to success. Learn about using customer insights and data to segment your customers so you can send emails and deliver services that are customized for them. Get tips and tricks and hear three libraries and their library analytics partner explain data-driven technology in detail.

Featuring leading-edge companies, the exhibition offers visitors a choice of products in all aspects of library technology, including web-based products and services, integrated library and information systems, online services, document delivery services, and more.

Libraries, as intrinsically neutral hubs of diverse communities, are uniquely positioned to be able to foster transformation and community engagement. Deliberately building on the diversity within the library, the adoption of makerspace is enabling libraries to embrace that role more deeply, catalyzing lifelong learning, innovation, and success. From strategic placement and support of library staff and volunteers, to a design thinking framework that underpins and virtually guarantees success, explore how libraries today are leveraging popular interest in makerspace activity to build on traditional roles of the library.

Invention literacy is not just about understanding how a thing is made or how it works; it is also the ability to use that knowledge to bring one’s own ideas into reality. China gives examples of how one public library is empowering children, teens, and adults to become “invention-literate” through its maker programming. Find out how a combination of high- and low-tech equipment, safe and accessible learning environments, and a unique community partnership is nurturing invention, creative confidence, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Sparked by the CIL 2016 Hawkins & Mears talk about personal digital archiving and the DCPL Memory Lab, Dearborn and Navabi share their library's inexpensive journey to create a Mobile Memory Lab program. They discuss the acquisition and setup of digital conversion equipment and software: videotape and audiotape converters, a slide/film/picture scanner, and recording equipment for oral histories. Their Memory Lab program includes related training for patrons: personal digital archiving, working with images, writing memoirs, conducting oral interviews, and creating a website to share local history and patron memories.

This session talks about the development of library makerspaces from three different perspectives. The first presentation discusses how the makerspace concept is an excellent vehicle to promote critical thinking in the library environment. Jiang focuses on makerspace collaboration with the business school and college of art and science to serve as an incubator and entrepreneurship center for students. She talks about how the library started the maker program without even having a makerspace, how to get administration support and receive funding. She also discusses cultivating maker culture on campus with faculty, students, and staff through different activities such as mini makerfaire, pop up activities, and curriculum integration. Jiang tells how the library gives students real-world innovative projects and bridges science students’ innovation with business school students who would like to pursue entrepreneurship. Finally, she shares her vision on why every library should have a makerspace program serving their core mission and have direct impact on the university’s core value, admission and retention. Vaughn discusses the creation of Elon’s makerspace, which wasn’t the result of an administrative initiative, or an attempt to jump on a trend, but rather the result of a 2-year grassroots campaign, led by a motley consortium of staff, faculty, and students who wanted to pursue and promote maker culture on campus. During this campaign, the group seized the opportunity to reinvent an unused study room as a makerspace, named the Maker Hub. In collaboration with instructional & campus technologies, the room was renovated, expanded, and made available to the entire campus community. Students, faculty, and staff now have free access to tools, materials, and supplies for 3D design and printing, mobile app development, microcomputing, electronics, e-textiles, and LEGOs (how can you not have LEGOs?).

Libraries are crucial in bridging the digital divide. Two teen librarians and a library IT specialist share their experiences over the last year piloting the MakerLab@Main, a space that embodies connected learning and allows library customers to transform from consumers of technology to creators and innovators. While the MakerLab@Main serves the whole community, many of the programs offered have been primarily attended by youth from historically underserved and underrepresented communities. Through MakerLab programming, these students have gained skills, mentors, and awareness of career paths previously unknown to them. This session is a case study to show how the application of the principles of connected learning through maker programming can help successfully bridge the digital divide to an underserved audience.

As library offerings go digital, members and non-members rely on the library website for information and access. How do we encourage these digital visitors to walk through our physical doors?  Get some tips and tricks for applying strategies and metrics from digital advertising, including user engagement, conversion, and reach, to turn web traffic into foot traffic.

This session presents 11 tips for integrating web based tech in your library.  From using a content management system (CMS) and taking advantage of free Google apps, to project management tools, get lots of ideas and techniques to take home and apply to your library.

According to Outsell, the Information Industry generates over $700B in revenue to the vendors servicing the library community. Academic Libraries spend $7 billion per year. $4 billion of this on acquisition of products & technology to serve users. Libraries deal with hundreds, even thousands of unique vendors every year. And budgets are generally flat or constricting. Gruenberg examines the economic value components and motivations from the vendor side of the negotiation process and how those drivers impact negotiations with libraries. Be better prepared for your next negotiation.

Join this cybertour and learn about a few tools that libraries can use (MailChimp, TinyLetter, Medium).  Includes how they work, the pros and cons of each one, as well as further resources.