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Computers in Libraries Conference, Washington DC
By admin | March 22, 2011
Day 1
Yesterday I attended several great sessions here at the Computers in Libraries conference, but I’d like to highlight one in particular to share.
Cindy Hart is the Virtual Librarian at the Virginia Beach Public Library. Besides working on web-based projects, she also closely monitors the engagement of their patrons in the digital environment. Essentially, it is the measurement of the value of social media in their community. One of the great things the Virginia Beach library has done is build their social media and digital initiatives into their strategic plan and vision statement. Without clear goals, libraries end up using digital tools for digital tools’ sake, not to enhance the quality of their services.
The notion of enhancing, not necessarily changing, services is a point that sometimes gets lost in the rush to adopt new technology. She stressed that although it seems like the library world is telling us to change our image, she suggested taking the public perception and building off of it. We all know that when we hear “library” we think “books.” Why should we change that? Instead, let’s use that perception to our advantage. For example, the Virginia Beach Public Library held a festival called “The Big Read,” a month-long celebration of the works of Edgar Allan Poe. In addition to highlighting his works in the library, they also integrated internet content, such as “Reads Like,” an independent Facebook page, and even had Mr. Poe himself review books! From the outside, this does seem like a big project, but as I thought about it, I realized that if the program is taking place anyway, all these elements could go into the planning process. In the “Big Read” example, that project was finite, but it offered an opportunity to try new ways to involve the community, to great success.
All this created a way not only to involve patrons, but also to listen. What works? What doesn’t? What are people saying about it? These are certainly good points to consider when implementing new technology and when thinking about reaching more residents of your city or town.
Virginia Beach’s “The Big Read” can be found here
Of course, feel free to email me if you are interested in more details of this session.
Topics: 21st Century Skills in Libraries, Future of Libraries, Technology | Comments Off on Computers in Libraries Conference, Washington DC
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