Library Revolution

Another great part of the “Electronic Communication” session at the LILC was Ellen Druda’s presentation on AIM Reference services (Hi Ellen, I know you’ll read this!).

Ellen talked about her library’s experimentation with providing a IM Reference service. This isn’t a new idea in LibraryLand by any means, but it is one that the public libraries of this area have been slow to embrace… or even to explore.

One of the really interesting points that she brought up was when she talked about the success they had when they handed out information about this new service in the local schools. I thought this was a great idea for reaching a demographic that will be likely to actually use this particular service.

Too often, I think libraries fall into the trap of treating their newsletter as the be-all and end-all of communication with their patrons. Of course, there are about a million things wrong with this assumption. Many people (like me!) throw out the newsletter with the rest of the junk mail (GASP!!!). Newsletters are not a good way to actually engage your patrons in a real conversation. Newsletters appeal only to a limited amount of your potential users… and probably only the ones who already use your library.

I don’t mean to bash on the newsletter. It’s a great way for libraries to reach some of their customers regarding some of their services. But we need to think outside the newsletter and not let our marketing efforts end there. What Ellen’s library really did right was to assess their new service, decide on a target population who was likely to make use of it, and aimed their marketing at this demographic. And it worked!

Another trap public libraries tend to fall into is trying to make all of their services “be everything to everyone.” All too often I see potential new library services/programs/initiatives get the axe before they even get started because it doesn’t appeal to a wide enough audience. Children’s programs are the big exception, of course. Nobody complains that the three-year-old storytime won’t appeal to 8-year-olds. Of course not – that program isn’t for them!!

If only we could take that attitude more and target some of our services towards some niche audiences – without ignoring the needs of those patrons to whom those services won’t appeal (a delicate balance we all deal with)? And without trying to make specialized services appeal to everyone? Sometimes great ideas get killed that way when the real essence of the project gets diluted in the name of appealing to a broader audience.

Ellen’s library didn’t sacrifice traditional reference services when implementing their new AIM service. And they didn’t try to foist it on people who were not interested in it – including disinterested staff members. They put the service in place for the patrons who wanted it, and then brought the service to selected portions of their potential users. And they got a great response!! Good for you! I hope this is a good example for other libraries thinking of implementing new services that might not appeal to everyone.

And the title of this post? Ellen commented on how often the get the question “Are you a robot or a real person?” LOL!

One of the great presentations I saw at the Long Island Library Conference yesterday was one showcasing Lindenhurst Library’s podcasting project, presented by director Peter Ward. I thought it was a great example of a library experimenting with the possibilities of becoming a content producer, not just a repository and access point. They use podcasts as a way to distribute library programming and create new audiences for library services, as well as reach out to the community in a unique way.

As a former musician, I was particularly intrigued by the chamber music they have recorded (performed by young, local musicians). This was a great example of how anyone can be a content creator these days… even if you’re not that good. J

I wonder if this general trend might mark a sort of renaissance for amateur musicians… Accomplished amateur musicians were really prevalent in the nineteenth century, and sort of faded into oblivion as access to music created by “real” (professional) performers became easier and easier. It became a case of music consumption being associated with recordings, which were expensive and difficult to make, produce, and disseminate. But recordings are easily consumed. Therefore, it was left to professionals to make the recordings so that everyone else could consume music… And the popularity of amateur music making declined steadily. I know it’s much more complex than that, but that’s the gist of how things went in the 20^th century.

(But I digress!)

Now media production is nearly as easy and access able as media consumption, and is certainly becoming more and more a part of the culture. So I wonder if the proficient amateur musician (or photographer, or filmmaker, etc. etc. etc) is staging a comeback. We are now all empowered to produce and disseminate content, rather than just consume it, and already we are seeing many examples out there of people getting really good at it.

So I think that we need to really think about the role libraries can play – or should play? – in this new age of the proficient amateur producer of content. And I think it’s important for us to think about the ways in which libraries themselves can fit in the role of content producer. Finally, I wonder what trends will develop when it comes to the issue of libraries possibly having a role in preserving this content down the road?

At Lindenhurst, the library is serving as a platform for disseminating user-generated content and is creating and disseminating content of their own making. They are building links in their community by podcasting information about the schools, local performances, and local interest content. Well done!