05 August 2008 | Libraries, Travel
This post is coming to you from beautiful Montreal. I’ve spent my first day exploring the city and there are literally delights around every corner. Tomorrow I will be presenting at the IFLA Satellite conference “Navigating for Youth” at McGill University.
Funny story about navigating…sometimes even someone who thinks of himself as web savvy can misinterpret information on a site. That is the realization I came to Sunday evening at approximately 10:30pm, when I discovered that I did indeed need a US passport to fly into Canada. The very next day. I’ve been preparing for this trip for at least two months. Repeatedly I told people, “I only need my driver’s license and birth certificate to cross the border.” That information is correct- for land and sea crossings- but not air. To make a long story short, I wound up flying to Burlington, Vermont and driving a rental car into Canada. The drive to Montreal was less than two hours and took me through beautiful farmland. Needless to say this was a humbling experience for me, but I am here and relishing every moment! Here’s one more picture to prove that I did make it to the library at McGill University (and felt welcome).
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17 July 2008 | Libraries, Marketing, Technology
I found this menu at the service desk of the Atkins Library at UNC Charlotte. What a fun way to market their circulating equipment! Take out menus are a normal part of life for many college students. The library is reaching their main user group in a familiar way while still putting a funky twist on traditional print flyers. I love the Blue Plate Specials.
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15 July 2008 | Innovation, Libraries, Spaces
Take a look at the following ten principles that a certain organization/company follows:
1. Focus on people- their lives, their work, their dreams.
2. Every millisecond counts.
3. Simplicity is powerful.
4. Engage beginners and attract experts.
5. Dare to innovate.
6. Design for the world.
7. Plan for today’s and tomorrow’s business.
8. Delight the eye without distracting the mind.
9. Be worthy of people’s trust.
10. Add a human touch.
How many of these could serve as principles for libraries to follow? I think #1 is a given, but so is #5. There’s also a place for #8 as we think about designing library facilities. No one wants to be distracted by visual clutter in a library, but engaging “visual delights” can really bring a space to life. And of course above all else we should strive for #9.
In case you haven’t guessed by now, these are Google’s ten principles for user experiences.
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04 July 2008 | Technology
55% of American adults have broadband internet access at home, according to a new Pew internet study. Broadband access is up 24% over last year in households with total incomes between $20,000 and $40,000. This represents continued growth in the saturation of high-speed internet access throughout the US.
A representative from the local school system recently said that they have gone “completely paperless” when it comes to registration and school assignment. Parents MUST go online if they wish to enroll their children in school. Though they acknowledge that some households have no internet access, they also recognize that the internet is following a path similar to the telephone. It is becoming a technology that is ubiquitous and used without a second thought. How many times while making a call have you thought to yourself, “Now I am using this piece of technology to communicate.” Never? That sounds about right. An increased number of households with broadband connections means we are inching ever closer to feeling the same way about the internet. (And indeed, many people already feel like the web is a more necessary part of their lives than the telephone.) That also means that we’re facing the possibility of leaving people way behind. It is something that we have to be conscious of as we continue moving forward, and it’s one of the reasons why basic technology classes continue to be an important part of library services.
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26 June 2008 | Learning, Outreach, Programs, Technology
PLCMC’s Youth & Outreach department has used the Nintendo Wii system in programs for the past five months. These programs have ranged from drop-in sessions for families to senior gaming days at assisted living centers. One of the most rewarding experiences came from taking the Wii into a mixed-ability level adult day care. (Click here to read about that on the Library in Action blog.)
I think one of the best pieces of advice for trying new programs is this: Be able to explain why you’re doing what you’re doing. The June 2008 issue of Edutopia magazine about technology in public education offers some ideas with the the article “Wii Love Learning: Using Gaming Technology to Engage Students.” Here’s an eye-opening statistic from the article:
Sixty-five percent of teachers think games could help them better engage students, but just one in ten percent use any sort of educational computer game in class, according to a recent survey.
This is the kind of information we need to be familiar with in order to better explain why we’re doing what we’re doing. Gaming at the library isn’t just about providing entertainment. These experiences build 21st century skills in young people. They can also provide new ideas for adults. The article goes on to mention that “forty-six percent of teachers said they’d like training on integrating gaming technologies into their classwork.” This is right up the library’s alley. Since libraries already offer teacher workshops on a host of different topics, why not add gaming to the mix?
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