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Lapl may2014
Stephen Abram gave a presentation to the Los Angeles Public Library about expectations for libraries. He emphasized that libraries should stop defending themselves and focus on innovation using technology as a tool. Abram also stressed the importance of understanding user needs, behaviors, and the difference between search and discovery. He suggested that libraries tell their own stories from the user perspective and focus on measuring their value and impact rather than just statistics.
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Lapl may2014
- 1. EXPECT MORE: TheLibrary Story Thursday May 15, 2014 Los Angeles Public Library Stephen Abram, MLS
- 2. Stop the Insanity Techis a tool Tech is an opportunity Innovation involves risk The biggest risk is not taking any. 2
- 3. 3 Stop Having andEngaging in BS Discussions • Libraries are more relevant than ever • We have no good reason to be on the defence • Reading is UP • E-Books aren’t replacing p-Books - the dynamic is a new hybrid marketplace • E-Books have benefits that p-Books don’t • Librarians are being hired and doing well • Change is our tradition • This new normal requires specialized professionals like us.
- 4. 4 Comprehensive Digital Strategies:More than just Content!
- 5. Digital is morecomplicated than Print.
- 6. 6 Biggest Issue: GettingLost in the Reeds
- 7. Understand the difference betweenSearch and Find • Roy Tennant and I have been saying for years: “Users want to find not search”. • Librarians enjoy the challenge of search and try to create mini- librarians. • Information literacy is different than contextual information fluency. •The user experience is mostly “elsewhere”. • Learning, research and decision-making processes trump search.
- 8. Understand the differencebetween the roles of discovery services and native search • Search is the identification of potential objects to read or view in either a known item retrieval scenario or – more importantly – an immersion environment where choices are made. • Until recently, we handled immersion environments in the context of defined subsets of content (a single database or small group). • Discovery services are one step before search – the identification and discovery of the resources (databases) that are worth searching.
- 9. The Field MappingFailure
- 10. And the AlgorithmUnderstanding Failure 10 The power of algorithm is in the target user needs, the institutional needs, and the behavioral history . . . Not the underlying content Are there any real national initiatives to understand and differentiate library end user behaviors from Google commercial constructs? (yes but …)
- 11. Get the namingand labeling right • Vendors must develop unique names and brands for their services to meet positioning, marketing and sales needs to you. • There is no need for you to fall in line and pass through these names – or worse try to train end users to know hundreds of them! • Can anyone defend using these titles to be the single most important label for end users? MLA, Scopus, Compendex, ABI/Inform . . .? • Honestly! The needs of trademark law don’t match the needs of users to identify resources.
- 12. Are you usingnumbers strategically? • Statistics versus measurements • Satisfaction and Impact • Visual versus data • Stories build on data springboards • Are your numbers showing customer satisfaction or just activity? • Do you trust your numbers (It’s easy to mess with an interface and increase hits or whatever statistics you’re using.) • How can the vendor help your numbers issues and insights?
- 13. 13 Talking Money • Price •Cost • Billing • Value • Deals • TCO • Value of Your Time • Value of Their Time
- 14. Until lions learnto write their own story, the story will always be from the perspective of the hunter not the hunted.
- 15. 15 Library Advocacy: TheLion's Story • Are you framing your library's story well? • Are you sharing measurements about your impact, or still beating the drum of raw statistics that show funders where to cut? • Are you using great gift of social media to engage and get your message out. • Has your library's marketing and communication plan stepped up to the 21st Century? • Are we ready for advanced data mining of our websites, circulation and membership records? • Are you ready for the reach beyond outreach? • What are the skills and competencies that library teams need?
- 16. First . .. Let’s stop using the word advocacy Let’s discuss influence and being influential . . .
- 17. Second . .. Let’s start using verbs to describe ourselves in the context(s) of our members, audiences and communities. 17
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- 21. Third . .. Learn and use the language of benefits – not features, functions and processes.
- 22. Fourth . .. Let’s build on our legacy of trust and respect and our foundation of collections and places to shine
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- 26. Fifth . .. Let’s emphasize the humans that make the magic happen . . . Library staff
- 27. 27 Librarian and StaffMagic Should Not be Invisible
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- 34. Sixth . .. Let’s focus on VALUE, IMPACT, and POSITIONING (VIP) What’s the music and magic you hear? Play? Do?
- 35. Are you lockedinto library financial mindsets?
- 36. What about valueand impact?
- 37. Or shall westick with this?
- 38. It’s the storiesthat happen inside your library that matter . . . Not just the ones you have on the shelves. Tell those stories Encourage the heart . . . Better yet . . . Collect the stories in your users’ voices
- 43. The signs .. . There’s always another view… 43
- 44. Sustaining Relevance Being Relevant CommunicatingVIP Real relationships Being a ‘real’ professional
- 45. Personal and InstitutionalImpact: Strategies and Tactics Let’s talk . . . Why is the staff invisible on your virtual presence?
- 46. Are we aculture of poverty?
- 47. Do You FeelPoor?
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- 50. 50 Important Strategic Questionsfor Priority Setting 1. What are your top questions? 2. What does your community need? 3. Who are your engaged users? 4. Who isn’t using the library who should? 5. Why do we read? Why do we ask questions? What’s the impact of learning? 6. What are the key success factors (KSF) of your library?
- 51. 51 Important Strategic Issues 1.Investing for success 2. Strategic budgeting 3. Developing a culture of controlled risk 4. Learning to de-invest, sacrifice, stop, and grow. 5. “A library is a growing organism.”
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- 53. 53 Record your StoryHours YouTube Your Story Hours Tie in to collection • Parenting • Children’s Health • Continuing Education Moms and Caregivers Social Glue Teddy Bears, PJ’s, Pets, Toys How do you find kids’ books?
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- 56. 56 3D is 4D STEMvs. STEAM Creative Entrepreneurs Changing Life Arcs And so much more…
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- 58. 58 Douglas County andColorado Models Lulu, Amazon Singles, Self-publishing Fifty Shades of Grey This is an economic activity
- 59. 59 Hand-knitting Sweaters oran Industrial Revolution for libraries Consider scalability and replicability Cooperation on a massive scale Mobility of programming Thinking big – over 1000 attendees or 30? Mobile Makerspaces Mobile staff talent
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- 62. 62 Top Questions Pattern CommonCore Curriculum
- 63. 63 Websites and e-mail Facebook Pinterest Twitter Tumblr Vimeo/ YouTube / Vine Instagram Etc.
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- 68. Stephen Abram, MLS,FSLA Consultant, Dysart & Jones/Lighthouse Consulting Cel: 416-669-4855 stephen.abram@gmail.com Stephen’s Lighthouse Blog http://stephenslighthouse.com Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr: Stephen Abram LinkedIn: Stephen Abram Twitter: @sabram SlideShare: StephenAbram1