The document discusses the challenges and necessary adaptations of public libraries in the digital age, emphasizing the shift from traditional services to online offerings. It highlights essential library services such as digital collections, periodicals, and reference help, while providing strategies for marketing and engaging users online. Additionally, it stresses the importance of staff involvement, project evaluation, and the need to embrace change in order to effectively meet user needs.

1. Online Library Services for Online Users Sarah Houghton-Jan Digital Futures Manager, San Jose Public Library Author of LibrarianInBlack.net

2. Ahh, the good old days Your Library probably used to have money for: - going to conferences - databases & eBooks - extra staff - software and hardware - web technologies

3. You probably also used to have time for: - work off of the service desks - going to conferences - writing articles and presentations - your own projects - engaging in academic discussions

4. Those days are gone. Sorry. Now you know how public libraries have felt for the last century.

6. brick and mortar library users digital library users POWER USERS Library Users Today

7. brick and mortar library users digital library users POWER USERS Library Users Tomorrow Angry Robot courtesy of www.bohdate.com/angryrobot

8. Digital Library Activity (annual per capita stats)‏ Library 1 (150,000)‏ Library 2 (350,000)‏ Website visits 5.6 6.3 Database usage 0.7 0.4 eBooks usage 0.2 0.3 Virtual Reference usage 0.01 0.01

9. Necessary Library Services (& how we do this online)‏ 1) Book & Media Collections 2) Periodicals 3) Reference and Research Help 4) Information Literacy 5) Special Events 6) Marketing all of the above

10. 1) Book & Media Collections eBooks eMusic, eMovies, eGaming digital special collections Concerns: DRM, formats, platforms, devices, ADA compliance

11. Book & Media Collections eBooks – free eBook sites eMusic, eMovies, eGaming – free music & video sites digital special collections – scanner + WordPress = special collection

12. Free eBooks Project Gutenberg AudioBooksForFree Escholarship Google Books ManyBooks Memoware Online Books Page Oxford Text Archive & many more!

13. 2) Periodicals databases eJournals Concerns: DRM, formats, open access, costs, sustainability of the subscription model

14. Periodicals databases – free article sites & other resources eJournals – open access (!)‏

15. Free Databases ArticlesBase.com FindArticles.com + free language learning sites + free practice test sites + free sites in all disciplines Why not add this stuff to your website, or even your catalog?

16. 3) Reference & Research Help IM web-chat & widgets VOIP & video Twitter text messaging Concerns: staffing models, co-ops

17. Reference & Research Help IM – AIM, Yahoo, MSN, GoogleTalk web-chat & widgets – Meebo, Plugoo VOIP & video – Skype, AOL & other video chats Twitter – FREE text messaging – hacks (be careful)‏

18. 4) Information Literacy screencasts podcasts video class recordings class websites live office hours Concerns: use, learning models

19. Information Literacy screencasts – Wink, CamStudio podcasts – Audacity, OurMedia video class recordings – Avidemux, YouTube or Blip.tv class websites – WordPress, Blogger live office hours – FreeConferenceCall free & low-cost hardware on Free After Rebate

20. 5) Special Events podcasts vidcasts live webcasts event websites for comments & questions before & after Concerns: use, access

21. Special Events podcasts – Audacity, OurMedia vidcasts – Avidemux, YouTube or Blip.tv live webcasts – UStream.tv event websites for comments & questions before & after – Wordpress, Blogger, Google Sites

22. Audio/Video Tips Everyzing ($) Audio & Video to Text TextAloud ($) Text to Audio

23. 6) Marketing Services Social networks Microblogs Events sites Concerns: going where your users go, where to distribute staff time

24. Marketing Services Social networks – Facebook (+ page apps, search apps, & ads), Ning, etc. Microblogs – Twitter Events sites – Eventful, Upcoming.org, Craigslist, Going.com

25. Be Social Be present where your users are Be real Be reliable and continuously new

26. $10 = 5000 Facebook Flyers to targeted audiences Facebook Flyer image by Steve Lawson: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tuttlibrary/1546577200 CHEAP ADVERTISING!!!

27. 8 More Tips!

28. 1) Interacting Welcome comments on everything Respond quickly Respond like a human being Tools: Google Groups, Google Wave, WordPress, PB Works

29. 2) Use Cheap Services

30. 3) Use Free Services Free web hosting, statistics, and web gadgets‏

33. 4) Use LibraryThing

34. 5) Project Planning

35. 6) Getting Staff Buy-In Let staff know about the project early. Ask staff for their input and use it. Keep everyone informed at all stages. Managers must consistently support the new project or service.

36. 7) Project Evaluation Survey users & staff 6 months after launch - Would you recommend this service to a friend? Why or why not? Evaluate statistics - How much staff time is being used? - How much is the service being accessed? Evaluate the library's follow-through - Has adequate marketing & training been done?

41. Evaluation Results Continue service Discontinue service Extend pilot Change aspects of the service Do more promotion or training Discontinuing a service is not failing. Persisting in a failed effort is failing.

42. 8) Push for Change Try new things! Push administrators (they like 24/7 nature of web services, minimal staffing and cheap costs, highest ROI in the library)‏ Rejoice in failures (it means you're pushing boundaries!)‏

43. the democratization of information and expertise

44. Questions? Sarah Houghton-Jan web: LibrarianInBlack.net email: [email_address] IM: LibrarianInBlack Skype: LibrairanInBlack Facebook: facebook.com/librarianinblack Twitter: twitter.com/TheLiB