23 Things

Well, I am finally getting to do this.  It is hard to make the time but…. So thanks for hosting this again.

What I am really hoping to get out of this is becoming more comfortable with all the different social technology and how to manage it better.  I also want to learn from others what some of their obstacles have been to becoming more engaged with web 2.0 technology.   I learn by doing and while I have built web pages for three libraries where I have worked, none of them evolved into what I hoped would be a real resource to the community.  The 24/7 library.  Unfortunately here in rural NH most libraries don”t really have the money to have a web presence.  The reason for that is that many directors and trustees still don’t see the usefulness of having an up to date web site and don’t really believe that patrons will visit their facebook page or care about library tweets.  So honestly none of my library jobs here in Rural NH have demanded I use social media tools.   Frustrating.  So I am hoping for some “how to” training but also some discussion on why do it at all?  and how to do it efficiently!  So with that I’ll go and browse some of your blogs.

Library advocacy

I just read The Not Too Distant Future blog http://futura.edublogs.org/2010/04/18/rethinking-library-advocacy/

about library advocacy.  Two mothers from Spokane WA, Lisa Layera Brunkan and Susan Lloyd McBurney have done a lot of footwork to figure out how we can best advocate for our libraries.  While they are focused on school libraries, much of what they have shared applies to public libraries as well.

As they have discovered,  we need to advocate for the specific library services lawmakers may care about.  Be informed of what is happening in your state/community and address those concerns.  Libraries serve so many purposes. Even reminding local lawmakers that the public library serves as a comfort zone during emergencies, such as snow storms, floods etc… is not a bad thing.  Nurturing early childhood literacy is in my opinion probably one of the most important things local public libraries can provide.  Providing up to date medical information, help with employment skills…. Okay you know the deal, need I say more?

And we have to make it clear that libraries aren’t an enhancement or a luxury.  They are a solution.   Libraries are a solution, as the Spokane moms point out, for the digital gaps and participation gaps and inequities in our students’ lives.    I think they are also a solution to the problems of information literacy, ethical uses of information, college readiness, and more.  It’d be a good conversation for librarians to be having within their districts and with their constituents about the problems libraries provide solutions for.

I hadn’t thought of libraries as a “solution” before.  And here again, thinking in those terms, try to figure out what specific program or service  your library provides a solution for.  Libraries need to be relevant and stay relevant to our small and greater communities.

Lastly, if it is not already clear, public libraries are an integral part of the community.   Partnering with other community organizations and interest groups can only strengthen everyones mission.  Figure out who your advocates are (or should be) and vice versa and lead the way to form a coalition to advocate for education and culture in your community.

 

 

 

Rural Librarian bookmarks on Delicious

I have bookmarked lots of what I think are reliable, vetted and cite-able web resources on Delicious http://www.delicious.com/RuraLibrarian.

These are primarily for public library user community but also contain many good links to resources for K-12 teachers including sites with lesson plans etc… Enjoy and share at will.

Library policies

I can’t stress enough how important library policies are.  Not just for public libraries but school libraries and special libraries as well.  Not because they tell everyone what they can’t do but because they provide the framework to let everyone know what they CAN DO!

Please be sure to write your policies with positive, inviting but firm language. You want to welcome people to the library while letting them know what you expect and what they can expect from the library.

Policies should inform patrons about their rights and responsibilities regarding library use.  Policies inform patrons of the procedures that are followed in decision making processes, regarding collection development, or how and why access to the internet is to be provided, for example. Policies governing children’s use of the library and parental rights and responsibilities must be explicit.  The term “children” may be defined differently in different communities.  What is your definition of children?  At what age do you think children have the right to privacy regarding the materials they check out of the library?

Ideally the policies are formed by a team of library trustees, the library director and interested staff persons.  There may be a respected member of the community that you would want to invite into the process as well.  This can be helpful in establishing community standards.  Policies take time. They need to be thought through and tested with a lot of “what if” brainstorming.  Library policies can be researched by asking libraries from similar demographics to share what they have.  Don’t just take one example, but find many and synthesize the information to suit your particular library and library community.

All management areas are important but a few are at the top of the list regarding public use of the library.  Collection Development, Internet Use and a policy that guides the challenge process.  The ALA provides solid basis for Internet use policy and an excellent resource for shaping a challenge process.

A very helpful book is Creating Policies for Results: From Chaos to Clarity by Sandara Nelson and June Garcia.  Amer Library Assn Editions (June 1, 2003)

ISBN-13: 978-0838935354

Hello

Hi readers; This blog is mostly about librarianship and rural libraries.  I realize this is a broad topic.  I will be breaking it out into pages such as: technology, library management, intellectual freedom and open access etc.  Since I have a special interest in YA literature there will be posts about that too.  Or, I may use this blog as a way to organize all the information regarding libraries that I find interesting and share it at the same time.  Feel free to add or comment.  Additionally from time to time I may throw in something relevant to my rural lifestyle and of course in the background there is always art.