I continue to be amazed at the amount of information on the Internet! After checking out the suggested sites, I discovered 2 that I would definitely use: everyblock and placeblogger.
Talk about knowing what's going on right in your neighborhood-everyblock has it! I really like the idea of being able to click on and find out about crime in my area. Often times there are rashes of burgleries and car vandalism going on in your neighborhood and it would be very useful information to keep your family and property safe. There were other topics I viewed that were just as useful such as listings of real estate for sale and/or rent, business reviews which would really come in handy whether you're planning a night out at a new restaurant or remodeling your house, calendar of meetings in your area, and listings of cultural and art events.
What a great way to stay informed, stay safe, spend those hard-earned $$ wisely and enjoy your leisure time. I think this site's here to stay.
The 2nd site I really like is placeblogger. Right from the minute I clicked on it, I was captured by the catching leads to articles and the general set-up of the site. If there's something you need to know and you can't find it there, I don't know what it would be. It has not only articles about the local scene, but from everywhere. I found useful information on a variety of topics like making simple, cheap crafts with your kids, dating Japanese women on-line, and scholarships available through the site just to mention a few. There were links to all kinds of information.
I think that libraries would be missing a great opportunity by not partnering with these local sites. What great, free advertising. I believe that many libraries already are filling the void in communities where these sites are not yet available. I'm amazed when browsing local library sites to find all the information they have on community activities. It wouldn't be a very big leap to add links to news both local and far-reaching and weather. The more information available on library sites, the more their patron base would expand.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Thing # 38 Use things to market your library
I am simply amazed at the number of free resources available on-line one can use to market anything. I recently checked out the new website for the Northeast Library System and I'm really impressed and found myself drawn in by looking at the pictures and reading a few of the articles.
Pictures speak volumes and a streaming video on a site like U-Tube could be used in so many ways to market a library's services and programs. There have been so many times I would like to have attended a program at our public library, but my schedule just didn't allow it. How wonderful it would be to have the option to watch it on-line and respond.
As everyone knows who have read my blog, the majority of my patrons don't have Internet access, but after doing the survey for staff, I think I could actually create a blog or even use this one to reach out and get them excited about reading. I could promote reading and the use of our library by creating an on-line book club.
Our staff patrons rarely have time to visit the library to see what's new because of their hectic schedules (and mine), but by reaching out using Web 2.0 services, this would become possible. This would enable me to promote new materials and provide programming to staff for the first time ever.
Since this is all very new to me and I've not had the experience using multiple services at once, it would take some time, thought, and assistance from some of you who are in the know to get it set up, but I believe something like a bookclub could easily flow over into Twitter or Facebook resulting in increasing our library users, drawing more users than before, and providing a platform for users to get to know each other and explore what our library has to offer.
Pictures speak volumes and a streaming video on a site like U-Tube could be used in so many ways to market a library's services and programs. There have been so many times I would like to have attended a program at our public library, but my schedule just didn't allow it. How wonderful it would be to have the option to watch it on-line and respond.
As everyone knows who have read my blog, the majority of my patrons don't have Internet access, but after doing the survey for staff, I think I could actually create a blog or even use this one to reach out and get them excited about reading. I could promote reading and the use of our library by creating an on-line book club.
Our staff patrons rarely have time to visit the library to see what's new because of their hectic schedules (and mine), but by reaching out using Web 2.0 services, this would become possible. This would enable me to promote new materials and provide programming to staff for the first time ever.
Since this is all very new to me and I've not had the experience using multiple services at once, it would take some time, thought, and assistance from some of you who are in the know to get it set up, but I believe something like a bookclub could easily flow over into Twitter or Facebook resulting in increasing our library users, drawing more users than before, and providing a platform for users to get to know each other and explore what our library has to offer.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Thing #37 Using online survey & poll sites to gather information to make the library more accessible
Learning that there are free on-line resources for polls & surveys was a pleasant surprise. I can fully understand how important it is to allow patrons to have input into their library's services and library collections in order to have there needs met. Also, as a patron, the knowledge that my library values my opinion gives me a feeling of ownership and pride in the library.
In my situation here in the facility, patients do not have access to the Internet, but our staff do. I think, in part, because the library's name is the Patient Library, most staff don't borrow materials from the library. They may browse magazines when they are supervising groups, but not too many actually use the library's services. So I decided to design a survey for a sampling of the staff to gain information that might lead to an increase of staff taking advantage of the library's services.
I chose polldaddy as my online resource to use because it looked very simple to use. I liked the choice of formats and how easy it was to set up my personal options. In no time at all, I had a short survey put together. I had 12 respondents with 10 completed surveys. Here are the questions and responses I received:
1. Did you know that staff are able to use the Patient Library for their library needs? 8 yes 2 No
2. Have you ever borrowed materials from the Patient Library? 6 Yes 4 No
3. Did you know that the library's catalog in online and can be viewed from any computer in the facitlity?
3 Yes 7 No
4. Would you be more apt to use the library if you knew how to access the catalog online? 9 Yes 1 No
5. If you answered yes to the above questions, would you like the instructions sent via email or come to a
brief live presentation? 9 Email 0 Live Presentation 1 NA
What I learned was that 60% of the staff who responded have used the library at one time or another, but that 70% were not aware that the library's catalog was available to them online and that 90% would be more apt to use the library if they could access it online.
So that tells me that providing the staff with access information has an excellent chance to increase staff's use of the library. Not only will everyone know they are able to use the library, but they will also learn how to access it online from any computer in the facility.
As a result, I plan to email all the staff in the facility a short email explaining the easy steps to access the library's catalog online. It will be very interesting to discover how many new staff patrons I will gain from this very simple and easy-to-use online tool.
This has been a very helpful tool even for my small library and I can only imagine how helpful it could be for larger libraries.
Thanks for the experience and helpful information.
Ellen the Librarian
In my situation here in the facility, patients do not have access to the Internet, but our staff do. I think, in part, because the library's name is the Patient Library, most staff don't borrow materials from the library. They may browse magazines when they are supervising groups, but not too many actually use the library's services. So I decided to design a survey for a sampling of the staff to gain information that might lead to an increase of staff taking advantage of the library's services.
I chose polldaddy as my online resource to use because it looked very simple to use. I liked the choice of formats and how easy it was to set up my personal options. In no time at all, I had a short survey put together. I had 12 respondents with 10 completed surveys. Here are the questions and responses I received:
1. Did you know that staff are able to use the Patient Library for their library needs? 8 yes 2 No
2. Have you ever borrowed materials from the Patient Library? 6 Yes 4 No
3. Did you know that the library's catalog in online and can be viewed from any computer in the facitlity?
3 Yes 7 No
4. Would you be more apt to use the library if you knew how to access the catalog online? 9 Yes 1 No
5. If you answered yes to the above questions, would you like the instructions sent via email or come to a
brief live presentation? 9 Email 0 Live Presentation 1 NA
What I learned was that 60% of the staff who responded have used the library at one time or another, but that 70% were not aware that the library's catalog was available to them online and that 90% would be more apt to use the library if they could access it online.
So that tells me that providing the staff with access information has an excellent chance to increase staff's use of the library. Not only will everyone know they are able to use the library, but they will also learn how to access it online from any computer in the facility.
As a result, I plan to email all the staff in the facility a short email explaining the easy steps to access the library's catalog online. It will be very interesting to discover how many new staff patrons I will gain from this very simple and easy-to-use online tool.
This has been a very helpful tool even for my small library and I can only imagine how helpful it could be for larger libraries.
Thanks for the experience and helpful information.
Ellen the Librarian
Friday, May 21, 2010
Thing #36 Flickr Revisted reflections
As I viewed the beautiful, creative photographs from LPL I too felt as though I knew something more about the community of Two Rivers, the library and its staff. I especially loved the huge poster on display in the library composed of all the smaller pictures. What a wonderful way to let people know exactly what the library is all about. It is truly amazing how just one small idea can spark the imagination of not only that person, but also everyone else who is exposed to it.
It is plain to see that LPL has become an indespensable part of Two Rivers through the work of just one man with a vision. I think we can all learn a valuable lesson from that.
Seeing this presenation makes me think of the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Pictures do speak volumes and why not use them as well as videos or any other media to get the message out about libraries and what they do. If I were in a public library setting I can see myself deep into these kinds of projects to raise awareness of library programming, community activities, etc. Unfortunately, I work in a special library setting where pictures are not allowed to be taken and patrons do not have access to the Internet. This really limits what I do on Flickr, but hopefully, just being a part of this blog and getting invovled on a professional level on some of the other sites connected with WebJunction, will spark new ideas I can utilize.
It is plain to see that LPL has become an indespensable part of Two Rivers through the work of just one man with a vision. I think we can all learn a valuable lesson from that.
Seeing this presenation makes me think of the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Pictures do speak volumes and why not use them as well as videos or any other media to get the message out about libraries and what they do. If I were in a public library setting I can see myself deep into these kinds of projects to raise awareness of library programming, community activities, etc. Unfortunately, I work in a special library setting where pictures are not allowed to be taken and patrons do not have access to the Internet. This really limits what I do on Flickr, but hopefully, just being a part of this blog and getting invovled on a professional level on some of the other sites connected with WebJunction, will spark new ideas I can utilize.
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