Last week was very busy, and ended on Friday with a whirlwind trip out to New York to present at the New York Library Association Public Libraries Section Spring Conference. This was held down in Hyde Park at the FDR Presidential Library and Museum, which I had never been to before. The weather could not have cooperated more, and I was very pleased to co-present with Anna (@helgagrace) on erotica in libraries.
The group was really great, energetic, and had a lot of questions. The rest of the day I got to hear an interesting keynote from Tim Stevens of Engadget about publishing and the effect of sponsored editorials (advetorials) in relationship to reference queries and vetting sources. Then the afternoon was devoted (for me) to reader's advisory for both children and young adults. It was a fabulous day!
25 April 2013
@ The Library: The Space and Time (Programming) Continuum
I love my library, but when it comes to space, it is definitely at a premium. The library was built in the late 1800s, and now serves a community of over 16,000. We currently have two floors (adult & youth), a shared office/staff room, and no meeting rooms. So, when it is time to schedule programs, you can see that shoehorns and spreadsheets come into play.
When I came to the library, programs were held during the open evening hours, which meant shifting the reading tables and chairs, setting up seating or a screen in front of the DVD collection, and small walking areas to get to the circulation desk and the public computers. Attendance ranges from a couple to a couple dozen, for the most part.
I began "After Hours" programming for the library on Thursdays. We close at 6 PM, so that meant we didn't have to worry about the public wandering around during the sessions, and those programs also stayed pretty small, so that was fine.
Then, this happened...
This would be about half of the 55 people that came to a birding program last week. It happened on a Wednesday because the group booked it almost a year ahead of time and I did not think the response would be quite this large. The circulation desk (on the far right) was almost completely blocked, and there wasn't enough seating so there are people behind where this picture was taken who are standing in the stacks.
It was wonderful and kind of awful at the same time.
I want this kind of response for programming, for sure. This one was sponsored by a local group, so I know much of the attendance was driven by them. I would welcome them back next year - during a closed time at the library. I am working harder at publicity, but it is still grinding my wheels a little bit. Plus space set-up and then patrons who come during after hours wanting circulation staff available. It seems that there is no perfect solution.
What do other libraries do with space and time issues?
When I came to the library, programs were held during the open evening hours, which meant shifting the reading tables and chairs, setting up seating or a screen in front of the DVD collection, and small walking areas to get to the circulation desk and the public computers. Attendance ranges from a couple to a couple dozen, for the most part.
I began "After Hours" programming for the library on Thursdays. We close at 6 PM, so that meant we didn't have to worry about the public wandering around during the sessions, and those programs also stayed pretty small, so that was fine.
Then, this happened...
This would be about half of the 55 people that came to a birding program last week. It happened on a Wednesday because the group booked it almost a year ahead of time and I did not think the response would be quite this large. The circulation desk (on the far right) was almost completely blocked, and there wasn't enough seating so there are people behind where this picture was taken who are standing in the stacks.
It was wonderful and kind of awful at the same time.
I want this kind of response for programming, for sure. This one was sponsored by a local group, so I know much of the attendance was driven by them. I would welcome them back next year - during a closed time at the library. I am working harder at publicity, but it is still grinding my wheels a little bit. Plus space set-up and then patrons who come during after hours wanting circulation staff available. It seems that there is no perfect solution.
What do other libraries do with space and time issues?
22 April 2013
Spreading the Library Love
Today I thought I would spread the love for some current projects that I personally support and hope that you will too!
If you haven't had a chance to respond, please do so! And if you have, feel free to share it with other bloggers, librarians, and teachers who use ARCs.
The Circulating Ideas podcast has been one of my staples for quite a while. Steve always finds a great way to hook into topics with other librarians, and one thing is for sure, there is always something new to learn! Last week Steve announced a Kickstarter campaign to help him update some of the software he has been using, and hopefully make it portable so that he can conduct on-site interviews at ALA Annual, including one with Nancy Pearl!
This campaign DID reach its initial goal (in less than 48 hours!) but Steve also put in a few "stretch goals" to increase what he can do with the podcast. Go take a look and help support a fellow librarian!
If you are an ALA member, follow the link and please sign!
Are there any projects you are supporting right now?
ARC Survey
To everyone who has responded to the survey post I put up last week -- or found it through Stacked or A Chair, A Fireplace and A Tea Cozy -- THANK YOU! We have gotten over 400 responses so far, which will go a long way toward helping us identify trends in the acquisition and use of ARCs for our presentation at ALA Annual in June.If you haven't had a chance to respond, please do so! And if you have, feel free to share it with other bloggers, librarians, and teachers who use ARCs.
Circulating Ideas
The Circulating Ideas podcast has been one of my staples for quite a while. Steve always finds a great way to hook into topics with other librarians, and one thing is for sure, there is always something new to learn! Last week Steve announced a Kickstarter campaign to help him update some of the software he has been using, and hopefully make it portable so that he can conduct on-site interviews at ALA Annual, including one with Nancy Pearl!
This campaign DID reach its initial goal (in less than 48 hours!) but Steve also put in a few "stretch goals" to increase what he can do with the podcast. Go take a look and help support a fellow librarian!
ALA Programming Librarian Interest Group
If you do any kind of programming for your library, there is an ALA petition to create a Programming Librarian Interest Group. This petition needs 100 signatures before the Committee on Organization will look at it for consideration. I found out about this petition on the ALA Think Tank Facebook Group.If you are an ALA member, follow the link and please sign!
Are there any projects you are supporting right now?
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