Generational Marketing: Exploring the use of web 2.0 tools in marketing to patrons at the Ladera Ranch Library
Research Proposal
Abstract
Web 2.0 technologies such as social networking sites, blogs, RSS feeds, and the like have revolutionized how the public communicates with other people, businesses, and even their government. As a result, it is proposed that they have also changed how patrons interact with or would like to interact with their libraries. It is also proposed that patrons desire more online services from their libraries that also utilize novel Internet technologies. This paper examines the community and environment of the Ladera Ranch Public Library, which is one of affluent young families. Given the specific community conditions at the Ladera Ranch Public Library, it is theorized that our patrons are among those who desire more online services and would be reached through an online marketing campaign. It is proposed that an action research project consisting of surveys, focus groups, and questionnaires be implemented in order to discover exactly what our community wants and how they would like to communicate with their public library.
Introduction
Background
The Ladera Ranch Library is a public library and is part of the Orange County Public Library system. OCPL consists of 33 branches throughout the county of Orange, each with their own collections, services, programs, and specialties. Currently, OCPL has primarily undertaken a system-wide marketing plan; that is to say, current marketing strategies publicize the OCPL system and system-wide initiatives, with little mention of specific programs at specific branches. Since the county is so large and the library system so spread out, it is apparent that each library should undertake marketing strategies that are specific to their own branch and pertain to their own particular services and community.
The Ladera Ranch community consists of approximately 22,000 people, which is mostly made up of young families. The community is close-knit and upper-middle class. Our patrons at the Ladera Ranch Public Library also mostly consist of young families and a few elderly patrons. However, many members of the community do not see the library as an institution that serves their needs or has anything to offer them. Also, many members of the community are unaware of the services offered by the library or even where the library is located in this small community.
The Ladera Ranch Library shares the building it is located in with the offices of the schools it is surrounded by. The public library is located on the same property as the local elementary school, middle school, and school offices. Additionally, it shares indoor library space and part of its collection with the schools as well. Our downstairs library functions as the school library during school hours, then it is opened to the public after school is out for the day. While it is confusing and inconvenient for our patrons who are not students at the schools, this also means that our library has a large collection of books for elementary and middle school-age patrons.
We also have many programs geared towards children of younger ages as well. During the school year, we offer infant and toddler storytimes on a weekly basis. These programs are very popular; however, because of our limited space during school hours, we must impose strict limits on the number of participants. There is a standing wait list for those unable to secure a spot in these programs.
Additionally, we have programs scheduled throughout the year for school-age children, such as contests and puppet storytimes. These are among the services least used by the community, including resources available for adults such as databases, ebooks, and account management services available online. Many patrons are not aware of the online services we provide, or do not know how to use these services. A more effective and targeted marketing program would indeed help to spread the word about these services. Specifically, a web-based marketing plan would be effective since it is web-based services we are marketing, and also since our patrons are of the primary demographic that uses the internet to search, to conduct day-to-day business, and to socialize with peers.
Literature Review
While the usage of online tools to market libraries is relatively new and has only been studied for approximately ten years, there is still quality data and research available on the subject of marketing library services to a population that is largely active online. Roy tells us, “public library marketing [...] involves planning, measurement and evaluation, budgeting, and fundraising/development” (2002, p. 216). These steps ensure that the library’s marketing plan will have maximum success that can be quantified and shared with key stakeholders. We see this illustrated in the Gail Borden Public Library’s summer reading program: “Be a hero- Read” (Brautigan 2011). Their usage of Roy’s steps and also an integration of web 2.0 tools such as YouTube and blog marketing lead to an extremely prosperous summer reading program that successfully employed web 2.0 technologies to market to young children and their families. This program also used partnerships in the community to organizations such as the Boys and Girls club to reach out to community members who had not previously used the public library (p. 50).
Since this proposal’s focus is young families, it is important to consider the impact of web 2.0 tools on parents in addition to children. Mi & Nesta investigate the impacts of the Internet on library usage in the “Net Generation,” which they define to include people born as early as the late 1970’s (2006, p. 45). However, they also advise, “that some of the characteristics of this generation may go beyond the generational gap and apply to their parents as well” (p. 45). In 2011, both demographics are possible parents in the community of Ladera Ranch, especially when you take into consideration that those impacted by or participating in the activities of web 2.0 include people who use Facebook, turn to Google instead of the their library, and read their daily news online instead of in print format. Especially telling is the statistic that the largest demographic of users of social networking sites are those ages 35-44, who make up 25% of all users (Pingdom, 2010).
Thus, we should focus on what specific tools would be useful in library marketing. Cole, Graves, and Cipkowski advise, “Twitter allows the library to get involved in the [...] community, and provides another way of communicating with library users” (2010, p. 184). They continue to discuss the success of other online initiatives, including e-newsletters, RSS feeds, and a Facebook page. Xia discusses the successes and failures of various library initiatives on Facebook, and concludes that Facebook group pages are successful if it remains active, moderated by an involved and interested librarian, and constantly updates its followers as to the status of the library (2009, p. 47). While others, such as Secker (2008), contend that Facebook groups are not effective and do not encourage users to return to the site after initial contact, Xia responds that an active moderator who posts regularly about things important to their users would encourage more participation among Facebook users (p. 471).
Purpose and Rationale of the Study
It is the author’s hypothesis that better marketing efforts are needed to make the community more aware of the library, its location, and its services; additionally, it is hypothesized that because the community is young, upper-class, and tech-savy, using web 2.0 tools would be a successful and frugal method of marketing. The objective of this investigation is to make the community more aware of the services and programs available through their local public library. Additionally, using these tools would help us to better serve our community and discover what it is they want from their library. The question this research endeavor will investigate is: What kind of marketing would be most effective in this community? Would using web 2.0 tools be an effective marketing strategy? What can web 2.0 tools help us to discover about our community, and how can we use those tools to fulfill their needs?
Method
Participants
Participants of this study will be those who hold a substantial interest or stake in the outcome of the research. McNiff and Whitehead advise that researchers treat participants as “co-researchers, not subjects” that are being studied (2010, p. 77). This will lead to a greater flow of information between all groups, which will lead to better data and a more accurate research project. McNiff and Whitehead further advise that a small group of people should be selected as research participants as opposed to larger groups in order to keep the main focus of the research on the researcher since, “the focus of your work is you” (p. 101). For this reason, there are only three groups of participants for this study: researchers, library staff, and library patrons.
Researchers. The researchers will be the author and especially interested co-workers, especially those who are primarily responsible for the services the library provides to the community and the promotion of those services. This will include the Ladera Ranch library branch manager, the Ladera Ranch library adult services librarian, and the Ladera Ranch library children’s services librarian. The branch manager is intimately invested in the services and marketing strategies used by the library and is among those who seek to improve the library’s service through self-study. Both the adult and children’s librarians will participate as researchers since it is both adult and children services and marketing we are exploring. Additionally, since it is their departments that will be studied, they are equally interested parties that will be involved in self-study, which is the central purpose of action research (McNiff and Whitehead, 2010).
Library Staff. Other library staff will additionally be involved in this study because of their integral association with the organization that is undergoing the study. They will be assisting with the data collection for this research; specifically, they will help in promoting research initiatives such as surveys and questionnaires to the patrons in the library via word of mouth. In addition, they will be asked their opinion of the research, the effects on the services, and the changes they suggest should be instituted as a result of the findings. As McNiff and Whitehead advise, it is important to invite the feedback of research participants (2010, p. 61).
Library Patrons. This will be the biggest group of participants. The library will work with patrons of all ages and explore the ways they use the library and the ways they hope to use the library. Ideally, they would consist of people from all demographics the library serves, such as parents, children, single adults, and the elderly. Working with a diverse group and eliciting their opinions through focus groups, surveys, and questionnaires, these participants will give us the most valuable feedback on the effectiveness of our efforts.
Data Collection
The researchers will employ at least three methods of data collection in order to achieve “triangulation,” as is recommended by Ferrance (2000, p. 11). The previously mentioned methods of surveys, focus groups, and questionnaires will achieve a triangulated pool of data regarding patron perceptions and thoughts on the library and its services. These surveys and questionnaires will additionally be available online. This will serve two purposes: online availability will allow patrons to complete the surveys and questionnaires at their leisure in their own home at whatever time is convenient to them. This will give us the opportunity to gather more data than with paper materials alone. We will additionally be able to compare usage statistics of paper materials versus online materials. From this data, we will be able to extrapolate if in-library resources are more or less convenient to our patrons than online resources. Additionally, we may be able to reach a larger group of people through the use of online data collection, which may lead us to discover groups of people the library could serve more, such as the disabled or homebound.
In addition to these quantitative data collection methods, we will also use qualitative data to supplement these findings. Circulation and door counts are objective measures that can be used in conjunction with website page views to explore the differences and similarities in how the library’s physical and virtual services are used by our patrons.
Data Analysis
Analysis of the data collected will be performed simultaneously; that is to say, the quantitative data will be analyzed in conjunction with the qualitative data so that the findings from one set may the used to inform the findings from another set. Statistics alone cannot fully inform and investigation of this caliber, especially since it cannot properly represent the thoughts and opinions of our patrons. Conversely, direct patron communication through questionnaires, surveys, and focus groups are not appropriately interpreted without the hard facts of qualitative data showing actual patron activity. It is only when we analyze data together that we get a full, accurate picture of our patrons, their activity, and their opinions on library services. In order to understand how to properly serve our community and whether or not virtual services are important to them, we must first discover “who [our] audience is and what they want,” as Draper and Turnage recommend to those looking into web 2.0 services at their library (2008, p. 18).
Friday, July 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
New location!
Hello all my blog followers (who are mostly my classmates from LIBR246!)
I've decided to continue my blog covering different topics in libraries and my library studies at wordpress. Please come on over and check it out! The new address is www.toverduin.wordpress.com
Leave a comment, let me know what you think!
Thanks!
I've decided to continue my blog covering different topics in libraries and my library studies at wordpress. Please come on over and check it out! The new address is www.toverduin.wordpress.com
Leave a comment, let me know what you think!
Thanks!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Group Project- Screencast and Videoblogging proposal for Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library
Presentation completed by Elizabeth Stucki, Siobhan Devore, Jennifer Wood, and Terezita Overduin
Proposal
In this age of technology, libraries are constantly struggling to remain viable to their users. In an effort to meet this challenge, more and more libraries have begun using videos and screencasting as a way of providing support to their patrons. Screencasts are a video screen capture that can be used as a tutorial for performing online tasks. Through videos, libraries embrace the digital age by creating their own videos and sharing them through websites that broadcast them to people all over the world. The Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library (http://wiltonlibrarynh.org/) is a library that could benefit from such a service. A video tour of the facility would help make potential new users feel welcome. It would also introduce them to the services available at this particular library. The library could also benefit from adding two screencasts to their website via YouTube. The first screencast would be an introduction to the library website and the second screencast would be a tutorial on how to use the online database Ebsco. Through videoblogging, Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library would be able to provide a unique service that will encourage patrons to rely on the library for their information needs.
Technology
In order to make this service a reality, the library will rely on free online tools to create and broadcast their video and screencasts. Screencasts are recordings of computer screens that can be used to instruct patrons on how different computer and web services work. There are many free tools that can record high quality screencasts, but the one used for this service will be Screenr (www.screenr.com). Screenr is a free web-based screen recorder that does not require an installation or download of the product. Once the screencasts and video tour are made, the library will need a tool that will broadcast them on the internet. For this part of the service the library will use YouTube (www.youtube.com). YouTube will make the videos available to visitors of the library website as well as people browsing the YouTube site. YouTube is the preferred tool for this service because it is the world’s largest video-sharing community and through it users can upload, view, rate and comment on videos for free.
Service
The goal of this service is to introduce users to the library facility, website and one of its online databases. It will consist of two screencasts and a video tour of the library. All of these videos will be readily accessible through the library website.
The first feature of the service will be a video tour of the library. The tour will show the collection, various parts of the library, such as the computer stations and the quiet study area, as well as the array of services available to patrons (i.e. self-checkout, access to the reference desk, copiers and printers, etc.).
The next part of the service involves the two screencasts. The first screencast will instruct users on how to navigate their way through the library website. Some of the tasks performed on the tutorial will include logging into a patron account, searching the OPAC and requesting materials.
The second screencast will teach the user how to search the online database Ebsco. This can be used as an aid while the patron is using Ebsco in the library, or it can offer visual step-by-step instruction for users at home. The tutorial will include how to log in from outside the library and how to obtain optimal results by using certain search features.
Benefits of Service
Users of the library will experience many advantages as a result of adding this service to the library website. First, for new library uses, it acts as an introduction and acquaints them with the physical and virtual aspects of the library. Also, some patrons may not be experienced users of the internet, which can deter them from visiting the library website. Or, they may not understand the purpose of the library having its own website. As a result, they will miss out on important updates and the opportunity to search the collection and databases from anywhere outside of the library. The screencasts are ways for these users to sit back and learn how the library website can help them. They can pause and repeat sections whenever needed and they can revisit the tutorials as often as they like. For some users, asking the library staff for help with the same task over and over again may be embarrassing. With screencast tutorials, this is not an issue.
Secondly, a patron may be interested in checking out the branch before their visit. In this case, the video tour can give them a clear picture of the size of the library. It can also show them the amenities and condition of the facility. Furthermore, by experiencing a video tour, the user may feel more comfortable coming to that library because they know what to expect.
A third benefit of this service is that it can encourage more patrons to use the website. For example, a patron might have visited the website just to check the library’s hours. Then, they stumble across the screencast tour of the website and learn that it has a lot of other helpful features they can use.
The Ebsco screencast will benefit patrons that are not familiar with using online databases. It will provide them with basic online search skills that will enable them to use other online databases as well. This screencast could also encourage users that may not have otherwise thought to use Ebsco for their research. After viewing the screencast they might realize it would help them find the right information.
These screencasts are helpful to both the patrons and library staff because they give patrons tools that they can access independently of the library. If they are having trouble searching Ebsco or do not know how to login to a patron account, they can depend on the screencasts for guidance instead of inquiring for help at the front desk. This gives staff additional time to focus on other tasks. It also helps staff because they are now equipped with tools that they can refer patrons to when they have questions or concerns. Brochures with links to the website’s screencasts and video could be available at the circulation desk. If a user is apprehensive about using the library website or Ebsco, the staff could recommend the brochure to the patron.
Evidence of Success
Online instruction of how to search a database can be quite difficult. Without the ability to look over a user’s shoulder and guide them in the right direction, it can be a challenge to teach the correct way to perform a search. Reading step-by-step instructions can become confusing when the search requires navigating through multiple pages within the database. Library users depend on their librarians for assistance and using screencasts can offer a solution to this dilemma. The Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library’s use of the screencast on Ebsco allows librarians to instruct users in a way that demonstrates each step visually and auditorily, rather than relying on written words only. The article, “More Than Words: screencasting as a reference tool”, by Carr & Ly (2009) explores how libraries can support students by using images and videos of search strategies. Based on chat transcripts and anecdotal evidence in their study, Carr & Ly (2009) determined that students found libraries’ use of screencasting helpful in illustrating complex search strategies.
Another piece of evidence that supports the use of screencasts by libraries is the collection of tutorials offered by the Orange County Library System of Orlando, Florida (http://www.ocls.info/programs/computerclasses/tutorials.asp). Some examples of tasks covered in the tutorials in their collection are finding music within a specific genre, creating a preferred search, subscribing to an RSS feed, reserving a meeting room in the library and connecting to the library’s wireless network. By viewing the videos created by the Orange County Library System, one can witness the creative ways a library can use videos and screencasts to assist their patrons.
A third example of evidence supporting this service can be found in the blogpost, “More Things a Library Can Do with Blogposts” by David Lee King (http://www.davidleeking.com/2006/07/19/more-things-libraries-can-do-with-videoblogs/). King (2009) takes a list of videoblog genres from Wikipedia and adds creative ways they can be applied to libraries. For example, the genre of Personal videoblogs can be a book talk by a local author. Or the News genre could involve interviewing local patrons on their opinions about recent news events. Also, a library could make a videoblog from the Third Party Collections genre by having book trailers on new books in their collection. These are just a few examples of how libraries can implement videoblogs into their services.
Lastly, Harper Collins Library demonstrates how a video tour of their facility can be informative and fun to watch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHljR4LymOA). This video uses humor and the personalities of the library staff to show viewers what their library has to offer. The video describes such services as reserving group study rooms, checking out books and receiving help with research from the reference desk.
Roadblocks and How to Overcome Them
There are some obstacles that could prevent the successful implementation of these screencasts in the library. The first concern is lack of employee training on the new software. If employees are not familiar or comfortable with the software used to create the screencasts, new or updated screencasts will not be made and thus, the proposed introduction of this software will soon be forgotten. In order for screencasts to become a regular part of our service to patrons, it is imperative that staff members are properly trained and become comfortable with the software used. In order to overcome this roadblock, we must assure that employees are properly trained by providing tutorials and reinforcing learning at staff meetings. Especially helpful would be screencasts about screencasts, which employees can watch over and over at their own pace of learning. Lastly, a great way to make this training stick is to have staff members make screencasts on their own after watching tutorials and present them at staff meetings. These practice screencasts would be on whatever the staff member feels most comfortable with, such as how to check your email or make a Word document.
A second concern is lack of patron use of the screencasts after they are created and posted to the library’s website. It is obvious that the program would also be rendered useless if the people the screencasts are made for don’t use them. However, simply promoting the screencasts by the library’s usual means of communication would solve this. This would mean promoting the screencasts by distributing brochures with appropriate links, announcing the screencasts on other library social media like Facebook and Twitter, and telling patrons in person at the reference desk. This would work especially well since patrons who need help with using the library usually ask the reference librarians. Another useful strategy is to place the brochures near the library’s computers so that the patrons may view the screencasts before they forget about them.
Lastly, it is important that there be a clear division of responsibility for this program. If the staff are not aware of who is responsible for creating the screencasts, who is responsible for uploading them, or who is responsible for making general decisions about what screencasts to create, then nothing will be done at all. It should be the responsibility of the technical librarian to oversee the creation, uploading, and general maintenance of the website and the screencasts. However, the involvement of other staff members is important in creating a responsive and engaged work environment that is receptive to these types of social media initiatives. It is also important that the librarians who promote and explain these screencasts are involved in their creation so that they are better able to help patrons understand them. Therefore, it should be the technical librarian that decides if a screencast should be made, a librarian who creates the screencast, and the technical librarian who uploads the video. Of course, librarians can suggest screencasts be made if there are changes or if the screencasts become outdated.
Software Suggestions
The software we suggest to implement this program is Screenr and YouTube. The Screenr software can be found at http://www.screenr.com/ and is usable on any computer platform. Also, because this tool does not require any downloading of software, it can be used at any computer at any time. While this software only allows five minutes of recording at a time, longer screencasts can be posted in two parts. Additionally, this tool allows for direct, one-click loading onto YouTube immediately after the recording of the screencast.
We recommend YouTube to host the screencasts since it is a widely used video site that is already familiar to our patrons. YouTube also facilitates easy sharing of your videos by providing embed links and easy sharing to sites like Facebook.
Maintenance
The screencasts should always be kept up-to-date and accessible on the library’s website. Screencasts should be updated as changes occur to Ebsco or to the library’s layout. For example, when changes to Ebsco’s interface or user commands take place, it should be reflected in the library’s screencasts. Also, as the library adds other databases to their collection, screencasts for their use should be created. Renovations or additions to the physical library should additionally be showed on the library’s screencasts. Since the entire staff are participants in the screencasting program, any staff member can suggest changes to the screencasts, and these changes will be made after the technical librarian approves it.
Assessment
YouTube’s format includes comment and rating features, which are very useful in assessing how useful patrons think the videos are. Page views are also counted on the site, which allows staff to instantly see how many times the video has been viewed. The ability to rate the screencast, comment on the screencast, and ascertain how many people have viewed the screencast will give staff a very good idea of how much the patrons are using the screencasts and if they find them useful. Also, in order to encourage more feedback, the screencasts themselves can ask the viewer to comment on the YouTube page at the end of the screencast. This feedback can then be used to make positive changes in the service.
Full Videos of the Prototypes
Video Tour of the Building
Screencast on how to login to your account
Screencast on how to use EBSCO
Proposal
In this age of technology, libraries are constantly struggling to remain viable to their users. In an effort to meet this challenge, more and more libraries have begun using videos and screencasting as a way of providing support to their patrons. Screencasts are a video screen capture that can be used as a tutorial for performing online tasks. Through videos, libraries embrace the digital age by creating their own videos and sharing them through websites that broadcast them to people all over the world. The Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library (http://wiltonlibrarynh.org/) is a library that could benefit from such a service. A video tour of the facility would help make potential new users feel welcome. It would also introduce them to the services available at this particular library. The library could also benefit from adding two screencasts to their website via YouTube. The first screencast would be an introduction to the library website and the second screencast would be a tutorial on how to use the online database Ebsco. Through videoblogging, Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library would be able to provide a unique service that will encourage patrons to rely on the library for their information needs.
Technology
In order to make this service a reality, the library will rely on free online tools to create and broadcast their video and screencasts. Screencasts are recordings of computer screens that can be used to instruct patrons on how different computer and web services work. There are many free tools that can record high quality screencasts, but the one used for this service will be Screenr (www.screenr.com). Screenr is a free web-based screen recorder that does not require an installation or download of the product. Once the screencasts and video tour are made, the library will need a tool that will broadcast them on the internet. For this part of the service the library will use YouTube (www.youtube.com). YouTube will make the videos available to visitors of the library website as well as people browsing the YouTube site. YouTube is the preferred tool for this service because it is the world’s largest video-sharing community and through it users can upload, view, rate and comment on videos for free.
Service
The goal of this service is to introduce users to the library facility, website and one of its online databases. It will consist of two screencasts and a video tour of the library. All of these videos will be readily accessible through the library website.
The first feature of the service will be a video tour of the library. The tour will show the collection, various parts of the library, such as the computer stations and the quiet study area, as well as the array of services available to patrons (i.e. self-checkout, access to the reference desk, copiers and printers, etc.).
The next part of the service involves the two screencasts. The first screencast will instruct users on how to navigate their way through the library website. Some of the tasks performed on the tutorial will include logging into a patron account, searching the OPAC and requesting materials.
The second screencast will teach the user how to search the online database Ebsco. This can be used as an aid while the patron is using Ebsco in the library, or it can offer visual step-by-step instruction for users at home. The tutorial will include how to log in from outside the library and how to obtain optimal results by using certain search features.
Benefits of Service
Users of the library will experience many advantages as a result of adding this service to the library website. First, for new library uses, it acts as an introduction and acquaints them with the physical and virtual aspects of the library. Also, some patrons may not be experienced users of the internet, which can deter them from visiting the library website. Or, they may not understand the purpose of the library having its own website. As a result, they will miss out on important updates and the opportunity to search the collection and databases from anywhere outside of the library. The screencasts are ways for these users to sit back and learn how the library website can help them. They can pause and repeat sections whenever needed and they can revisit the tutorials as often as they like. For some users, asking the library staff for help with the same task over and over again may be embarrassing. With screencast tutorials, this is not an issue.
Secondly, a patron may be interested in checking out the branch before their visit. In this case, the video tour can give them a clear picture of the size of the library. It can also show them the amenities and condition of the facility. Furthermore, by experiencing a video tour, the user may feel more comfortable coming to that library because they know what to expect.
A third benefit of this service is that it can encourage more patrons to use the website. For example, a patron might have visited the website just to check the library’s hours. Then, they stumble across the screencast tour of the website and learn that it has a lot of other helpful features they can use.
The Ebsco screencast will benefit patrons that are not familiar with using online databases. It will provide them with basic online search skills that will enable them to use other online databases as well. This screencast could also encourage users that may not have otherwise thought to use Ebsco for their research. After viewing the screencast they might realize it would help them find the right information.
These screencasts are helpful to both the patrons and library staff because they give patrons tools that they can access independently of the library. If they are having trouble searching Ebsco or do not know how to login to a patron account, they can depend on the screencasts for guidance instead of inquiring for help at the front desk. This gives staff additional time to focus on other tasks. It also helps staff because they are now equipped with tools that they can refer patrons to when they have questions or concerns. Brochures with links to the website’s screencasts and video could be available at the circulation desk. If a user is apprehensive about using the library website or Ebsco, the staff could recommend the brochure to the patron.
Evidence of Success
Online instruction of how to search a database can be quite difficult. Without the ability to look over a user’s shoulder and guide them in the right direction, it can be a challenge to teach the correct way to perform a search. Reading step-by-step instructions can become confusing when the search requires navigating through multiple pages within the database. Library users depend on their librarians for assistance and using screencasts can offer a solution to this dilemma. The Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library’s use of the screencast on Ebsco allows librarians to instruct users in a way that demonstrates each step visually and auditorily, rather than relying on written words only. The article, “More Than Words: screencasting as a reference tool”, by Carr & Ly (2009) explores how libraries can support students by using images and videos of search strategies. Based on chat transcripts and anecdotal evidence in their study, Carr & Ly (2009) determined that students found libraries’ use of screencasting helpful in illustrating complex search strategies.
Another piece of evidence that supports the use of screencasts by libraries is the collection of tutorials offered by the Orange County Library System of Orlando, Florida (http://www.ocls.info/programs/computerclasses/tutorials.asp). Some examples of tasks covered in the tutorials in their collection are finding music within a specific genre, creating a preferred search, subscribing to an RSS feed, reserving a meeting room in the library and connecting to the library’s wireless network. By viewing the videos created by the Orange County Library System, one can witness the creative ways a library can use videos and screencasts to assist their patrons.
A third example of evidence supporting this service can be found in the blogpost, “More Things a Library Can Do with Blogposts” by David Lee King (http://www.davidleeking.com/2006/07/19/more-things-libraries-can-do-with-videoblogs/). King (2009) takes a list of videoblog genres from Wikipedia and adds creative ways they can be applied to libraries. For example, the genre of Personal videoblogs can be a book talk by a local author. Or the News genre could involve interviewing local patrons on their opinions about recent news events. Also, a library could make a videoblog from the Third Party Collections genre by having book trailers on new books in their collection. These are just a few examples of how libraries can implement videoblogs into their services.
Lastly, Harper Collins Library demonstrates how a video tour of their facility can be informative and fun to watch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHljR4LymOA). This video uses humor and the personalities of the library staff to show viewers what their library has to offer. The video describes such services as reserving group study rooms, checking out books and receiving help with research from the reference desk.
Roadblocks and How to Overcome Them
There are some obstacles that could prevent the successful implementation of these screencasts in the library. The first concern is lack of employee training on the new software. If employees are not familiar or comfortable with the software used to create the screencasts, new or updated screencasts will not be made and thus, the proposed introduction of this software will soon be forgotten. In order for screencasts to become a regular part of our service to patrons, it is imperative that staff members are properly trained and become comfortable with the software used. In order to overcome this roadblock, we must assure that employees are properly trained by providing tutorials and reinforcing learning at staff meetings. Especially helpful would be screencasts about screencasts, which employees can watch over and over at their own pace of learning. Lastly, a great way to make this training stick is to have staff members make screencasts on their own after watching tutorials and present them at staff meetings. These practice screencasts would be on whatever the staff member feels most comfortable with, such as how to check your email or make a Word document.
A second concern is lack of patron use of the screencasts after they are created and posted to the library’s website. It is obvious that the program would also be rendered useless if the people the screencasts are made for don’t use them. However, simply promoting the screencasts by the library’s usual means of communication would solve this. This would mean promoting the screencasts by distributing brochures with appropriate links, announcing the screencasts on other library social media like Facebook and Twitter, and telling patrons in person at the reference desk. This would work especially well since patrons who need help with using the library usually ask the reference librarians. Another useful strategy is to place the brochures near the library’s computers so that the patrons may view the screencasts before they forget about them.
Lastly, it is important that there be a clear division of responsibility for this program. If the staff are not aware of who is responsible for creating the screencasts, who is responsible for uploading them, or who is responsible for making general decisions about what screencasts to create, then nothing will be done at all. It should be the responsibility of the technical librarian to oversee the creation, uploading, and general maintenance of the website and the screencasts. However, the involvement of other staff members is important in creating a responsive and engaged work environment that is receptive to these types of social media initiatives. It is also important that the librarians who promote and explain these screencasts are involved in their creation so that they are better able to help patrons understand them. Therefore, it should be the technical librarian that decides if a screencast should be made, a librarian who creates the screencast, and the technical librarian who uploads the video. Of course, librarians can suggest screencasts be made if there are changes or if the screencasts become outdated.
Software Suggestions
The software we suggest to implement this program is Screenr and YouTube. The Screenr software can be found at http://www.screenr.com/ and is usable on any computer platform. Also, because this tool does not require any downloading of software, it can be used at any computer at any time. While this software only allows five minutes of recording at a time, longer screencasts can be posted in two parts. Additionally, this tool allows for direct, one-click loading onto YouTube immediately after the recording of the screencast.
We recommend YouTube to host the screencasts since it is a widely used video site that is already familiar to our patrons. YouTube also facilitates easy sharing of your videos by providing embed links and easy sharing to sites like Facebook.
Maintenance
The screencasts should always be kept up-to-date and accessible on the library’s website. Screencasts should be updated as changes occur to Ebsco or to the library’s layout. For example, when changes to Ebsco’s interface or user commands take place, it should be reflected in the library’s screencasts. Also, as the library adds other databases to their collection, screencasts for their use should be created. Renovations or additions to the physical library should additionally be showed on the library’s screencasts. Since the entire staff are participants in the screencasting program, any staff member can suggest changes to the screencasts, and these changes will be made after the technical librarian approves it.
Assessment
YouTube’s format includes comment and rating features, which are very useful in assessing how useful patrons think the videos are. Page views are also counted on the site, which allows staff to instantly see how many times the video has been viewed. The ability to rate the screencast, comment on the screencast, and ascertain how many people have viewed the screencast will give staff a very good idea of how much the patrons are using the screencasts and if they find them useful. Also, in order to encourage more feedback, the screencasts themselves can ask the viewer to comment on the YouTube page at the end of the screencast. This feedback can then be used to make positive changes in the service.
Full Videos of the Prototypes
Video Tour of the Building
Screencast on how to login to your account
Screencast on how to use EBSCO
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Online Communities: websites with users
This week's section on online communities put the spotlight on what seemed to be websites run by communities instead of one webmaster. Websites are published by a person or corporation and are viewed by its users. Blogs are written by one or many and commented on by one or many. Social network pages are created entirely by the community with little dependence on a central moderator (in most instances). Online communities seems to be a hybrid between these options, with a webmaster who is more of a community leader than dictator; he moderates and suggests rather than deciding and publishing. However, online communities also seem to be scattered along the spectrum instead of generally collected in the middle between the extremes. In fact, some online communities look a lot more like standard websites than thriving communities. Others look almost meaningless to outsiders who are not members of the community and don't know what's going on. Web Junction, for example, looks very much like a neat, professional site that offers many resources for the common visitor and clearly shows what the site is about and who it is for. However, it is apparent that there is a vibrant community under the polished exterior; there are login opportunities on almost every page, and many resources such as discussion boards and groups within the site that are only accessible by members. SkokieNet, on the other hand, is not very self-explanatory and a little disorienting to outsiders just discovering this site. Perhaps it's just that it is not immediately apparent that this is a city community site, or what the role of the links and the public library in this site is.
All in all, though, online communities seem to be a good way to run a site centered around a community that is anxious to get involved and contribute to the communal knowledge and resources.
All in all, though, online communities seem to be a good way to run a site centered around a community that is anxious to get involved and contribute to the communal knowledge and resources.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Del.icio.us- Exercise 5
Social bookmarking seems like it should be a great way to browse the web. The web is exactly that- an untamed and confusing mass of tangled information that is all but impossible to navigate. Collaborative bookmarking allows for users- people just like me- to add helpful descriptors to websites and allows those sites that are most tagged with a certain word to rise to the top and become findable. This tool is useful for everyday users or institutions or libraries (as we have seen).
However, the reality is that searching the web using del.icio.us is not better than searching on engines like Google. The lack of helpful or reliable descriptions makes searching on del.icio.us reliant only on page titles and tags. Additionally, searching for multi-word ideas yields almost no relevant results. For example, searching "weddings" in either Google or del.icio.us will bring up some good sites for those wanting information on weddings. However, searching "cheap weddings" on del.icio.us yields some results about weddings and some results that are cheap, such as cheap airfare. A search on del.icio.us often brings up results without the search words as tags or in the web page title. This seems to be a problem more with the search interface or algorithm, but the results are the same. Del.icio.us is not a place to search the web. For users who are just browsing, it may be useful, but not much more useful than old-fashioned web surfing.
However, the reality is that searching the web using del.icio.us is not better than searching on engines like Google. The lack of helpful or reliable descriptions makes searching on del.icio.us reliant only on page titles and tags. Additionally, searching for multi-word ideas yields almost no relevant results. For example, searching "weddings" in either Google or del.icio.us will bring up some good sites for those wanting information on weddings. However, searching "cheap weddings" on del.icio.us yields some results about weddings and some results that are cheap, such as cheap airfare. A search on del.icio.us often brings up results without the search words as tags or in the web page title. This seems to be a problem more with the search interface or algorithm, but the results are the same. Del.icio.us is not a place to search the web. For users who are just browsing, it may be useful, but not much more useful than old-fashioned web surfing.
Cultivating creativity and collaboration
Organizational culture is one of the most important factors in employee productivity, creativity, and happiness. Dan Pink makes a great argument for this in his book Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Pink says that employee motivation and creativity is spurred by the amount of freedom workers are awarded. If employees feel as if they can work on their own schedules in their own spaces on their own projects, then they are more motivated to get projects done with greater efficiency and efficacy. In this kind of environment, where employees feel that they can work when they want and where they want, social media technology facilitating internal collaboration will be widely used since it coincides with the culture of freedom to work whenever, wherever.
This is seen in the similarity of points made in Pink's book and in Kelly's post saying that proper management attitudes, freedom to come and go from the office, and freedom to work nontraditional hours facilitate employee collaboration, both online and offline. Mackie's support of telecommuting also supports Pink's ideas that employee freedoms and willingness to collaborate are connected. Clearly, organizational culture dictates whether collaboration will help or hinder an employee's success in the company. The implementation of social media/collaboration tools will only be successful if the culture supports it.
This is seen in the similarity of points made in Pink's book and in Kelly's post saying that proper management attitudes, freedom to come and go from the office, and freedom to work nontraditional hours facilitate employee collaboration, both online and offline. Mackie's support of telecommuting also supports Pink's ideas that employee freedoms and willingness to collaborate are connected. Clearly, organizational culture dictates whether collaboration will help or hinder an employee's success in the company. The implementation of social media/collaboration tools will only be successful if the culture supports it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)