February 28, 2009
Social Networking
Social networking, while creepy at times, has plenty of useful applications from both a personal (Facebook) and professional (Linked In) perspective. Yes, there can be over-sharing involved, and many sites can’t seem to withstand the test of time. The good sites, though, connect people and provide a place to share information, ideas and news.
I like Facebook because it allows me to (passively) maintain relationships with people from my past as well as those within my current social circle. Even if I do not communicate directly with a friend via a message or a wall posting, I still have a pretty good sense of what is going on in their life via status updates or their comments on other people’s postings. With surprisingly little effort, I feel connected to my friends, both old and new, in a way that I’ve never felt before.
Another strength I see in Facebook, beyond connecting people, is its ability to let friends share information in a centralized location. In a way, my Facebook Newsfeed acts as a virtual public square where my friends can come together to share news stories, blog posts, videos, book reviews and anything else they like. For example, this week my friend posted a link to a super cool project that her organization is funding involving the development of a credible search engine. I love the exchange of content and ideas.
Undoubtedly, the boundaries between public and private get blurred, no matter what your profile privacy settings may be. Personally, I do not like that people, even my friends, know that I am online. To me, there is no benefit to revealing that kind of information. Of the social software building blocks, the “presence” block feels like an invasion of privacy.
Another downside to the social networks is the potential for over-saturation. Between Facebook and Linked In, all of my social networking needs are being met, and frankly, I do not have the time or energy to participate in another site. I think a lot of people feel this way, so I am skeptical of the Ning communities.
I’m still trying to figure out the best way for libraries to utilize social networking. The University of Illinois and University of Michigan have the right idea by establishing a presence on Facebook. Just as I enjoy and learn from what my friends share on the site, it seems that libraries have the opportunity, and the content from their collections, to share as well.
February 22, 2009
Best. Library. Video. Ever.
1987 – Betty Glover Library Workout Tape Ad
February 20, 2009
Paper Topic Exploration
For my paper, I’m considering working with idea of “The Library” as a brand. We each (if we are indeed library users) have an individual library we frequent, whether it be public or academic. Yet, each of these places is known collectively as “The Library.” I would like to do a brand analysis of sorts to determine what defines the “The Library” as we know it and would also like to look at instances of innovation at particular sites. How many individual libraries will need to change (and to what degree) before the public’s perception of “The Library” changes? What will it take to re-launch “The Library” brand?
Context Book Report
Small is the New Big and 183 Other Riffs, Rants, and Remarkable Business Ideas
By: Seth Godin (2006)
This was my first Seth Godin book. While we have nearly all of them in the marketing agency library, I never had an occasion to read one until now.
This book is a collection of blog posts. Arranged alphabetically by title, beginning with “AAA Auto Parts” and ending with “Zebra Cake, Famous,” there are 184 sections to choose from. Each entry is meant to present an idea or to spark some innovative thinking. It is presented to appeal to a marketing or business professional, however, many of these ideas can apply to the world of libraries.
The reader is cautioned in the first sentence not to read the whole book all at once. I read the first half in a single sitting and then decided to skip around for the second half over several days.
The non-linear format is representative of how people consume information these days. It’s also indicative of the direction libraries need, and have already started, to go in. It’s not about reading books from start to finish. It’s about taking the pieces you need, when you need them.
While not every entry is applicable to libraries, the continuous message that small ideas can make the biggest splash, should serve as inspiration to libraries as they transition to meet the new needs of their users. Also, the notion that you don’t have to do things the way you you’ve been led to believe you need to them should also be inspirational.
Some of the specific sections that do apply to libraries:
- Functionality is the new marketing as illustrated by Amazon providing customers with access to the contents of the books they sell (p. 100)
- Your day should be about serving the wants of your user, not just their needs (p. 41)
- Transform the mundane into the memorable (p. 173)
This illustration was used in the book, taken at a convention center in Milwaukee:
While libraries may not install polka players, there still is plenty of room for innovation. The library is no longer what it used to be
February 14, 2009
Virtual Communities
My first experience with virtual communities, like many of the others in the class, was on America Online. It was probably 1994, and I was in my first or second year of high school. It was around the time that I was discovering music, so AOL was my ticket to information on all the bands I was into as well as their fellow fans. I don’t remember visiting any chat rooms, but I do recall having a profile page identifying all of my favorite groups, albums and songs. I was horrified when another AOL member contacted me to tell me that I had misquoted the words from my favorite Guided By Voices song. This incident probably explains why I am extremely hesitant to comment or contribute to any other virtual communities.
I do lurk, though. For years I regularly visited the message board for one of my favorite bands. The band members regularly contributed as did a small, core group of fans scattered around the country. Even though I never commented on postings or initiated any threads, I still felt like part of the community because I could share in their experiences. I was at the same poorly attended shows, and I loved those songs just as much as anybody else.
When one of the band members suddenly died, I immediately went to the message board. It turned out there were many other lurkers, now compelled to contribute for the first time. The board seemingly became a source of comfort for the other band members, family (many of whom had never posted before) and close friends. A gathering was organized for people to grieve together, and an invitation was extended to everyone on the board. I considered going, but in the end decided against it, fearing I would be looked at as an outsider. I have a feeling I would have been welcomed, even as a lurker.
February 8, 2009
Taking the Library out of the Library
Trendwatching.com reported on a pretty cool program which ran recently at London’s Heathrow airport:
“Last December, global banking giant HSBC offered passengers at Heathrow’s Terminal 1 a chance to select magazine articles on topics of interest, and have them bound for easy inflight reading. Through a kiosk located beyond security at Terminal 1, travelers were greeted with an HSBC-branded hardback magazine cover. They then browsed a selection of loose-leaf articles, sourced from coverage around the globe focusing on four general topic areas: home and abroad, commerce and politics, health and sport, and media and culture. Once they’d made their selections, travelers took their articles to HSBC’s binding bar to be neatly bound inside the cover. During the two-week pilot effort, 2,030 individual magazines were created, while 7,154 travelers visited the stand.”
Couldn’t libraries do something like this in airports?
A Reflection on Library 2.0 and Participatory Service
After reading and thinking about Library 2.0, it is clear that libraries need to reframe themselves to better meet the needs of current users and to court new ones as well. It’s this idea of getting people back in the library. Outside of my friends working within the library community, I can’t say that I know many people who regularly visit a library or use its services online. To them, it’s not about the the library being an afterthought. In their world, the library is something even less than an afterthought. Ouch.
How do we make the library relevant again? While it has been established that the library is competing with Borders, Amazon and Google, it doesn’t mean that libraries can’t learn from these services and exist alongside them. I loved Jenny Levine’s suggestion from “New Approaches for Libraries – Jenny Levine in Conversation” about libraries working with Google. When someone types a search into Google, there could be some kind of link to that person’s local library which would automatically display alongside the Google results. The idea is that the user still might not be able to find what they are looking for amongst the Google results. If a librarian from a local library steps in and offers to help, then users can see the benefits of local, human information service. Utilizing technology for geo-targeting could go a long way for libraries.
I also really liked the Aarhus Public Libraries Transformation Lab video, just as an example of what libraries could become. The news lab especially interested me, as it seemed like a successful way of creating an experience while still meeting the needs of the patrons. If anyone has ever been to the Harold Washington Library international and the U.S. newspaper area on the 3rd floor near the computer workstations, there’s not a whole lot to “experience” there. It seems that there could be an opportunity to pull users in and offer them news content in a way that is more than just stacks of newspapers. (Disclaimer: I would like to point out that I do not mean to criticize Harold Washington Library specifically. I am merely using it as an example as that is the public library I frequent.)
February 7, 2009
More on my library
This is our physical space:
Interestingly, the corporate library I work in is rarely ever referred to internally as a library. Instead, the physical library space, as well as our research department as a whole, is called The Source.
Yes, we’re a brand.
I think it’s important, if not crucial, for corporate/special libraries to create strong identities within their parent organizations. It’s a way of highlighting your value. In these uncertain economic times, it’s easy for corporate libraries to be seen as overhead or as an unnecessary expense to the company.
There are three of us in the department. Another thing worth pointing out is that we don’t work in the physical library itself. We maintain the library space, but we each have work spaces elsewhere in the agency. Most of our reference requests come in via e-mail, so there really isn’t a need to have a reference desk in the library. No one would use it.
We do have a presence in other areas of the agency. My colleague puts together topical presentations which get projected on walls in various meeting areas around the agency.
This slide happens to be a critique of a current ad in the marketplace. The idea is to link multiple examples that are out there to one larger theme, and ultimately, to get people thinking.
February 1, 2009
Post 1: Introduction
My name is Mary. I work in the library of a marketing agency. We have around 200 users, most of which are either account folks or creative folks at the agency. While we regularly assist the account teams with research requests, we are still looking for ways to provide services to the creative teams beyond simply offering books and magazines. We want to support and inspire innovative ideas.
As part of our reference service, we are constantly telling our users about new technology and media which can be utilized within a marketing context. Yet, we don’t always use these same tools to communicate with our users. Slowly, we are getting there. A colleague recently launched a blog as a way to showcase innovative thinking and to start a dialogue, via comments, with the agency. He’s still tweaking it, though, and trying to figure out the best way to organize the content and promote it.
I’m hoping to take ideas learned from this class and apply them to our library. Throughout this blog, I hope to give examples of what we are currently doing in our space and also consider what else we might be able to add to the mix.
