New Library, New Technologies, New Services
Bill Helling
Crawfordsville District Public Library (IN)
web@cdpl.lib.in.us
D203

New Library, New Technologies, New Services

The new Crawfordsville District Public Library opened in October 2005, leaving the Carnegie building it had occupied for more than a century. The present library is located less than 100 feet from the old, but in terms of technology, the distance between the two has the potential to be far greater. Because we were not permanently increasing our budget or hiring more staff, we knew that we would face certain challenges in the new library:

• increased circulation
• more area to heat, cool, and illuminate
• increased demand for computer access
• more area in which to provide connectivity
• more floor space to service
• less chance for staff to communicate directly
• more information to convey to patrons
• a need to promote ourselves better
• popular but inefficient practices to upgrade

The key to success was to address these challenges with technology in order to create services for our library.

How could we handle increased circulation with current staffing?

Our barcode-based process for check-out involved finding the barcode on or in an item, moving the barcode under a reader, placing a card in a pocket to disarm security, and repeating the process in reverse for check-in. Eighty percent of a circulation staff member’s day was absorbed in a task that was monotonous and caused repetitive stress injuries. The staff could barely keep up with shelving and inventory.

SOLUTION: RFID (Radio Frequency Identification)

• eliminated excessive physical manipulation of items for processing
• functioned doubly as a security device
• allowed on-shelf inventory with a portable reader
• allowed automatic check-in of items placed in a drop box

Problems encountered

• The portable reader is affected by metal bookshelves: the read rate is not good unless we physically move items out from the shelves a few inches.
• The drop-box check-in does not have a 100% reliability rate.

Benefits of RFID

• The speed and ease of transactions were enormously improved.
• An improved workflow freed circulation staff for better duties.

Strategies for implementation

Address the legitimate fears of staff members who worry about their job security if their task of check-in/check-out is reduced.

• Have staff perform weeding while handling each item in the library during the conversion process to eliminate unnecessary tagging and to encourage staff acceptance.
• Standardize your tagging procedure and document it to avoid having staff perform it in different manners: placement does matter.
• Consider if your community will have any strong privacy concerns and address those concerns before you implement this technology.
• Stress the fact of ROI (return on investment) to support the adoption of this expensive technology: hiring additional staff is more expensive in the long run.

How could we provide comfort for more patrons in a larger building?

We had to consider an increased need for patron well-being because we could no longer observe directly all our space as we once were able to in a smaller building. We needed to automate the regulation of heating, cooling, and lights for patron convenience as well as ours.

SOLUTION: automated HVAC and lighting

• eliminated the need to manipulate thermostats and light switches throughout the building
• prevented staff or patrons from inconveniencing anyone else to satisfy their own needs

Problems encountered

• Creating a light schedule for special days takes much planning; turning lights on or off against the schedule is labor intensive and often involves a visit to three different panels on three different floors. Rooms that do not have their own light switches can't be used during odd hours unless a staff person overrides the computer schedule.
• Reaching the panel in order to hook up a computer and adjust the light schedule is physically difficult.
• Staff can't access thermostats in order to regulate their own areas, and temperature zones span disparate areas of the library, each with their unique needs.

Benefits of automated HVAC and lighting

• None observed yet.

Strategies for implementation

• Don't follow all suggestions from your vendors concerning products that they wish to use; vendors may not be familiar with these products and may just be experimenting.
• Demand more updates and training on the products before the project is completed and the vendors lose interest in you along with their incentive to help.
• Insist on an easy way to override automated HVAC and lighting situations.

How could we meet the rising demand for computer access?

In our previous library we had few patron computers, and different computers served different needs. Computers were unfortunately of various types, models, and operating systems. Each patron had to sign up on paper so that we could regulate time, but the security software did not allow them to do anything other than routine work. Because the computers were concentrated in the Reference area, this staff was often inconvenienced.

SOLUTION: consistently managed and distributed computers

• created similar patron-use computers with the same OS, same productivity applications, a combo DVD drive/CD, convenient USB ports, etc.
• located these computers throughout the library instead of at a few points
• used highly configurable Public Web Browser to act as the initial interface for each computer (PWB serves as gateway, timer, filter, and more)
• used DeepFreeze security to allow complete freedom of action for patrons but also to return computers to their original state upon reboot

Problems encountered

• Because we allow patrons to do more with the computers and to do it in more places, our staff is now more involved managing computer problems and answering the questions. Unfortunately, it is obvious that much of the staff is incapable of providing technical help for patrons who wish to save to disk or flash drive, burn a CD, and so on.

Benefits of consistently managed and distributed computers

• More computers in more areas of the library, all of which function the same, allow us to serve more patrons in a standard way.

Strategies for implementation

• Avoid simply adding more computers in the library without any strategy: this approach may worsen an existing problem.
• Train more staff on computer assistance to avoid both patron and staff dissatisfaction.
• Satisfy patrons by allowing them to accomplish the same tasks at different computers throughout the library: browsing the Internet, burning a CD, creating a PowerPoint, etc.
• Use a product that has responsive vendor support if you are using any third-party solution in order to meet your unique needs.

How could we offer network access throughout the building?

• Internet or network access for us formerly depended on immobile stations – but patrons as well as staff need library-wide access to resources. Populating the walls and columns of the new library with excessive data drops for extra connectivity was financially and logistically unacceptable.

SOLUTION: wireless access

• designed the building with wireless access in mind: low shelves and few obstacles
• placed access points in strategic locations with overlapping coverage throughout the building
• purchased a gateway system, Wireless Access Management, that communicates with our patron database (WAM allows us to monitor and regulate wireless usage)

Problems encountered

• Untrained staff members get questions they can’t answer and patrons they can’t help, which leads to frustration on both sides. Patrons have technical, privacy, and security concerns that some staff members simply can't address.

Benefits of wireless access

• No area of the library is uncovered, which has greatly pleased wireless-capable laptop users and mobile staff members.
• We don't have to worry about additional data drops or their placement, or pulling any additional cable.

Strategies for implementation

• Train desk staff on how to use wireless devices because they interact more frequently with patrons.
• Create an information page on the wireless access and how to troubleshoot problems. Hand this page out to patrons and post it on the library web site.
• Regulate wireless access through some gateway unless you wish to offer it to anyone in the area at any time without restriction.
• If designing or redesigning a building, convey your wireless coverage desires to the architects before the design proceeds.

How could we cover our additional floor space?

We retained the traditional service desks after our move, but not all duties were able to be performed while immobile at a desk. Staff members needed to wander farther from the service desks while still being reachable. Mobile phones had a limited range and were tied to their own base.

SOLUTION: VoIP with wireless phones

• instituted VoIP to be able to use our LAN for telephone service
• intended wireless access points to be used also for wireless phones and other wireless communication devices: unlimited wandering by a staff person with a phone or other communication device was feasible

Problems encountered

• Quality of service could not be maintained when running wireless phones over our existing network. Our public and private networks are running at the same time on single-channel access points that will not support three networks.
• IP phones sometimes occupy data jacks needed for other duties.

Benefits of VoIP with wireless phones

• No major benefits yet felt, although we know they will come.

Strategies for implementation

• Use two-channel access points to support three networks or install more access points on a separate network dedicated to wireless phones.
  Force your vendors and your network engineer to actually talk in advance – don’t assume that they will.
• Make sure your network engineer realizes what else you plan to do with your network and does not make it impossible for you to complete your designs without spending more money.

How could we get staff to communicate more efficiently?

We went from a compact, 10,000 square foot building to a spacious, four-floor 30,000 square foot building. Staff members accustomed to walking around looking for other staff members were wasting a lot of time wandering around a much larger building – and scribbled notes on non-uniform types of scrap paper continued to be placed in staff mailboxes, under doors, and on chairs.

SOLUTION: Instant Messenger

• used a free Instant Messenger product to reduce aimless wandering, unanswered voice-mail, and paper scraps (staff was trained on a simple IM agent – Yahoo! Messenger – because it was easy to use and somewhat customizable)
• used this opportunity to prepare some staff for IM Reference work or at least to rethink this service

Problems encountered

• Some staff members with just a few remaining years of service were often the most reluctant to try IM and still rarely use it. A few other staff members simply opted not to try.

Benefits of Instant Messenger

• Most staff members embraced IM fully and are taking advantage of this new way to communicate – all the while learning an important new skill. Many staff members now exchange notes and files exclusively through IM. The same staff members keep everyone alerted as to their status and location in the building (or at home) through IM.
• Staff members who were once appalled at the thought of IM reference are now willing to consider this service.

Strategies for implementation

• Start with more experienced and adventurous librarians to inspire the others – allowing reluctant librarians to see this activity is more convincing than an explanation.
• Keep the IM interface simple for new users who are easily confused and distracted.
• Set up the IM accounts for the staff members so that they do not need to. This strategy ensures that the accounts are created – and created consistently.
• Practice in small sessions with each other within voice range and discuss the process in real time.

How could we keep patrons updated on new items?

For years, patrons had no easy way to discover new library items via our catalog, unless we manually composed a list. Many patrons depended on a popular weekly newspaper column written by a volunteer who composed a one-sentence synopsis of a portion of our new books (and not any other new items). The newspaper decided to discontinue publishing this column on its own web site, thus reducing the column's potential readership.

SOLUTION: RSS feeds

• upgraded our ILS software to take advantage of automatically generated RSS feeds (updated hourly) for new books, videos, large print, and sound recordings
• included access to these feeds on the library home page and publicized their existence

Problems encountered

• We have no control over the catalog RSS feeds and would like to create more targeted categories. However, all changes must eventually be added by our vendor.

Benefits of RSS feeds

• We no longer need to manually compile lists of new items because the catalog handles this function – and readers of the weekly column have better access to new-item information.
• The introduction of RSS has allowed us to make progress with the technological level of our staff and patrons.

Strategies for implementation

• Publicize your feeds and be prepared to offer patron support. Without publicity, few people will be aware of what you are doing.
• Create an explanation of RSS – or link to one – next to your feeds. You can't propose a new technology without explanation, and few people will want to look far for one.
• Prepare staff to handle questions on this technology or else they will not be able to provide support. Untrained staff can even prove to be obstacles by misinforming patrons.
• Consider taking the next step: blogging.

How could we promote ourselves better within the community?

A new library is an expensive and often controversial project. We have found ourselves needing to support the tax increase to fund this building project. We never attempted to sell ourselves before, but we realized that we needed to make ourselves more visible and accessible to a public that suffered the expense and inconvenience of this change.

SOLUTION: Blogging with RSS feeds

• took advantage of our first steps with RSS feeds to institute a true blog
• began with Blogger service, using both their hosted service and then FTPing to our servers
• negotiated with our ISP to enable use of Movable Type on our hosted web server

Problems encountered

• Blogging is not part of the local vocabulary, and the education of staff and patrons is a major task and time investment for unknown returns.

Benefits of Blogging with RSS feeds

• We have the potential to inform patrons more about our library than ever before in a timely fashion that is quickly becoming the norm.
• We are able to lead our patrons to a new service before they demand it of us.

Strategies for implementation

• Research what others have done and build on their experiences – the practice is still evolving and widely debated.
• Consider blog needs carefully before deciding on how to blog and on your blogging set up. Will you be able to host and run your own blog software or will you need a hosted service If you use an ISP, will it allow a blog setup?
• Research all the blogging options (comments, trackback, new window, enclosures for podcasts, etc.) before deciding on your software. You don't want to start in one direction only to change later and confuse your users.

How could we offer some traditional services in better ways?

We were often a tradition-bound institution that would not try to improve any "satisfactory" library process. For example, the Children's Department offered a longstanding service called Dial-A-Tale, where young patrons could phone and listen to a recorded story. This analog-based service was often troubled by technological difficulties and was limited to one listener at a time. Only one story was offered at a time, and it disappeared when the next one was ready. None was archived.

SOLUTION: podcasting

• began experimenting with podcasting to offer a popular service in a better way
• recorded stories read by librarians and posted them for download or as an enclosure for a true podcast
• explored the use of podcasting with our patrons as participants

Problems encountered

• We realized that podcasting is not in high demand in our area and that we would have to work hard on preparing the podcasts as well as publicizing them if our effort was going to be worth the trouble and the time investment.

Benefits of podcasting

• Unlike our phone-based Dial-A-Tale, more than one user at a time can listen or download, and older stories do not disappear until we want them to.
• We don't need to depend on a third-party vendor to implement or support this technology, as we did with Dial-A-Tale.
• We can truly say that we offer a traditional service in a modern manner that will grow more popular as patrons become accustomed to this technology and begin to expect it.

Strategies for implementation

• Staff and public education in this technology is essential for any population that has not expressed any previous knowledge or interest in podcasting.
• Consider web server or other storage demands if you plan to keep an archive of podcasts available; it is easy to underestimate storage needs, and you don't want to provide inconsistent service.
• Consider involving the public in podcasting. Children can share their stories and poems, for example.

Conclusion

Within a few weeks after we moved into our new building, we were managing several new technologies:

• RFID
• automated HVAC, lighting
• consistently managed and distributed computers
• wireless
• VoIP with wireless phones
• Instant Messenger
• RSS feeds
• blogging
• podcasting

Embracing change is always difficult, especially when opening a new library at the same time. Nevertheless, we have seen that any effort we make to integrate technology into our library to address basic challenges can lead to new services that satisfy both our staff and patrons.