Crafting the Successful Maker Program @ Computers in Libraries

Gwinnett County Public Library (Georgia) has a dynamic duo (their Training Manager AND their IT Division Director) working on maker programming - not maker spaces. BIG difference. 

Their slides are available in PDF: 
http://conferences.infotoday.com/documents/219/D202_Baker.pdf

Of course, I got excited hearing about how they implemented a staff training plan but before I get into that, let me share some other take-aways first:

First, they did trials which they called Maker Camps. They had two of them; one in the summer of 2014 and one in the winter of 2014. They partnered with a local school both times but in the summer, the program ran for 4-days, 3-hours each day. In the winter they changed it up a bit to 3-days, 4-hours each day. Both camps were scheduled around school holidays/breaks. At the camps, the kids worked with Makerbot Replicator, TinkerCAD, Google Drive, and Makerbot Mini. 

The next step was to get the local school library media specialists involved in order to have a special event in conjunction with Teen Tech Week. So, they had a program which featured the history and future of 3D Printing and each participant got to print one item from the Thingverse online catalog. 

It was interesting that they held these events in the open spaces of the library rather than in a meeting/programming room. Having the events out in the open generated more interest as library customers came in, saw what was happening, and asked questions. It wasn't disruptive but rather eye opening and a great way to market/communicate! 

For staff, they held their own staff maker camp and they ran it very similarly to how the kid maker camps were designed EXCEPT they added a session on troubleshooting. They also incorporated Lynda.com resources, lots of hands-on experience, and they dedicated a lot of time to WHEN THINGS GO WRONG. 

I would love to do this or something like this for staff in western Maryland if there is interest. The tricky part is staff being able to attend three consecutive days - even if they were only 4-hours - due to staffing constraints. I think having the consecutive training is important to make the learning stick but I feel like we'd have to switch it to maybe 2 sessions a week for 2 consecutive weeks. That might be more feasible. If you're reading this and you're one of my colleagues in Allegany, Garrett, or Washington counties, please email me and let me know what your thoughts are. 

Games, Gadgets & Makerspaces @ Computers in Libraries 2015

Brown Dog Gadgets is a great resource for programmables.

Games, Gadgets, & Makerspaces

I would describe this event as a highly interactive technology & coding petting zoo. I got to meet people who are providing new technologies for libraries to use in various ways. This was a pretty timely event as it nicely complemented the Coding in Libraires training that I had just attended the Thursday prior.

What kinds of technologies did I get to see/experience?

• LittleBits (NASA is heavily involved in developing programs using these)
• Oculus Rift - immersive virtual reality technology
• Arctec Eva 3D Scanner - no 3D design skills needed; just point, shoot, scan, print. 
• Lots of programmable robotic toys like Ozobot, Sphero, and Circuit Scribe. 

You may recognize the squishy circuits - 2nd from the right.

So what? 

Well, Jennifer Hopwood (SMRLA) and I talked about possible coordinating staff development programming with NASA on using LittleBits in coding programs. Based on the feedback I've heard about the Code in Libraries workshop, many of our staff want/need additional practice with these technologies before they feel comfortable facilitating a program on their own. Perhaps, NASA could provide that programming link? 

Also, I've been thinking about WMRL's Emerging Technology Collection. Perhaps it is time to take it into a new direction. We started with mobile technologies but now the trend in library educational programming seems to be turning toward coding, we may need to reconsider what we buy for our collection and how we make it available. Perhaps we could but together coding programming kits: one for a Squishy Circuits program, one for a LittleBits program, one for an Arduino program, etc. More on this when I write my post about NYPL's TechConnect (spoiler alert: my mind was blown!)

I even made my own light-up badge!

I also think this is important information to share with the WMRL Technology Interest Group since they are kind of tasked with staying on top of tech trends, etc. . . 

Computers in Libraries

Author Name: Bill Taylor
Library System: Washington County Free Library

Learning Event website: http://computersinlibraries.infotoday.com/2015/

Top 3 things learned:

1. LibraFor me, this conference developed a theme: "Linked data and the semantic web"
2. Libraries are not well-represented in Google results (nor other search engines), especially results based on the latest "knowledge graph" techniques, because we are not taking advantage of the markup possibilities in schema.org, the vocabulary being developed and used by all major search engines.
3. In particular, creative works (books, music, movies) can be described in these schemas and then be much more accessible to search engines, but libraries' MARC format is not accessible in this way.
4. OCLC is working on how to use schema.org model for library cataloging, and LC is developing BIBFRAME, the Bibliographic Framework Initiative, as a replacement for the MARC format.

Much more detail and useful information is in the presenters' slides on http://computersinlibraries.infotoday.com/2015/Presentations.aspx. In particular, sessions A102, A203, A305ries are not well-represented in Google (and other search engines), especially in the latest type of searching, so-called

How to implement:
I will work with Maria to learn more about how we will be affected by BIBFRAME and how we can take advantage of it and schema.org.

Additional learning:
Darien library (CT) is using kiosks and interactive displays for patron information; lots of good ideas in the presenter's slides: conferences.infotoday.com/documents/219/B202_Goodman.pptx

Computers in Libraries: Library Leaders Summit

Author Name: Marilyn Pontius
Library System: Washington County Free Library

Learning Event website: http://www.librarysummit.com/DC2015/

Top 3 things learned:

1. Determining and Demonstrating Value with the Logic Model By adopting the Logic Model (developed by IMLS to create Outcome Based Program Evaluations), the library can measure the outcomes, and eventual impact of their programs and services.

2. Net Promoter Score (talked about by Stephen Denning) Every company's customers can be divided into three categories: Promoters, Passives, and Detractors. Ask one simple question: How likely is it that you would recommend the Washington County Free Library to a friend or colleague? Customers respond on a 0-10 scale. Promoters score 9-10, passives score 7-8, detractors score 0-6. To calculate the NPS, take the percentage of customers who are Promoters and subtract the percentage who are Detractors. Are we really a customer focused organization?

3.Using an Agile or Scrum approach to projects within the library. List all the tasks/problems/projects
Prioritize the tasks/problem/projects Take the top priority tasks (1 or 2) and assign the top people to complete the task in 3 weeks. Evaluate the solution. Will it work? Does it need refinement? Do you need to start over?

How to implement: 
I was intrigued by the Net Promoter Score as a way of measuring how well you are succeeding as a customer-driven organization. Will be conducting a survey of WCFL patrons to see how we are doing. I also really like the idea of re-vamping a library volunteer program to have volunteers share their passion and expertise by creating programs at the library.

Additional learning: 
I would like to see WCFL adopt the Logic Model as the standard program planning methodology, as well as use this approach in developing our next strategic plan.

Back-to-School Update for High Schoolers

Monday @ Computers in Libraries

Monday at Computers in Libraries ~ Web Design & Development Track!

It’s always exciting to go to CIL as there is always something new to learn and this year was no exception. Sometimes being the lone tech person in the department it can be at times challenging to find out what’s new because I tend to be busy with “work”. But I always love new challenges and there is a lot of stuff out there that I’d love to get my hands into if I had an extra 20 hours in the week to “play” with the latest gadgets and gizmos.

The one session that I enjoy tremendously is the 40 Cool Tools for Library Webmasters. These are the items that I’m going to take a “serious” look at:

• FancyZoom (It’s takes code and drops it on the picture for you to be able to Zoom in and out on the picture. Jill would love it but, shhhh, don’t tell her about it because she’ll want me to add it today and it may be a little more complicated than what it looks on her platform.)
• UniForm (looks nice, but I usually hate generated code because you have to clean it up sometimes and I have enough trouble looking through my own code. So it’s a definite, I’ll look to see what it can do to know whether or not I like it.)
• EasyPHP (I’m always looking to learn a new language and this may help me get motivated to learn it more. PHP and mySQL, I could build the next Content Management system using free code.)
• Texter (a totally geeking thing to do, but when all you do is copy code all day, it would be nice to have something like this. I keep Notepad pinned to my “START” because I use it so much to clean up code, how geeky is that!)
• ColorWizard (color coordinated web colors, how cool is that? It could also help me to pick out my outfits to know what colors go together. Cool even if you’re not a programmer!)
• Personal Fonts (I think this is totally cool, although speaking as a programmer it’s not going to do much to add it to a website or anything, but I could definitely use it in Photoshop. My other thought that it was dangerous and could lead to forgery, etc., etc. Only a geek would think of something like this.)
• More Pie (I don’t think it will measure up to Crystal Reports, but it’s definitely worth a look.)
• Script.aculo.us (What’s not to love about it, it’s a fun “code” website, I’m sure there is lots of good stuff there.)

Another interesting concept that was presented had to do with Mobile apps. I have an iPod touch so the internet for me works like it does on my computer. But I realize that for users with regular mobile phones, not all websites will work well unless there is a “mobile” version of it. There’s a nice Open Source app that will make it easy to do, so it’s definitely something that I’ll need to do for my websites, but it will take some consensus about what needs to be there since less is more and sometimes it’s hard to get my “Librarian” friends to see that “less is more”. I still love them though, even if they love information! :-)

I have to say that all of the sessions were interesting but there was one in particular that I found myself asking the question, “why am I here?” Ugh, it was dreadfully boring, and I wasn’t the only one who felt it, there were actually people getting up and walking out. I felt bad for the commentator because evidently he didn’t know that he was that boring. It wasn’t that he didn’t have anything to say, it was just like a flashback of when you were in school listening to the professor go on and on and you just felt like, ugh, is it over yet? I won’t mention what the session was, but if you were there, you know what session I’m talking about!

Well, that’s my summary of my session at Computers in Library 2009! I was dreadfully sick that day; I hope that I didn’t pass along my “cooties” to anyone else while I was there. I tried to not sit too close to anyone and it helped that enrollment was down so there were quite a few empty seats around. When I finally got home later that evening, my temperature was 100.1, but despite the illness, it was definitely a learning experience!

Tuesday @ Computers in Libraries

I attended sessions of the "Next Gen Catalogs" track. To start the day, Marshall Breeding, Director of Innovative Technology for Vanderbilt University, spoke about the Global Library Automation Scene.

• First thought -- when are we going to create a "Director of Innovation" position?!
• First chuckle -- In reference to his annual reports (published every April) in LJ (Library Journal) about library automation, "2007 saw the demise of the traditional OPAC" oh, if only that were so, Marshall!
• Breeding thinks consortia are cool - more libraries are taking advantage of the opportunity to share resources
• ISIS is the most popular platform in the rest of the world (this is a technology developed and distributed by UNESCO)
• Changing ILS (Integrated Library Systems) requires a lot of current pain or a load of benefits for user interaction
  
• The successful pitch is one that enables significant transformation toward a new vision of the library (I liked that!)
• Libraries find themselves needing/wanting a series of dis-integrated products: RFID, link resolvers, federated search, self-check, etc...
• What does an integrated library system look like?

Session 2: Library Automation Highlights
Speakers Stephen Abram - VP Innovation for SirsiDynix
Phil Green - Chief Tech Officer for Inmagic
Neil Block - VP of Worldwide sales for Innovative Interfaces

These guys talked about their products--what is new, exciting, etc...

Stephen Abram - much of his time was spent defending against open source

• He talked about new SchoolRooms product and touted research that SD has done one how k-12 students learn (tracking eye movement on web pages http://www.schoolrooms.net/Pdfs/UsabilityStudy_KentState.pdf
  
• Said that servers are the second largest polluters after automobiles (huh) as a stick to get us all moving to SaaS where our data is stored on a server farm. He said this would net us 50% in annual savings...I think this savings is only realized if you can downsize your IT department and would also depend on how often you need to buy a new server, but I could be wrong.
  
• Talked a bit about their new web interface, Enterprise, which has faceted search - a clever bit of programming that creates three-letter combinations of search words and then searches the material database for these three letter combinations - the idea is that the chances of the search returning what you want, no matter your spelling, are better.
  
• Abrams spent most of his time mentioning all the cool stuff that folks have done with API like getting YouTube video reviews linked in to their catalog. All great stuff, but none of it 'out of the box' from SD - all of it (I'm pretty sure) from the SD API user community.
• If I hadn't known that he was with SirsiDynix I would't have recognized anything he was talking about in terms of what I see on my servers... but good for him for being in the clouds
  

Phil Green - Inmagic

• company deals primarily with special libraries
• content-centric socialization combining book smarts with street smarts

Neil Block

• New product is named Encore (what is it with "E" products this season?)
• Looks like a terrific interface and will work with any competitors products as a front end overlay. We could have Unicorn in the background (and Marina) and Encore as our public interface.
• relevancy ranking
• powerful "did you mean" searching
• metadata clouds
• integrated federated searching
• 2.0 tagging, reviews and rankings
  
• integrated program registration and databases (so that if I search for Gatsby - I'll get all the Big Read programs, the book, and Literature database options returned on my search results!)
• harvests digital archives - like WILBR
• hold option and holdings are on the results page
  
• 160 libraries are using it now, like Scottsdale Public Library

Session 3: Library Website and Library Catalog - One Stop!
Presented by Howard County's Amy DeGroff (Director of Information Technology) and Danny Bouman (Web designer)

• Using the LibX browser tool bar on all public and staff computers and offering it for download
  
• They (Danny) has built a content management system that you can see on their newly redesigned web site
  
• media wall
• mass mailer functionality
• easy staff interface (much like the one that Tracy has built for WCFL )
• form creation and management using technology from formtools.org
• Google analytics so that they know what pages are being visited (like Tracy set up for WCFL)
  
• New and Hot items - SQL script runs every night that takes their new items (6 mo. worth) and goes to Amazon to pull cover image and sales rank -- the CMS then shows items that are new and hot on Amazon that the library owns! neato
  
• It's very cool...you can read about their process with the CMS and their migration to Koha (open source software) at their blog where Amy said they would be releasing the code for their CMS today! Wow - very cool. Love open source...

Long way to go, but interesting topics and I got to see the cherry blossoms blooming around the mall in DC thanks to a wrong turn.