5 Ways To Support Your Library

In the UK over 400 libraries face closure due to dramatic budget cuts. Libraries are sometimes seen as a 'soft target' because they do not offer essential services like water or transportation. But today is a day to reflect on how our community might be impacted if the local library closed. What would be missing from our lives and the lives of those who rely on the library's services? What hole would b created if the library closed?

So on this the national day of library action in the UK, I offer 5 ways to support your library. This is by no means a comprehensive list, but a starting point for those wishing to help.

1. Use the collection
Here's a secret about library budgets...they are all about statistics. Libraries regularly have to argue for more money to keep up with inflation, argue to keep the budget they have, argue for money to upgrade all of those computers, etc, etc, etc. And the simple fact is that the more popular a library's collection and services are they more weight the library has to fight for that money. So go to your library today, borrow something, get on a computer, sit and read a magazine, whatever. And take a friend with you, double down those statistics.

2. Share your story
Has a library helped you at some point in your life? Are you a mother who met some new friends at storytime? Did you go to your local library and use a computer when yours was unavailable for some reason? Did you take refuge in the library one steamy summer day when you were a student and couldn't afford to go to the movies like everyone else? Share your story. Blog it, tweet it, email it, video it, just get your story out there. Does your library have a Facebook page? Post your story on their well. Libraries love this kind of stuff. Again, these are the things libraries can use when they are fighting for their existence. Plus, you can give a librarian warm fuzzies, what could be better than that?

3. Tell 'them' how much you love your library
As much as librarians love to hear your library stories, politicians NEED to your library stories. Tell your local representative how much you love and need your library. Tell them how important this resource is to you, your kids, your 97 year old grandmother, etc. Keep them believing that a library is an important place for the community. The library you save could be your own.

4. Discover you library online
Here I go again with the statistics... every time you go to your library's web page the hit is recorded. We know that. But remember that all of those hits add up and when it comes to budget time a library can try to argue for more cash to offer more online services if the numbers are there. Does your library have their local studies collection online? Do they offer access to journals from home? Do they have an 'ask a librarian' facility? Can you access e-books from home? Do you even know? If nothing else make today they day that you explore your library's online presence. You might be surprised what is there, and the more people use the online resources, the more your library will try to offer.

5. Donate
Most libraries take book donations, but please do not use the library as a dumping ground for all of those musty paperbacks from the 80's. The rule is, if it's too gross for your shelf at home, it’s too gross for your library's shelf. But if you have the money, next time you are at the local book shop browse the top 10 display and buy one book to donate. It really doesn't matter what one you pick, cook book, crime fiction, kids book, just pick something uber popular. Most libraries cannot afford to hold the 35 copies Eat Pray Love to keep up with demand, and even if they do have 35 copies, the books are probably so worn out a new copy would be greatly appreciated. But please (please please) do NOT put this new book through the nigh drop chute without a note, the library most likely will have to put your donation into their lost property for the next 3 months before they can add it to the collection. Or if that sounds too hard you could just write a cheque....

These are just a few ways we can all support our local libraries. When services like this are taken away it is nearly impossible to get them back. The final thought in this post will fall to Paula Poundstone, Emmy-award winning comedianan library lover. Paula has been working with the Friends of the Library in the US:

“It’s funny that we think of libraries as quiet demure places where we are shushed by dusty, bun-balancing, bespectacled women,” said Poundstone. “The truth is libraries are raucous clubhouses for free speech, controversy and community. Librarians have stood up to the Patriot Act, sat down with noisy toddlers and reached out to illiterate adults. Libraries can never be shushed.”

-AB

Library of Congress then and now

On this day in library history Thomas Jefferson named John J Beckley as the very first Librarian of Congress. Beckley, who was sent to Virginia from London by his family started his working life as an indentured servant before working his way up to not only finish university but also own property and serve twice as Mayor or Richmond, Virginia. All this before joining the Library of Congress in 1802 earning the princely sum of 2 dollars a day. But his time as the LOC was short lived, Beckley died only five years later. Interestingly, when was Beckley was appointed he had no formal librarian training and to this day no special qualifications are prescribed by law for the job of Librarian of Congress.

Fast forward to last Wednesday and a hawk was found trapped in the Library of Congress. (The Great Hall shown above) The female Cooper's hawk, nicknamed Jefferson, proved to be a difficult bird to catch, quickly became dehydrated and emaciated. The news of the hawk quickly made the social networking rounds and the librarians at the LOC were received comments and suggestions via the LOC blog. But after much determination (and a few sacrificial bait birds) good news from the LOC. Jefferson was captured earlier this morning! Jefferson will spend a some time in rehabilitation but is expedited to make a full recovery and should be out terrorizing the local starling population soon.




Sounds like the end of January is a busy time at the LOC

-AB

6 more sleeps until the ALIA Information Online Conference. I am so lucky! I'm attending all three days AND I'm participating in a mentoring program where I'll get to meet some of the 'rock star' librarians who's work I've been reading.
So cool

-AB

Library Day in the Life (of a school library)

Well, here goes my Library Day in the Life post. This week is sort of strange, so it won't really showcase how things are normally run around here, but that's how it goes. Due to training (and BDO) I'm only in my Library for one day this week, so this will truly be a Day In the Life.

To the left there is Palmer Bear, our Library's mascot. The girls just love to read to him. He's holding one of his (=my) favourite books.

Happy Library Day in the Life!

8:10am

Arrived at work a bit late this morning, the students are still away (they start back up next week) so today will mostly be an admin day. The new staff are at orientation on our other campus so this place will be a bit of a ghost town. But I have the AmLib 2011 Checklist to work through, the magazines that have piled up over the summer to accession and a Library Lovers Day display to create out of thin air. That should keep my busy.

10:21am

Hungry, is it morning tea time yet? AmLib checklist is done, well as much as I can do. I'll have to talk to our tech guru in the senior school library to find out what I'm meant to do and not meant to do. Can't go breaking the system my first week back.

12:24

Almost lunch time. How did that happen? Finished up my Library Lovers display. We are going to get the girls to add notes about what they love about their school library. We did that last year and ended up with a really wonderful display and some quotes were used in the school's newsletter. My favourite quote was 'when all else fails, the library doesn't', out of the mouths of babes, eh? We are updating our web site this year so I'm hoping to get some good quotes from the students that I can share on our page. I read about James Sheahan Catholic High School where they posted photos of the teachers' wedding photos in the library and students had to guess who each teacher was. That's a clever idea I thought, maybe next year.

2:30
The pile of periodicals is almost to a reasonable level, don't know that I'll make it to the new magazines this arvo, seeing as I'll be out of the Library the rest of the week and the kids would rather have the newest Diary of a Wimpy Kid over the newest Tennis Australia (and a girl can't accession everything, ya know?)

3:50
Almost time to go. (I finish up at 4 most days). Must remember that I wont be back until next week, don't forget the training manual for tomorrow and the 'problem periodical' to dicuss with the trainers.

4:00
Just got an email about the mentoring program I'm participating in at the ALIA Online Conference next week and I must say I'm SO STOKED! Looks like it will be a huge learning/networking opportunity for me. And the conference itself it going to be amazing. I hope I get a chance to meet Sarah Houghton-Jan at some point. She's giving one of the keynote speeches at the conference. But I digress.


I'm not going to be able to blog much for the rest of the week, unless anyone is interested in AmLib tips. Is it bad form to blog information from a training session? (yeah, probably)



-AB

(of course I forgot my camera at work and had to drive back to retrive it...ug)

Mobile library services

I came across an interesting blog post from Tiffinianne about applying the punk rock ethic to mobile library services. She has a look at the research from Pew, what some libraries are already doing out there and also looks at the detractors. Tiffinianne recently presented one of her DIY projects at the ALA Midwinter in San Diego. (rock on!)

I am a big fan of libraries finding their own way when it comes to technology but...as Tiffinianne points out it can be quite difficult if the staff don't have the skill set to pull off what the want to achieve. They can end up spending way too much time with very little outcome.

You know what I want? I want a Trove app that I can put on my Droid phone. So if I am out somewhere (dinner, bookshop, etc) I can scan the barcode and Trove will let me know if my local libraries (yes, I have 4 library cards in my wallet) hold the book I want. Not too much to ask, is it? (and yes, I should really post that on their bulletin board, because how do they know what I'm thinking, Trove is awesome but they are not mind readers...yet)

-AB

Book Origami

How amazing is this?

Artist Isaac Salazar folds these unbelievable works of art out of books that were probably destined for the rubbish.

Check out these other Books of Art

How cool would this be as an image on a promotional poster?

(via Lost At E Minor)

-AB

Hello world.