Library Technology Trends: Big Shift, Wifi Saturation, Laptops

Florida-based Free Range Librarian Karen Schneider wrote a summary of library technology trends when she returned from ALA Mid-winter conference in San Diego.  Karen's trends refer mostly to academic and public libraries.

• The Big Shift:  ebooks and streaming (rather than DVDs) is catching on faster than anticipated; moving seldom-used materials to off-site facilities.  Regional repositories are a far better investment than compact shelving.
• Wifi saturation: more and more people carry multiple wifi-enabled devices and increasingly depend on access to the Internet.  
• Laptops: most college Freshmen now have laptop computers and need wifi, power, and security. There is a reduced need for desktop computers in academic (and public libraries in affluent communities).

CardStar iPhone App for Your Library Card Barcode

Some libraries are now using a mobile app, CardStar, to include your library card barcode.  This allows you to keep your library and other cards at home.  See this video explanation by Hinsdale Public Library in Illinois.

Booktrailers - Using and Creating Them

When librarians use, create, or teach others to create booktrailers... they are marketing books, authors, and reading. This new Librarian-promoted (and student-promoted) trend is a good thing. It is NOT something librarians and other educators are taught in college or grad school. It is a win-win-win strategy. Librarians need to develop a tag line such as "powered by the XYZ library". Next step: Figure out how to measure results.

The June 2010 annual American Library Association conference included a panel program organized by the YALSA (Young Adult Library Services) Teens and Technology Interest Group on creating booktrailers. Booktrailers are promotional music videos similar to movie trailers. "ALA10: Lights! Camera! Booktrailers!" included an author, a book publisher, school and public librarians who shared how they create or teach booktrailers.

Librarians interest young people in reading books by teaching them how to create booktrailers. After all, you can't create a video about a book if you haven't read it! Vallencia District Librarian Joy Millam's "Booktalks and More" wiki includes a how-to on creating book trailers and a growing list of booktrailer student-created examples.

Georgia Teacher Librarian and blogger (The Unquiet Librarian) Buffy Hamilton spoke about how librarians can use existing booktrailers to teach and engage students.

Digital Pop-Up Book - Library Annual Report

Topeka and Shawnee County (Kansas) Public Library's Creative Staff created an online annual report, presented as a digital pop-up book. Very cool. See article by Mark Hall of CJOnline.

A how-to workshop and template would do well at any library conference! It is a great way to communicate what your library does, did, and is capable of doing. Very nice! Love the visualization. Are the Creative Staff from TSCPL.org going to share? What's next from Michael Perkins, the library's digital services supervisor?

The GOOGLE Book Settlement & The Future of Reading

Here is a well-written article on "5 Ways the GOOGLE Book Settlement Will Change the Future of Reading" by Annalee Newitz. Annalee is the editor-in-chief of a blog called io9: We Come From the Future.

This is an overview of the impact of the copyright law and its challenges, related to books. "Book Monster" illustrations are colorful.

Annalee lists several ways copyright will change, thanks to the newest version of the Google Book Settlement (aka: GBS 2.0):

1. It may become harder to find information online about books from your favorite writers.
   
2. You will find yourself reading free books online, by authors who have disappeared. And Google will make money when you do.
3. Google will be competing with Apple and Amazon and everyone else to be your favorite online bookseller.
4. Libraries and bookstores will become the same thing.
5. Pulp fiction will make a comeback in unexpected ways.

Federal Stimulus Fund Dollars for Public Libraries and Community Colleges

The American Library Association's Office of Information and Technology Policy (OITP) successfully advocated for more Federal Stimulus Funds for public libraries. Carrie McGuire, ALA Director, OITP Program on Networks, is to be commended.

On Friday, 1/22, Carrie hosted a "GoToWebinar" presentation for ALA members, featuring John Windhausen and Robert Bocher on "Stimulus Funds: Round 2 -- Get Connected". See archived version at http://ala.org/knowyourstimulus

John Windhausen credited ALA for upgrades to NTIA and RUS grant programs. He said that part 2 of the Stimulus Funds will have the same 3 programs as the first part:

• CCI - Comprehensive Community Infrastructure - emphasis now includes libraries as key community "anchor" entities.
• PCC - Public Computer Centers
• Sustainable broadband

Timing:
March 15 is deadline for applying for round #2; Grants will be awarded from Summer through September 30, 2010.

Scoring preference:

• Applications for programs that serve the needs of healthcare, education, children and "vulnerable populations" and unserved/underserved areas.
• Public Computer Center programs are obvious areas for libraries and community colleges, yet there is a lot of competition for this money from other community organizations.
• NEW emphasis on community colleges and training (workforce training)
• NEW emphasis on "community anchor institutions"

Priorities: (p. 12 NOFA)

• includes partnerships - govt, nonprofit, for-profit, community
• addresses economically distressed areas
• commitment to serve community colleges

Hope the end result of these grant requests and programs do what they are meant to do: provide broadband connectivity to communities and individuals who do not have access or are underserved.

Libraries Get Broadband Stimulus Grants

Libraries in six states benefited the first round of awards from the $7.2-billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act broadband grant and loan programs. See
Libraries Get Broadband Stimulus Grants | American Libraries Magazine

The award categories include: “middle mile” projects that connect communities to broadband services; “last mile” projects that connect end users such as homes, schools, libraries, or businesses to the middle mile; public computing; and sustainable adoption of broadband services.

Funding involving libraries in this initial round included:

• a $1.5-million sustainable broadband adoption grant (with an additional $591,000 in matching funds) to the New Mexico State Library to increase broadband adoption and promote computer literacy and Internet use statewide. The Associated Press reported that the program will provide small-group training at libraries in 15 communities, plus training offered by the state library to small organizations and business owners;
• a $1.3-million public computing grant (with matching funds of $320,000) to the Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records to enhance existing facilities in more than 80 public libraries throughout the state;
• a $1.9-million public computing grant (with matching funds of $477,000) to the city of Boston to expand computer and Internet capacity at the main library and 25 branches, 16 community centers, and 11 public housing sites;
• a $39.7-million middle-mile grant (with matching funds of $9.9 million) to telecommunications firm ION Hold Co., LLC, to build 10 new segments of fiber-optic, middle-mile broadband infrastructure that will connect more than 100 institutions—including libraries, state and community colleges, and health clinics—as well as households and businesses, in more than 70 rural communities in upstate New York and parts of Pennsylvania and Vermont.

Lots of states and groups are after the broadband stimulus money. It's not surprising to see that Boston Public Libraries are benefiting, given that is the location of ALA Mid-winter Planning Meeting.

Connecting in the 21st Century - Broadband

ALA conference offered a Sunday morning program on "Connecting inthe 21st Century". Much was an overview of what ALA surveys, papers, position statements and more that it has already done, then launched into new information.

John Windhause, SHLB Coalition Coordinator:
The $7.2B broadband funding went to both RUS (rural communities) and NTIA (intent to go to all parts of the nation). Rules for giving out funds took a long time, with ALA closely following and nudging. One new coalition created is SHLB Coalition, for schools, health, and library broadband. 45 members. Purpose is to highlight the benefits to and broadband needs of various institutions. Another purpose is to use the local links to better serve the broader community. Purpose #3 -identifies libraries and community anchor institutions. Libraries are eleigible for public computer center capacity dollars. Rules of Broadband Funding not ideal. For example, much of NTIA grants are also meant for rural communities.

Larry Strickland was just brought on as leader of NTIA. He specifically mentioned libraries. Schools, Health, and Libraries were defined as "middle mile" applicants (better than "last mile") so it should be easier for public libraries to apply for the money. They can seek fiber rings.

There are 3 rounds of funding. This one was the first one. Hopefully the rules of the next 2 rounds will be better. This is public infrastructure money.

Public computing center is a smaller bucket of money, but # applicants are smaller too. Ideal for public libraries and potentially schools. $200M minimum for the public computing center capacity funding. Some rules are still in flux (like definition of rural).

Alan Inouye - ALA OITP. Recommended actions

• Sustainable adoption category applications (20% match in cash or in-kind)
  
• Public computer center (focus on computers, software, internal connections; not clear you can increase bandwidth.)
  
• Multi-sector applications encouraged
• Which funding route should you pursue? Sooner the better, even though next 2 funding rounds give you more time to submit a better application.
• Governors get to contribute to the ranking of applications. Make sure your governor knows and values role of library in supporting public access to Internet/broadband. Get governor to help!
  
• A lot of interest and competition in the money. Manage your expectations.
• Applications will be reviewed by small group of volunteers. Be sure to have your application address how ARRA will help your community.
• A number of items to fulfill. Read application carefully.
• Worst day to submit your application is Aug 14 (deadline). Know your stimulus website = www.ala.org/knowyourstimulus
• ALA will be pushing for rule changes at NTIA. Major updates, so keep watching.

E-Rate is a way to help pay and continue to maintain your network.
Minimum of one award/state.
If your application makes it through first round, then reviewers look at it. If they deem it worthy, they send on to Governor's office. Should coordinate your school and library requests through your State Library.

NTIA Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

This post is a follow-up to the November 2008 FCC broadband hearing in San Jose.

Today's "kick-off" to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2008 Broadband Initiative took place in Washington, DC. The Public Meeting of NTIA's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program included a live webcast, viewed by at least 1,750.

Public Meeting Description: The U.S. Congress has appropriated $4.7 billion to establish a Broadband Technology Opportunities Program for awards to eligible entities to develop and expand broadband services to rural and underserved areas and improve access to broadband by public safety agencies. Of these funds, $250 million will be available for innovative programs that encourage sustainable adoption of broadband services; at least $200 million will be available to upgrade technology and capacity at public computing centers, including community colleges and public libraries; $10 million will be a transfer to the Office of Inspector General for the purposes of BTOP audits and oversight. Up to $350 million of the BTOP funding is designated for the development and maintenance of statewide broadband inventory maps.

Presenters included:

• Anna Gomez, Acting Administrator, NTIA, US Department of Commerce.
  
• Tom Vilsack, Secretary of US Department of Agriculture. See Rural Development website.
• Michael J. Copps, Acting Chair, FCC.
• Rick Wade, Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff, US Department of Commerce.

Panel on Broadband initiatives, statutory requirements and timelines included:

• (Moderator) Mark Seifert, NTIA Senior Advisor
• Dr. Bernadette McGuire-Rivera, Associate Administrator, NTIA
• David Villano, Assistant Administrator for Telecommunications Programs, USDA Rural Development
• Scott M. Deuchman, Acting Senior Legal Advisor to Acting Chairman Copps, FCC.
  

The last portion of the hearing was devoted to Q&A. One of the many questions came from Alan Inouye, director of the American Library Association Office of Information Technology Policy, who asked for upcoming public meeting dates and stated that he hopes that grants to service providers will make access and discounts available to public libraries.

There will be a comment period before grant rules and regulations are determined. Then, the grants will be given out as fast as possible.

YELLOWPAGES.COM - Improve Your Library Listings

Here's how to increase the visibility of your library, your branch libraries, and your library's special offerings -- like Business Research Resources, Literacy Programs, Internet Access, Wireless Internet Access, Assistive Technology, Book Mobile Service. The list goes on. Do you have special collections? Local history archives?

Here's how:

1. Go to http://www.yellowpages.com/
2. Click on "phone number" link
3. Enter your library's main phone number
4. Click "find"
5. Find your library listing and click on "improve Listings"
6. Select "I'm a representative of this business" and update the information
7. Enter "Public Library" in "Suggested Categories" box
8. Add other permanent library offerings in the "General Feedback" box.

Remember to include your library website. List each of your branch libraries individually. Yellowpages.com is Online and Mobile.