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UPLIFT grant: Utah Library Assoc. Conference

admin — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 20:34:47 +0000

Utah Library Association received an UPLIFT Organizational Resource grant from the Utah State Library in 2009. About 400 librarians and library enthusiasts attended the annual conference, “Utah Libraries: Turning up the Volume.”

Four presenters were sponsored, in whole or in part, by the grant:

Norma Blake, NJ State Librarian, LJ 2008 Librarian of the Year, ULA keynote speaker, “Libraries Surviving Tough Times”
Joyce Saricks, “What we didn’t learn in library school”
Celia Ross, “Making sense of business reference”
Grace Mary Gouveia, “Collecting and supporting local history”

Here’s what attendees said about the programs:

Confidence building
Exceedingly interesting
She (Joyce Saricks) was amazing.
Great ideas and how-to with a small staff
Dr. Gouveia was very interesting–good choice for a presenter
I will share this info with my library’s other reference librarian
I can serve our community’s needs better because of this training
Norma gave a wonderful presentation about coping in today’s world
Celia was great! Excellent speaker with great useful information and sources
I enjoyed learning from this very knowledgeable and competent presenter. She is very good at explaining complex info in an understandable way. I would recommend her returning in the future for additional presentations.

The rural library of the future

Colleen Eggett — Wed, 06 May 2009 15:49:28 +0000

At the Utah Library Association Conference 2009, we had a session, “Rural Library Reach-out.”

Attendees sat at a table, ate good food, and talked about the rural library of the future. Here’s what we said:

What we need to do now to move into the future:

Rural libraries need to take steps to increase community awareness and use of library. Programming and marketing suggestions included:

Host Book clubs
Sponsor “Reader’s Choice”
Invite Elementary & preschoolers for tours of the library
Host classes from the schools or visit classrooms for book talks
Place notices on bulletin boards – advertising
Send librarians out into the community to network
Home delivery of materials or books by mail
Partner with teachers to incorporate curriculum into the collection and vice versa
Attend town council meetings
Host a Spanish language story time
Offer computer classes
Solicit help from teens to maintain library blogs
Create a business center with faxes, copiers, and scanners

Technology played a large role in the conversation. Technology was viewed as a necessity, a burden, and a tool. Technology is a key element of what rural libraries see as their future. Patrons are approaching the library as a location for their computer and business needs. Libraries want to use technology for their public relations, marketing, and services. The future of libraries is intrinsically tied to technology and therefore a necessity when contemplating what is ahead.

A number of burdens are associated with the increase in patron’s demand for computers. A common complaint was an issue of space. Many rural libraries have limited space for computers and limited access to adequate network systems. The challenge of space impacts weeding and collection development. Another concern was staff’s familiarity with commonly used programs and tools. Participants discussed the value of a number of technological tools that are available today, such as, YouTube, Flickr, audio books, Facebook, MySpace, Pioneer, and online databases. It was suggested that rural librarians and staff pursue training opportunities at the USL. A 23 things training was also mentioned as a fun and educational way to increase staff’s familiarity with social networking tools and popular technology.

Technology can help break down the barriers of distance and access for rural libraries. It is a tool for outreach, marketing, and research. The participants in the discussion want to open the door to the possibilities. The general attitude was of optimism and excitement. What is the future, five, ten, or twenty years from now for rural libraries? What we are doing now to cultivate our relationship with the community is the foundation for that future. Outreach and technology are both integral parts of the journey.

Thanks go to Robin Chalhoub for writing up these comments from attendees.

Website in a Box at the MPLA / ULA Conference

admin — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:09:21 +0000

Small libraries frequently face quite a challenge when it comes to getting their library represented on the Web. Lack of technical skills (and the time to develop them!), lack of funds, and lack of certainty of how to begin are common barriers for many librarians trying to create a web presence for their libraries and their community. In 2007, the Utah State Library teamed up with BCR in an attempt to find a sustainable solution to this problem for the state’s many small libraries. Join us to discuss our approach to this common dilemma, to take a peek at some of the websites that came out of the project, and to hear from some of the librarians involved.

Come and hear Colleen Eggett of the Utah State Library, Shelly Drumm of BCR, and Public Library directors in Utah discuss this project. Location: Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City UT, Lower Level Salon 1. See more about the conference: http://www.ula.org/conference/2008conf/index.php