David Lee King

social media | emerging trends | libraries

Library Engagement Platforms – New ALA Publication!

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My newest LTR!

Interested in Library Engagement Platforms? Then this new Library Technology Report (written by me) is just for you!

Here’s a blurb about it:

This issue of Library Technology Reports introduces library engagement platforms, explains what types of interactions take place while using them, and illustrates why libraries need to utilize them to connect with their customers. These interactions take place using a variety of communication channels, including e-mail, text messages, and mobile phone notifications. The end goal of a library engagement platform isn’t the messaging; it’s engaging with that customer and moving them to respond and interact, or engage, with the library.

ALA Store

Basically I cover a lot of that newish library-related software that does everything BUT ILS, database or website stuff. Think events calendars, room reservations, curbside pickup, mobile apps, data dashboards, and a whole lot more.

Sound interesting? Please check it out (or buy it!). Also, if you are attending Computers in Libraries this spring, I’m giving a presentation based on Library Engagement Platforms – so you’ll get a good overview there, as well.

StateTech’s 2020 Influencer List (I’m one of them!)

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StateTech State & Local IT Influencer list

StateTech, a trade magazine for state and local government IT leaders, publishes a list of techie-focused influencers. I’m on the list, which is pretty cool!

Here’s the article. It’s actually a pretty handy list of people, blogs, Twitter accounts, and even a few podcasts to follow. Most of the people on the list are city or state CIOs. I’m the only librarian on the list.

So – take a peek at the interesting IT professionals on this list, follow them, listen to their podcasts, and see if you pick up some interesting ideas. I’ll bet you do.

Also check out StateTech’s website – lots of good info there as well!

Your Digital Media Lab and the Grammys

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Billie Eilish

The Grammy music awards happened a few weeks ago, and Billie Eilish won six of them. Pretty cool feat for a teenager!

Did you read about how she and her brother Finneas recorded her hit album? Not at a fancy recording studio. Instead, they recorded it in Finneas’ bedroom. Billie sang while sitting on big brother’s bed. Using affordable software and equipment.

For example, when they started recording songs, they used an Audio-Technica AT2020 microphone. It costs $99. I have one. My library has them, too – we use them for our library podcast, and we have one in our digital media lab.

They also used … a Mac and some software – very minimal setup. Here’s an article that goes a bit more in-depth on the geeky recording details of Billie Eilish’s record, if you’re interested.

My point – Billie Eilish used pretty much the same equipment that my digital media lab offers to customers. A Mac, some software, an audio interface, and a mic. That’s it. My library’s digital media lab has the same stuff. Yours probably does, too.

No – it’s not a full-fledged music production studio (though some libraries have that). No, the room that it’s in is probably not professionally acoustically balanced (ours is in a large study room). But the bedroom that Billie recorded in? Also not professionally set up with acoustic treatment and pricey equipment.

And guess what? What we have in our digital media labs is enough to actually make music. And do something with it. 

I’m not saying that if you have a digital media lab, your customers will start using it and make a hit album (though that would be pretty freakin cool!).

But I am saying that what you have is more than enough to get started. To launch someone’s exploration of music and recording. And learning. And who knows – maybe even someone’s career!

Photo from Wikipedia

The iPad Just Turned Ten!

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iPads in the art gallery

Ahh! The iPad just turned 10 this week!

When the iPad was first unveiled on January 27, 2010, some people weren’t sure if it was needed. In fact, some people joked about it being a large iPod Touch.

But it has quickly inserted itself into our mobile-first world as a very useful tool. Today, over 350 million iPads have been sold, and the iPad is the most popular tablet (in sales, anyway).

The iPad has definitely replaced carrying a laptop or a notebook computer around. You see a lot of iPads (and other tablets) at conferences these days.

My library has been using iPads for a number of different things. Here’s a short list:

  • Study room signup – we call our study rooms Team Rooms. We have iPads mounted on the wall – that show if the room is available or not. You can also check out a room from the iPad (or from the website).
  • Digital signage – getting ready to install iPads at all meeting rooms in the library (we have about 10 of them). They will show all meetings in the room for that day.
  • Staff uses – some staff have iPads. Great for taking notes, quick emails, etc.
  • Photo booths – once in awhile, we put out an iPad for fun photo booth things. And post the photos online.
  • Musical instruments – at a summer art gallery exhibit, we used 3 iPads as musical instruments that people could play.
  • Catalog access – one iPad in the Kids Library is used for a library catalog station. Works great for that.
  • Board members – the library board was recently issued iPads. They want to go digital and all be on the same platform, so we moved them to iPads. They can get library emails, access board reports, take notes, etc.
  • Program signup – We are participating in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program, and we use iPads to sign people up for this when we’re out at events.
  • Book Bike – We just purchased a book bike … and purchased an iPad for it, too.
  • Short surveys – We’ve been testing using an iPad on a stand to ask short customer surveys.

So … ten years out, and my library is finding the iPad pretty useful! How does your library use iPads and/or tablets? I’d love to hear some success stories with iPads!

Observations on Teaching a Tech Trends Class

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Teach

I’ve been teaching a 4-week online class hosted by ALA Learning with Paul Signorelli that’s in it’s final week. It’s been a fun class to lead!

Paul and I agree – when we teach these types of classes, we are facilitators … and we end up learning things, too. Find out more of Paul’s observations on teaching and creating the class in his blog post about the class.

Here are three things that I learned a little more about during the class:

Voice assistant proof-of-concept. One library worked on a proof-of-concept project in the area of voice assistance technology. The idea was to allow a virtual voice assistant to take customer queries. They started with an idea and ended up with a proof-of-concept that’s ready for the next steps.

Mechatronics (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechatronics). This library purchased some EZrobots with the goal of teaching customers about mechatronics. They figure that having skills in and around robotics will be in high demand in the future, so why not introduce it to their customers.

Assistive technology. Another library is working on assistive technology for their customers. They want to set up Google Translate, microphones, and headsets at some public PCs for customers to use. Not something that’s trendy, but is definitely much-needed. And something that a LOT of libraries could do better at.

Again – fun class to create, and definitely fun to work with Paul and the amazing people who took the time to take the class!

N.B.: Paul’s set of reflections on the course are available on his own blog. Paul and David are available to work with anyone interested in onsite and/or online highly-interactive explorations of how to research and incorporate tech trends into training-teaching-learning. For more information, contact Paul at [email protected] or David at [email protected].