The Anacortes Public Library has programs that often highlight local figures, skills, or economic and civic engagement, but it doesn’t have the budget to try out as many varieties of programs as the community would like. According to a recent strategic planning survey, users and non-users of the library would like more classes, skill-shares, and workshops to learn a variety of skills, both fun and practical. Suggestions included cooking classes, language classes, home repair/improvement, and even mechanics and gardening, as well as resume building, local history, and cultural programs. Right now, most programs are only on evenings and one weekend morning, and many younger users, a key demographic missed by the library, would prefer more time options and ways to participate.
Since community involvement is also valuable, and local pride is key to most successful programs, this new program would offer a new program participation option that would be available from anywhere, using live-streaming, and it would still feature local community members. Using live streaming technology, which is available for free through companies like Facebook, Twitter, and Amazon, the library could have programs, with live chats, monitored by the librarian, that could feature anything from a presentation from a speaker, a local mechanic showing how to prep your car for winter, or a local chef or bartender showing how to make a new recipe. Then the librarian would answer questions live, so community members could participate, as well as post the video for comments on the library blog.
Anacortes is a small town with a largely retired population, but it’s also a community with a rich maritime and fishing industry, and active port. Community events are popular, but the library and city want to find ways to engage the younger population, from 18-50, without isolating the older, mostly retired, dedicated program attendees and users. Finding new ways that users can attend and participate in programs, and promoting local businesses and figures, is one way more people can be reached. A survey performed by NILPPA found that librarians most of all hoped that “increased understanding of the diversity of library types and purposes will lead to greater effectiveness of programming and community engagement” (Fraser et al., 2014, p. 1). By using new participatory technologies, the Anacortes Public Library can try to make programming more effective, and more engaging to its community.
This program will need to convince librarians that by using streaming/digital services they will increase their program reach, which will expand the potential users and attendees to programs, because digital live and recorded programs are more accessible to a wider range of users. This will be a plan to try something very new, but it has a chance of reaching more users. In a recent study in Australia, libraries reimagined themselves, and concluded that a library must be “the experimenter, willing to take conceptual risks, to play, and to rethink information and knowledge” (Inayatullah, 2015, p. 313). Many users are already rethinking how they interact, and as a library, its time to try new methods of engagement. This isn’t a new kind of program, but it is a new kind of participation.
This program model is unusual for libraries, because it uses a technology primarily utilized by gamers and teens. Libraries are trying to figure out how gamers, who share online often, can engage in programs and services, and even have created tools like Library Game to try to reach users that otherwise wouldn’t use the library. This isn’t a new trend, but it is one that can be utilized to get more people using library services, (Stephens, 2006). This combination of traditional programming with innovative technology has the potential to engage younger users, who are already comfortable participating in online discussions. In addition, an older generation, that sometimes is unable to attend as many events, could adapt to this format and participate online. Libraries are going to need to adapt to changing user needs, and using technology, programs could have a much broader reach, while still not losing their sense of community. It’s not the user that’s broken, but the model might needs some tweaking, (Kenney, 2014).
Since all content would be local, permission for sharing would be fairly simple to obtain. The city attorney could help the library to draft a simple agreement with any presenters that all content would be used for library promotions, and becomes property of the library. Participants would all be made aware of the library policy that public events at the library can be shared, will be posted, and are filmed.
This model would not change the kind of programs that the library offers, which there is an existing audience for, but would instead expand the scope of those programs to reach digital audiences, as well as audience who couldn’t attend at the one time programs are offered. In this way, users could find ways to access programs that they’re comfortable with, while the library could explore new kinds of programs occasionally, without risking the expense of bringing in expensive guest speakers, or having to increase the number of programs to accommodate different audiences and schedules. According to Casey and Savastinuk (2007), “Users and their knowledge have the ability to reshape library services, but libraries must first change the way they craft their services and tools so that users have a clear and open avenue on which to communicate and participate” (p. 61). By using this technology to invite participation, at home and at the library, users can have more options. “If human capital is one main factor in the library innovation equation, technology is the other,” (Garmer, 2016). This model can use both.
This program would not require any additional funding, since the library already has staff members who want to find new avenues to present a variety of programs. Staff time would be needed from the technical services librarian, the public services manager, the youth services librarian, all of who already spend time planning, implementing, and evaluating programs.
Changing the method of delivery for programs, or at least expanding it, would fulfill the new strategic objectives of the library as they seek to reach a younger demographic, focus on new technologies, and build their library brand and presence in the community as a hub for connectivity and communication. Currently staff time could be focused on this on a trial basis, and reevaluated after a trial period of six months. If the program is successful, the library might seek a technology grant from local partners that want to fund STEM initiatives in the community. Eventually, additionally funding could help to upgrade recording and video technologies, but current equipment would be adequate to try this program delivery method out initially.
After sufficient lead-time to introduce the community to the new program time, and advertise in local papers, magazines, and through library print and digital campaigns, the initial program could launch. The main catalyst for user participation will be keeping the built in audience, while expanding to new users with more local presenters that are advertised through word-of-mouth, while also being shared online in a way that invites participation. There are three steps to this plan:
Initially, programs would be set up at the same time as usual library programming, using either veteran library presenters, (the Chief of Police), a local business owner, or a local restaurant owner or teacher. After a few programs with veteran presenters, the new technology could be used to try out new programs, and appeal to larger audiences. At least six months would need to be allotted for a trial period for this new technology, so that users could get used to filmed programs, other users could see that they can watch live online and comment, and that other users could follow the progress or watch recordings online and start to familiarize themselves with ways to participate, even when they aren’t in the building.
If the library staff is willing to learn the new technology, and commit to posting progress and new programs online, with dedicated users helping to ease the new format into the public conversation, then this new technology can be utilized with minimal changes to format. If filming live, and responding to questions online is too much of a learning curve for librarians, a similar kind of program with less technology could be achieved with podcasts and a Facebook and Twitter account. The library could even have its own YouTube channel eventually, but only if it becomes clear that enough users want the service.
While some librarians already focus on programs at the library, this would require additional hours at the beginning of the process for planning, implementation, and uploading of video (if the sessions were made available after the initial presentation). Hours could be found from the automations assistant, because the new ILS will no longer require as many manual reports. This new program format will coincide with the new ILS and website, and can be used to promote the move towards digital services, and online participation from users.
Currently librarians will only need to use online tutorials to use this technology, because it’s free and simple to learn. Since the technical services librarian already devotes some time each week to learning new technologies, this can be learned in that time, if there is enough lead-time before implementation. If users are having trouble focusing on how to give feedback, tutorials can be linked on the website.
One of the ways this new program can be marketed is online, as the library updates its website and digital/virtual presence. Using a new twitter account, the library can reach users during, before, and after programs, and people can still view them even if they can’t attend them. Book clubs are already popular via Twitter, and programs could also be tweeted, and shared in a similar way. Many people even prefer online participation in book clubs and programs, because they’re easier to fit into daily schedules. Popular programs can be watched from other areas, so that the library’s space limitations don’t prevent everyone who is interested in a program from seeing a local celebrity who packed out a room.
Being able to do programs in other venues, and stream them can promote businesses, school and civic programs (who will then advertise the programs), as well as encourage local participants to market on their own. This also will allow people to share programs and events online before and after they occur, so users don’t feel tied down to a specific time. Since new users that spend more time online will be targeted by programs, hopefully this new format will be adopted, and users who prefer live programs can still come to the library for them.
User participation will be counted, online and in the library, and an additional survey will be used to gauge reactions in three months. Because online attendance and views of videos are easily captured, showing attendance numbers will actually be easier with this format that with solely physical programs. Any user who views even a part of the information will be counted as an attendee, and videos can be shared, marketed and archived. Since programming in libraries is often hard to gather data on, using a digital service to count views, and get questions will aid in helping the library to meet the needs of its users, and respond to the community in a more targeted way. This is a participatory service in the most literal sense, which will encourage participation online, both during and after programs, and if it’s well received the by the community, it could open the way for more kinds of programs that are accessible in many ways, online, in person, and perhaps via mobile services. As technology adapts, programs can be more participatory and inclusive, so they can reach a larger audience with varying needs.