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Author Archives: Sam Shaw
The Data Dude on WiFi
This week, in between answering public library survey related questions and reviewing actual surveys that have been submitted (the deadline is February 13, 2015), the Dude has been thinking about this new element on the survey asking for the number of annual wireless internet sessions. Some of the responses the Dude has been getting about collecting this data have been a thumbs down analogous to Joaquin Phoenix’s portrayal of Commodus in the movie Gladiator or the verbal equivalent: “I ain’t collectin’ this”. In all fairness, most are at least willing to provide a broad observation estimate of the use, which is probably a fairly decent number. Thank you for doing that. This makes me think about the question you might be asking, which is why is collecting this data valuable? Let’s start this odyssey by looking the importance of public WiFi.
Quite simply, public WiFi is valuable because if you don’t have a data enabled device, you can’t get online if you aren’t somewhere that has WiFi availability. And we all want to be online, or at least have the option. If you do have a data enabled device (such as a tablet or smart phone), most likely you don’t want to use up your data or pay extra unless it is absolutely necessary (like if you get lost and need to look up a map or directions; if you need to find an address or phone number in a pinch; if you want to order a pizza online while you are out at the lake and pick it up on the way home; or if you are at Home Depot and want to know if the price they are asking for that garden weasel is comparable to Lowe’s). Those kinds of things. Iconic Displays recently produced an infographic entitled “Is Wifi the New Cigarette?” detailing the importance of WiFi to the average person:
- 30% of people claim they can’t go without WiFi access for more than an hour
- 60% of people can’t go without WiFi access for more than a day
- 39% say they would give up coffee for WiFi access
- 43% say they would go without chocolate for WiFi
- 75% said that a week without WiFi would leave them grumpier than a week without coffee
So we like our WiFi (for some, more than our coffee and chocolate), and we’ve come to expect it in many places in addition to our homes. These include hotel rooms, restaurants (including coffee shops), airports (and even some airplanes), public parks, public libraries, and many others. As usual, the Dude feels a need to toss in some data about how our WiFi compares to the rest of the world. Predictably, it ain’t good. According to Rotten WiFi, the U.S. ranks a measly 20th in the world with an average public WiFi download speed of 6.89. The U.S. was behind number 1 Lithuania (15.4 Mbps), Croatia (14.05), Estonia (13.75), and 16 others. The Dude could find no credible data on average WiFi speeds for libraries (either in Nebraska or the U.S.). Perhaps that would be the subject of a new data element on the survey…
Focus. Back on track with the value of collecting this data. As illustrated above, it’s important to have places in the community that have free WiFi that we can use. If we are traveling and just passing through or stay somewhere that doesn’t have WiFi, it’s nice to have the option to go to our public library and use our own WiFi enabled devices because if we have our own device, we don’t need to wait for a public access terminal. We can also sit on the library’s sofa, or near the library’s fireplace (if they have one), or outside (if the weather is nice) instead of on those public access chairs. Also, many rural communities do not have many areas where free public WiFi is available (other than the library), and many do not have access in their homes. So, the gathering of this data is, like other data gathering, important in that it demonstrates that libraries are providing a service to their community that is valuable.
One final note and that is that some libraries are also getting into the business of loaning WiFi devices to library card holders so they can use them in their own homes. An example is the New York Public Library, which recently scored $1 million from Google and $500,000 from the Knight Foundation. The devices (4G LTE mobile hot spots) are in high demand, and may be checked out for a longer duration (like, months). This is another example of libraries reaching out to meet the technology needs of the community. In NY, over 2 million people don’t have access to broadband or WiFi at home, so these kinds of services not only introduce those library users to WiFi, but provide valuable connectivity for those who simply can’t afford it. Shaka.
The Data Dude – eBooks and Audiobooks
For this week, the Dude takes another quick look at eBooks and Audiobooks. He’s been working on some handouts and fact sheets for the Nebraska eReads program, and here is one of the resultant charts. As many of you know, eBook and Audiobook circulations are notably increasing, as evidenced by the chart to the right. Circulation has increased about 39% from last year. Keep in mind, however, that there are more participating OverDrive libraries as well (more borrowers in the ocean of electronic content that adds to the rise in circulation). A few other facts about eBooks and Audiobooks in Nebraska:
- There are now over 8 million eBooks available (over 88% increase from 2012)
- There are now over 794,000 AudioBooks available (over 96% increase from 2012)
- The return on investment for every dollar invested is $2.72
- Virtual visitors had to wait 204,502 times for desired titles in 2014
- There are now 167 Participating Libraries offering eBooks and Audiobooks via the OverDrive consortium
If the budget request for FY 2016 and FY 2017 is approved, the following additional items could be purchased/licensed:
For FY 2016:
- 8,300 eBooks could be purchased/licensed
- 2,800 Audiobooks could be purchased/licensed
For FY 2017:
- 9,000 eBooks could be purchased/licensed
- 3,100 Audiobooks could be purchased/licensed
Shaka.
The Data Dude – Surveys and Stereotypes
The Dude has been working on the IMLS SLAA (State Library Administrative Agency) survey. Yes, I can relate to the frustration associated with trying to gather the correct and accurate data for these kinds of things because I have to do it too. I asked some of my colleagues here at the commission for answers to some of these survey questions, and one of them responded that they were suffering from Data Dirge. Alas, keep in mind that the data collected on these surveys is helpful and often does result in illustrations that show library trends. That’s the story, anyway.
Reminders were sent to libraries this week about the upcoming (in about a month) deadline for the public library survey. You can log in to your survey from the Bibliostat section of the NLC website. Since the Dude has been busy working on other things, such as reviewing your submitted surveys and drafting Advocacy Day hand-outs, he didn’t have a whole ton of time to fashion this blog post. Thus, we will end with a quote he found humorous, from the writer, Bidisha, and published in The Guardian. Bidisha mentions seven things she’ll miss about the traditional library (all of which will disppear when the library is “modernized”), one of which is the stereotypical librarian:
“Librarians would prefer it if libraries had no people in them mucking things up; then they could just walk along the aisles alphabetising everything and dusting book spines. They have developed a higher consciousness, hyper-sensitive to specks of dust, sounds and movements well beyond the normal range of human cognisance. Should we speak in the no-speaky zone, we will be punished. Should we be late giving back that copy of Madhur Jaffrey’s classic Indian recipes, we will be penalised. If the photocopier is malfunctioning they will sigh heavily and imply that we have somehow sabotaged its workings. They might sometimes seem petty and insular, but where would we be without librarians’ moral certainty and exceptional dress sense? Any combination of taut and ropy tweed, plastic pastel beads, glasses on a chain, frosted Angel Delight hair, blue eyeliner, high collared nylon blouses, comfortably soled shoes and flesh toned hosiery will do.”
And speaking of wardrobes, there is a website devoted to photos of librarian styles. If you are looking to kill some time, check out some of the photos that alleged librarians have posted there. You won’t find the Dude there, but you might find a few laughs. Shaka.
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The Data Dude – New Systems Map
Shaka. This week I will show you an interactive map of the new library systems. This map illustrates the new systems and has markers for each library. You can filter the markers (see the legend at the bottom) by system. If you click on an individual marker, you will get a pop-up box that tells you the name of the library, its system, service population, and a link to more information about it from the NLC website. If you click on any of the dead space within the map, you will get a pop-up indicating what Nebraska County you clicked on and a link to the website for the corresponding system. There is also a small arrow in the upper-right hand corner. If you click on that, it expands a list of the libraries by library name. Please let me know if you have any questions or notice any errors.
The Data Dude – Dark Nights of the Soul
In an earlier post, I postulated that the philosophy of author Thomas Moore (Dark Night of the Soul: A Guide to Finding Your Way Through Life’s Ordeals) seems to me to be a formidable alternative (or response) to my own intermittent struggles with pessimism. The obvious question is: How on earth might this relate to libraries? Read on, but for the time being, I believe it is necessary to expound on some ideas to further relate what’s been on my mind. It’s at least important to me, and it may also be important to you. Who Knows? If you don’t think so and would rather not waste your time on the filler material, skip to the last two paragraphs (that’s the library part). If this is a ride you’d rather not be on, no offense if you leave right now. Hey, at least I’m not bugging you about a survey.
According to Vered Arnon, Nietzsche repeatedly stressed that nihilism is a “transitional stage”. It is a facilitator for a reevaluation of one’s values, or a new way of thinking about who we are. The freedom comes in accepting the reality of this transition. In her Radiolab podcast, Brooke Gladstone summarizes the Sisyphean nature of this: “I think there are cycles in which the sense of meaningless comes out in sharper relief than other times, but you can identify them over and over again.” I’m learning that trying to avoid my own dark nights and failing to realize the transitional or perhaps synthesizing effect they might have on my life only leads to more despair. The recognition of the importance of this synthesis is an essential catalyst to help discover self, soul, true diversity, community, and empathy. Part of this discovery involves expression in one form of another. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity for self-expression in the form of this blog (throwing in a bit of gratitude doesn’t hurt, either). Again, Brooke Gladstone:
“Camus [said] that the best response is to rebel. Rebel against death, create life on your own terms. Build it for yourself. And one way or another we do. Sometimes we don’t live a very conscious life. But we’re living life. I just think that, this time if anything, we have just grown vaguely uncomfortable in this life that seems so chaotic. But in our lives barely touches us. Essentially, we’re taking in the world through the media. So it may feel more deadening, but it’s less intense. If you had to confront it because the conditions of your life have just crumbled to dust and your beliefs can no longer be sustained, I bet you’d have more energy for it.”
Part of my purpose in posting these blogs (in addition to it being somewhat cathartic for myself and hopefully somewhat informative for you) is an attempt to relate a certain sense of trust, uniformity, significance, purpose, and relationship. I think that this has the potential to be applicable for libraries, how your run your shops, and how you relate to your library visitors and each other. Most of us librarians feel an overwhelming sense of commitment to community. Some of us have lost touch with that, including where we live, the individual persons we serve, the larger community events, places, and being (and feeling) connected. I’d like to think the library story can be more than the things (physical, digital, and virtual) offered, and more than the tools used to tell the story (inforaphics, graphs, and statistics). While the things (physical, digital, and virtual) are essential parts of the library’s existence, they tell us nothing about the real world we live in. The things and services that libraries provide can be important catalysts in building community, connectedness, and soul among individuals, but it requires the individuals working independently of all the stuff that libraries offer. The stuff only provides more opportunity for connection.
By their nature, libraries should function as empathetic places that can facilitate these individual and collective life transformations. Sometimes, this can be as simple as providing a book for someone to read (e.g. my Dark Nights of the Soul example); other times it might be providing a safe place that offers opportunities to feed compassion (either staff/visitor, visitor/visitor, or staff/staff); still at other times, it might be community sponsored events by the library that build relationships between people. I’ve heard of some great library programs in Nebraska where librarians go out in the community for events that build these kinds of relationships instead of waiting behind the desk for someone to wander in. One very important factor is acknowledging that those who frequent libraries (or who may be coming to them for the first time), might be in the middle of their own Dark Night of the Soul, and might have few other places to turn. Or they just might choose to turn to the library in an auxiliary fashion, even though there are other places or support systems that are available to them. Either way, providing a warm, welcoming, non-judgmental environment is essential to this self-discovery. I suppose one of the reasons I mention this is to acknowledge my own day to day doldrums and routines. Annie Dillard, in The Writing Life, concluded that: “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” It might be worth noting that I think we often get caught up in trying to find a larger, higher meaning in our lives, or suffer greatly if we don’t think we’ve found or achieved it. Simplicity should be something that is valued and cherished, rather than something that is underrated or unappreciated. Most, if not all, work is inherently meaningless. Iyeshka Farmer sums this up much better than I can: “It is not our work that gives meaning to our lives. It is our living fully, deep in awareness of our Being, our values, and our vision, that gives meaning to our work-regardless of what that work is.” Shaka.
Posted in Books & Reading, General, Library Management, Uncategorized
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The Data Dude – New Data Elements
The Data Dude recently attended the SDC (State Data Coordinator) conference in Louisville, KY. The Dude votes thumbs up on the conference sessions, the city of Louisville (its all about horses and bourbon), and the invaluable time spent with colleagues from other states. The Dude votes thumbs down on flight delays and the anxiety producing craziness of the typical airport. The purpose in writing today is to explore what data elements are important to you, the actual people that capture and record these statistics on the annual public library survey (affectionately known to many as the “Bibliostat One” and unaffectionately known as many other things). Are there statistics you are collecting that you think might be important on a state or national level? Please let me know, or even let me know some general ideas or thoughts you might be having, so they might be explored further or built upon. A few things were discussed at the SDC conference that are worth noting and might jog your ability to collaborate creatively. Number one: Virtual library visits. As physical visits may be declining, it probably is important to track virtual visitors to the library (e.g. visitors to the library website). Some states already collect this data. Does your library track this information? If so, does it underline the importance of your website, and perhaps more importantly, keeping it updated?
Secondly, how many of you use non-pc devices? The thing that immediately comes to mind would be the 3D printer; however, what about other non-pc devices such as tablet computers? I know many libraries make these available in lieu of the traditional PC. For those of you with tethered (or non-tethered) tablets, are you counting and reporting those now, or would this fit more appropriately under a separate data element called “non-pc devices”? With the recently concluded digital inclusion survey (Nebraska scored a stellar 64% response rate), how about broadband speed? I know of a few libraries that completed the speed test, looked at the low numbers and said, “wait a minute…”. They used this as a catalyst to talk to their ISP and found out they were getting the shaft (maybe intentionally, maybe not) when it came to what they were paying for. The point is that the DI Survey uncovered these gross injustices, and the librarians took action to remedy them. The question that remains is: Would actual speed reporting be beneficial, or are there simply too many variables in place to capture it accurately?
Furthermore, new library services that may be worth noting in data collection include self-directed education and local digital collections. Is there anything else on your list? I’ve already starting thinking about next year’s survey and perhaps some tools to help you with using the compiled data. Capturing uses of electronic resources continues to be problematic. There are numerous download services that libraries might subscribe to. If the library pays for it, and the virtual library visitor uses it, shouldn’t we somehow try to paint a picture of its use? Many of these things are currently lumped into the “database” bin and counted as boring ol’ “1”, simply because there is no other definition that they fit into. I wonder if instead of trying to write a definitino that captures all of these services, perhaps we should simply add a three part question to provide a more accurate portrayal: (1) Does your library subscribe to an electronic downloadable or streaming service; (2) if so, what is the name of the service; and (3) how many times does it get used in a year. The survey could provide a prompt to enter this information for each subscribed service and a separate element could do the calculations for the total uses of all downloadable services. Shaka.
The Data Dude – Public Library Survey (reporting OverDrive)
Shaka. For this week, the Data Dude reminds you of the annual Public Library Survey sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). The survey is important because the completion of it is tied into State Aid if you are accredited, and Dollar$ for Data (actual cash money) if you are not accredited. You may work on the survey a little at a time, picking up where you’ve left off (make sure you click on the red “save” button at the bottom or top of each page). If you have any questions throughout the process, please contact me. The deadline for submission is February 13, 2015. There are tips and instructions on the Bibliostat section of the NLC website. This is also where you log in to the survey. The purpose in writing today is to provide a few tips about the potentially unpleasant method of reporting eBook and Audiobook downloads. If you are in the OverDrive consortium and were a member when statistics were reported last year, the following guide will help you with your reporting. If you recently joined, you need to tweak the numbers below a bit. For the new people, on elements 4.5 and 4.13 (previous year’s holdings), the number would be “0”, and you would add the 4.8 and 4.16 totals into element 4.6 so that you get the same numbers for 4.8 and 4.16 below.
NOTE: If you have an Advantage account, you need to add those Advantage numbers to the figures below, and enter the number of items that you withdrew.
Another tip: when you enter the survey, you can click on “show last year’s answers” (red box in the upper right hand corner). This often helps when completing this year’s survey. Good luck (you might need it), and feel free to contact me if I can clarify anything.
October 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014 FY
eBooks:
4.5 – E-books held at end of previous FY: 10,816
4.6 – Number added during the year: 5,042
4.7 – Number withdrawn during year: 0
4.8 – E-Books held at the end of the current year: 15,858
Audiobooks:
4.13 – Audio downloadable titles held at end of previous FY: 5,878
4.14 – Number added during year: 1,992
4.15 – Number withdrawn during year: 0
4.16 – Audio downloadable titles held at the end of the current year: 7,870
July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014 FY
eBooks:
4.5 – E-books held at end of previous FY: 7,896
4.6 – Number added during the year: 6,613
4.7 – Number withdrawn during year: 0
4.8 – E-Books held at the end of the current year: 14,509
Audiobooks:
4.13 – Audio downloadable titles held at end of previous FY: 4,860
4.14 – Number added during year: 2,390
4.15 – Number withdrawn during year: 0
4.16 – Audio downloadable titles held at the end of the current year: 7,250
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The Data Dude – Seniors and Technology
This week, the Data Dude takes a look at seniors and technology. The idea here is to first regurgitate some of the data, and then make some observations. According to the Pew Research Internet Project (2014), “six in 10 adults 65 or older go online and just a little less than half have their own high-speed internet connection.” More seniors own either a tablet or an e-reader than a smartphone. When you think about this, it makes perfect sense. Not to make too many generalizations, but the obvious reasons are apparent, such as the smallness of the average smartphone screen and a larger percentage of seniors having difficulty reading the fine print. The same Pew Research study (2014) underscored the fact that the typical senior recognized the value of online information, with 94% agreeing with the statement that: “[T]he internet makes it much easier to find information today than in the past.” Many seniors, however, report that they need assistance to learn the new technologies, but are more than eager to give it a shot. While Pew notes that 77% of seniors need help from someone to walk them through using the technology, this philosophy is perhaps more aptly summed up by 93 year old Virginia Thayer: “I have absolutely no intuition about what to do with these buttons…When I grew up you just didn’t go aground pressing buttons because rather bad things happened…” Yes, Virginia, bad things might happen (we won’t sugar coat it) but most likely nothing will happen. Your grandson will promise to be patient when describing the functionality of “that thingy” in the corner of your screen when showing you how to work your device. On second thought, the good news is that there may be library programs that can help so you don’t have to bother your grandson at all, or perhaps bother him only minimally. Trust me, in most cases you will have a more positive experience with library staff, and your relationship with your grandson (or son or daughter or granddaughter) will not suffer.
About three fourths of the way through this video published by the Nebraska Community Foundation, there is mention of a program offered in Nebraska City that connects teens with seniors to provide assistance to the seniors with using iPads borrowed from the local library. That’s just the kind of help that the seniors (and perhaps even more importantly, the teens) need. As Steve Cone, vice president of membership and integrated value — (er, wait, integrated value? Really? How’s that for a word salad of ambiguity? He’d better change his title, and fast — or he might get RIF’d) at AARP told eWEEK (November 23, 2014): “The No. 1 thing I hear is that every single 40- or 50-year-old person I talk with says ‘Look, I don’t want to continue to be my mom’s or dad’s technology advisor because it takes too much time and it’s frustrating.’” So what did AARP do? They created a tablet specifically for seniors called the RealPad. The screen icons are larger, there are instructional video tutorials that cover aspects of operating the device, and 24/7 telephone customer support. The concept is good, but something tells me that any ol’ tablet could be configured this way, and perhaps provide a better value (either with the price or the specs). So shop around, seniors. Cone reports that the customer service reps can get into the device remotely (Amazon offers the same support with a mayday button on certain Kindle Fire’s), and either take control of the device or just circle/highlight certain buttons. The RealPad tech support persons are trained to “handle calls with patience and sensitivity”. That’s nice to know. Our seniors deserve patience and sensitivity, just as much as they deserve to learn new technologies. I noticed Steve changed his job title (December 3, 2014). He is now known as AARP’s executive vice president of membership. Shaka, Steve.
The Data Dude – Paper v.s. eBook Smackdown
The Dude has recently changed his line of thinking when pondering paper books v.s. eBooks. I must admit part of this realization comes from my frustration with eBook deliverers, odd pricing structures, and technologies that sometimes work less than flawlessly. At any rate, there is an awareness of preferring paper in most circumstances independent of these sorts of on and off again defects. Let’s talk about some of these reasons. Stephanie Castillo describes the different ways we read as individuals, broken down into two different categories: linear and non-linear. As Castillo notes (and you can predict), linear reading is “more thoughtful, deliberate, even meditative.” Meditative? Spectacular! All of us need a little more meditation in our lives and rarely have the time for it or put forth the effort. Let’s think about it in the sense that paper reading might not replace your daily walks, bike rides, tai chi, or yoga sessions, but rather might supplement them. The notion that we can achieve meditative benefits from reading a book is refreshing, but not necessarily surprising. The digital age has fed this proliferation of non-linear reading. Arguably, non-linear reading is a product of what our culture has become, and overall it ain’t good. We live in short blips, never really taking time for genuine connection, either with ourselves or others. The effects of this often leave us feeling lonely, disconnected, stressed-out, rushed, and un-serene. How many times have we functioned in this way? I’m functioning this way right now when writing this blog post. It’s sad to admit but true. Having tab after tab open, writing one sentence, then moving to another tab (or monitor), then back. This lack of deep understanding in many of our lives is unfortunate, but there’s good news! It can be overcome. The bad news is that it isn’t mystical or magical. It takes work. It takes an effort to see others for who they are and to be vulnerable so they can see us. It takes effort to not only feel respect, humility, and commitment, but to demonstrate it. Recently, NPR’s Shankar Vedantam reported on a study that noted the benefits from talking to strangers while commuting on trains. Just talking to someone. The conclusion was that by overcoming initial fears, the result was that the social connection played an important role in improving our health and ultimately, increased happiness.
This brings me to my second point: Reading insecurity. Many of us have suffered from this, even though we might not have heard the term before. The notion of reading insecurity is aptly summed up by Katy Waldman, noting that a person “will tell you about how, when she was small, she could lose herself in a novel for hours, and now, all she can do is watch the tweets swim by like glittery fish in the river of time-she-will-never-get-back.” Sad, isn’t it? For the handful that have stayed with me this far, read that quote again. I recall as a youngster the nostalgic feeling she describes many times. One particular incident that sticks in my head was my first reading of Stephen King’s The Shining. I was so wrapped up in that book that I would read it late into the night, frequently looking over my shoulder because I experienced moments of sheer terror. As many of you can relate, the impact was that strong. Now, the Dude isn’t arguing that eBooks are all bad, but rather, that he has a newly acknowledged appreciation for paper. Thomas Moore summarizes this when he writes that paper books are “like pianos and oil paintings — superseded in some ways by new technologies, but not obliterated.” I think I’d agree with that assessment. In searching for a photo to correlate with this post, I found the photo above of Charles B. Washington and Nikki Giovanni examining a paper book. If you want more information about the photo, check it out on the Nebraska Memories page. Shaka.
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The Data Dude on Mapping
For this week, let’s talk about mapping (there is now a mapping section on the data services portion of the NLC website). But first, a promise that this will be the last reminder for the Digital Inclusion Survey (except for maybe one final e-mail to you next week if you have not yet completed it). The deadline has been extended until December 12, 2014 and there are still Three Kindle Fire HD’s up for grabs if you complete the survey. Enter your contact information at the conclusion of the survey to be eligible for the drawing. Also, don’t forget to complete the speed test by going to www.speedtest.net from a public access terminal or laptop using the library Wi-Fi. Record the download speed, upload speed, and PING. Either enter the numbers into your survey, or e-mail them to me and I will enter the figures for you.
OK, on to the maps. Here at the Commission, a variety of mapping tools are used, including ZeeMaps, Google Fusion Tables, and Google Earth. Thanks to the help of Allana Novotny, things are looking up for understanding the complexities of these mapping tools. A word about collaboration: I mentioned Allana, and I think it’s safe to say had we not collaborated on these things, these maps either would not have gotten done or would not have had the same level of functionality. This has created a boost in my creative confidence (and even analytical thought), and I’m grateful for that (thanks, Allana). On a similar note, if you look at the legislative map mentioned in the next paragraph and have suggestions, please let me know. While the Dude thinks his collaboration with Allana has been a good thing and produced some far out maps, there are other suggestions you might bring to the table, and that is always encouraged. Likewise, if you have ideas for an entirely different map illustration, please let the Dude know and he can possibly put something together for you. The Dude promises to at least try.
Anyway, the legislative map deserves a bit of explanation. The interactive map illustrates the legislative boundaries in the state and has markers for each public library. You can certainly zoom in to your district (or any other district for that matter) for a more detailed look. If you click on one of the districts (but not a marker), a pop-up should appear that tells you the district number, the senator, and a link to the senator’s website. This information is updated with the newly elected senators. Keep in mind that the corresponding webpages might not yet be updated with the new senator names and photos and other stuff, because that is done by the Legislature, not the Library Commission. The zoomable map is especially helpful in the Lincoln or Omaha areas. The Dude added the branch locations for Lincoln and Omaha libraries. If you click on the individual markers for each library, you get a pop-up that provides you with some basic information about the library, legislative district, senator, and a link to more information from the library profile on the NLC website. The markers are colored by service population, and you can filter those by checking or unchecking boxes on the legend at the bottom. The Dude hopes the map might be helpful to you.
Now, for a hint of what the Dude might currently be pondering for data illustrations: The motion chart. The Dude mentions this because of an interest generated after watching the interesting TED Talk by Hans Rosling. If you have a chance to, check it out (if for no other reason, the entertainment value of Hans going nuts over his data illustration) and feel free to give the Dude some ideas on how such a motion chart could be generated for Nebraska Libraries, or what data might be good to illustrate. This is in the brainstorming stage at this point, so feel free to provide some collaboration, or perhaps just an idea. The Dude welcomes a distraction from all these surveys. Shaka.
The Data Dude – Win a Kindle Fire HD
Shaka. The deadline for the Digital Inclusion Survey is Friday, November 21. The Dude has done this survey and if you don’t pitter patter around you can have it finished in 10 minutes (and subsequently your name will be removed from my “list”). It may be worth your while, as there are 3 Kindle Fire HD’s that are up for grabs. Enter your contact information at the conclusion of the survey to be eligible for the drawing. You can’t win if you don’t play. Also, don’t forget to complete the speed test by going to www.speedtest.net from a public access terminal or laptop (using the library Wi-Fi). At the conclusion of the test (after you click on “Begin Test” and it runs through it) write down the download speed, upload speed, and PING. Either enter the numbers into your survey, or e-mail them to me.
To underscore the importance of this survey, please take a look at last year’s results. The Nebraska page offers an interactive map that is searchable by geographic location or library name. It contains a wealth of specific information, including demographics, economics, education, health, and summary from last year’s survey. If you scroll down, you can see how Nebraska compares to the national averages for technology, digital literacy, and library programs. The site also contains the full national report, as well as a talking points handout.
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Annual Public Library Survey Now Available
Today is the start of the annual IMLS Public Library Survey. For those of you who are new directors, it might be helpful to familiarize yourself with the survey and instructions. Take a peek at the Bibliostat Collect portion of the data services section of the NLC website, which has instructions, tips, and other tidbits to help you complete the survey. Keep in mind that the survey is required for your library to receive state aid if you are accredited. If you aren’t accredited, you still have an incentive to complete the survey ($200), called Dollar$ for Data. It may not seem like much, but 200 bucks is, well, 200 bucks.
A few things are worth noting in addition to the survey instructions and other tips. For OverDrive circulations, please refer to the instructions about how to find this information. For OverDrive holdings, refer to this summary. For other OverDrive questions, please contact Devra Dragos or Susan Knisley. If your library has a subscription to download services (e.g. 3M, Axis 360, Freading, freegal, Hoopla, Mango, or any of the others) this chart may be helpful to you.
The survey runs until February 13, 2015. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions throughout the process. You can always start the survey, save your submissions, and then resume where you left off at a later date. Thank you in advance for your participation.
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The Data Dude – Video Shift
For this week, the Data Dude takes a look at some innovative library services being offered and focuses on the planning aspects of potentially giving them a try in your library. In particular, this is in response to the Montgomery (Alabama) City-County Public Library cutting back on library hours at physical locations (I’m sure there are many Nebraska examples as well). All is not doom and gloom, though, as the Alabama library appears to be expanding its digital and online services to meet the needs of the community. Now, the data collected for video holdings in Nebraska libraries is, I’ll admit, pretty much of a bore (see the graph), and may not support the conclusion that a shift has occurred. But, the Dude thinks a potential shift may be eminent, and that is the purpose for writing about this today, right now. For many Nebraska librarians, these things are not new; to others, these ideas may be entirely foreign.
The Dude, like a number of other library users, loves the fact that he can obtain premium video content from the local public library, including original content from HBO, Showtime, and independent film sources. The Dude doesn’t have cable TV (but he does like to watch things occasionally), so he’s all about getting access to stuff and saving a few bucks. But the Dude is also sometimes frustrated by the current DVD format to deliver this content. Don’t get me wrong, my overall experience with DVD’s from my local library is almost 90% positive, but in 10% of those instances, it ends in despair. One of the major irritations lies in the DVD media format itself, and its inability to sometimes play correctly, either because it is worn, damaged, or otherwise messed up. Kid’s content is especially problematic. While there is something to be said for the convenience of checking out digital things (e.g. books, movies, music, etc.), it really isn’t burdensome to stop at the local library to pick something up and likewise return it. Some may be bothered by that, however, and that fact is worth noting. The library management may also be grieved by physical items coming up stolen or damaged, and that is also worth noting. Furthermore, there may be a significant portion of the library budget that is consumed by purchasing items that have already been purchased, in order to replace these lost, damaged, or stolen items.
The point is that a digital solution has the potential to stretch library budgets, more efficiently allocate services, and increase the overall availability of content to the library users. Take, for example, any particular DVD in the library collection. That DVD has to be selected, ordered, processed by technical services, labeled, and then eventually finds its way to the shelf, where if it is lucky it will take a trip to someone’s home (and back to the library in the same condition), or if it is unlucky, will take up valuable shelf space. It may get mis-shelved, or Benderized (reference to John Bender’s reorganization of the card catalogue in the Breakfast Club). If it does make it to the right spot, staff then hopes that some larcenist doesn’t swipe it outright, or that the first person (or the third, fourth, or fifth) to check it out doesn’t scratch it all to hell and render it useless. Even if the library staff catches this stratchtasticness, how easy is it to hold someone responsible? Hey, it was like that when I got it, man.
A digital solution to these dilemmas should not be overlooked. It holds much promise for the future of libraries, and should be considered in planning for future services and collection development. There are a few different digital alternatives worth noting, including but not limited to OverDrive, Hoopla, Indieflix, and Films on Demand. Keep in mind that this post seeks to describe the basic services, not necessarily to endorse one or another (none of them have bribed or even talked to me). Some of these services offer transactional pricing and content is delivered a la carte (e.g. Hoopla – currently being offered at the Hastings Public Library). In these cases, the library subscribes to the service and sets limits on what can, cannot, and how many items can be borrowed (either downloaded or streamed) by the virtual library visitor. For instance, the library can say each card holder can only have 3 audio and 3 video checkouts/downloads per month. The library can also say that once its budget disappears, everyone is shut off until the beginning of the next month. The library pays a fee per downloaded item (e.g. movies are between 99₵ and $2.99 on Hoopla), items are automatically returned after the lending period, and an unlimited number of users can access the content at the same time (no waiting for someone else to “return” the item). Hoopla is unique in that the library does not have any part in the selection of the content; that part is all done by the user. IndieFlix is a bit different, as libraries pay a negotiated rate for users to access the content. Again, no waiting for others to “return” the digital copies. The monthly membership for individuals is $5/month; I’m not sure what the rates are for libraries (it most likely depends on the service population). OverDrive streaming functions much like OverDrive eBooks, as the digital items are selected, rented, and need to be returned before someone else can check out the digital copy.
The obvious question or concern with streaming services is, of course, the ability to stream content purchased by the library in the home by many library users. In response to this concern, Fox Van Allen notes that approximately 17% of homes now rely on streaming media players for content, and by 2016, this number is expected to expand to 39% or more homes. So the trend is that appropriate devices will become more and more prevalent. It is also worth noting that with some services, there is an option is to download the video for later use (as opposed to streaming it), thus making it possible for someone to download the content while in a Wi-Fi hotspot (such as a library), and then watch it later. Also, in most cases the streaming needs to occur from a laptop computer or other device. So, if you want to watch these things on the big bad 70” LED in the basement, you’ll need to find a way to get the content over there. Shaka.
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The Data Dude – Creativity Pt. II
A few weeks ago, the Dude took an in depth look at creative confidence (part 1) in relation to library staff interactions. This week, the Dude hopes to illustrate how library programs can facilitate this sense of collective creativity among those using the library. Which brings the Dude to another point, what do we call these people? Patrons? (sounds like Betty Draper) Library users? (OK by me, but some say this sounds too much like a drug user or user, and therefore carries negative connotations) Customer? (they don’t really buy things) Library member? (isn’t everyone a member?) Library supporter? (too much like athletic supporter) Reader? (what if they just consume media, hang out, use the Wi-Fi, or check out audio or talking books?) Client? (sounds either too clinical or X-rated) Visitor? Maybe. OK… let’s go with visitor until something better comes along, even though it fails to address the issue of a “virtual visitor”, you know, with e-books, downloads, databases, and such things. If you have suggestions, e-mail or call me. The lack of consensus and uniformity is perplexing to me but it’s time to move on.
The notion surrounding building creative confidence for library visitors I think centers on building empathy among users, and providing the tools and space for those visitors to work collaboratively so that those relationships have the ability to develop. The library sponsored makerspace has the potential to facilitate both of these things. Most of us have heard of makerspaces, and libraries providing them, but before we delve further into this idea, let’s take a step back and look at what makerspaces are and how they can promote this sort of creativity in the community. According to a 2013 report from Michigan State University, makerspaces are “places where like-minded persons gather to work on personal projects, share tools and expertise as well as learn from each other.” Most of us think of 3D printers when we hear makerspace, but I think the idea transcends just that one tool. There really are a wide variety of things and subjects that can are offered, including (but definitely not limited to) music recording equipment, instruments, sewing machines, crafts, robotics, construction projects, hacking, jewelry, and many others. With such a diverse range of potential offerings, perhaps the best route to take is to talk to your library visitors to determine what interests are out there and to use those resources and skills that already exist. Take advantage of the knowledge and experiences in your community. Many persons with special skills are more than willing to share and exchange ideas. It builds communities and feeds souls. It has the potential to bring like-minded people together and develop lifelong friendships. Jerry Jodloski adequately sums this up: “(It’s) a cooperative, open-source philosophy that helps empower individuals for the greater benefit of the community.” Sounds good to me. Shaka.
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The Data Dude – Public Library Survey
Well, sometimes things might be important but a little fluffy. This week is the week of fluff (or a week off of fluff, if you have a different perspective). The annual IMLS Public Library Survey is set to begin on November 12, 2014. For those of you who are new directors, it might be wise to familiarize yourself with the survey and instructions. Take a peek at the Bibliostat Collect portion of the data services section of the NLC website, which has instructions, tips, and other tidbits to help you complete the survey. Keep in mind that the survey is required for your library to receive state aid if you are accredited. If you aren’t accredited and have no desire (let’s just acknowledge that — there is no shame), you still have an incentive to complete the survey ($200), called Dollar$ for Data. 200 bucks is, well, 200 bucks. The Dude is here to help you throughout the process, understands your frustration with parts of it, and will make every attempt to transmit empathy. Keep in mind that this is the Dude’s first survey, so please be patient and we all will get through it together.
For issues with how to report all the high tech downloadable services that many of you are offering, there is a sleek chart that was created to assist you that is posted on the NLC website. The Dude owes it to his colleagues in OH, KY, and TX for this cheat sheet. I hope it will be of value to you. The Dude realizes the reporting categories aren’t perfect, so keep that in mind.
Finally, the Dude needs to mention that there is a new data element to be aware of, wireless internet sessions – annual. The rationale for collecting this data is that wireless internet availability is an increasing service offered by many libraries. It is important to have national and state data on the use of wireless services in public libraries. The obvious question is: How on earth do I track and report this data? Well, a number of different ways, and there are a number of tips, all described below, that may be helpful to you, your ISP, and tech support person:
- Estimate. This is a new data element, so it is perfectly ok to collect data from a typical day, week, or month and estimate yearly use by doing the math. It is unreasonable to assume you will automatically have a system in place that has collected all of this data. Maybe you do, and that’s great; however, it is acceptable to estimate based on an average week or month.
- Network logs. Data from your Wi-Fi hardware log will generally be the most accurate source for counting wireless sessions. In order to collect accurate data, make sure that your hardware log is set for a minimum of 12-24 hours.
- Network scanning. Every device that connects to your Wi-Fi network broadcasts a unique identifier called a MAC address. A free network scanner like SoftPerfect Network Scanner may help in this collection.
- Web Analytics. Most public Wi-Fi services require authentication to connect. This usually means entering an ID or password. Sometimes, it presents users with a “splash” page requiring them to agree to “terms of service” or “acceptable use” policies. If your library requires authentication, you can track the use with a web analytics tool such as Google Analytics. Make sure you only include data from successful logins.
- Hardware. These may be the more expensive solutions to gathering data, but nonetheless should be mentioned for those looking to upgrade hardware. These include Cisco Meraki, Aerohive, and UniFi.
- Other downloadable software. Other potential solutions worth mentioning include open source PfSense, which has a number of potential uses in addition to reporting and monitoring Wi-Fi use, such as a firewall, router, wireless access point, or server. Another free solution is Who’s on My Wi-Fi, which will track the users and then record the data for later retrieval.
- Old school method. While potentially more intrusive to your library’s users, this is certainly a viable option, especially for smaller libraries. It involves using a clipboard (or maintaining a computer file) and visually monitoring the library users, or require them to sign in at the desk if they use the Wi-Fi. If you are employing this method, make sure you take samples during “normal” times (e.g. not during holidays, special events, etc.), and count each visit as a “session” (e.g. if the library user leaves and then comes back later in the day, count as two sessions).
- Staff use. Include staff use of the Wi-Fi, using the standards outlined in network logs, web analytics, network scanning, software, or the old school method above.
The library network has also made a Best Practices guide available for technical support persons working on gathering this data. Note that it mentions multiplying a weekly sample by 50 to “annualize it”. This accounts for times when the library might be closed or holidays. Our survey instructions indicate to estimate based on 52 weeks; if you library is closed during holiday times please adjust accordingly (e.g. multiply by 50 if necessary to account for closures). Shaka.
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The Data Dude on Creative Confidence
Libraries, now more than ever, need creativity. A lot of them are doing a really great job of hitting the creativity mark, but there are many other examples of stellar strategic planning, flashy presentations, generalized stuffiness (yeah, that’s right, the Dude tells it like it is, and pleads guilty to being stuffy hisself), pretension, and interactive charts that illustrate (or continue) crappy ideas that no one in the real world cares about. Now, before your blood pressure starts to climb you can put your Beta-blocker away because the Dude isn’t saying that analytical thinking and project planning are not important. They obviously are. What the Dude is saying is that there is a huge and often overlooked benefit to jimmying your creativity (and the collective creativity of others) to come up with fresh new ideas. One major obstacle, admittedly for the Dude and most likely others, is creative confidence. Creative confidence is a term coined by brothers David and Tom Kelly and explored in depth in their book “Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential within Us All”. Like most of those reading this (OK, for the handful), the Dude sometimes has some off the wall ideas. The Dude is realizing and learning the importance of not suppressing these, but it’s hard. Kids come into the world with this uncaring sense of creativity, but what frequently happens is that other kids (or even adults) laugh, poke fun at, or criticize those not yet ripe ideas when they are expressed. Unfortunately, this is a creative confidence buzzkill. Many of us suffer from the lack of creative confidence as adults not because we are not creative (most of us do have the capacity) but because of some (or many) of the creative confidence killers we experienced as kids. The Dude admits suffering from creative confidence anxiety, but the Dude is trying to work on it, with the help of the Brothers Kelley and a deep look into his soul.
Creative confidence now more than ever is essential to 21st century libraries and librarians. The Dude wishes to stress a few important prescriptions from the Brothers Kelley. One: flip the problem/solution model on its head, and come at things from a human side. Go out and find what people value, then find a technology or solution that addresses it (instead of discovering a new technology and then trying to fit it into something or trying to manufacture value). Two: Get people involved to the point that they are “raving fans”. Often this starts with someone within your organization (in this case your library) starting small fires or small experiments. Embrace their quirkiness, passion, and courage to bring the ideas forward. It’s contagious in a good way. If you are a Director or Administrator, be what the Kelley’s call a “squinter”. Squinters are able to look past the surface details of an idea; rather, they look not at its perfection but the overall shape of it. Squinters have people on their team that can work collaboratively to build on the essence of the idea, reshape it, remanufacture it, and change it into something classy or colossal. Teams that have the support and encouragement to bring less than polished ideas to the table are able to develop empathy for one another and build on their ideas. This is essential to the creative process, and really, essential to our lives. The effect is that this builds long lasting relationships that result in compassion, belonging, and connection.
How can libraries support creativity and build creative confidence, especially in younger people? The Dude thinks that these ideas are important both for staff/staff relationships, but also for staff/library visitor relationships, even though the nature of this post has been a focus on staff/staff relationships. The Dude is thinking about the staff/visitor connection and will probably explore this more in subsequent blog posts. For today, things might be aptly summed up by Tom Kelley: “Creative confidence is the ability to come up with breakthrough ideas and the courage to act on them.” For more info, take the time to watch the Kelley’s Creative Confidence Talk at Google and the Sir Ken Robinson’s website and TED Talks (“Imagination is the source of all human achievement”). Both are highly recommended. You might even want to incorporate these segments into your weekly or monthly staff meetings, if you have those. Shaka.
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The Data Dude – Surveys, Scooters, and the Soul
Shaka. First, an update on the Digital Inclusion Survey: Thanks to everyone who has completed the survey. We are doing very well, comparatively speaking, with 56 responses so far. I know you all are busy with more important things, so I appreciate your time and effort. Reminder for those who haven’t completed it (and who by happenstance might actually be reading this blog), or who have completed the survey and have not completed the speed test, it will only take you a few minutes, so please help out.
When I started working at the Commission, I was met with a new dilemma: Where to park. I talked to a few people I know who had a more advanced knowledge of the downtown commute situation, and the going rate for parking downtown is around $65/month. That didn’t appeal to me much. My plan for the first week was to park on the street, on the edge of downtown, and walk (about 8 blocks). I enjoyed these walks, even on the days I was running late. This feeling might have been a result of decent weather, but nonetheless, it allowed me time to clear my head and breathe the open air. There is a great benefit to that. However, I continued to listen to others (who strongly cautioned me that walking this longer distance would be more difficult in poor weather and I would regret it); and thus landed a spot in one of the state parking garages at the lower $30/month rate. A number of Commission employees ride bikes to work, and this type of activity, refreshingly, is perfectly acceptable and encouraged here. As much as I would like to ride, it just isn’t practical with my kids and the fact that I live a bit far from downtown.
When I began to reflect on parking in the garage, I decided pretty quickly that I didn’t like it. In fact, I almost instantly hated it. Although it was closer (3 blocks instead of 8), the overall time that it took me was the same (about 12 minutes), when taking into account driving further into the depths of downtown, looping around to the garage, driving up the garage, etc. I decided that I would rather spend this time walking than sitting in the car. Not to mention, many times I forgot where the car was parked, and had to walk around the garage trying to find it.
Solution: Park on the street, enjoy the fresh air, and ride in on a scooter (the human powered one). Walk on bad weather days. On really bad weather days (e.g. the occasional blizzard), pay the $5 to park in the garage next to the commission. I rode my scooter for the first time last week, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I bought a Razor A6 Lux scooter, and park it in the office. If you are ever visiting the Commission and want to take it for a spin, stop in and borrow it. You are welcome to give it a try. Even if you don’t want to ride the scooter, come in anyway for a chat, either about the scooter, surveys, souls, or anything else that is on your mind. Scooter commute time: About 5 minutes. The reason I’m writing about this is for multifold reasons. For one, riding a scooter provides me with the opportunity to connect with nature, results in a relatively quick commute (if necessary–just kick more), and a return to an activity that is reminiscent of the fun most of us experienced when we were younger. Many of us don’t do these kinds of things anymore. It has taken me only a little time to get over what other people think about riding the scooter. I’ve gotten a few looks – but the point is that I’ve worked past worrying what others think (at least when it comes to riding my scooter). I’m hoping that the scooter will be a catalyst for this feeling in other parts of my life.
Recently, I discovered the author Thomas Moore (Dark Nights of the Soul). The circumstances that led to this discovery are multifaceted, complex, coincidental, personal, and painful. It seems to me that the realization and acceptance of Moore’s philosophy is providing me with a formidable alternative (or response) to my own dark struggles with nihilism, purpose, identity, and soul. To acknowledge this provides me with at least some sense of relief, although I’m sure this feeling will come and go, wax and wane over time. I’m beginning to see nihilism for what it is (and ultimately what Nietzsche saw it as): a means to an end rather than an end in itself. It’s refreshing to see it that way. It gives me newfound hope to draw that conclusion; hope of transforming from someone who has related to at least the spirit of the pessimism of the Rust Cohle character from HBO’s True Detective (“It means I’m bad at parties”) to someone who believes he can find a sense of contentedness from within himself and embrace (rather than be consumed by) what Moore calls the dark night. I suppose the scooter may be playing at least some role in this. I am working on another post related to Thomas Moore, the dark night, and how this may relate more to libraries and life, but for today, I will leave you with the following quote from Moore’s Introduction in the book Dark Nights of the Soul so that you might have a bit more depth of understanding what he is talking about and what’s on my mind (you might even want to check the book out from your local library):
“At one time or another, most people go through a period of sadness, trial, loss, frustration, or failure that is so disturbing and long-lasting that it can be called a dark night of the soul. If your main interest in life is health, you may quickly try to overcome the darkness. But if you are looking for meaning, character, and personal substance, you may discover that a dark night has many important gifts for you.”
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The Data Dude – Broadband Blues
For this week, the Dude takes a look at broadband connectivity and download speeds. For Nebraska, the Dude created a map of Nebraska libraries by download speed, with the figures from the most recent public library survey (2012-13 FY). But before we get to that map—-and let’s just be honest, we might not get to it at all, the Dude needs to mention the sleepy little town of Poynette, Wisconsin (population: around 2500). Something tells me this town is the kind of place (much like many parts of rural Nebraska) where a yellow traffic light refreshingly means slow down rather than speed up. Why is Poynette worth mention? Well, recently, on September 24, the library there was selected to receive a boost to their broadband connection as a part of a 4.2 million dollar statewide upgrade that included 350 total libraries. Now, when the Dude read this, his initial thought was that the speed must be in line with some of the fiber connections in parts of Nebraska. The Dude recently talked to a certain Nebraska librarian on the phone about the Digital Inclusion Survey speed test, and the fiber-connected librarian reported download speeds of around 75-80 Mbps. Stick that in your shorts. Poynette’s speed increased from a measly (by comparison) 3.0 to 10 Mbps.
How did we get here, spending copious amounts of hard earned cash on “high speed” connectivity, or “broadband” that, let’s face it, by comparison gets kicked in the same shorts mentioned above by the rest of the world. But first, let’s retract to a definition of “broadband”. According to the FCC, broadband (“high speed”), “may range from as low as 200 kilobits per second (kbps)…to 30 megabits per second (Mbps).” Really? 200 kilobits? According to a nifty download time tool the Dude found, it would take over 9 minutes to download a 1 GB file at the rate of 256 kbps (just over 200 Kbps), while the same file would take 17 seconds on an 8 Mbps connection, 14 seconds on a 10 Mbps connection, and just over 1 second on a 100 Mbps connection. Some Nebraska libraries report speeds in excess of 100 Mbps. Go to the map linked at the outset of this post, uncheck everything at the bottom of the map, and you are left with the 5 libraries that reported those speeds on last year’s survey. And the locations will probably surprise you.
Now, for a little more focus to this rant, or just a little more rant, however you might see it. You all are certainly capable of going to the map, comparing your town with the town next door, and submitting your own “let’s keep up with the Joneses” proposals to increase connectivity, access, and speed. But why care about the bigger picture here; or how is that picture even illustrated? Well, for one, the U.S. lags behind, waaaaay behind, the rest of the world when it comes to “high speed” access. And the reality is that most of us Americans (in general) and American librarians (in particular) care about taking that in the shorts, again. Libraries are supposed to be the leaders when it comes to this sort of stuff, but consider this: The U.S. (subject to debate, of course, like everything else, but in particular the U.S government is likely deserving of the title: Inventor of the Internet[1]) is nowhere near the world leader in connectivity speed. Susan Crawford (author of Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age), summaries this divide by noting that in Hong Kong, a 500 Mbps connection (yeah, you read that right, 500 Mbps!) can be had by consumers for about 25 bucks per month. In Seoul, the same service costs about $30 per month, and you can get connected in just a few days.
Why is this important? Well, the Dude thinks it is because every person should have access to basic services, and in this day and age, speed is as much of a basic service as connectivity. As most librarians know, how can kids do homework, how can a person apply for government benefits, research basic health information, do all the things that fall under the umbrella of information literacy without even basic services. And the kids need that 500 Mbps connection for homework. Well, maybe not exactly, but as things evolve, high connectivity speeds become more and more relevant. Furthermore, the Dude likes to think that the U.S. is just better than that (even in areas where a consumer has the option of something more in line with what they can get in Hong Kong or Seoul—say NYC, they pay a lot more than $30/month), by simply recognizing the value of wanting to download large files in shorter amounts of time, stream HD video, or have HD video conferencing for educational or entertainment purposes. According to Ookla, the U.S. ranks 25th on the current list of connectivity speed (with a national average of 29.85 Mbps and a Nebraska average of 26.8). While that doesn’t sound too bad, consider this: the U.S. is outpaced in speed by Bulgaria, the Aland Islands, Estonia, Latvia, the Republic of Moldova, Andorra, Macau, and Lithuania, and others. The Dude readily admits he has never heard of half of those countries, so it is time to check the map. This may be the part of a multi-post series on this topic, and be patient with the Dude because it may take some time. But for now: Shaka.
[1] For more on the invention of the internet (and the article ties into this blog post appropriately), the Dude highly recommends this article published by Slate by Farhad Manjoo.
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The Data Dude – 2014 Digital Inclusion Survey
Ho-hum. For those of you that are interested in all the mumbo-jumbo of why this survey is important, skip to the next paragraph. If you are busy and have a short attention span like the Dude, read just this first paragraph and spend the time you would have spent reading the rest of this blog post to actually complete the survey. If you are really busy, go to the survey right now. The survey collects data about library roles in digital inclusion (getting haves for the have nots when it comes to technology). The Dude promises it won’t take long for you to do the survey and the Dude would really like it if you did it. The state and National Budget Dudes use this information to (hopefully) make things better for the have nots. The survey also hooks you up to a groovy interactive map, where you can look at demographic, economic, education, and health information for your service area. You can also compare your library’s stats with those in surrounding communities (1, 3, 5, and 10 mile radiuses). Your login code (same as your Bibliostat™ Collect login) is listed on this page (so you don’t even have to track it down), just find it on the page and enter it in the box at the top to begin the survey. Individual branches should also complete the survey. Shaka.
The 2014 Digital Inclusion Survey (second annual) is now available. The survey will explore the digital inclusion roles of public libraries. Digital inclusion addresses the digital divide and digital literacy in a synthetic way. It includes three basic aspects:
- ACCESS: Availability and affordability, including equipment and tools necessary for all persons to obtain access.
- ADOPTION: Technological and digital literacy skill sets that allow the user to utilize the equipment confidently.
- APPLICATION: Use of the access by digital literate individuals in practical applications or relevant circumstances. These include economic, workforce development, education, health, civic engagement, and social connections.
This survey is critically important to provide data supporting the significant contributions public libraries make in developing digitally engaged communities. Please take the time to complete this survey, as the information is valuable both on the state and national level.
The survey is managed by ALA and the University of Maryland Information and Policy and Access Center. Funding comes from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the ALA Office for Information technology Policy (OITP). For more information, visit the University of Maryland, digital inclusion survey website.
If you have lost or forgotten your code, a list of login codes for your particular library is also available (they are the same is your Bibliostat™ Collect login). Note that branch libraries are listed individually; each branch should complete their own survey, if possible. Not doing so means that the useful demographic information for each branch is not available, and answers may vary among branches.
To underscore the importance of this survey, please take a look at last year’s results. The Nebraska page offers an interactive map that is searchable by geographic location or library name. It contains a wealth of specific information, including demographics, economics, education, health, and summary from last year’s survey. If you scroll down, you can see how Nebraska compares to the national averages for technology, digital literacy, and library programs. The site also contains the full national report, as well as a talking points handout.
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The Data Dude – Millennials and Libraries
For this week, the Data Dude looked at the recent Pew Research survey entitled Younger Americans and Public Libraries. Pew broke this down into three different age groups: (1) High schoolers (ages 16-17); (2) College-aged (18-24 – although many do not attend college), and (3) 25-29. The term “Millennial” (for purposes of this study) encompasses all three of these groups. The Dude salutes this group of Millennials, not only for their tech-savviness, innovative thinking, generalized support of libraries, and distrust of “the man”, but because they seem to be getting a lot of other important things right. According to Intelligence Group studies (as reported by Forbes – yes, that’s right, the Dude is citing Forbes) of Millennials:
- 64% of them say it’s a priority to make the world a better place;
- 88% prefer a collaborative work culture rather than a competitive one; and
- 88% want “work-life integration”
OK, the Dude admits that he isn’t exactly certain what is meant by “work-life integration”. It sounds like they might be saying that quality of life is more important than the Camusian like day to day drudgery that many people experience these days. Let’s go with that. The Dude votes thumbs up on this and on making the world a better, more cooperative place. Not that the Dude is lazy or unambitious, because he isn’t. We will label this as the importance of workplace “flexibility” and the ability of society to recognize the value of it. Meaningful thought and creativity can often come outside the hours of 8-5, at the gym, in the can, or on the road. And let’s face it; the world seems to be getting more and more devoid of creativity, empathy, and connectedness. Anyway, enough of this social nonsense, on to the libraries. Here’s the highlights from the Pew Research survey regarding Millennials (those under 30) and libraries:
- 77% have a smartphone
- 62% agree that there is “a lot of useful, important information that is not available” online (my emphasis) – a higher percentage than older adults
- Slightly more than half (57%) said it was easy to separate good information from bad information online (meaning that almost half found it difficult)
- 88% reported reading a book in the past year (compared to 79% of those over 30)
- 43% report reading a book (in any format) on a daily basis (similar to the percentage of older adults)
- 67% (compared to 58% of those over 30) reported reading a book (in any format) at least weekly
- 98% use the internet, and 90% say they use social networking sites
- Of those who reported reading a book in the past year, 47% reported that it was an eBook (compared to 42% of those ages 30-49)
- 61% have a library card
- 57% reported using a library in the past year (compared to 53% of those over 30)
- 36% (compared to 28% of those over 30) reported using a library website in the past year
- Only 19% (compared to 25% of those over 30) reported knowing “all or most” of the services that their library offered
It is encouraging that these results indicate that Millennials recognize the importance of information literacy and are themselves readers. One would tend to think that this translates into their recognition of the value of librarians (or information professionals) and libraries in helping develop this set of important literacy skills. However, merely reading books doesn’t necessarily translate into being a library supporter or a library user. The Dude thinks that the key is in the marketing and packaging of libraries. As this study illustrates (as do many others), the primary challenge is not in potential library users recognizing the value of library services, it’s knowing that those services are even there in the first place. Shaka.
Posted in General, Library Management, Technology
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