Last week in class, we discussed a couple of different library issues in an ethical context and hashed out the details of our one-shot workshops for this upcoming week.
The issues we discussed in class were, hypothetically, how to deal with the recent ebook price hike, and the possibility of putting ads on the back of Toronto's public library's date due slips. One thing that came up in the first discussion was whether and how to share this development in the ongoing ebook struggle with your patrons. So many libraries have blogs now, could they include a "News from LibraryLand" category? Would that come off as whiny? Do patrons want to know? I mean, public libraries are largely publicly funded, so do we have an obligation to our patrons to notify them of major changes that will affect how we spend that money? It's undeniable that budgetary information should be available, but how specific should we be? I believe strongly that most public library patrons would care about what's happening behind the scenes, so why is that information not promoted? I mean, yeah, there are librarian blogs all over the place, but the library web site outside of catalog functionality seems (from my limited experience) to be mostly a promotional and PR tool rather than a place to learn about library issues. Maybe I'm just looking at the wrong library web sites?
That's the main thing that's been bouncing around in my head since class.
Side note: When I started applying to library schools, I started trying to be more aware of issues in LibraryLand. One of the things I found then was (I'm sure you can guess what it was. Last year, uproar in LL?) Harper Collins' 26 circulation cap on ebooks. Of course, I just wanted to discuss this with everybody I knew. So I did. Many of these people were longtime public library users. I don't think a single one of them knew anything about it, and they universally reacted with surprise and consternation, prompting some very interesting discussions.
Do you really think the average public library patron would care that strongly about what goes on behind the scenes at the library? Even if they might be interested when you tell them, would patrons care enough to do anything about it or help the library in some way? I'm not sure most of them would even want to know.
ReplyDeleteI had the same experience with a friend of mine last week when I was talking about e-books. There is clearly not enough information out there in places that users regularly come across.
ReplyDeleteI have one idea that will maybe sound a little less whiny than a blog. Maybe instead of first person, emotive blogging, it would seem more professional to create more "newsy" articles available through the library website that link to more resources on a certain topic, like ebook price hikes.
I wonder, too, if something like a simple brochure -- "How are we dealing with eBooks?" -- would get the news out to those who were interested and not to those who weren't. Patrons often make assumptions about a library based on what they see (or don't) on the shelves. If we have a very small eBook collection, a patron may assume that we are stingy or paper-bound. Would some proactive sharing of information help that misconception?
ReplyDeleteWe talked about #hcod last year in this class, and I remember feeling like you did. We were pretty incensed about it on campus, but no patron cared or noticed at all at my suburban library. It was kinda surreal.
i agree with sharrona that most patrons couldn't care less about what goes on behind the scenes at the library, but i think that you are right that it might be important to inform the public as to why the library can't meet their ebook needs. maybe a pathfinder on the website with links to articles about ebooks and libraries or a nifty infographic/poster that explains the ebook debacle. i just worry that if librarians get too in-their-patrons'-faces about this issue, then we are making it more about the library and less about serving patrons.
ReplyDeleteI like your idea about making the library website more than just a PR site. I think that while Sharona is right I also think that perhaps this is because people don't realize how much the library can be a major part of their community. Parents care deeply about school funding. Perhaps if libraries demonstrate what would happen without a library, community members might become more engaged.
ReplyDeleteI think it's definitely within the scope of providing good service to patrons for a library to inform its users about outside actions that are affecting the provision of said service, like ebook price hikes. This is especially important for public libraries, which are directly beholden to taxpayers for their very existence.
ReplyDeleteThe question becomes how to get this information across. A blog post, like you suggest? A brochure, like Kristin says? Naomi suggests articles, Shauna says maybe pathfinders on a website. I think the answer is out there somewhere. My proposal would be to try a variety of approaches and see what people actually respond to. I would probably try to front-page some sort of special feature on the library's website-- something people will see when they go there-- that says "A word about ebooks" or something like that. This could lead to a very carefully-worded, well-thought-out, as non-whiny sounding as possible statement from the library on the ebook situation and how it affects the local library, and what the library can do/is doing in response.
This may not work either. I think the best thing would be for a library to consider, "If we really want to get information out to our patrons, what's the best way to do it?" and use that approach.