March 17, 2011

Agenda AskAway and Teens Wisconsin Update Spanish Language chat AskAway basics AskAway.info Library Day Coverage reminder PR committee AskAway wiki LSTA survey results and impact of funding challenges

Providing the Best Service to a Problematic Group

Content Common Problems Statistics What Teens Need and Like What We Can Do Conclusion

Common Problems Will you do this for me? NOW NOW NOW NOW! Ridiculous questions

Common Problems I need this worksheet about the ocean that my science teacher gave me Inappropriate messages FMTYEWTK Translation: far more than you ever wanted to know

Problems are a result of… Being bored Being disinterested in required work Not understanding what this service is for Not caring what the service is for Being silly

Remember Not all teens are problem teens To ignore teens is a disservice to our community and to the AskAway service

Teen Statistics Perceptions of Libraries, 2010 (14-17 year olds) 75% have a library card 82% believe the librarian adds value to the search process 76% are satisfied with overall experience with librarian 62% use ask-an-expert site Average 3,339 texts per month

Teen Statistics Perceptions of Libraries, 2010 (18-24 year olds) 76% believe the librarian adds value to search process 89% are satisfied with overall experience with librarian 54% have used the library website 350% growth in using ask-an-expert site

Teen Statistics Perceptions of Libraries, 2010 Top Requests from Teens (14-24 year olds) Increase customer service Extend hours Add or update services Make services available online

What Do Statistics Tell Us? Teens use libraries Teens are tech savvy Teens have questions that need to be addressed We can help

What Teens Need Assistance with ideas they don’t understand Helpful suggestions about where to search for information Instructions on how to perform searches Follow up with more detailed information Someone to speak their language Sometimes a strong hand Don’t be afraid to kick off an inappropriate user

What Teens Like Fast Fun Accurate Cool No deviation from the normal routine Newest and most up to date version

What Teens Like and Need Teens aren’t really different from our regular patrons

What We Can Do Be patient Think smart not hard Use one of the cool Qwidgets on multiple library pages that teens access Homework Help Reading Lists Teen Advisory Pages

What We Can Do Brush up on your texting abbreviations Follow up if provided Have fun and avoid “Annoyed Librarian” tone Ask patron to refer service to his/her friends

What We Can Do Advertise on Social Media Facebook Twitter Youtube Make videos Animoto

Facebook Create a teen page Book reviews Events at the library Qwidget Answers to FAQ Direct teens to AskAway Page

Twitter Faster and more streamlined Messages sent directly to cell phones Connect to Facebook for easy updates

Animoto Free 6 month trial to education organizations Add music to your presentation Directly uploaded to Youtube, post on Facebook, or share on twitter.

Conclusion Teens are under a lot of stress We aren’t seeing the best side of those we are serving Questions from teens can be fun Try reading a YA novel from time to time Change the radio from NPR to a pop station from time to time

Conclusion Teens are patrons too You don’t have to like it, but it’s illegal (discrimination) to ignore Teens are the future of the library

¡Pregúntanos! Spanish Queue LIVE NOW Thanks to Milwaukee and Menasha public libraries and to Edgewood college library for their help and support! Statistics will be shared next month Outreach to community groups will begin next month

AskAway Basics Webinar Reviews components of AskAway chat and 1 st Thursday of the month at 10am Presented by RL3 (though others are welcome to present!) Check out wiki for links to the Live Meeting sessions.

AskAway.info Beginning the process of updated the page New logo ideas What would you like to see in the website Contact

Your Library Day April 11 th, 2011 If one of your patrons uses AskAway A press release will be sent to your local library You will receive a certificate indicating the library’s importance to the community Video, press release, and flyer on Wiki

Coverage Reminder to cover the times you volunteered to cover If you need to change the time you are scheduled, please do so on the Wiki

Public Relations Committee Get on board with events and planning! Once a month, one hour meetings on the 1 st Wednesday of the month Contact Martha Berninger if you want to participate

Wiki Has been recently updated (by Kara) Check it out and report if links are broken or if the information is incomplete It is a great source of information PR plans Upcoming events Best Practice information

Funding challenges and ramifications on AskAway Public library participation is funded entirely by LSTA grant Staffing by RL3 is funded by LSTA and state funds Academic library participation is funded by the schools themselves LSTA grants will almost certainly be reduced State funding is also being reduced by a total of 10%

LSTA 5 year survey results RankTopicRankTopicRankTopicRankTopic 1 Broadband connections15 State Document Digital Archive29 Statewide library access project43 Statewide visioning planning summit 2 Statewide intersystem delivery16 Web portal for state government30 Retrofitting doors with electronic openers44 School Media staffing summit and follow-up activities 3 Wireless connections in local libraries17 Coordination of the statewide summer reading program31 Federated searching45 WISCAT training, documentation and technical support 4 System-level technology projects18 Public library data collection web form32 ILL services at RL&LL46 Reference services at RL&LL 5 BadgerLink staff19 Library development training projects33 Management of Wisconsin State Document Depository Program 47 State level 24x7 virtual reference (AskAway) 6 Public libraries joining shared systems20 People with sensory and mobility disabilities34 Resources for Libraries and Lifelong Learning ( RL&LL) state level technology services 48 Patron initiated ILL through WISCAT 7 State level leadership, development and improvement of public library service 21 State level technology consultant services/workshops35 Accessible aids (e.g. wheelchairs, walkers, magnification devices, sound systems) 49 Maintenance of RL&LL collection 8 Public library economic impact study22 Interlibrary Loan (ILL) management system of WISCAT36 Library services in detention facilities, jails, and prisons50 Health information and awareness projects 9 Job searching and support projects23 Local digitization projects37 State consultant services for youth/workshops51 Physical union catalog part of WISCAT 10 Adult and family literacy projects24 "Found in Wisconsin" (database of digital resources in Wisconsin)38 Virtual catalog part of WISCAT52 Method of downloading MARC records through WISCAT 11 Early learning projects25 E-book Summit (2011)39 State level consultant services for persons with special needs/workshops 53 COLAND meetings and travel costs 12 Adolescent literacy initiative26 Adaptive accessible computer workstations40 Web conferencing software 13 Learning Express database statewide license27 Interface of WISCAT and OCLC for ILL purposes41 Multi-type planning and collaboration projects 14 Innovative use and enhanced uses of technology projects 28 Overall WISCAT program42 School library shared systems

What does this mean? LSTA committee meeting mid-April will review the survey and recommend changes to grants QuestionPoint administrators will be consulted before any decisions are made (dates and times to be determined) Administrators, librarians and patrons who want to provide input should contact Martha Berninger Supporters may wish to consider addressing LSTA when it meets mid-April AskAway is funded through the end of 2011

What happens next? Changes will very likely be made to AskAway QuestionPoint has been asked for options to reduce service cost Magnitude of changes isn’t known This doesn’t have to mean the end of AskAway or virtual reference in Wisconsin