High lights from the National Digital Forum, Wellington 29th & 30th November 2011 Friday, Dec 16 2011

Report on National Digital Forum 29 &30^th November 2011

held at Te Papa, Wellington

 What is NDF?  It is a mini conference held each year usually in Wellington. The overall theme is digital projects from within New Zealand and overseas.  The conference participants come from Museums, Libraries, Art Galleries, goverment departments and other organisations which are either creating digital projects (big or small) or are planning to. It is a place that is buzzing with ideas and there is much sharing of information. A continuing theme throughout the conference was that of copyright in the digitisation world “we can’t control what people do with digital content – does it matter”.

 Michael Lascarides, Web Initiatives, New York Public library

New York Public Library is big – they have 26 million visitors a year, the library has 50 million items spread over 90 libraries and they are currently being threatened with budget cuts of $40 million! So you can imagine that its digital projects are big too. Here are some examples:

NYPL Map Warper: a tool for digitally aligning historical maps to today’s maps

http://maps.nypl.org/warper/

 Historic Menus

http://menus.nypl.org/   By digitising old menus so you can study the sort of food available at particular times.

The new user-friendly NYPL catalog will debut in September, but starting on June 20, a test version can be accessed and evaluated by the public (at nypl.bibliocommons.com). Features will include:

• Greatly improved search engine performance
• Personal “shelves” of books and reading lists for users
• The ability to contribute reviews, tags and ratings
• Shared content with the 120 libraries using Bibliocommons (so, for example, a user can read a review of a book from someone in Ottawa or Boston)
• The use Twitter, Facebook, flicker, Foursquare, You tube

Wuseum – a hip hop collection of music, DVDs etc of Wu-Tang clan

Susan Corbett, Victoria University

Collections Online and copyright laws – Is there disconnect

Describes her research of 7 cultural heritage institutions and their digitisation projects – aimed to look at the impact of current copyright law on digitisation and to recommend ways the law could be changed to reflect current practice. The black hole of 20^th & 21^st century content – problems of finding the authors to ask permission, orphan works. Issues of institutions who have taken over copyright of material which was created more tha 50 years ago, e.g. Nelson Museum. Many digitise material to preserve the originals, and to make them more accessible but once on the web, they can be manipulated in many ways. Her recommendations was,  that “Not for Profit” institutions allow multiple copies.

 Kate Woodall, Te Papa (recently joined)

Kate previously worked at Historic Royal Palaces in UK. She is particularly interested in how digital media can be exploited to tell different types of stories to particular audiences – so video storytelling, viral games and online film trailers – to enhance a physical visit to say a museum. Also interested in the different learning styles e.g. Linguistic learner, Visual and spatial, Naturalist, Kinaesthetic,  Interpersonal etc

http://henryviiidressedtokill.viral-game.co.uk/

http://henryviiheadsandhearts.viral-game.co.uk

http://www.enchantedpalace.org

 Lucinda Blaser, Digital Project Manager, National Maritime Museum, UK

Lucinda talked about institutions being afraid to start digitisations projects because their “data” is incomplete or maybe inaccurate or problems with time, money, or work hours.  Her solution is to encourage the public to contribute, edit and comment.  Recently went into partnership with Wikipedia to compile old weather records taken from 20,000 ship logs from 1500-1970. A great way to track climate change – initially of interest to scientists but also historians and genealogists.

http://collections.nmm.ac.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Ships

 Chris McDowall, Technical Lead, DigitalNZ

Helping to make New Zealand Digital content easy find, share and use

http://www.digitalnz.org/

 One of Digital NZ annual events is the mix and mash competition.

http://www.mixandmash.org.nz/2011-winners/

Entries contain content which is “borrowed” from many sources to make a new item. e.g.

http://www.mixandmash.org.nz/2011-winners/student-prize—marsden-collegiate/

http://www.mixandmash.org.nz/2011-winners/digital-story/

 Andy Neale Digital NZ – The nasty truth about content and data sharing

Talked about digital re-use – people “search and find” in order to use, reproduce, blend , destroy.  Digital material is a commodity e.g. Facebook and  Flickr. Most people don’t care about copyright.

If material is out of copyright it should be marked as such. If it is in copyright – there are legal ways to obtain and use it. People will use these ways if it is “convenient”

e.g.

http://www.historypin.com/

Contains old photos from around the world – take a map and “pin” photos on it , digitally. At this site you can search by time or place.

 History in the making – creating a Digital Archives of Canterbury Earthquakes

A collaborative project: Jamie Mackay Ministry of Culture & Heritage, James Smithies Canterbury University, Moira Fraser & Ross Becker (Ross Becker Photography), and Guy Field, Christchurch City Libraries

Photos, stories, tweets and texts. Sound images and video creating a living memorial of one of the most significant events in New Zealand history. Much of this ongoing project is at:

http://ketechristchurch.peoplesnetworknz.info/

 Social media under Spotlight: Two case studies

 New Zealand On screen http://nzonscreen.com

Online showcase of NZ Television, film, music

Real New Zealand Festival  http:www.realnzfestival.com

Which ran along side the Rugby World Cup giving all sorts of information around NZ on what was on where – using Twitter and Facebook, blog, 4square and YouTube. Over 100 events which ran from May – Sept 2011.

 Cathy Vaughan, December 2011

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The Postcards of Annie Jessop Wednesday, Nov 2 2011

This month the display shelves at the Richmond Library are home to a collection of postcards from the early 1900s. The postcards are onloan to us from John Dearing and he has kindly put the display together for us. John is Vice President of the Waimea South Historical Society.

John also lent us some other items for the display, such as ink pots,pens, quills, seals and letter weights.  

 The postcards are all written by or  to Annie Jessop. She was a teacher at Wakefield School from about 1906-1909.

The following postcard was sent to Annie with a message reading ”With best wishes, are you going home on Saturday? Let me know, love Hugh”  The kind of communication that we’d use a text message today

 

The photograph below shows some of the postcard collection on display at the library, as well as the Wakefield School rolls for the period, which are part of the permanent Waimea South Collection.  

The Collection Services team have been busy cataloguing the books in the Waimea South Collection,  as you will be able to see on the library catalogue. The cabinets in the collection are jam-packed full of interesting ephemera, shop ledgers, school rolls and even small pox vaccination records. Have a look next time you visit Richmond

Thanks,

Louise

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Kotui – introduction to EDS Monday, Oct 10 2011

A summary of what and how the Ebsco Discovery Layer will loolk and work.

It is part of the upcoming Kotui training package, and it will be good to have a few sessions watching so that you are more familiar with it.

The Ebsco discovery layer will replace our current OPACs so you can see how much more people will be able to do than just look at our catalogue.

EDS – Discovery September 18 2011

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Reference and Information Skills Today Workshop Overview Monday, Sep 26 2011

In August a number of library staff attended a Reference and Information Skills Today workshop at Nelson Library. It was run by LIANZA and presented by Lucy Broadbent from Turitea Library (Massey University) and Christine Chambers from Auckland Libraries.

Here are some of the key messages:

“The reference interview is a structured conversation between a librarian and a library user, in which the librarian responds to the user’s initial explanation of his or her information need by first attempting to clarify that need and then by directing the user to appropriate information resources.” (Wikipedia)

Aim of Information Services

You are the intermediary between complicated library systems and the customer, an interaction with a customer should enable them to

• Increase their knowledge and skills
• Gain confidence
• Become independent and self-sufficient
• Feel comfortable coming back again
• Have a positive experience
• Get the information they are looking for, if it’s available

Challenges to a successful outcome

Customers have challenges which prohibit them finding the information they need and minimise the effectiveness of the Reference interview. These include:

• Language difficulties
• Embarrassment /intimidation/anxiety
• Misconceptions of the library, what resources it has & what staff do
• They don’t actually know what they want, or are looking for
• Previous bad experiences with library staff or libraries (school!)
• Preconceived beliefs – you can’t help me.
• The system is too complicated, or too involved. It’s easier not to bother; the value of the information is outweighed by the process.
• Convenience – it’s easier just to use Google rather than having to go to the library, quality isn’t as important as convenience.
• Selective exposure, they only want information which will back up their beliefs, not the best information

Our Goal

• To improve reference accuracy
• To help customers overcome their challenges
• To increase our value in the customer’s eyes
• To ensure we are consulted more often by information-seekers when they need help

How we do this

Use appropriate questing techniques

• How – can I help you?
• Where – have you looked already?
• When – do you need this by?
• Why – do you need this information?
• Who –are you?
• What – content do you want?

Using the above questions Identify the real information need

• Amount needed – A paragraph, a page, a number of books or articles
• Level – introductory, advanced, for a child, for an expert in the field, etc
• Date limits –current data, 1700 century, need immediately, etc
• Format preference – print, electronic, article, book, etc

Map the Information need with all available resources

• Library collection – books, magazines, pamphlets, talking books, subscription databases, etc,
• Internet, e-journals, other online databases and resources
• Resources in other libraries and agencies – interloans, refer to other agency such as the Council.

Know when to pass a query on to an agency which will provide a better level of service.

Follow up

• Ensure the information need has really been met, ask the customer and watch their body language for any indication it’s not what they needed.
• Follow up with any unresolved queries
• Pass your knowledge on to other staff

Create a Welcoming Positive Impression

It is vitally important that you create a welcoming environment for the customer and that they go away feeling that the encounter was a positive experience for them.

If this is the case:
• the reference interview is much more likely to be successful
• the customer will use your services again
• The customer will have a positive view of the library as a whole.

How to create a positive environment
• Smile and greet customers when you see them – obvious but not always done!
• Listen to what they have to say
• Use body language and eye contact, tone of voice and facial expressions (non-verbal skills) to show that you are interested in what they have to say
• Focus on the customer you are helping, put other distractions aside, don’t answer the phone or attempt to help other customers when you are helping a customer
• Avoid jargon
• Follow up on unresolved questions

Good Layout /Physical Environment

Customers need to know where they can get help without being told. A good layout will encourage customers to use the service while a bad one will keep them away.

• Place Information Desks in easy to find spots, in line of sight, and in places where they are most useful to customers, where there is the greatest need

• Clearly identify them so customers know what they are there for.

You Are Here to Help the Customer

Customers need to know that the Information Desk and staff are there for the purpose of helping them. Customers will only feel confident approaching you if you look like you want to help them.

• Don’t read a book or do other work at the Information Desk, you are there only to help the customer, not to catch up on other work.
• Typing, staring at a computer screen, or having your head down over other work, or shuffling piles of paper says to the customer “Go away I’m busy”.
• Let the customer know they are not interrupting you, that you are there to help them.
• Some customers needing help will not approach the Information Desk because they are too intimidated. You will have to approach them instead.
• If you aren’t helping a customer look for a customer who might need your help

Important skill sets needed for a positive customer experience

Soft Skills (the people skills) can’t be taught they are innate and are crucial to a positive customer experience. They are the most important skill set for a reference librarian. Hard skills such as research skills can be taught.

Soft skills include:
• Personality – outgoing, friendly, enjoys meeting new people
• Public service attitude
• Empathy, and patience – the human element of service delivery
• Adaptability – ability to deal with change, adjustment
• Teaching ability
• Communication and Listening skills
• Leadership – work well with others and shares knowledge with others
• Passion, excitement, commitment

Meet the customer where they are

It is an effort for customers to come to or contact the library; you need to make it less of an effort for them

Make use of Facebook, Twitter, IM and other popular platforms to meet the customer where they are.

But be aware that answering queries via email, instant messaging or over the phone is quite different from face to face queries and requires quite different skill sets

• Answering queries via IM requires an awareness of common abbreviations fast typing, etc
• Turnaround times are different – expectations of instant response,
• Consider screen sharing and other tools (screen sharing means you can show the customer at home how to navigate a website etc)

Often what librarians think customers value and need in a library service is quite different from what customers actually value and need. Make sure you’re providing the service your community really wants, not the service you want to provide

Some YouTube Resources on Reference Interviews

The not so good reference interview – 2.5 minutes: 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Niac-sIGd8g

Staff from Auckland City Libraries demonstrate a reference interview, 2.3 minutes:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=coLWNp64rZo

Thanks,

Louise

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‘Awhina’s People’ launched @ Takaka Friday, Jun 24 2011

on Monday July 20th Suanne Clark launched her book ‘Awhina’s People’ here at the Takaka Library. 

Approxamatly 60 people came along to munch on the wonderful nibbles, provided by Suzanne, and to hear about why and how she wrote this book.  By the end of the hour it was standing room only as they were treated to an exert read from the book. 

Wonderful nibbles

The scene as the event area beings to fill up.

 It was a most enjoyable event and the library staff got to feast on some of the leftovers.

Diane

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Motueka Library Book Quiz Tuesday, May 31 2011

Motueka South Curious Cobras

A wicked pirate captain and a ‘unsuspecting’ damsel

Jubliant winners the Mapua Radical Readers

Motueka Library held its second annual book quiz for year 5 & 6 students. Eighty-four students from 12 Motueka/Moutere schools participated in the quiz on Wednesday 25th May. It was a fantastic few hours which started with a costume parade. Many teams dressed up. There were a lot of pirates, also kiwis, mermaids, Pippi Longstocking and friends, Harry Potter, Cool Cats, Mad Monkeys, Novel Nerds, ballerinas, knights, princesses, a horse, mice and more. The parade was followed by a muffin and a juice which was kindly donated by Motueka New World. New World manager Shelley Miller judged and presented the prizes for Best Costumes, which included Motueka State Cinema vouchers, Warehouse vouchers and Toad Hall ice-cream vouchers.

The quiz consisted of four rounds of ten questions each. Three rounds were based on NZ Post Children award finalists, Finnigan and the pirates by Sherryl Jordan, The Haystack by Jack Lasenby, and Sensational Survivors by Sandra Morris. The fourth round was based on popular series books and famous authors. We had a vote for the favourite book and interestingly, it was fairly even. Winners of spot questions between the rounds won books that had been donated by publishers, Random House, Scholastic and Hachette.

Local English/Drama teacher Bashan King was a fabulous Quiz Master for the event. A superb group of Motueka High School students helped with marking, time-keeping and (thankfully) tidying up.

The winners were Mapua Radical Readers scoring a most impressive 39/40!!! And they were also the winners last year. Runner up was another Mapua team, the Novel Nerds and close behind in third place was Motueka South Curious Cobras. 1st and 2nd place winners received giftcards from TakeNote Motueka.

All the participants received a video voucher thanks to the wonderful generosity of Motueka Video Ezy.

Quiz Master Bashan King and Mrs Dainty (aka Sue)

It was a very successful event and would not be possible without the help and support of all the staff here at Motueka, so a big thank you from me.

More wonderful photos are available for viewing on the librarydrive/Motueka Library/Photos/Motueka Book Quiz 2011

Mary

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Belated Royal Wedding Photos Tuesday, May 31 2011

Better late than never!

 

Glamorous Librarians

Darlings, a glass of champagne?

A fun day was had by all.

Mary

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NZ Youth Week celebrated musically at Richmond Library Monday, May 30 2011

NZ YOUth Week 2011 was celebrated at Richmond Library through musical performances from Waimea College music students.

Jacob Peters, Year 12, performing a toned down version of Living on Prayer by Bon Jovi

This years YOUth Week theme was ‘STEP UP, Be heard, Take responsibility, Be YOUth’. To give local youth an opportunity to achieve this, Waimea College music students were invited to take on the challenge of performing live in the library. This coincided nicely with the last week of NZ Music Month.

The event was coordinated and organised through Chris Burcin, HOD Music, and Trish Sullivan, Arts Co-ordinator at Waimea College. Trish pulled together a group of six talented, young male musician’s (Year 10 and 12′s) who were keen to perform at Richmond Library.

Customers were entertained for 45 minutes with songs from John Lennon, Bon Jovi, Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin, Metallica along with a couple of classical pieces.

Paul McConachie, from the TDC, kindly supplied and setup a sound system for the group to use so the music could easily be heard throughout the library. The Tasman Youth Council kindly donated Richmond Mall vouchers to give to the performers.

See the write-up on Jamonline.co.nz 
~ Heather

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A Date with Meg Rosoff Wednesday, May 25 2011

On the 9th May Richmond Library was very fortunate to have award winning UK young adult author, Meg Rosoff, speak to a crowd of about 38 people. We had fantastic turnout of approximately 20 teens from local colleges and intermediates from the Tasman and Nelson district attend. Mary Butler from Motueka Library and Anne Scaife from Motueka High School Library brought over a large group from Motueka High School.

 

Lucy Brunwin, Children’s and Young Adults Librarian, introduced Meg to the group. Meg spoke for about 45 minutes about her life, writing and answered some tricky questions at the end. One lucky young lady took away an autographed copy of Meg’s first young adult novel ‘How I live now’ as a spot prize.

 

Great publicity from the Nelson Mail: www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/4975014/Of-love-life-and-a-special-date

Thoughtful questions from Motueka High School students

 ~ Heather

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Getting Hands On at Richmond Library Friday, May 20 2011

Three fun and quite different Hands On workshops were held at Richmond Library during the April School holidays.

Card Making and Box Decorating Workshop
Our very own Helen Holmes, with assistance from her daughter Carissa, ran a very popuplar Card Making and Box Decorating Workshop. Nine girls aged between 10 and 12 had their heads down creating for 2 hours solid. The workshop was just in time for Mothers Day.

The girls learnt how to make paper flowers and  decorate boxes with brightly coloured papers. The second project saw the girls learn how to create special cards using clever paper folding techniques.

Introduction to Coffee Creations
Steph Drewery from Miles of Coffee taught ten very eager teens the wonderful art of coffee making. Students from Waimea, Garin and Nelson Boys College attended the introductory workshop and learnt how to create a flat white. I think they found it a lot harder than they thought it would be! The workshop was open to 14 – 18 year olds and was a good opportunity for the teens to gain new skills for future employment and have a bit of fun in the library at the same time.

 Band Jam
The Band Jam in the Imaginarium was well booked ahead of time but two people didn’t turn up on the day so numbers were lower than expected. The two young adults from Waimea Intermediate and Henely that attended the workshop with Paul McConachie recorded a couple of lively songs together using GarageBand.

 ~ Heather

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