Some libraries are trying very hard to market their services better... Sure, we've got free books, DVDs, CDs, sweet databases of journal/magazine full-text articles, etc but a lot of libraries are offering other services like tech-classes (how to start doing podcasting or videoblogging for example).

The problem, as this article points out, is that when anyone thinks "Library" they automatically think "Book." I do too, and I'm studying to be a librarian! There's a big conversation going on in the library blogosphere about changing our image and doing better (and more) marketing of existing services.

But we also want to get feedback and patron input (that's what web 2.0 is all about, right...

Some libraries are trying very hard to market their services better... Sure, we've got free books, DVDs, CDs, sweet databases of journal/magazine full-text articles, etc but a lot of libraries are offering other services like tech-classes (how to start doing podcasting or videoblogging for example).

The problem, as this article points out, is that when anyone thinks "Library" they automatically think "Book." I do too, and I'm studying to be a librarian! There's a big conversation going on in the library blogosphere about changing our image and doing better (and more) marketing of existing services.

But we also want to get feedback and patron input (that's what web 2.0 is all about, right?) on what services they'd like us to offer and what's just not working for them... so there's lots of areas for improvement.

I've only been on clipmarks for about 24 hours now... I'm enjoying it a lot because it helps me keep track of the info I read and show others what I've found relevant in my readings. And of course, I can always go back and re-read the whole article (hopefully, if it still exists on the internet) if I need to put my clips in context.

A lot of folks consider the internet to be the Library of the future. My reservation with this is that libraries were always in the business of connecting users with vetted/reliable information, rather than just everything there was available on Topic X. I still think this is an important service to provide, especially when it comes to searching for articles on...

I've only been on clipmarks for about 24 hours now... I'm enjoying it a lot because it helps me keep track of the info I read and show others what I've found relevant in my readings. And of course, I can always go back and re-read the whole article (hopefully, if it still exists on the internet) if I need to put my clips in context.

A lot of folks consider the internet to be the Library of the future. My reservation with this is that libraries were always in the business of connecting users with vetted/reliable information, rather than just everything there was available on Topic X. I still think this is an important service to provide, especially when it comes to searching for articles on health and wellness, legal issues, etc where inaccurate information could cause serious problems. A lot of information, especially in professional journals, is only available at a price online. Libraries usually have user-contracts with journals to provide access to content for their users at no charge.

The university libraries I have frequented over the years have changed over time from being sources of books and hard copies of journals to becoming sources for journals and online articles available only via paid subscriptions. These days few people seem to use or appreciate the books there.

The small public library I use now appears to emphasize computers over books. I have yet to see anyone actually reading or browsing books there. In fact, most of the books I have checked out over the past six months show by their date stamp that I'm the first person to check them out in many years. It's sad. The library staff is desperately trying to woo the town's teenagers and small children to get ...

The university libraries I have frequented over the years have changed over time from being sources of books and hard copies of journals to becoming sources for journals and online articles available only via paid subscriptions. These days few people seem to use or appreciate the books there.

The small public library I use now appears to emphasize computers over books. I have yet to see anyone actually reading or browsing books there. In fact, most of the books I have checked out over the past six months show by their date stamp that I'm the first person to check them out in many years. It's sad. The library staff is desperately trying to woo the town's teenagers and small children to get them to come to the library to use the computers, not to read the books. Unfortunately the library staff doesn't appear to be teaching people how to use the Internet to find reliable sources of information. I'm not sure that they are even trained to do so themselves. None of them has official training in library sciences. They are more worried about keeping up the head count to justify town monies being spent to keep the library open. Once a week there is a half-hour storytime for the small children, who receive a toy for attending. I was horrified to hear one of the library staff members call out to a young child entering the library with his dad, "Look at the new game we put on the computer!" Which he did.

Recently I joined the Friends of the Library group (there are about fourteen of us, all women) to see if this may be a way to support, and have a positive influence on, the local library. So far our contribution has been to raise funds and buy a few books that we feel should be available in the library. Being a newbie here I haven't yet raised the issue of library computer research, but that is foremost on my mind these days when I'm in the library or meeting with Friends of the Library. I would appreciate any suggestions you might have for improving the situation here.

@gigimbre - my heart goes out to you. Don't give up hope... people still read books! You can tell it by the popularity of Barnes & Noble and Borders. I love electronic databases, and there's a lot of merit to simply getting warm bodies in the door because once they're there, they can see what else the library can offer them. But if no attempt is made to help them make that connection it will never happen.

Since I am no expert at this (yet!) might I make a book recommendation? I'm reading a book called Creating the Customer-Driven Library: Building on the Bookstore Model by Jeannette A. Woodward. It's a short paperback, but it has some of the most densely exiting ideas about changing the w...

@gigimbre - my heart goes out to you. Don't give up hope... people still read books! You can tell it by the popularity of Barnes & Noble and Borders. I love electronic databases, and there's a lot of merit to simply getting warm bodies in the door because once they're there, they can see what else the library can offer them. But if no attempt is made to help them make that connection it will never happen.

Since I am no expert at this (yet!) might I make a book recommendation? I'm reading a book called Creating the Customer-Driven Library: Building on the Bookstore Model by Jeannette A. Woodward. It's a short paperback, but it has some of the most densely exiting ideas about changing the way libraries present themselves and their books. Not jargony or technical at all... she just compares traditional library service offerings to the way bookstores present them.

As far as teaching people how to be critical thinkers when it comes to internet information, that's a much bigger task. I just learned about a simple strategy called The Big Six that can help simplify the teaching process so patrons can become more adept and critical of the information they find on the web (or anywhere for that matter). They're at www.big6.com (click on "overview").

I hope those are at least a little helpful.

I read about 2 books online (ebooks) to every one that I read 'in-hand'. I read 50 times more information on the web than I do in-hand. I personally have not visited a library in ages but my wife has 4 books checked out right now- She and the kids go to the 'Community Center' (library) about once a week or so.
Journalists have the habit of 'tainting' the story to their opinions. I like reading the web because I can see multiple stories on the same subject. I can filter out the crap and get a better, truer version of the subject by reading what has not been embellished. The library is only going to offer a limited number of stories on a subject.
Part of understanding a subject fully is under...

I read about 2 books online (ebooks) to every one that I read 'in-hand'. I read 50 times more information on the web than I do in-hand. I personally have not visited a library in ages but my wife has 4 books checked out right now- She and the kids go to the 'Community Center' (library) about once a week or so.
Journalists have the habit of 'tainting' the story to their opinions. I like reading the web because I can see multiple stories on the same subject. I can filter out the crap and get a better, truer version of the subject by reading what has not been embellished. The library is only going to offer a limited number of stories on a subject.
Part of understanding a subject fully is understanding how people are affected by it. The more you read, even the 'off-the-wall' stuff, can help you understand the impact of the subject. I just feel that libraries in 'hand' limit that confluence of ideas.