Quick Access Kiosk

It's been awhile in the making, but I couldn't be more thrilled to see the results. This week, all of our branch locations will be coming up on the new Quick Access kiosk, which is designed to overlay on top of all our dedicated branch catalog PCs and centralize several key functions (library card sign-up, easy access to electronic resources, my account, etc) for our customers.

What I love about the kiosk is not only it's design and strong alignment with our other marketing materials, but it's also customized to deliver branch specific information (control by script that detects the IP range assigned to the location) to highlight upcoming programs and hours of operation. It also utilizes this script to display a friendly face from member that works in that branch. :)

Here's a preview of the Shepard branch kiosk. To see what the versions look like, check out this Flickr set.



A huge thank you to Mike, Limin, Macrina and the all the members of the DS & CRD teams who pulled together on this one. The results look amazing!

QR Tags & Concept Leadership

Concept leadership is one of areas that my department, Digital Services, tries to focus on. It’s important for us to continuously keep on top of new and emerging technologies and explore ways that the library and our customers can benefit from them.

QR tags is a technology that has actually been around for a few years. But until the mass adoption of smartphones with cameras, there wasn’t a dominant market yet for their use. When we launched our mobile text-based catalog early this spring we began to think of ways that we could use technology to market it smartly. QR tags seemed like a natural choice, since they are specifically designed for mobile devices. While we’re still playing with this idea some and refining the concept, the idea of placing QR tags in strategically defined places within the library on informational signs does seem to have a lot of merit. Not only does it have the potential to introduce the public to a new technology, it also tells those who are already tech savvy and familiar with mobile QR tags that the library has a mobile catalog.

For those that are not familiar with how QR tags work, here’s a short overview and a video demonstration.

A QR (Quick response) code/tag is two dimensional matrix barcode that can be read by any QR tag reader (ie. Software). The software to read tags is loaded on mobile phone devices that also have camera phone capability , so that when you snap a photo image that contains the tag it automatically launches the reader, reads the tag and redirects you to a website that has been attached or associated with the matrix code.
QR tags come in several forms, the square matrix kind being the most popular. For our tag for the mobile catalog, we choose to create a bee tagg, because it gave us space within the matrix code area to include our logo.

If you want to try out the tag with your mobile device, you’ll need to install a QR code reader. We recommend the BeeTagg Mutlicode reader, because it works with all types of QR codes and also on both iPhones and other popular smartphone devices.

If you want to create your own QR bee tagg, it’s simple and free. Take a look at QR tags and think about the notion of concept leadership. You don’t have to fully implement an idea to develop and test it. You just have to be willing to do the leg work and try. :)


PS: Thanks Jodi and Business Apps for taking the leadership on this one.

Many Stories from Many Voices

Most libraries and organizations produce an annual report highlighting the accomplishments of the previous year. This year, we've decided to scrap the paper and just go digital, as both a cost cutting measure and in support of "green". I think the results are pretty effective and engaging...



CML Annual Report - Many Stories from Many Voices

PS: Congrats CR&D

Why I jumped

I know that some staff have heard me say this before, but in seeing this video this week, it reminded me that I've never really blog about it.

Over the past year I've had many people ask me why after so many great years at PLCMC I decided to make the jump to Columbus Metropolitan Library? The truth is that CML's Homework Help Centers left such an huge impression on me when I visited in Sept 07 to give a talk to staff, that I flew back to Charlotte thinking "Wow, this is a library system that knows how to really dive deep (not just delivered stretched and shallow service) and put their resources behind the highest needs of the community."

During my quick two-hour tour of the branches (that's all my flight schedule at the time would allow) that fall, I visited Linden, Northern Lights, New Albany and Gahanna and was blown away by the over flowing (& I mean packed - just like in the vid below) by the number of kids seeking assistance from volunteers and paid HHC coordinators at the Linden & Northern Lights Homework Help Centers. I know that the staff that work at these locations can easily vouch for the standing-room-only status in the library once school gets out, but it's wonderful to see and hear the appreciation from the kids themselves about this most treasured service.



In January, we dove deep again. This time by meeting a pressing community need again and repositioning all branch location's Homework Help space into Job Help Centers from 9-3. Staffed by both volunteers and staff, these centers are helping people hone their resumes, apply for online jobs and develop needy tech skills for today's job market.

Last week, while visiting the Gahanna branch with my daughters one staff member shared a touching story about two job seekers who both came into the library to thank staff after landing jobs as a result of their assistance. What a powerful gift to give to the community and a great compliment to our staff. It's hearing stories like these (and also and seeing videos like the one above) that remind me so clearly - even a year later - why I jumped. :)

PS: And for that follow-up question that you might be thinking ... "No, I haven't regretted jumping. Not once!"

The leprechauns were busy last night :)

I'm thrilled to see this enhancement live.



Try it out @ http://catalog.columbuslibrary.org

PS: Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Congratulations Library Stars

It's been interesting to me to see how libraries either embraced or disregard the HAPLR rankings for public libraries. from my personal experience it all seems to be contingent on whether or not your library falls within the top ten. So with this new ranking index from Library Journal, I'm happy too see that there is no limit (ie top ten) in the number libraries highlighted. All libraries earning a 3 star ranking + are highlighted which accounts for amazing number of exceptional libraries – in fact over 250 library systems. :)

America's Star Libraries: LJ Index for Public Library Service

Oh... & I'd be remiss if I didn't also salute CML's staff, board, friends, and most importantly, the community for helping to distinguish CML as a 5 star library. As you might have guessed, this was nice surprise to come home too!

Congrats to all 256 libraries who made the index !!!

Digital Services' Passion Quilt

Since joining CML, I’ve always felt that there was an incredible amount passion among the staff for the work that they do. So when I asked my team last month ago to indulge me in a little exercise for our next departmental meeting, I didn’t quite know what to expect. Nor did I know what they might think about creating a square for own department’s version of the passion quilt.


Click on image to view slideshare of images

When Kelly (aka dept. asst. extraordinaire) compiled the results that were shared during our last meeting, I just have to say that I was blown away. In fact the images have left me with a lasting impression. I feel blessed to work with such an incredibly passionate, dedicated and talented team. And all I think is that as we continue to growth as a department (and tap into each others passions) we’re going to seriously rock!

Those of us that have chosen to work in libraries no all too well that a career in this field is rarely motivated by money. It’s the passion for what we do … either for helping people… or enriching lives … or making a difference … or whatever … that is really what drives us to work in libraries. I believe our “passions” are among our greatest assets. And, when we can align these to our work and skillset, well... it's quite simple, really ...amazing things happen !

PS: Thanks team again for indulging me with this exercise and also for allowing me to share your incredible passions that continue to help CML shine.

[Reposted from The CML Digital Services Department blog. Sorry, that blog is internal only]

20/20 Vision Workshop

Last Friday I had the pleasure to participate in a strategic “visioning workshop” as part of CML’s 20/20 Vision Plan. It was first in what is planned to be several community workshops over the next few months to engage the Columbus community in helping shape CML’s next generation of libraries and services.

The visioning exercises themselves were interesting and really helped participants step into community. For the morning round of exercises we were asked to assume a persona and address different aspects of our personal needs and what elements of a thriving community (education, culture and arts, safety, etc) would look to each personally. On my team Amida, a 36 Somali transplant with a household of seven struggled with maintaining her cultural identity while Richard (my character) a 40 year old architect with family and demanding career struggled to find community connections to the arts & culture scene because of an 80+ work week. It was interesting to try and document the type of transformation that both these characters (and other personas from other teams) would require to address their needs and even more interesting to think about the role that the library could play in assisting these kinds of transformations.

In the afternoon, the tables turned a bit and we focus instead upon the elements of successful businesses and/or enterprises that had also in some way had transformed or evolved perceptions and practices over time. Starbucks, ATMs, even the “slow food” movement offered elements of customer engagement and fulfillment that libraries could incorporate or benefit from.

In the end the greatest take-a-way for me really didn’t come the exercises or the roll playing with personas themselves. Instead it came from my careful listening to community member participants in not only the things that they said, but more importantly what they didn’t.

What I didn’t hear from anyone was nostalgia for libraries and a return to traditional library services of past. Instead what I heard continuously I can only best describe as a passionate affirmation that libraries are not only seen as vital to future health and well being our communities, they are essential.

In order for libraries to continue to grow, everyone seemed to agree on the idea that “i”volution (my play on words) was important. And as one team’s vision (it was one of many great visions shared with all) emerged at the end, the term “i”brary seemed to strike an echo with those that were gathered. Not an “i” as information. But instead “i”brary as in Individual, Innovate, Invigorate and ?? ( oh, someone help me out, what was the other I?) A library designed for individual interpretation, personalized use/innovation and community invigoration. In all another words … it was “i”ssential :) Ok, I know, I’m over-killing the idea a bit. I think you catch my drift.

Anyway, it was the type of day that I wish our time, talent and resources would allow every single community member to attend. But I am grateful for the those that could and from what I saw last Friday in this first of what will be many opportunities to dream, engage and envision… we’re definitely in good hands.

See more images from the Strategic Visioning Workshop