Country Librarian

Webjunction Webinar - Wild about Wireless

2007-01-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

Webjunction will be hosting this free webinar on Tuesday, January 30 (9:30-10:30 AM PST/12:30-1:30 PM EST) on wireless access in libraries. Specifically, participants will "[h]ear from rural libraries that have successfully implemented wireless access for the public." This will be a useful addition to the numerous resources on wireless internet access already available at Webjunction.

One to watch - Bookswim

2007-01-10T21:30:00.000-07:00

Bookswim is a new commercial service that the library community should probably keep a somewhat wary eye on. Basically, they are offering a books by mail service. While the concept is not new, by adopting what is being called the "Netflix model," Bookswim will be able to provide a level of service that will far surpass what most small libraries are able to deliver. While my "librarian self" is dismayed, I must admit that my "patron self" is glad. This is especially so after I received an email today telling me the books I had requested on interlibrary loan had arrived at my local library and were ready to pick up. However, my excitement quickly evaporated when I discovered I couldn't get them because the library was closed. It turns out a books by mail service is preferable for me because my local post office keeps better hours than the library does.

I expect there will be quite a bit of discussion and maybe some hand-wringing as Bookswap gets up and running in the next few months. Now is the time for librarians and library boards to consider: How do you think this kind of new service will impact your small/rural library?

[found via]

New TV series - "Little Mosque on the Prairie"

2007-01-09T20:27:00.000-07:00

This new CBC comedy, which premieres tonight, has been getting a lot of press. The basic premise: a humorous look at Muslims living in small-town Saskatchewan. The idea is actually not so far-fetched; rural communities are not as homogeneous as people tend to believe. In Alberta, the small town (pop. 2700) of Lac La Biche has a significant Muslim community (about 11% of the population), the first of whom began arriving in the area over 100 years ago.

I'm looking forward to seeing the show (alas, I don't have tv so I have to wait for my friend to tape it for me). Canadians have a quirky sense of humour. If the show is as funny as Corner Gas, it will definitely be a winner.

Stuff that found me - 01/06/07

2007-01-06T12:29:00.000-07:00

For those planning their next vacation, the New York Times has a great online travel section. Simply select your desired destination from the provided pull-down menus, and you can gain access to a cornucopia of free Times articles, select information from Frommer's travel guides, multimedia features, as well as other readers' suggestions on the best of your chosen location. You can also conduct a quick Expedia search, and, when you've returned from your fabulous trip, you can submit your own suggestions for things to do and places to visit.

A great supplement to the travel guides you undoubtedly have in the 900 section of your collection.

Cabinet shuffle

2007-01-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

As most Canadians are by now well aware, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced changes to his cabinet today. The big news, of course, was Rona Ambrose being shuffled out of the Environment portfolio. However, it is usually a good idea to "look at the fine print," so to speak and see what other changes have been made that have been overshadowed by the Big Story.

It may turn out to be a very minor change, but I still think it is worth noting that Christian Paradis, MP for Mégantic—L'Érable in Quebec has been appointed Secretary of State (Agriculture). So, what does a Secretary of State do, you ask? Here's what the press release from the PMO tells us:

Each of the Secretaries of State has been given a specific area of responsibility, in order to assist one or more Ministers consistent with previous Canadian practice and the practice in other Westminster governments. Secretaries of State will discharge this role in a number of ways, including:
• representing their Minister, or the Government, at events;
• meeting with stakeholders and other groups;
• demonstrating policy leadership on one or more specific initiatives relating to their assignment, and at the direction of the responsible Minister; and
• appearing on behalf of their Minister in Parliament and before its committees as may be required.

So, even though Secretaries of State are not members of Cabinet, Mr. Paradis is not without influence with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the ministry responsible for Rural Development.

In addition to the Secretary of State, there are also two Parliamentary Secretaries for AAFC: David Anderson and Jacques Gourde. We all know Chuck Strahl is the Minister, but it is also good to be aware of some of the other less prominent but still influential leaders in our government.

I'm afraid I know very little about how the U.S. government works, but I did note that with the opening of the 110th Congress today, two new members were officially added to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry.

New books display - Use LibraryThing

2006-12-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

This is a great tool for easily creating an online new books display for your library. Once you set up an account (free for up to 200 books, $15/year for up to 5,000 books), all you need to do is scan in the new items barcodes (or enter their ISBN). LibraryThing pulls info about the book from Amazon (or, if you prefer, other similar services like the Library of Congress), including the cover illustration, and voila! You have instantly created your new books display.

Want to see what it looks like? Check out this example.

The nice thing about an online display versus a physical book display in the library is that the books can still be viewed, even if they've already been checked out.

Stuff that found me - 12/30/06

2006-12-30T21:02:00.000-07:00

In my online travels, I serendipitously come across sites that may prove helpful for rural librarians. Here are a couple you may find useful for storytime or (if you are in a school) class projects:

DK Clip Art - Download photos from Dorling Kindersley's famous photographs in a variety of categories. [found via]

Free Printable Coloring Pages and Free Coloring Sheets - pretty self-explanatory. These are part of a series of "free printable" sites that include stationery, fax cover sheets, and certificates.

Report on Canada's Rural Poor

2006-12-22T08:58:00.000-07:00

More interesting reading: Understanding Freefall: The Challenge of the Rural Poor. I haven't yet had a chance to read it in it's entirety, but, from what I could gather from the executive summary, this interim report from the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on rural poverty brings attention to some very important issues facing rural communities: economic development; education; access to services; gender issues; and more.

The impetus for this study was "concern about what has been referred to as the farm income crisis." However, it addresses more than just the farm sector. The mandate of the Committee in conducting this study is to:

(a) examine the dimension and depth of rural poverty in Canada;
(b) conduct an assessment of Canada's comparative standing in this area, relative to other OECD countries;
(c) examine the key drivers of reduced opportunity for rural Canadians;
(d) provide recommendations for measures mitigating rural poverty and reduced opportunity for rural Canadians

As mentioned, this is an interim report. The final report is due no later than April 30, 2007.

If you don't have time to read the full 88-page report, read the news release or the article in the National Post.

[found via]

Inveneo.org - Sustainable connectivity for rural communities

2006-12-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

Many of those involved with libraries in rural areas are very familiar with the challenges they face in establishing and maintaining basic internet connectivity (high-speed has not yet reached many rural areas). Those challenges are magnified in those areas of the world that lack not only internet connectivity, but reliable power and/or telephone service. Inveneo is a not-for-profit agency that seeks to provide sustainable, open, non-centralized ICT solutions for rural communities in developing nations. The systems they have created are "designed to provide computing, Internet Access and VoIP telephony for places with little or no access to electricity or affordable communications."

The work this organization is doing is really exciting. They have installed systems in Ghana, Haiti, Uganda. Rwanda and Mali. Go to the website to get more details on the open ICT systems they have created, as well as their current projects.

Journal of interest

2006-12-14T22:34:00.000-07:00

I know that time is at a premium for many librarians, and to suggest that busy rural librarians add more to their reading piles could be considered by some to be a tad presumptuous. Having said that, I would still like you to go have a peek at the Journal of Rural and Community Development. This is a peer-reviewed open-access online journal focusing on the areas of rural and community studies.

The articles do tend to be long-ish and are written in an academic style, which may be off-putting to some. But, even just glancing over the table of contents and article abstracts of the current issues (two issues have been published so far - the planned schedule is two issues per year) can give you a sense of some of the issues being considered and studied. For example:

This journal will be a good tool in helping us see where the local library can have a role in rural commuity development.

2006-12-13T13:30:00.000-07:00

Cost-cutting: Cheap phone calls

I'm always looking for ways to do things "on the cheap" and I have discovered a couple ways to save a few bucks on my phone bill. These might also work in the small library environment.

Option 1) 10-10 "dial-around service." I had previously been very skeptical of these services. But, if you do your homework, you can save quite a bit on long-distance charges. (For example, I currently pay $0.05/minute versus $0.15 to $0.36/minute plus admin feeds). Some may find it a bit of a pain to dial an extra seven digits before a ten-digit long-distance number. But, if it is a number you call frequently, you can just program your speed dial to dial all seventeen digits - easy one-button savings!

Option 2) Skype. This is a free download that enables you to make calls over the internet (a better explanation of the service can be found here). The best part is that you can make calls to any other Skype user for free, regardless of location. Alternately, if you want to call someone who does not use Skype, you can subscribe to the SkypeOut service, which allows you to place Skype calls to landline phones for the very reasonable fee of $29.95 per year (not per month, per year). Until January 31, 2007, this subscription is available for $14.95 - even better!

Each of these options will require a small time investment to get them set up. But, once that is done, saving money will be as easy as making a phone call!

2005-11-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

New Library Shipping Tool

CLA and Canada Post have jointly launched a new "shipping tool" for libraries to use when sending interlibrary loans in the mail using the Library Mail Rate. The tool is being marketed as an improvement for libraries that will be a "a fast and convenient way to prepare and pay for your library book shipments in Canada. " It looks like it will also be used to track the LMR's usage and "help ensure the future of the Library Book Rate by providing critical data necessary to confirm the importance of this program for the library community."

I'm trying really hard to be upbeat about this new development. But, right off the hop I see an issue for small libraries: In order to use the tool a library will need to pay by credit card or meter, two payments methods I know a lot of the libraries in my area do not have ready access to. CLA is soliciting feedback and I plan to inform them of this and some other logistical problems that will arise for the libraries I work with, such as:

inappropriately sized labels (is there a way they can be modified?)
having to enter address information for each package (can this somehow be linked to a directory such as Library and Archive Canada's ILL Directory on the Web to automatically pull in address info using a library's National Library Code?)
there will be extra costs for printing that libraries will need to absorb (maybe not such a big deal for larger libraries, but for smaller libraries with very limited budgets, it does make a difference)

I think the thing that is making me a bit cranky is that it appears that instead of dealing with the current problems with the LMR such as the non-inclusion of audiovisual materials, CLA and Canada Post seem to have instead focused on more "information gathering" (in spite of the fact that some very good information has already been gathered and sent to decision-makers). Not only that, but they are doing it using a "tool" that will, in many instances, put a greater burden on smaller libraries, who rely very heavily on Canada Post and the LMR for their ILLs.

However, to put a positive spin on it, if the tool can be tweaked to allow for even greater streamlining, I think it could be really valuable. (The tracking feature will be very handy). Guess we'll have to stay tuned...

2005-10-05T11:33:00.000-06:00

CLA Keynote

I love it when conference sessions are posted online for later viewing, especially for folks like me out in the boonies who don't get to a lot of these great conferences people talk about. I was, however, fortunate enough to attend the CLA conference back in June. One of the two keynotes - David Bollier's Librarians as Stewards of the Commons - is now available as a streamed video at http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/jetstream/canlibraryassoc/cladavidbollier.wvx.

2005-07-11T22:40:00.000-06:00

"Pillar of democracy" or Tax-payer burden?

I just finished reading this piece last night, and then, this morning I came across this post. Interesting juxtaposition of opinions.

2005-06-16T22:01:00.000-06:00

CLA Conference session - Blogging & RSS: Applications & Technology

I registered for the Technology Track portion of the conference which consisted of three sessions. I missed the first one ("Keeping Current: Gadgets & Tools") because the keynote presentation by David Snowden - which was excellent, but dense (I'm still mentally digesting it) - ran long and I didn't have the guts to wander into the session a half hour late. So, I started my technology "track" with this session, which got off to a wonderfully ironic start with a cranky internet connection and a laptop that crashed a couple of times. But the panelists - Darlene Fichter, Randy Reichart, Aaron Schmidt, and Steven Cohen - merrily soldiered on. It was a really fun session.

Some of my takeaways:

3 keys to blogging: frequency, brevity, and personality
blogs don't stand alone, but are part of a loosely joined conversation, thereby encouraging collaboration
RSS allows you to redistribute/repurpose content - however an RSS feed itself is content, and so has copyright implications. It's a good idea to check for appropriate permissions from the provider before using an RSS feed
Blogging/RSS represents a shift from mainstream media to grassroots media - widens the field of knowledge
Blogs vs. wikis (question from the audience) - blogs allow for limited and controlled collaboration amongst one or a few; wikis allow for wide open and uncontrolled (for the most part) collaboration. Blogs also are more robust and stable than wikis right now, allowing for more flexibility in accomplishing your purpose.
Legal and/or ethical implications of scraping feeds (another question from the audience) - there likely are legal implications (at least in Canada) as you are basically manipulating someone else's content without their permission. Darlene recommended reviewing the Electronic Frontier Foundation's new Legal Guide for Bloggers for more guidance.

Aaron's and Stephen's presentations were rendered as a website and blog, respectively. I appreciate being able to immediately go back and review the presentation online, without having to download a ppt or doc file. Lovely.

2005-06-16T21:55:00.000-06:00

Here I am at CLA...

...in beautiful Calgary, Alberta, which also happens to be my hometown (so, of course I'm not biased). CLA sent out a call earlier this week asking for volunteers to blog the conference. I didn't respond, mostly because I'm not sure how consistent I will be (note the spotty record so far). But, I'll do my best.

2005-05-26T08:12:00.000-06:00

Local = Global

A small, rural library in my neck of the woods was featured on the PLA blog this week. At first, I was quite surprised to see the post. This library has no online presence to speak of, so how on earth did that happen? Easy! They were featured in their local paper, which has an online presence, which got picked up by the PLA bloggers. A wonderful example of how simple local marketing can spread globally so quickly. The line between local and global impact is becoming increasingly blurred. What a great opportunity for rural libraries!

And thanks to the folks at the PLA blog for your library news round-ups. It's great to know that the work in all libraries - even in rural Canada - is noticed and appreciated.

2005-02-24T12:41:00.000-07:00

Required Reading

Feel-good Librarian has uplifting posts about the impact library service has on patrons and staff alike. An excellent, regular reminder of "why we do this."

Source: Tame the Web

2005-02-17T08:20:00.000-07:00

New ALA committee for rural libraries

ALA has accepted the recommendations of the Task Force on Rural School, Tribal and Public Libraries and has formed a new Standing Committee. The Standing Committee on Rural School, Tribal, Native, and Public Libraries will be responsible for "addressing the needs of rural libraries, advocating for them, and collaborating with them." Not that ALA has been completely ignoring rural libraries to this point. ALA's Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS) has been maintaining a very helpful page of resources. I'm looking forward to seeing ALA expand their support for rural libraries. You can never have too much help! (Well, actually, yes you can, but we haven't reached that point yet.)

2005-02-16T11:20:00.000-07:00

Rural Library Resources Clearinghouse

I am practically drooling over all the useful content here for rural libraries. This is an initiative of the California State Library and is "an online archive of resources to support California's rural public library directors and staff in serving their public mission more efficiently." Even though it is primarily a resource for California libraries, the site does state that the clearinghouse is open to all libraries.

Among some of the goodies found here:

sample policies
competency lists
links to various training opportunities
links to model projects highlighting best practices

The clearinghouse is searchable, and you can save searches for future reference. You do have to register, but it is very simple (fill in 4 fields and you're done) and free, so don't be put off by that.

Amazing resource.

2005-02-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

Libraries, and everyone who works in or for them, should be focused on making ourselves and our services not cool, but indispensable.

[Pop goes the library]

Heh. I like that. The full post is even better.

2004-10-14T09:05:00.000-06:00

It can happen to us too...

This article proves the point that patron privacy is not just an issue for larger libraries. [link via PNLA-L]

2004-10-07T16:44:00.000-06:00

Issue of Library Trends on rural libraries

LookSmart's FindArticles service has the Summer 1995 issue of Library Trends - which is a theme issue on Rural Libraries and Information Service - available in full-text. Lovely!

2004-10-04T10:41:00.000-06:00

Landscaping for the rural public library

A question posted on the Landscaping forum of Gardenweb garnered some brief but interesting discussion about local boards and the pitfalls associated with group decision-making. One particularly valuable take-away: When planning a building, it is a good idea to also include some provisions for proper landscaping (proper soil, drainage, etc.)

2004-07-19T09:26:00.000-06:00

Access for all?

I have recently returned from a brief holiday. As is my custom when I'm travelling, I try to visit a few libraries along the way. I attempted to visit about a half dozen libraries, but managed to get into only 2 of them. Why is this? Mainly because they have crappy hours. One example: I went to visit a library in a fairly large rural community (8,000+ population). Walked up to the door. Closed. Was I there at an unusual hour? Well, it was around lunchtime on a Friday afternoon, so, no, I don't think so. All the other businesses in town were open for business. Why is it that the local library was not?

In the province where I reside, equitable library access for all is a stated goal of the provincial ministry and many of the agencies associated with public libraries. Consequently, many hundreds of thousands of dollars are spent on electronic access - automating every library and making their catalogue available on the web; purchasing up-to-the-minute computers for public internet access. But, the primary means of access - walking in the door - is greatly lacking, primarily because the local library boards lack sufficient funding to keep the doors open. The great irony in this is that the provincial and federal governments have invested lots of money in making libraries public internet access points. But, the public cannot access the internet in the library if the library is not open.

I live in a small town, but visit the city several times a year. In the city, it is not unusual for even the smallest library branches to be open most weekday evenings and all day Saturday. Several larger branches are also open on Sunday. However, in many smaller centres, residents are lucky if their library is open one evening a week OR Saturday for a few hours. Now, I know that large centres have a larger tax base to draw their funds from. I understand that there are varying factors at work here. But, if we really want truly equitable access for all, perhaps we should be looking more closely at those factors that hinder it.

2004-07-11T19:41:00.000-06:00

Recently came across Library World in my weblog travels. It's a (sometimes overly) chatty diary of a librarian's adventures in her small-town library in Tennessee. A good place for other small-town librarians to visit and say, "Ah, yes. That's happened to me, too." or "Hey! I never thought of that!" A kindred spirit of sorts.

2004-05-29T22:30:00.000-06:00

Rural libraries in Ohio are now offering e-books - a service provided by the Southeastern Ohio Regional Library Centre. The catalog can be viewed at http://seoebook.seo.lib.oh.us/.

2004-05-26T13:38:00.000-06:00

OK, I think I figured out something that has been bothering me of late. I mentioned earlier that a librarian in a rural library needs certain skills and characteristics. But, at that time I was missing a certain je ne sais quoi that I couldn't put my finger on. I think I figured it out: A rural librarian needs a backbone. Anyone charged with operating a library in a rural area needs to have guts in order to: keep the board on track; deal with cranky or disruptive patrons; resolve any staffing issues (this includes volunteers); get - and keep - the library on local council's radar screen; and on it goes. Believe it or not, this is not a job for the thin-skinned. Someone has to be the "point man" in order for the library to flourish. The fish-bowl effect of living and working in a small community makes it necessary for the librarian to be a person who is sensitive to the concerns of others, but, ultimately, willing to stand up for the best interests of the library and its patrons.

As for my lengthy absence...chalk it up to "I-have-more-work-than-hours-in-my-life" syndrome. I think if I didn't take on any more tasks, I'd have enough to keep me busy for the next 18 months. But, as the saying goes, there's "no rest for the wicked."

2004-04-16T11:32:00.000-06:00

A highly frustrating thing for me is the knowledge that people think working in a rural library is a simple thing. I've seen situations where a library board has hired "a warm body," without taking into consideration the skills, abilities and personal attributes that are actually required to be the director of a library. Sometimes, this strategy of merely hiring whoever is available works for the library; many times it does not. This can be disastrous if the library is participating in any kind of consortial or cooperative relationship, as the group is only as strong as its weakest link.

Library directors have similar responsibilities regardless of the size of their community: strategic planning; development/implementation of policies and/or procedures; marketing and communications; supervision of staff and/or volunteers. In addition to these responsibilities, many rural library directors are also required to take care of most of the day-to-day functions of the library: circulation, programming, collection development, reference service, computer troubleshooting, and so on.

At the very least, rural library boards should be looking for a person with the following attributes: good communication skills; demonstrated problem-solving ability; proficiency with technology and computers, and; a willingness to learn. If possible, they should look for someone with a proven ability to think critically and make appropriate decisions.

The latest (April 2004) issue of Library Worklife contains an article describing a new initiative, called the Continuum of Library Education. This new project of the Western Council of State Libraries is being designed to address the training and professional development needs of rural library directors. The major components of the project include 1) core competencies, 2) education and training opportunities, and 3) a process for certification. None of this is really new or earth-shaking, but the interesting part is the fact that project will be developed by library agencies in 21 states, ensuring some consistency across state lines. I'm eager to see what they come up with.

The article is available at http://www.ala-apa.org/newsletter/vol1no4/certification.html

2004-04-08T16:39:00.000-06:00

Salaries are a perennially thorny issue. But, when it comes to small libraries with corresponding small budgets, the pinch can seem tighter. Jessamyn West, outreach librarian and librarian.net author, has penned an article on salaries for rural library staff for the new ALA-Allied Professional Association newsletter, Library Worklife. She cites a how-to guide for increasing salaries that is very handy, and easily adaptable to one's local situation.

2004-04-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

A pilot project has been launched in England to enable 10 rural libraries to offer wireless Internet access. £60,000 (approximately $144, 000 CAD) has been granted to the libraries for the purchase of equipment. While I have a hard time envisioning what "rural" is in such a geographically small country (compared to Canada), I am very interested to see how the pilot turns out. Having Internet "hot spots" and laptops available for lending could be helpful for libraries short on space. Some libraries are having a hard time squeezing in more than 2 workstations into a 800 sq. ft. area and having room left over for other things ... such as books and the like.

2004-03-31T08:54:00.000-07:00

A pathfinder on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) - man, I hope I spelled that right - has been created through the joint efforts of several librarians in Alberta. Heavy on CanCon (Canadian content), but also has pertinent U.S. and international links.

Are libraries an urban service? The authors of this opinion piece say no, and I heartily agree. To me, the underlying purpose of public libraries is access for all, including those in rural areas. Therefore, libraries can hardly be a service reserved strictly for urban residents.

2004-03-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

After much hemming and hawing, I've decided to try my hand at blogging. I appreciate the many blogs that currently exist and hope not to duplicate what's already available. Specifically, I hope to include news and ideas that take into account the obstacles and opportunities that living in a rural setting provide. It just so happens that Webjunction, an online community supporting technology and training for library staff, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, OCLC, and other partners, is focusing on rural libraries for the month of March. Look for research reports, a message board to share ideas, and stories of how other libraries have used technology to improve service. See also WebJunction’s monthly newsletter, Crossroads. The March issue also focuses on rural and small libraries.