Making connections, gaining perspective

I was reading a bit further in Michael Kammen's American Culture, American Tastes, when I came across the following passage from Middletown, a study in contemporary American culture, by Robert S. Lynd and Helen Merrell Lynd. The original version appeared in the leading paper of Muncie, Indiana: "The American citizen's first importance to his country is no longer that of citizen but that of consumer. Consumption is a new necessity." It reminded me of President Bush's exhortation to America following the September 11th attacks: "Now, the American people have got to go about their business. We cannot let the terrorists achieve the objective of frightening our nation to the point where we don't -- where we don't conduct business, where people don't shop." [Italics mine]. I offer this juxtaposition of quotes because while they seem contemporaneous, only one dates from the 21st century. The Lynd's quote appeared in 1929. There is plenty of criticism in the media of our consumer culture and its pernicious impact on society. There was a fair amount of criticism leveled at the banality of a major presidential statement, following an horrific act, which implied that shopping was patriotic and an important rebuke to terrorism. We also incline to the belief that somehow this was another indicator of the superficiality of modern society. Yet, here is a quote from 1929 which resonates, and which, shorn of an identifying date could very well have appeared in a contemporary speech or monograph. Or, what of John Dewey's observation from 1930 that the need to buy had become as much an American duty as savings had once been? The point is not to defend the 2001 statement, but to observe the importance of understanding that the mind set it represents is not new, and is not simply the product of conditions or attitudes peculiar to the present. Rather they are the result of incremental changes visible for decades, recognized, analyzed and commented on by trenchant observers . Not surprisingly, all of the materials necessary to make these connections, and develop a cogent case for or against the validity of my statements originated in a public library. The quotes, the books and the individuals cited all come from resources, either electronic and print, accessible at no extra charge. I hope you will join me in using them.

Odds and Ends

A short post today, really just a few observations and a few recommendations. One recent discovery is a site called Slow Leadership. I encourage any of you who are involved in management, aspire to be a manager or work in a supervisory capacity to subscribe. Their ‘credo’ can be summed up in these words from the Buddha:

“Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe anything because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything because it is written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But if, after observation and analysis, you find that anything agrees with reason, and is conducive to the good and the benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it.”

We have also added several link to the library's home page under the heading "Why Are Libraries Important?" These were mentioned in a Twitter posting last week. I hope to add to and refresh these links on a frequent basis. Ironically, even as the importance of libraries is validated by the increases in patronage, circulation, computer use and diversity of services expected, funding has become problematic for many libraries, including well respected systems such as Philadelphia's. For many of those people hardest hit by the convulsions in the economy and most in need of the resources to address their predicament the library remains an essential resource. I thought that the recent NBC Nightly News segment on libraries made that very clear.

On an unrelated subject, I have been reading Michael Kammen's American Culture, American Tastes: Social Change in the 20th Century. While it is not a book about libraries, there are some interesting references to books and reading, and specifically the popularity of murder mysteries, self-help books, and books about health, during the Second World War. Those are three of the genres most popular among our patrons now. I would guess that these choices might be reactions to stress and uncertainty, the allure of escapism in mysteries, and the search for solutions to large and complex problems in health and self help. It might also help explain the dominance of nonfiction titles over all other material types except video feature films in our circulation figures.

Addressing some survey responses

The library is currently conducting two surveys, one via our electronic newsletter, and a second using the services of an intern from Three Rivers Community College. These endeavors are part of our commitment to providing the best possible service to the community. While both surveys are ongoing, the results of the electronic version reveal some topics which can be addressed now. (I might add that a slightly different version of this letter will appear in the next e-newsletter).

Not surprisingly, parking and security remain two topics eliciting many specific comments. While I will address both once the survey closes, at this juncture let me offer some observations regarding these issues:

Parking is a chronic concern, and references to the paucity of convenient city parking date to the 19th century. In the recent survey it was cited frequently as a deterrent when contemplating use of the library and local businesses. As many of you may know parking is a challenge for both patrons and staff. It costs the library approximately $10,000 a year to provide sufficient parking spaces for the staff, even with the city generously providing several staff spaces free of charge. I will not mention in detail the preemptive actions required of the staff to ensure that these spaces are available on a daily basis.

As for the public, while it offers no panacea, many of you may recall the survey conducted by Rose City Renaissance earlier this year. This lists a number of public parking locations in the general area of the library. Among the most convenient are 26 public spaces available in the Cliff Street Lot, 7 slots by the railroad station, all available for 2 hours at a time, free of charge, and 32 public spaces at the YMCA which are equipped with meters, and available for up to 8 hours at a cost of .25 per hour. One continuing omission is the lack of handicap parking in front of the library. It is our hope, after several discussions, that the city will remedy this situation. A parking map is also available on the library web site, http://www.otislibrarynorwich.org/ . Parking is a matter of concern to us, the business community, and the public. I will use the information gathered in the survey to inform city officials.

Security in the down town area evoked a number of comments from participants. Similar concerns were expressed in our previous surveys. In response to the disquiet reflected in those documents, the library now invests $20,000 annually in security officers who are stationed at the library Monday through Friday between the hours of 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. This is no small sum, and required the shifting of operating funds from materials purchases (books, magazines, audio and videos) and the few other budget lines where expenses are not fixed. In addition, thousands more dollars of capital funds were invested in interior and exterior cameras, and $10,000 will be invested to deter loitering in front of the building. The city police department has shown great responsiveness and cooperation with the library, and I meet regularly with representatives from that department, the city manager, human services, and the business community as part of the Downtown Enhancement Group.

The actions cited above are part of our efforts to provide substantive responses to your concerns. I will continue to advocate for programs that will enhance the use of the library and business area. Thank you for your support and patronage.

What’s a library worth?

Perhaps it is because the economy is sour, it is time to submit our annual operating request to the city, or simply because it is early morning, and that always seems a reflective time of day. Regardless, I want to draw your attention to two items which address the issues of a library’s worth. One, based on a calculator on the Maine State Library web site, offers some sense of what the services offered by a library would cost in the for profit sector. You might quibble with a few of the answers, but overall I think you will find it edifying. Go to our About Otis Page on the library web site, www.otislibrarynorwich.org, and you will see the link at the bottom of the menu.

The second recommendation is a short article on the web site The Consumerist www.consumerist.com entitled “7 Ways Your Public Library Can Help You During Bad Economic Times.” I most enjoyed two of the 7, although all had merit. First, Make new friends. There are plenty of ways and aids which afford sanctuary from humankind-I am thinking of devices that involve headphones among others-but libraries actually encourage interaction, be it in a book group, public program or as a Friend of Otis Library. The other opportunity, Find a new Job is particularly salient given the shudder inducing economic news. It seems like no business wants to see a paper application anymore. The application form, your résumé, everything is channeled via the internet. Otis has the computers, the resources and the learning opportunities to help you navigate through the process, and as important, to help you minimize the tension and frustration involved.
Of course there are innumerable other good reasons to patronize the library, and I encourage you to view them or calculate their value at the locations above.

Surveys and Insights

In the near future we will conduct more patron surveys to gauge the use of our current services, determine what services we may want to add, and to get a better overall picture of the public we serve. There will be one survey done in conjunction with our on line newsletter, and with the help of an intern from Three Rivers Community College we will also actuate an on site survey of patrons. Surveys of both types are extremely valuable aids for better understanding what the public wants in the way of services, and exploring the ways in which the library is used. For example, a recent survey for the Chicago Metropolitan Library System revealed some very interesting pearls of information. Fifty-six percent of patrons spent less than 10 minutes in the library; two-thirds did not know what they wanted before they arrived. Fifteen percent of weekly visitors never borrowed materials from the library. Of those who borrowed materials, 70% checked out books while 51% chose AV materials. Only 12% of patrons viewed library signage, and of those who utilized signage 45% consulted stacks signage (i.e. signs designating the location of books and other materials). I do not know if our results will reflect the same patterns of usage, but the resulting information could be very useful in such functions as allocating financial resources, selecting programs, and identifying confusion points and bottlenecks. As the library evolves these types of information will help us be more responsive to patron needs, and in turn will help engage patrons more effectively.

The Impact of Public Library Closings

Earlier this morning I was reading a report entitled "Why Public Libraries Close"conducted by researchers at Florida State University (June 30, 2008). Much of the contents is devoted to explanations of the research design, methodology, and an analysis of findings. What struck me, and summarized eloquently the centrality of libraries to community health and stability was the following observation:

"The socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the population within the immediately surrounding 1 mile radius [of] the closed library tended to be poorer, less educated, and with more renters than homeowners when compared to the U.S. population as a whole...These characteristics are often associated with lower mobility and fewer alternatives for information access. Where these population characteristics prevail, closures could disproportionately impact potential library users who may need the public library more than most..."

This is yet another element of the story that libraries have to tell, to borrow again from Walt Crawford: their importance to under served communities as an immediate means of access to resources otherwise unavailable or available only tenuously.

Some thoughts on libraries and their roles

Over the past several weeks I have read a number of articles pondering the role of public libraries. Directly or indirectly all share a common theme, which is, to borrow the title of one article, “How to Future Proof our Library.” Personally I find that a rather ominous title, which conjures up images of libraries designed like Vauban fortresses or late nineteenth century armories with firing slits for windows and an intimidating, glowering massiveness. Which, mercifully the articles do not advocate or even consider!

One in particular struck me as addressing, albeit indirectly, a common misconception about libraries and their community role. Entitled “The Storied Library” by Walt Crawford, it actually deals with branding, or if a term from the world of marketing grates a bit, the stories a library has to tell about its community, the niches it fills, the ways in which it determines the community needs it will address and by so doing remains relevant to those it serves. So how many stories do we have to tell at Otis? There are several ways to frame the answer. We could count the number of on line data base uses per annum, the number of weekly visits, the number of books, CD’s and DVD’s circulated, programs offered, persons served by Literacy Volunteers, reference questions answered, and a myriad other quantifying factors. To paraphrase Crawford, our stories are in total the substance of what we are, what we do, and how we place ourselves in our surroundings and the lives of our patrons.

What I also like about Crawford’s approach is the reconsideration of information as the paramount library function. Heresy! No, not really. Designating or defining libraries as the information place is limiting and arguably leads to a narrow definition of what libraries and librarians do. We are certainly about information, which he defines as service designed to “bring resources to people for their education, enlightenment and entertainment.” That sounds more like the work of Otis Library and its staff. To that I would also echo Crawford’s addendum that “we serve as a safety net for the displaced and a primary place where young people learn to love reading and knowledge.”

This bountiful definition leads me to believe that we need to address the declivity between what librarians and libraries do and what users think they do. To use only the single element of information, in an environment in which profit increasingly shapes accessibility to information libraries represent just the opposite model, with digital and print, sources conveniently available, complete with a human resource for help. This is what one observer categorizes as the “quintessence of the sustainable information movement.”