Heather Terrell – LITA Blog

Libraries have limited resources, and the portion afforded to electronic resources requires some savvy prioritization to meet patrons’ needs while sticking to budgets. Allocation of spending is a key issue for many libraries, and database subscriptions can cost thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars. For smaller libraries, it’s possible to spend the electronic resources budget on a single amazing all-purpose database or piece together a collection from low-cost alternatives. What’s a librarian to do? It’s important to note that there’s no right/wrong dichotomy in deciding which electronic resources are “best”; it’s always a matter of “best for the community”, i.e., the librarian’s rule of thumb: know thy service population. Does your library serve a population with a high unemployment rate? You may need to prioritize electronic resources focused on job training, skill-building, and resume writing. Are you situated in an area where students hang out after the school day?…

Blogging Help

Library Blog Basics

April 21, 2017April 21, 2017| Heather Terrell

I think we can probably agree that libraries are no longer exclusively geographical locations that our users come to: patrons also visit virtually. Many of their tasks at a library’s website are pragmatic — renewing books, checking their records, searching the online catalog and placing holds — but, increasingly, libraries are beginning to think of their online spaces as destinations for patrons; as communities of web denizens. Victoria recently discussed social media planning for libraries. Another way librarians can create community in the library’s virtual space is by designing and sustaining blogs. Last year, my library decided to expand our blog, from a repository of new titles lists and the occasional notice of a change in policy, to a content-rich space for library users to get to know staff, learn more about services, find topical book reviews, read about recent developments, and, yes, also to find the new titles lists…

General information

The Space Age: Library as Location

February 17, 2017| Heather Terrell

On the surface, a conversation about the physical spaces within libraries might not seem relevant in:re technology in libraries, but there’s a trend I’ve noticed — not only in my own library, but in other libraries I’ve visited in recent months: user-supplied tech in library landscapes. Over the course of the last decade, we’ve seen a steady rise in the use of portable personal computing devices. In their Evolution of Technology survey results, Pew Research Center reports that 51% of Americans own a tablet, and 77% own smartphones. Library patrons seem to be doing less browsing and more computing, and user-supplied technology has become ubiquitous — smartphones, and tablets, and notebooks, oh my! Part of the reason for this BYO tech surge may be explained by a triangulation of high demand for the library’s public computer stations, decreased cost of personal devices, and the rise of telecommuting and freelance gig-work in…

Education

Fostering Digital Literacy at the Reference Desk

January 20, 2017January 23, 2017| Heather Terrell

Computing and digital literacy initiatives aren’t new in the library — planned programs and educational offerings that support digital citizenship exist in nearly every library in the nation. But digital literacy is developed not only via programs and classes; learning is supported by informal interactions between library staff and patrons. It’s important not to overlook instruction that occurs on a one-to-one basis. Informal instruction is a concept in education that can be useful in libraries as well. Formal instruction takes place in the classroom, during a scheduled educational program. By contrast, predetermined learning outcomes are not built into informal instruction — from the learner’s point of view, what’s happening isn’t education, but experience: learning by doing. Libraries are most effective at fostering digital literacy when staff take the same care during casual educational encounters as we do in the classroom. If patrons’ worst fears about their lack of knowledge are…

General information

Humanities & Technology at the Crossroads: Launching an Online Book Group

November 18, 2016February 1, 2017| Heather Terrell

My library hosts several book groups; last year, I facilitated 10 groups, with members reading everything from graphic novels to Iranian literature, at an average attendance of 7 members per group meeting. I arrange reading groups with an eye to what might appeal to a wide range of patrons, whether groups are led by experts in their fields, librarians, or patron volunteers. Last year, I conducted a book group survey, and the respondents indicated that the main barriers to attending book groups at our library included the inability to attend at the dates or times of the scheduled meetings, as well as significant geographical distance from the library. I’m always thinking about how tech tools might assist in improving public services, so I decided to try something I hadn’t seen in libraries: an online book group. The first decision to make was the reading focus. I chose non-fiction because several…

Author: Heather Terrell

Evaluating Databases: Prioritizing on a Shoestring

May 19, 2017May 24, 2017| Heather Terrell