This is a resource library people might want to share with their population! For patrons who are in crisis, but not sure who to call or where to turn, here are some good resources on this source of help.
“I want to share with you the Crisis Text Line, the nation’s first free, 24/7 text line for people in crisis. People, nationwide, can text 741741 to be connected with a trained Crisis Counselor. Nancy Lublin’s (Founder + CEO) TED talk does a great job of explaining how it works here:
We are passing on this call for chapters by people working with distance patrons. As with any call, grant proposal, or policy – if you are interested but not sure how to get started, you can contact us at CMLE Headquarters. We are ready to help you with ideas, writing, and editing of your work, to support you in offering interesting new ideas to the profession or to your community!
Call for Proposals:
Book Title: Library Services for Online Patrons: A Manual for Facilitating Access, Learning, and Engagement
Publication spring/summer 2018, ABC-CLIO/ Libraries Unlimited
Editors: Joelle Pitts, Laura Bonella, Jason Coleman | Kansas State University Libraries Continue reading Call for proposals – case studies for distance education book
This post was written by a CMLE Guest Blogger: Connie Laing is a Patron Services Librarian with Great River Regional Library.
A few weeks ago at the Long Prairie Public Library, I was part of a unique collaboration of teachers, students and librarians. We had a common goal of sharing information about using Great River Regional Library services with a class of English language learners, but we spoke three different languages. How did this work, you ask? Here are the highlights:
Background: The Library Services Coordinator in Long Prairie, Nancy Potter, has developed a relationship with the local instructor of Adult Basic Education classes in her area, which includes this class of English Language Learners. Amy, the instructor, is determined to get her students out of the classroom and into the community, and the first place she thought of to visit was the local library! After she contacted Nancy Potter in Long Prairie, Nancy contacted me for reinforcement, since one of the duties of the three Patron Services Librarians at GRRL is to assist at any of our 32 branches with class visits and information presentations. I was charged with creating a presentation on GRRL services for the adult ELL students.
Technology is even better when it can help you and your library! We are investigating three apps that are supposed to support communication with patrons, promote your library, and connect your services with the community.
Boopsie for Libraries is probably the most well-known library app, and is useful for all types of libraries, from K-12 to Special Libraries. According to their site, the app has been downloaded 3.4 million times, with 500,000 app users per month. The app enables libraries to provide patrons with constant access to digital and print collections and services. It also features a “Library locator” to help users find a location close to them. The app can connect patrons with their library’s social media and event calendar. Click here for more information on Boopsie.
Next up is Gabbie, which is a two-way texting app with auto-commands. Some of the features are providing patrons with free texts for overdues and reserves, the ability to add an “Ask a Librarian” link to your website or newsletters, and a console to communicate with patrons with visual and audio alerts. For some examples, check out these libraries in Iowa that have taken advantage of the Gabbie app: the Wilton Public Library and the Earlham Public Library. For more information on how to get Gabbie for your library, click here.
Finally, Remind is an app that was included in the 2015 AASL Best Apps for Teaching & Learning. It’s a messaging app that allows schools or libraries to communicate with large groups or just an individual. It also allows you to set reminders. To see how it can be helpful for libraries, check out this free webinar from AASL. If you don’t want to watch a whole webinar, the presentation slides are also available.
Do you use any of these apps in your libraries, or do you have other ones that you have found helpful? Share your experience with us!
Have you heard of LibrariesInLife? I am not quite sure what to name it, but OCLC Next recently did a bang up job of proposing a way using Twitter to get conversations going about how you and I save our users time. They write clearly about the convenience imperative…and venture that in today’s fast moving world, that convenience trumps everything else. Today’s dilemma for librarians is about how to “free our users’ time.” They go on to propose that Ranganathan’s Fourth Law of saving the time of the reader, should now be first! Makes sense to me….I witness this all the time when friends or family want to read a book but do not want to wait for it through the public library. With one touch, they simply buy the eBook online and the transaction is over! It is hard to argue with that kind of convenience.
Take five minutes to read the full post to better understand what this conversation is all about.
On Twitter, join in the conversation with hashtags #LibrariesInLife and #OCLCnext. Can’t read one more thing? Listen to Lynn Silipigni-Connaway in this video as she describes this work.
Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/qhnqv3o, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0