Digital Media Labs in Public Libraries

Digital Media Labs

In Public Libraries

Introduction

Public libraries have long held a vital place in our communities as centers of learning and information.  These libraries have countless resources available for patrons, everything from books in numerous formats, DVDs, and music recordings.  Public libraries are also a major technology resource for patrons.  The public access computers and free wireless Internet access provided by public libraries provide many patrons with their only access to these technologies.  Another new resource that some public libraries are starting to offer are creative spaces.  One type of creative space is called a digital media lab (DML).  According to Goodman (2014), a DML is a gathering of equipment that allows original digital content to be created or analog content to be converted to digital formats. Jacobsen & Anthony (2011) define a digital media lab further, stating that “A digital media lab is a space designed for patrons to have access to software and hardware to create digital media—such as videos, music, podcasts, images, ebooks, websites, animation, and more.”  A DML may be a separate room in a library, or it may just be a cart bearing the equipment. 

Literature Review

Goodman (2014) writes that the earliest DML that she found was located at the Round Lake Area Public Library in Round Lake, Illinois. This digital lab was founded in the early 2000s.  Since then, more digital media labs have been created all across the county.  There does seem to be interest from patrons in this service.  A report from the Pew Research Center Internet & American Life Project (2013) referred to a 2012 library services survey that contained questions regarding digital media labs.  In this survey, 58% of respondents said they would be interested in a digital media lab where patrons could create and upload new digital content.  26% say they would be “very likely” to use such a resource.  Interestingly, both Americans who do not have a computer and Americans who do own a tablet expressed particularly strong interest in this resource.  Results from the survey show that almost a third (32%) of people who do not own a desktop or laptop computer say they would be “very likely” to use a digital media lab, compared with 24% of those who do own a computer, and 33% of tablet users say they would be very likely to use it, compared with 24% of non-tablet owners.   

Use of DMLs in Public Libraries

Digital media labs are located in public libraries throughout the country.  The Fountaindale Public Library (FPL) in Bolingbrook, Illinois has one of the largest DMLs in the United States (Goodman, 2014).   Studio 300, the library’s DML, opened in March of 2013.  This DML has 6,800 square feet containing eleven rooms and workstations for printing 3-D objects and posters.   Studio 300 has six soundproof rooms used as recording studios by local musicians.  Besides music recordings, other sample projects include producing video and audio, creating e-books, and partnering with others locally or at a distance via the group collaboration rooms.

Other digital media labs have been created for a particular user group.  The Tulare County (California) Library has created a Teen Media Lab after winning a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant.  The LSTA page of the American Library Association’s website can be found at http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/federallegislation/lsta.  This web page defines LSTA as the only federal program exclusively for libraries. State libraries use the funds to support statewide initiatives and also distribute the funds through subgrants or cooperative agreements to public, school, academic, research, and special libraries (ALA).  In 2011, this library won a $28,000 LSTA grant for a program titled, “Teen Vooks: Exposing Teens to Tools for Digital Creativity” (Goodman, 2014).  The program provided the funding to buy laptops, camcorders, and other digital tools, things that many of the teens in this area had no prior way to access.  This DML has been a huge success.  According to Goodman (2014), in the first six months, the number of teens accessing this equipment rose from 7 to 62 students for an increase of 886 percent. 

YOUmedia, another example focusing on teens, is a 5,500-square-foot space located on the first floor of the Harold Washington Library Center at the Chicago Public Library. The space opened in July 2009 and has served more than five thousand Chicago teenagers (Bannon, 2012).  Here students can check out laptops, cameras, music equipment, and more with their library cards.  In addition, teens can attend workshops and programs based around digital media.

 Potential Application in today’s library and information center

Goodman (2014) mentions that the library’s role in education and providing a public space is an important reason why a DML should be located at the library.  DMLs give public libraries the potential for growth.  By providing additional technology resources for people that may not be able to afford them otherwise, public libraries are providing yet another service to their patrons.  In addition, the library is providing opportunities for the community to learn digital literacy, a skill that is more and more needed as digital technology becomes more pervasive.

Challenges/Issues

Adding additional services and technologies does not come without a cost.  The Pew Research Center Internet & American Life Project (2013) report mentioned that some librarians in their online panel expressed numerous concerns regarding digital media labs.  Some librarians mentioned staff time, technology resources, budget concerns, and space as primary areas of concern. Additionally, others mentioned liability issues related to user-created content.  Also, equipment will not only need to be purchased at the beginning of the project, but also funding will be needed for ongoing maintenance (Goodman, 2014).

Goodman (2014) does suggest some ideas to fund DMLs.  Some of these suggestions include applying for LSTA or other community or corporate grants, as well as some more creative sources of fundraising, such as enlisting the help of a celebrity and crowdfunding.

Conclusion

Digital Media Labs at public libraries can provide another needed and desired service to patrons.  It’s a service that the literature suggests has been successful when implemented.  DMLs are another example of public libraries providing technology resources to those that otherwise could not afford them.  The cost of purchasing equipment, creating space, and training staff are areas of concern.  Some libraries have utilized grants and other creative sources of funding to create and maintain their DMLs.  I would want to explore DMLs as a librarian in a public library as a way to better serve and educate my patrons, as well as to continue to grow the library’s services to remain relevant and forward-thinking.

References

Bannon, B. (2012). YOUmedia Chicago: Connecting Youth Through Public Libraries. National Civic Review, 101(4), 33.

Goodman, A. L. (2014). Chapter 1: The Library Context for Digital Media Labs. Library Technology Reports, 50(6), 5-15.

Goodman, A. L. (2014). Chapter 4: Library Digital Media Lab Profiles. Library Technology Reports, 50(6), 35-43.

Jacobsen, M., & Anthony, C. (2011). Build your own digital media lab. Library Journal, (18), 36-40.

Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).  Retrieved from

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advleg/federallegislation/lsta. 

Zickuhr, K., Rainie, L., & Purcell, K. (2013).  Library services in the digital age.  Pew Internet & American Life Project.  Available at http://libraries.pewinternet.org/files/legacy-pdf/PIP_Library%20services_Report.pdf.

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HOMAGO

I read an article today for my paper for Assignment #4 that talked about “HOMAGO” guidelines.  I wasn’t familiar with the term HOMAGO, so I decided to write a little blog about it.  The article states that HOMAGO (Hanging Out, Messing Around, and Geeking Out) is a “learning theory based on research devoted to uncovering how youth learn and interact in their environments— in school, out of school, and in youth programming and spaces offered in libraries and museums”.

HOMAGO highlights the idea that youth need opportunities to feel comfortable before trying an activity, which can then lead them to successfully learning a skill and then in the end actually making things.  With teens, HOMAGO recognizes that activities normally viewed by adults as nonproductive behavior, such as chatting with friends and playing around on phones, actually contribute, and even sometimes are a necessary part of the creative learning process.  I thought it was a great theory.  I know I’m not a teen by a long shot, but I think the same theory applies to me!

Larson, J. (2014). A Learning Lab Makes It in St. Paul. Young Adult Library Services, 12(2), 22-24

Topic choice

I've been debating for the last couple of days what emerging technology topic I should choose for assignment #4.  I did a similar paper for MLIS 7550, and my topic for that paper was text message reference, so I didn't want to choose anything too similar to that.  I considered 3D printing, because I'm still very intrigued about it.  I also considered Google Glass briefly, because I wasn't familiar with that at all and I thought it might be good to learn about something new.  Earlier today I thought I would choose screencasting, but now I'm leaning towards writing about digital media labs in public libraries.  I've found a few sources, so hopefully I can learn something and put a good paper together.

CMS Interview

I interviewed two librarians regarding their experiences with a Content Management System (CMS). I conducted both interviews via email.  The first librarian I interviewed was Donovan Lambright, who is the Automation Librarian at SELCO.  SELCO is one of Minnesota’s 12 regional public library systems.  The membership of SELCO is comprised of a federation of locally autonomous public libraries and 11 counties in southeastern Minnesota.  As Donovan explained, SELCO uses two CMSs, WordPress and Confluence.  WordPress powers their organization’s website as well as the websites of many of the libraries in the SELCO region (which SELCO hosts).  SELCO uses Confluence to maintain their "team pages", which is an internal, private wiki for SELCO staff.

I asked Donovan what SELCO’s motivations were when adopting WordPress for its current use as their organization’s website.  Donovan explained that SELCO actually used Confluence for its previous, pre-WordPress website.  Confluence worked well for providing documents and other content for the member libraries, but not for creating modern-looking websites.  SELCO wanted to make their website less the document portal it was with Confluence and more a website about the organization.  SELCO wanted a solution that could be hosted by a commercial web hosting company and that also could be used by a wide range of staff with varying degrees of technology knowledge.  It was decided that WordPress would meet these criteria for both SELCO and the libraries it serves.  Confluence was kept for the team pages at SELCO, and is found to work well for its purpose as an internal, staff-only wiki.

I asked Donovan how the learning curve was for the CMSs used.  He felt the learning curve regarding WordPress has been very manageable, and that most of the staff at SELCO and the member libraries find it pretty easy to work with.  Donovan felt the learning curve for Confluence was a bit steeper.  He believed this was due to Confluence being less a blog and more a document management platform.

Donovan mentioned that of the 35 public libraries that SELCO serves, 28 of those libraries are using WordPress through SELCO.  One of those libraries that uses WordPress through SELCO is Chatfield Public Library.  The second person I interviewed for this project was Monica Erickson, the Library Director of the Chatfield Public Library.  I asked Monica what the advantages were to using WordPress through SELCO vs. any prior systems the library may have used.  Monica mentioned numerous disadvantages of their prior website.  The Chatfield Public Library began with a website hosted through a computer company in a nearby town.  The library was completely dependent on a trainer from the computer company for all of their training.  Unfortunately there were things that the computer company would not teach library staff.  The library would have to request that certain things be done and then the computer company did them when it fit their schedule.  Monica also felt that the format of this website was very rigid, and not user friendly.

Monica explained that she actually started using WordPress before SELCO was supporting it.  She knew of WordPress because her husband had worked with it and had liked it.  Monica finds many advantages of working with WordPress.  She appreciates that there are so many options for themes, and that people all over the world are always developing new plug-ins and widgets that she can then use for free.  Monica appreciates the flexibility of WordPress.  She likes that the library can use WordPress as both a blog and a website.  She has both static pages and day to day posts.  She can reorder her blog posts and can edit posts whenever she wants.  She loves that SELCO is now supporting WordPress, because she now has a go-to place when she runs into trouble.

The only disadvantage Monica mentioned to using WordPress regards an experience she had.  She spent a great deal of time searching for a perfect theme, setting it all up the way she wanted it, then used it for years (and it became part of the library’s branding), only to realize one day that the theme was no longer being upgraded and supported by its developer.  She had to give it up and pick a newer theme, which was a cause of frustration!

I then asked Monica how the learning curve was for WordPress.  Monica feels that it is definitely doable for the “normal joe”.  She finds that she sometimes forgets how to do things that she doesn’t do on a weekly basis, but she usually is able to figure things out with a little trial and error.  She also appreciates that she can find a lot of help online with her questions.

From these interviews, I learned a couple of ways that libraries are utilizing Content Management Systems.  These include the use of WordPress for websites and Confluence as an internal, staff-only wiki.  Both Donovan and Monica speak very positively about their experiences with using WordPress for their respective websites.  While Confluence wasn’t found to be what SELCO needed for their website, they still do find that it works well as an internal, private wiki for SELCO staff.  I also learned through these interviews that both the staff of SELCO and Monica at the City of Chatfield found WordPress fairly easy to work with.

Lastly, I just want to thank Donovan and Monica for their time and help with this assignment!

Mobile Wi-Fi hotspots

I follow the Kansas City Public Library on twitter.  They had a tweet that linked to this article, which discusses how four Kansas City groups, including the Kansas City Public Library, are partnering to bring Internet access to low-income families in the Kansas City area.  The library's deputy director applied for a grant to provide families with mobile Wi-Fi hotspots.  A quote in the article from this deputy director says "We check out books.  We check out everything else.  Why not the Internet?"  I think it's great that these groups are partnering to provide these services to families that otherwise could not afford it.

QR code

Hello!  I generated a QR code for my blog tonight.  I used Kaywa QR-code.  It worked well, I downloaded both the PDF version, which my husband promptly tested using his scanner app on his smart phone, as well as the PNG.  I also read through the assigned readings for this week regarding QR codes.  I hadn't given QR codes much thought in the past, so it was interesting to read the article entitled "Extending Library Services with QR Codes."  This article discussed applications for the use of QR codes in libraries.  Lawrence University has a page dealing with the basics of QR codes, which gave some good background information as well.  Here's my QR code:

Tool Library

I thought I'd post a link to an article I read a few weeks ago that I thought was pretty interesting.  It's about a tool lending library, here's the link to the story from the Minneapolis paper.   For a yearly fee, members will have access to the library's collection of household tools.  The article states that about 60 tool libraries have opened across the country, although I wasn't familiar with any until I read this article.  It makes me wonder what other types of libraries there are around the country and world.  I know the ECFE program in our school district has a toy lending library for those families enrolled in classes.  We always appreciated that when the kids were younger.  It was fun to check out a big, loud toy and keep it for a week or two, and then return it without having it be in our house forever!