Category «Library Marketing»

Costco stores as role models for Internet-era public libraries (caveats ahead)

David Rothman cautions that the rage is to compare everything in creation to a business. But he urges us to be careful when doing so with America’s public libraries. They are civic and service institutions, not profit-making corporations. A major caveat! Public libraries need to serve everyone, especially the poor, a distinct and resonate differentiation with the market paradigm. Still, in in a library context, Rothman was intrigued when President Obama once again singled out Costco for its success. There are lessons to be learned here.

Subjects: Features, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing

Should public libraries give away e-book-friendly tablets to poor people? $38 tablet hints of possibilities

David Rothman proposes that e-book-capable tablets, especially with national digital library systems in place, could multiply the number of books matching students’ precise needs. Paper books could serve as gateways to E, and then children and parents could digitally follow their passions to the max, whether for spaceships, basketball, or knitting. A “quiet” feature could turn off Facebook-style distractions when tablet users wanted to focus on books. Protective rubber cases could guard against drops. Learning, independent of income – access to knowledge regardless of often round-the clock-work schedules for increasing numbers of parents and young people who are struggling to get by – this is a cause around which many communities of best practice can rally.

Subjects: E-Books, Features, Gadgets, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology

UsBook: Toward a family-friendly Facebook alternative to preserve your memories and help future historians–while respecting privacy

David Rothman’s commentary focuses on how the Digital Public Library of America is still on track to be a mostly academic creature despite the P word in its name. David supports and documents innovative, creative and value-added goals that with proper focus, can bolster the DPLA onto the level of a world-class academic digital library system, as opposed to siphoning off badly needed resources and other forms of support from public librarians who should be forming their own e-system. At the same time, Rothman believes that the DPLA and public libraries should work closely on joint projects, including an alternative to Facebook–not a clone but a different kind of social network.

Subjects: Legal Technology, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology

The DPLA and the risks of gentrifying Americas public libraries

David Rothman’s commentary proposes that the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) should turn itself into the Digital Academic Library of America or something similar while encouraging public libraries to establish their own system, ideally through COSLA, a group of state library administrators. Both systems could share not just content but also a common catalog for patrons wanting it, an infrastructure and technical services organization, and overlapping board members—while hewing to the systems’ respective priorities.

Subjects: Features, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology

E-Books and the Miami-Dade Library Crisis: One Way to Help Thwart the Misers

David Rothman makes a case that the time has come for a coherent national strategy to help speed up digitization of library systems like Miami’s and use the efficiencies of e-books and other digital items to squeeze more out of tax dollars—while also increasing the total amount of money for libraries and content. In other words, be more generous at all levels of government but at the same time expect more value. Avoid ever shutting down neighborhood branches, valuable in many ways beyond loaning bestsellers and other titles, and don’t get rid of all paper books, especially picture books for children.

Subjects: E-Books, Features, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology

Rebooting Legal Research in a Digital Age

Steven A. Lastres writes that research has always been core to the practice of law. However, the results of a recent survey Steven has authored identified a “New Normal” in today’s business climate that has a profound effect in the delivery of legal services and impacts how research is conducted.

Subjects: Features, Law Firm Marketing, Legal Research, Legal Research Training, LEXIS, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing

Promising DPLA debut–but please don’t confuse with a full-fledged ‘public library’ demo

David H. Rothman discusses the strengths and gaps of the current site, which he notes is a demo project with which the DPLA hopes to raise money and attract more, and much needed volunteers. The organization also plans to use this iteration as an opportunity to apply lessons learned to future versions as the project navigates forward in a demonstrably challenging time for libraries.

Subjects: Features, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology, Web Accessibility

The New Digital Public Library of America Board of Directors

David H. Rothman’s current commentary highlights the composition of the new board of directors of the nonprofit DPLA, an organization that continues to grow and change, along with clarifying its goals and objectives.

Subjects: Internet Resources, Leadership, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Management, Team Building, Virtual Library

Friends of Quinn and LD OnLine: Two good Web sites illustrate need for separate national digital library systems – public and academic

David H. Rothman highlights how two Web sites on learning disabilities demonstrate the need for separate but tightly intertwined national digital library systems – one system public, one academic. Collaborating with an academic system, a national digital public system could work with local library sites and public partners at different levels to provide the most trustworthy information available to all patrons.

Subjects: Features, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Reference Services

National Digital Library System – Early Childhood Education and Family Literacy

David H. Rothman’s latest commentary on the DPLA states his position clearly: Priority One of a national digital library system should be early childhood education, bolstered by family literacy. Other areas also count, but early childhood education is dearest to him and among those especially likely to give the taxpayers the most for their investment. We could use tablet computers and good old-fashioned tutoring and mentoring from librarians, educators, and volunteers to help the disadvantaged–parents as well as children.

Subjects: Features, Internet Trends, Libraries & Librarians, Library Marketing, Library Software & Technology, Mobile Tech, Technology Trends