Digitization 101

These are my informal notes from yesterday's conference call (March 13).

News from the State Library (Jeffrey Cannell):

• Both sides of the legislature have proposed increasing library funding for the next fiscal year.
• Assemblyman Bob Reilly, Chair of the Assembly Libraries Committee announced that he will not be running for re-election, which means once again we will have a new library advocate in the Assembly next year. 
• New York State Library has been selected by the Gates Library Foundation as one of 10 state library agencies to work with the Parthenon Group on strategic priorities.  (03/15/2012: Info added for clarity)
• Texas State Library and Archives Commission has said, "The Foundation has a vested interest in seeing that state library agencies remain strong leaders and thus capable partners. They expressed an interest in helping these agencies in their strategic planning, in light of the budget reductions in many of the public library programs. The Foundation offered to provide the services of a management consulting firm used by the foundation for a number of other projects."

2020 Vision Plan (John Hammond):

• John reminded us how far we had come.  The work was launched in April 2010, when the Advisory Council met with members of the Board of Regents (Cultural Education Committee).  The planning committee was formed in the late fall of 2010.  Since then, many public comments have been received and the community has engaged in conversation about the future.
• The 2020 Vision will be presented to the Cultural Education Committee at its April 2012 meeting.  Before that meeting, Advisory Council members will be in touch with the members of the Board of Regents about the document. 
• The plan provides for many opportunities in terms of implementation.  It is a roadmap. A consensus document from the field.
• The Advisory Council discussed our possible actions after this is presented to the Cultural Education Committee.

There were brief updated from the Joseph F. Shubert Award Committee (Mary Muller, chair) and the LSTA Committee (Louise Sherby, chair).

The next meeting of the Council will be in April, when just prior to the meeting with the Regents.  There are conference call meetings scheduled for June and September.

These are my informal notes from today's conference call meeting of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries.

First, here is text that I wanted to share from the minutes of the December RAC meeting:

Update on Funding/Staffing for the State Library. The Cultural Education Fund, a special revenue fund which supports the Office of Cultural Education and the ongoing operations of the State Library, State Archives and State Museum is still in deficit - $12.7 million. Budget restrictions continue to be extremely tight. No staff positions have been filled or backfilled in the State Library since January 2009.  The State Library has lost 65 FTE since the Great Recession began in December 2007 (a 36% reduction). The Acquisitions Budget has dropped from $4.27 million to $2.5 million.

2020Vision Process Action Plan and Next Steps - John Hammond

The 2020 Vision will be presented at the April's meeting of the Board of Regents.  It is hoped that the Board will vote on them during that meeting.  After that, the Council will work with the New York State Library on implementation.

The Council will seek to have time at the NYLA conference to update the library community on the 2020 Vision.  The Council will also volunteer to talk to other groups about the plan.

Office of Cultural Education Update - Jeffrey Cannell

This covers four different program areas: The New York State Museum, State Library, State Archives, and the Office of Educational Television and Public Broadcasting.

The office has been looking at its strategic goals for the next three years. The themes for this time period are:

OCE as a Statewide Institution

Partnerships with other USNY institutions

Collections Stewardship and Research

Increase and expand public access to the collections and our programs

Relevant minutes: 12/11 Cultural Education Committee Meeting

News:

• Nov. 29, 2011, Assembly Hearing on Funding Public Libraries
• Notice: ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON LIBRARIES AND EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY 
• Info from NYLA: Assembly held a day recently talking about library funding
• Senator Farley Announces Establishment of Senate Library Committee
• Heard brief updates on:
• Joseph F. Shubert Award – Mary Muller, Chair (committee members)
• LSTA Committee – Louise Sherby, Chair (committee members)

Today at the New York Library Association (NYLA) Annual Conference, people gave comments on the draft report entitled Creating the Future: A 2020 Vision and Plan for Library Service in New York State.  The comments were received, without any discussion, by Regent Roger Tillis (Chair of the NYS Board of Regents Cultural Education Committee) and Deputy Commissioner of Education Jeffrey Cannell as well as two members of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries (John Hammond and Jerry Nichols).  Besides the received verbal comments, everyone was encouraged to provide comments in writing.  In addition, comments may be submitted by members of the public, library staff, library students, and others via email to NYSLRegComments@mail.nysed.gov by November 15, 2011. After that, members of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries will revise the 2020 Vision based on the input reserved.  The goal is to give the completed document to the Regents in the spring (April/May) and ask them to act on the recommendations.  Some of the recommendations may require legislative action.

For additional information on this document and process, go to this web site.

The Regents Adivsory Council on Libraries met via conference call on October 13.  Due to our schedules, the meeting was delayed from its original September date. Below are my informal notes from the call.  (These are not official minutes.)

Gerald Nichols was elected chair of the Council for the next year and John Hammond was elected vice-chair.

2020 Vision: John Hammond gave a report from the 2020 Vision Task Force.  A first draft has been disseminated through several discussion lists.  It will also be sent directly to the Regents.  A second draft will be prepared to include feedback on the first draft.

There will be a session at NYLA about the 2020 vision and look forward to hearing comments that occur then.  Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Cannell and Regent Roger Tilles plan to be at the event. There was much discussion about how to ensure that the Council receives a lot of feedback from those that attend the NYLA session.

The goal is to give a final report to the Regents in April.

2012 Meeting Schedule: The Council will have a conference call on January 12 to review the next draft of the 2010 Vision.  The Council will also meet on March 13 by phone.  [The final meeting for 2011 will be held in December in NYC.]

Update on the Research Library: The Research Library has now been open for a full year on Saturdays.  Anecdotal data shows that people are traveling to use the State Library on Saturdays and researchers (including graduate students) are using the expanded hours.  The Library is doing a survey of researchers in order to gather more input.  Loretta Ebert noted that the Dutch collections are receiving increased use.

There is a goal to open a public computing center on the 7th floor of the State Library, part of the BTOP grant to create computing centers across New York State. Ebert mentioned a desire to increase collaboration and alliances in this area.  More information on the BTOP grants is available on the Library Development web page.

There are discussions about how to allow collaborative licenses across entities.  This is something that came up during the 2020 Vision process and has been mentioned in other context.

Division of Library Development:  Carol Desch reported.  There are two BTOP grants in NYS - one for Upstate NY (over $9 million) and one for NYC.  All of the 30 computing centers are up, except for the one at the State Library.  Video conferencing is part of the hardware that is being installed in these centers.

Thanks to NYLA for helping to get the law amended about construction grants in NYS. The new law sunsets after three years, so it will be important see the impact of this change and advocate for its extension, if the impact is positive. 

LSTA funding was cut at the federal level for 2011-2012.  Money coming to NYS from LSTA is based on population and the State's population has been decreasing. Carol gave more details about the impact of this, which I couldn't type fast enough to capture. LSTA funding is used for some work/staff at the State Library, NOVELny and grants to libraries/library systems.

Jerry Nichols asked about the new 2% tax cap:  How will this impact libraries?  The law will sunset in eight years, but what will happen to libraries before then? What data is the State Library collecting and will we be able to understand the impact of the tax cap from that data?  (Yes)

Relevant Meetings at NYLA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY:  Based on the conference call today, here are relevant sessions at the upcoming NYLA conference:

• Thursday, Nov. 3, 9:15 a.m. - Comments from the NYS Education Commissioner
• Friday, Nov. 4, 8:00 a.m. - Bond Basics for Financing Public Library Capital Projects 
• Friday, Nov. 4, 3:45 p.m. - 2020 Vision for Library Services in NYS: the Discussion Continues
• Saturday, Nov. 5, 8:00 a.m. - Declare Financial Independence: Become a Library District!
• Saturday, Nov. 5, 9:30 a.m. - School Library Initiatives from NYSED
• Saturday, Nov. 5, 9:30 a.m. - Tax Cap Impact on Libraries
• Saturday, Nov. 5, 11:00 a.m. - Technology Policy and Planning from USNY

The timing of Seth Godin's blog post about libraries on Monday was fortuitous because Monday I was part of a discussion on that topic at the Regents Cultural Education Committee in Albany, NY.  There are indeed many discussions occurring on what libraries will or should be in the future.  Even though there is no agreement, all of the discussions are very necessary so we can get every idea and every option out on the table.

To that end, the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries began last year to solicit input in order to "develop and recommend to the Board [of Regents] a 2020 vision for library services and an innovative plan for ensuring the greatest access to information for all New Yorkers."  Our public work on this began at the NYLA conference last November.  This spring, we asked people to repond to 10 questions and nearly 100 responses were received from individuals and organizations.  A timeline has been developed for seeking additional input and then developing a draft - and final - plan.  While we will keep the Regents in the loop along the way, we have promised to have our final plan to them by May 2012 and ready for their approval.  All of this work is in an effort to update the statewide plan developed in 2000.

On Monday, Norm Jacknis, John Hammond, Sara Kelly Johns, John Monihan, Mary Mary Muller, Louise Sherby, Jerry Nichols and I met with Regents Tilles and Dawson (chair and past chair of the Cultural Education Committee) and Regents Cea, Norwood and Cottrell, who are not part of the committee but who were compelled by the topic to attend the meeting. (As is often the case, there was a competing meeting, which some CE committee members needed to attend.) While it is clear that the Regents are interested in a positive future for our libraries, it seems - to me - that the articulation of that future needs to place libraries firmly and obviously in context with the other educational activities (and changes) occurring in the state.  While you may think that this is obvious already, then consider that the connections need to be blatantly obvious not only to the Regents but to all of the other stakeholders (including members of the education and business communities). 

As they have in the past, the Regents connected libraries in the discussion to other cultural heritage and educational organizations, as well as other cultural activities.  Like us, they don't see libraries as standalone entities.  They do want those connections to be meaningful and visible.  It is as if they are throwing their arms wide open and (in their best Southern drawl) saying "y'all".  Recognizing that libraries are entwined in their communities with other organizations, etc., the Regents have asked that we solicit input for the 2020 vision from a wider cross-section of people and we'll do that.

Back to Seth Godin, who is fueling a public and heated discussion on libraries.  This time, people are agreeing with him, but some don't agree totally with him.  Allow me to pull some highlights from his blog post.  Godin wrote:

A librarian is a data hound, a guide, a sherpa and a teacher. The librarian is the interface between reams of data and the untrained but motivated user.

He then spent a lot of time talking about books, which makes me wonder if he understands what libraries actually do.  But then he  wrote:

The library is no longer a warehouse for dead books. Just in time for the information economy, the library ought to be the local nerve center for information.

And...

The next library is a place, still. A place where people come together to do co-working and coordinate and invent projects worth working on together. Aided by a librarian who understands the Mesh, a librarian who can bring domain knowledge and people knowledge and access to information to bear.

Thankfully, Godin ends up advocating the type of libraries that we all want.

As you ponder about Godin's blog post and the future of libraries, here are excerpts from some of our colleagues:

Caroline J. Posynick:

Whether it's a library, museum, shop, or government office, it's the people who work there that create a connection to the information and value of the institution, one person at a time.

Bobbi Newman:

We ARE fighting for the future of the librarian as a producer, concierge, connector, teach and impresario, but we know to do that we need books. We need the information contained in those books, so we DO need “clever ebook lending solutions”. Information is not free, it costs. One of the many roles of the public library is to ensure that all people have access to that information.

Nancy Dowd:

I know many of you may feel we are already doing these things. We’ve been calling libraries community centers and offering tech support and classes, but I think Seth is calling for a new mindset. He isn’t asking us to improve what we are doing, he is suggesting that we need to change the core thinking of what we do, re-imagine the core purpose of why libraries exist. Revamp our perceptions from “people should” to “people are” by accepting that the changes in technology are changing the needs of people. It isn’t that we need to add a tech center, it’s that we need to change our mindset. Don’t be disappointed that people aren’t reading; embrace communication as a fluid process that encompasses all mediums- print, visual, auditory. People are free to use whatever medium they chooses to use to communicate the ideas. Don’t be worried that people aren’t using the “best” resources; understand that information needs are relevant to the solutions people are seeking. Don’t defend the need to remain the way we are because we must provide internet access or books to the poor, look beyond to see a world where connections are the commodities that people will need to succeed. 

Buffy Hamilton:

My takeaway from Godin’s post is that we may not all agree on the details, but the value of these kinds of posts is that they can initiate and sustain conversations about how we can better improve the work we do and the roles we play in better helping our communities. 

Diane Cordell:

Change is not only an option, change is an imperative. Don't just get your feathers ruffled: inquire, assess, learn, adapt. Evolve.

Wayback Wednesday posts are meant to surface information from previous blog posts in order to keep that content alive.  This one, however, is a reminder that this topic is not new to Digitization 101.  Related Digitization 101 blog posts:

• That mention Seth Godin 
• Related to libraries in New York State

The Regents Advisory Council on Libraries met by phone on Jan. 28 for a short meeting.  This meeting was held days before the governor released his 2011-2012 budget, and indications were that the budget was going to contain bad news (and it did).  


During the conference call, we received a brief update from Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Cannell on other legislative news, the December 2010 Regents Cultural Education Meeting, and the budget's effect on the State Library.   

John Hammond reported on the 2020 Vision process action plan and next steps.  Work on this began at the NYLA Annual Conference and will continue this year with other library partners.  The group wants to gather ample input from others and discussed how that might happen.  A session on this 2020 Vision is already scheduled for the NYLA 2011 Annual Conference.

The 2020 Vision grew out of our meeting with the Regents Cultural Education Committee last year, and so our report to them this year include an update on that effort.

We did discuss other topics, including the need for school librarians and work that is being done on literacy standards.   John Monahan and Sara Kelly Johns led those discussions.

Advisory Council members go to the Albany in February to meet with legislators and we discussed that activity.  Since Jan. 28, we have learned that the date we'd selected is not a date when legislators will be in Albany (day after President's Day), so we're discussing alternatives. 

Due to my teaching schedule, I was unable to attend the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries meeting this past Friday in New York City (either in person or by phone).  Thankfully, Bridget Quinn-Carey, chair of the Council, provided some quick notes about what was discussed. 

The biggest topic on the agenda was discussion of the 2020 vision; a topic that was brainstormed at the NYLA conference in November (notes).  The Council "wants to gather more information and engage even more creative thinking (not just planning for where we are or should be today, but where we want and need to be in 2020); best practices vs. vision – need both, but want to be inspired." (Quinn-Carey)  The Council wants to engage in discussions with:

• Library schools (faculty and students)
• Foundations (e.g., Robin Hood Project, Gates)
• Futurists
• The public
• Library systems

Because there is no funding for this effort, the Council recognizes that logistics will be challenging and thus will look for creative ways of gathering input.

If you have input on this topic - or ideas how the Council can gather input - please email your suggestions to NYSLRegComments@mail.nysed.gov


Other topics discussed included:

• Commissioner Steiner's willingness to learn more about libraries. How can we (libraries) capitalize on this opportunity?
• Attending the Cultural Education Committee meeting on Dec. 13 or 14 in Albany. Someone from the Council will report on the planning project.
• Discussion of the report the Council will present in April 2011 to the Cultural Education Committee, which will be a continuation of the 2020 process.
• Brief discussion of the Shubert Committee: Sara Kelly Johns to Chair with Louise Sherby and Mary Muller as committee members. 
• An update on the State Library - both the Research Library and Library Development.

I know that I missed a very lively discussion.  I look forward to our next meeting, which should be a conference call in January.

If you read my NYLA Conference blog post, then you know that the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries is seeking input toward the development of a new statewide plan.  Below is an email from Bridget Quinn-Carey, chair of the Council, soliciting additional input. If you are a library worker in NYS, I hope you'll take a moment to respond.  It would be great to get a lot of input before the Council meets on Dec. 3.

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• Bridget Quinn-Carey, Chair, Regents Advisory Council on Libraries
• Roberta Stevens, President, American Library Association
• Kathy Miller, President, New York Library Association
• Jeffrey W. Cannell, Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Cultural Education

The Regents Advisory Council on Libraries (RAC) met by conference call this morning, rather than spending time/money to meet face-to-face.  Below are my rough notes.  These are not the official minutes from the meeting. If anyone on the call  has a correction, please let me know. Questions (from anyone) are always welcome.

In attendance were members of the  Regents Advisory Council on Libraries and several staff members from the State Library.Norm Jacknis, who is rejoining the Council was on also the call.

Changes in Regents Cultural Education Committee - Regent Tilles is now the chair of this committee. Changes in the committee could broaden its scope to include arts education.

Changes in the New York State Education Department  - One change noted is the new Office of Educational Design and Technology (ED&T) which includes the School Library Services program.

State Library Update - Loretta Ebert gave an update on the Research Library and Carol Desch gave an update on the Division of Library Development.  The broadband initiative is helping to put libraries in the news - a good thing!  Important capital budget requests are being developed (including library construction and broadband maintenance).

Research Library expects to open for Saturday hours beginning on Oct. 16 (9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.).  The move has met with a number of challenges, including the budget, staff concerns, etc.  At a time when people need libraries more than ever, it is felt that this is the right time to expand the hours.  Patron communities have been very supportive of the move.

Downsizing at the State Library - Like other libraries across NYS, retirements as well as the budget's impact have led to downsizing at the State Library.  The State Library is dealing with the impact of these and working to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of NYS residents.

Nylink - Nylink was retrenched by SUNY which effects three three areas of concern to this group:

• Nylink maintained a contract with OCLC.  Now rethinking/redoing the state contracts is a priority and must abide with State procurement regulations.
• Nylink handled the land delivery service contract used by CUNYs, SUNYs and others. The remainder of the current contract has been reassigned.  A group is meeting to discuss what to do after this contract ends. 
• Nylink handled the licensing of databases on a consortium basis.  Consortial purchasing should be able to continue without Nylink.

NOVELny - There was a brief update on this.  Please note that information on the NOVELny Steering Committee is available online.

Update on the Regents Commission on Library Services Recommendation - The State Library has compiled a 20-page draft document on what has occurred (or not) since the Commission issued its recommendations.  The Council was asked to review the document and provide any comments/feedback.

2020 Future Vision for Library Services in NYS - "What’s Your Vision for Library Services in New York State?", Thursday, November 4, 2010, 3:15 – 4:30 p.m. Saratoga City Center, Saratoga Springs: (flier states)

Join the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries, NYLA leaders, and your colleagues in discussing a future vision for library services in New York State.

• What services will New Yorkers expect from their academic, public, school, and special libraries in 2020?
• What strategies will best position library organizations to deliver those services?
• What role should the State play in order to serve libraries and New Yorkers more effectively?

Among the panelists will be:

• Bridget Quinn-Carey, Chair, Regents Advisory Council on Libraries
• Roberta Stevens, President, American Library Association
• Kathy Miller, NYLA President
• Jeffrey W. Cannell, Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Cultural Education

The group discussed using a back-channel (e.g., Twitter) during the session to allow library staff members not at NYLA to participate in the event.

Shubert Award - The committee gave its report.  The winner will be at the NYLA conference, and the award will be given then. The award was more broadly publicized this year, which brought in more applications!

School Library Services - RAC continues to be concerned about having certified school librarians in all elementary schools in well-maintained libraries. Studies continue to demonstrate that this has a positive impact of student learning.

Information Literacy Standards - While there are recognized AASL standards on information literacy, NYS has not adopted any standards on this.

2010-2011 RAC Meeting Schedule -

• Dec. 3, 2010 - at METRO in NYC
• Jan. 28, 2011 - conference call
• April 4 or 5, 2011 - attend Regents Cultural Education Committee meeting in Albany
• Sept. 23, 2011 - Tentatively in NYC
• Dec. 2, 2011 - Tentatively in NYC

The group discussed adding a conference call in June.  A date for such will need to be found.

Your Thoughts? The Regents Advisory Council on Libraries is always seeking input from the library community.  If you have thoughts to share or questions to ask, please contact any member of the Council.

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Technorati tags: Regents, New York State, NYS, RAC, Libraries, State Library

This is truly my own opinion and thinking, and not the opinion of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries or any other person or organization.

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Today Bridget Quinn-Carey (Council chair), John Monihan, Jerry Nichols, Mary Muller and myself traveled to Albany for the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries annual meeting with the NYS Regents Cultural Education Committee. We were accompanied by Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education Jeffrey Cannell and members of the State Library.  Regents in attendance included James Dawson (chair), Karen Brooks Hopkins, Joseph Bowman and Charles Bendit. Regent Bendit will be joining the Cultural Education Committee in July.  Regents Phillis and Tilles were absent.  (One was sick while the other was attending a different committee meeting.)

The Council's report pointed out what we all know -- libraries need funding and support.  Our message was received with compassion and with a splash of "cold water".

The 2010-2011 budget is already late.  If passed with the Governor's budget cuts, libraries will receive their fifth cut to state aid in two years.  That will bring state funding to libraries back to its 1998 level.

It is already anticipated that next year's budget (2011-2012) will be worse than this year's.  The economy is improving in certain areas, but other areas are lagging and that is impacting the government's revenues.

Libraries are not the only cultural education group that is suffering, but as librarians and library workers, we feel our pain the worst.

Questions emerged about pursuing other funding streams (e.g., private funding).  We reminded the Regents that libraries are pursuing a variety of funding sources.  We also know that alternate funding streams aren't available to all libraries, especially small rural libraries where there are few businesses that might support a library with donations, etc.

The most provocative question came from Regent Bendit who asked if we were to start from scratch, how would we envision "the library"?  After the meeting, Regent Bendit, Jeffrey Cannell and I continued that line of thinking and wondered what functions a library might have in 2035 --> 25 years from now. Bendit's thinking is that if we can envision what the goal is, then we can work toward it.  This is classic scenario planning where you create a vision of what you believe will occur (or want to occur) and then figure out the actions that will be needed before that.  The actions might be those that will help that future come into being or will ensure that you (and your organization) are well-position for that future.

As I drove back from Albany, my mind continued to think about 2035.  Yes, we all need to spend time thinking about what libraries will be in 25 years (or at some other point in the future), because it provides a goal that we then can work toward.  Let's remember that it was a long-term goal that got the U.S. to land on the moon in 1969.

We also know that established organizations have a hard time changing, especially if they ignore what the future might bring.  IBM couldn't react the PC developments in a nibble-enough fashion, which had a negative impact on the company.  Microsoft has become less flexible, leaving it unable to compete as effectively as it would like with Google.

With libraries -- as well as museums and archives -- we have established traditions, services, processes and target audiences.  We have buildings and other "inventory" that cannot be changed over night.  We also have a workforce that generally has the same vision for what a library is, as well as library science students in the pipeline who already have framed in their heads a fairly similar vision.  Moving toward 2035 also means that our library educators, library science programs and accreditation guidelines will need to change.

Yup...moving from here to 2035 isn't just saying here's what we need for next year; it's recognizing what steps we need to take each year so that our journal is complete in 25 years.

To help you begin to think about 2035, consider these questions:

• What will be the demographics in our communities in 2035?
• What will our environment be like in 25 years?
• What will the economic forces be?
• How will people access information, entertainment and news?
• What will our education system look like?
• How will students interact with learning material, teachers and classmates?
• How will people interact with their cultural heritage?

The Regents Advisory Council on Libraries talked briefly after our meeting with the Regents on how we can begin our own envisioning process.  We know that we'll need to include many other people in that process, including other members of the cultural heritage community.  So stay tuned...or...better yet...think about 2035 and share your thoughts with us!  Feel free to leave a comment here or contact a member of the Council.

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Technorati tags: Regents, New York State, NYS, RAC, Libraries, State Library

This is truly my own opinion and thinking, and not the opinion of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries or any other person or organization.

Once a year, members of the NYS Regents Advisory Council on Libraries go to Albany and the Legislative Office Building (LOB) to talk to legislators about the importance of libraries and the need for adequate funding.

For as long as I can remember, the State has not given libraries as much state funding as requested or needed.  Thankfully, libraries have always "made do".   However, in the last two years, there have been four cuts to library funding and a fifth cut has been proposed by the Governor.  If the fifth cut is enacted, the State funding for libraries will return to the level of funding that libraries received in 1998.  Keep in mind, this is 2010.  Yup...as the saying goes, not pretty.

Yesterday we talked to legislators and their staff members about the need for libraries and the problems that inadequate funding is causing.  While libraries have been doing more for their patrons with less money, it is not possible for them to do more with even less money.  Less money will mean fewer new books, magazines and other resources.  It may mean that database subscriptions will be terminated.  Staff could be cut (again) and operating hours reduced.  It could be that some libraries will completely fail and close.

How can we have libraries fail at a time when our patrons are using library resources for their job hunting activities, including finding job openings, filling out applications, and working on their resumes?  What about patrons who are looking to libraries to help them acquire new skills?  And what about people who are downsizing and need to use the library's computers and Internet access?  Yes, we reminded people in Albany of all the ways our patrons are using libraries and they valued all of them.

No one in the legislature will say that they don't like libraries.  Everyone is very "pro" libraries.  Everyone I met with wanted to see funding restored.  Some of us heard that the "Democratic Committee" is in favor of restoring the funding, although I'll admit to not know who exactly is a part of that committee.  But no one stood up and said that he/she would be a champion for libraries as the budget is debated in the legislature.  No one took ownership.  The word "we" was used frequently but "we" needs someone to lead the effort.

After five hours of train rides and hours inside the LOB, I was back in Syracuse and attending a lecture given by Dr. Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank which is famous for its implementation of microcredit loans.  During his presentation, Yunus noted that disasters are places where creativity and new ways of thinking can flourish.  Many would consider the state budget to be a disaster and so is this a time for us to think more creatively?  It seems so.  For example, one assemblyperson suggested a different way of allocating money from the state budget for libraries, explaining that it might limit the impact of any budget decreases. In side conversations, it was clear that people are willing to think in new ways about funding, etc. I am not talking about creatively doing more with less, but using new thinking to change funding models, funding streams, etc. 


One more tidbit...because of the decreases in State funding, there is a possibility that the LSTA funds will also be decreased, which would impact the funding for NOVELny and the statewide database licenses. That could mean, I think, that State funds would be needed to fill-in an gaps or that fewer databases would be carried.  Yup...that wouldn't be pretty either.

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Technorati tags: Regents, New York State, NYS, RAC, Libraries, State Library

Keeping with tradition, here's what stands out to me about this last year...

• Google: Founded in 1998, it is hard to believe that a company that is still relatively young could have such a huge impact. 10 years later, it is nearly impossible to avoid Google if you're using the Internet. For those of us interested in copyright and digitization, the Google Book Settlement is something we thought would be completed this fall. Now perhaps it'll become a done deal in early 2010. Of course, it may take years for us to full understand it's impact. (posts on Google)
• The economy: While things maybe getting better, the improvements are slow. The impact on libraries, museums and archives hasn't been pretty. Resources are being cut, including people. Thankfully, agencies that give grants have still been giving grants, and that has been helpful.
• Such a deal: A down economy does mean that many vendors are giving deals. That's good for their customers. However, times like this remind us about the "survival of the fittest". Hopefully, the fittest (strongest) also have the best products and services.
  
• Advocacy: The economic pressure on our cultural heritage institutions has led more of us to become outspoken advocates. In times like this, I'm glad to be a part of the Regents Advisory Council for Libraries and to donate to organizations that work to help libraries. What we need, though, is for every user to become an advocate. We need to make it easy for our users to be our advocates by providing them with postcards, etc., that they can use. (posts specifically for New Yorkers on the Regents Advisory Council for Libraries)
  
• Teaching: I've been teaching full-time for a calendar year and...wow! I teach three classes each semester, which is really keeping me busy. Thankfully, I enjoy the school I'm in, its faculty and staff, and its students. And the schedule does allow me to continue to consult, which keeps me grounded in the real world.

  By the way, it is likely that you know someone that is attending a university program either on campus or virtually. If so, please reach out to that person with words of encouragement and help. Being in school -- especially a graduate program -- can be difficult and stressful. This past year, I've seen how the stress has impacted our students and it can be devastating. Please be supportive - be unconditionally supportive.
  

• Social media: Because of the U.S. Presidential campaign in 2008 and other world events, social media was in the spotlight as 2009 began, and the spotlight is still on it. Social media -- or web 2.0 -- isn't about tools; it's about conversations and connecting with people. If you are not connecting with people online -- and hopefully in places where conversations flow quickly and effortlessly -- then you're missing out personally and professionally. Talk t your colleagues and friends about places online that they are using in order to be part of larger conversations, and then join them. You don't have to be active on a lot of sites or use a wide variety of tools. Start with one or two (e.g., LinkedIn and Facebook) and then experiment with a few more. Use what works for you and drop what doesn't.

  By the way, I do have a second blog on social media that I launched in 2007. Feel free to add it to your RSS reader.
  


• Be in the present: 2009 took me to Arlington VA, Washington D.C, Columbus OH, New York City (many times), Geneva CH, Philadelphia PA, Oklahoma City OK, Albany NY, Florida and...? Being on the road, in the classroom and online reminded me that it is important to be present in the moment. It's not helpful to anyone -- and certainly not fun -- the be physically in one place and mentally in some other place. Life is enjoyed when we're in each moment, and neither living in the past or in the future (or in some alternate mental universe).
  

I'm sure that there are things I should note about the state of digitization, but I'll leave that for another time. This (above) is what's on my mind today at the end of 2009.

You are also on my mind. Thank you for continuing to believe in this blog. Thanks for the comments that you leave, the emails that you send, and the people that you recommend this blog to.

2009 has been a rough year for many people. Let's make 2010 a better year.

Happy New Year!

Related blog posts:

• Digitization 101: 2008 Year in Review (2008)
  
• Thank you (and some statistics) (2007)
• Digitization 101 Year in Review: Words to Take into 2007 (2006)
• Digitization 101 Year in Review: News (2006)
• Digitization 101 Year in Review: Influences (2006)

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Technorati tags: Copyright,Digitization,Regents,RAC, Social Media

On September 25, 2009, members of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries met at the METRO offices in New York City. As I have done since I joined the Council two years ago, I am providing my notes here for everyone to read. These are not the official minutes from the meeting. If any at the meeting has a correction, please let me know. Questions (from anyone) are always welcome.

In attendance were:

• Bridget Quinn-Carey
• Jerry Nichols
• Sam Simon
• Norm Jacknis (chair)
• Ellen Bach (by phone)
• Sara Kelly Johns
• Barbara Hamlin
• Tim Johnson
• Jill Hurst-Wahl

Absent were:

• David S. Ferriero
• John Monahan

Also in attendance from the State Library were:

• Bernard Margolis
• Loretta Ebert
• John Brock

Bernie Margolis has been writing periodic updates to the library community. The archives of these updates can be found at http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/library/about/updates.htm

Newly Appointed Members: The terms of Ellen Bach, David Ferriero and Norm Jacknis are ending at the end of September. In addition, the Council has one open spot due to Lucretia McClure's resignation within the last year, due to health reasons. The Board of Regents have appointed the following people to replace these members:

• John Hammond (Potsdam, NY)
• Dionne Mack-Harvin (Brooklyn, NY)
• Mary Muller (Troy, NY)
• Louise Sherby (New York, NY)

The five-year terms of these four people will begin on October 1.

By the way, David Ferriero has been nominated by the Obama administration to be the next Archivist of the United States. Congratulations David!

State Budget Update:

• Good news - It is expected that all state aid to library systems will be paid by the end of the calendar year.
• Cash-flow concerns with NYS government are continuing. This is impacting all areas.
• It is likely that the 2010 budget for the State Library will be the same as 2009. With required increases to covers some cost areas (e.g., benefits), this means that there will be a virtual decrease of 7-8%.
  
• Funding for the Office of Cultural Education continues to come from filing fees. Unfortunately, the fees do not cover the cost of operating the OCE, which include the State Library, State Museum and State Archive. The Council discussed options that might be pursued in conversations at the State level.
  

New Leadership in SED/Board of Regents:

• Chancellor of the Board of Regents - Dr. Merryl Tisch
• Commissioner of Education - Dr. David Milton Steiner
• Senior Deputy Commissioner for P-12Education - Dr. John B. King, Jr.

Broadband Initiatives: The State Library is seeking money from several sources for its broadband initiatives, including federal grants. The grant applications from the State Library to the federal Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) program total $34 million.

While much of the state has access to broadband Internet connections, there are some areas that do not. In addition, some areas lack broadband competition which means that their access is expensive. Having access to high-speed Internet connections is important for citizens of NYS either through their homes or local libraries because Internet access is increasingly vital for educational and job opportunities. Broadband access also has a positive impact on economic development.

LSTA Grants to Library Systems for 2010-2012: It is hoped that these can be increased by $100,000/year to NYS libraries.

NYCIS Vision/NOVELny and ARIA: NYCIS is the New York State Comprehensive Information System. ARIA is the Academic Research Information Access (ARIA) act. My notes here are truly skimpy. I would suggesting reading testimony given by Bernie Margolis for information on this idea.

The Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award: The Council discussed continued funding for this award as well as how to promote it more broadly. "Named after Joseph F. Shubert, former State Librarian, the Award is given to individual libraries and to library consortia to recognize achievements that improve the quality of library service to their users. The Joseph F. Shubert Library Excellence Award recognizes that attainment of excellence often happens in small steps; is a process, not a final product; and focuses on meeting user needs. Yet, the result of the process assures a comprehensive approach to excellence in libraries and information services." Recipients are announced in the fall and they receive the award at the NYLA conference.

School Library Summit: Action steps from the Summit can be found at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/library/summit

Standards for the 21st-Century Learner from the American Association of School Librarians can be found at http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards.cfm While these are fine, NYS need to develop its own standards.

The Advisory Council voted to endorse the need for separate information literacy standards within New York State.

Research Library Update: The NYS budget problems are impacting the Research Library. Voluntary separation packages have been offered in order to decrease the number of staff and to save money. These staff members will not be replaced. Voluntary staff reductions can have an uneven impact, which the State Library will need to deal with.

It is hoped that Saturday hours can be implemented at the State Library. Loretta and Bernie discussed the options and concerns in regards to this. They know that the increased number of hours will be useful to the community and are committed to finding a way of making it happen.

Next Meeting: The next Regents Advisory Council on Libraries meeting is scheduled for Dec. 4 at the METRO offices in NYC.

Final Thoughts: When I first joined the Council, I sensed that some people didn't think it was relevant. As I attend meetings, engage in discussions, and interact with Regents and legislators, I see that this Council provides a voice and point of view that is valued. When we speak, people -- people who make a difference in the future of our libraries -- do listen.

If you are a member of the library community in NYS, I encourage you to interact with members of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries. Tell us your concerns and your ideas for improving library services in NYS. We need your input, so that our input to the Regents is well-informed and relevant to what you are doing now and in the future.

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Technorati tags: Regents, New York State, NYS, RAC, Libraries, State Library

Today and tomorrow (June 3 & 4) I'm attending Opportunity Online in Bolton Landing (NY), which is a summit to discuss broadband access to communities and libraries. Attending this event are library leaders, community partners, stakeholders, and influences. There are librarians, government officials, service providers and others here. (I'm here representing the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries.) Part of the funding for this event has come from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The New York State Library coordinated this event.

The reality is that broadband Internet access is not universal in the United States and is not always affordable. During one of the sessions, we exchanged information about our communities. There are more stories than you can imagine about communities that can't acquire broadband access. Some are in remote areas where providers don't want to run cable because of the expense. Some communities have optical fiber running near their communities, but they can't get fiber for the last mile (also called the first mile in parts of the world). That lack of broadband access affects schools, libraries, businesses, and residents.

We also exchanged stories about the need for access. Governments are doing more things online (and eliminating paper) (example). More businesses are recruiting for employees online and people applying for jobs need to be able to complete job applications online. Schools are relying on the Internet for connecting students with educational resources. In these cases (and many more), Internet access means broadband access that is fast and reliable.

We saw maps and tables today that showed were New York State stands in terms of broadband access. For most of the state, the news is not as rosy as it should be.

What's the solution? I think some of our brainstorming today will help us all think creatively about solutions. Our dinner speaker -- Dr. Melodie Mayberry-Stewart -- mentioned the Broadband Federal Stimulus money that has been allocated to New York State. This is a grant opportunity that will be available to many types of organizations to help spread broadband access. In total, there is $12.5 billion for New York State. Mayberry-Stewart encouraged people in the audience to apply for these grants.

These two days are a beginning. We're exchanging information and setting the stage not only for further dialogue, but also for action. If there is no action, then this will have been for naught.

I am looking forward to tomorrow. It will be interesting to hear the ideas that bubble up after we all have slept on the information we've heard.

Addendum (June 10, 2009): From the FCC web site:

The FCC is currently working in coordination with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to perform the FCC’s role under the Recovery Act.

Specifically, in conjunction with the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program established by the Act, the FCC has been tasked with creating a National Broadband Plan by February 17, 2010. The Recovery Act states that the National Broadband Plan shall seek to ensure all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal.

Additional information can be found in this section of the FCC web site. I found this document to be useful: Program-Specific Recovery Act Plan for the FCC’s Efforts on the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program

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Technorati tags: Regents, New York State, NYS, RAC, libraries, state library

Yesterday morning, the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries (RAC) met with the New York State Board of Regents' Committee on Cultural Education. In addition to the members of the Committee, Chancellor Merryl Tisch was also in attendance. Norm Jacknis, chair of RAC, presented our report to the Regents, which focused on three areas:

• Fiscal Challenges -- It is clear that many of our libraries are facing fiscal challenges at a time when our citizens are relying on them more. We urged "the Board of Regents to press right now to maintain and increase state and federal funding for our libraries and library systems. Along with funding for State Aid to Schools, the Board of Regents needs to make state and federal funding for libraries a Regents priority budget and legislative item, each and every year."
• The Key Role Of Libraries In The Education Of All New Yorkers -- We asked that the Regents"ensure that libraries and library systems are recognized as full partners in the educational process and as necessary for student achievement. " As part of that we asked that the Board of Regents "strengthen and expand [the] present mandates for school library programs to include certified library media specialists at the elementary school level." We also asked that the State Library's role in providing electronic resources not be threatened.
• The Need To Re-evaluate Library Services In The Internet Age -- It has been a number of years since the Regents Commission on Library Services. Given the changes that have occurred since 2000, we asked that the Regents consider creating a new commission. Understanding the changes that have occurred in technology, we hope that any new commission could work effectively together while limiting the need for face-to-face (costly) meetings.
  

The Regents in attendance were vocal in their general support of our report and specifically in the need to have strong libraries in New York State. They recognize that the fiscal challenges that we face will be with New York State for a while, but are hopeful in helping libraries get through this tough time. They clearly understand the role that libraries can and do play in education, both for those in P-16 as well as those who are re-tooling themselves for new careers. I was pleased with their questions, suggestions and comments.

I left the meeting (and the post-meeting informal conversations) believing that now is the time for libraries to form the partnerships with business, industry, etc., so that our position in society is clear to everyone, especially those who control library funding. With those partnerships in place, requests for funding will be met with fewer challenges. We need to understand that although education is important, our societal concern at the moment is with an unstable economy. We need to connect ourselves to those engines that keep the economy moving forward and demonstrate ourselves a necessary core of that work.

It is not enough to say that businesses need us. They need to be at the table with us. For example, we need to be working with the Department of Labor and others on providing services that our users require (i.e., for job searches). We need to open our doors and make our "house" a "home" for more activities and more partners.

In addition, I left the meeting realizing that the Regents need to hear more from libraries, and those who advocate on behalf of libraries. And that does include hearing much more frequently from the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries. The Regents have important work/decisions ahead of them and we need to be sure that they have the needed information for those decisions.

Finally, I want to note that New York State Librarian Bernard Margolis and Deputy
Commissioner Jeffey Cannell were also in attendance yesterday and voiced support for RAC's report. Michael Borges, Executive Director of the New York Library Association, was in the audience. And I believe that State Education Commissioner Richard Mills was present for part of the meeting.

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Technorati tags: Regents, New York State, NYS, RAC