TECH SAVVY?
USING TECHNOLOGY TO REACH OUR
PATRONS!
JULIANNE BRUNET
ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIAN
ST. CATHARINES PUBLIC LIBRARY
JBRUNET@STCATHARINES.LIBRARY.ON.CA
DAVID BOTT
MANAGER, IT & NETWORKS
ST. CATHARINES PUBLIC LIBRARY
DBOTT@STCATHARINES.LIBRARY.ON.CA
ST. CATHARINES
 Located in the heart of the
Niagara Region
 Population: 131,400 (2011
Census Data)
Source: Statistics Canada. 2012. Focus on Geography Series, C2011
Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-310-XWE2011004. Ottawa,
Ontario. Analytical products, 2011 Census. Last updated October 24,
2012.
Source: Demographics: St. Catharines The Corporation of
the City of St. Catharines .Web. 29 December 2012.
http://www.stcatharines.ca/en/investin/Demographics.asp
Statistics Canada, 2011 Census
ST. CATHARINES CONTINUED…
 Aging population
 A cultural, industrial,
educational and
telecommunications hub
 Large student population
(Brock University)
Source: “St. Catharines, Ontario.” Map. Google Maps.
Google, 17 December, 2012. Web. 17 December 2012.
TECHNOLOGY TODAY
 In the last 5-10 years, we have
seen tremendous advances in
technology
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Emergence of Social Networking
Smartphone technology
Tablets
Smaller, faster PC’s
Text & video based chat
Cloud computing
GPS
Wifi
e-Readers
HOW MANY OF OUR PATRONS FEEL ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY
 Frustrated
 Unintelligent
 Disenfranchised
 Anxious
 Misunderstood
 Hesitant
 Helpless
 Alone
WHILE OTHERS EMBRACE CHANGING
TECHNOLOGY
 Many patrons (especially
younger demographics)
are very comfortable with
emerging technologies
 A large percentage of our
patrons expect
information to be widely
available and accessible
online
HOW DO WE SERVE BOTH?
 Two-pronged approach
 Libraries must be
responsive to the needs
of those who are
struggling, while
continuing to explore
emergent technologies
HOW SCPL IS RESPONDING
 We recognize the importance
of investigating and
implementing new
technologies that make our
Libraries accessible beyond
our brick and mortar
structures
 We have also made it a
priority to assist and support
those who are eager to
enhance their knowledge of
technology
OUR INITIATIVES
SOCIAL NETWORKING -
COMPUTER COURSES ONLINE SERVICES -
J. BRUNET
J. BRUNET
J. BRUNET / D. BOTT
WEBSITE TECHNOLOGIES-
GADGET WORKSHOPS -
D. BOTT
D. BOTT
SOCIAL NETWORKING
Facebook
Twitter
FACEBOOK - LOOKING BACK TO JANUARY 2012…
 278 Facebook Friends
 An average of 5-10 posts per
month, consisting mostly of
information taken directly from
our Library newsletter
 Less than 20 “likes” each month
 Few “comments” and “shares”
 Account activated on January 16,
2010
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
 Over 600 “friends” on Facebook
 300-500 “likes” / month
 50+ “comments” / month
 100 + “shares”/ month
 Average Reach: 5000-8000
patrons
HOW DID WE GET THERE?
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Designating 1 staff person to find, create, share and post content
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Posting more often (2-3 posts / day)
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Adapting a more conversational voice and style
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Advertising our presence on Facebook through other promotional outlets (website, newsletter, word of
mouth, etc…)
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Encouraging staff to contribute ideas, links and suggestions
OUR APPROACH
 Hiding “vegetables” in the
“dessert”
 Mixing “commercials” with the
“content”
 AKA: Interspersing Library
information with “fun” posts
about Libraries, books and
reading
INTERNET MEMES
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"an idea, behavior or style that spreads from person to person
within a culture” -
Merriam Webster Dictionary
MEMES CONTINUED…
PROMOTING LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
 Facebook is an inexpensive
yet highly effective way of
promoting our physical and
electronic collections to
patrons
 Be creative and avoid
copying newsletter/calendar
text verbatim
LIBRARY COLLECTIONS CONTINUED…
LIBRARY COLLECTIONS CONTINUED…
PROMOTING LIBRARY PROGRAMS
 Promote upcoming programs for
children, teens, adults and
seniors
 Post craft samples
 Post links to author websites
 Post pictures of past programs
 Include contact and registration
information!
PROGRAM PROMOTION CONTINUED…
PROMOTING LIBRARIES, BOOKS & READING
 It is also important to remind
the public of the value of
Libraries, books and reading
 This type of content is non-
threatening, entertaining and
invites a positive response
from patrons in the form of
“friends”, “likes”, “comments”
and/or “shares”
LIBRARIES, BOOKS & READING CONTINUED…
LIBRARIES, BOOKS & READING CONTINUED…
QUOTATIONS
 Quotations are a great way to
reinforce what the Library is all
about
 Ensure that you credit the source
 Like “I Love Libraries” on
Facebook
 Consult the GoodReads Quotes
database:
http://www.goodreads.com/quote
s/tag/reading
QUOTATIONS CONTINUED…
 Add pictures to content
whenever possible
 Add context to a quotation
to make it more meaningful
 Use “stock” photos, or
graphics that you have
created
VIDEO CONTENT
 Consider uploading video
content from time to time
 It is best if you can relate
the video to your Library
in some way
 Search “Library” and
related keywords on
YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ZHPJT2Kp4
VIDEO CONTENT CONTINUED…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXVPX90XcsU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UciOCYuuAU
ENGAGING YOUR FACEBOOK “FRIENDS”
 Consider asking open-ended questions to encourage user participation
 Incorporate contests and offer a prize reward
 In the text of the post, encourage users to “hit the like” or indicate that you
would love to receive pictures or comments
FINDING CONTENT TO SHARE
 “Like” the Facebook pages of
other Libraries
 “Like” organizations in your
community that have similar
goals such as the local
newspaper, television
station, city, schools etc…
 “Like” authors that are
popular at your Library
FINDING CONTENT TO SHARE CONTINUED…
 Stay on top of Library news and
trends with Google Alerts
 Populate content using information
from your newsletter/calendar but
avoid copying the text word-for-word
 Take pictures of displays, craft
samples, bookshelves, found items in
books etc…
 Keep track of “awareness” months
(i.e. Heart Health Month), holidays,
author birthdays etc… and use them
as a means to promote your
collections
GET INSPIRED!
GREAT FACEBOOK PAGES TO “LIKE”
For Reading Addicts
Books are Magic
World Library Collective
Luxury Bookshelf
Back in the Day Books
CNIB
Goodwill Librarian
Public Library Association
Book Riot
ABC Life Literacy Canada
The Children’s Book Bank of Canada
Friday Reads
Canadian Literacy and Learning
Network
 I Love Books
 Belcastro Agency
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Living to Read Fantasy
Random House Canada
Accessible Archives
Browsing Bookshelves
Librarians Without Borders
We Need Libraries
In the Know
Ontario Library Association
Federation of Ontario Public
Libraries
Burning Through Pages
Ebook Friendly
I Love Libraries
Improbables Libraries
Cheshire Public Library
Middle-Continent Public Library
WHAT DIDN’T WORK
 Posting messages too close
together - leave several hours
between status updates!
 Posting content in the evening
 Weekly trivia questions
 Lengthy book reviews / book
lists and recommendations
TWITTER - LOOKING BACK TO JANUARY 2012
 240 followers
 Following less than 30 accounts
 Less than 15 tweets per month
 Very few retweets and no mentions
 Linked to our Facebook account so
Facebook posts were automatically
posted to Twitter
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
 Nearly 1000 Twitter followers
including local businesses, patrons,
librarians, other Libraries, authors,
presenters and schools
 Over 1250 tweets since January 2012
 Posting 2-3 times per day, sometimes
more
 Following over 1000 accounts, with
similar goals and interests
 Significant increases in retweets,
replies, favourites and mentions
HOW TO INCREASE YOUR REACH
 Twitter etiquette (Follow those
who follow you!)
 Follow local Libraries, community
groups, social organizations,
patrons and authors
 When you find an account that has
a similar mandate to your Library,
review their list of followers for
potential connections
TWEET OFTEN!
•
Experts recommend posting new
content at least 6 times per day
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However, don’t tweet simply for the
sake of posting - Make it meaningful!
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SCPL aims to tweet 2-3 times/day
(sometimes more) and “retweets”
book, Library, and reading related
content to our followers
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The more often you tweet, the better
the chance that your followers will
see your posts and join the
conversation!
WHEN SHOULD I TWEET?
 Trial and error
 Think about your audience and
when they will be available to
check for new tweets (ie: before
work, breaks, after dinner,
during their commute etc…)
 Consider posting between 2pm
and 5pm. Experts claim that a
tweet has the best chance of
being read if posted in the
afternoon
WHAT SHOULD I “TWEET” ABOUT?
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Quotations
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Library Programs, Services & Collections
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New Materials
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Positive comments from patrons
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Book/Author Awards (ie: Giller Prize,
Caldecott etc…)
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Links to pertinent news articles
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Links to relevant blog posts
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Local links and information that is important
to your community
QUOTATIONS
LINKS TO NEWS ARTICLES AND BLOG POSTS
PROGRAM INFORMATION
LIBRARY COLLECTIONS
LIBRARY SERVICES
OTHER
WHAT DIDN’T WORK
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Posting content originally written for
Facebook (un-link your accounts!)
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Pictures
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Videos
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Polls
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Trivia Questions
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Hashtags #
HOOTSUITE
 Social Media Management Tool
 Schedule posts days, weeks and
months in advance
 Basic version is free
 Works with Facebook, Twitter,
Google + etc….
 A lifesaver for the busy Librarian
who wears many hats!
COMPUTER COURSES
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A great way to reach out to seniors and
adults in our community
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Provides patrons with a comfort level
with searching for electronic
information
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Minimal Fee
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Patrons that attend often borrow
Library materials
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Taught by a team of full-time Library
staff members
COMPUTER COURSE OFFERINGS
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Basic Computers Courses (2)
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Basic Internet Courses (3)
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Social Networking (Facebook, Twitter)
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Email Basics
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MS Word 2010
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Job and Career Searching
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Catalogue Searching
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Genealogy
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Overdrive Basics & e-Book Clinics
COMPUTER COURSES CONTINUED…
 But…this wasn’t enough!
 Patrons were looking for help
with issues that could not be
covered in a classroom
setting
 (ie: how to move pictures
from a camera to Facebook,
tablets, cell phones,
spreadsheets, how to post an
ad on kijiji etc…)
OUR SOLUTION? – TECH TIME
 Drop-in help program (FREE)
 Runs once or twice per month on
a Saturday morning/afternoon
for 2 hours
 No appointments
 Facilitated by 2 staff members
 Patrons are encouraged to come
with questions and their
laptop/gadget
THE OUTCOME
 Patron response has been
tremendous
 Average between 12-30 attendees per
month
 Many positive comments
 Patrons view the Library as helpful,
friendly and authoritative
 Fills a void in the community
 Increased foot traffic on a Saturday
morning (one of our slowest times)
ONLINE SERVICES
 InfoChat Reference Service
 BookMyne
 OverDrive
 Freegal
 Remote Desktop Assistance
INFO CHAT REFERENCE SERVICE
ASKON
 SCPL formerly participated
in the ASKON program
 We found that during our
scheduled shifts, we were
rarely assisting patrons
from the Niagara Region
 We felt that our time and
efforts could be put to
better use if we struck out
on our own
INFO CHAT REFERENCE SERVICE
 In 2011, staff began
investigating alternatives
 The Library invested in a
program called ActiveHelper
 The product had a one time
cost of approximately $100
 No monthly fee
 Program is customizable
INFO CHAT REFERENCE SERVICE CONTINUED…
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Accessible through our web site http://www.stcatharines.library.on.ca
Program can handle multiple patrons at once
Automatic responses can be programmed by staff
Users can be warned, removed or banned if they exhibit inappropriate behaviour
Users can rate the service
To date we have provided virtual reference to over 500 patrons
Demonstration
BOOKMYNE
 Mobile app for iPhone
& Android
 Search catalogue, place
holds, renew items
OVERDRIVE
 eBook & Audiobook service
 3,900+ Titles
 2,071 CKO/mon.
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2/3 Fiction 1/3 Nonfiction
 516 Unique patrons/mon.
FREEGAL
 Free & Legal MP3 service
 Started with 7,800 DL
 115 unique patrons/mon.
 716 DL/mon. (23.64/day)
 Used up 7,800 in 11 mon.
 Just purchased 20,000 more DL
SIMPLE-HELP REMOTE DESKTOP
 Web-based Remote Support
& Access (JAVA)
 Windows, OSX, Linux (both
server & client)
 Firewall friendly
 Technician access from
anywhere and any device
(PC, tablet, smartphone)
WEBSITE TECHNOLOGIES
 Currently re-developing website
using Joomla
 Joomla is free, open-source CMS
 Easy-to-use & extensible
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Extensions & modules
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Chat reference
Social plug-ins (Facebook, Twitter)
E-mail subscriptions (Bestseller lists)
Resource booking (Meeting rooms)
Event calendar & program registration
Payment gateway (Paypal)
Mobile formatting
GADGET WORKSHOPS
 Offered a general primer session
covering:
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Digital cameras
MP3 players
GPS devices
Smartphones (convergence)
E-readers & tablets
Digital media
Cloud computing
Social networks
GR codes & NFC
Programs we offer (Tech Time, ebook
clinics, OverDrive basics, Facebook &
Twitter, etc.)
GADGET WORKSHOPS
 New Gadget-specific Workshops
being offered:
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Selecting an eReader or Tablet
Which one should you choose?
Showing the various options:
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eReaders
 Kobo, Sony, Kindle
Tablets
 Android, iPad, Windows RT
Smartphones
 Android, iPad, Windows RT
Differences, pros, cons, pricing
QUESTIONS?
JULIANNE BRUNET
ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIAN
ST. CATHARINES PUBLIC LIBRARY
JBRUNET@STCATHARINES.LIBRARY.ON.CA
DAVID BOTT
MANAGER, IT & NETWORKS
ST. CATHARINES PUBLIC LIBRARY
DBOTT@STCATHARINES.LIBRARY.ON.CA
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