Carson Block Consulting

Technology Vision. Technology Power. Your Library.

Projects in the News – PRPLD

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As a resident of Fort Collins CO, it is so nice to have the opportunity to do local work — and especially nice to see the results published in the local newspaper, the Fort Collins Coloradoan!

Coloradoan headline.

The work for the Poudre River Public Library District, in partnership with the excellent David Schnee and Jill Eyers of Group 4 Architecture, is a Master Plan that proposes approaches for library buildings, services and technology into the future. As a former IT Director for the library district, it was a thrill to work with old friends and new ones!

Cover of Master Plan document.

The Master Plan is available for download.

You can read the full Coloradoan article here.

Hiring: Olathe Public Library Makerspace Coordinator

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artist's rendering of the new Indian Creek branch of the Olathe Public Library

The Olathe Public Library is looking for a dynamic, energetic and knowledgeable leader for its Maker program.  This person will engage directly and manage other part-time staff to ensure the library’s Maker vision remains fresh and the programming is adaptable to current and emerging needs and interests.

More here!

Library Construction Projects in DE and OH honored!

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I am so honored to see two of my library technology design projects making the 2018 American Libraries Design Showcase list!

American Libraries Magazine recognized the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center in New Castle County, Delaware and the Dayton Metro Library project!

Route 9 Library and Innovation Center

For the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center in New Castle County DE I completed a Needs Assessment Addendum; the Technology Program for Building Construction; and assisted with select bits of tech-related construction management.

Dayton (OH)Metro Library - Main Library

For the Dayton (Ohio) Metro Library, I completed a Technology Assessment of the Library System, and Technology Design Guidelines for all of the new and renovated libraries in Dayton, including the library’s new Central Service Center.

You can see all the recognized projects at American Libraries.

LITA ALA Annual Precon: Managing Library Technology

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LITA ALA Annual Precon: Managing Library Technology

Join Carson Block for an afternoon addressing the technological beast in your library.

Managing Library Technology
Friday, June 22, 2018, Noon – 4:00 pm
Presenter: Carson Block, Library Technology Consultant

Do you want to get a better handle on taming that beast? The preconference is based on Carson Block’s ALA-APA CPLA Class “Management of Technology” and features ideas and practices from his new book Managing Library Technology: A LITA Guide. Field tested for years, this session and the accompanying book offers a solid approach to understanding and managing the things that remain constant in an ever-changing world. This preconference is designed in a workshop format and is highly interactive with many opportunities throughout to practice with peers the concepts Carson teaches. Each participant will receive a copy of the book.

Carson Block has been a library technologist for 20 years – as a library worker, IT Director and now a Library Technology Consultant. His passions include leading technology visioning, planning and other activities designed to help build the library’s capacity to serve communities. He has been called “a geek who speaks English” and enjoys acting as a bridge between the worlds of librarians and hard-core technologists. He has a passion to de-mystify technology for the uninitiated, and to help IT professionals understand and support the goals of libraries.

 

Register for the 2018 ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans LA

Discover Ticketed Events

Questions or Comments?

For questions or comments related to preconferences, contact LITA at (312) 280-4269 or Mark Beatty, mbeatty@ala.org

New Book!

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Do you want to get a better handle on taming the technological beast in your library? I have a new book out that will help!  It’s called Managing Library Technology and is based on the class I teach for the American Library Association’s Certified Public Library Administrator Program.

The book is available from Amazon.

Managing Library Technology introduces library workers (including non-technical managers, tech administrators and even “accidental technologists”) to core concepts in technology management and provides strategies that will enable them to master the basics of library tech. The book is geared to the needs of all kinds of libraries.

The book contains easy-to-follow exercises and tools that have been tested in real-world situations with students as they tackled their own evaluation, planning and management challenges. Readers are also given a roadmap to create a technology plan for their library—even if they have no direct technology background themselves.

This book helps library workers understand the underpinnings of technology and how to powerfully manage tech to serve patrons and staff alike.  Readers will learn:

  • How libraries fit into the overall technology market
  • Strategies to future-proof library technology efforts
  • Approaches to technology planning that stick – and strategies to keep the plan on track
  • Skills to understand technology investments by understanding the total costs of ownership and the specialized library return on technological investment
  • How to collect and use useful data and statistics without being overwhelmed
  • How to stay current, knowledgeable and comfortable with rapid technological change

I’m grateful for the good reviews the book has received!

“From thoughtful assessment of library technology to realistic budgeting and implementation of new services, this guide is grounded by the viewpoint that technology is a means to provide great library service, not an end in itself. With practical tips grounded in actual experience, those just learning about library technology and those well-versed in the field will find useful information in this understandable guide.” (Susan Hildreth, professor of practice, University of Washington Information School)

“Carson Block combines deep, hands-on experience working with libraries to bolster their technology infrastructure to serve diverse community needs with contagious enthusiasm for this vital work. With this new LITA Guide, he captures the big picture, as well as the practical details needed to successfully assess, plan, implement and evaluate technology to advance the library mission in the digital age. As Carson would say: ‘Go go gadget!’ “(Larra Clark, deputy director, American Library Association Office for Information Technology Policy and Public Library Association)

“Carson Block uses his vast knowledge of Library IT to explain the realities of technology in a modern library and how the professional, whether experienced or new to the field, can better understand it and plan for future needs. His easy to understand writing style makes this guide a both accessible and highly informative.”  (Corin Haines, manager services to Public Libraries, National Library of New Zealand)

Interested? The book is available from Amazon.

The cover of "Managing Library Technology" by Carson Block

Robots: Our New Helpers or Our New Overlords?

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Do you feel surrounded by automation and robots?  Both are booming, and as our right side-view mirror often says: “objects are closer than they appear!”  What’s a library to do? Please join me for a brand new talk on the subject on November 16!

While there’s nothing new about automation systems in libraries,  recent developments in robotics (including autonomous vehicles, drones, and AI chatbots) is turning the whole notion on its head. How are these trends impacting our society now, and how might they begin affecting libraries? This session with Library Technology Consultant Carson Block takes a fun and thought-provoking look at the potential and pitfalls of robots and other automation in delivering public services.

Participants will:

• Learn how automation & robots are impacting life and work

• Learn how automation & robots are used – and may be used – in libraries

• Explore strategic perspectives on automation & robots

This presentation is sponsored by LibraryWorks and offered for a fee.

More Information (from LibraryWorks)

Register Here

 

Improving Broadband Access for Rural And Tribal Libraries

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I’m so happy to work on this project — an IMLS (Institute of Museum and Library Services) sponsored effort to improve broadband performance for rural and tribal libraries in the US.  The idea is to create a stand-alone, self-guided resource that *anyone* can use — despite their level of technical knowledge — to understand their data network and discover ways to improve their connectivity.

I’ve been working on the project for the past 1 1/2 years with the most excellent Susannah Spellman and James Werle of Internet 2.  After creating the toolkit together, we’re now thick in the pilot phase, visiting libraries in Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Idaho, Washington, Texas, Alaska and more to come before the pilot wraps up in the spring of 2018.  The purpose of the pilots are to try the toolkit out in the field and make improvements — in realtime — to make it even better.

We wrote a little bit about the program for the May/June 2017 Issue of Digital Libraries (D-Lib). Read all about it here.   Thanks!

 

Digital Libraries Logo

 

The Future Comes to ALA Midwinter!

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The 2017 ALA Midwinter conference in Atlanta, Georgia featured some forward-thinking sessions sponsored by ALA’s Center for the Future of Libraries gathered under an umbrella called “The Symposium on the Future of Libraries.”  As a member of the Center’s Advisory Committee, I was honored to join others in reviewing proposed sessions, and provided some write-ups for American Libraries of the excellent sessions selected.  The full articles available online here and here.

Here are my raw notes and photos from the sessions I covered:

Sustainable Thinking for the Future of Libraries

Rebekkah Smith Aldrich will, as she says, talk to anyone with 5 minutes to spare about sustainability.  Not in terms of what water bottles or recycle bins are the best, but the in terms of strategic directions to have the “capacity to endure.”

“I want to make sure we’re fulfilling our missions in a way that matters – especially in terms of ensuring policymakers in our communities have an understanding of modern libraries and are worthy of investment.”
Photo of Rebekkah Smith Aldrich

In a fiery, inspirational style — and citing the many disruptive factors in the environment, politics, society, technology, and more — Rebekkah stirred the audience (including several calls-and-responses, including several “hell yeahs”) to engage on some of the pressures libraries are feeling and how sustainability is attainable throughout all of the change.

One place for librarians to start is by exploring what they believe (in terms of values) and expressing those to empower, engage and energize their libraries and communities. Using the “Triple Bottom Line” test (Is this environmentally sound?  Is this economically feasible? Is this socially Equitable?), librarians can ensure that the most important bases are covered as they make decisions about services, buildings and — hopefully — engaging in their communities beyond library walls.

One of Rebekkah’s key messages is that in all times — including time of crisis — libraries are one of the most important places in each community to not just respond, rebuild and restore — but to thrive and endure.

Interested in more?  Rebekkah invites all librarians to Join the Sustainability Round Table: http://www.ala.org/sustainrt/

 

Immersive and Interactive: Virtual Reality In a Contextually-rich Learning Environment

You might have heard about VR (Virtual Reality).  How can Virtual Reality content be used in learning?

Photo of Presenters

Matthew Boyer (Assistant Professor of Educational Foundations, Clemson University College of Education) and Stephen Moysey (Associate Professor, Clemson University Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences) explored that very question at the ALA Midwinter Conference in Atlanta.

VR is currently available in several forms — including forms involving “Google Cardboard” viewers that offer VR on mobile phones to more immersive experiences that require more powerful computing hardware such as Oculus Rift.

One application that the pair demoed is a VR-powered visit to the Grand Canyon.  Called a Virtual Reality Field Trip, the use of VR here is to “bring the field to the students.”  Good VRFT design is tied, of course, to good course design.  The VR experiences are aligned to the content and learning goals of classes with the “in the field”-like experience of interacting with the geography and elements that one might experience in a real-life trip to the Grand Canyon.

There are lots of options to dabble in VR, including a wealth of pre-recorded VR content online (viewable via Google Cardboard).

For those wanting to try making their own VR, there are fancy 360-degree cameras available, but much simpler approaches are also possible.  Through the use of Google Street View on a mobile phone, nearly anyone (those physically able to move the camera to cover the 360-degree field — the software “stitched” the image together t make things seamless) can manually capture a 360-degree photo that can be viewed in a VR context such as Google Cardboard.

The presenters are also fans of what they call “emancipating VR” – although for some the technology seems like science fiction (and only suitable for expensive gear and development platforms), using simpler approaches like Google Streetview and online services such as Thinglink (https://www.thinglink.com/) to put things together, the onramp for library VR may be simpler and quicker than many think.

21st Century Library Ethics

San Rafael, California Library Director Sarah Houghton – a renowned library ethics advocate (see her popular blog at http://librarianinblack.net/ for more) — brought her message to a standing room only session Monday morning at ALA Midwinter.Sarah Houghton

Making note of political tensions among librarians in the wake of the new US presidential administration, controversy among librarians in light of the new US administration (“I’ve seen librarians eating librarians in the hallway…”) Sarah encouraged the crowd in a deep breath (in and out) and think about ALA’s founding documents as a north star to steer by in challenging times.

Quoting a popular – and controversial — tweet from the Storytime Underground “LIBRARIANS ARE NOT NEUTRAL AND LIBRARIES ARE NOT NEUTRAL SPACES,”   Libraries are inclusive, Sara says, but certain materials libraries make available and the publics served by libraries offend people every day.

In her talk, Sarah used the framework of ALA’s Library Bill of Rights to revisit what librarians say about their own ethics and apply them to current situations.  One easy rallying point for most libraries — and with little controversy among librarians – is fighting censorship in all of its forms.

Despite ALA’s Code of Ethics’ theme of freedom, Sara says parts of the code create the most heated discussion among librarians – with each statement (and even segments of each statement) drawing a wide range of opinions and interpretations.

In terms of ensuring the free-flow of information, Sarah called out Digital Rights Management (DRM) that allows content creators to “lock” content that can only be opened with a special digital key – meaning without that key it’s possible and even likely that information will not be available in the future.

Currently under threat is the concept of “Net Neutrality.”  There are commercial interests that want to create “Internet fast and slow lanes” instead of today’s open Internet – which is another way of censoring information by virtue of making it slower to access.  Also problematic are vendors libraries working with libraries – with some sacrificing user confidentiality and privacy.

Resources to equip librarians include the Library Privacy Project, the Library Digitial Privacy Pledge, the IFLA Statement on Privacy in the Library Environment, and ALA’s soon-to-be-released Library Privacy Guidelines (in checklist form friendly to all sizes of libraries).

Despite Sarah’s personal convictions – and referring to item VII in the Code of Ethics — she urges the librarians to check personal biases and preference at the library door when coming into work to best serve the entire community.

Sara’s session covered much more ground – I’m not sure I’ve seen as many people in a library conference taking careful notes — all at the same time.

 Created with Andy Woolworth, Sarah shared a new project called Operation 451 (http://operation451.info/) to suggest positive ethical actions for librarians in challenging times.

Registration is open for my Management of Technology Class!

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It’s that time again!  Registration is open for an online course I teach called “Management of Technology” designed to help library workers of all stripes have  a better understanding of concepts and tools to use tech more powerfully to serve their communities. The class begins in February!

Signup info from the American Library Association is below!

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Management of Technology<http://ala-apa.org/certification/competencies-standards/management-of-technology> | Cost: $350 |

 

REGISTER

 

Dates: February 6 – March 19, 2017
Instructor: Carson Block<http://ala-apa.org/certification/carson-block/>
Times: Online asynchronous sessions with access to recordings.

*   Sessions and materials will be made available on six sequential Mondays.
*   There will be a recorded lecture each week as well as occasional live sessions in which the instructor will address specific questions and context from the participants regarding the course material
*   A link to a recording of each session will be made available to the students shortly after each session concludes

Course Description: This course puts the full power of information technology into the hands of library managers and leaders. You’ll start with a clear vision and an understanding of technology policy.  Next, you’ll consider the nuts and bolts of managing technology.  Technology planning is next followed by technology implementation, and finally, evaluation. The course is presented in plain language with many concrete examples and exercises. Topics include: connecting your library’s goals to technological possibilities, monitoring and administrating technology budgets, assessing resources, drawing a line between efforts and impacts, evaluating those efforts and making course corrections, and understanding and using emerging technologies. You will assemble your own Technology Planning Kit, which will help you create your own library technology plan. Course tools include spreadsheet and tally sheet templates for you to download to evaluate budgets, inventory populations served and electronic services provided, inventory hardware and software, and calculate the relationship between the cost and value of a technology investment.

Technology Requirements: Reliable Internet connection; Java-enabled web browser; PDF Reader; IBM Compatible PC with at least 400 MB RAM with Windows XP/7 or above or Macintosh with OS8 or above; 128 MB RAM; sound card with speakers and/or earphones; color monitor with at least 800×600 resolution. Contact: Pamela Akins, pakins@ala.org<mailto:pakins@ala.org>

Logo for the Certified Public Library Administrator program

Logo for the organization for the advancement of library employees

Talking Tech Trends and Privacy at DPLA Fest

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What does the future hold for technology in libraries?  I had the honor of joining two smart, passionate people-you-should-know at Digital Public Library of America‘s DPLAfest at the Library of Congress in Washington DC during the spring of 2016 to discuss the possibilities.

DPLA’s page on the session, including a transcript, is here.

Speaker Biography: Alison Macrina is a librarian, privacy activist, and the founder and director of the Library Freedom Project, an initiative which aims to make real the promise of intellectual freedom in libraries by teaching librarians and their local communities about surveillance threats, privacy rights and law, and privacy-protecting technology tools to help safeguard digital freedoms.

Speaker Biography: John Resig is a staff engineer at khan academy and the creator of the jQuery JavaScript library. He is the author of the books “Pro JavaScript Techniques” and “Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja.” He has developed a comprehensive Japanese woodblock print database and image search engine: Ukiyo-e.org. Resig is a board member of the Japanese Art Society of America and is a visiting researcher at Ritsumeikan University working on the study of Ukiyo-e.

Thanks to Jamie Hollier, DPLA Board Member and President of Anneal, Inc. for organizing this excellent panel.