Library Innovation Subcommittee Minutes

June 13, 2023, 9:00 am

BlueJeans

 

Present: Renee Daley (ROM), Caitlin Opatik (REE), Mehta Hess (MFD), Melissa Roelli (MTH), Laura Fuller (PLO), Leah Fritsche (DEE)

Excused: Alicia Woodland

Recorder: Tamara Ramski

SCLS staff present: Mark Jochem, Jean Anderson, Shawn Brommer, Tim Drexler, Tracie Miller, Rose Ziech, Craig Ellefson

 

1.     Call to order time:  9:01 am

a.     Introduction of guests/visitors: 

                                                    i.      Caitlin Opatik (REE), new committee member.

b.     Changes/Additions to the Agenda:  None

c.      Requests to address the Committee:  None

 

2.     Approval of previous meeting minutes: April 11, 2023

a.     Changes or corrections:  None

b.     Approved by motion:  Leah approved, Laura seconded

 

3.     Action items: None

 

4.     Reports (for Committees only)

a.     IDEA Team (Mark)

                                                    i.     2023 focus: Libraries Talk About Race Active Allyship

1.     Recordings are available for 3 webinars.

2.     Workshops: Waunakee June 14 and Eau Claire June 15.

b.     Social Work Intern Cohort (Shawn)

                                                    i.     Mark & Shawn are continuing to work with field coordinators at Stevens Point and Madison schools of social work/sociology.

                                                   ii.     Connecting interns from the schools with public libraries.

1.     Portage County Library is working with their 2nd intern over the summer semester.

2.     Looking to get interns into libraries in other parts of the system.

                                                 iii.     Mark, Shawn, and library staff will be guest presenters for social work courses.

                                                 iv.     Surveys on social service needs and of library staff and patrons were conducted.

1.     Using the results to help plan social work intern programs.

2.      Results are also helping identify potential continuing education topics that can be provided for library staff.

                                                   v.     14 libraries are in the cohort (Madison and Portage Co. branches).

 

5.     Discussion

a.     Transfer is an SFR VR platform for career exploration. Is there interest in having a vendor demo?   (Mark)

                                                    i.     Shared a video demonstration and pricing examples.

1.     Expensive (could possibly look into other similar options for cost comparisons).

2.     Craig: How long are licenses good for? Mark-Annual.

                                                   ii.     Is there interest?

1.     Shawn: Do any WI technical colleges subscribe to it? Are our colleagues in other types of libraries use it? Could it be a partnership?

2.     Leah: Would you need an expert in the field to teach the topics too? Librarians would not be able answer specific, topical, questions. Likes the idea of partnering, but questions how it would work in the library setting by itself.

3.     Jean: Have high schools used this? Maybe have a high-school/post high-school education partnership.

4.     Rose: Maybe partner with large employers (employer pays for it, libraries assist with set-up or provide training).

b.     Update on Playmobil kit

                                                    i.     Shawn: Will be looking further into it.

                                                   ii.     Currently only available in Germany/Europe, she will check EBay.

                                                 iii.     Very cool, useful for teambuilding, just hard to get.

c.      Continue discussion: Interactive whiteboards/tablets

                                                    i.     Rose: Per past discussions, expensive and logistically difficult to transport and share.

                                                   ii.     Craig: Concerns about programming the devices/software support/tech support.

                                                 iii.     Jean: Used an iPad Mini from an old e-reader kit as an option for group voting on at the May All Directors meeting and will use it again in July.

1.     Not interactive, but simple to use.

2.     Security would need to be considered depending how it is used.

3.     Easier than carrying around/sharing extra laptops.

                                                 iv.     Melissa: They dreamed of something interactive and larger sized. Maybe it is something that will be available in the future.

1.     For iPad security, MTH uses “jammed” to lock them to a single program/app.

                                                   v.     Mark: Could possibly use customizable buttons (thumbs up or thumbs down). Low tech, but tactile, but fun.   

1.     Shared a link for Ombea as an example.

                                                 vi.     Jean and Tamara are going to ALA, can check exhibits there for possibilities.

d.     Continue discussion: Challenges & solutions for staffing makerspaces

                                                    i.     Melissa: Need money to hire more staff for it.

e.     Library visits

                                                    i.     SCLS staff will be visiting your libraries.

                                                   ii.     Rose encouraged visits to other libraries, can report on them at upcoming meetings.

                                                 iii.     Shawn: Visited CCBC/MERIT Library (on UW-Madison campus). They are being inspired by public libraries (maker spaces, having programs). Nice to see an academic library taking inspiration from public libraries.

 

6.     Items from clusters (for Committees only)

a.     Renee: Erin (Adams County) is curious to know what libraries are using as charging stations (lamps or desks). Erin has patrons requesting it.

                                                    i.     Wants to offer charging stations, but also avoid theft. If a lamp is use will it get stolen?

1.     Leah:  Unlikely, but possible, that a lamp would get stolen.

2.     Renee: They had a tower, but someone stole it. Did not replace it. Have plugs in floor now.

3.     Renee: Charging stations can be built into tables.

4.     Tracie: Check Amazon for charging stations that can be mounted onto tables or desks.

5.     Tracie: A library she worked at had charging stations built into couch arm rests, it worked well.

6.     Tim: Fitchburg has lamps with chargers, could get their opinions.

                                                   ii.     Melissa: Bought a lamp for personal use, took 9 hours to fully charge phone. Check those details before purchasing.

                                                 iii.     Melissa: MTH has lot of outlets, but do not loan cords (they instantly disappear).

1.     Renee-does not loan cords either.

                                                 iv.     Jean and Tamara can look at ALA exhibits.

                                                   v.     Modern outlets have USB built in, can be part of infrastructure planning.

                                                 vi.     Deb may have some idea.

b.     Caitlin: Working with Sauk County Health Department on a lactation initiative (a nursing/parent-child calming room). Spring Green is also working on the initiative.

                                                    i.     Do any libraries have a dedicated space for this?

                                                   ii.     Looking for furniture ideas. Decided refrigeration is not practical.

                                                 iii.     Mark: Hawthorne Branch Madison Public Library has a pod.

                                                 iv.     Deb may have ideas.

c.      Melissa: MTH’s community read book is not available in large print. Looking for ideas for making e-readers available as an alternative. Only needs a few.  

                                                    i.     Can she check out e-reader with just this book on it?          

                                                   ii.     Set-up Kindles with parental locks?

1.     Jean: DeForest might do this, could check with them how it works.

2.     Jean: Recommended Kindle Paperweight over Kindle Fire.

3.     Jean: Recommends sending a note out to SCLS-Discuss for feedback.

                                                 iii.     Laura: Also frustrated by lack of titles available in large print.

1.     Portage County checks out Kindles.

a.     Buys the book if they have to, but tries to use Libby.

b.     Will share their policy with Melissa.

c.      Have found that people that need large print, tend to not like using devices, especially in book club. Months where Kindle was only large print option, those people did not participate in the book club.

                                                 iv.     Jean: Let SCLS Advantage Account selectors know if their library needs more copies in Libby.

 

7.     Plan for next meeting: August 8, 2023, 9:00 am (BlueJeans)

a.     Reports:

                                                    i.     IDEA Team

                                                   ii.     Social Work Intern Cohort Item

b.     Discussion:

                                                    i.     Library visits

 

8.     Adjournment:  10:02 am

For more information about the Library Innovation Subcommittee, contact Rose Ziech.

 

SCLS staff are available to attend cluster meetings to share information and answer questions pertaining to this committee meeting and other departmental projects.

2023-06-13-lis-minutes