Can I Interest You in Some Red?

Not too long ago, my library rolled out some pretty significant changes on our website. Most of the changes affected the visual design of the site, but there were a number of small adjustments to the main navigation and also content in certain places. This was definitely a less-eventful site change than what we went through last year when we made the switch to a new catalog interface and user account system (SOPAC), but it wasn’t without its own bumps and bruises. I’m getting more accustomed to hearing negative feedback about anything and everything that either goes wrong with the site or is just not liked by an individual or two. But I’m also learning to appreciate the silence that comes from the vast majority of users who either like the changes but don’t feel the need to comment or don’t notice the changes at all because the site just continues to work for them. In any case, having a hand in the direction of your organization’s website is never boring!

Here’s what our site looks like now. Take a look and let me know what you think!

ahml.info screenshot

Renovation Update

I won’t spend much time commenting on how I haven’t posted anything since last October. Let’s just all agree that it’s embarrassing and move on, shall we?

Instead, I’ll just jump in and give the people (maybe a handful out there!) what they want, which is an update on the renovation at my library obviously. The entire renovation went really well from my perspective and there’s a lot I could mention, but I’m particularly excited about how the Digital Services spaces turned out. Here’s what we came away with:

ahml computer labPublic Computer Lab – A large, comfortable space that houses more than 40 desktop stations giving people internet access, scanning equipment, printers, and more. It has a large island to make it easy for people to walk up to an express internet station, print stuff, or make a reservation. This is where a lot of public libraries start and end what they provide in terms of technology, but we’re definitely trying to push that boundary out further.

isobooth

Studio (Digital Media Lab) – Much larger than the pilot lab I wrote about early last year, this new Studio features a production room (including an isolation booth, lighting kits, various backdrops for photography and video, electronic drumkit) and three smaller suites equipped with scanners, keyboards, mics, a wide-variety of creative software, and more. We also have a digitization station for people converting old analog video into digital. Huge props go to my colleague, Alex Hoffman, for doing a ton of planning and work setting up our Studio spaces!

Training Center

Training Center – a highly-visible space that showcases the fact that the library is a place where people can learn about and use computers and other technology, without judgment. We’ve already doubled the number of classes we offer each month to 40+ and we’re striving for a whole lot more by the end of the calendar year. As expected, our community members are filling up our classes quickly each month.

ahml tech help deskTech Help Desk - a redesigned service point where our Digital Services Advisors welcome customers into our areas and assist people with a wide-variety of tech-related questions, ranging from how to send an attachment in an email to how to shoot, edit, and share a video.

We also have a great space for one-on-one appointments, an open-concept staff office, a cool little nook for laptop users, and plans to create a gadget petting zoo that will also serve as a hub for people interested in eBooks and other downloadable content.

Keep an eye on this blog, because you might just see a few more posts about our website redesign, some interesting user research we’ve done recently, and whatever else pops into my head. No promises, though!

Running List of Responsive Sites

Thinking a lot about responsive web design these days so I thought I’d start a list of responsive sites. If you’re reading this and have any to add, please leave a comment below!

http://responsive.is/ (great tool for testing responsiveness)

Boston Globe

University of Chicago

Canton Public Library

The Great Discontent

Made by Hand

Edible Vineyard

Grand Valley State University Library

Smashing Magazine

Food Sense

Lancaster University

Ethan Marcotte

 

More about RWD:

Responsive Web Design and Libraries (ACRL TechConnect Blog)

The Art of the Unconference

Great day at the first-ever Chicagoland Library Unconference, full of networking and talking shop with a lot of bright, dedicated people who seriously care about making libraries better. We were lucky to have a photographer taking shots throughout the day, and those will be uploaded to our flickr page soon, but I wanted to share a camera pic of one of my favorite moments from the day. This occurred when participants were invited to propose breakout session topics and vote on which ones they were most interested in. I think this epitomizes the energy and excitement in the room throughout the day. Judging by the feedback people gave the organizers in-person and via the Twitter backchannel, I’d say this event was a huge success. And the thing that made it such a success was the participation of everyone who attended. If you’d like to learn more about the event, and get some tips on organizing your own, take a look at the CLUncon blog. Can’t wait for the next one!

Moving and Shaking Together

Library Journal  recently named me one of its Movers & Shakers for 2012, specifically recognizing me as a “tech leader” for my work with digital media labs at both Skokie Public Library and Arlington Heights Memorial Library. I’m honored to be part of a group that includes friends like Leah White and Nate Hill, but I’m also a bit embarrassed by the attention because I’ve always felt that one of the best things about working in libraries is that everything is accomplished through collaboration with others. Nothing ever gets done because of just one person.

I can name a whole bunch of people who deserve their own recognition for doing amazing work and influenced me in my short career so far. In fact, at the risk of coming across as all mushy, I think I’ll do that now!

While I was a grad student just trying to get my career kick-started in the right direction, Eva Davis (now director of Canton Public Library, MI) gave me my first professional work experience in public libraries at Ann Arbor District Library. Eva served as a mentor and supporter to me back then and continues to do so now. Other people at Ann Arbor who I respect and made a difference to me professionally (whether they realize it or not!) include Amy Cantu, Sherlonya Turner, Eli Neiburger, and the director, Josie Parker.

In my first full-time library job at Thousand Oaks Library (CA), my supervisor and adult services manager, Sue Pelman, provided me with an environment in which new ideas were encouraged. I also learned so much from colleagues like Margaret Douglas and Mohsen Rahnamaie.

When I moved back to the Chicago area and took a job at Skokie Public Library, I worked for another great boss (see a pattern here?) in Deborah Grodinsky, head of adult services. Deborah also gave me room to explore new ideas and interests, and taught me a lot about being a leader and supervisor. I also worked with a visionary director in Carolyn Anthony, who was actually the one who came up with the initial idea to create a digital media lab and paved the way for that entire project to become a reality! Of course, I need to mention people like Toby Greenwalt (started at Skokie on the same day and frequent collaborator on projects then and now) and Mick Jacobsen (countless ideas tossed back and forth while we carpooled to work and back, plus taking the Skokie DML to the next level), both of whom demonstrated on a daily basis how to be an  innovator and leader. People like Jennifer Phillips-Bacher, Ruth Sinker, Bruce Brigell, Adam Wisniewski, Christie Robinson, the entire IT staff…I can go on and on here…also deserved to be mentioned.

Now at Arlington Heights, I continue my lucky streak of working with smart, dedicated people who know libraries inside and out. My director, Paula Moore, and assistant director, Brian Shepard, showed me very early on that our library was willing to do whatever was necessary to innovate and remain relevant to our community. Our pilot digital Studio is just a small sampling of what’s to come and I can’t wait to be a part of it all! Working with colleagues from all over the library, including IT, Communications and Marketing, Programs, Customer Services, and, of course, Digital Services, make my days go by quickly because we’re so ambitious and excited about what we’re doing.

I haven’t even mentioned all the people I’ve met at conferences, on Twitter, at local networking groups and elsewhere who inspire me with the work they do for libraries and our communities. People like Ryann Uden, Bobbi Newman, Anne Slaughter, Mike Gershbein (yes, you too, Mike!), and countless others. Finally, I can’t forget mentioning the members of the RLA CE committee (mentioned in the LJ article). So many meetings packed with ideas about the state of libraries and what librarians need to learn more about in order to do their jobs!

I’m leaving out a lot of people, and I think the orchestra is about to play me off the stage, but if you’ve made it this far on this post, I’m sure you get the idea that I’ve been very fortunate to come across some incredible people since I decided to become a librarian back in 2004. Proof that this field is all about collaboration and sharing ideas!