THING #16

I would like to comment about Rick Anderson's three "icebergs" posing threats to our success. Since we now have Nebraskaccess and all of the databases, there is no reason to purchase the print format of Books in Print. We do not have a reason to have the Readers Peiodical Guide either as we used to have a lot of kids doing reports and using our printed magazines for resources and now they have all they need on the internet. Libraries are poorly staffed and equipped for teaching. We have found that almost everyone who comes in to the library to use a computer has an e-mail address and knows how to access it and use it no matter their age. They usually only have questions in regard to help with printing or maybe finding a site. And in regard to the third "iceberg," our library has a web site and our card catalog is online. We find that our patrons are continually using this more and more all of the time. It seems to be so much easier to browse at home at midnight than to call and ask if we have a book or come in to search for the book on the shelf. Maybe this has to do with us being such a rural library and Cherry County being such a large area. Another thing we have seen expanded is the number of patrons who come in with their own laptops and use WiFi. I think Library 2.0 is more than about technology. I think that library patrons and community members working together with the Library director, Board of Trustees, and library staff, and also the Nebraska Library Commission and the regional library systems can bring about positive changes. We need to know what our library patrons want and need, and we need to work at providing those needs. Our library director needs to have a vision and the support and ideas from the Board of Trustees and staff. The Nebraska Library Commission and regional library systems can help to attain these goals and have new ideas for visions through workshops and this online class-- Nebraska Learns 2.0. Right now our director, Anne, has a vision. It is a renovation of the library to make our spaces and services more user-centric and inviting. This is an exciting time for libraries, but most libraries have limited funding which makes it even more challenging. But we are all working together because we love our library and want it to be the best it can possibly be.