Patron Apps

Library Apps

By Luke Tesluk

The increased use of patron apps by libraries is a trend in assistive technology.  While this may seem like a recent phenomenon it remains a continuation of s bigger issue libraries face: technology’s impact on patron’s expectations. The first chapter of the Library Technolgy report begins with the following statement;

“.Several studies and surveys indicate that in spite of the small size of the smartphone screen, library patrons are willing to use mobile library websites for research. More sophisticated features—such as menu customization and personalization, study room reservation, text-message alerts for borrowed library items that are close to the due date, and live chat on the mobile device—appear to be in demand also. In order to provide a satisfactory mobile experience, libraries need to pay more attention to how they can meet the needs of library patrons creatively and efficiently when the patrons are in the mobile mindset of micro-tasking, being bored.”

These changes in patron’s mindset have presented new challenges to libraries.  They have also lead to the creation and implementation of library mobile apps.  Here is a summary of one of the more well-known apps, DEMCO. “Not only does an app make it easier than ever for library staff to target resource and event promotion, but it streamlines access to patron accounts, branch information and content as well.”

On paper, this sounds great as all these features would benefit staff and patrons alike.  However, the finer details of these apps are concerning.

The companies  who developed these apps claim that enhance patrons library experience.  While it is well-intentioned it has an Achilles Heel. A library patron may know what’s best for them but not every patron.  Especially people who rely on Library assistive drives from children who read below their reading level to adults with disabilities.

Assistive technology relays on meeting with patrons individually to determine their needs and how the library can help them.  An app reduces that face to face engagement and the chance for staff to develop meaningful relationships I researched organizations that provide assistive technology to clients.  In ways that are similar to libraries. My goal was to determine the potential consequences of reducing interaction between patrons and staff.

I found an article called Making Assistive Technology Easier to Access written by a former intern at the

AAPD(American Association For People With Disabilities).  In his article, he lays out one of the systems for getting people with disabilities assistive technology.

“.There are Assistive Technology centers ...Employees can receive an assistive technology assessment and try out different assistive technology software and devices in their actual office and work environment. There are staff available who are knowledgeable in the assistive technology software and devices. This is a perfect example of what an ideal assistive technology center would look like. “

He also provides details on what the opposite model of providing assistive technology looks like.”However, in many employment settings, there is not an assistive technology demonstration lab available for someone to try before they buy. ...If the employee could try it first and demonstrate that it is helpful with some evidence that it actually worked well, the company might be more eager to purchase.”

He provides more details on helping people with assistive technology.

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) is a federal and state government partnership program that helps people with disabilities get the services they need to be successful during employment. ….Sometimes VR does not have adequate resources available and often purchases the assistive technology but then does not help with the execution of ensuring that the person knows how to use the technology before closing the case.

There are many similarities between the VR’s Services and libraries.  Both help patrons be successful and independent in society. Which means having staff who can work with them to ensure the services are meeting their needs.   The lesson of the VR should be a cautionary tale for libraries. Reducing the interaction and relationship between staff and patron results in serious consequences.  

Libraries and the digital divide

Connectivity with the internet is essential for an individual to be productive and to take advantage of economic opportunities in the increasingly digital world. This makes access to the internet of vital importance, but unfortunately this will not totally solve the problem as one is require to have the expertise to operate the devices and also comprehend the information that the internet provide. Bridging the digital divide requires us to have a all hands on deck approach and not just focus on access only but increasing the individuals capability and skills and also increasing affordable infrastructure for mass connectivity.

"Even as technology becomes more affordable and internet access seems increasingly ubiquitous, a “digital divide” between rich and poor remains. The rich and educated are still more likely than others to have good access to digital resources according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. The digital divide has especially far-reaching consequences when it comes to education. For children in low-income school districts, inadequate access to technology can hinder them from learning the tech skills that are crucial to success in today’s economy."
http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/digital-divide-the-technology-gap-between-rich-and-poor

The library's internet is beginning to be the access point for an increasing number of people, who are unable to pay for the high cost of private internet service. Librarians are now beginning to see that more people are applying for jobs, getting their health care information at the library. Because of budget constrains the library cannot keep up with this increased demand in service, and thus unable to close the digital divide.  

Is the Serpent Eating Its Tail? The Digital Divide and African Americans

The Digital Divide is alive and well in America. What this means is the technology haves and the have-nots are continually growing further apart. Due to the pace of change in the field of computer technology, this divide widens faster in less time. Playing catch-up becomes an increasingly more difficult game to endure, with the government, public, and private sectors trying to invent ways to level the playing field. However, many of those who are left behind (Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, those with education below the high school level, single parent families, those with income less than $25,000/year) are trying to catch up themselves by accessing computers in community centers and libraries. The purpose of this study is to look at racial overtones to Internet access. It is assumed that it is important to have both computer and Internet access to compete in both school and work. By looking at how the Web is being used, ways can be suggested to make computer access easier and more convenient for African Americans, thereby increasing their interest in computer technology and information. The author provides a discussion on content and the Internet. He suggests three stages of the Digital Divide in America. The first stage is lack of computer access. The second stage is lack of access to the Internet, and the third stage is lack of expertise.

 Horton, Jacqueline. “Is the Serpent Eating Its Tail? The Digital Divide and African Americans.” Journal of Technology Studies, vol. 30, no. 4, Fall 2004, pp. 17–25. EBSCOhost, doi:10.21061/jots.v30i4.a.4.

The New Digital Divide: The Perception Problem | Navarrow Wright | TEDxSoleburySchool

How would you? A glimpse at disability and the digital divide

The Digital Divide

The Digital Divide

By Luke Tesluk

The digital divide is a multifaceted issue that underscores the challenges facing libraries today.

The literal meaning of the word is the gap between those with internet and those who don’t.   It also reflects the changing role of libraries. Providing patrons with a variety of resources beyond the traditional materials: books and manuscripts.  This word means many things including the current challenges libraries face.

Not all patrons have benefitted from these changes with some groups being left behind.  One of the more notable ones being the baby boomers. Patrons ages 55 to 62. Who use the library most frequently and are the fastest growing population in the United States.  The census predicts this population will double in the next decade. Which is one of the reasons it’s important to meet their needs with assistive technology and as library staff. This population increase will result in more patrons who will need to use assistive technology in libraries

There are a number of reasons why the digital divide exists between generations.  Baby boomers grew with libraries that were different including patrons with s different set of needs.

The digital divide has negative consequences for patrons.  They may not be aware of the resources available or how it can make their lives easier.  Baby boomers still need support from assistive technology and library staff despite the digital gap.  Which makes our efforts to engage them as staff even more critical.

Several libraries have spearheaded efforts to bridge the divide.  From working to include them in library decisions to having work groups to find out their needs.  While informing them about the technology that’s available. This is one of our most important toes as library staff: engaging patrons and finding out their needs.  Especially patrons that may be left out of the process.

The Title Wars:

Google Books and Public Libraries

Traditionally public libraries have existed as the sole provider of assistive technology to patrons. Recent years have seen shift away from this role which has been correlated with the rise of technology and one company in particular: Google

In 2004 Google began scanning books with the hopes of building a database calling it the Google digitization project, resulting in a drawn out legal battle over ownership rights to the source material. Years after this case was settled, a judge struck down the project claiming “it gave Google a monopoly on the sale of orphan books.-in copyright but out of print books whose authors and publishers can’t be found.”

Google may have posed a threat to public libraries even before Google Books.  Bill Pateck of that King County public library commented on this saying Google answers in one afternoon more reference questions than all the public libraries in the United States in an entire year.  Perhaps search engines online marked the beginning of the end for public libraries or at least the reasons people used them in the past. Now they would have a much quicker and more convenient way of obtaining information from another resource - a recurring problem faced by libraries.  

Libraries breathed a sigh of relief and felt they had avoided a catastrophe.  If every book was digitized why would people go to the Library? That was until a new technology debuted called Google Books, which was a groundbreaking in several ways.  An outside company had managed to develop a better resource then an institution with years of experience in this field. This brought back the same fears felt by librarians during the digitization project.

Google Book’s debut could be considered akin to the comet during the era of the dinosaurs.  Patrons now have the option to access titles at their convenience. More importantly, it gives them ability to tailor it to their needs, whether it's simply adjusting the font size of the pace at which the text is read, features missing from most books in circulation at the public library.  In this day and age independence is what people prioritize most. Wanting to do things their own way. We also live in a culture of instant gratification, where resources need to be accessible on our phone and delivered quickly. In a sense, perhaps Google understood this mindset perfectly, seeing the writing on the wall for public libraries.  Perhaps instead of causing their demise, Google merely hastened it.

One of the most important aspects of Google Books tends to get overlooked.  It is one of the most significant achievements in assitive technology. Accomplishing the goal of giving patrons the tools to be independent, while making learning easier for people who have struggled in the past.  Is this worth sacrificing public libraries for?

Google.... Books

Accessibility sometimes can be achieved through assistive technology, such as screen magnification or text-to-speech programs. Unfortunately, much like architects must plan on including wheelchair ramps into blueprints before any buildings are built, information must be encoded in such a way that these technologies are able to be applied. According to the World Blind Union, less than ten percent of published works are in a format accessible for blind people.

In 2004, Google partnered with the University of Michigan, Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, and the New York Public library to start Google Print, the first major effort to digitize historical books and make them record-searchable from the internet. This in itself organized centuries of data into viewable, discoverable primary sources that anyone with a computer could access at home. By 2007, Google took it to the next level, and launched technology that could read the words of a scanned page and output it into a txt document – thereby making these historical texts interpretable by assistive technology for the first time in history. Text-to-speech programs can’t pick out the words from an image of an ancient page, but Google can, and this was an important bridge to build.

I’m sure I don’t have to explain the significance of books for a person’s education, and by extension their potential success or independence, to a readership of library professionals. I do think a lot of the time able-bodied people take it for granted that books are available, if we can only encourage people to look for them. Imagine though, wanting to read (or hear) books, and simply not having the content available.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of resistance to creating a monolithic digital library on the internet. There’s an excellent article on EdSurge that explains the entire saga in detail, but it boils down to issues over copyright law and profit. Maybe in the future, we’ll be able to have a central catalog of completely open-access and accessible records and copies of all the books ever written, all stored in the cloud. For now, let’s continue to support organizations like the Accessible Books Consortium, and do our best to support efforts to build infrastructure for open information.

Youtube tutorial on Using Google Books for Research

Assistive Technology in Libraries

Assistive Technology and the Library

Assistive technology( or AT) is anything that helps a disabled or elderly person do something they couldn't do otherwise( Pacercenter 2010). For the patrons of a library, AT are those technologies that help a patron access books, information (print or online), collections, services or other programs offered at a library. This may look like something as simple as wide isles for easy wheelchair maneuvering or as specialized as a JAWS screen reader for the visually challenged. Awareness of the needs of patrons is essential when choosing specific AT for use at a library. But a general sensitivity to the difficulties faced by disabled patrons can help staff aid patrons, plus a willingness to help when needed.
As I researched assistive technology, I found the the amount of devices on the market is overwhelming. And many items are not suitable for the needs of a public library or realistic due to cost. I found the video below, Assistive Technology for Libraries, helpful in breaking down the choices into manageable parts.

By wisely selecting a few basic resources and training staff in their proper use, a library can continue to strive to serve the needs of patrons. Screen readers such as JAWS and NVDA allow the visually impaired to use computers and are a powerful addition to a library's tools. For the deaf or hearing impaired the UBI DUO wireless is a communication tool allowing synchronized texting via two portable screens. Specialized screens that enlarge computer screen displays, alternative keyboards, a special mouse or joystick are all fantastic additions as well. Effective marketing of tools that are available for patrons and good signage are important too. A library might consider creating a well displayed workstation dedicated to AT where  tools are available(Assistive Technology for Libraries 2011). Once the tools ore on board, well trained library support able to assist patrons is key.

Sources:

 Pacercenter. 2010. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6buZMvk30

Assistive Technologies for Libraries.2011. Retrieved from 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6buZMvk30M

 By Kim Milan

The Digital Divide and Libraries

Libraries and the Digital Divide

In her article Digital Literacy for Kids, Shelley Lacey-Castelot used the American Library Association's definition of digital literacy as " the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills." This definition can be used to determine how a library and its staff might help to address the digital divide in the community they serve.

As a practical matter,  'digital divide' is a broad term, and what constitutes the divide and how to bridge it mat change as new technologies replace old. In its more narrow definition the Cambridge Dictionary states that the digital divide is '' the problem of some members of society not having the opportunity or knowledge to use computers and the internet that others have." The cornerstone of all digital access is the need of libraries to provide computers and the internet. E-Rate is a low cost program available to libraries, administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company under the direction of the FCC. The program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access (Wikipedia E-rate. n.d.). For some patrons, young and old, the public library is the entrance point to the realm of computing.

The services local libraries provide will vary as each strive to bridge the digital divide for their patrons. Does the library serve a rural or urban one? The graph above compares urban, rural and suburban visits per capita and computer usage during a visit( Morgridge College of Education Online 2018). Is it an older population or one with lots of youngsters? Are there bi-lingual needs? No matter the demographic, a well trained staff, savvy to the needs of their patrons is essential to a library. This may take the form of carefully selecting databases, then, teaching patrons to use them. Showing patrons how to scan, print and copy are basic but important skills as well. The know-how to assist in job searches and creating resumes online are indispensable. More comprehensive instruction may take the form of classes to teach computer skills or individual help with homework for students. No matter the guise, competent, informed library staff is essential. Library professionals are information professionals, and digital literacy is a vital component of all literacy in the 21st century.

Sources:

Online Master of Library and Information Science.University of Denver Morgridge College of

Education.2018. Libraries evolve to bridge digital divide. Retrieved from

https://morgridgeonline.du.edu/blog/libraries-bridge-digital-divide/

Mobile phones? In MY library??

The phone rings in the library, and everyone in a twenty foot radius starts looking around for the principle to show up and send us all to detention. There’s not much worse than getting to the end of a climactic space battle when someone’s phone goes off in the quiet section and ruins your moment.

Everyone on earth has written a thinkpiece about those dang millennials and their smartphone, but I agree completely with Héctor L. Carral at Huffington Post. It’s time to we cut it out with the myth that iPhones are preventing us from really experiencing our life around us. We need to start thinking of smartphones as tools for building community rather than as shields that keep us apart. Ultimately, phones were invented to facilitate communication. Now, we can use them as additional access points for information – but the point of learning things is to share that knowledge with others.

A lot of libraries are already moving in the right direction. Many libraries already offer a mobile app that at least allows patrons to browse their catalogs.

For this topic, I’d really like to highlight Bibliocommons. I had the opportunity to attend a Bibliocommons workshop and I really believe this could be a great step towards bringing the catalog into the future. Part discovery service, part social media network, Bibliocommons is attempting to build a community like Goodreads out of the user’s local library, and they’re bringing it right into the palm of your hand. Additionally, Bibliocommons’ robust keyword-based algorithms provide the search experience that many patrons are used to from Google or Amazon, while simultaneously blending in more traditional library metadata.

So, yes, it’s time that we welcome phones into the library, as important tools for information access and community building. Just make sure to keep it on silent.

Accessibility? Accessibility!

What makes something “accessible”? In 1990, the U.S. government passed the American with Disabilities Act. The ADA requires compliance to a set of standards for buildings and businesses. When an able-bodied person thinks of the ADA, usually the first things that come to mind are “wheelchair ramps” and “handicapped parking.” These are important standards, and it’s hard to imagine a world where we don’t have them, but how can we apply these standards beyond access to spaces?

This definition of accessibility comes from a blog post by Alistair Duggin, the Head of Accessibility of the UK’s Government Digital Services, “For something to be accessible someone needs to be able to complete the task they are trying to achieve without encountering an barrier or issue… [it must be] perceivable… operable… understandable… [and] robust.” 

Independence and convenience are the benchmarks of accessibility. If you need help from another person and you have to struggle for something, it’s not truly accessible.

I was thinking specifically this week about how difficult it would be for deaf or blind patrons to access the internet via the computer center at my library. A search for a USB Braille computer keyboard turned up disappointingly empty handed. You can buy stickers to add braille to a keyboard, but the reviews are mixed at best, and they product doesn’t seem durable enough to stand up to the kind of high-traffic use a library computer gets. This idea seemed like a no-brainer to me – after all, keyboards tend to already have raised bumps on at least the “F” and “J” keys, to help users with traditionally-learned home-row typing position. Would it be that much more difficult to make a keyboard with the braille bumps built in?

As library staff, more than just the building, our goal is to make information accessible to the public. When providing access to information, we need to consider how we work to make information accessible to disabled people as well. This means going out of our way to go above and beyond to make being in the library as accessible as possible, for all patrons. I don’t think making everything 100% accessible at all times is necessarily a realistic goal, but I do think it’s important to make a genuine effort, and most importantly, be willing to admit shortcomings and accept corrections.

Here’s some other resources that I though could be useful as we approach information accessibility:

 

Very cool and surprisingly affordable Braille label-maker from amazon. 

Tutorial for library staff on activating text-to-speech functions on windows computers. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMhtY20Zcig