Session Notes
Mary Lee Kennedy has been an academic and special librarian, and is now at New York Public Library.
She is covering four areas in her talk:
1) What do we uniquely bringing to our organizations?
2) Identify the target areas and opportunities. The opportunity is a job that needs to be done. (Focus)
3) We need to make changes. Need to pilot. Need to do assessments.
4) We need to have fun. Playing allows us to learn without inhibitions.
What is unique about the NYPL?
Well, it's New York!
Unique user base
7.4 million people
Diverse users
Diverse in terms of language and culture.
Part of a global community.
Existing use base + A global community
Free for all to use - a PUBLIC library
People use libraries because they want to
Free for all to use + hack/build/improve
It is a library
Books, archives, images, documents
Sacred placed where people come to learn together
Libraries deliver ideas
The ability to bring communities together
The have 47000 data points on the users.
Strategies for Innovation
NYPL today = Access+Reading+Learning+Creativity
People want more access
27% of the NYC households do not have access to the internet because they can't afford it or don't want access.
26% of students in grades 3-8 meet their languages arts standard last year.
NYPL helps people learn English, technology, learn how to learn, coding skills.
20000 kids come to NYPL after school programs.
Library of Performing Arts
Need to move from being passive to being active. Need to move to talking to people that the library knows and talk to those that the library doesn't know. Need to do more in reading, learning, and creativity.
Strategies:
1) Make knowledge accessible - knowledge requires a conversation.
NYPL Map Warper, http://maps.nypl.org
This is an interactive tool. Brings maps and information to life. What stories does it tell? Need crowdsourcing to help ensure that the land boundaries were correct.
Children's books: 100 titles for reading and sharing 2013, http://labs.nypl.org/children-books-2013
NYPL Archives & Manuscripts, http://archives.nypl.org
7000+ archival collections
2) Turn the library inside out - or take the library out
Where should the library be going?
Wikipedia edit-a-thon - how can the library help to improve Wikpedia? Public institutions helps to improve a public encyclopedia.
Zooninverse (citizen science) - working to create a transcription engine.
Hackathons - the number of hackathons is growing. How can we help make sense of local knowledge?
The library branches have deep roots in their neighborhoods.
Schomburg Junior Scholars
As important when libraries are invited in...when other people seek the library out.
Http://bitty bit.brown.columbia.edu
3) Spark Connections
We connect people, institutions, ideas
Libraries are also part of a network.
We are not the heart of every network.
Need to focus on what others will do better with us:
Nonprofits
Local communities
Cultural institutions
Schools and universities
Entrepreneurs and businesses
Government partners
ReadersFirst.org
292 library systems in the U.S.
It should be easy for every public library user to read an ebook.
Collaboration with publishers, vendors, libraries.
Can download "Guide to Library Ebook Vendors" from their web site.
Broadband lending through their after school program using mifi devices. Other libraries in the U.S. are doing this.
MyLibraryNYC.org collaboration with the NYC Department of Education. Creating teacher sets (for student research). Will soon be working with all NYC schools. Hope to make this more broadly available.
Hacking really starts with creating a culture of innovation.
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