To strengthen and enhance technology-related administration

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Optimizing Technology in LibrariesPlanning
Looking Forward

• Michael Stephens
• www.tametheweb.com
• St. Joseph County Public Library
• www.libraryforlife.org

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Our Plan

• Tips for Planning Librarians
• Beware Technolust and Technomust!
• Looking to the Future

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Tips for Technology Planners
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Technology is a toolit is only a tool

• Sandra Nelson
• Wired for the Future

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Meeting the Mission

• Is the Tech Plan part of a bigger mission
  vision?
• Does it fulfill a goal or objective?

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Milwaukee County Federated Library System

• Goals
• To strengthen and enhance technology-related
  administration, documentation and training
• To maintain a Technology Planning Process.

http//www.mcfls.org/public/techplan.html.
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Who plans?

• A mixture of admin and IT as well as front line
  staff
• Stakeholders must be involved
• IT cannot plan new services without librarians
  and admin!
• Librarians cannot plan new services without IT!

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What is the Lifespan of the Library Technology
Plan

• 1-2 years
• 3-5 years
• 5 years? (probably too long)

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How do we create buy-in?

• Keep staff informed!
• Blog planning or new projects
• Offer training
• Meet RFID!
• Welcome to WiFi!
• No surprises please!

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Look for High Impact

• Prioritize projects
• Finish what you start
• Plan for evaluation

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Low Cost/High Impact

• Add blogs externally and internally
• Offer an IM reference service
• Train your staff!

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Beware Technolust!Beware Technomust!
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Beware Technolust

• Sexy Technology
• Wanting it because its so cool!
• How does it fit into the plan or mission?

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Beware Technomust

• Many libraries experience technomust and follow
  the crowd, albeit later rather than earlier in
  many cases but they buy technology because others
  are, not because they have a plan about how they
  are going to use it to provide better service.
• Chris Jowaissas

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Looking Forward

• 2005 and Beyond

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User-Centered Technology Plans

• Its all about the Users.
• Stephen Abram, CIL 2004
• User-centered information services
• Give them what they want.
• IM? WiFi? MP3? iPods????
• Telling STORIES

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User Perception

• Not only are you spending money, you are
  expending library resources such as staff time,
  space, and hardware.
• You are also investing in a less tangible thing
  your communitys perception.
• Libraries should strive to implement and promote
  Wow Factor services that actually SERVE the
  needs of users.

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Remember the ROI

• Return on Investment
• Cost Staff Time Promotion ?
• Database Example

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Are you aware?

• Library Toolbars
• Converged Devices
• Integrated RSS feeds
• Storage (iPod anyone?)
• Transitioned Technologies

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In the Moment

• Presence
• You
• Your institution
• Promotion
• Community
• Webjunction.org
• Blendedlibrarian.org

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In the Know

• Read journals
• Read Blogs Use RSS
• www.theshiftedlibrarian.com
• Subject-related blogs too (RFID)
• LITA Top Trends
• Chat with colleagues at conferences

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Use some Good Tools

• Wired for the Future, Mayo Nelson
• New Planning for Results A Streamlined Approach,
  Nelson

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Use some Good Tools

• Webjunction
• www.webjunction.org
• Tech Atlas
• techatlas.org/tools/
• TechSoup
• www.techsoup.org

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Unplug My Friends
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Thank You!

• Questions? Comments?
• AIM mstephens7mac
• Skype mstephens7
• mstephens7_at_mac.com
• www.tametheweb.com
• www.libraryforlife.org