Media literacy and the library

Our family just attended the "Buy Me That" media literacy workshop at the Grabill Branch this afternoon. Based on the PBS Kids Don't Buy It website, the program helped participants to challenge and question advertising, evaluate media, and even create their own. At the end of the program each child became a food-stylist-in-training and smeared peanut butter onto a saltine as artfully as possible to get it ready for a photo shoot.

It got me thinking: we teach our children a number of things as absolutes. Fire burns, strangers may mean danger, seatbelts are not optional accessories, etc. Other absolutes vary household by household.

This gets fuzzier for me the further we stray from health and safety, however. I have to admit that I recognized a number of sales pitches from my own time behind a Children's Desk.

• "Oh! Do you like that? You'd really love this... Here, would you like the whole trilogy?"
• "You completed that? Way to go! Take this branded freebie!"
• "This gray tub checks out like any other library item and helps keep lots more library materials organized in your vehicle and in your home."
• "Have it, it's free!"
  

I'm really torn about this, because I want kids-- people-- to love their library. I want to be able to "use my powers for good," and get kids to the informational and recreational stuff they want, and maybe even material they might like but didn't know about previously. That's part of why I participate in mock elections for Newbery, Caldecott, Geisel or Seibert awards-- to keep abreast of new good stuff and help connect users to the material they might enjoy.

I read marketing books as a hobby. Part of the allure for me is to know the enemy, so to speak. I think it's vitally important to protect my young children from rampant marketing until they're old enough to begin to decipher the code. It's part of the reason sites like Campaign for a Commerical-Free Childhood and Shaping Youth exist.

The other reason, however, is to incorporate marketing strategy into my own profession. I think Why We Buy, Punk Marketing, Brand Hijack, and many others have library applications; yet for me, Consuming Kids was actual bone-knowledge that my kids do not need this stuff. It's grown-up fare being aimed at kids too young to even speak. Talk about cradle-to-grave marketing!

Yet don't we want cradle-to-grave library users? Is it as OK to teach (advocate?) cradle-to-grave library use as it is to teach "fire will hurt you"? I don't have a position here. Soapbox not included. But the more I think about media literacy-- and I think about it a lot-- the more I wonder.

More coffee talk

Nothing like a little excitement to pump up the Google Analytics-- or the social engagements, for that matter. Now I have plans to go out to dinner and also for coffee. This doesn't begin to touch the phone calls or emails I've had about interesting topics like blogging, library transparency, internet privacy, and accountability.

Would it be interesting to share these in a forum like a blog? Yup. Do I see that happening anytime soon, though? Not necessarily. What would it take to create a library climate wherein staff felt safe and respected while presenting their views on such important topics? Is this a Learning 2.0 issue, or is the technology itself the real focus?

I'm sure I don't have the answers. I do know that technologies will come and go; but a safe, welcoming atmosphere where home numbers and personal accounts are not necessary would be a laudable goal. Because clearly I'm not the only one with this much to say.

It's a yarn thing

I went to the open house today at Sarah Jane's Yarn Shoppe* at North Anthony Shopping Center and saw a number of familiar faces. It was very cool-- even if I hadn't won a stunning pair of size 13 Lantern Moon rosewood straight knitting needles. The real bummer of the deal is that I'm not yet a competent knitter; but that's OK. I still have plenty of winter evenings to remedy that situation.

I think it would be cozy and tons of fun to have a knitting circle for new and established knitters. We've had stuff like this for patrons for quite some time-- I started Handmade Mondays at the Main Library years ago and I think a number of branches still get good numbers for their more current programs-- but I'd welcome a chance to talk to staff from other branches more often than I do now.

I've seen discussion of this on other 2.0 blogs. Are we ready to get serious about a craft circle, people? If so, where? When?

*Logo used with permission and gratitude of Sarah Jane's Yarn Shoppe.

Library staff as patrons: a conundrum? Talk amongst yourselves...

Lots of staffers have discussed Tuesday's post with me lately.

"What's up with the downloadable audiobooks survey?"

"In their non-work time, aren't staff patrons?"

"I've looked at that staff wiki. What ARE we supposed to do?"

"I agree with you, but I don't dare say so on the blog. I can't believe YOU do!"

Well, dear readers, sometimes I can't believe I do either. I still believe that blogs are an important way for institutions to learn, grow, share, and connect-- and Library Journal's recent article about transparency strengthens my resolve to discuss what I think is important for our system even if it's not always fun. Transparency is more than just a buzzword-- it's a viable goal.

These staff contacts are variations on a theme: what does make patrons who happen to also work for the library different than patrons proper? How does working at the library imply any sort of edge or stain?

The library has worked hard to make certain that there's no huge advantage to being a library employee. We pay our overdues and fines, we wait in line for the newest Grisham, and we park in the staff lot during work time. Even purchase requests are only sought by staff when there's a personal need-- not a professional interest in a particular area of a collection. Abuses of any of the above are dealt with quickly and seriously.

Therefore it is unclear to me, since we hope that no one is working more than 40 hours of any given week for our library, why the rest of our lives would not be considered "patron lives". And as patrons, wouldn't each individual have preferences we'd wish to consider? Like a plain old patron?

Our director did a self-proclaimed "180" when at first he said staff may never park in the new patron parking lot-- in their off-duty time. Staff are clearly patrons at least some of the time. I would welcome some civil discourse. . .

Beware the downloadable audiobooks survey on our homepage!

Are you excited about the revival of downloadable audiobooks? Especially now that I'm getting a Library Genius MP3 player, I know I am. Since we purchased the iPod last year, Fiona has learned how to keep earbud volume at a safe level for her delicate ears-- partially through this educational yet addictive game-- so I look forward to seeing younger juvenile titles she can enjoy.

A note of caution, however. Don't be like me and erroneously fill out the survey on the library homepage. It looks like it wants your opinion. It smells like it wants your opinion. It never outright says it doesn't want your opinion; but if you're staff, trust me. It doesn't.

Now I'm sure somewhere down the line our opinion will be gathered, but I was so excited about downloadable audiobooks that I asked a couple questions at the Main Library yesterday. In so doing I learned I should not have filled out that survey; and neither, dear reader, should you if you are a library staffer. Our time will come. . . but not yet.

HALP! I need 2 x 6's!

This is obviously not a reference question, but here's my deal: I recently read Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and at least until I roll up my sleeves and find that I've failed, I feel the visceral need to attempt to live more locally and organically. Thus the new blog. Thus The Big Backyard Gardening Experiment.

I am an EXTREMELY novice gardener. I am also a SAHM (read: exceedingly cheap). This year I want to make some 4' square raised beds for my backyard so I can try some gardening with the family, and I need 2 x 6's for the job, but not even whole ones. I only need 4' leftover scraps. I am trying an experiment based on Mel Bartholomew's book All New Square Foot Gardening, and he suggests that I go begging at local construction sites. Free is good; being shot down, not so good.

Does this even sound like something I'd be able to GET at a construction site, people? And if so, would anyone be allowed to hand it over to me? We've built a lot of libraries lately-- I don't know construction but maybe some dear reader does. Is this type of freebie scavenging is even legit? Inquiring minds want to know before they haul their kids out for a field trip of disappointment. . .