The graphic includes fun facts about the number of accounts on twitter, types of messages tweeted, international demographics, who has the most followers, etc. It also has a nice time-line of Twitter’s growth since its creation in 2006.

Out of curiosity, I went to Bill Gates’ Wikipedia page, clicked on the ‘history‘ option to see all the revisions and then did a control-F (aka find) for “vandalism.” In the first 500 revisions, I found 22 cases of vandalism — some funny, some probably honest mistakes and some just downright mean. This is a reminder of the speed at which these pages may change and at any moment, you could be reading erroneous information… or see a mustache painted on someone’s picture.

Always double-check your sources for confirmation of information!

- via Student Affairs Collaborative:

I love how the video gives props to the “first follower.” While it is important for a leader to take the first step, push limits and set an example — the first follower is a central piece of the leadership puzzle. The first follower is the person who helps start the momentum in creating a movement. Without the first follower, the rest of the crew might not join the cause.

As consistent concert attender through the years, I have witnessed many brave souls who let the music take them over while they dance to their heart’s content. (Some may argue a controlled substance spurred them to dance like that, but that’s besides the point). It almost never fails — one fearless person joins in on the dancing, becoming the first follower, who then starts a movement as others join in.

What a wonderful example of this concept!

[ps--It appears dancing dude is at The Gorge Amphitheater in George, Washington, which is an awesome venue to see a concert btw!]

A colleague of mine had this on her computer in her office. While it is a joke, I wondered, what if folks in Student Affairs or Librarians had such a phrase on their business card? What would you say if someone gave you a business card with that written on it? Would you laugh? Would you think it a tad unprofessional? Or would you appreciate the thinking outside the box?

Save Libraries is a grassroots effort to compile information about libraries in need of our support. Save Libraries will aggregate information about current advocacy efforts, archive advocacy efforts, and provide links to resources for libraries facing cuts.

On her blog, Lori Reed explains further:

Our mission is to help raise awareness of the funding crisis libraries are facing. We will serve as an aggregator of news about library budget cuts, closings, and reductions, and compile links to “Save Library” campaigns.

Our slogan is, “When one library is in trouble, ALL libraries are in trouble.” There is a trend happening in this country and it’s one as a society that we should be appalled at. Our libraries represent the freedom and democracy that our country was founded on. Can you think of another place where all are welcome? No matter what your color, religion, or economic status the library is there with open doors.

The current reality is that many public libraries and library systems are facing dismal funding situations that are leading to drastic cuts in hours, staff, programs and services. SaveLibraries.org is a grassroots campaign to inform, educate and advocate for libraries. Well done and thank you to Lori Reed and Heather Braum for their efforts in creating this important site.

Mark Moran writes:

In the libraries of old, the Dewey Decimal System got you started on research. But there is no card catalog 2.0. To use the Internet as a library you need new research skills: the ability to pick out reliable sources from an overwhelming heap of misinformation, to find relevant material amid an infinite array of options, to navigate the shifting ethics of creative commons and intellectual property rights and to present conclusions in a manner that engages modern audiences.

This is another wonderfully well written piece about the challenges we face in teaching our students 21st century research skills. The bright side is that we have the ability to teach our students how to effectively evaluate resources and determine their authority (a.k.a. “crap detection“). While this seems like an uphill (and at times futile?) battle, school librarians are doing it every day, trying to reach kids when they’re young and before they can develop a dependency on Google. One school librarian in particular, Buffy Hamilton, is – in my humble opinion – a leader in this area. (To see what she is doing with her students, check out her blog, The Unquiet Library. She also writes at the blog, Libraries and Transliteracy).

MS’s presentation about the research gathered for his CAVAL 2009 Fellowship.

Setting the stage: Things are changing quickly… social media/tools are increasing and people are using them at an astounding rate… Those using these technologies fall into categories according to age…(Older folks not as likely to be using the technologies, though those numbers are becoming smaller –  the “inactives” (those that do not use 2.0) is growing small…

CHALLENGES we’re facing:

SaveLibraries.org — most recent fight: Charlotte Mecklenberg –
MS asks: What are we going to do in library school to prepare future librarians for this?

> Embedded
> Silos of Knowledge – what happens when those with institutional knowledge retire and take information with them?
> Organizational Structure
> Barriers and Rules
> Technology — includes: technolust (wanting something because it’s cool); technostress (the stress of keeping up with all the new technologies); technodivorce (how can we let stuff go); technoshame (libraries that have access vs. those who don’t); technophobia (not moving forward)

Libraries must know new media in order to stay relevant…

His research looked at organizations that have utlilized the web 2.0 teaching programs (“23 Things on a Stick”, etc.)

He looked at the institutional impact – transformational/viral activities take place
Transparency – offer inclusive learning – when libraries are approached to do outreach – SAY YES!

[ps - MS highly recommends reading Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind - it discusses the way we are evolving our thinking from right brained to left brained...]

Ways to foster learning in an organization: HAVE FUN! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Libraries should move to a culture of experimentation…

How will you reward failure and recovery? MS mentioned the Librarian in Black is working on compiling information about failure — We need to get away from being afraid to fail because that stifles creativity and moving forward.

MS presented his findings from researching web 2.0 programs in Australian libraries… [See his slides for information on specifics].

Going forward:
> It’s never to late to jump in… See Darien Library’s program for the public – they created a program for the public to learn about new media.
> Map a strategy first!
> Promote core values
> Service
> Trust – staff, each other
> Be Transparent – let folks know what you are doing
> Self-directed exploration – have self-directed workers…
> Break down barriers
> Look for connections
> Use Champions – know who to go for to help ensure support and success
> Be Human – share experience
> Know it’s ok to fail.

Clay Shirky quote: “When technology gets boring, it gets interesting.”

New technology — GIS, mobile, geo-tagging (4-square)

Develop your own personal learning network (PLN). Don’t create an echo-chamber, however — include some folks who you might not agree with – it’s good for learning.

Lastly… Encourage the heart!

Green Acres and Milk & Cookies: Understanding your Community through Market Segmentation

Conference Handouts

Intro to Market Segmentation
- supply-based approach
- demand or market-based approach
- understanding what customers and prospective customers need & want –

What don’t you know about your library’s customers?
- surveys and focus groups just scratch the surface
- meet your customers where they’re at!

Market segmentation:
Use it to gain insights into customers…use that knowledge to more effectively delivers services… position your org’s strategy and decision-making…

Segmentation: Look at demographics….Life stage… Needs… Attitudes

Discern the diff between how customers appear vs. how they act.

Segmentation system needs to:
> Be robust to reveal customer diffs
> Be stable so it is reliable and predictive
> Pain a pic of the customer that informs organizational level decisions
> Enable an org to manage a diverse portfolio of customers/patrons…

MS can be applied to a wide range – cities big and small…

What makes a good market segmentation system?
- Characteristics
- Measures (ROI, profitability)
- Time Values

For profit-MS systems (example: ERSI).

Tapestry… recommendation by CIVICTechnologies…
- info taken from census…but more in-depth.

Each community has a unique number and combination of segments…

Market Segmentation in Action: Washington County Family Portrait (Eva)
- support functions: planning, data analysis and communications
- county’s role: provide majority of operational funding, member support services, special populations outreach

MS helps you make planning decisions based on data for ALL residents, not just frequent users.

> Think our patrons, not my patrons…

Begin to move beyond needs of individual libs to needs of shared, similar populations…

What they learned:
- one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to communication or service
- we were doing a better job reaching some segments than others
- we had room for improvement in “family” segments

MS in action: communication:
>newsletter
>retooled to target key groups
>cover photos and article messages customized
>used zip code and carrier route overlays to ID which version to mail where…

Family version newsletter – went to 123K households… covered key themes of education, stretching family budget, etc.
Other version – went to 92K households – different photo, focused on messages that would connect with boomers and seniors – managing health issues, being active intellectually and civically.
Spanish version – not mailed – 5K distributed thru libraries…

West Slope Library adult programming — High Society Segment… affluent and active – financially civically and physically — most popular programming – digital camera workshops waiting lists…

MS Shaping Strategic Planning Process: (Gina)

Green Acres – Topeka and Shawnee county…

Gina Millsap: “Library service is really all about connecting with peopel adn building relationships build on real knowledge about each other. And the data that drives that is market segmentation.”

Libraries need their own version of eharmony or match.com!

Next decade plan: no focus grouips or community surveys.

Traditional tools don’t tell us:
* who our customers are
* what is important to them
* how to build relationships (convert non-users into customers; increase the satisfaction of current customers)

The right stuff:
* GIS tools!

Avoid making assumptions about our patrons…Perceptions vs. Reality... examples – inner-city underserved and not big users of their library —> they turned out to be big users after all.

They thought: rural folks prefer films over books — they learned: they check out more books than films.

WORK From the data! Not from assumptions!

Community planning workshop: show them the data. Spent a whole day discussing key issues and challenges.

Discovered 30 market segments in Shawnee County…
Open market potential – where the opportunity is to grow….

Socioeconomic… Residential… You can hone in on specific areas…

Product: Community Connect — MS segmentation data helps us communicate with our patrons, what programs/collections we provide and how to provide them… Show us the data!

Nudge factor – easier to opt-in than opt-out!

Use County’s GIS department — in Colorado, they gave them the info for FREE!