During the PNLA preconference on digital natives we watched the video clip of teens and twenties making suggestions. One of their ideas was to deliver books through the mail like NetFlix does for movies. I saw several eye-rolls and heard a few "yeah right" comments. Most of the folks at our table did not consider it a viable option, but with today's gas prices I'd be happy to pay $2 for the library to mail me my book if it costs about that to drive to the library. Who wouldn't?

We did have someone stop at the SPLAT couch to ask how Boise Public runs their books by mail program. Ada Community has a new locked drop box and pick up locker system that I've used and love since I can ride my bike there. Are there other Idaho libraries using NetFlix models to mail books? Are you charging extra for this service? I know about a library system in Washington that uses books by mail almost exclusively with no problems. I'd like to hear more about how libraries are making these services available. I think it would be great if more options were available so that Idahoans didn't have to always drive to the library to pick up books and materials.

This was a great idea from Steve Poppino at the College of Southern Idaho (C.S.I.). They purchased a digital photo frame for their library and they display historical photos from the area. Steve said it gets a lot of attention from students and faculty (and library staff!).

He thought it would be fun to use the "READ" software and take photos of faculty or others with their favorite books and that would be a great idea for public and school libraries too.

A digital photo frame at the library would be perfect for the new photo collection at the Bear Lake County District Library. If you haven't had a chance to see the hundred of photos they have of the kids and others who came to their Family Reading Week event, you've got to check it out at http://bearlake.lili.org/ . Not only do they have some very photogenic children in that community, but it's a great way to promote their fabulous web site. I've looked at several times and I don't even know anyone there! It's very compelling and I'm sure they get people to check out the other resources available online while they are there.

This continues the post about Great Things Going On in Idaho Libraries! Added a bonus and I’m still hoping to get to 100!

6) Making space for teens! I forgot to mention the massive expansion projects that are going on at all the Kootenai Shoshone Area Libraries (KSAL) branches under “bigger, better libraries” last posting, but it provided an opportunity to list it separately because every branch is adding a new teen space to their building. Rathdrum Branch Manager Sandy Burnett said teen spaces just weren’t part of most library plans 18 years ago when the district constructed many of the branches. But those same libraries are seeing more and more teens coming through the doors every day. Libraries in Post Falls, Sandpoint, and Boise and others are also looking at ways they can either build or plan teen areas in their existing spaces that better meet the needs of teen customers.

7) Keeping up with the times. Bear Lake County District Library Director (and newest SPLAT member!) Mary Nate has been implementing the “23 Things”  (see http://plcmcl2-things.blogspot.com/) based on Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County Learning 2.0 model. Mary even had the library board spring for free MP3 players for everyone who completed the 23 things. Mary says the biggest challenge is keeping one step ahead of her staff. She has also been a leader in implementing the “e-branch in a box” project, e-audio books and more. It’s great to see how different libraries are working to learn new technology and implement new services.

Jillian in the dunk tank8) Looking a little ridiculous for a good cause. Jillian Subach, Meridian District Library Youth Services Department Head, braved the dunk tank in honor of over 21,000 hours of reading. She’s also eaten a worm and done other crazy stunts that are all in good fun and show the kids that librarians aren’t always as serious as they think we are!

9) Trustees and Friends getting in on the action. At the East Bonner District Library trustees and friends of the library members staged a great “Murder in the Library” event as part of their adult summer reading program. They scripted and acted the parts and even worked a tour of the library into the event. Here’s to all the trustees and friends who pitched in to help at Summer Reading Programs and other library events this summer.

10) Cheers to sharing. Thirty-four Idaho public libraries will be getting storybook costumes to help draw in crowds during Idaho Family Reading Week in November. All that could are sharing with at least one other public library, doubling the number of library events that will be held this year (and saving costs too). They are also sharing ideas about what they are doing through The Scoop and in regional meetings.

11) Being willing to try and try again. When Garden Valley District Library’s bond election failed by only a handful of votes a few months ago, it was a tough loss. They didn’t let it get them down for long. They rallied their community and passed their bond this month -- 317 for and 127 against -- for a 71.4% approval! 

We usually end the SPLAT meetings by going around the table and sharing what’s new at our libraries and what we’re excited about. I love the energy boost it provides at the meetings and seeing how excited others get by hearing what everyone is  doing. I do get to hear snippets of what people are doing in library land and thought I’d try to share more of them here. I’m doing five today and will post the other five soon. I’m hoping others chime in and we get a list of 100 Great Things Going On in Idaho Libraries! Add yours!!

1) Bigger, Better Buildings. We’re anxiously awaiting the day the doors open to the public for Coeur d’Alene Public’s new building, Boise Public’s two new full service branches, and American Falls District’s big expansion project. And, if you’re headed through Marsing or Culdesac stop by to see their new bigger, better buildings. Did I leave your building off the list? Comment!

2) Making the Extra Effort. Kathy Chick, director of the Eastern Owyhee County District Library, doesn’t speak Spanish but that didn’t let it stop her from calling every parent of elementary students in Grand View. She recruited a teacher who spoke Spanish to talk to parents who didn’t speak English and personally invited all of them to pick up their free First Book at the library and join the Summer Reading Program. Kathy said they had at least 25 new families get library cards as a result of the First Book program and they had a great summer reading turn out.

3) Coffee in the Library! Nearly everyone over the age of 12 says “Serve coffee in the library!” Boise Public joined Mountain Home Public, Gooding High School Library and others in providing java to needy beanheads. Does your library do the books and coffee thing?

4) Where there’s a will there’s a way. When libraries in Riggins, Weippe, Grand View and many others pull off going totally wireless, why not ALL Idaho libraries?

5) Potter in the Park (and in nearly every other Idaho library). Rigby Public Library Director Marilynn Kamoe said they couldn’t fit all the families who wanted to celebrate the last Harry Potter book in the library so they went to the park. “We dressed up and had a costume contest, played pin the tail on Dudley, played a huge snake game where the kids were the pieces. We also played musicial broomsticks, snitch and seeker. We made magic wands, drank potions, and listened to parts of the 6th book. We all had a fantastic time!” Be sure to check out the photos on their very cool slide show at http://rigby.lili.org/ .  (Their web site is so fun, maybe it should be Great Thing #6! It’s definitely worth checking out).

More Great Things later!
 

 I finally logged on to www.findagrave.com and think it has a lot of potential for library programming. I heard Stephen Abram mention the site at the Digital Natives Conference in July and again when he presented at the Idaho Library Association conference. He talked about how some libraries are bringing together teens and seniors to document local history through sites like Find a Grave and other “virtual genealogical tourism” sites. I’m not up-to-date on what other sites that might include, but would like to learn more about this so please comment if you have info. I heard that genealogy is a growing hobby among all ages (third in the country behind coin and stamp collecting).

On Find a Grave, thousands of contributors submit new listings, updates, corrections, photographs of gravestones and virtual flowers every hour. The site has over 200,000 contributors. My family is into Silver City, Idaho history so we were able to search for Owyhee County cemeteries and find pioneer/relative info. We plan on taking the kids to some of these cemeteries to add more gravestones and obituary information to the web site. It may sound a little strange, but by using these types of social networking tools, I think it will be a fun way to involve teens in a cool project.