WebJunction

At last week's Gates sponsored workshop on Sustainability in Rural and Small Libraries, one of the first things we did was brainstorm some ideas about what the barriers are to sustainability. Here are some of the ideas that we came up with:

-consistent funding

-info about emerging technologies

-misunderstandings at the state library level

-staff training and continuing education

Those of you in Rural and Small Lib's: what are your barriers to sustainability?

Those who attended the workshop: what did I miss?

When I worked for the Gates Foundation and would have the opportunity to visit rural libraries, numerous barriers came to light. Time is definitely one of them mentioned...and staff allocation. Kind of like "thanks for the computers, but how are we going to support them?" It's been interesting to hear innovative ways libraries have taken on more responsibilites with less resources. Are you signed up for our Rural Libraries event this month? Check out this page for more information, it'll be a great place to share ideas and best practices with people in the same boat.

[url http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=1235 ]http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=1235[/url]

We just finished our first online workshop, with around 35 participants, where we had a short brainstorm session on this topic; here are a few ideas that came out of that:

-tech support

-lack of space

-training: enough time to do it, funding it, and making sure it's "in-depth" enough

-CIPA challenges

-old wiring

-not enough time to learn it all!

-upgrading

-persuading community leaders to support and understand our challenges

Interestingly, the *most critical* barriers that the group identified (from the larger list) were:

-locating and enticing specific community support and collaboration, from schools, businesses, etc.

-money for maintaining hardware and software

-library leadership that is not proactive

in the community

-advocacy training, knonwing how to go out to people and get their support

-short staffed, lack of staff support for all library duties

-retaining staff, after time invested with training and such

-trying to be an expert in all library areas...

Now, perhaps it's time to turn our attention to some possible solutions.

What do you all think??

I'd love to hear about the volunteering option as well. Does anyone have a really successful volunteer program to tell us about?

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In our last workshop, some of the libraries shared & talked about the following solutions for rural & small libraries:

-use WJ training (it's free, online, and self-paced)

-partner with local cable company for Internet access at no cost

-send packets of library info (regularly) to potential library supporters; one person used utility bills to send out an annual report!

-assign board members to advocate with & at city council meetings

-use e-Rate technology plan categories to develop overall tech plans

-establish friends of the library group or foundation to help with advocacy efforts

-host "chamber luncheons" in the library

-use train the trainer to get folks involved in the field

-use mobile computers on the library floor (with rolling carts) then move them into training space/lab for group training and computer classes

I work as the director of a library with a part-time paid employee. Filtering has only been
a problem for the patrons. Some feel that they should not have to go through us to get to where they want to go, some don't mind the filters, and the last group are embarrassed
that a filter popped-up, they usually end up, " saying- I'm not going anyplace bad!!!"
Then you have to explain to them, it could just be a pop-up that's causing the problem.

My co-worker's view like mine is, it is no different than logging them on to the computer to
begin with to a certain degree. We have a couple of standard questions that we ask, but
that is no big deal.

Filtering on the whole is not a barrier for us.

Our biggest barrier is pretty much like everyone else- getting the community educated
about libraries,who should help fund us, who we are, what we do, how we function, and in our county the biggest barrier is that we have some people who don't understand that we are not only educational butwe are also most definitely RECREATIONAL.