TRENDS IN MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES Presentation to the Australasian Mobile Libraries Conference

1. TRENDS IN MOBILE LIBRARY SERVICES • Presentation to the Australasian Mobile Libraries Conference • Ballarat, August 2016 • Deb Miles • Executive Manager • Regional Partnerships • Regional Access and Public Libraries Division • State Library of Queensland

2. Overview of presentation 1. Organisational 2. Definitions and 3. Community Context Examples Outreach

3. http://www.qhatlas.com.au/sites/default/files/imagecache/Large/TT11.JPGhttp://www.qhatlas.com.au/sites/default/files/imagecache/Large/TT11.JPG

4. Queensland Public Libraries 327 public libraries – all owned and operated by Councils $23 million annual state government funds 23 Indigenous Knowledge Centres 65 Rural Libraries Queensland libraries 239 Independent libraries

5. Mobile libraries in Queensland • 14 Councils (out of 73) operate 16 mobile services •  Biggest trend in our services is reduction in the number of stops – from 507 to 207 stops per week over a five year period • However, operating hours have increased from 385 to 423 hours per week

6. Regional Access and Public Libraries four branches • Public Library Development - Provides resources and support to the 65 libraries in Rural Libraries Queensland network • Indigenous Library Services - Works with Councils who operate the Indigenous Knowledge Centres in 23 communities • Literacy and Young Peoples Services - Provides services, programs and resources for children and young people to build literacy and provide support for lifelong learning delivered onsite, regionally and online • Regional Partnerships

7. Regional Partnerships Team Supports public libraries with: Funding, Ideas/innovation and Training – Keeping libraries FIT!

8. funding to public libraries • $23 million grant funding provided to public libraries each year • also $850,000 in grants by application

9. Tech Savvy Seniors Program • Partnership between Queensland Government and Telstra • To empower older Queenslanders in basic digital literacy • 38 Councils with a library service or IKC are delivering the program • Anticipate around 15,000seniors will participate in training sessions across the state

10. Robotics and Coding Programs • $300,000 coding and robotics of choice (33 Councils) • $19,200 Ozobots (24 Councils) • $28,500 LEGO Mindstorms (19 Councils)

11. First 5 Forever – Family literacy program Over 65,000additional attendees at programs (increase of 16% statewide) 339% increase in Outreach sessions throughout Queensland based on 2015 reporting received to date 738 participants trained in First 5 Forever professional development Over135,000resources delivered to libraries First5Forever.org.au website that supports parents and caregivers with regular newsletters and updates

12. professional development • Innovation • Technology • Coding& robotics • Diverse programs • Maker spaces • Changing spaces • Leadership

13. Mobile definitions • capable of moving or being moved readily • changeable or changing easily – in purpose • quickly responding to impulses etc. (dictionary.com) • Tending to travel and relocate frequently • Fluid, unstable, flowing freely • Able to move freely and quickly to any given area (Thefreedictionary.com)

14. Mobile schmobile • Let’s start by examining the word mobile and look at some definitions in order to: • Broaden the term, • Increase our understanding, • Be more inclusive in our explanations and therefore, • Be more diverse in our understanding of what a mobile library might actually mean in contemporary library service provision.

15. My definition For the purpose of this paper Iam going to use the term mobile library service to be defined as being inclusive of all forms of outreach to increase access to library services.

16. Rationale for broad definition of mobile library Enables us to examine international trends in libraries doing what they do best: • being responsive to community needs, • being flexible in their services, • being nimble and agile, • reaching out to non-traditional spaces and people, and • broadening the definition of what a library is and what it does.

17. Rationale for broad definition of mobile library The concept of mobility - being flexible and easily moved and responsive is one of the best marketing and promotional strategies public libraries can use... and increasingly libraries are getting out of their building and getting in to their communities.

18. WHY explore innovative solutions to outreach – because libraries: • have a commitment to access • have free resources to share • support community development • support all forms of literacy, • enable economic development • are creative community spaces • provide a portal to the world....

19. WHERE? Anywhere the people are! • Where they go and hang out • Where they wait ... bus stops, health or shopping centres, train stations • Where they can’t access your usual service – due to limited mobility, or transport, or opening hours... • Where people don’t come to you – perhapsthey don’t feel welcome, perhapsit’s not part of their culture, perhaps they don’t know how fabulous you are...

20. How – however you can! • In a bus, On a train. • In a car, On a bicycle. • In the park. • On the beach(The Albena, Bulgaria) • In a mobile (Ideas) box. • In a letter box. • On a donkey or a horse or a camel • By boat or rickshaw ...

21. Noosa’s latest mobile library • Inaugural outing @ Noosa Show – September (Read and Relax tent - families to have a break, chill out with a book, craft or draw) • Playgrounds and parks • Will map its locations • Promote on Facebook • Funded from F5F program

22. Sunshine Coast Libraries Won 3rd prize for Library Marketing Awards (International Federation of Library Associations) • encouraged feedback on draft library plan • Promoted diverse services • www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2TESufxTGA

23. Townsville’s - Novel Idea • Mobile/pop-up library @ The Strand - great school holiday weather • Attracted beach goers, dog walkers, exercisers • Connected community with reading • High-traffic popular outdoor space • Gave away sixty print books • Helped people to download BorrowboxeBooks • promoted Council’s free Wi-Fi

24. Ideas Box (via Libraries without Borders) • A portable media centre to provide vulnerable and isolated populations access to books, technology, and information • Used in refugee camps • Piloting in select Indigenous communities • Now located in Kowanyama • http://youtu.be/rHDR83gxEkM

26. Background • SLQ Library Leadership Program (2015) • Mentor to a group of 5 libraries from across the State • Process of trialing and adapting • Aim – to increase awareness of and engagement with their libraries

27. What is it? • Tool for outreach and engagement strategies for hard-to-reach groups 2. Help Libraries to develop I.D.E.A.S. • IDENTIFY • DESIGN • EVALUATE • ADAPT • SHARE

28. How to use it? • Primary Questions • (e.g. Who, What, Where?) • Secondary Questions • Intended to identify issues that may have been overlooked.

31. Why we do what we do • Contemporary library services focus upon WHY we do what we do. • Asking why, how, who, when and where provides a useful framework for the delivery of any library service • Applying this framework to trends in mobile library services= auseful rationale for the need to continue to provide and explore innovative mobile library services.

32. Thank you! Deb Miles Executive Manager Regional Partnerships Regional Access and Public Libraries Division State Library of Queensland deb.miles@slq.qld.gov.au