Mass training in mediacy by libraries?!

1. Mass training in mediacy by libraries?! Two projects by Finnish public libraries to raise mediacy skills of citizens Tuula Haavisto Senior Library Adviser Tuula Haavisto Library Knowledge T:mi, Helsinki, Finlandtuulah@kaapeli.fi

2. Two ideas to reach larger groups in one time, though individual service is the strong point of libraries • In 2000-2002, yearly SeniorSurf campaigns were organised, to encourage elder citizens to use Internet and SMS (Short Message Sending via mobile phone). For 2003, the campaign was refocused: it promoted ways to find the requested content from Internet. • Ideological discussions among professionals about the focus of mediacy training in libraries and provisions of sponsorship • From Autumn 2003, a radio program ”Ask whatever” is run in co-operation between Helsinki City Library and YLE, the Finnish public service broadcasting company. Library staff answers all kinds of questions, sent to radio by the listeners. • The radio program was based on certain preceding development, which is described.

3. SeniorSurf 2000-2002 • SeniorSurf was oganised by the Finnish Library Association, the idea was imported from Sweden • financing from the Ministry of Education • It concentrated on basic skills in using new media • The concrete target was to encourage citizens of the age 55+: • to get the first touch with Internet, • in the two first years, to learn to use the SMS (Short Message Sending) function of their mobile phones.

4. Working forms of the SeniorSurf • Lectures, personal guidance ”how to use the web”, Internet sources and the SMS, discussions, presentations of Internet-based services by e.g. banks and municipal officials etc. • A list of web resources for the libraries • web sites offering Internet study packages or other good starting points for new-beginners • A special material to learn to use the mouse • A special material presented the SMS use • An extremely popular basic guide ”Pleasure and learning with your computer”

5. SeniorSurf in numbers • 170 to 250 participating libraries / year • there are ca. 900 public library units in Finland • 5.000-10.000 participating people per year • Individual guidance resulted less audience than programs based on lectures • no connection between e.g. the size of the community and the participant amount; but a clear connection between the work done in the library to advertise the event

7. Ideological discussions questioned SeniorSurf • Two sponsors: teleoperator Sonera & mobile phone producer Nokia • Paid the expensive press advertisements, test mobile phones & connection time to the participating libraries  hot ideological discussion among librarians: • acceptable forms of sponsorship: ”named mobile phones and operators should not be advertised in any form inside libraries, or the participating libraries should get a clear payment in cash on it.”

8. Ideological discussions questioned SeniorSurf 2 • SMS training in libraries: ”SMS is not at all a business of libraries,they should concentrate in deeper information and knowledge. If there is need to teach SMS, it is up to other institutions.” • For our partners, National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health, and organisations of senior citizens, SMS is first of all a potential safety equipment for elderly people • public institutions responsibile to train seniors to use it • public libraries due to their easy access excellent venues to learn SMS skills • non-commercial context in public libraries; compare to a short ”training” by a young salesman in a shop

9. Where did we end up? Sponsorship • Opinions of the participating libraries were collected in 2000. • 62% (133) of the participants returned the form • Majority saw that the press campaign and availability of test phones on the campaign day was a balanced price for allowing visibility to commercial enterprises in libraries for one day. • Only one of the answerers gave negative feedback, and in her own name, not on behalf of the library • The arguing also led the Min.of Education to produce a short guide for sponsorship in public libraries. The English version is available on Internet http://www.minedu.fi/minedu/culture/library/english/information.html

10. Where did we end up? SMS • The result of the discussion remained partly open. • The participating libraries: ”we took part in a mediacy enlargement project.” • The critics still remained: ”no library resources should be used for such purposes. Literacy and reading campaings should be prioritized in public libraries.” • However, out of e.g. the 5-7 yearly campaigns of the Finnish Library Association, 3-4 concentrate on literacy and reading, one in mediacy (like SeniorSurf) and the rest on varying topics.

11. Find your way on Internet, 2003 • In 2003, the campaign day had a larger target audience: not-so-experienced-Internet-user adults • A narrower scope: concentrated on presenting guidance to existing Internet resources • Why the change: the SeniorSurf idea had fulfilled its purpose. • Many other actors offered possibilities to this group. • Seniors and Internet had even become a very fashionable topic in journals, adult education institutions and TV programs

12. Working forms in 2003 • Link libraries, search engines, other search possibilities and basic portals of public services were presented via lectures and individual guidance • A tabloid of 16 pages was disseminated, including articles, interviews and short infos on web resources • 10 training days for 420 library staff members around the country: trends of the Internet development and web searching

13. Half-success… • Individual libraries offered programs from lectures for schoolchildrens' parents to e-book and local congregation web page presentations. • There were ca. 3.500 participants in 150 public libraries. • The feedback showed, that this time the target audience was too undefined • Feedback also suggested to create an Internet policy for Finnish public libraries. Idea under work… • In 2004 no Internet day in libraries

14. ”Ask whatever” • ”Ask about nature” - since the 70s a very popular radio programme in Finland • simple structure: listeners send questions, biologists and other specialists answer • According to this model, an idea was developed: librarians can answer questions not only in libraries and virtually, but also via the radio

15. Background elements in libraries • The new mobile service unit of Helsinki City Library: iGS, information Gas Station: • the unit with its staff can be located to serve people on railway stations, shopping malls, fairs etc. • a banner on the roof: ”Ask whatever” • questions can be asked and answered on-site, via phone, SMS, or e-mail • all the questions and answers are saved in an open databank, which can be used via the web • From the point of view of the radio program, the iGS team is the important element. • ca. 10 professionals from different branches of the Helsinki City Library. • iGS is part of their job, not full-time • half are librarians (university education), half library assistants (vocational or polytechnics level) • USED TO MEET PEOPLE IN NON-LIBRARY ENVIRONMENT

16. iGS, information Gas StationThe mobile information service station of Helsinki City Library • The station itself

17. Dual professional goal • Educating people in using information sources, especially in media critics – ”there is information and knowledge outside google, even outside the net sources” • Concetisizing information search, the invisible, demanding and unknown part of the library work • BUT: to be successful, first of all this must be a good program and service, a good product – says the iGS team

18. ”Ask whatever” in numbers • 40.000 listeners per week, success in Finland • if library users, use it only for lending = new perspectives • net searchers needing help • 1-2 of the library staff in the studio, 3-4 persons backing them in the library • ca. 30 questions per week, all answered: one in the weekly radio program + discussion with journalists, the rest on the web pages of iGS and the radio program • each radio answer includes a view to the usage of information sources

19. Examples of questions and views • My family name was changed in mid-40s: can I get the information, when exactly and in which official institute this was done? • presenting archives and registers as sources • When and why the number “four” of the Roman clock-face was changed from IIII to IV? • Google is not the only search engine, e.g. Vivisimo gives more detailed and grouped search results • How does the water pressure remains strong enough even in the highest levels of the skyscrapers ? • the worldwide information service network: the answer came via e-mail from the San Francisco Public Library Live Online Reference service, open 24/7 • How do the snakes pee? (a question by a five-years old) • radio is a good media for the non-literate • Why there are no dogs in Shanghai? • presentation of the Chinese net papers and journals • How to make lahnanpääpälli, an old fish dish • Presenting traditional cook books, reminding about printed sources

20. Library skills shared with everyone? • Compare with the earlier development in media and IT skills: • White-collar people today more or less forced to learn the basic skills of journalists and IT people, to write a press release, or to make the basic tricks to the PC • The next profession to see its' basic skills to be spread among ordinary people – librarians!  Will the profession itself be swipped out? • Not at all; the large diffusion of the skills of a profession means, that the profession itself gets stronger and more diversified • That has happened with journalism, PR and IT as well

21. Considerations • There are roles for public libraries in “mass mediacy training” • to offer zakuzki, the first contact with the new information sources and IT (SeniorSurf) • to organize ”dates” between interested individuals and organisations offering further training; libraries can have a “connecting people” role in the learning chain (SeniorSurf) • To use case examples to enlarge understanding about information sources and their usage; the existing elements were combined in a new, successful way (the radio program) • Librarians wait with interest, how the radio program will develop. Will there be more time for it? Will there be a TV version? Do we succeed to launch a more deep-going program on information sources?

22. Growing self-understanding • The discussions on the campaigns created new self-understanding of this institution. • Along the 90s, Finnish librarians were divided in the “book party” and “all media party” • The resistance against teaching SMS skills in libraries was one of the heaviest efforts of the ”book party” in Finland • The discussions, connected with concrete disagreements, are very much needed to reach as many as possible professionals in formulating the role of libraries in the age of virtual material

23. Thank you for your attention!