brooklyn public library prepared for jeannette moy, chief strategy officer for brooklyn public...

Brooklyn Public Library

Prepared for Jeannette Moy, Chief Strategy Officer for Brooklyn Public Library

#TechUp!A program for growing the tech presence in services provided at the Brooklyn Public Library

Brooklyn Public Library Contents

• EsperonHarper LLC……………………………..3• Executive Summary…………………………….4• Problem Assessment…………………………..5– Hierarchy……………………………………....6– Staff Evaluation..……………………………7– Financial: Reallocated Staff Cost….…8

• Strategic Plan………………………………………9• Implementation Strategy………………….16– Financial: Training Costs………………17

• #TechUp! Workshops……………………….18– Financial: Workshop Budget…….....27

• Conclusion………………………………………..28

Table of Contents

About Us

Providing advisory and training services to information organizations since 2014

And now…

3

At a Glance: Employees• President/CEO Linda Johnson appointed in August 2011• 38 member elected and appointed Board of Trustees• 1,050 Total Staff

• 319 ALA-MLIS Librarians• 400 Clerical Staff• 331 Other Paid Staff

At a Glance: Resources• 58 branches• 4 Bookmobiles• 3,562,876 Total Collection Items

• 3,208,769 Print Resources• 29,060 eBooks• 30,482 Audio – Physical Units• 7,463 Audio – Downloadable Titles• 286,187 Video – Physical Units• 915 Video – Downloadable Titles

At a Glance: Patrons• Serves more than 2.5 million residents

• 12 million visitors each year

At a Glance: Financials• $130 million total operating expense in 2013• $136 million in revenue in 2013

• City of New York is the largest source at 63%• Incorporated in New York as a 501(c)(3) company

Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services “Public Libraries in the United States Survey”

Brooklyn Public Library Resources

Brooklyn Public Library has implemented several time saving initiatives that have freed up staff time to implement programs that support their strategic agenda: education, access, culture, inclusion, space, and stewardship. Their workforce does not currently have the training necessary to implement these programs. Filling in the gaps in staff skills is essential if the Brooklyn Public Library is to achieve their strategic objectives within budget.

4

Brooklyn Public Library The Problem

Source: BookOps Website at https://sites.google.com/a/nypl.org/bookops/

“

”

The recent creation of the BookOps Department has streamlined cataloging and processing by combining the services at Brooklyn Public Library with the efforts at the New York Public Library. This has resulted in the redundancy of 10-15% of the existing 300-400 Brooklyn Public Library clerical staff who are now no longer needed at their stations. Instead of removing the unnecessary positions and laying off the employees, BPL wishes to make use of their technical staff in new and inventive services to support the goals of the library.

Brooklyn Public Library has a surplus of technical processing

staff that can be redeployed throughout the library to provide

technical services to the community.

5

How can BPL reallocate existing resources to add

more services to the library?

Brooklyn Public Library Organization

President / CEO

Executive Vice PresidentExternal Affairs

Executive Vice PresidentFinancial Administration

Chief Librarian

General Counsel

Chief Development Officer

Head of Central Library

Lead of Neighborhood

Services

Regional Librarian (x 4)

· 14 branches each· Staffing· Performance Appraisal· Operations· 300-400 Clerical Staff

· 14 branches each· Staffing· Performance Appraisal· Operations· 300-400 Clerical Staff

Chief Strategy Officer

· Admin· HR· 15 – 20 staff· Internal Auditing· Accounts Payable· Budgeting· Security· Capital and Facilities Planning

· Admin· HR· 15 – 20 staff· Internal Auditing· Accounts Payable· Budgeting· Security· Capital and Facilities Planning

· 40 Staff· IT Group· Broadband Services· Special Events· ILS· IT Infrastructure

· 40 Staff· IT Group· Broadband Services· Special Events· ILS· IT Infrastructure

· Contracts· General Legal· Contracts· General Legal· 2-3 staff

· Funding· Friend Group· Grants· Corporate Group· Individual Donors

· 2-3 staff· Funding

· Friend Group· Grants· Corporate Group· Individual Donors

Marketing Marketing

Source: Jeanette Moy, Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President for Strategic Planning for the Brooklyn Public Library

30-60 reallocated clerical staff

6

Brooklyn Public Library Staff Evals

Staff Evaluation

Staff StrengthsStaff are already employed by the Brooklyn Public Library and are therefore already integrated into the BPL Family and structure.

Staff are also:Willing to LearnExcited to Assist LibrariansQualified to SuperviseProficient in ProcessingProficient in Technical ServicesWilling to Help PeopleReady to Supply Customer ServiceAcclimated to the Library’s Data Organization System

Staff WeaknessRedeployment from existing position will require training and restructuring of existing staff.

As unionized staff members, there are potentially new duties outside of the job description that the technical services department will not be legally able to perform. As a team, they will have to be aware of these limitations and not overextend themselves despite their enthusiasm to learn.

7Source: Jeanette Moy, Chief Strategy Officer and Vice President for Strategic Planning for the Brooklyn Public Library

Brooklyn Public Library Financial

In 2008, BPL spent $55,410,187 on salaries and $21,724,294 on benefits for a total staff cost of $77,134,481. They employed 1138.81 total staff for a per staff member burdened cost of $67,732. Without benefits, that equates to an average salary of $48,656.22 for each member of the processing staff.

Reallocated Staff Cost

Source: Institute of Museum and Library Services

30-60 reassigned clerical staff

$48,656.22 salary per person

$1,459,687-$2,919,373

reassigned labor cost per year

X =

8

Sources: Brooklyn Public Library Strategic Plan

Brooklyn Public Library Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan

Brooklyn Public Library has implemented a strategic plan focusing on 6 key areas:

• Education• Access• Culture

• Inclusion• Space• Stewardship

The Strategic Plan serves as an outline of the goals and plans of the library to the public. However, some aspects of these goals are not inline with the library’s key

performance indicators. In concentrating the training of the staff members on aspects from the strategic plan, the library can refocus on their goals without

exerting additional resources.

9

Library Goals• Promote Lifelong Learning• Encourage Civic Participation• Support early literacy• Provide support for Common Core

Sources: Brooklyn Public Library Strategic Plan and New York State Report Cards


EducationCommunity Difficulties

• Brooklyn High School students are underperforming in English and Math in comparison to the New York State averages

Action Items• Increase tutoring programs• Target students who would not

traditionally look for help• Increase Library visibility in schools

Training Required for New Staff: Skills in Public Service, Teaching, Programming Events, Basic Educational Reference, Patron Interaction, Educational Software, Job Application Software

10

Library Goals• Increase availability of resources• Increase patron foot traffic in

libraries and mobile locations• Increase number of active

registered card holders to over 50% of residents by 2017


AccessAction Items

• Increase internet bandwidth in high use areas• Acquire additional eBook resources• Provide technical support for

e-readers, tablets, and other devices• Install high speed fiber in low income

branch libraries

Community Difficulties• Patrons cannot afford to purchase many

commodities such as internet access, making the library one of the largest providers for free WiFi access• Patrons who cannot afford time or

expenses to travel demand a higher access to e-materials

Training Required for New Staff:Skills in Microsoft Office Suite, Technology Devices, Internet Connection, Email, Social Media, Internet Safety, Website Building

Source: Brooklyn Public Library Strategic Plan

The library is the largest provider of free internet in the borough and for many patrons Brooklyn Public Library provides their only access to computers and the internet. Patrons expect technical help with a large variety of mobile devices.

11

Source: Brooklyn Public Library Strategic Plan, the 2010 US Census, and the 2008-2012 American Community Survey


Culture

Library Goals• Celebrate diversity• Educate ignorance• Support creative expression, culture, and the arts• Continue offering Passport Services

Action Items• Create an inclusive environment to celebrate all ethnicities and

races• Increase English language proficiency through tutoring• Provide language learning software• Create ethnically-centered library collections and displays• Create Diversity Immigrant Visa Program

Community Difficulties• Brooklyn is a diverse borough with many under represented ethnic

communities• 46.2% of residents speak a language other than English at home• 22% of residents are born outside of the United States• 13.4% of those who speak a language other than English speak

English “less than very well”• Brooklyn’s most widely spoken foreign languages are Russian,

Chinese, and Spanish

Training Required for New Staff:Skills in Language Literacy, Language

Software, Cultural Sensitivity

12

Source: Brooklyn Public Library Annual Reports for 2013, 2011, 2009 and Corporate Circle Listings


InclusionLibrary Goals

• Strengthen library accessibility for immigrants• Provide programming and services

for older adults• Improve service to all patrons,

including veterans, persons experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, and incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals

Action Items• Add programming that supports

each demographic but focuses efforts on enabling broad socialization

Community Difficulties• Community is comprised of an

extremely diverse population consisting of immigrants, elderly, homeless, formerly incarcerated, and disabled persons• Each community member has vastly

different needs

99Number of distinct self-reported ancestries among Brooklynites as of the 2010 census.

Brooklynites represent 93 different ethnic

groups, 150 nationalities, and they

speak 136 different languages.

Training Required for New Staff:Diversity Training, Immigration Procedures Awareness, Community Needs Assessment, Cultural and Political Correctness Procedures, Customer Service

13



SpaceLibrary Goals

• Expand colocation services to make better use of library resources in unconventional spaces• Provide access to resources

that satisfy community needs, bringing people to the spaces

Action Items• Modernize the space footprint

where possible• Repurpose spaces that cannot

reasonably be updated.• Redefine the notion of the library

“space” by reaching out into the community

Community Difficulties• Deferred maintenance at several

branches have left much of the available space in critical need of service• There is a deficit between available

funding and needed repairs, necessitating creative management of space and funds to meet strategic objectives

Branch Estimated Repair BillPacific Branch $9.9 millionBrooklyn Heights $9.2 millionNew Lots $7.3 millionBorough Park $7.7 million

NoteablesWithout additional funding, libraries in disrepair will eventually need to be closed or sold, which demonstrates a disconnect between budgeting allocations and concern for public safety.

Training Required for New Staff:Monitoring Maintenance Needs of the Facilities, Awareness of Local, State, and Federal Safety Procedures, Spatial Organizational Awareness

14



StewardshipLibrary Goals

• Actively engage staff, trustees, supporters, volunteers and partner organizations in the Library’s mission and transformation

Action Items• Implement detailed assessment

plans to monitor user needs• Establish advanced internal

technical services to support • Expand upon shared technical

services

Community Difficulties• Consumer technology and user

preferences may be changing faster than the library can support• The library must be more agile to

account for these rapidly changing trends

BPL benefits from a dedicated staff. BPL also is on a hiring freeze, making introduction of new skills

difficult

60The approximate number of

clerical staff who require training to expand technical services

Training Required for New Staff:Ongoing Computer and Mobile Device Training, Ability to Adapt to New Forms of Technology, Public Service

15

Brooklyn Public Library Implementation

Implementation Strategy

16

The #TechUp! campaign will be implemented as a series of training sessions designed to enhance the technology skills of the staff at BPL

1. Assess needs1. Identify those that will be trained2. Identify which sessions each should attend3. Train the trainer – plan for each attendee to be able to share knowledge

2. Schedule and hold sessions with local resources3. Plan and implement new services

• Training classes will cost between $300 and $4,000 per person depending on topic and delivery

• Offset costs by collecting online resources and building libguides and pathfinders• Consider a train-the-trainer approach

• Subset of staff receive the official training• Develop classes and resources to train their colleagues

• Coordinate with community members to help train on-site in lieu of expensive and often impractical off-site training

• Review all available online resources and develop curriculum internally• Lynda.com• Microsoft IT Academy• Coursera

• Balance cost versus quality (“You get what you pay for”)

Brooklyn Public Library Financial

Training Costs

17

Brooklyn Public Library #TechUp!

#TechUp! Skills Workshops

Hardware and Software Needs Assessment

•Mobile Devices• Internet connectivity• eReaders / Tablets• Computers•Microsoft Office

The Goal• Position Brooklyn Public Library’s Staff to:o provide services to their community to help

them connect to the information they needo provide training that increases the

marketability of their community members in a competitive job market

Skill Workshops1. Intro to Computing2. Microsoft Office3. Content Management Systems

o WordPress, Drupal, Wix, etc.4. Reaching Electronic Resources5. Internet Safety

o Malware, Viruses, etc.6. Mobile Platforms

o Apple, Android, Windows Mobile, Blackberry

7. Email and Social Media8. Entrepreneurship Seminar

18


#TechUp! Intro to Computing

Delivery Strategy• Classes of 10 staff members per instructor• Taught interactively in a computer lab with

projector presentation and demonstrations• Instructor is accessible for questions after

event and throughout the year by email

19

Learning Outcomes• Learn Basic Computer Functions

o Turn computers on and offo Keyboard and mouse connectionso Printer and Bluetooth capabilities

• Provide Tier 1 Troubleshooting Support:o Fix screen freezeso Check wires and cableso Isolate problems and record errorso Shutdown and restart computero Open and close problematic programso Access and use Windows and Mac Task

Manager to force quit programso Remove CDs and flashdrives before

turning the computer on or offo Hard restarto Fix speakers and printer connectivity

The Goals• Train the staff so that they are capable and

feel confident in answering patron’s computer based questions

• Staff are proficient using troubleshooting techniques and logging more difficult questions

Estimated Cost10 x $500 = $5,000

Source: GCF Computer Basics: Basic Troubleshooting Techniques

#TechUp! Microsoft Office

20

Delivery Strategy• Classes of 10 staff members per instructor• Structured Classroom Training• Supplemental online videos

Learning OutcomesTeach Staff How to Direct Patrons to:• Perform basic though advanced functions in

Microsoft Office 2013• Communicate information through effective

PowerPoint presentations• Perform varying tasks using Microsoft Excel• Find online resources to enhance their

knowledge of products in the Microsoft Office Suite

The Goals• Provide community members with the

technical competency to communicate using popular productivity software

• Provide a platform for increasing employability of community members

Estimated Cost10 x $2,000 = $20,000


#TechUp! Content Management Systems

21

Delivery Strategy• Classes of 3 staff members per instructor• On-site workshops and training• Supplemental online resources

Learning OutcomesTeach Staff How to Direct Patrons to:• Understand the basics of web technologies• Be aware of common, freely available

content management systems• Set up and maintain a free web site using

• WordPress• Wix• Drupal

• Understand the basics of promoting web sites through social media

The Goals• Provide community members with the ability

to communicate via the web• Provide access to resources to help local

small businesses develop affordable online presences



#TechUp! Reaching Electronic Resources

22


projector presentation and demonstrations• Instructor is accessible for questions after

event and throughout the year by email

Learning OutcomesTeach Staff How to Direct Patrons to:• Access and navigate the Library Catalog• Navigate different website browsers• Access the most popular databases• Browse the complete list of subscribed

databases, magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals

• Conduct effective search techniques for electronic resources: article and journal title, author, keyword, and date searches

• Effectively use library research guides, indexes, and abstracts

• Manipulate databases for full text downloads and similar resource requests

• Vet websites for quality• Navigate non library websites such as Google

Scholar and job application sites

The Goals• The staff are competent and confident in

navigating the library catalog, databases, Google Scholar, and other reputable electronic resources

• The staff can help patrons determine reputable sources and answer basic directional website questions.

• Evaluate reference questions and refer to a librarian as needed



#TechUp! Internet Safety

23

Delivery Strategy• Classes of 5 staff members per instructor• Structured Classroom Training• Supplemental online videos

Learning OutcomesTeach Staff How to Direct Patrons to:• Develop and utilize the necessary skills to

protect oneself from online threats• Recognize effective passwords and employ

tactics in securing passwords• Identify and utilize tools for protecting their

computers from Internet threats• Avoid scams from phishing and spam email• Safely browse the Internet• Use social media in safe and responsible

ways• Identify ways to avoid or deal with Cyber-

harassment• Safely and securely use mobile devices

The Goals• Promote information security as a key

component of information literacy• Raise community awareness of the social

implications of a relatively unregulated Internet community

• Help reduce the costs and risks to community members as a result of computer repair from malicious software

• Mitigate the uses of personal information that enable identity theft



#TechUp! Mobile Platforms

24

Delivery Strategy• Classes of 3 staff members per instructor• On-site workshops and training• Supplemental online resources

Learning OutcomesTeach Staff How to Direct Patrons to:• Make educated decisions around the

purchase of mobile web-enabled devices• Understand the use of Mobile Technologies

• Apple• Android• Windows Mobile• Blackberry

• Understand the options available for parents to secure mobile devices for proper use by children

The Goals• Provide the community with a safe place to

learn about mobile technologies without the sales pressure of a retail environment

• Broaden the community understanding of mobile technologies to enable them to make cost-effective and safe decisions about the purchase and application of mobile technology



#TechUp! Email and Social Media

25


projector presentation and demonstrations• Focus training on common elements in a

number of social media sites with select focuses on unique elements

• Instructor is accessible for questions after event and throughout the year by email

Learning OutcomesTeach Staff How to Direct Patrons to:• Navigate Gmail and different email clients• Create, login, and logout of email accounts• Create, send, and receive emails• Create strong passwords• Understand the differing uses and

restrictions of email, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, Tumblr, and other social media sites

• Create, login, and logout of social media accounts

• Create status updates: post, tumble, pin, tweet, etc

• Upload pictures and videos• Manipulate settings of various social media

accounts for security purposes• Connect with other users and navigate search

parameters

The Goals• Train staff to be competent and confident in

navigating different email and social media sites

• Educate the staff in social media and email terminology and differing uses



Source: GCF Computer Basics: Basic Troubleshooting Techniques

#TechUp! Entrepreneurship

26

Delivery Strategy• Classes of 5 staff members per instructor• Training seminar• Allocate space to use as a small incubator

Learning OutcomesTeach Staff How to Direct Patrons to:• Identify local, state, and Federal resources for

small business owners• Start and run a business in a competitive

climate• Develop networking skills• Develop entrepreneurial strategies for career

improvement

The Goals• Create a space for small business owners to

safely work and access resources• Develop a network of local business leaders

to create an entrepreneurial environment



Brooklyn Public Library Budget

Budget

27

* Costs are estimates based on best available pricing data from local training providers

Workshop Participants Unit Cost* Ext CostIntro to Computing 10 500$ 5,000$ Microsoft Office 10 2,000 20,000 Content Management Systems 3 1,200 3,600 Reaching Electronic Resources 5 800 4,000 Internet Safety (Malware, Viruses, etc.) 5 800 4,000 Mobile Platforms 3 1,200 3,600 Email and Social Media 3 1,200 3,600 Entrepreneurship Seminar by Worldwide Boss 5 1,200 6,000

Total 49,800$

Brooklyn Public Library Conclusion

Conclusion

28

In a library district that has limited private access to technology and the internet, the library provides the resources and now the trained technical staff to assist patrons in their research, self expression, and lifelong learning. In providing these new services, the library is carrying out their strategic plan to provide a safe learning environment to educate the community. Reallocating and training existing clerical staff through the #TechUp! Workshops provides a viable and fiscally responsible plan for the library to provide these new technological services.

Library Goals• Reallocate redundant clerical staff

from the Processing Department to interact with patrons and provide basic technology support for users• Focus new programing and

services on the community needs and library’s strategic plan: Education, Access, Culture, Inclusion, Space, and Stewardship• Reallocate staff time and funds

within the existing budget

Implementation• Create and enact a series of eight

focused #TechUp! workshops where clerical staff can learn new customer service techniques and technological abilities to better serve the patrons• Create an organizational structure

for reporting unusual errors and referring reference questions• Create a structure where staff are

taught and trained to instruct other employees within the system

Outcome• Library staff will be able to cater

to the patrons’ technological needs and encourage lifelong learning• The library will be able to fill a gap

in their current services and refocus on their overarching goals• The library will create a skilled and

flexible labor force without having to layoff existing workers• The community will benefit from

the library’s focus on technology

brooklyn public library prepared for jeannette moy, chief strategy officer for brooklyn public...

Documents