“Don’t Text, Don’t Chat – What Do You Do?”

If we do say so ourselves, it’s amazing how many different ways there are to contact the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh when you have a question, and we keep expanding our repetoire all the time.  Just in case you weren’t aware of the many ways you can reach us, here’s a quick overview of our contact services.

New for 2010:  Text Messaging

Out and about?  Going crazy because you can’t remember the name of that song, or how late we’re open on Saturdays?  If you’ve got a mobile phone, we’ve got you covered.  Every weekday you can text us at 66746.  Start your question with askCLP, and keep in mind that standard messaging rates will apply.

24/7 Assistance:  AskHere PA

Can’t sleep for lack of knowledge? Fret not.  Thanks to the AskHere PA live chat service, you can speak with an information professional at any time of the day or night.

If you prefer chat and have specific questions about your Carnegie Library account, try to contact us during normal operating hours.  If, however, you have a more general request, the sky is the limit, night and noon.  Bonus:  there’s also a link to AskHere PA in the library catalog.

Old Faithful:  E-mail Reference

Based on the number of e-mail messages we receive, many of you are already hip to the vast amount of knowledge you can obtain by sending a message to info@carnegielibrary.org , but a gentle reminder never hurts.

Turnaround times can vary depending on the difficulty of the question, but we do our best to untangle your puzzles in 24-48 hours.  Don’t feel like opening up your e-mail client? Scroll down to the bottom of this page for the handy-dandy e-mail reference form.

One Ringy-Dingy:  412-622-3114

The Ready Reference staff serve as the initial point of contact for Main Library, so if you have a question and prefer to contact us by phone, you’ll want to memorize the 3114 extension.  Swift answers to simple questions are their specialty, but they’re also happy to refer you to the department that can help you best with more complicated queries.

Community Conversations

Last, but certainly not least, we have 19 library locations staffed by helpful, friendly professionals, and we would love to see you anytime during operating hours.  Stop by to read, use the internet, attend a program, or even just to talk to us about great books or current events.

As we’ve been pointing out all year, we need to see you up close and in person now more than ever as we begin our final round of Community Conversations, designed to gather input on how best to shape the future of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.  These meetings will be held at the following places and times:

Saturday, September 18 | 10 am – Noon
St. Catherine of Siena Church • 1915 Broadway Avenue, 15216
Across from CLP – Beechview

Saturday, September 18 | 2 – 4 pm
Providence Family Support Center • 3113 Brighton Road, 15212
At the intersection of Brighton Rd. and Schimmer St. , near CLP-Woods Run.

Sunday, September 19 | 2 – 4 pm
CLP – Squirrel Hill
5801 Forbes Avenue, 15217

Monday, September 20 | 6 – 8 pm
CLP – Downtown & Business
612 Smithfield Street, 15222

All are welcome!  To get an advance copy of the discussion guide, click here. To print and fill out the “I Will Help” survey in advance, click here. Both files open as .PDFs.

How do you prefer to use the library? Face to face? Via chat? Over the phone? We’re committed to answering your questions regardless of what format they come in, but we’re always curious about what works best for you.

–Leigh Anne
equally enamored of face-to-face and internet communciation

Cool New Digital Tools

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh proudly presents some cool new digital tools for library users.  Grab your CLP card and take these electronic resources for a spin.

ProQuest Historical Newspapers

What it is:   The Pittsburgh Courier in digital form

What it does: Provides full-text access to 91 years’ worth of a prominent African American newspaper.

What you can do with it:  Explore local history; supplement your geneaology research;  get a different view of local and world news;  teach your students about African American history;  search for interesting events that happened on your birthday.

Bonus feature:  You can also search the ABI/Inform business database from the same screen.

If you like it:  See also The African American Experience, or visit The Pennsylvania Department to use Newspaper Archive, another cool digital tool from ProQuest.

Global Issues in Context

What it is:  A clearinghouse of information on current topics and controversies.

What it does:  Collects massive amounts of information into one place, and represents all sides of challenging issues.

What you can do with it:  Get credible information faster; stop wading through 5 million Google hits; read non-partisan information from reputable sources; educate yourself about different cultures and customs; set up RSS feeds for world news sources (separate sign-up required);  challenge your first impressions; become a well-informed citizen.

Bonus feature:  Contains lesson plans and other educational resources for teachers, as well as research and other study guides for students.

If you like it:  See also CQ Researcher Plus Archive and Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center.

Questions, comments, praise and censure can be directed to info@carnegielibrary.org .  And don’t forget:  your chance to weigh in on what role technology — among other things — should play in the future of the library is coming up soon.  Visit the Community Conversation page for more details.

–Leigh Anne
Who will be back with another cool digital update as soon as she can get the dohickey to work correctly with the thingamabob

Pittsburgh’s Ultimate “Reality Show” Seeks Contestants

No, the Eleventh Stack blog hasn’t been purchased by a major network — it’s a metaphor!  Pittsburgh’s ultimate “reality show” — a/k/a the actual future of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh — can’t evolve without more input from y-o-u.

In May, the library started a community conversation process that garnered real ideas from actual Pittsburghers about how to create a sustainable library future.  You can read summaries of the four May meetings below — please note that these files open as .PDFs:

May 15th — morning workshop

May 15th — afternoon workshop

May 16th — afternoon workshop

May 17th — evening workshop

Pressed for time? Take a peek at the cumulative summary.  Many people chose to provide feedback online, too, so we’ve summarized that input for you as well.

This is where you come in:  the second round of Community Conversations begins on July 17th.  Consider this an “open casting call” for Pittsburghers of all ages, especially if you weren’t able to participate in May (click here for a video summary of what you missed).

All fired up and ready to play?  The July Community Conversations will take place as follows:

Saturday July 17th
10 a.m. – noon
Stephen Foster Community Center — Lawrenceville
286 Main Street, 15203

Saturday July 17th
2-4 p.m.
Warrington Recreation Center — Beltzhoover/Allentown
720 Warrington Avenue, 15210

Sunday July 18th
2-4 p.m.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh — Brookline
708 Brookline Boulevard, 15226

Monday July 19th
7-9 p.m.
Union Project — East Liberty
801 North Negley Avenue, 15206

Each session will follow the same format and cover the same territory, so you need only participate in one (repeat attendance does, however, earn you hardcore library supporter props, and library worker love).  Round two consists of:

• a briefing on the themes developed in Part One
• a presentation of ideas for the future
• an interactive discussion of those ideas

It’s the “interactive” part that’s key to the success of the “show;” we need to know

• which ideas and themes resonate most strongly with you, the library user
• which ideas are better than others
• why you prefer the ideas you do, and
•  if you have any ideas that somehow didn’t come up in Part One

Other things you need to know as a “contestant:”

• You don’t need to pre-register!  Just show up.  Bring friends.
• Light refreshments will be served.
• Children are definitely welcome!
• Discussion guides for round two will be available here by July 10th

Still have questions?  Maggie McFalls, the library’s Community Engagement Coordinator, will be happy to answer them.  You can e-mail her at feedback@carnegielibrary.org or call 412-622-8877.

Obviously, the future of one of the best public library systems in the known universe (I’m a touch biased) is far more important than anything currently on television.  After all, if we don’t work together to find a sustainable solution, the consequences are more serious than getting voted off an island.  Without access to a good library system, the “biggest losers” are the American dream, the democratic process, and the well-informed citizenry upon which our society is built.

Don’t let it happen on your watch!  Join the conversation, and make your voice heard.

–Leigh Anne

who thinks “Big Bucks, No Whammies” would make a fabulous advocacy slogan, if it weren’t already taken.

A Wildly Informal Donor Plus Pledge Drive

When I’m not helping my co-workers save the world with mad research and technology skills, I’m probably at the customer service desk, picking up books I’ve requested.  Much like the star of that classic, oft-ridiculed Hair Club for Men commercial, “I’m also a client.” 

A library client, that is. My hair is doing just fine, thank you. But, I digress!

Sometimes, when I’m waiting in line, people will ask me why my library card has a different design on it.  Eagerly I leap on the opportunity to talk about the Donor Plus card, only to be met with puzzled stares.  Why on earth would anybody pay for a library card?  After all, the library is “free to the people” – it even says so above the front door.  What gives?

For me personally, it was a no-brainer.  According to the Library Use Calculator, I have $750.00 worth of books checked out on my library card right now.  That’s more than twice as much as my monthly student loan payment!  Given that I’m always at the maximum book checkout limit, that means that, at any given time, I’m walking around with $750.00 worth of public property, with almost no strings attached (except for those pesky fines that I inevitably rack up)!  Considering everything I get out of the library, I feel it’s only good civic sense to give a little back.

Granted, I’m pretty fortunate in that the small fee for a Donor Plus card isn’t an unreasonable expense for me.  This is not true of everyone, and it certainly wasn’t true for me when I moved to Pittsburgh twelve years ago.  So I totally understand if the classic free card is more in line with your budget.  If you are in a good financial place right now, though, upping your membership is analogous to buying bonds, or collecting scrap metal:  a small, yet potent, blow in the ongoing War Against Ignorance.

If the “warm and fuzzy” approach doesn’t motivate you, let’s get concrete: check out the Donor Plus page, which lists some pretty spiffy benefits–if you’re a coffee drinker, the card pays for itself in practically no time.  And if that’s still not enough incentive for you, here’s a list of library services you might not be aware of, just to help seal the deal. 

1. Book recommendations from professional librarians.   Why trust your reading preferences to an impersonal algorithm when you can peruse thoughtful, literate book reviews?  Want something more specific?  Fill out the handy dandy recommendation form to get reading suggestions tailored to your specific tastes!
2. Playaways.  Quite possibly the coolest invention ever, Playaways are pre-loaded mp3 players you can borrow.  Just add a AAA battery and a pair of headphones, and you’re all set to listen to classic fiction, language lessons, or just about anything else that might tickle your fancy.
3. A never-ending stream of electronic innovation.  If you haven’t seen the What’s New page yet, click on over and see some of the exciting services the library has rolled out over the past few months.  Subscribe to the RSS feed and get updates as they’re posted!
4. Access to government information.   As Gwen explained the other day, the Carnegie Library is a Federal Depository Library.  Although the GPO is issuing more and more publications online, there’s a lot of data still in print and on microfilm, and we’ve got it.  Exercise your citizenship to the hilt with some gov docs!

In addition to all of the great materials and services the library offiers you for your Donor Plus buck, you have access to approximately 140 human resources at CLP Main, many of whom work quietly behind the scenes, and are far too modest to tell you about it.   Scott, for example, will never tell you that he’s currently ranked #2 in the state for answering questions on AskHere PA, or that he spends a lot of time repairing and processing damaged books.  Marianne, Bill, Gen, and Mykal are just four of the people who make sure your books and materials are pulled from the shelves, and reshelved properly–and no, they don’t use elfin magic to “get ‘er done.”  And Cathy, bless her, is part of the team that works hard to keep our webpage current and organized.  Add on the many, many people who serve in the branch libraries, and…well…it takes a lot of people to run your library, and your support helps all of those people serve you more efficiently and effectively. 

Okay, Ira Glass I’m not. I hope, however, I’ve at least given you a little something to think about. Maybe we could discuss it next time you’re in the library–after all, intelligent, informed debate is the cornerstone of a democratic society!  Just look for the tall, bleary-eyed woman in black, cradling an armful of books, the one who was clearly up too late last night reading.

Leigh Anne
who would give all the current Donor Plus cardholders a thank-you hug, except that this would be neither prudent nor practical.

Pittsburgh’s Day of Giving

Not a day goes by that I don’t fantasize about creating an endowment for the library.  Dressed to the nines, with winning PowerBall ticket in hand, I will call a press conference in the Reference Department.  There, in a speech designed to make the angels weep,  I will finish the job Andrew Carnegie began by declaring my intention to fund the Carnegie Library in perpetuity.  Banners will wave.  People will cheer.  Brian O’Neill will write a wryly laudatory column about the whole affair, and we’ll all live happily ever after.

It’s a lovely daydream.  Of course, for any of that to happen, I would have to start actually buying tickets.  And I totally would, except that, while the deus ex machina approach satisfies my flair for the dramatic, the odds are against my being able to pull that particular rabbit out of my hat.

Luckily, none of us has to save the library all alone.  Everything goes better when we all work together, and some wonderful folks at The Pittsburgh Foundation have created an opportunity for smaller-scale philanthropists like you and me, so we can do just that. 

Tomorrow, October 28, 2009, is the day you can do your part for library funding.  Click here for details, or click on the stunning black-and-gold “PittsburghGives.org” icon in the right-hand sidebar of our blog, to learn more about this special opportunity to help the library.

Think a smaller donation can’t make a difference?  Courtesy of the fine people in the CLP Development Office, here are some examples of the kind of  impact your donation can have:

$25 buys two children’s picture books, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar or Goodnight Moon. It’s also enough purchasing power for one graphic novel.

$50 allows the library to purchase one non-fiction audio book.

$75 buys three titles for the Bestsellers collection, which includes popular works by authors such as Dan Brown, Patricia Cornwell, and James Patterson.

If you’re in a position to give a little bit more, your dollars can go even further.  Observe:

$100 supplies a puppeteer or storyteller during summer reading.

$150 covers guest speaking fees for a program on job seeking or tax law.

$250 pays for a one-year subscription to The Wall Street Journal, one of our many periodicals.

Now, let’s say you and your friends threw a house party, or had a bake sale, and you’ve pooled a larger amount of resources for the library.  How far will your contribution go?

$500 provides professional staff and literacy materials for a community outreach visit to a local school or child care center.

$1,000 allows the library to hold four multi-session workshops for parents, so they can assist  their children’s early literacy development.

$2,000 pays for approximately one month of access to one of the library’s research databases.

Even if you’re not quite ready to fund the burning need for full-text journal articles just yet, it’s okay:  every little bit helps.  Please consider taking advantage of this special opportunity to help the library on Pittsburgh’s day of giving.  And after you donate, you can give yourself a pat on the back for being part of the team effort to save Pittsburgh’s libraries.

Everyday philanthropy, woo hoo!  Tune in next time when I’ll tell you all about why I have a Donor Plus Card (no, it’s not a job requirement!).

Leigh Anne
aspiring fairy goth-mother

Notes From an Intern

Today’s guest post is from Tanya, one of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s Minority Interns for 2009. The CLP Minority Summer Intern program is a grant-funded internship program–courtesy of the Heinz Endowments designed to encourage minority participation in the field of library/information science. The internship offers students of varying backgrounds the opportunity to learn about and experience the internal workings of a dynamic library. The internship was directed toward students who are enrolled either in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program.

So what’s a job at the library like?  Maybe you know the library from the few simple clicks it takes you to request the books and DVDs online that neatly end up on a shelf with your name on them that day.  Or perhaps you know the library from the attractive and abundant displays of bestsellers and online booklists created by a team of professional librarians.  Behind the scenes, myriad decisions are made daily just to keep the library humming at a pace that includes hundreds of new library card sign-ups and thousands of items moved around the system every month. 

I have never been witness to more individuals caring about the progress and development of the whole “library family” than during my internship.  Puzzled over a question about electronic resources?  A colleague will be by your side in no time.  Unsure about where to find railroad statistics from 1876?  A reference librarian who has worked with older periodicals will know.  This patient and caring attitude extends beyond customer service into the dealings between colleagues behind the scenes.

While at the Carrick branch, I faced questions like “How do I set up my DTV converter?” and “Can you help me find tax forms?”  I managed to answer both of these to the patrons’ liking.  While in Oakland I made my first booklist and book displays, and selected new titles for the upcoming year from small press catalogs.  My greatest joy, however, was teaching a patron how to request his own materials online.  This made my job worthwhile—the act of teaching people to help themselves is incredibly rewarding.

I met many people during my stay at the library and had many bits of essential information passed on to me.  The statement that stuck with me the most was that of a long-time manager telling me, “The library is the last great social contract.  You come in, you give us your address and phone number, and we let you leave with hundreds of dollars of materials, no questions asked.”  But the truth of the matter is that a lot of time and diligence goes into replacing, repairing and paying for lost, stolen, or damaged items.  What does it say about us—the citizenry—when we accept educational budget cuts in the name of something more important?  Or about the individual who returns an item tattered and dog-eared? 

If you are curious as to where the future of our country lies, morally and as a republic, I suggest taking a look at your local library and its future.  How important is your library to you, and what will you gain or lose should it no longer be “free to the people”?

I can’t be grateful enough to everyone and everything that made my internship possible, from the Heinz grant to my bosses, who trusted me enough to give me  real responsibilities.  In the future, the library will be in the forefront of my mind.  I hope that the library will continue to function in the capacity it does today, including the support of internships like mine.

–Tanya