Citizen Engagement, E-Government, Mobile Government
The way people work, interact, learn, and create information is changing across the world. Nowhere are the challenges of transition more evident that in the public library. In a world of e-books and the internet, the very purpose and relevance of libraries is under threat. Many, unable to retain patrons and survive in the digital age, are closing?down.
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Public libraries in Edinburgh, Scotland, however, are thriving. The library system has seen two new additions to its network of 28 libraries over the last year ? a far cry from the tens of closures across the United Kingdom. The Edinburgh library service won the Library of the Year award at The Bookseller Industry Awards in London last?year.
FutureGov spoke with Liz McGettigan, the Head of Libraries and Information Services at Edinburgh City Council, about the transformation taking place in the library system. Edinburgh libraries are embracing new technology and electronic resources, and transforming to meet the changing needs of the?people.
Beyond the traditional?role
?Libraries must become more than book lending services?, McGettigan declares. ?We?re reinventing ourselves and making people think twice about public?libraries.?
To remain relevant in the modern world, Edinburgh libraries have expanded their roles as public service institutions. ?We?re creating institutions that are more than libraries?, explains McGettigan. ?Our libraries are becoming trusted hubs in the community, supporting personal businesses, helping the digitally excluded, providing access to learning and knowledge, and serving as a gateway to local and national?government?.
For example, the Edinburgh library system is gearing up to support the community with the implementation of the UK Government?s Digital by Default mandate, which requires government services to be redesigned for electronic delivery. The libraries are offering free classes and wireless internet to help the digitally excluded access the new government tools they will have to?use.
?Many people in Scotland don?t have the resources or skills to access the government digitally?, states?McGettigan.
In their new role, public libraries in the city are offering a wide variety of digital resources and new services that match the changing lifestyles of?users.
Online?portal
The libraries? electronic resources are accessible through a single portal, named ?Your Library?. The portal brings digital publications, databases and external websites into a single interface, making it easy for members to find the information they?need.
The ?Library2Go? section on the portal, for example, gives members access to hundreds of ebooks and audiobooks from a variety of distributors. The library also subscribes to many online learning resources such as Alison, which offers patrons courses and certifications in topics such as computer and business?skills.
Additionally, members can manage their library account through the portal, view library events and search the catalogue of printed materials held by the?library.
A new version of the three-year-old portal was unveiled earlier this month, currently operating as a beta version. ?The portal gives you tailored approaches to resource discovery?, states McGettigan. Users can identify themselves as teachers, adult learners, children, etc, and select what they want to do on the website, such as find facts, learn languages or download?ebooks.
?This makes it much simpler for our customers to get to exactly what they want?, McGettigan says proudly. ?In the current portal, you have to access various databases individually to find what you?re looking?for.?
In addition, the website is mobile device compatible, allowing users to access it on-the-go on the device of their?choice.
Mobile?app
The Edinburgh Library and Information Services developed a mobile app for Android and iOS-based smartphones, giving patrons access to library information, events, and the catalogue?on-the-go.
Users can locate their nearest library and get directions, find bus timetable information, search the library catalogue, and participate in user surveys. ?It?s the first of its kind in Scotland?, McGettigan informs?us.
The truly unique feature of the app is its ability to scan the barcode of a book and search for it in the library catalogue. Using this feature, library members can search the library catalogue for books they see in bookstores. If the library carries the book, users can even reserve a copy through the?app.
The app also provides all the social media content of the library services. ?We have developed a whole suite of social media tools to promote and transform the way our service was perceived?, explains McGettigan. ?We use many different social networks, concentrating on our blog and Twitter account.?
The Edinburgh library Twitter account already has more than 5000?followers.
Results
?The success of our electronic resources is phenomenal?, declares?McGettigan.
Virtual library visits and transactions during the first four months of 2012 increased by an impressive 251 per cent compared to the same period in 2011. ?This has given us proof of performance and?improvement?.
Innovation in service delivery also increased the use of traditional library resources. Visits to libraries from January to April 2012 showed an increase of 9.5 per cent compared to 2011. Issues of books, CDs and DVDs also increased by 3.9 per cent during the same?period.
This has proved economically beneficial?too.
?The huge use of our electronic material has enabled us to reduce the cost of our transactions?, says McGettigan. ?It?s been a win-win situation for us ? using software and technology to improve the service for the customer, but at the same time, improving our efficiency and?performance?.
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Source: http://www.futuregov.asia/articles/2013/mar/26/not-book-new-edinburgh-libraries/
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