This session focuses on different innovative technologies that are extremely unique and how they could be brought into library settings, from technology that we already own (laser tag, Sphero, Sifteo, gesture-based computing, and so forth) to technology that may be rolling out in the future. Get a sense and feel for new age technology and feel confident that you can bring it into your community to increase circulation, patron usage, or offer more programs.

1. CIL 2013: Innovative Technology and Services, C102
Monday, April 8th, 2013
Presented by: Brian Pichman of Evolve
Evolveproject.org
Project

2. LIBRARIES NEED TO EVOLVE
http://www.bilinguallibrarian.co

3. Dangers Facing Libraries

4. Dangers Facing Libraries

5. Dangers Facing Libraries

6. Create a Public VALUE
 Not be a “process” but an experience
 Move from physical to digital
 Create new ways to learn and explore
 Libraries should be creating stories
 Libraries HAVE TO BE ENGANGING!
 Shift Focus To
 Innovation,
Interaction, Discovery, Collaboration
and Invention

7. Key Concepts: Innovation
 Innovation must be
an original disruptive
act.
 Innovation is the
embodiment,
combination, and/or
synthesis of
knowledge in novel,
relevant, valued new
products, processes,

8. Key Concepts: Interaction
 Interaction will allow
your patrons to learn
and grow.
 Interaction is
necessary to
maintain interest in
your library’s
programs,
collection, etc.

9. Key Concepts: Discovery
 With the idea of an
open play
environment; people
will discover new
and exciting things
on their own.
 Fact: You remember
things that you
discover on your
own better than
things told directly.

10. Key Concepts: Collaboration
 Collaboration allows
people to get
together to discuss
common interests to
gain new
knowledge.
 People will
collaborate naturally
if centered around
something FUN!

11. Key Concepts: Invention
 Allow your patrons
the ability to build
things.
 Fab Labs/Maker
Spaces

12. Evolve: A Library Playground
 Fab Lab / “Hackerspace”
A location where people with common interests
(usually in computers, technology, science, or
digital or electronic art) meet, socialize and/or
collaborate.
 Can be viewed as open community labs
incorporating elements of workshops and/or
studios where people can come together to share
resources and knowledge to build and make
things and ideas.
 Combining the positive & fun aspects of schools,
museums, and playgrounds into one “entity”.

13. A redesign for a public library
http://tinyurl.com/Evolve-
See a virtual tour at
VirtualTour

15. Smart Tables
 Interactive Touch
Table Top
 Easy to load and
install games
 Up to 8 children can
play, 100 finger
touches

17. Laser Tag (Yes inside the
library)
 Ubisoft Laser Tag
System
 Up to 8 can play
 Multiple different
game scenarios

18. Meet Sphero.

19. Creation Station – Sifteo Cubes
Small LCD screens that
can sense when there are
nearby cubes and react
accordingly

20. Creation Station – Lego We-Do
Robotic Legos that
move;
teaches how to
program
through a GUI interface

21. Creation Station - Why
 Creation:
 Allows children to learn in new exciting ways
 This type of environment will encourage more
families to come into the library with their children
 Design Concept
 Six Touch Screen Computers so children can
learn, build, share , and interact with the creation
sets

22. Little Bits
 littleBits is an opensource library of electronic
modules that snap together with tiny magnets
for prototyping, learning, and fun.

24. Gaming Stations
 Kiosks setup with:
 Xbox 360 Kinect and Wii
 No Time Limits
 Thiswill encourage kids to learn to share and
maintain the open environment
 Limiting Heavy Users: Librarian asks: “would
you mind letting someone else play… here let me
show you something else”
 Gaming stools next to the Kiosk so children
can make it their own friendly environment
 “Sound Proof” Felt Barriers

25. Gaming Stations - Why
 Involvement and communication
 Attract new target audiences
 Economy makes it hard for kids to experience
gamification
 Gamificationis the use of game design
techniques and mechanics to solve problems and
engage audiences
 Video Games are actually “stories” with a plot
and theme.
 Encourages kids to come to the library
 familiarity.

26. The Menageri-E
 A “Digital Petting Zoo” or “E-Bar”

27. The Menageri-E – Why?
 Low Pressure, No Sale Environment
 Allows people to learn and interact with
technology without having a sales person
 Leads to discovery of new technology and
ability to make comparisons
 A great way to offer training and learning of
existing devices so patrons can decide what
technology best suits their needs
 A great community addition

28. The Open Play Coliseum
 Imagination Board
 Allow children to submit reviews of books using a
giant white board as the backdrop.
 Kids can draw on white board to tell a story
 Play A Movie…All Day.
 Include related books -> with a “map” to find them
 All day activities that are related to the playing
movie providing a story hour all day
 Display a child driven art gallery – children can opt
to make them “circulating”

30. The Open Play Coliseum –
Why?
 Encourages creativity
 The imagination board allows children to tell other
children (in their own words) what they think of a book
 Crafts are fun, engaging, and helps children learn
 White board allows for fun and interaction
 Building a review with video is helpful to a child’s
development (telling a story)
 The “story all day” motto allows people regardless of
work schedule to come in with their children to
participate in craft building and fun
 The art gallery idea would allow children to express
themselves and take pride in their work as family and
friends “check out” their material

31. Music Station

32. Music Station - Why
 Interactive and Fun
 Music is an exploration, and listening to new
music genres/styles expands their knowledge
 Reflects the interest of the community

33. Children’s Collection
 Rotating Collection
 Provides an “always new” environment
 Child Friendly Shelves
 Binstyle shelving, so children can “flip” through
books
 Bright, Fun, Attractive Colors.

35. Interactive Bookend
 Replacing the traditional “end cap” display
 With…

37. So what do they do?
 Book Reviews
 Scanned in via QR Codes
 Check Out Books
 Search Card Catalog
 Search Online Databases
 Find Media sources about the book you
scanned.

38. Gesture Based Computing
 More ways to engage patrons
 Stand in front of a screen and…
 Paint without touching anything
 Scroll through pictures or upcoming events
 Play Videos without touching anything
 All these things are done by hand movements

39. Examples:

40. Interactive Library Cards
 Put a “Reward System” into the library card
 Badges
 Prizes
 Exclusive Programming / Event registration
 Low Tech:
 Print new more colorful library cards, allow patrons to
customize their card with different and increasingly more
desired badges – based off books read, programs
attended, etc.
 High Tech:
 Create Library Cards with screens
 Send Messages to card when they are in the library
(wirelessly connected)
 Display “reading level” or “badges they own”

42. Final Thoughts
Libraries have to be
engaging.
Libraries need to find ways to engage their
patrons, both while at the library and away
from library. ..introducing innovative
technology and services is one of these
ways.

43. I Have All This Tech…Now
What
Your environment can have all the best tech
toys and cool fablabs but it could still fall
short.
It is up to the frontline staff to ENANGE
their audiences. A friendly hello goes a long
way. Allow the staff to play with the tech; get
them involved to reflect that excitement to
the patrons.

44. Funding
Social Media – tweet out for help, tweet
vendors and manufactures
Just Ask for donations
Crowd Source Funding – Kickstarter Indiegogo

45. Contact Me
Brian Pichman
 @bpichman
 815.534.0403
 bpichman@evolveproject.or
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Credits:
Photography: Joni Kat Anderson | jonikatanderson@gmail.com |
773.357.PICS (7427)
Graphic Art Design: Michael Porter