Popular Information Today conference speaker, Aaron Schmidt, is quoted today in the Chicago Tribune’s story –
Libraries using IMs to attract young clients
Branches in suburbs turning to Internet as a way to help, as well as attract, young clients
By Robert Channick | Special to the Tribune September 13, 2007
The article mentions a number of area public libraries, and provides some interesting stats –
“Nationwide, about 140 libraries offer instant-messaging reference, the vast majority at universities, according to libsuccess.org, a library information Web site. Of the 37 public libraries using the service, 15 are in Illinois and mostly in the Chicago area.”
Here’s the part about/quotes Aaron:
“Chicago is kind of a locus for cool library technology,” said Aaron Schmidt, 29, an instant-messaging reference pioneer who launched one of the first programs three years ago while working at Thomas Ford Memorial Library in Western Springs.
Now director of a small public library near Portland, Ore., the LaGrange native has been influential in promoting instant messaging on his library technology Web site, walkingpaper.org, and leads workshops throughout the country, including a North Suburban Library System event scheduled for Tuesday.
Schmidt said many libraries have been slow to use the communication tool, even as they struggle to reach out to an increasingly indifferent younger constituency.
“There’s a lot of dead wood in libraries, and I think there’s a lot of administrations that are kind of just biding their time for retirement and don’t feel like putting forth a lot of effort,” he said. “I think there’s a general culture of resistance to change. That needs to go away.”
Check out Aaron at Internet Librarian 2007 speaking about “Games, Gaming & Libraries”, “Social Tools for Your Library” and “Gadgets”.