Public libraries news

Riding the tiger by the tail: lessons learnt from running

Public Libraries News

Ian Anstice

[email protected] @publiclibnews www.publiclibrariesnews.com

mailto:[email protected]

Starting point


Branch manager of Winsford Library (Cheshire West and

Chester Council)

Librarian since 1994


Why start?


No real current awarenessDesire to learn “how to blog”

August 2010: Dark clouds on the horizon


First steps


SimpleFree

“Blogspot”10 pages max



Map it

Google Maps free and easy (I like free and easy)

Then used volunteers to improve map – but time consuming and (of course) volunteers can cease to volunteer

Served its purpose well.

[email protected] @publiclibnews

Sources

Emails from all around the country (but only report the definite, ideally linked)Shirley Burnham's emails from Google Alerts (→ Desmond → Lis-pub-libs)

Conferences and contacts made from them.Increasingly, official sources.


Branching out


Branching out more

How to get away with it

Only report the factsNever comment on your own

authority (Librarians can protest about cuts in libraries in other

councils)Double-check everything

Never be personal (sorry Ed)


Redesign

Too many pages for Blogger so moved to Wordpress

Look deliberately apes newspapersProfessional assistance

No “blogspot”


Guiding principles

Link to everythingAcknowledge weaknesses

Show all sidesMake clear facts

are facts and opinion is “editorial”


Statistics

c.1250 subscribers by emailplus 550,000 views since Nov 2012

c.2350 Twitter followersc. 615 Facebook followers



Media 1National newspapers and TV call on

average once per week““Keep up the good work, your blog is hugely valuable. I think libraries, like playing fields, long suffered from always being a local fight, without anyone talking about the national picture.” Jane Mackenzie, Reporter, Private Eye

(October 2013).“a really essential resource for anyone interested in the future of public libraries.”

Boyd Tonkin of the Independent (September 2011)“Public Libraries News continues to be a fantastically useful resource for keeping

up to date with debate and news” Carnegie UK Trust (February 2014)”

Mentioned by BBC, BookSeller, FT, Guardian, House of Commons + Lords, Independent (front page), Mail, Mirror, Observer, Private Eye, Scotsman,

Telegraph, Times


Media 2Journalists are generally not experts:

with some exceptionsJournalists want facts and

connections, fastEach newspaper has its own bias

Unique selling pointTrust

Rewards

Foreign + national trips (France x2, Spain, Scotland x2)

Advertising

Recognition

Top of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs


How do you find the time?

Full time job, two school age daughters, wife a teacher (who also does conferences) … and a

dogDead time after 8pm.

Strict “no phone” rule. Type fast, ctrl+c/v/lCan use social media any time but only “blog” at

home



Stages of grief

Denial: No one can close librariesAnger: How dare you close libraries Bargaining: I'll stop protesting if you

stop closing librariesDepression: All libraries are doomed

Acceptance: Libraries will adapt


The tiger + it's tail Demand clearly there and website

needed. Been the most turbulent time in history for public libraries.

Response from other professionals

Expectations.

Constant improvement and experimentation.


Happy to talk [email protected]

@publiclibnews

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Ian Anstice on LinkedIn

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