ECPL Library Grant #2

Etowah Carnegie Public Library Grant

Laura A. Murray

University of Tennessee Knoxville

School of Information Sciences

Etowah Carnegie Public Library Grant

The Etowah Carnegie Public library in East Tennessee serves a rural population of 3,490 residents (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010). With a small annual budget of only $76,000, Etowah Carnegie Public Library is able to serve its patrons with books, ebooks, summer reading programs, 11 computers, wireless internet, and many others (ECPL, 2014).  The nearest library in Athens, Tennessee is twenty minutes away with no public transportation between the two towns. The city of Etowah is comprised of 60% families and a significant population over 65 years of age (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, para 5). 

            Problem

[Why does their condition give rise to the need?]

The Etowah Carnegie Public Library (ECPL) is the hub of activity for Etowah citizens who are unable to afford internet or computer access. According to library director Lorie Waters, many patrons use the computers to search and apply for jobs, explore healthcare options, file their taxes, and apply for services (L. Waters, personal communication, August 23, 2014).  However, the library has a serious problem with access.  There are twenty-two treacherous steps to the only entrance into the library (ECPL, 2014). There is no handicapped access and no easily traversed access. The twenty-two steps are steep with only minimal handrails. Anyone in a wheelchair, on crutches, using a walker or any ambulation problems is unable to enter the library. 

Solution

This grant will provide the ECPL with the funding it needs to build an addition: an exterior deck with a handicap ramp and safer steps and outdoor reading area. Etowah Carnegie Public Library is in a lovely, but historic building that was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003 (ECPL, 2014).  Because of this, the façade of the building cannot be altered (Grimmer & Weeks, 2014). The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation states that   “a property shall be used for its historic purpose or be placed in a new use that requires minimal change to the defining characteristics of the building and its site and environment,” in order to determine whether a historic building can accommodate this change (Grimmer & Weeks, 2014, para. 15).  Statute (9) states that

New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction shall not destroy historic materials that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and shall be compatible with the massing, size, scale, and architectural features to protect the historic integrity of the property and its environment. (para. 17)

Evidence of Need

[How can the library or information-related setting help? Why is the library or information-related setting well suited to serve this group and its specific need?]

There are four specific target groups this change will affect:  Veterans, the disabled, the over 65 population and families with children under 6. Each of these groups would benefit significantly with better access. Veterans, the disabled and the elderly may have difficulty will ambulation. Families with small children either carry a car seat, stroller, or precariously carry children up the steps. Many of the patrons in these groups cannot enter the building.

 Etowah has 315 veterans, 47 of which are disabled (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).  According to the National Defense Research Institutes Recent Trends in Veteran Unemployment (2007), disabled veterans are much less likely to find work. By using the library computers and internet these veterans can utilize the Disability Transition Assistance and receive assistance going back to working in the world after returning from deployment (Savych, Klerman, & Loughran, 2007). Even able-bodied veterans returning to work have a high rate of unemployment (Savych et al., 2007). These services are vital, especially since most of the Tennessee State Career Centers across the state have been closed in the last few years (Several TN Career Centers to Close, 2013).  Our veterans also need access to accurate information about health care.  The Veterans Administration, Social Security, and Healthcare.gov are all websites these patrons should have regular access to. The library may be the only place they can go.

[What is the general nature of the benefit the target group, and as a result the community, will receive? What are the outcomes? In other words, justify the service to be provided and the library or information-related setting’s role in providing it.]

Altogether Etowah has 516 residents who are considered disabled, and 30% the families in Etowah make less than $25,000 per year (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010, para. 13).   This significant unemployment rate especially effects single mothers with young children (U.S. Census Bureau, 2010).  The library is vital to these citizens. They need access to the library and their career services, early reading programs, access to online tax forms and state and federal websites.  If they cannot get into the building, they cannot get to the services.

Obstacles

[What obstacles (social, cultural, and institutional) stand in the way of their satisfying that need?]

             At this time, ECPL does not have the funding it requires to build this addition.  This grant application is the impetus and inspiration for creating a plan. The building is an historical building and has specific limitations in what can be altered on the façade. A 5-year plan is still in development.  This plan includes how and when to obtain permits; project management; architectural plans; a list of potential contractors; and potential community business donors for building materials. Because this plan is still in development, the ECPL will be required to more clearly outline exactly how the grant money will be spent.  Also, the ECPL will need to create a plan to demonstrate the accomplishments that result from the utilization of this grant.

Community Support

The ECPL has many supporters in the community.  The Friends of the Library has started fundraising for the front access build and has agreed to help match funding with any grants applied for (Friends of the Library, 2014). Walden Blair and Associates, PLLC has offered also to match funding (R. Blair, personal communication, August 2, 2014).  The Etowah Amvets Post (2014) has pledged to raise $5,000 over the next two years.   The Etowah Arts Commission and the Parks and Recreation Department have agreed to help support with marketing (L. Waters, personal communication, August 23, 2014). These community organizations will serve as allies to the ECPL to help get the front porch built and engender community support across the board.

Conclusion

            The Etowah Carnegie Public Library is a supportive entity in Etowah and residents rely heavily on the services it provides.  The ECPL can show ample need for this grant funding. The ECPL has garnered lots of community support. However, their plans are not quite yet ready. The library staff and director are dedicated to this endeavor and have carved out time alongside the Friends of the Library and other community supporters. If the ECPL expects to be successful in receiving this grant, their plans will need to be clearly drawn out and share the breakdown of how the funding will be used as well as a plan to assess the impact in the long run.

References

Amvets. (2014). Amvets: About us. Retrieved from www.amvets.org/about

Etowah Carnegie Library. (2014). About us. Retrieved from http://www.etowahlibrary.com/about-us

Friends of the Library. (2014). Friends of Etowah Carnegie Library: happenings past current and future. Retrieved from http://www.etowahlibrary.com/friends-of-the-library/newsletter

Grimmer, A. E. & Weeks, K. D. (2014). Preservation brief 14: New exterior additions to historic buildings: Preservation concerns. [National Park Service U. S. Department of the Interior]. Retrieved from http://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs/14-exterior-additions.htm#incompatible

Savych, B., Klerman, J. A., Loughran, D.S. (2007). Recent trends in veteran unemployment as measured in the current population survey and the American Community Survey. [Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense] Retrieved from http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/technical_reports/2008/RAND_TR485.pdf

Several TN Career Centers to Close. (2013, April 9). Several TN Career Centers to Close. Retrieved from http://www.wbbjtv.com/news/local/Several-TN-Career-Centers-to-Close-203820451.html

U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). 2010 Census interactive population search: Etowah city, TN. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=47:4724480

Creating a Screencast

 Implementation Plan:  Creating a Screencast

University of Tennessee Knoxville

School of Information Science

Laura Angilee Murray, MBA, BFA

Link to PureChat PodCast:

http://www.spreaker.com/user/7779872/la-and-dr-tr-radio-library

Link to Ten Minute Website Screencast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4aH4aSBOmQ

Implementation Plan:  Creating a Screencast

Teaching individuals is a rewarding part of being a librarian.  But, we cannot be everywhere at once and sometimes will need to rely on tutorials for our patrons who need to learn how to do something when we are unable to be there.  Today, many patrons are accustomed to learning from a video or screencast.  In order to accommodate your patron’s time and preference for learning, you can create a screencast.  This paper will outline the implementation plan for creating a screencast for someone who has never made one before.

Screencast Subject

First, you need to decide what your screencast will help with.  Your topic should take into consideration what your patrons needs are, or what they may need or want to know. For example, if your catalog is complex, a screencast tutorial could make doing an advanced search much easier. (Incidentally, if your catalog is complex, you need a better one.) If you notice your patrons are curious about creating something or using technical tools that are now readily available. The screencast in this implementation plan shows someone how to create a website in just a few minutes. This subject was chosen based on a list of frequently asked questions collected about things patrons would like to learn.

Screencast Tools

Once you have determined the subject you wish to cover, you need to consider what type of tool you will be using. The tool chosen should be something relatively easy to use, but also affordable, and one that will allow you to edit the audio and video enabling you to create a compelling tutorial. There are many options for creating a screencast out there including paid tools like Camtasia or Adobe Captivate.  Adobe Captivate costs about $299 per license for educators (Adobe, 2014) and Camtasia is $179 for educators (Techsmith, 2014). Both of these programs are complex and unless you are a professional screencast creator, and will be creating screencasts regularly, you may not need this much screencast power, at least initially.  As a new creator, my recommendation is to choose something relatively simple and free.  There are many free choices, but two that stand out are Jing and Screencast-O-Matic.  Jing offers only 5 minutes of screen time at one time, and thus limits your tutorials to a fixed time. While short tutorials are popular they also require more skill to write a succinct script and cover enough information to address the needs and skill levels of your patrons. Because practice is the best way to learn to use tech tools, I recommend using Screencast-O-Matic.  Screencast-O-Matic is free, simple, and allows for 15 minutes of time to record.  Plus, if you decide to upgrade, the pro version is only $15 per year (Screencast-O-Matic, 2014).

Screencast-O-Matic

Screencast-O-Matic offers many features that make screencasts extremely useful. Screencast-O-Matic records both the webcam and screen at the same time, allowing multiple options for display. Screencast-O-Matic shows mouse movements by showing a circle around the mouse that flickers when you click on an area or option. Screencast-O-Matic is an online tool, meaning you do not have to download anything; rather you can just work from a Java applet.  Screencast-O-Matic saves videos in mp4 format, which can be easily uploaded to YouTube or you can use the Screencast-O-Matic server to share your videos (Screencast-O-Matic, 2014). The free version of Screen-O-Matic offers a maximum recording time of 15 minutes, free hosting, record screen and webcam, publish to YouTube HD, and publish to MP4, AVI, FLV movie (Screencast-O-Matic, 2014).  The paid version includes unlimited recording time; free hosting (up to 15 minutes) in HD; recording screen and webcam or webcam only without a watermark; publish to such places as Google Drive, Vimeo, and YouTube HD, using MP4, AVI, FLV movie formats; publish screen shot; password protected uploads; editing, scripts, and screen shot tools; record system audio (Win Vista/7/8); and draw & zoom while recording (Screencast-O-Matic, 2014).

Design and Recording

Before you actually start recording, it is a good idea to create a script of what you will be recording.  Using a word program or Google Drive, write out what you will be teaching.  This will help keep you on task and decrease the amount of editing you will need to do on the finishing end. If you are a very visual person, you may want to create a PowerPoint presentation with screen shots to use for a storyboard and print it out to use while recording.

Once you have your script and a good idea of what you will be recording, visit Screencast-O-Matic.com (Figure 1) and click on Start Recording.  If you are working on a Mac or Windows computer, you can begin recording immediately.

Figure 1. Screen-O-Matic homepage.

Once you click on Start Recording, you will see a dotted line, boxed in area (Figure 2).  You will also see a camera image of yourself (I have edited myself out of this view). You can include your own image and record yourself as you talk or you can squeeze to resize or drag the dotted area around only the area you wish to work on.  This flexibility allows for you to record only in one window or in multiple windows at once.  Everything inside the dotted frame will be recorded.  You can pause your recording by clicking the red record button near the bottom left.  Once you are finished recording, your work will automatically be saved as an mp4 to your computer.

Figure 2. Screen-O-Matic recording area.

There are a few things to keep in mind while you are recording.  Using a great mic in a quiet room helps immensely to create a professional sounding recording. Speak slowly and clearly. Practice what you will say several times before you record so that you will be very familiar with your material and you will be able to speak naturally. Also make sure that your computer screen area is not cluttered.  Do you have lots of tabs open?  That may distract your viewers, so have open only what you will need.

Finishing and Editing

Once you have recorded your video, you may need to edit it.  Because Screencast-O-Matic costs so little you may want to go ahead and pay for the Pro version so that you can edit using this tool. But, if like me, you do not even have that amount of money to pay for the Pro version, you can upload your video to YouTube (Figure 3).

Figure 3. YouTube upload screen.

Use the editing tools such as enhancements, audio, annotations, and subtitles (Figure 4). At this point, it is a good idea to create your closed captioning content.  If you followed the script you made earlier, this part will be easy.

Figure 4. YouTube editing tools.

On the right side of the video in YouTube, you will see an option to upload closed captioning.  You can type it in one line at a time, drop it in all at once, or type it as the recording is playing. Closed captioning also shows the timeline of recording, allowing you to match the captions with the timing of the spoken words and screenshot.

You can also add in background music, photographs and text inside the video editing tool in YouTube (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Screenshot of music files in YouTube.

Some video editors include a transitions editor.  These help create smooth transitions between takes, and editing between parts of the video.  YouTube has this tool and you will only need to click on a transition and drag it onto your timeline.

Figure 6. Transition tools. 

Summary

Creating a screencast does not have to be a daunting and overwhelming task.  The best videos will be entertaining, interesting to look at, and important to your users.  They will also be the videos that are created by taking the time to create a plan to make them.  By using an outline, a script, a great microphone and good tools, you can create a video that your patrons will love to use. 

References

Adobe. (2014). Buying guide: Education discount. Retrieved from www.adobe.com/products/captivate/buying-guide-education-discount.html

Murray, L. A. (2014). The ten minute website. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4aH4aSBOmQ

Murray, L. A. (2014). Pure chat. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v=x800BJoDMkI

Screencast-O-Matic. (2014). Screencast-O-Matic. Retrieved from http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/

Techsmith. (2014). Purchase Camtasia Education Version. Retrieved from shop.techsmith.com/store/techsm/en_US/buy/productID.289738300