What Does This Mean to Me, Laura?

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George Lenzer is a Computer and Network Manager at Cleveland Public Library and blogs at alt.think.

Do you exclusively use big name household products like toothpaste, laundry detergent and tissue paper? Not very likely, since they almost always are more expensive than their generic or store-branded counterparts…and generics are often just as good. Then why would you only use big name programs on your computer? One of the biggest hurdles to learning how to use a computer these days is the confusion that many users still have about applications. A relative of mine has WordPerfect on his computer, but when asked if he has a word processor he says, “I have Microsoft Word”. Or, another friend of mine once responded to me saying that I run Linux on my computer with, “Yeah, but what version of Windows does Linux run on”. These are fairly common misconceptions among non-technical users. (Some would say it’s one that benefits Microsoft and might be intentionally supported on their part.) While many support techs groan when they encounter this, it’s a serious problem and it is preventing some users from being able to progress to that “next level”. That’s what this blog entry is going to try and tackle.

To define the problem we’ll call it, “software overbranding”. There is a similarity to the Kleenex phenomena, where that particular brand made such a strong impression that people casually refer to any brand of tissue paper as “Kleenex”. However, it’s had the reverse effect in the computer world. Instead of third-party brands of software, like word processors, benefiting from being called “Microsoft Word”, the average user assumes that if a program is not Microsoft Word, then it can’t do what Microsoft Word can do. Savvy users know this is not true. But how do they know this, and more importantly how can you learn to be a savvy user?

The first step in escaping the software overbranding trap is to completely forget about brands of software and instead think of categories of software. You do it every day when you go to the store and make a choice between buying genuine Kleenex paper tissues or the much less expensive house brand from your drugstore. You don’t think, “It’s not Kleenex, so it’s probably not as absorbent and is rough on my skin”, or, “I need tissue paper, but only Kleenex makes them, everyone else makes toothpaste and hand soap”. Instead you think, “The CVS brand is on sale today and has 50 more sheets than Kleenex brand”. This is the mindset you need to have with software. Instead of thinking of Microsoft Word, train yourself to think, “word processor”. Or instead of Adobe Photoshop, think, “photo and image editor”. It’s the same as thinking, “tissue paper”. If you can do this, then you can make the leap to trying something of a different brand. Whether it’s another commercial product or a free alternative from the open source software world, you’ll have taken that first big step.

Once you can look at software in terms of categories rather than brands or specific products, you can start to break free of your application specific mindset. Having a new application of a different brand than you’re used to, you can now begin to discover that most applications of any brand are capable of doing the same things that other brands can. The same features tend to exist among software within the same categories. The features might be called different things, but they are the same functionality. Taking the example of Photoshop, the default “Emboss” filter which takes an image and makes it look “embossed” exists in nearly every other photo editor. In the GNU Image Manipulation Program (commonly known as “Gimp”) the same filter is also called “Emboss”. Another, more common, example is Microsoft’s Internet Explorer’s “Favorites” vs. Netscape/Mozilla Firefox’s “Bookmarks”. They do the same thing, but have different names. This kind of discovery will involve digging through the menus, taking a look at the options that you can set for your own preferences, and more importantly forgetting what you know about the original program you used. This can be liberating because you might find things you like better about the new brand.

The final step in freeing yourself from the effects of software overbranding, is to open yourself up to new approaches. Now that you know that there are others who make software of the same categories that Microsoft and Adobe or other popular brands do, and you know how to explore the menus and options of software to discover the features you want, you are ready to learn about different approaches. In some cases, applications of the same category can have vastly different user interfaces. Sometimes this is due to poor user interface design. Other times it’s due to a different philosophy of workflow that the developer has. And still other times, it’s quite possible that the interface from the more popular product is the poorly designed one. At this point the choice is one of personal taste. It’s also important to note that when you find software that has a vastly different approach, it shouldn’t be a deterrent. In these situations it’s also extremely important to actually read the manual or any online resources to help you get started. You may discover that the “odd” approach of this new program is actually better than what you are used to. As an example, I had experience with the Adobe Premiere video editing application at one point. The interface was familiar to me because of my background in working with music and audio editing. Then when I switched to Linux, I needed to find a video editor on that platform and found one called Cinelerra. The user interface is quite quirky compared to Premiere. However, since I had freed myself of software overbranding, after getting acquainted with the strange interface, it was still reasonable to do work in it quite easily. In fact, in a lot of ways it was much faster and more efficient. I just needed to learn how to use it properly and my Premiere knowledge was not useful for that.

So, what does this mean to me, George?

Forget about software brands and think of software categories. This allows you to choose the applications that are a good fit for your personal needs on multiple points.
Forget your application-specific mindset and focus instead on actual program features as they exist within all applications of a certain category. Developing this ability will turn you into one of those people who sits down at any computer, no matter what brand of operating system or application and just start working.
Open your mind to different ways of working with software. Programs in a specific category will be quite similar but never identical. When you are confronted with a new software interface and it looks very strange, don’t let that discourage you. Instead read up on how to use the new software, it may be quite enlightening.

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Libraries are often encouraged to blog. By no means, let me discourage your library from blogging! But, because it is so easy to set up a blog, some libraries overlook some important questions they should answer before starting out. Some libraries have jumped into blogging, without necessarily evaluating whether or not it represents the best solution for their need. As is the case with any new technology, not every application is a good fit for everyone. Let’s explore some of the “hidden” questions a library should ask when deciding if blogging is an appropriate outlet.

Maybe not what you think

Blogs have been around for a long time; at least if one measures time in “Internet Time.” The format itself has been around since the mid-1990’s. There were more than 70 million blogs worldwide in July 2006, and more than 80,000 new ones are being created every day. The popularity of blogs has exploded. Their newfound visibility has made them a force to be reckoned with in the political arena, and the medium is now a subject in many schools of journalism.

What this means, is that the blogosphere is HUGE.

The word “blog” is a derivative of the full term, “weblog.” Although this type of format (a journal/diary online) may seem like a unique entity, the reality is that blogs are simply regular, plain old web sites. The only difference between a blog and a web site (and only in some cases), behind the scenes, is that the author simply types in their post and clicks a “publish” button. There’s no need for HTML or any type of coding. This is why blogging is sometimes referred to as “point and click publishing.” This idea is especially appealing to libraries that may not have the technical expertise in-house or funding to do their own coding or web design.

However, there is one key aspect of blogs that some libraries fail to recognize. The blogging medium represents a two-way interchange of information, unlike most web sites. Think of it this way:

“Blogging seems really hot right now. Should my library start blogging?”

Now, replace that sentence with:

“Conversations seem really hot right now. Should my library start having conversations?”

If you’re not ready to have your online patrons talk back to you, then you probably aren’t ready to blog. The blog format is not just about your library putting information out to the online community; it’s also about that community being able to respond by posting comments. Go ahead and moderate those comments if you wish (although make sure you moderate promptly or people may give up on your blog). But if you don’t give your patrons the ability to talk back, then you are not enabling conversation.

Not for the uncommitted

There’s another issue that has to be considered by prospective bloggers: the investment of time. Blogging is a time-intensive activity. Not just in terms of actually writing blog posts, but in time spent planning what is going to be posted.

Regardless of how many staff are involved in the library blog, coming up with material on even a weekly basis can be a challenge. Often, staff can be very enthusiastic at the beginning, only to realize several weeks after launch that they really didn’t have more than a few things to say. What happens then? The blog becomes dormant and what little audience might have been built up in the interim disappears, unlikely to return.

Perhaps the hardest lesson for the blogger to absorb is that blogging is not Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.” Libraries can add to the blogosphere. They can even add great material to the blogosphere. But there is no guarantee that any audience or participants will appear to support the effort. Bloggers who are determined to succeed not only have to post regularly, but they must do so realizing that it may be years before they have a significant audience. There is too much competition to expect otherwise.

It’s *not* about the library

There’s another philosophical issue libraries need to tackle before they dive into the blogosphere. Libraries need to truly internalize the fact that the blog is not about them. It is really about the online patron.

Content that merely promotes events and collections will generally not appeal to any but those writing it. Content creators must find the hook that captures the readers’ interest. Readers have one main question in the front of their minds: “What’s in it for me?” If you can’t provide the answer to that question in your post, then you have not gained a reader. Tell your readers why the subject is important to them. Will their kids become better readers? Will tax forms suddenly make sense? Will they learn about something they can now use every day?

Library bloggers cannot assume that simply because the library is saying something that anyone will care. Just like any writer, library bloggers often like to think that everyone will like what they create. But simply appealing to the goodwill of the reader does little to garner a regular readership.

Not for every reader

Remember that your blog is competing with literally millions of others for readers’ attention. What can your library offer that no one else can? Readers of your library’s blog are likely reading many other blogs as well. What kind of information can your library bring to the virtual table to make it stand out?

Simply re-hashing the news from CNN won’t be enough. Connect that news to something library-related and make it relevant to your blog’s readership. Part of this is finding the niche audience for the blog. Who is the audience…really? Trying to get everyone to read is not an effective strategy. Target your blog to a particular type of reader and it is more likely to be successful. Know your audience and how to focus your content to that audience.

So, what does this mean to me, Laura?

Figure out what patron need (not staff need) you’re trying to fill with a new blog.
Make sure you’ve got enough content to post a minimum of once per week for at least a year. It’s a pain to do this now, yes. But when the well dries up, you’ll be glad you did it.
Make sure that the style of writing is conversational, not educational. People don’t read educational lectures for fun.
Write your posts from the angle of what it will accomplish for the end reader. Why should they care?

Some (older articles but still good) resources:

Doctorow, Cory. “State of the Blogosphere.” BoingBoing, April 17, 2006. <http://www.boingboing.net/2006/04/17/state_of_the_blogosp.html>
Kratsch, Chris, et al. “How to Dissuade Yourself from Becoming a Blogger.” WikiHow, October 18, 2006. <http://www.wikihow.com/Dissuade-Yourself-from-Becoming-a-Blogger>
Owyang, Jeremiah. “Why Blogs are NOT Important” Web Strategy by Jeremiah, January 9, 2006. <http://jeremiahthewebprophet.blogspot.com/2006/01/why-blogs-are-not-important.html>

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(This is something that even I, who worked with database purchases for the CLEVNET consortium, didn’t really “get” until I came to work for OPLIN. I’m sharing here in an attempt to clear it up for everyone.)

Not every brand of facial tissue is Kleenex. Not every brand of gelatin is Jell-O. And not every statewide database is from OPLIN.

Don’t get me wrong–OPLIN spends a heck of a lot of money on all those databases we’ve come to depend on, such as the EBSCO suite. But, in truth, those purchases are only viable because OPLIN partners with both InfOhio and OhioLink to do it, and the State Library of Ohio provides a good chunk of LSTA funding. Buying database access for 11 million people isn’t cheap, and it takes the resources of all four organizations to make it happen. In fact, there is an official partnership for this, called Libraries Connect Ohio. All of those databases that are purchased by the LCO partnership constitute the basis of the new Ohio Web Library. So, there are Ohio Web Library databases, really, rather than OPLIN databases. (I know, OPLIN is a little easier to say, but it’s not really correct.)

Now, there is one exception (because nothing is ever simple). Novelist is actually something that OPLIN buys on its own, outside of the LCO partnership. So, there is one OPLIN database, but that’s it.

So what does this mean to me, Laura?

Mostly, it’s time to stop calling these the “OPLIN databases.” Let’s try “Ohio Web Library databases,” or “OWL databases.”
OPLIN collaborates with other statewide library organizations to maximize dollars.
The spiffy new Ohio Web Library searches all of the LCO databases, but not Novelist.

Clear as mud?

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