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Presentation OutlineOverview with importance of iPads in the library(CD)Area library research (KC)Tablet Research (CD)What, when, where of iPads in YS department (KC)How, cost, future plans, budget commitment of library (MM)Proposal for Public Use Tablets at Fremont Public LibraryPurpose/Why: Having tablets would support three of the library’s Goals as outlined in the Strategic Plan:-Life-Long learning, -Educational assistance Support for all Children-Up-to-Date TechnologyTablets will provide patrons with the technology they crave. According to SLJ, 46% of youth have read an e-book.Tablets will provide a nice high tech complement to our support of ECRR – with our Story time handouts and structure in general and the new Preschool Learning Station.Tablets are useful in teaching Early Literacy when used appropriately. This is especially true for non-verbal learners who respond better to kinesthetic, auditory and visual stimuli. Visual tracking of words is facilitated when each word is highlighted. Auditory learners will be attracted to sound and music and kinesthetic learner will respond to the touch screen. The abilities for tablets to enhance learner for LD children are enormous.Replacement for the traditional listening station for in-house use of CKits. Children love to listen and read along to recorded books in the library. For many it is the highlight of the visit. Affordable CD players with headphone jacks are rapidly becoming obsolete.Tablets are cost effective. For the price of one AWE Literacy Station or a year’s subscription to Bookflix, we can have three top-of-the-line tablets. Several area libraries have taken this approach.**Instead of purchasing new AWE computers (Early Literacy Stations) Deerfield Public Library chose to repurpose their in-house circulating iPads instead of paying several hundreds of dollars for an annual fee and the several thousand dollar purchase price. Matteson Public Library reports that they have one AWE computer and three iPads. When the AWE computer dies they will not be replacing it because the children far prefer the iPads. IPads allow more customizability than AWE computers because we can choose the apps/software to include, whereas the programs on AWE computers are pre-chosen. We will also not be locked into a multi-year contract. Patrons do not have AWE computers at home, but some may have iPads, so our patrons can test out apps before purchasing them at home.Area Library Research: 6 Libraries interviewed: Glen Ellyn, Geneva, Woodridge, River Forest, Warren Newport, ElaAverage amount of tablets available in-house= 2.8 tablets, 4 libraries only use iPadsAverage amount of circulations per month= 25 circs (for all devices)Why are iPads preferred? Allow more restrictionsPatron preference 3x higher than other devices (when given the option at Geneva)Better quality and abundance of apps and booksAge restrictionsGeneva, River Forest, Warren Newport check out to adults 18+, Ela checks out to 12+, Glen Ellyn has specific iPads for middle school studentsPublicityUse during school visits to record book reviews or show off appsPrint publicity (posters, newsletter)Social networkingUse in story Times Inform parents of apps that support literacy on Story Time handoutsVillage meetings & drop-in community fair (“Visitors were mesmerized”)Blog about new appsTablet and Hardware Research:A few libraries in the Chicago suburbs already are using tablets so the committee contacted them to see the types of tablets they were using. After hearing that some libraries were using less-expensive products designed for younger children, we included them in our research.The tablets that we looked at included: VTech InnoTab, L eap Pad, Fuhu Nabi Tablet*KD Kurio 7. Nook TabletKindle FireAndroid Based TabletsApple iPadAfter reading professional reviews in PC World and Consumers Reports; as well as consumer reviews, we did not feel the first 6 devices listed were acceptable for the following reasons:All the devices designed for children were subject to substantial software issues. Price: The Kurio and Nabi priced in at around $200 which is the same as a mini tablets of far-superior quality and adaptability. The cheaper children’s devices are really just fancy toys. Some even require you to use a stylus to use the “touch screen” and load games and books via cartridge!Children’s devices are limited to software from the original vendor. Downloading APPS that receive good reviews in the journals would be impossible. Furthermore, many of the “educational” Apps and books (especially for the VTECH and LeapPad) were re-hashed representations of overly-commercial characters such as Dora, Disney Princesses and various Pixar characters. Apps of a non-commercial nature were not very plentiful for any of these devices. Slow processors on Vtech, LeapPad, and KDKurio.Cost of individual books and Apps for the children’s devices is much higher. Average App price is $5-7, and books were $14-24.Nook Tablets and Kindle Fires are not a top choice, because for the same amount of money you can get a mini tablet, which allows you to download the Nook and Kindle App onto the tablet.Inability to “lockdown”, these devices beyond simple tethering cords. Android based tablets still are not privy to all the Apps you can get with Apple.*The only children’s device to show promise was the Android-based Fuhu Nabi ($200). The company seems aware of the software and parental control issues with its device and is working to become Google Certified which would allow access to any of the great apps in the Google Play Store. Perhaps if that happens, its price of $200 will be justified; but currently, it’s still not the level of product we think our patrons deserve.The committee also recommends that, at least for the start of this venture, that the library use identical products so that staff will not have to learn how to operate multiple devices. Furthermore, using just one brand will allow us to share apps and books among devices.In conclusion, the committee recommends we go with Apple iPads. What, where, and restrictionsTwo iPad 2s for in-house use, checkout at YS desk One iPad 2 mounted in preschool area, near the CKits Age restrictionsAges 2-8 years, to be checked out by an adult 18+Hopefully the elementary material will discourage older children from using the mounted iPad in the E RoomTime restrictionsOne hour, if there are patrons waitingWhat will be on the devices?The tablets will only have materials selected by the tablet committee. All Apps and books will be of significant educational value. The list of starting apps was chosen from recommendations by the School Library Journal and various RAILS libraries’ “top patron use.”Each tablet will have pre-loaded books and apps appropriate to the intended use audience. New apps will be added monthly and the device will be checked for updates.Internet access will be disabled.Starting Apps & BooksInteractive Book AppsDon't Let the Pigeon Run This App! - $6The Monster at the End of This Book...Starring Grover - $5Barnyard Dance - $4PopOut! The Tale of Peter Rabbit - $5The Cat in the Hat - $4Miss Spider’s Tea Party – free Books (Nook Read to me)Llama Llama Red Pajama - $11Curious George’s Dinosaur Discovery - $4But Not the Hippopotamus - $4The Gingerbread Man - $4Froggy Goes to Camp - $6Apps (supporting color & shape identification, matching, differentiation, patterns, music creation, singing)Spot the Dot - $4 (shapes & colors)Peek a Zoo (by Duck Duck Moose) - $1 (animals)Dr. Panda’s Hospital - $2 (animals, compassion, vocabulary)Shapes and Puzzles by Pirate Trio - $3Bugs and Buttons - $3 (counting, patterns)Bunny Fun (Rosemary Wells) - $2 (singing, offered in different languages)Dr. Seuss Band - $1 (music)Eric Carle: My Very First App - $2 (sorting, identification)Security ConcernsPatrons will not be allowed to download or alter the content of the tablets in any way. iPads allow a special feature to disable downloading and deleting apps without a password. Access to the internet and iTunes will be disabled. If patrons do make intentional changes to the tablet’s configuration or contents, borrowing privileges can be revoked.In the unlikely case of a broken device, the responsibility will be recorded under the card of the adult.ADA Compliant Via an article published in American Libraries, “As of right now, pretty much the only general consumer reading devices that meet accessibility standards are the Apple iPad and iPhone/iPod Touch families” (Harris, “Kindle Fire Adds Accessibility Features,” December 2012).The iPad offers VoiceOver (gesture-based screen reader) available in 36 languages, inversion of colors, large text, and zoom for the vision impaired. Initial Cost for preferred configuration:3 iPads @ 600 (2 for in-library checkout and 1 mounted in E room)Locking kiosk case $200Books and Apps $150 (can be shared across 5 tablets)Total: $2,150 to begin$ 250 per year for added apps and booksGrant FundingIn searching for grant funding sources, we have not found a source that would allow us to implement our own program without having to comply with specifics set about by the granting agency. Funding parties often thrust their own agendas onto how these materials and services are to be implemented. The ability for staff to focus solely on the need of the patrons and immediately make any changes to the program is removed until the end of the grant period. Grants also require a lot of documentation that is costly in terms of staff time and wages. Because the start-up of this undertaking is relatively small in terms of the library’s total budget, we are hopeful that this project can be funded locally through direct budget allocation and/or the Friends of Fremont Library.Future PlansAt the onset of the first year with iPads, we will conduct staff training in the use and maintenance of the devices. We will reassess this project periodically for a year, at the end of which we will determine our next steps.We will approach our next steps with the philosophy that the products and services we offer should continue toward this mobile trend. That the more stagnant offerings of items like Bookflix and other book databases are limited in scope and audience, and are too costly when considered against the cost of both iPads and their apps and books, which can reach a broader audience.These next steps include expansion of these devices and/or the purchase of additional ones to reach the rest of our patron base: older school-aged children and teens (3rd grade through high school.)We anticipate the need to purchase more devices that will include apps and books relevant to:Common Core standards to assist with research and homeworkSummer reading and awards lists during the high-demand season of high-demand titlesReading for leisure, encouraging a lifelong love of readingBridging the digital divide and offering patrons opportunities and access to these devices with a variety of apps to explore for both entertainment and educational purposes (educational games, photo editing and drawing, etc.)We will reassess the types of devices for further purchase (more iPads? eReaders?) based on our hierarchy of needs at that time. We suspect we will want to have both kinds of devices available. We also expect to develop a plan for patron use outside of our building (check-out for home use.)After two years, we would ask for an increase in budget allocations for J and YA content, to encompass the new total of devices. We expect this new total to amount to @ $500 for materials. (We will consider purchasing Tumblebooks or Bookflix databases in addition to the books and apps we select. These products would be reconsidered if we actually had a broader way to get these databases used. Currently, we feel the access is limited to our website only. These products seem much more attractive when used with tablets and phones, etc.Since our initial research was done, we began watching DPPL as they pilot their tablet program. They have tablets that have books, apps, their book databases (Bookflix and Tumblebooks) and access to their homework databases. They are doing this without allowing internet access on the devices. If they succeed we will consider advocating for these products. We are excited to follow DPPL as they have a similar demographic to our patronage.)With this plan for the future, we hope the administration recognizes the need for us to be current and competitive with the services we offer. We continue to strive for ways to make our bricks- and- mortar library relevant in an increasingly digital age and this program ramps up our in-house offerings of experiences that are timely and engaging during library visits. As for our future plan, who knows what wonderful offerings we might be able to provide? The technology is ever-changing and organic; as is the library that continually strives to keep itself a vital part of its community. ................
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