Ethnographic Study of Kansas City are libraries.

1. Competitive Analysis (library websites)
Ethnographic Observations (fly-on-the-wall)
Personas (typical patrons) • Stewart Hutchison
• Cody Freeman
• Malcolm Jackson
• Lisa Jo Elliott, PhD

2. Competitive Analysis
• St. Joseph (http://sjpl.lib.mo.us/)
• Mid-Continent (http://www.mymcpl.org/)
• Kansas City (http://www.kclibrary.org/)

3. St. Joseph Public Library

4. Overview of SJPL’s Website
Strengths
• Simple and relatively small website
• No unnecessary graphics or overbearing
advertisements
• Quick links are located at the top of
each page
• Pages load quickly
• SJPL logo’s return home function
Possible Implementations
• BLU-RAY video disc
• More e-Book databases
• Photo album
• Teen’s Webpage

5. Mid-Continent Public Library

6. Overview of MCPL’s Website
Strengths
• Databases for searching for
digital media
• Uses simple design
• Quick link down drop menus
• Separate children and teen’s
webpages
• No pop-ups / overbearing
advertising
• Pages load quickly
Possible Implementations
• Digital video streaming options such as
American History in Video, Hoopla, and
OverDrive.

7. Kansas City Public Library

8. Overview of KCPL’s Website
Strengths
• Separate children and teen webpages
• Main links have drop down menus
• Amount of resources and databases
• Community involvement
• KCPL logo’s return home function
• Feedback when hovering over possible
functional link
• Loads quickly
Possible Implementations
• Woodneath Press (Espresso Book Machine)
• Community Polls

9. All Three Share…
Content / Functionality
• Search Bar
• Events / Calendar
• Kids Webpage
• Help
• Databases
Technology
• E-Books – OverDrive
• Music - CDs
• Movies – DVD / VHS
• Audiobooks - OneClickdigital
• Digital Magazines - Zinio
• Connection and Sharing Tools – Facebook /
Pinterest
• Newsletters
• Donations and Support
Community
• Donations & Support
• Story Times
• Newsletters
• Events
• Clubs
• Connection and
Sharing Tools –
Facebook / Pinterest

10. Ethnographic Observations
• St. Joseph (East Hills, Downtown)
• Mid-Continent (Dearborn, Smithville, Independence)
• Kansas City (Central, Sugar Creek)

11. Goal
Observe and Record:
1. Items and resources in the environment available to patrons
2. Descriptions of people in the environment, including gender, age, and clothing
3. Key events and incidents which involve everyone present
…Incognito

12. Method
Find a seat with a view for one hour:
1. Divide library into four quadrants (N, S, E, W) and list all available resources
2. For each patron, report the time, gender, age (inferred), clothes, activity, and mood
3. Make note of any events involving everyone present (announcements or disturbances)
…Incognito

13. Themes (Measure 1)
Physical items available to all patrons
• Children’s play area
• Librarian desk for help and checking out material
• Local library news
• Book club and organization information
• Fire exits
• Bathrooms
• Water fountains
• Computers with internet access and/or catalog search
• Tables with plugins for personal computers
• Copy machine
• Book drop box
• Adult and children’s book section
• Magazines
• Newspapers

14. Themes (Measure 2)
Three most common patrons:
Age Gender Activity
#1 25-29 Male Internet
#2 20-24 Female Personal Computer
#3 55-59 Male Checking In / Out Material

15. Themes (Measure 3)
Only two key events were observed (Central Kansas City):
• “Group of 25 children, ages 5-9, with three adult teachers, noisy, go to second floor
children's section, instructed to pick out one book each, male staff explains they are going
to a pizza party, all children then line up single file to leave.”
• “Reference desk called security about a complaint: lady in reference section listening to
headphone music loudly. Security responded within one minute, asked lady to turn music
down, which she complied.”

16. Personas
Three personas were identified based on the ethnographic data:
1). 25-29 year old male, internet
2). 20-24 year old female, personal computer
3). 55-59 year old male, check-in / check-out services

17. Personas (Cont.)

18. 1)
Goals
• Navigate the internet in a quiet environment
• Seek information about upcoming events
Behaviors & Expectations
• Expects privacy and newest browser versions
• Gets frustrated when internet is down or not available

19. 1)
We Must
• Provide adequate equipment and internet service
• Maintain a safe and quiet environment
We Must Never
• Charge a fee for equipment usage
• Discriminate who uses equipment or compromise privacy

20. 2)
Goals
• Wants a quiet environment with Wi-Fi to use laptop
• Seek information about local job fair without waiting
Behaviors & Expectations
• Gets frustrated when environment is noisy or crowded
• Will leave if Wi-Fi is unavailable or privacy is compromised

21. 2)
We Must
• Provide Wi-Fi with seating areas for patrons to use laptops
• Maintain a reasonable level of noise for people to interact
We Must Never
• Charge a fee for equipment usage
• Discriminate who uses equipment or compromise safety

22. 3)
Goals
• Find and read books in a quiet place without asking for help
• Seek information about Old Westerns and quickly check-out
Behaviors & Expectations
• Gets frustrated when service takes too long
• Will leave if he can’t find books or environment becomes noisy

23. 3)
We Must
• Provide a wide selection of books and quick service
• Maintain a reasonable level of noise and save environment
We Must Never
• Charge fees for equipment usage
• Discriminate who may use library services

24. Questions?
Comments?