Interview with Jason Poole: Transforming Webster Public Library into a Community Oasis

Webster Public Library, located in Webster, New York, serves as a vital resource and community hub for residents in the area.
The library is committed to providing a wide range of services and programs that cater to the diverse needs and interests of its patrons.

The library serves a broad spectrum of individuals, including students, families, professionals, and seniors. It strives to create an inclusive environment that fosters learning, exploration, and personal growth for people of all ages. With a diverse collection of books, digital resources, and multimedia materials, Webster Public Library aims to support education, research, and leisure activities.

Beyond its extensive collection, the library offers various programs and services to engage and enrich the community. These may include children’s storytimes, book clubs, educational workshops, computer literacy classes, and cultural events. By promoting literacy, fostering creativity, and encouraging lifelong learning, Webster Public Library plays a significant role in enhancing the quality of life for its patrons.

Jason Poole, Outreach Coordinator at the Library has found an innovative use for LGB’s “Big Green Button” serving as a communication tool between the public and the library team.

He talks to Jade, Head of Marketing at Little Green Button…

Jade (LGB): Hi Jason, thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. I’m interested in learning more about your role as Outreach Co-ordinator at Webster Public Library. Can you give us a bit of background?

Jason (WPL): It’s my pleasure. Webster is a suburb of the city of Rochester in New York State and sits on the south shore of Lake Ontario. Established in 1881, The Webster Public Library serves a population of about 45,000 residents and a school district comprised of seven elementary schools, two middle schools, and two high schools. We consider it our mission to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment for our community that offers a variety of experiences, spaces, and resources that encourage lifelong learning.

This October (2023) is my 20th anniversary at WPL. I have been a clerk, a library assistant, and a children’s librarian; I am currently the Outreach Coordinator. I’ve spent most of my career (18 years) in children’s services. My job presently includes promoting the library outside of the building and networking with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits to increase the reach of library services in addition to covering regular shifts in the building at the information desk. I work with about 65 other employees who check out and reshelve books, answer reference questions, clean the building, purchase materials, and provide programming across all age levels. It’s a multi-faceted operation and clear and concise communication is essential if we are to accomplish our mission effectively. 

Jade (LGB): As a marketing person, I am thrilled about the way you have innovated using the Big Green Button as a communication tool in the library. Can you tell us about how it works as a process for you?

Jason (WPL):  We don’t use the Little Green Button presently as a panic alarm, but instead as a notification system that allows patrons to call information desk staff to the public computers when they need assistance.

After our space was renovated in 2015, the public computers were no longer located in proximity to the information desk,
making it more difficult for patrons to get help with computer issues. Patrons would instead go to the checkout desk for help, and then be directed to the information desk, which is even further away. This increased the likelihood that patrons would either get frustrated and give up or not ask for help in the first place. We needed a simple but direct notification system to alert information desk staff to requests for assistance–one that needed minimal involvement from checkout desk staff, so they would have fewer distractions from their important work.

Jade (LGB):  Could you elaborate on how the implementation of this unique solution has improved the efficiency and effectiveness of staff interactions and overall patron experience at the library?

Jason (WPL): Even though the Little Green Button was not necessarily designed to be used the way we use it, we have found the Little Green Button to be incredibly straightforward and effective in meeting the very specific purpose for which we have employed it, i.e. as a “help needed button” for patrons. We also use it to request assistance between service desks and to call for backup from the staff area if needed.

Jade (LGB): What specific features or functionalities of Little Green Button have proven to be most valuable for your library’s needs?

Jason (WPL): The ability to assign unique names to each computer installed with LGB software allows us to know exactly where each request is coming from, who responds to individual requests, and when. Having a tiered/priority notification system (as well as being able to group computers into broader categories) means we can call for backup automatically if there is no one at a particular service desk to respond to a request for assistance. 

Jade (LGB): How have your team found the impact of using Little Green Button in this ingenious way?

Jason (WPL): In a recent staff survey assessing the effectiveness of the Little Green Button, 93% of those surveyed said that using the Little Green Button has made their jobs easier. 100% of those surveyed said that they believed the Little Green Button has improved our ability to serve patrons who need help at public computers.

Jade (LGB): Amazing, that’s so positive to hear. We are so pleased to be able to support you and help increase your communication channels in the Library. Jason we wish you and the team the best. 

Jason (WPL): You’re welcome. I’m glad I could be of help.

Little Green Button’s software serves as an indispensable communication tool for government and public-facing organisations such as Webster Library. With its intuitive user interface and customisable alert options, it emerges as the perfect solution for professionals engaged in customer-facing roles.

Additionally, its cost-effectiveness and scalability make it a suitable choice for organisations of diverse sizes. Little Green Button’s solutions seamlessly align with the library’s commitment to creating a secure and supportive environment for both staff and visitors, affirming their value as essential assets for the institution.

Our thanks to Jason Poole at www.websterlibrary.org