MB Lib Conf 2010: Reaching Out to Newcomers

...with Winnipeg Public Lib staff...

• ESL is now called EAL (English as an ADDITIONAL language)...I wonder if that is a MB thing or if we should change our signage / brochures etc.
  
• (btw found out today there are 200 peeps at this conference)
• Riccardo, a newcomer to Wpg (from Argentina), spoke about the magical role of EAL teachers...the key to the transformation in to a new life in a new country is the public library...a safe place for independent work and freedom...a place that teaches people how to *learn*
• the public lib is a revolutionary place that supports freedom to learn and freedom of thought...where you can perform the alchemy of transforming info in to knowledge...wow, very well spoken
  
• newcomers might be: immigrant (planned move) or refugee (from conflict zones, experienced interrupted schooling...Canada might not have been their first choice
• MB expecting 20,000 immigrants a year by 2016...double the number of 2006 (I wonder what the #s for ON / TBay are)
• make the Labour and Immigration Web site your friend...lots of info re languages, number of refugees etc.
• immigrants are a remarkably diverse community
• Why reach out to newcomers?...if they don't know you exist, you risk being redundant and out of touch with a community that is clearly changing
• the immediate needs are housing, employment, education
• Labour and Imm. web site outlines the settlement strategy...there is some library information included
• WPL does regular presentations for the local EAL teachers
• WPL did a needs assessment...a large demographic...but what do they know of libraries?...did they use them before?...are our procedures a barrier?...are we meeting their needs?....WPL wanted to know what newcomers thought of them...what's working, what's not....what do they need from the Lib?
• four staff went out and talked to newcomers and people who work with them...settlement workers, EAL teachers...newcomers...
• not everyone knows about libraries ... how they work etc.
• wide variety of libraries out there in the world!
• don't assume what s/one might know about libraries and how they work
• Received fab feedback..."tell me why I want to go to the lib"..."libraries can be overwhealming"..."rules aren't always understood -- fines are a barrier"..."I want to feel welcome"...fear of the security gates...what happens when they beep...bad experience in the past with police..."I want to feel welcome"...not staff rolling their eyes b/c I'm going to take longer b/c you have to explain things to me
  
• not understanding the date due receipt...confusion re 05/04/10 date due...so format was adjusted to 05 April 2010
  
• developed a strategy...photo novels for EAL classrooms / web site for resources / multilingual info / collection improvements / stronger outreach / staff newcomer awareness and orientation w. EAL rsources
• photo novels: needed to explain what the lib is all about in pictures...nifty! I wonder if we can get a copy?
• why photo novels?...diversity of newcomers required diverse strategies for meaningful in
• brochures etc.
  
• (btw found out today there are 200 peeps at this conference)
• Riccardo, a newcomer to Wpg, spoke about the magical role of EAL teachers...the key to the transformation in to a new life in a new country is the public library...a safe place for independent work and freedom...a place that teaches people how to *learn*
• the public lib is a revolutionary place that supports freedom to learn and freedom of thought...where you can perform the alchemy of transforming info in to knowledge...wow, very well spoken
  
• newcomers might be: immigrant (planned move) or refugee (from conflict zones, experienced interrupted schooling...Canada might not
• o
• English is critical
• benefits: tareting groups who may not be familiar with libs...uses existing network to get the msg out (ie EAL teachers)...wanted to involve the EAL teachers, so ensure to meet their needs, and sense of ownership...not only informs learners, but also teachers...easy to update as is web-based (woot!!!)
• modules of lib info: collections / services / programs...and WHY and HOW to use the Library...also lib space/place...programs...virtual stuff
• photo novels tell a story about common library experiences...EAL teachers can use in the classroom, and build activities around...so full understanding...follow up with visit to EAL class from the library
• Canadian Language Benchmarks (www.language.ca)...fab to be familiar with in order to provide appropriate level of communication ...check them out
• the new Word has a feature to tell you what grade level you're writing at...under "spelling"...plush kinkaide reading level (check the name of that!)...we tend to write at a grade 10-12 level, should write at grade 7 level for broader understanding...***consider including that in new web site guidelines*** double check how that works and teach others to check their writing for the Web site there (then wash out the coding in note pad)
• to do: email kathleen (email adr in handout) re photo novels...are they online?...will they share?
• benchmarks...Rex Murphy is level 12!!!
• photo book of getting a lib card
• WPL newcomer Web page
• photo books are pdf, so easy to update...same pics, but change the blurbs when your info changes...project for next year???...talk it up with BP...probably AS + virtual + major partnership with Multi...but first ascertain if we need...
  
• Century Gothic is a font that is most readable to EAL level 1 and 2 (look at the "a"s...interesting...) ***take that in to account for the Web site look and feel***
• photo stories for different levels...lower level has word "balloons", higher the students make up their own story / dialogue...wowser this is fab
• the answers are provided for the EAL teachers
• matching exercise for library lingo fab (in level 5/6 book)
• Tumblebooks would be superfab for newcomers...for both children and adults (WPL mentioned other "read along" databases)
• they also have a dual language collection (books in English + another language)
• puzzlemaker.com is a fab resource for making word searches, anagrams, crossword puzzles etc...check it out...it is free
• how did they connect with EAL teachers?...word of mouth / connections btn the teachers, and Riccardo who had approached Katie
• leverage your community connections
• applied for a small grant ($5,000) to fund the project (paid for Riccardo's time...taking pics / formatting the photo books) and also for EAL teacchers consulting for the photo books exercises etc?
• overview...look at YOUR demographics...ask Labour and Immigration...talk to your local settlement works + schools...make connections with the service agencies (who want to provide good info)...connect with your EAL teachers...build relationships....open the communication for both positive and negative feedback
• "Welcome to the Lib" flyer produced by WPL and Man. Lib. Services...I think I got one...will be a pdf / translated to 10 languges...for use by MB languages...Katie happy to share the text...email her
  

MB Lib Conf: Ebsco new features

MB Lib consortium working on province-wide access/license

• Anna from Ebsco
• EBSCOhost mobile...need a separate url to get to it...soon it will be an autodirect (good!)...yet another reason why I need to get a lib smartphone to play / test with...focussed on the core functions
• EBSCOhost mobile also takes less bandwith...so good for peeps with dial up (could add the url as a "dial up" option...nice...)
• ask our ebsco rep for the mobile url (and/or check support sites / email updates)
• mid2010 there will be an iStore app for EbscoHost...NoveList app coming soon
• posters and flyers for EbscoMobile are available from support site
• WPL has ebscohost mobile interface
• ARRC....new look and feel is coming...drill down will still be there, but they are adding a search box (wow wee...put on WebFeat/360 radar for a translator...will be federated-searchable now...)
• lots of widgets for chat within ebsco databases (includig AskON?...should ask them about it, b/c Ebsco is big in KO to...)
• geolocation:...we know where you are and can use that info...library still has user launch from the lib's web site to ensure proper usage credit...hmmm...still have to log in?...yes, once, then cookie saved...don't have to log in again
• ebsco host connection...a site designed to get anon. users from google (or another search engine) in to EBSCOhost via their library...initial version released in 2006
• Text-to-speech...make sure everyone knows about this...coming soon

NoveList

• facelift coming
• link now to beta version (todo: ensure everyone is aware of that, and takes a few mins to check it out***)
• one addition, "reason" why something was recommended
• search box on every page
• genres and sub-genres quick links
• "subject appeals"...big lexigography of appeal terms...like "cozy winter stories"...more than a genre...the feeling...why people like certain books

EbscoHost

• making the most..
• federated-ish search within Ebsco dbases
• promote email alerts to patrons from ebsco...eg when new issue of McLeans arrives in the database...could package with My Lib Card email alerts...
• also can do rss feeds...
• you need an EbscoHost acct to have an alert / feed
• your EbscoHost account works at any library (that is s/th else to promote with patrons and staff...exp for snowbirds / students...)
• (too much "......does everyone remember how to...?)...no evaluation forms at this conference...hmm...maybe will have one biggie after the fact...
• I should set up an Ebsco alert for library stuff I'm interested in...also in other databases...to test + for my personal interest
• todo: find out where our "ask a librarian" link goes
• new seach box in "help"

Ebsco support site is fab

• check FAQs for common problems
• can brand ebsco with our logo / colours...hmmm...do we want to do that?...chat with JR first, and then follow up with TT if interested
• "promotion": bookmarks / posters etc.
• consider promoting database of the month webinars (from ebsco support site...(and also from gale etc...)) for extra oomph
• tutorials for patrons can be linked to...copy url from support site...they are in ppt so we can customize...wow wee that is nice so we can add our unique log in info*****
  
• 
  

MB Lib Conf 2010: The Power of Lib Partnerships: Collaboration Thoughts...with Stephen Abram

• (the URGENCY for partnerships in a google age
• we need to scale ourselves to leverage what we do well
• we are good at the deeper questions (why, when, how...etc...) and also we're not influenced by google adwords etc...they make *huge* money...their real customer is advertisers, not searches...so NO we do not want our services to work like google!
  
• change is a constant...and only getting faster...
  
• also baby boomers are big whiners!!!...are we ready to deal with even bigger change?
• in June google will launch huge mega (30 million books) ebook collection / store (will be launched at ALA...stay tuned!)...how will we handle that
• what is our competitive advantage over google?...OUR PEEPS!!!...so we need to put them front and centre...put pics of PEOPLE on the web site, with deets re what they do (people all know we have books!!!)
• and that is a very good reason to be on FaceBook (as an individual and a lib)
  
• libs need to scale ourselves up to the level of being there to help peeps with the massage change.."the internet has now progressed to is infancy" (seach, social networks, learning, commerce)...
• ...that is the BIG challenge...and WE (libs) can influence it if we want...or...we can let the internet happen to us
• so what is our plan?...
• what's on our minds?....usually a sense that something is not quite right...questions where a job starts and stops (yeah I can relate!!!)...questions of where work starts and stops...of skills required for jobs...
• we need to get libs to break inertia...in order for libs to remain what they are, they must change...
• the magic sauce is in collaboration
• are you being heard???...
• are you talking???!!!...you have to get out there and do it...
• eg. give library cards to new city councillors...and follow up...be sure they know what you do...get on their radar...
• small communities can serve their peeps in a big way, by finding out what they want / need and meeting their needs
• communicate on many levels (eg not just paper annual report)
• will we find our voice?...bing, google, FB, twitter, social media, libraries
• slide with lots of text (link to it on Stephen's Lighthouse) re diffs btwn private sector and public sector
• libs competitve advantage is having GOOD information and a place where peeps can come to learn
• shift to knowledge based economy...therefore peeps need to know how manage info...we're at a fork in the road...
• are we going to become a nostalgic place, or a dynamic place where you can get prepared for the future...
• who do they think built this stuff?....librarians were KEY in the development of google, yahoo, boole, intranets etc...
• 85 librarians hired at the early development of yahoo
• Boole (as in Boolian logic) self-taught at a lib...wow!...ended up being a prof @ Cambridge and oxford)
• look to the future to see what will make us successful...just b/c legal info is online does not mean we don't need lawyers...just b/c you have a calculator doesn't mean we don't need accountants
• where is the leadership?...
• one eg is Knowledge Ontario...good eg b/c academic / public / school etc
• drivers of change...our future slide...newspapers are dead but news isn't (John Stewart, for eg is the #1 news source for many peeps)
• publishing models are in a huge transformation...what do text books look like in the age of Kindle / iPhone / iPad
• libs won't go away but they will be differnet
• why should there be more than one lib in your city / province?...need to be able to answer that
• question should not be what the future of the book is, it should be what are the behavoiuors and ecology of reading in the future
• human understanding...info + learning = knowledge...your learning style is in your genes
• you want your surgeon to learn like your mechanic...hands on / visual
• libs need to learn to relate to peeps who learn in diff ways...not just by reading
• YouTube is only five years old...wow...and it is the number two search engine!
• what will it look like when all the books are online?
• partnerships...integrated collection development...community / learning / e-learning
• productivity push...the cloud...what is stopping you from using it?
• Canada is the smartest country on earth...WOOT!...why do we want to sleep with the elephant south of us?...will only take us south
• libs need to focus on how we can support all the smarties
• libs critical competitive advantage is the peeps!...we need to be out there...why do libs want to be anonymous?....
• librarians must take personal responsibility for their professional development (YEAH!!!!)
• we must be our own advocates, not victims...no one is going to do it for us
• coll dev must be patron-centric
• re-think ownership
• community eclogy management...lib as social glue...commuicate THAT aspect of libraires...not the *stuff*...goes back to Gerry Meek's SMILE-o-meter...
• the ne
  
• wow...and it is the number two search engine!

what will it look like when all the books are online?

partnerships...integrated collection development...community / learning / e-learning

productivity push...the cloud...what is stopping you from using it?

Canada is the smartest country on earth...WOOT!...why do we want to sleep with the elephant south of us?...will only take us south

libs need to focus on how we can support all the smarties

libs critical competitive advantage

the new normal: fully integrated virtual and physical strategies...

single core community service portal with branch customization

what do your virtual patrons look like (diff from in-lib users)...in-lib users are the needy ones!!!...I need to learn more about our virtual peeps

oops I think I cut and pasted...read over and reorganize!!!

are you ready for real collaboration, beyond cooperation?

some change agent examples...: knowledgeOntario, the Alberta Library, WYLD in Wyoming, infOhio, LYRASIS

innovative audit questions...

(btw 85% of autobiographies have a positive story of librarians in them!!!)

Be important (remember you are...!)...don't be the Star Trek guy in the red shirt!!!

questions for orgs: how should we be organized to best interact with and delight our clients or patrons?...how should we be organized to make the best decisions int he least amout of time? (don't study things to death!!!!...death is not the goal!!!)...learn to be ok with good enough...

small, agile groups move faster than large bureaucracies

***culture kills everything***...wow...is there something about the culture of the lib that squishes innovation...um, yeah...wow...

what IS the lib's main focus?

Galbraith's star model

• it's impartive that we use the devices, and not vice-versa
• I REALLY need to go around and do staff training on downloading ebooks and eAudio...don't set them up for failure
• focus on the issues: uniquness, services, and PEOPLE!!!!
• the tools: wow, social graph platform wars...major slide!!!!
• use tools that support sharing: wiki, tagging, the cloud, blogs, photos, slide share, smart phones
• ***start playing with smart phones...the lib needs to get one*** put in a small cap request (also new chair!!!)
• next up...GeoIPs...FourSquare and Gowalla...TODO: take a look and play around!
  
• how to get there?...play...build a techno sandbox...get a kindle / smart phone / ipod / mp3....develop a culture of experimentation at TBPL...that should be my new GOAL!!!...YEAH!!!!
• also work to collaborate with OPLA???...chat it up...to change the way the dreaded stats are reported / collected...already we know the virtual stats collection system is screwey....how can we measure the satisfaction / smiles?...not the number of steps, but the length of the steps...****...I already feel passionate about this, so work on it...follow it up...poster pres to generate interest?...chat with OPLA peeps / TT / GLF / OLS-n...DO IT...YEAH!!!!
• Stephen A said "we" are working on this...follow up with him...does that mean Gale?
• Gale just bought "encyclopedia.com"...has local access...creating access to the lib so peeps can find it...a way to achieve scale...iPhone ap to find local libs / provides you automatic access to gale databases
• how to build scale
• Gale's goal is to double database use every few months
• be the cute goldfish with a shark fin attached!!! (not the dead fish)
• wow, exciting to focus on satisfaction and not USE...yeah!!!... :)
• love the content, not the container
• see our peeps as human beings
• don't just put a mouse on it
• fab 50 reasons not to change (really excuses)
• the problem is inertia, not money
• good idea for summer reading game: make lib training cards for ALL lib staff...get SRG kids to collect (from all branches / depts...so fun...!) DOIT!!!
  

MB Lib Conf 2010 Transforming Partnerships: Gerry Meek

• why we have to go out there, and how we can be smart about doing that
• trying to go it alone is not smart, esp in an increasingly connected world
• it's not how smart you are, it's how you are smart
• it's not just about relationships: it's ALL about relationships
• our culture loves things and uses people...but libs love peeps and use things
• business as unusual: libs have to communicate our relevance...what is valued gets funded
• libs are often overlooked / assumed / undervalued...so WE have to advocate for ourselves
• we need to reposition at the core of our communities (where the action is)...good eg is new MJLB in the "hub" of Westfort!
• renewed / reimagined / deeply involved...providing service WITH the community...a shift
• move from ME to WE
• pub lib as a community hub...of leisure / culture / learning / community development
• critical need to brand our industry...why/how are libs relevant?
• "an easy instrument of mass instruction"
• "a new community commons"
• language matters...eg: community connector, versatile social utility, community deficit fighter
• new messaging: the power "offering the gift of tongues and vast potencies" Northrop Frye
• what libs bring to partnerships:...broad community perspective, respect for diversity, powerful voice for inclusion, skill at finding meaning in the noise
• we are a profession of beautiful thinkers...we are link makers / collaborators / connectors
• public orgs can become isolated b/c they build walls instead of bridges
• benefits of partnerships: tap in to community assets / provide a critical mass for new initiatives / solve issues that cross boundaries / opportunity to redefine the possible
• we need to be at the RIGHT table...an not on the menu!!
• not enough to sit at the table...need to bring visible acts of community leadership
• partnerships @ Calgary PL....work in progess...intent to forge connections / position lib at the heart of community life
• started by looking at own image...the PERSONA of the lib: pleasantly mad place...sense of fun and a little weirdness (YEAH!)...
• Calgary Stampeede parade = huge networking event!...all the big community peeps are there!
• "cheap and easy" marketing poster!...says it like it is!
• wrapped bus..."rediscover"
• door hangers "another great thing to do in bed....read!"....
• "neatest people" campaign...very cool...neat peeps...others wanted to be "neat" so set up web site and peeps could write about why they're "neat" and what they do at the lib
• lib was green before it was cool
• knowledge increases with use (totally a renewable resource)
• re-branding: stage one... "everything you're into"...turning the breadth of the pub lib in to a strength....super fun poster series...engaging, different, not stuffy...illustraing "everything"...even in fruit displays at the superstore!
• second phase coming next "everywhere you are"...
• so everything you're into and everywhere you are...that is what the public library is all about
• how we drive partnerships at cpl...guided by purpose of the lib, passion of the sta sign in the fruit displays at the super store...staff and gifts of the lib and staff...sweet spot = conjunction of passion of the staff, gifts of the lib and staff...sweet spot = conjunctio of the three
• drive partnerships by: making them a part of everyone's job...encourage experimentation...ABC = always be connecting....leverage the power of personal connections of ALL staff.....***give peeps training re how to do this***...super duper...eg when going to a trade show: go around and introduce youself to the other exhibitors...people are afraid of failures...
• in libs things seem to want to be poop or perfect...don't set limits...listen with intention to our community...leverage every opportunity...cultivate the mavericks (the bees who don't follow instructions are the ones that find new sources of honey...so essential to the hive)
• everyone has something to offer...you need to find it
• partnerships are everywhere
• "noticing is the art of all arts" (Henry David Thoreau)
• look at points of interaction / fusion ...that is where ideas / innovation happens
• how do we position the lib as the place where new ideas are born?
• how can we turn these new ideas in to a competitive advantage?
• look for partnerships where gaps exist...+ where the lib has something to offer + where there is a need
• egs at Calgary: transition hours programming for kids (ie transition btn after school and when parents get home)...preparing for the aging Boomers (making the lib a place for them...three types: gogos, slowgos and nogos!!! ...lib needs to be relevant and useful to all
• look in likely and unlikely places...eg tattooed / bikers...have a biker partnerhip...what lib has to offer: info about mythology / for their tattoos...also helping bikers change their image
• think of lib suppliers as partners...how you can work together to mutual advantage?..eg staff @ warehouse, expediting distributi0on
  
• "it's a crime not to read" program...idea sparked by a staff person at a cocktail party (so go to more cocktail parties!!! ROFL!!!)...approached police services, got police officers to do storytimesl...connetion = reading as crime prevention...high rate of illiteracy in incarcerated peeps...also police officers wanted to get out in to the community...funded by Rotary...kids love it and police offices love it...addressing crime before it begins, via literacy
• "get caught reading"...for commuters on public transit...partnership with Calgary Transit Authority...lib staff go on public transit, and reward people for reading!...suggested transit measure the experience (ie "smiles per hour" vs. number of passengers)...wow what a concept for lib satisfaction too!!!....count smiles of staff + patrons
• Living Librar program BIG at CPL (biggest outside of Scandinavia, where it started)...growth of "neatest peeps use the lib" campaign...used those peeps...super popular...people in unique fields, alternative lifestyles, people with cancer etc...totally unlimited!
• "be part of a great story" book used to recruit partners and new staff
• Ecopalooza: enviro fair at the lib...first time the wide variety of groups got together...the lib became a place of convention...lib as a matchmaker...also lib was super clean after!!!
• link to emerging agendas: sustainability, creative cities, social innovation, knowledge economy, vital issues
• lib looks to how it can inform the community, and engage in vital conversations with them
• "vital signs"...what matters in your community...leads to vital conversations
• spcial areas of focus: 21st century literacies, early childhood learning, leadership development, ability to leverage, critical mass opportunities
• monthly leadership breakfast...invite community leaders to lib...mutual benefit is they learn about the community
• CPL has a manager of partnerships / splonsorships
• partnership partners
• each branch has a list of 25 key stakeholders + have to engage with them
  
• partnerships are the new norm
• need to be addressed in a strategic fashion
• shift from what the lib can do for others to what can we achieve by working together
• need new metrics for partnerships***
• we need to quit counting THINGS
• impact on our communities is more important that where we put stuff on shelves...
• need "feeling indicies"...the smile index / sense of belonging...so HOW are they doing that?
• hidden costs in partnerships: take time and attention...need to be committed to them...is like a romance! (in terms of the stages...glance / courting / engagement / marriage / (prenup?!...get it in ink!!!) / honeymoon / etc...rough patches / ongoing
• "Those who loose their dreaming are lost." (Australian Aboriginal Proverb)...as libs we need new dreams...
• how do libs achieve success?...by acts of relevance situated in meaningful action...wow that is a good one...
• where does magic come from?...
• from a tomb in westminster Abbey:....when I was young I dreamed...when I got old got cynical...finally realized would have to had changed self first"
• so magic comes from ONE / with YOU / ME...a decision to act / have a conversation...ask framing questions...WHY / WHAT IF...
• is our process worthy of the outcomes we desire to attain?
• possibility is everywhere
• take some risks...purposeful bold action
• when you take a risk and reach out, you transform yourslef

Winnipeg Public Library's Millennium Library...WOW!

Fab quote outside...they're working on the garden.

(see also their Flickr pics for more views.)









"New and Noted" stuff in a nook located near the entrance...was very busy. Included recent returns.













Looking up.







Main staircase with open/airy table/carrels on the side (with lots of plugs on tables) for laptop users / group study / sunny perches etc.










Huge collage @ main entrance.


And an aside...












...why does MB have such funky mail boxes?! Will endeavour to find out.

MB Lib Conf 2010: Creativity with Stephen Abram

Official description on the Conference Web site:

This is a half‐day workshop that involves several creative exercises and hands‐on play. It has been presented at several international library conferences with different and interesting results and learning ever time. Participants will learn more about the role of play and creativity in their workplace and how it relates to innovation, change, adaptation and life. Come prepared to participate and create (there’s no other choice!).

• why play? because we are built for play
• opposite of "play" is not "work"
• check out the book "Play"
• information + learning = knowledge
• human genome mapping...we are all hard-wired to a certain learning style
• learning is a combination of different learning styles -- a matrix
• when you're having fun, you're more open to new ideas
• teen space @ Darien Public Library...glassed-in to keep noise in + visibility (also RHD's vision for teen space @ Brodie)...provided markers for teens to express themselves (aka graffiti) on the glass...super popular...clean off a few times a year...increased teen traffic
• when putting a team together give permission for peeps to bring their personalities / sense of play / don't be a wet blanket!
• creativity in the workplace needs to be released
• @ Gale they did "crucial conversations" training...b/c librarians don't like conflict (gee, I can relate!!!) so they would not speak when when something was wrong...and this was creating problems / stalling development etc.
• met a woman from here: www.allardlibrary.com who was raving about their new building...check it out...did say web site not up to snuff, but there are pics
• idea: do a construction blog for new MJLB...take a pic a day, to engage patrons in the process (does MJLB have a digicam?)...chat with TT
• we participated in a three step process...looked at self/how we interact with our library...how our ROLES are secondary to our STUFF (ie materials)
• similar to the "five whys" process (start with a question, and keep asking WHY to the answer, five times)
• the STAFF are the centre of the lib / most imp part
• Can we describe this crucial aspect of the lib in a creative way?
• I think our new tag line: new stories daily does that v well
• IDEA: bring some TOYS to a meeting so people can PLAY...new framework / new ideas / release creativity b/c it changes the dynamics of a meeting/discussion...lego/playdough/pipecleaners

p.s. we got SHUSHED 3 times by the peeps next door at a RDA session...and there were only seven about 10 people in our session!!! Sad.





Group project: What "library" is all about...connecting peeps with info + providing the resources and space for creativity














How I want people to feel in the Library: energized / open to new ideas / happy / raising the roof!!!

CIL2010: Other Fab Blogs

Check out all these other fab biblioblogs, and read what they have to say about CIL2010.

CIL: Google Gambol

Slides are here

Check out all these nifty google tools / tricks / tips.

OK so a lot of the slides are blank b/c Greg went live on to google to demo, but there are enough hints to get you through!

CIL: Productivity Tools

CIL2010 Productivity tools

• link to: http://productivitytoolscil2010.pbworks.com/

• wiki for the session!...so fab...check out “poll everywhere” ...could vote with a computer or a cell phone (check it out and maybe use for my Man session?...or consider s/t with voting by postits?)...hmmm..

• look up “getting things done” book by David Allen (TBPL has, hold placed!...to done!)

• Remember the Milk...notes added to Wiki

• Jiffle...fab for setting up appointments with students, for eg...you can send them your available times, they pick, and get back to you

• notes on Wiki...check it out

• most of the tools connect to GoogleCalendar and other similar tools

CIL: 24th Thing: What's Next

CIL2010 The 24^th Thing: What's Next (H. Blowers not here, so four others!!!)

Sean Robinson, Allen Country Public Library (blog www.tscrobinson.com )

Lori Reed (Charlotte Meck)

Crista Burns and Michael Sauers, nebraska Lib commission)

Sean...

Vision...what are you trying to do?

• Engage (at warp speed!)

• enrich (msg to resonate)

• empower (fight for what you love(

What is your startegy?

• Your mission?

3 quesions:

1. how are people finding us? (Google Analytics v useful for insight...want peeps to find you from outside your library)

   1. piggy backing...be efficient...connect with others...eg timtables in conjunction with mass marketing with Twilight, for eg...and other big book releases...

2. where can you answer questions?...be useful to people in new and interesting ways

   1. eg “City Share” on FB...check it out

Engagement is not an idea, it's a practice.

• Grow some bigger ears...see Sean's blog for good reasource to LISTEN to peeps social web activity in your area...eg. Tweeting “I'm going down to the library”...you can reply “see you here!”

Christa and Michael from Nebraska Lib Commission

• Learning 2.0 at the nebraska library commission blog

• did 23 things in 2008

• voluntary participation...25 started, and 9 completed...not bad for these programs...

• noved it to larger “Nebraska Learns 2.0”

• peeps loved it so much they didn't want it to end

• April 2009 start...once a month...ongoing 23 things program...a thing a month...were new things, but considering going back to some of the original 23 things b/c some peeps didn't do

• had 47 peeps start new blogs / wanted to do it

• peeps don't have to do every “thing”...do the ones you want to ....drop in and out...

• offer CE credits (statewide program)

• banner on their blog + “car henge”...ok...a scale model of stonehenge made out of cars, in Nebrasks

• what not to do:

  • don't just put it out there – you need to promote it...don't drop the ball...peeps will want to do it, just keep informing peeps...and participate / comment on peoples' blogs

• how many peeps work for the Neb Lib Commission?...about 50, but they oversee ALL libraries in Nebraska...school/public/academic...so thousands of peeps...wow...

Innovating Durig a Time of Change...or OMG WTF!!!!

Lori Reed, Charlotte Meck. Lib

• 23 things was originally going to be 43 things!

• Worked with Helen on the original plan

• is mind boggled over the adoption of of 23 things

• challenge of how to continue to innovate during a time of change...budget cuts etc...

• a super fly fab great lib, but major budget cuts...very sad

• laid of 120 people two weeks ago...WOW...sad + more coming there and other places

• “in calm weather all ships have good captains”...Swedish proverb...

• how can you be innovative in times like this?

  • Recommends book “Death by meeting”...check it out

  • be willing to do what's right for the org and profession

  • Lori in HR...need to look beyond what's best for you personally

  • have to be there for a reason / have a purpose

  • be what your users need and want

  • can't fight for services peeps don't want

  • accept the fact that libs are giong to look v diff in the future

  • opportunity to learn/grow/adapt/improve/let go of what is not working

  • wow what a great attitude!!!

lori@lorireed.com (email her a hug!!!)

savelibraries.org

CIL: Making it happen: Getting things done

CIL: Making it happen: Getting things done...Ken Haycock, Director, SLIS, San Jose State Univ.

• Next year cil will be in March, and back at the Hilton (DuPont Circle)...nice

• Ken H was once a school lib...wow, did not know that

• SJSU SLIS is largest online lib school...has surmounted lots of challenges...lots of political / influencing skills

• if you don't promote yourself you're doomed to defend yourself...wow...put that on my wall!!!

• the influence pyramid: (top to bottom):

  • practice

  • tools and equipment

  • conceptual models

  • awareness (feedback and reflection)

  • empowerment (choosing to be powerful) ***I need to do that better!***

• public libs suffer from the curse of high satisfaction and low expectations...wow

  • no one complains about libs (well, yeah, they do actually!...)...but lots of library love

  • results in compliance + potitcians think we don't need more $

• you would think that “evidence based librarianship” is a redundent term!!!

• “death by opportunity”

  • b/c libs are so flexible / adaptable etc, can do so many things...pulled in so many directions

  • if you have two libs in a room they'll create an association...one more and they'll give an award!

• Opportunity costs...

  • what is the payoff you're going to get from the choices you make?

  • Can not be all things to all people...that is where low expectations come in

  • need LEADERSHIP to give direction / focus...THIS is what we're going to excel at...

• we are all leaders...

  • leadership is a process of social influence therough which oneperson is able to enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task...AMEN!...LTB philosophy

• power or influence...

  • power: possession of control / authority / influence

  • influence: act of producing an effecgt without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of comman...hmmm....

• successful poeple are influential:

  • turst is critical

  • a good reputation is priceless

  • (have to manage the person you report to!!!...good point)

  • most peeps are filled with self-doubt

  • informal mentoring is vip

  • listening is more important than talking

  • ***choose 8 people to be your personal “board of directors”...FAB idea! Do it!!1...be the CEO of your own life / destiny....***

  • choose peeps with your best interest at heart

• trust:

  • character

  • competence

  • confidence

  • credibility

  • congruence

• advocacy defined

  • as the level of water in the jungle goes down, the animals start to look at each other in different ways

  • public relations is not advocacy...public relations and publicity is all about US...needs to be moe ADVOCACY...marketing is getting closer...finding out who your clients are, and how you adjust to meet their needs...more about THEM...advocacy is how you get your message out...how the lib makes a difference in the community...move to being a PLAYER at the table when the problem is defined (good eg = Tbay's culture planning...)

• advocacy: a planned, deliberate, sustained effort (hard work) to develop understanding and support (can be for an issue as well as resources) incrementally over time (it's a long haul)

• the meek my inherit the earth, but the news of it will never get out!!!

• univesal principles

  • reciprocation (feel obliged to return favours)

  • authority (look to experts)

  • commitment/consistency (with commitments and values)

  • scarcity (less available more we want it)

  • liking (more we like, more we want to say yes)

  • social proof (what others are doing)

• a fun book about influence: “yes! 50 scientifically proven ways to be effective!”...check it out

• a small gift or favour will make you more persuasive...people will want to pay you back...also a personal note

• individuals want to be liked, so practice seeing the good in them *** do it!!!

• pillars of influence:

  • the relationsihp (even if you can't stand the person you work with/for, you need a relationship)

  • the intended approach

  • the desired results

  • the context – for the issue, indivudal and organization...is it the right time for this issue?

• Fine line between standing on the shore fising, and just standing there

• ROTI = return on time investment ... think about it

• leveraging SW/OTs...your stengths and weaknesses...and what are the opporutnities to apply them...use your strenghts to grasp the ops...easy win...pay more attention to this to move things forward...be strategic about it!

• Focus and plan

  • on the relationship

  • on the approach

  • on the context

  • on the issues

• One Page Presentation: subject / objective / present situation / proposal / advantages / disadvantages / action you want taken ***use this model for next pres to CC*** be honest and succinct

• you either DO lunch, or you are lunch!!! (words to live by!!!)

• beware of the culture of niceness....conflict avoidence...moi, je suis guilty!!!...don't be afraid to deal with issues...don't let them fester...first step in recovery is self-awareness, so I'm getting there!!!

• make your pitch and make your ASK...be clear about what you want

• lessons learned:

  • about relationships

  • about approcahes

  • about context

  • about issues – framing, info, expertise

• bringing it all together

  • building influence

  • using evidence

  • connecting agendas

  • assessing time

  • assessing costs

  • leveraging resources

  • measuing results

• skate to where the puck is going to be!!! AMEN!!!

CIL: Dead and Innovative Tech aka Comedy Night

A few nuggets of info from among the laughs (heavy on iPad bashing and Smurf-a-hontis jokes)...

• check out Amanda EJ's site http://usablelibrary.org print and post the poster there
• iPads are all about consuming information, not collaboration
• Librarians are subversive!
• iPads are sexy as in hookers...beware of extra charges / side effects etc...also all about consumption, not creation (Sarah HJ)
• Stephen A had fab graphics...book love for eg...check to see if his slides are online
• Marshal B had great pics from a 2.0 library with lots of interactive group spaces and other stuff...look for his ppt

Good summary + some pics here.

CIL: Virtual Learning and Training

CIL: Virtual Learning and Training: Teaching and Learning with Drupal

Meredith Farkas, Norwich University, Head of Instructional Initiatives

• written lecture notes

• discussion forums

• assignements

• quizzes...

  • can't just use irl stuff for online courses...”pretty frickin' boring!”...MF got her MLIS online about six years ago

• web 2.0 ideas for the classroom

  • it's the age of participation

  • wisdom of crowds...love it!

  • Social constructivism ...teacher is a facilitator, not a “sage on the stage” (use that for my Manib Lib Conf talk!!!!)...and get peeps talking...will there be enough people/twitters for a session hash tag?...hmmm....could suvey and do if so...

  • about the experience

• MF now teaches @ SanJose State Univ...online...

  • didn't want to use their course management system...focussed on instructor, not student interaction...was allowed to do her own thing

  • used drupal (drupal.org)...OS content management system...used for a huge variety of things

• why use blogs?

  • Familiar medium for two-way com

  • faculty communication with students

  • one place to look...eg “housekeeping” tag...keeps stuff together

  • builds sense of ownership over the medium for students

  • community building

  • reflective learning...thinking about what you're learning

  • writing in public

  • everyone is a teacher and learner

• blogs can:

  • promote critical and reflective thinking

  • enable collaboration and knowledge-sharing

  • create an informal environment for student discussion and communtiy building

  • encourage dialogue and debate

  • encourage students to teach as well as learn and co-costruct their learning experience

Joan Peti...(substitute...) Using “prezi”...blogging at the american university in Cairo..wow...

• instruction and ref librarian

• accredited US univesrity

• mostly Egyptian students

• required info lit class

• moved course from Blackboard to a simple wiki

• http://lalt.wetpaint.com – check it out

• shifted emphasis from passing to learning the skills

  • strict attendance + in class assignments

• implemented blogging

  • issue with lack of freedome of speech in Egypt...bloggers are regularly jailed...repressive

  • wanted students to appreciate and understand the tools, even in this environement

  • used word-press...but was overwhealming for tech-newbies

  • for last blog...asked students how they liked blogging – and they loved it!!!

  • shocked lib staff!...students had historically hated the class...but deal was sealed with the blogging experience

• lessons learned:

  • take advantage of key moments

  • own your disasters

  • define success

  • sometimes crisis = opportunity

  • ill-considered ideas hastily implemented can be a great success!!!

• I thought this session, from description in flyer, would be more about creating tutorials etc...oh well, still some fab points

• you have to find the right tech for your students

CIL: Usability and Libraries

CIL: Usability and Libs

User expectatios of online lib services...

• users' notion of “broken”

• libs know our online services are imperfect...constant improvement / tweaking

• in surveys etc users talk about frustration / inconvenicne / confusion

  • sometimes words like “maddening”, horrendus, sucks etc.

• It either works for them, or not

• most common complaint....too many choices...or “there must be something wrong with me b/c I can't figure it out”...spend lots of time explaining that we're help to help...

• peeps don't get stuff=problem...bigger prob than usability...might just not have it...

• breaks in chain of access not always where you think...response is just to go to google

• why isn't everything in google anyway...well, we have a good answer for that...but, maybe we should talk to vendors to fix that...maybe that is our job...hmmm....

• chain of info access from need to retrieval is only as strong as its weakist link

  • remote access, printing services, link resolving are all parts of the chain

  • new interfaces (eg. Handheld devices...smartphone / netbook etc...) become part of the chain of access

• beyond userfriendly software and reliable hardware...problems go beyond that...

  • users expect easy, direct, immediate access to what they need

  • the have alternatives and low tolerance

• limited and inconvenient collections are also part of unsability...eg. Microfiche...is it different in TBAy b/c our genealogists are very happy to use microfilm???...or different for genealogists?

• Siloed e-content is also a usability issue...so our My Giant Search is one solution...I think

• seamless, simple, fast and reliable systems and servcies are the goal

• common interfaces, seamless and integrated discovery

• comprehensive info access...one stop shopping is what the peeps want

• we need to think about what isn't indexed...why is not digitized

next presenter...Yu-Hui Chen and Carol Ann Germain, Univ at Albany

• usability...how to ensure a function is used well

• did a study at their lib...results are local, but hopefully with wide applicability...

• surveyed 84 ARL libraries...for policies, usability testing and resoruces...env scan

• hardly anyone has web usability standards, policies and guidelines...wowser, do we need them?!...look to Neilson and co for guidance...also “Research Based Usability Guidelines” book (look it up)...psg=policy, standard, guideline

• libs all thought usability testing is important, but only about half did regularly...however most have done it

• what were people testing?...most: Web site; least: opac

• usability methods:

  • observation

  • thinking aloud

  • card sorting

  • walk-throughs

  • task analysis

  • paper prototype

• libs with dedicated usability testing staff: 25%...wow

• are people learning usability in lib schools?

• Usually done as an “extra” to other jobs

• issues, challenges and recommendations:

  • reasons why people have difficulty implementig psgs:

    • enforcement/agreement

    • lack of skills/training

    • resoruces

    • getting informed

    • resistance to change

  • not a lot of support from admin ...due to limited knowledge/experience/political agendas

  • lack of resrouces (time, staff, organizational knowledge)

• published article...with actual survey included

CIL: Critical Thinking...getting to the right decision

CIL Critical Thinking: Rebecca Jones and Deb Wallace (managing Director, Baker Lib Servcies Knowledge and Lib Services, Harvard Bus School... dwallace@hbs.edu

rebecca@dysartjones.com

• aotus is modelling / living critical thinking

• is not about being critical!!! or being smart

• about thinking productively etc

• pres is on slideshare...beckyjojojones...also on www.dysartjones.com (slides and worksheets)

• not just for academics...practical applications...challenge assumptions

• what are the traps / landmines?

• (Deb has climed Mt. Kilamanjaro!!!)

• tend to suffer from “deer in the headlights”...need to focus on the right thing at the right time

• critical thinking is really about:

  • decision making and problem solving

  • openmindedness

  • productive dialogue...with colleagues / mgnt...to get to the best decision

• three simple underlying facts:

  • implicit that we can't make decisions alone or in a vacuum

  • the decisions and problems we face are increasingly complex

  • it's hard and it's worth it

• Good critical thinking

  • raises the right questions clearly and precisely

  • focuses on the real problem or decision to be taken

  • gather and assesses relevant info

    • uses abstract ideas to interpret info effectively

• “critical, not criticize!”

• why?

  • For customers...designing meaningful servcies

  • for organizations...planning, netiation, managing, relationsip building

  • for ourselves and professional cred:

    • aware and factor in our:

      • tendancies and assumptions

      • perceptions and selecitons based on conditioning / beliefs etc

      • reconstructive memory affected by time, what we want to remember, how we want to view a situtation

    • confidnt in our:

      • knowledge

      • ability to reason

• wake up call...

• naming the process at first makes it legit:

  • challenge usual practices

  • rethink what has been thought

  • expand the emphasis from shot-term fixes to long-term fusion

• shake off the feeling that you'll have all the answers

• common decision traps:

  • framing

    • put the frame up first...clarify status quo, anchor and sunk-costs...brainstorm “what is your view / perpsecitve of this problem?” We don't all see the status quo through the same frame...put up a frame!...and notes inside...put it on its side...”how will we reframe?”...what would the new frame look like?

    • Status quo:

      • tendency is to prepetuate what we already know

      • when we take action we take responsibility

      • psychologically risky....to avoid this:

        • focus ont he real goals and ask how status quo helps move towards them

        • evaluate vs all others alternatives in terms of the future

    • anchoring / chains around our ankles!!!

      • what we hear or see first influences our subsequent thinking...

      • to avoid:

        • be aware

        • purposefully use different starting points

        • as you gather other peeps to discuss the issue, try and limit the info you give them

          • clarify base assumptions

          • keep coming back to them

    • sunk cost

      • investment already made...justify past decisinos...

      • to avoid:

        • consciously set aside past investments

        • stop sinking costs into sunk costs

        • reward turn-arounds and “trys”

    • reaching clarity means wading through confucion...know your own conflict handling style...good chart on slide...very personal...

Deb...Harvard Bis School (lovely grey hair!!!)...iconic building...birth of MBA (what would give a degree more cred than a “big honking library!”...keeps mission out front

• now called “knowlege and library services”...to illustrate so much more going there than “library”

• building, and organization, was gutted from the inside

• critical thinking...it's important to THINK...

• we don't change goals like we change our underwear!!!

• to build and enrich an info and knowledge ecosystem (one of their goals)...also...

• to be the trusted advisor for HBS in knowledge, info and learning practices

• identified startegic shifts

• an embarassment of riches of thought...wow...top world leaders in planning / cirtical thinking available to them @ Harvard

• sense of urgency not super fab...sort of like turning the Queen Mary...have to work within the culutre and with the resoruces available

• exercising good judgement

  • capability development

  • modelling best practice

  • road maps

  • performance management

  • project management

    • team norms

    • opportunity management

    • after action reviews

• the status quo is not what we alwyas have to go back to

• critical that we think

• need organizational frameworks to allow people to think cirtically

• all day, every day

  • customer service standards

  • service delivery agreement

  • customer relationship management

  • exceptions management

  • strategic alighnment

  • employee engagement

  • balanced score cards

  • job descriptions / work designs

• sign: “Service Management Alighnment Engagement”

• every aspect of the lib has to constantly be engaged...all day, every day

• 300 type A entrepreneus on faculty!!!

• lib @ Harvard Bis School ranked very low by employees...working from botton / middle up to address peeps' concerns...can't think critically if you're not happy / engaged at work...good point...

• balanced score card session later on...way more than just stats

• also did work on concrete job desciptions / work designs...need to know what you're susposed to be doing

• manage carefully...it's new

  • disagreement must be incited and managed...leave the convo open for disagreement

  • organizational culture must encourage questioning, especially of decision-makers' assumptions and propositions

• if peeps are not allowed to think, they will not be engaged

• critical characteristics

  • harnessing all the types of thinking in your org

  • communication skills...esp listening

  • self-awareness and self-acceptance

  • curiuos, interested and questioning

  • admits lack of valid information or understanding

  • assesses and evaluates info info and propositions for their value on the issue at hand

• What's critical:

  • awareness

  • just try it

  • discipline your decision-making to uncover thinking erorrs and prevent judgement errors

• slide with bibliography

CIL: Crafting Online Personas

CIL Crafting an Online Persona: Defining who you are, in an anonymous, online world

JP (Virtual Service Librarian...wow same title as me!!! @ New Jesey Public Library) and Craig

introduced by Stephen A:

Craig Anderson (in the hat)

• trying to get libs @ his lib to engage in fb etc...big quesiton “so anyone can see this?”...fear!!!

• afraid of embarssing FB photo / video!!!

• slightly diff person/faces depending on audience

  (Billy Joel quote...on slide...)

• diff filters depending who you are with

• diff on fb/twitter/blog...you can be the same person, but filtered

• eg “Librarian JP” (his FB handle)...self-branded, not secret identify...another eg = The Annoyed Librarian (that is a secret identify)...

• www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/ 10 privacy settings all FB users should know (use for my FB101 class!!!...check it out first)...you can control how you show to diff peeps...

• another good article Meredith F “your vitual brand”...find it and read / link

JP

• http://blog.8bitlibrary.com

• check it

  out: the gaming in schools and libraries blog

• need a clear vision of what you want your brand to say

• eg use of logo on all soc media presences (make sure our new logo gets on all places!!!)

• as you build your virtual persona, think about how what you post fits with your “brand”

• building a personal brand

Craig

• http://failbooking.com “too funny to unfriend”

• egs of where peeps didn't use privacy settings!!!! Hilarious!!!

JP...role models...eg. Tiger...make sure your behaviour fits your brand...

• responsibile citizenship...

• “librarians do it by the book” mug

  

• 
  

• part of responsible citizenship is showing up...being where the peeps are...you NEED to be out there...um, yeah...amen!

• “technical subversion”...just do it! Ask for forgiveness, not permission idea...

• build your institution values in to how you present yourself personally and professionally online

• eg. email sig: with your FB etc...fab...me too!!!

• resistence to new...was objection to having telephone at the ref desk...

Beyond privacy settings...

• always think about your behaviour / what you're doing online

• your online presence shouldn't be taken lightly

• digital citizenship v2

• you need to show up, and have conversations about how to be responsible

Craig Anderson

Kean University

cjanders@kean.edu

libraryguy on twitter

pres will be on slideshare (Libraryguy)...link to it

• think about how you can be on the social web professionally...

• institutinoal personal vs personal persona

• article re “should you add your boss on FB?”...

• you can block your photos from groups of peeps...good idea

• interesting balancing act...esp with potential employers googling you

• can use diff signatures for diff email msgs...

• you are also who you know / not just yourself...people will also check out your connections...need also to consider your connections...

jp@porcaro.info

facebook.com/librarianjp

twitter.com/librarianjp

www.8bitlibrary.com

• very 1984...big brother...your online stuff is going to haunt you for a loooong time

• good idea to set up an “ego feed” on yourself!!!! (google feed on your institution / yourself...TODO: do it on myself)

• “mutually ensured embarassment!!!”

• everything jp has done (job-wise) in the past year has been as a result of social media...

CIL Conversations with the Archivist of the US (AOTUS)

Cil2010 keynote with archivsit of the USA

...interviewd by Director of Public Programs at NYPL (cool accent and v funny!)

• new blog aotus (archivist of the us)...aka “collector in chief” (potus = pres of the US)

• what does the aotus do?...responisible for the records of the gov't...records management advice / oversight to all the gov't agencies...about 2 – 3% of thos records become archives

• 44 facilities for record storage around the usa

• seperate from LofCongress

• also presidential libraires are under the AOTUS

• significance of 10^th arcivist of USA to be a Librarian!!! (formerly @ NYPL)...why signif?...others were scholars / historians etc...

  • process...got a call out of the blue!

  • Visit from potus transition team member...pres looking for people who think outside the box / innovative etc...went to meet with bigger committee – got a better picture...realized he could make a difference (was impetus for other career transitions -- that feeling)

• potus charged aotus with two missions:

  • national declassification centre...4 million pages need to be declassified...wow!...over the next four years...how will this happen?!

  • Open government initiative

• Open Govt Iniative

  • transparency / collaboration / participation

  • philosophy / practice around these three...built it from the bottom up...each agency work on their own plan

  • process unleashed previously untapped talents / leadership etc...created a new energy

  • use of social media fab...

  • eg. aotus's blog (link to it)...attempt to get the citizens invoved in the work of the archives...creating citizen archivists...to help think through how to process collections etc...

  • controversy re “librarian” appointed as “archivisit”...had experience with both

  National Declassification Centre

  • archives had been in “classification” business since 1978

  • intent of order is to open the records, to declassifiy as many as possible...only reason to remain classified = national security

  • need to be reviewed by those agencies which initially classified them

  • looking at ways to bulk-declassify

  • 2400 different classification guides...susposed to be reviewed every five years...50% have not...a flawed classification system

  • goal is to streamline the process...How?

    • Looking at ways to use technology to do this

• chosen by POTUS...what kind of influence do you think POTUS and admin has over the archives?...what direction can they give it?...what did previous admins do/not

  • can't have open govt if you don't have open records

  • need to consider that from the time the records are created

  • records need to be not an afterthought...considered at the start of new system implemenations

  • big meeting btw cio (Chief Info Officers) and Chief Records Managers from each agency coming up...big disconnect btwn CIOs and CRMs...in most agencies...need to come together

  • going to meet with White House CIO, and co-host the meeting to bring these peeps together

• ambition / mission

  • when he was @ nypl (for five years)...half of new yorkers used internet @ libs...powerful lesson re importance of libraries...wants to take that to the archives...open them up...access

  • web site being re-designed

  • big emphasis on education

  • blockbuster exhibit on Civil War coming up + online version...focus on K-12

  • lots of tours of school kids: AOTUS listens to the kids...encourages to write letters to the Pres...are kept in Presidential Libraires!!!

• has not met POTUS!...yet...

  • nice having a boss down the street, not in your face!!!

• lots of the archives jobs are mundane...pulling records etc...but there are ways of making such jobs enriched...hoping for better job satisifaction

• meeting with staff, LISTENING... “Employee Viewpoint Survey” done at all govt agencies... Archives got v bad reviews

• was bad mojo on FB (from staff), so AOTUS joined the convo and addressed the issues

• during the big DC snowstorm, AOTUS had a chance to chat up the security peeps -- had never had a tour of the VIP stuff...didn't know what they were guarding, so arranging that now

• in the digital environment...not too much saved/preserved...with e-records,....email recognized as a “record” in some cases but not others...lots of erocords getting lost

• concerns re digitizing records...eg ancestry.com...large commercial digitization projects...language that locks up content for a specific time (5 years for Ancestry) ...concern that these are public records, in a lot of cases...big value to having them available electronically...concern re locking them up for a period of time...

• divide btwn physical and digital world...where do you see the tension?

  • AOTUS does not own a Kindle!!!

  • is a big reader...has a thing for physical books (got lots of applause!)

  • “wikipedia is my favourite tool”!

  • Needs the print to read

  • Nicholson Baker = fave writer...wrote about what happened when card catalogues were discarded...look him up!!!

    • had written controversial stuff...in to preserving print (eg last print copies of newspapers saved from British Library)

    • set self up as newspaper librarian

    • gave collection to Duke...proper preservation

• what is he reading now?

  • A book about Abe Lincoln...Vampire Hunter!!!

  • presiously read a book about Walt Witman and his siblings...author used Nat archives / NYPL / Duke Univ to write the book...esp letters from Mrs. Witman

• what is your greatest burden?...what keeps you up at night?

  • The electronic records...largest / messiest / most expensive thing to get right

• greatest joy

  • balance btwn getting to know staff and the collection itself

• what do you think the libs here today need to pay attention to most?

  • Push your supervisors!

  • Look for ops to get involved / get your ideas out there

  • fokls at the top need to be pushed!!!...that's the only way we're going to get better

  • one of his best hires = Josh Greenberg...taught him a lot re thinking differently re how we package / organize info / where we should be...vs expecting people to find us

• future for you?

  • Has said only next job = The Vatican!!! (was in a NY Times Article!!!)...”and I'n not talking about the Library!!!!” super ending!!!!