PLA Blog

“Perspectives” is a regular feature in Public Libraries, the journal of the Public Library Association. The column is made up of four to six essays on a particular issue or topic of interest to people who work in and with public libraries.

Nanci Milone-Hill (bookwoman ) and Nann Blaine Hilyard () co-edit “Perspectives.” In response to several requests, we’ve determined the topics for the next year. Essays can be 900-1200 words. Depending on the topic, photos may be submitted. If you’re interested in submitting an essay, e-mail the appropriate editor. Copy is due 2-1/2 months prior to the cover date. (For example: October 15 for the January/February issue.)

Sept/Oct 08: Branch Libraries – send questions and essays to Nann
Whether you’re in charge of all the branches, or work in just one: what’s going on? How do you coordinate your branch’s operation with the larger system? Do you have separate Friends or Foundations? Do staff rotate among branches? We’re seeking essays from urban, suburban, and rural multi-site public libraries.

Nov/Dec 08: Meeting Rooms – send questions and essays to Nanci
What issues have you faced with your meeting room? Have you changed your policy as a result? Examples could be use by religious groups seeking a place for regular meetings; or hate groups that want to hold a public meeting.

Jan/Feb 09: Outreach – send questions and essays to Nann
Library outreach can entail long-term, citywide programs. It can also mean a single program or series of programs on a much smaller scale. What is your library doing to extend services beyond the walls of the library building? Have you tried electronic outreach?

Mar/Apr 09: ALA’s Spectrum Scholars – send questions and copy to Nanci
ALA’s Spectrum program was established in 1997 to recruit librarians from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Are you a Spectrum scholar? Have you hired a Spectrum scholar? We’d like to know your story!

May/June 09: The Big Read – send questions and copy to Nann
The National Endowment for the Arts established The Big Read grant program to take community book discussions nationwide. If your library has been a Big Read recipient, tell us about your experience. What programs did you plan? What was the response? How did the Big Read differ from previous book discussions?

Thank you for your interest in contributing to PERSPECTIVES!

Nanci and Nann

ALA Legislative Day: What to Know Before You Participate
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM EDT
Free online webinar presented by the ALA Washington Office

On Wednesday, April 16, advocacy “guru Stephanie Vance will host the Washington Office’s second Advocacy Webinar. (The first webinar was a huge success.)

The webinar comes just as National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) approaches, when our advocacy skills need to be honed to a razor sharp edge. Librarians, friends, trustees and enthusiasts from across the country will be participating in NLLD on May 13 and 14, 2008. Some will be coming to DC to meet with their Members of Congress, while others will be participating in Virtual Library Legislative Day by calling and writing their elected officials from the safety of their own offices.

How can you best prepare for and be effective in these communications? How can you be sure legislators and their staff will hear your message and pay attention? What kinds of federal policy issues should you talk about?

Space is limited, so reserve your Webinar seat now.

Meg Canada, who works as Librarian as well as in Assistive Technology & Teen Services Online for the Hennepin County Library (I hope I got your title right!), and is also a lovely friend of mine, graciously took the time on Thursday, March 27 to give me an epic-yet-whirlwind tour of not only the Hennepin County Library system headquarters in Ridgedale, but also a quick run around the Central Library. Both libraries are wonderful, and everyone is doing such impressively progressive things, the whole tour was a treat.

The Ridgedale Library building not only houses the library, system headquarters, and centralized technical services processing of books, but also an office of motor vehicle services, local courts, a coffee shop, and a library book store. From the very entrance of the library, you can tell that the children’s librarian values early literacy, starting with the counting steps (apparently, you hear kids count those steps every time they come in), and carrying through to the rest of the library:

It was really good for me to see how their self-checkout stations are set up, one for adults, one for kids, since we’re planning on launching a similar self-checkout setup at my library in July. As for check-in processes, I got an inside look at their “high I.Q.” Automated Materials Handling (AMH) system (my apologies for the shake on the video!):

After meeting more of the staff and seeing more interesting behind the scenes workings at the Headquarters and the Ridgedale branch, we were off, heading back downtown to the Central Library. I must say, if you’ve heard anything about the wondrousness Hennepin County Library Minneapolis Central, it’s all true.The architecture is beautiful, all that light wood and glass. This was the truly whirlwind part of my tour (I was playing hookey, trying to get back in time to host the Virtual Happy Hour for the Virtual Conference), so I didn’t get to visually document everything that was cool. Like, say, the elevators that, as they go up and down, form words and letters in lights that spell out the titles of recently checked out books. Or how each floor has a uniquely-designed fireplace, complete with art (the giant “burned matches” were my favorite). Or even the beautiful lighting on the different media shelves, and the interactive touch-screen map systems that help people find things. The even have an ATM machine, not far from the coffee shop and book store. Make the trip to Minneapolis to see it in its full splendor, it’s worth it.

I did, however, get a comprehensive-yet-quick tour of Teen Central. Teens from all over the city were involved very early on in the development process, so the entire space is customized to the audience. Teens said they wanted a space of their own that didn’t look like the rest of the library, where they could eat, drink, hang out, listen to music, meet. As a result, Teen Central is a completely enclosed area within the library, complete with a meeting room that has dry-erase board wallpaper, cool flat speakers installed in the ceiling hooked up to a sound system that supports iPods but also plays CDs, excellent comfy seating near the windows, and vending machines (in the only area of the library where food is allowed). And the red-dyed wood for the shelves is *gorgeous*.

Next time I’m in Minneapolis, I’ll spend *way* more time at the library ;). Thank you so much to Meg and all of the staff at the Hennepin County Libraries for your hospitality!

OK, I’ll admit it, I skipped the first session slot on Saturday. It wasn’t because I was out partying or anything, but rather because I wanted to hang out with the friends I was staying with in the morning and have plenty of time to grab a leisurely breakfast (which I did at Gigi’s Cafe). Also, none of the 8:30 sessions looked particularly compelling. But here I am ready for one last session on “Changing Cultures: Experiences in Fostering Innovations from Within.”

My wife is a public-sector (ie. government) change management consultant for a little company called IBM, so this is a topic I know a little bit about, and I was interested to hear how people went about it in the public library world. A lot of what I heard was pretty basic stuff about empowerment, encouraging risk-taking, removing the fear of failure, and soforth. Nothing that amazing, although there were two little bits I thought I’d share.

The Director of the St. Louis system emphasized the need to give people the tools and chance to be a part of the change, but then if they didn’t buy into it, the necessity to get rid of them. That’s a huge problem in my own system, where unionization makes it very difficult to get rid of the “dead wood.” I guess the solution is that managers and administrators have to be willing to face the hassle of documentation and endless procedure required to dismiss unionized staff.

The other thing I liked was the idea that if you raise a problem or an issue in your branch or system, you should also offer three solutions at the same time. This isn’t to say that one of your solutions will be used, but demonstrate that you’re thinking about the complete cycle of change needed, rather than just pointing out a problem for someone else to solve.

So that’s it. My conference is done. I’m using the last little bit to blog then I’m off to dim sum with friends — no Paula Poundstone for me!

Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions/comments that fall outside the realm of this forum, feel free to email me at !

– Tony

Okay I am among the late writers of final sessions attended. Saturday I blogged until 8 a.m. and still made it to an 8:30 session on Libraries and Foster Teens. There were three speakers and three distinct parts to the program:

            Home for a while – Using Literature to Understand foster Teens

The literature covers the three themes of Guilt, where kids feel responsible and have remorse; Impermanence, due to lack of a permanent home; and Resilience. The good news was that kids find wells of resourcefulness from within, due to experience making them grow up beyond their years. We as librarians can make available the materials written about their experiences, then they do not need to feel so alone. Books written about and by foster kids can inspire us to develop services that will make their lives better.             Navigating the Labyrinth: Explorations in Service with Foster TeensLibrarians can be of service to both the teens and the adults who help them. We need to develop a policy and also lines of communication with agencies and the teens themselves. We can offer life skills information, opportunities to volunteer but mainly a welcoming, safe place to be.             Seeking Their Voices: Explorations in Service to Foster TeensLibrarians need to get involved, establish community connections, offer the services libraries are so good at. Make a special effort to welcome all kids. Give out your business card to establish personal contact. Give a fresh start by clearing fines. Show how to look for jobs, write a resume, and prepare for an interview. Look up the 10 Steps to begin Outreach to foster youth and organizations available on the PLA website.  I made new friends waiting for something to drink between sessions and went with them to Superhero or Serial Killer: Librarians in Literature.You really had to be there - we had to stifle much of our laughter not to miss the next hilarious comment! We all agreed it is better to be a librarian now than in earlier times when several were killed through horrible means. Librarians certainly come from all walks of life – at least in literature! I am already missing the energy of PLA and hope I will be back to make more connections in 2010.

I had the best time at PLA.  The best!  I was having so much fun, in fact, that I didn’t even finish blogging until I had been home for two days.  It took that long to recover!  I must say, my first PLA was a resounding success, leaving me with the desire and excitement to implement all I learned.

Thank you to everyone who attended for being so nice and polite and friendly to me!  And thank you to all the presenters for making my eyes sparkle with possibilities.

Thank you, John Wood, for showing us how simple it can be to make a difference.

Thank you, Nancy Pearl, for being my rock star and being so gracious about my giddiness.

Thank you, Sarah Weeks, Brian Selznick, Avi, and Pam Muñoz Ryan, for a phenomenal preformance.  I could watch your Reader’s Theatre every day.

Thank you, Paula Poundstone, for making me laugh until I had to leave the room or make a mess on my chair.  Thank you, also, for making me the envy of pretty much everyone I know.  Because I got to see Paula Poundstone and they didn’t.

Thank you to everyone who smiled at my exuberance and told me that my excitement was infectious.

Thank you for reading this blog.

And most importantly, thank you all for being librarians.  I’ve never known a nicer people!

Me and Nancy Pearl

Originally uploaded by Small Fox in a Big World

Friday was my day. I won an unbelievably good prize at the exhibits and I arrived to the Nancy Pearl Young Adult Luncheon an hour early and therefor got to hang out with Nancy Pearl herself for about 45 minutes. It was probably the most “star struck” I’ve ever been. I’d be surprised if she didn’t think I was a complete idiot, but come on! It’s Nancy Pearl. She’s probably used to inciting idiocy, especially around librarians. She’s pretty much a rock star. At least in my book.

I had never heard Nancy speak before, but I just had a feeling I was in for a treat. She prefaced her talk by warning us that she is uncomfortable with crowds and public speaking. I say, if that’s true, the woman deserves an Oscar. She was eloquent and funny and gracious and sweet and kind and I don’t mean to keep fawning over her, but it’s pretty hard to do anything else without lying.

I’ll conclude with a few little nuggets that I thought were especially grand:

• “[Librarianship] is an opportunity to do good in this world.”
• Carnegie libraries have stairs because he believed you must ascend to knowledge. (I particularly liked this bit, because I work at a Carnegie library.)
• “In this world, we are given one life; but through books and reading, we can have any number of lives.”
• “Validate what kids read and be genuinely interested in what they choose to read.”

Nancy Pearl made my PLA!

Friday was my last full day in Minneapolis. In the morning I attended Great Libraries for Dummies presented by Greg Buss of Richmond Library in Canada. The main auditorium was filled for this session; I’m guessing about a thousand people were there.

Buss admitted that he was upset when he first heard the session title, which he did not choose, citing John Berry’s recent editorial in Library Journal which warned against the “dumbing down” of public libraries. But Buss went on to defend his belief that public librarians’ first and highest priority should be “customer convenience,” an approach which Buss said sets standards which most librarians hope to achieve — to provide full access to quality collections, services, and programs in order to empower individuals.

Despite 20% to 30% increases in what was already high circulation statistics at Buss’s own library, I personally remain very skeptical that “merchandising products to customers” necessarily results in quality library service, and I am not convinced that public libraries can “achieve greatness” by looking like big-box or chain bookstores.

Next I attended a talk table called Patrons or Customers? Held in the bowels of the conference center, about twenty people attended this refreshing session. Here are examples of some of the questions discussed:

• When you go to a library, do you want to “buy” or do you want to “know”?
• Is the term “customer” more appropriate than “patron” in some libraries, such as large urban libraries vs. small rural libraries?
• Does “patron” represent the “proud and venerable history” of public libraries? Or is it condescending?
• Should we refer to children as “customers”? Should we call them “patrons”?
• Is the use of “customer” an attempt by administrators to validate or enforce management techniques?
• Do libraries that use the term “customer” provide better service than those that use “patron”?
• Can we offer “good customer service” to our “patrons”?
• Do the people we serve care what we call them?
• Is there a better word than “patron” or “customer”?

While few of these questions were fully answered, the consensus of the group seemed to be that open discussion about whether to use customer, patron, or other terms is worthwhile and deserves further consideration.

After lunch, award-winning author Louise Erdrich read from her novels, letters, and poetry. A phrase from Erdrich’s poem “Advice to Myself” caught my attention: “Pursue the authentic.”

This simple philosophy is reflected in the website for BirchBark Books, Erdrich’s independent bookstore located in Minneapolis. The site says BirchBark staff “believe in the power of good writing,” “answer to no corporate sponsor,” and “value relationships and stories and ideas . . . value what you have to say.”

I very much regret not visiting Erdrich’s bookstore while in Minneapolis. If public libraries have anything to learn from bookstores, an independent bookstore based on a philosophy to “pursue the authentic” would be a great place to start.

Sorry for posting this so late… As soon as I got home from PLA I collapsed with some kind of bug. So come with me back through the mists of time as we return to Friday afternoon in Minneapolis:

After another good lunch at The Newsroom (both Thursday and Friday, it seemed to be the only place without a long wait) with library school friends, I hit the convention center refreshed and recharged. For the 2pm slot, I decided to go check out What’s the Big Idea?

This session was the first major presentation in the U.S. about the paradigm-shattering initiative undertaken by one inner-city borough in London. I’d read about this project about a year ago while taking a course called “Designing the Public Library of the Future” — but I wanted to hear them talk about the process they undertook. Basically, a poor borough in the East End of London saw that their library usage rate was about 20%, compared to the national average of 55%. So they decided to do something pretty radical, which was to shut down all 19 existing libraries and adult education centers and replace them with new joint facilities called Idea Stores, which would draw heavily on retail atmospheres. The driving force behind this transformation was the data they collected from a comprehensive survey.  They (or a firm they hired) identified a cross-section of 800 houseshold that mimicked the demographics of the community and was statistically significant. Then they conducted 1 1/2 hour in-home interviews with each household! That’s a pretty costly survey to do, but armed with that data, they were able to get buy-in from the decision-makers and went ahead. The key outcome of the survey was the centrality of the concept of life-long learning to the community, so that the new facilities would not simply co-locate libraries and adult education, but bring them together so that they were totally intermingled spatially and conceptually. An element that was glossed over a bit was how they paid for the impressive new buildings, but that’s a hurdle to any kind of change.  I won’t summarize the rest of the presentation — but I recommend checking out their web site and some of the articles about them. It’s a radical departure from the standard model for a public library, but one well worth entertaining. They noted that systems in Denmark, Sweden, and the Netherlands have had them come over to consult on their versions of the same concept.

After this was a session put on by the Columbus Metropolitan Library about their transformation of the reference desk. This is an idea I am 100% behind and always have been — I never got the whole “reference desk as bunker/fortress” mentality, but I see it constantly from people I work with. Personally, when I’m on duty, I’m out on the floor circulating as much as possible. They discussed how they had several branches redesign their reference desks to be less imposing — on the whole, these weren’t that impressive. I sketched up with a better version (based on the service points at Ikea) while listening to the sesssion. One of my big questions with the model is how to handle phone calls. Their solution was adopt a central call bank, so that a lot of patron calls are triaged that way. They also use Vocera devices and headsets, so that calls can be patched through to wherever the librarian is. As a part of all this, they took a very hard look at the “off-desk” work being done, and questioned how much of it is necessary. The guiding question here was whether that work was adding value to the patron experience, and in many cases the answer was “no”. They found that a lot of the off-desk work was being done because the librarians liked to do it, not because it was really that beneficial. This is a rather strong and controversial attitude, but one I tend to embrace — and one I suspect will be gaining more and more traction in the field. For Columbus, the central point is that “you are here for customer service” and anything that detracts from that needs to be eliminated.

So, two sessions full of unconventional thinking and ideas — just what I like!

She is delightful!  She talked to people in the audience, joked about what was going on without humiliating anyone, and generally had us all laughing heartily the whole time she was on stage.

Sorry for the bad photo, but all I had with me was my camera.

 She really did have my laughing most of the time, but you kinda had to be there.  Here are a few things she joked about:

• Sorry, this conference is only for “public”, you can’t come in. 
• Why are we considering getting rid of the Dewey system?  It’s always made her feel so safe!  She didn’t realize there was all this secret unrest about Dewey.
• Don’t you take a unified stand on dog-earing?  I hate dog-earing!
• When people started leaving early (just a few, really) she said “I’ve been in this business long enough to realize that it’s best if I leave first.”
• Librarians helping people find information and truth becomes more and more important as mis-information becomes more popular.