Malcolm Gladwell spoke about how creating an epidemic can serve as a catalyst to change, and how creating and directing a real, positive epidemic is really dependent on the framing of the issue or cause. So how can and will librarians frame our profession to create an epidemic to make libraries successful? How can we frame the promotion, success, importance, of libraries? If we frame it well, librarianship can be a powerful epidemic in libraries.

Right now, we have what Malcolm calls a “negative epidemic” in librarianship. The public sees the library as an institution on the way out, exhausted librarians are losing hope, and the internet is a mixed blessing that we’re having a hard time reigning in. To him the key to libraries framing their epidemic towards success is creating one simple idea of what the library is, and framing that idea to a positive direction.

Here’s my thing: the thing about reframing *anything* is that it requires substantial change, especially for libraries. And, well, while libraries are ripe for change, libraries seem to be a bit resistant to change these days. Honestly, I really think that the PLA Smartest Card Campaign is totally a move towards a positive epidemic, as a flexible way for each library to pick their one simple idea and frame it to work for them. The Karen Hyman 12-step plan is good for initiating and promoting change.

Margaret Blood echoed much of Malcolm’s message, including four lessons of her efforts as president of Strategies for Children, to paraphrase:

1. Reframe the issue.
2. Powerless children [and powerless libraries] need friends more powerful than they are, corporations to fund, and politicians to support, their efforts.
3. Engage likely allies.
4. Research makes all the difference.

On the topic of powerful friends, allies, and research, when Malcolm said, “There isn’t political power of consequence in this room,” it made me sad. Librarians *should* have great political power, and they should be their own — and be able to recruit — friends and allies because they can do the right research that can make all the difference.

It harkens back to a presentation I saw at Computers in Libraries in March of 2004 about librarians getting into local government as local political advocates for their library. When librarians take initiative to have great political power by getting involved in town meetings, local councils, and other local government, we can make changes more directly, and better represent the library and its needs. It’s ridiculous, really, because in a way political power is so artificial yet potent, and we could be doing so well so easily.

The time for advocacy is now, I think everyone agrees. And I think a grass-roots type effort on the part of individual libraries, as well as a unified goal on the part of ALA to help libraries succeed on their terms, would be a progressive and successful plan.