Transforming your library and your library’s future with technology
Monday, June 25th, 2007Held Saturday 1:30-3:30
This session was an interesting one, but from my viewpoint, it’s one that got better as it went along. The first speaker, Lori Ayre, focused on things that I didn’t think really fit with this topic. She even said that she was going to talk about technologies “with levers and buttons, not we applications”. She covered things like central sorting systems, automated check in, and remote physical library service points, like book dispensers at airports, and library kiosks. And in my opinion, though interesting, this would’ve been better suited to the session on transforming your library space.
Anyway, next up was Casey Bisson who talked about the cool things he’s doing at Plymouth State University, and highlighted other library systems that have done innovative stuff in their OPAC. He began his talk with the statement “the library is more than about books – so should our library websites”. He said something I totally agree with: “the website is not a marketing tool; it’s a service point – as important as our physical library branches.” He highlighted small but innovative Tamworth Public Library, whose director utilizes a blog feature on their website to reflect questions received from customers. The example was regarding a particular gardening question received. Well instead of just answering the query (with book titles to try) for the one customer, this became a blog entry that all of their customers (and the rest of us!) can read and comment upon. What a fantastic approach to anticipating community information needs, and really making the most out of staff time spent doing readers advisory and/or reference work! He also carried a theme which I felt lends itself to the “Wisdom of Crowds” philosophy – epitomized, I think, by showing us the example of Beyond Brown Bag digital initiative that goes beyond the usual scanning and indexing of historic photographs, but then allows people to comment on the pictures themselves. It’s a fabulous project with over 11,000 pictures documenting the history of the Brown Paper Company of Berlin, New Hampshire from the late nineteenth century through the 1960s. This project allows everyone – but particular the older citizens in the area – to comment on the people in the picture, as well as what the picture is demonstrating or showing (the story behind the picture). What an inspiring way to use 2.0 technology to encourage connections and conversation about a city’s history – seen through the eyes of the people who worked there. Fabulous.
The third and final speaker of the session was Roy Tennant, whose respected reputation preceeds him, and I was not disappointed. His first main point was:
1) Technology is a tool… 2) used by people… 3) to accomplish goals
He then went on to elaborate why this very statement creates a tricky business: it can mean significant risk, we humans are messy and unpredictable, and there is a complicated mix of organization mission and vision, people and their abilities, society, and technology. Each of these variables change rapidly, independent of one another. Since this is a game of tradeoffs, Roy suggests that before making decisions consider the following:
-Understand the needs of your users
-Consider your mission and priorities
-Choose where to make a difference
-Get good advice from folks in the know
-Know your sources of support
-Consider a pilot or prototype
He then talked about finding the right people to help implement techology changes in your organization. The characteristics he advocates are:
-an ability to learn constantly
-demonstrated flexibility
-project management experience
-deep technical experience
-excellent communication skills
-enthusiasm.
Roy also made it clear that he would avoid folks that are always adopting the “latest and greatest” - there needs to be a balance between seeing something cool to look into, and rushing into implementing it in your organization because it looks so cool.
He then talked about the goal of creating agile organizations. He had the following tips:
-use committees for communication…
-and use task forces to accomplish work. These groups are specific and focused, and disband after the project/task is complete
-use the best people for the job (regardless of where they are in the “pecking order” of your organization)
-reward innovation (don’t directly or indirectly punish it)
-punish loitering (defined as folks just taking up space)
-take risks (and heavens, stop striving for unattainable perfection!)
-invest in infrastructure (lose your “poverty” mentality and stop trying to run your critical technologies on a shoestring budget. This is particularly critical for your human resources)
-invest in your staff (offer training opportunities and create an environment where staff is encouraged to play, learn, and have fun!)
-realize that not all changes are created equal (meaning: choose your battles)
-be opportunistic (exploit opportunities) and entrepreneurial (create opportunities)
Roy then finished his presentation with sharing the rules HE follows to keep himself running strong:
Learn only enough to get by. (What? We don’t have to learn it ALL…RIGHT NOW? I realize that this is simple common sense, but honestly I think we need to tell ourselves and our collegues this every day if necessary. Librarians are by nature “A” students, and in our attempt to be thorough and knowledgable, we are killing ourselves with unrealistic expectations.
-Learn when you have a problem to solve (He elaborated by saying he learns “just in time” - NOT “just in case.” Again I say a firm AMEN to that! How many times do we time our learning so that there’s no way to practice or apply what we’ve learned to a real life solution? That’s a perfect opportunity to fall prey to the “Use it or lose it” reality.)
-Find somebody experienced to show you 3 things about… (Well, anything, really. This encourages us to seek out collegues across the building or across the country to become “mini-mentors”. Then to return the favor. It forces us to admit that we DON’T KNOW EVERYTHING, and whew! what a relief to let that go, right?)
And the FINAL nugget ‘o truth:
Use what you learn, write it down, or kiss it goodbye (I’ll elaborate upon this to say that I believe there are times when each of those actions are completely appropriate. And I hope you notice what is NOT listed as an option: obsessing about things “slipping by” you and stress about keeping multiple balls in the air. Decide which balls to keep up in the air yourself, pass some off to your co-workers, and darn it - let some fall…and don’t rush to pick them up - just see what happens…)
