The PLA Blog | Official Blog of the Public Library Association
I’m a Leader, I’m a Follower: Middle Management Theory and Practice
Beverly Lynch (UCLA) moderated this panel discussion of managing up and down. The panelists discussed shared leadership and the fact that top level managers need leaders at all levels of their organizations.
It is possible (and desirable) to manage up, down and across the organization. This may mean that you facilitate, coax, and/or cajole. As a [...]
Leadership Development in Transition: Steering the Ship from Helm and Deck
This program offered specific, realistic suggestions about how people at all levels of the organization can be leaders in an appropriate, constructive way.
Jill Canono, Leadership Consultant at State Library and Archives of Florida, began by stating that shared leadership means shared vision, values, responsibilities, and accountability. It also means asking a lot of questions and [...]
Tech Competency
Rather than post my redundant notes from the PLA program “Thingamabobs and Doodads: Why Tech Support IS Reference” from Monday July 13 (already seems so long ago), I’ll link you to the presentation slides from the Salem-South Lyon Library District librarians here.
(It’s funny…I used my new Dell Mini netbook at the conference and now that [...]
Civil Rights Hero at ALA
“Every morning was getting up and going to war” – Melba Pattillo Beals on integrating Little Rock Central High School
Monday at the American Library Association began with song and dance. Before Melba Pattillo Beals spoke about her books Warriors Don’t Cry: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock High School and White [...]
Visit the Skokie Public Library, IL
I am writing right now from my laptop by a sunny window in the Albert Lea Public Library in southern Minnesota, but for now I want to share some images and thoughts from my visit to the Skokie Public Library back in Illinois. I’ve been following the great work of Toby Greenwalt, Richard Kong [...]
Provocative Printz
Hi, this is Lisa Goldstein, another guest blogger. I work as a young adult librarian at the Brooklyn Public Library.
The Michael L. Printz Award is given to a book that “exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature,” and I heard some terrific speeches at the Printz Awards ceremony on Monday night.
M.T. Anderson, who won an [...]
Rethinking Reference Collections
What did I take away from Rethinking Reference Collections, a Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin program at the 2009 American Library Association Conference in Chicago? This question and answer program moderated by Sue Polanka of Wright State University featured Barbara Bibel of Oakland Public Library, Sara Johns of Lake Placid Middle/High School, and Dave Tyckoson of California [...]
The Challenges and Opportunites of Serving America’s Elders
(Jean E. Coleman Library Outreach Lecture)
Speaker: Kathleen (Kathy) Mayo, Lee County Library System, Ft. Myers, FL
This was fun. I learned about OLOS, ALA’s Office for Literacy and Outreach Services. Kathy gave her “12 step program” for serving the elderly. Arriving late, I missed the first 3!
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Utilize engaged dedicated volunteers. For things such as computer classes, [...]
Preparing Yourself to Teach: Touching all the Bases
Sponsored by LIRT (Library Instruction Round Table).
Although the presenters were from academic libraries, I believe much, if not all, of their content can be applied to any teaching situation—whether presenting workshops for library users, or staff, or at a conference. Speakers: Monika Antonelli, Minnesota State University; Lisa Hinchliffe, University of Illinois-Urbana; Beth Woodard, University of [...]
Leading from Any Position: Opportunites to Contribute to Your Library’s Success
(Wow! Somehow actually attending the conference, and shuttling from hotel to meetings to meals, to social events, left little time for blogging about the conference! With any luck, I will get caught up today.)
This session was also part of the Empowerment Conference. (Sidebar: The Empowerment Conference sessions I went to were great—small groups, interactive presenters, [...]
