In which the alchemist ducks in, then ducks back out.

July 29, 2008 at 3:49 pm (Uncategorized)

Time flies when you’re having fun and working hard.  I thought I’d pen a quick update before taking a few vacation days.  Since the last missive, here’s what’s been in the hopper:

  • Ryan H. and I have been busily collaborating on the CLP version of 23 Things.  Many libraries have already done this, but most of them have been small to medium libraries, not large, multi-branch systems…at least, as far as I can tell.  CLP is unique in many ways, and sometimes we have to move a little more slowly to accommodate the many various factions that have to cooperate to make the system run well.  Given that Library 2.0 is a concept, and not a contest, I am at peace with this.
  • Volunteered to be part of the library team that helps provide support materials and content for this fall’s Sleep-In for the Homeless. The library is just one of several community groups that are working together to plan and support this event. I think it would be really excellent, too, if we assembled a team of library staff who attended, either to maintain some sort of resource table/program/activity, or just to show our support for an important issue.
  • Investigating Mango Languages for the database committee, at Sheila J.’s request.  Haven’t had time to personally play with it yet, but think vacation could be an excellent time to experiment with a new language…and playtest the product by pitting its French against mine!
  • Making friends on Twitter!  I simply cannot believe how easy it is for librarians to find each other, or how addictive it can be to read about what other librarians are doing all day at their jobs.  I wonder if our patrons would be just as interested?  Given that the “About Us” page at Eleventh Stack is one of the most frequently visited parts of the blog, I’m leaning toward yes: people want to know more about the librarians who serve them! They want that human touch, even–perhaps, especially–in cyberspace.
  • Speaking of Eleventh Stack, have also been collaborating with Don W. and Amy E. in an attempt to both shore us up and kick our spiffiness up to the next level.  That’s right:  Eleventh Stack plans to level up.  The question is, how?  Also need to craft a stronger marketing plan/push.  Will be looking to both my peers and the Communication and Creative Services Department for suggestions in that area.  Left to my own devices, I’d make t-shirts.  But we’ll see. :)

There’s more.  There always is.  But there are patrons to serve, so here we’ll close.  I’ll be back in the office next Tuesday, rested and energized, and ready to kick off the second half of the year in alchemical style.

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In which the alchemist ponders innovation and fermentation

July 9, 2008 at 3:40 pm (Learning 2.0, Library 2.0, innovation, philosophizing, presentations, professional development, traditional library services)

The pauses between blog entries get longer and longer – this feels quite natural, because, really, the whole point of Library 2.0 is not self-aggrandization:  it’s teamwork, in the name of customer service.  As the projects I dream up take on a life of their own, and move into the bigger picture, it seems more and more appropriate to me that my personal-professional ramblings take a back seat to actually implementing and maintaining the projects!

After all, the original purpose of this blog was to chart my learning curve in my shiny new job.  Nearly a year later, the job is still shiny, but no longer new.  Which leads me to think about innovation and fermentation.

Helene Blowers recently blogged about Paul Williams’s criteria for an innovative corporate culture. I can see the wisdom and logic in this approach, but must confess I’m rather partial to the “canary in a coal mine” method: you get a few right-brained folks who are comfortable with risk to model innovative behavior, and show the rest of the team that it’s safe to stretch out of your comfort zone. Much like Tom Sawyer whitewashing the fence, these people will attract the curious, who can then be gently convinced to play along with you, too. Innovation relies very heavily on trust, and a culture of trust is not something that’s built in a day.

 CLP is lucky to have so many great people on staff, many of whom have known each other for a long time. The bonds are there.  The trust is there.  The model for innovation, however, is just beginning here, and sometimes custom and tradition are the enemy of progess. Note that I said “sometimes” – there are many wonderful services and traditions here that are worth preserving, despite the need to boldly move forward.  You really have to reach out to people where THEY are, and convince them that it’s okay to move forward.

Just one librarian’s opinion – you catch more flies with honey than with RSS feeds, is all I’m saying!

In the realm of fermentation, well…here are some of the projects fermenting in my brain, and on my desk:

  • My PaLA presentation.  Thank goodness this blog documents everything I worked on this past year!
  • A two-hour presentation on contemporary fiction, part of a program series some CLP folks are participating in this fall for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
  • An application for ALA’s Emerging Leaders Program.  You don’t try, you never know!
  • Podcasting and Twitter brainstorming, complete with cunning doodles.
  • Database stuff.  Stats, as ever, but also revamping that brochure request, and poking into possible purchases, at RK’s request.
  • Writing a review for Library Journal.

I find that intense periods of hard work, followed by equally intense periods of ignoring said work in favor of other tasks (weeding, refdesk, displays, blogging, etc.) makes for a better product in the end.  At least, that’s how it seems to work for me – how do you handle multiple intense projects?  What works best for you?

And, to bring us full circle, I have to ask myself what innovative thing I could do to transform this blog for Year Two of Shiny Job?  I’m afraid I’ll have to let that ferment a little while longer, though I am definitely open to thoughts and suggestions…

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