Multitype Librarian

Influence

2008-07-17T06:12:00.004-05:00

Having spent all day yesterday in the MLA MEMO legislative session planning forum, I found the Influencing Politicians blog post from the Changing Minds Blog right on. He says that politicians like things that make them look good -- doesn't everybody? Long ago, while working for the Air Force, a commander's favorite line was "make me look good." Great advice, and I've found it useful . . . concentrate on making my boss look good, whether that's a middle-manager, a board of directors, or ultimately the stock holders or tax payers. Doesn't matter as much how I look as how the boss and/or funders look.

Thanks to Stephen's Lighthouse for pointing out ChangingMinds.org, which includes the Changing Minds Blog. Great common sense stuff, all pulled together in a neat package. Really useful index of topics on management, everything from job analysis to storytelling, two topics very close to my priority list lately.

Leaving with dignity

2008-07-14T22:28:00.002-05:00

Most job training programs give lots of attention to getting a job -- finding the right job, writing a resume, getting and succeeding at interviews, and negotiating terms of employment. No skills are offered in leaving a job. Yet, as surely as most workers have multiple jobs through their careers, they will leave just as many. I think that the indicators of character and professionalism in how someone leaves a job are just as valid as the person's actions when newly hired.

I've done a lot of thinking about this in the last year as I've changed jobs and several family members, friends, and professional colleagues have also left one job for another. I've had deep discussions with a number of people about leaving a job. The classiest exits I've seen are well-planned and executed. The leaving employees invest time and employ appropriate counsel in accepting a new job and planning their exit. They treat the losing employer with utmost regard in delivering a timely and respectful resignation notice. They treat the colleagues they are leaving and the time they spent working together with value and let them know it. (even when they don't mean it)

On the other hand, I hate to see employees leave a business with a "stick it to 'em" philosophy. They wish their former employer no good will, and in truth hope they'll fail. Why on earth would you want anywhere you worked to fail? I would hope that continued success for my former organization is due in some small part to residual effects of my contributions. Besides that, as I go on my merry way, part of my resume is my former employer, and I would want to continue to look good for having worked there. And as for my former colleagues, the good ones I'd like to hire or work with again. And as for the others, I don't want them undermining my efforts.

The same goes for mutual decisions that an exit is best for the organization and the employee. Some relationships are just not a good fit. And even if it's not a mutual wish, it's going to happen. Get over it and take the high road. Make it look like it's your idea. Keep the complements and thanks genuine and the complaints unspoken. Set the example and hopefully the employer will do the same.

Some employers have exit interviews. Someone asked me this year what they should say. I said, if I were them I'd say it was one of the best places I'd ever worked. They don't really want to know the dirt, or the bad feelings you may harbor. You're history from the day you hand over your resignation form or letter. Anything you say is only sour grapes. And remember, the hand that accepts your resignation and hears the exit interview gives your next and possibly several more recommendations. Remember the good things, and forget everything else as soon as possible.

No one can afford to burn bridges. If the next job doesn't work out, and lots don't, you'll need your professional network to find the next next job, and the next next recommendation. And besides, who wants to hear all the negative baggage you're carrying around. Reference the analogy of when you point an accusatory finger, there are 3 more pointing back at you. Bad-mouthing a past employer may raise questions about your ability to fit in. And most importantly, in almost all jobs, as a new employee you're on probation for the first few months. Don't suggest that you might have been the problem in the bad fit of your former job.

And what if you find out you've made a mistake? Well, reference paragraph 2 of this post about planning before the resignation letter is written. Once in another career I had an employee who wanted to rescind a resignation. After considerable deliberation at the management level, we discouraged the employee from staying. From the moment a resignation is offered, accepted, and announced, the organization is moving on. Management immediately takes action to offer other employees new opportunities afforded by the vacancy. Leaving a good job is a huge decision. I've experienced the 2:00 a.m. panic attack accompanied by a determination to sneak into the boss's office and tear up my resignation. But that doesn't work (at least it didn't for me). Resigning is pretty permanent, and time to move on.

Why am I thinking so deeply about this tonight? Well, unless you've been under a rock in the last few days you know about the Green Bay Packer dilemma. Allegedly, the storied QB Brett Favre (in his words) "prematurely retired." While he did it at a time of exhaustion and stress, he did it. His second thoughts are causing a huge chasm in the green and gold tundra and mortal pain in the hearts of us faithful followers. Will Number 4 play green and gold? Should he? Is his personal and the Packer management's dilemma any different than any business?

Part of the process

2008-06-20T07:32:00.000-05:00

I am ever so glad to add my congratulations to Pillsbury Baptist College, Crossroads College and SELCO/SELS on their Go-Live Day. See the SELCO/SELS website for the story and photos.

This project has been a long time in the making . . . perhaps longer than even I am aware of. Getting 2 academic libraries online is a pretty substantial task. Even getting to the point where they were ready was not an over-night process. Implementation of a collaborative automation project began with several visionaries.

About 8 years ago when I was working at SELCO, I got a call from the Dean at then Minnesota Bible College (MBC), now Crossroads College, inquiring about getting their library online with a larger entity. I met with the librarian Dr. Mahan about the possibility. Along with other staff colleagues, we talked about possibilities, and had another meeting with the college’s technology staff. Their network infrastructure could not handle the demands an integrated library system required. Furthermore, SELCO was then in the midst of selection and ultimate migration to a new library automation system. Certainly not a good time for anyone to think about such a formidable venture. And soon it appeared that the dreams for a connected college library were not going to happen when the college was sold.

Meanwhile, Pillsbury Baptist Bible College (PBBC) was also looking to enhance and expand library service to its students through joining the regional and state library catalog. With the leadership of new librarian and visionary, Nancy McGuire, this library also was preparing to join the broader library network. PBBC had the foresight to affiliate itself with OCLC and coordinate through MINITEX a barcode schema that would eventually readily integrate into the MnLINK network. When I first met Nancy at a SELS annual meeting, she shared her wishes for the library to be integrated into a larger network, although tempered her remarks with caution that the time was not yet right for such a big step.

Over the next few years, the lines of communication stayed open and librarians from both colleges participated in regional library events. The region supplemented their interlibrary loan service and the colleges and the region collected data to use to substantiate the benefits of network integration for both libraries.

I like the biblical term “in the fullness of time” which is particularly appropriate with these religious colleges. So, in the fullness of time everything came together that the college library catalogs would be incorporated into the regional catalog, and through that into the statewide MnLINK catalog.

Jim Godsey became the new Crossroads College librarian. Through his previous experience with consortial catalogs, Jim knew the benefits his students would receive, so he made the initial phone calls to meet with SELCO Executive Director Ann Hutton and me to get the ball rolling in the summer of 2006. I had also been talking with Nancy recently, and she too had indicated that PBBC was ready for the next step in library service.

So, we submitted a grant application in early 2007 to bring the 2 college libraries into the SELCO catalog. I, along with Nancy and Jim and everyone else who had been involved were elated when the project was approved. I was really pumped and looking forward to the next year’s hard work.

And then came another career opportunity. I agonized over the possibility of not personally seeing the project to completion. In the end, I knew the plan and structure of the project was laid and strong enough to carry it through successfully. And that’s where my part of the story ended, but all went off well!

I guess the point of all this reminiscence is that all my career efforts are links in something much bigger. While I don’t always feel that ideas are going anywhere quickly enough if at all, some projects need to percolate through time and often several vestiges of leadership. I can’t bring everything to fruition, but I am honored to be part of the process. And sometimes, life moves on and somebody else gets all the fun of accomplishment – and that’s good. A military NCO I once knew used to say “one monkey doesn’t stop the circus.” But the show indeed does go on.

Prioritizer

2008-06-17T21:21:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I have so much to do that I do nothing. I go over and over the list of must-dos in my head so many times that I panic when I forget one (or several). I have a knot in my stomach and succumb to the paralysis of panic.

A couple months ago I found the Prioritizer from the Idea Sandbox. It's so elementary that it's embarrassing I couldn't come up with this on my own. I've been using it for a while now, and it results in a printable, manageable list.

I just had a phone call from a friend who's been in similar straights. I had shared my secret prioritizer weapon with her about a week ago. She said she just didn't know why I hadn't blogged it. So, now I share it!

So, do I have it all together and prioritized now? Well, now I'm prioritizing all the lists I've printed out.

Idea Sandbox: Prioritizer

More notoriety

2008-06-09T14:14:00.011-05:00

Well, wouldn't you know it? I'm more famous for my food photos than my insightful librarian postings. In February my Cheesecake Factory photo was included in the Schmap Boston Guide. Now, my Krispy Kreme photo is part of a NowPublic story on National Donut Day. (how did I miss it?)

Open source - why?

2008-06-05T22:55:00.006-05:00

Once upon a time technology was an awesome mystery and we were amazed just to watch what it did. We put those geeky gods who made it work on pedestals and carried their coffee. Technology made any job that involved keeping track of stuff easier.

Libraries were particularly thankful for automated procedures that tracked the hundreds of thousands of pieces of stuff that we entrusted on loan to thousands of people. We were so mystified by how it worked and thankful that it did that once we found a program and learned how to use it (another monumental task) we didn't want to think about picking out something different or learning new tricks to use it. Besides that, librarians are by nature collectively a cautious bunch who don't welcome a great deal of change.

So, a few vendors developed logistics type software to manage library materials and procedures and everyone was happy. The vendors didn't do a lot of research and development and library systems didn't change much.

During the next 20 years, technology changed the way we managed business and lived our lives. Since I'm a late arrival librarian, I wasn't in libraries during the early technology implementations. I was involved in automating processes in several other businesses, also related to keeping track of and assigning accountability to things. I automated processes in hospital logistics and later on in grocery store sales operations. In both cases, the end results of the processes and procedures were not so different than libraries' implementation of technology management systems.

While technology vendors in many areas have made refinement and development a priority and the systems in use now don't look much like the early legacy systems, library automation systems have changed not so much. While most businesses do not tolerate clunky procedures or incomplete responses, the performance and results of library automation systems does not come close to other systems. Library automation systems cannot deliver the kind of interactive performance that is standard in most other industries. Furthermore, library automation vendors do not deliver the responsiveness in customer service that libraries need to remain viable in a competitive economy that sometimes marginalizes the value of library services.

There are reasons for library automation vendors' failure to deliver desirable performance or service. First of all, I don't think that libraries initially asked for a lot. Furthermore, with minimal profits to be made off from libraries, I don't think that development of library systems was very lucrative for systems developers, and there wasn't a lot of competition out there. Effective customer support doesn't seem to be a priority and in recent years, company mergers have resulted in fewer viable choices for libraries to go where the service is better.

Enter the realm of open source options, where "they" becomes "us." My library's options for automation services do not have to be driven by what my vendor offers. There are choices my organization can make where we could potentially have more influence in the development of service-point utilities. And most importantly, there are other options for my organization to consider in deciding who would really understand and respect us as a customer for their services.

MINITEX is sponsoring workshops this month to allow libraries to look at open source options for integrated library systems. At the first session this week the room was packed with library managers and system administrators. The sizes and capacities of our organizations varied considerably, but we hold in common a desire for better systems and service than legacy library vendors provides.

My friend DL did an excellent job summarizing the first session on Koha, which means I don't have to . In his summary, he discusses the question on whether buying open-source from a vendor isn't just another vendor. Yes, it is, but with a difference that there is a different relationship with an open-source vendor. The underlying program is as open and available as we wish it to be, constrained only by our own limitations. Indeed, my systems geek has already downloaded his own copy of Koha to experiment with and learn from.

Will all of us who are educating ourselves through the open-source workshops rush out and implement a Koha or Evergreen based ILS? Most likely not. We have varying abilities and budgets. Some have the capacity to dive right in, others will build cooperatives, others will make a decision to remain status quo. But through our discussion, we're becoming better informed and more discerning about the potential for library automation solutions to equip us to provide the most cost-effective and best possible customer service and access.

Another day in the life of a librarian

2008-05-20T22:46:00.011-05:00

As I've said before, when something comes up twice in a short period of time, it's appropriate to take notice of what the universe would like me to learn. Not sure what this one means, but it's worth recording. This post also comes under the "never a typical day" category (wait, I don't have that category -- yet).

I've been here 8 months, and throughout this time we have not had enough technology staffing. There have been days when there are no scheduled technology staff and nothing has gone down (yeah!). In truth, I've been comforting that little worry in the back of my mind with the knowledge that I can hopefully handle anything, drawing on my past experience as an automation librarian.

So, last Friday when Pine City called and said their Internet was down and our PC guy was off, I looked around and discovered that the closest help at hand was at the end of my own arm. I hopped in the van and headed north and fairly quickly had them connecting to the Internet. I congratulated myself and was back in the office in just over an hour.

Today, when a similar help-desk call came in, this time from Wyoming, I had exactly the same help available (0). I was beginning to feel a little spooked. In my first 8 months I've not had any "Internet down" calls, and now I have 2 in less than a week. So, again I hop in the same van, head out on the same highway, but this time headed south. This time the problem was not so quickly apparent, but I wiggled and jiggled, and reset connections, and powered down and powered back up. And voila -- all is well.

So, I'm feeling quite thankful that I've brought a wide range of experiences to draw on, and maybe the lesson of the universe is not to let any of my skills get rusty.

Oh yeah, the other part of this post is how atypical any day in this career field can be. While my raison d'etre is to provide leadership, I am often surprised by what I end up doing when I'm planning on doing something else. Besides being a de facto geek twice in the last week, on Saturday I got a crack at being the Bookmobile driver. What a gratifying experience -- to bring the world of the library rolling down the street to a town full of waiting patrons. I wrote about this humbling experience on the library blog. And to memorialize that first Bookmobile trip - a photo:

Thank you Peace Officers

2008-05-15T07:40:00.000-05:00

Today is Peace Officers' Memorial Day as proclaimed by President George W. Bush*. May 11-17 is Police Week. 181 peace officers made the ultimate sacrifice in 2007, an increase of 20% over 2006 and one of the highest fatality figures in recent years.

Librarians are particularly thankful for the services provided by our local heroes. Because our business is to guarantee access and serve anyone who walks through the library doors, many of us have had the experience of feeling vulnerable or threatened at times. Standing instruction to all my library staff is . . . when in fear or doubt call the police. And they are always right there to stand between the library staff and possible danger.

Recently I had occasion to dial that police number when an individual was causing a problem outside the library's front door and inhibiting entrances. It was a busy night for the city cops and evidently for the county deputies. Imagine my surprise when a Minnesota state trooper walked in to help us out. When I thanked him, he said they're always ready to back each other up. Wow!

Thank you, Peace Officers from libraries.

Officer Down Memorial Page
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

*authorized by a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat. 676), and by Public Law 103-322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136-137)

Services framed by setting

2008-04-22T22:05:00.004-05:00

Had my regular eye doctor appointment on Saturday - and ended up talking about . . . . what else? Libraries. The technician who did the screening saw my occupation on the health history form. Then she told me that she and her family liked to go to library X much better than library Y (both in our region) because X has better children's books. Library Y is even in the town where she lives.

Now the interesting thing is that both X and Y get the same books, ordered by the same selector. Only difference is that X is a beautiful new library, with lots of artwork and a skylight. Y is a . . . . well, let's just say it's an older facility in line for a facelift or replacement. But when my eye technician goes in, she sees the collection illuminated by the environment. Hmmmm, makes you think.

I Quit - and it's OK

2008-04-17T23:58:00.002-05:00

April 2008 will go down in my personal history as memorable not because of something I accomplished, but because of something I quit. I'm a high-energy person, thriving on conquering challenges. But I'm also a nurturer to those around me, advocating for taking care of yourself, all things in balance, setting reasonable limits, yada yada yada.

I even wrote about quitting (or not) last August, when I reviewed Seth Godin's book The Dip. So, it was to that blog post I returned when I found that my latest journey to 23 Things on a Stick wasn't working out the way I planned. In the book, Godin talks about slogging through the long dip between the excitement of starting and the triumph of finishing. He talks about the light at the end to which you power toward when you're in the Dip.

So it was in January, when I signed up for the 23 Things along with over 1,000 other library folks in Minnesota. I pumped it up and was overjoyed when many of the staff in our regional library took the journey with me. There were warning signs that this was destined to be my first big failure (oh, there have been others I suppose, but I forget). In the first place, I wasn't willing to garbage up (my perception) this, my real blog, with 23 Things posts. So I created another blog. Secondly, I barely signed up in time to participate, and only managed 3 Things for the month of February. Thirdly, I should have known I was a little too over-zealous when others around me didn't want me to know that they were doing the program, lest they disappoint me. What a crock!

Well, that inner voice inside me kept getting louder and louder. Real life intervened as I moved into a new house and learned how to install baseboard trim (including staining and finishing). Days at work were long: dark in the morning, dark at night. And I only did 3 Things. And frankly, my posts about those 3 were way below even the *good enough* standard I promised myself I'd satisfy for.

So, I dug out the blog post. This is one book I didn't buy, and boy, am I sorry. Here are some of the review points I wrote with my very own paws, and my personal eye-openers as they related to my lack of success with 23 Things:

If you can't be #1 or #2, get out (ala Jack Welch) yup, my posts weren't #1 or #2 in quality or quantity
It's easier to be mediocre than it is to confront reality and quit. Mediocre is not part of who I am or ever will be - and I like it that way.
If you're not able to get through the Dip in an exceptional way, you must quit. I neither had the strength or desire to get through the Dip. The light was invisible to me.
The opposite of quitting isn't waiting around, it's rededication. There was plenty I should be excelling at, and 23 Things wasn't one of them. (Stop by some time and see my baseboard, curtains, etc.)
It's OK to quit if the project isn't worth the reward at the end. I anticipated 2 rewards: new knowledge (I knew most of this stuff) and a flash memory stick from the sponsoring organization (I have gazillions of them around the house.)
Pride is the enemy of the smart quitter. yup that hit me where it hurt. Especially when other librarians across the state e-mailed me about my lack of posts. ouch.
Decide in advance when you should quit. While I hadn't done this, my lack of commitment was certainly evident.

April 16th was the last day to win a prize. About the 1st of the month I thought about ramping it up, like some of my friends did. Just about then 2 events in my family climaxed and sapped my attention and energy. So, here it is today, April 17th, and I'm a 23 Things quitter. Ugh.

But wait . . . . I may be a quitter, but I'm not a failure. I started the program, so did lots of others. I did learn one new thing - I created an avatar. It never interested me, and I'm sure I'll never do it again. Lots of people didn't get to magic #23. But everyone tried something new and acquired familiarities with something different and potentially valuable. There's the value.

I'm fairly bursting with pride for the 8-10 librarians in my region who did finish (haven't got the final report yet). Hip hip hooray. And I fairly whooped when I opened our library blog this morning, and saw one of my colleagues' appropriately used new trick. She said it was one of her 23 Things. No, she didn't finish either. And we've agreed that we're going to walk through it together on our own time, recognizing our successes and forming our own support group. Anyone want to join us?

Yin and yang of life

2008-04-16T21:54:00.004-05:00

Welcome to the world, little one

In the midst of sorrow for losing one, comes the joy of birth of another.

Ecclesiastes 3 - A Time for Everything
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

Affirmation

2008-04-04T22:59:00.006-05:00

Every once in a while it's good to remind myself how good my job is, and how important and valued is the business I'm in. It would be tempting to lose heart with the daily battles that aren't easily won because of inadequate funding or ill-informed news stories like the one in my previous post stating ". . . . libraries have slowly lost their place at the forefront."

Then a blast of sunlight cuts through the gloom, and I am re-energized. Such was the case this week, when I was asked to travel north to one of my communities to join community members in touring a potential new library site. In that town, the much loved branch library is crammed into a space one quarter the minimum size that it should be. While everyone has agreed that the library needs more space, it looked like it would not happen for a good long time.

Then a property went on the market and it appears to be a strong possibility for a new home for the library. So I joined the group of community movers and shakers that included the mayor, city council, library Friends and board, county commissioners, and city and county officials. Even a representative of the Congressman's office came and presented her personal check. We toured the facility and then sat down to talk about how to make this happen. It was one of those pinch-me-this-is-a-dream moments. While there were healthy questions and resolute plans to research potential pitfalls, the over-riding attitude was we can make this happen.

It was a wonderful afternoon. This town values their library and the role it plays in the community culture. I was reminded once again why we're there, and in every other community in our region.

Welcome, PLA

2008-03-26T22:21:00.001-05:00

The Public Library Association is holding its biennial conference in Minneapolis this week. Two years ago, when we were in Boston for the 2006 conference, all the southern librarians were in a panic when they learned that the 2008 meeting would be in frigid Minneapolis. Minnesota librarians assured them that late March is spring in our state -- no need to worry that you don't have warm enough coats. Well sorry . . . we lied . . . but not on purpose. But please, enjoy our warm hospitality and skyways!

I am a little disappointed in the media welcome though. Not much news coverage, and the online KARE 11 story shows that the reporter is not familiar with libraries like the ones in the small towns I've worked with. The report begins: "Once the backbone of communities, public libraries have slowly lost their place at the forefront. However, thousands of librarians are in Minneapolis this week to make sure their not forgotten."

Well, I beg to differ. Many libraries are part of the backbone infrastructure that supports their communities. And furthermore, the PLA meeting is more than a rally to raise library popularity. And I won't even comment on the writer's deficit in literacy skills, demonstrated in his lack of discernment between their and they're.

Anyway, welcome, library colleagues! We're glad you're here for another inspiring PLA Conference.

Be nice

2008-03-26T09:46:00.005-05:00

Received a reminder from the universe this morning . . . that a little goodwill goes a long ways to diffusing short tempers. I went on Flickr, and saw this error message screen. Delivering bad news with a bit of a smile goes a long ways towards good customer service. I wrote about this about 18 months ago, following the receipt of a similar message from Blogger. It bears repeating -- when we have something to say (whether it's on the circ desk or online) that has the potential to be disappointing, do it with good humor. And promise (as Flickr does) that "we're looking into the problem right now."

Flickr error screen 26 March 2008, Hold your clicks a moment please. Flickr has the hiccips. We're looking into the problem right now.

Doing and loving

2008-03-05T20:21:00.006-06:00

Whenever some idea crosses my path more than once in a short time, I stop and take notice. I'm not sure if something or someone is sending me a message, or if it's a lesson of the universe that I'm just now ready to learn.

At any rate, such is the case this week that I'm getting a message not from a deep philosophical or theological source, but from sports. Watching the high school hockey tournament tonight (doesn't everyone in Minnesota watch high school hockey in March?), a coach talked about recruiting players. He said he looks for kids who "love the game."

I've heard the same words a number of times the last couple of days, as sportscasters and the green and gold faithful eulogized the career of Packer quarterback Brett Favre*** following his retirement announcement. While he certainly broke almost all the records, and arguably may be the best quarterback ever, what everyone says most is that he had fun. And his fans had fun with him.

Many people have said (in various way) - "do what you love and love what you do." It certainly makes getting up in the morning a lot more fun, when I can't wait to get to work (well, at least most days, unless it's double digits below zero). I have way too many acquaintances and even friends who are on the retirement countdown. They have no joy or love for what they're spending the majority of their waking hours doing. How sad!

Thanks for the memories, Brett!

**By the way, thanks to my staff for the sympathy card -- it's been a rough time for us cheeseheads.

Requiem for Krispie Kreme

2008-02-25T23:06:00.001-06:00

Sometimes you take a photo and you don't know how significant it will be. Such was the case on February 15th when a group of us attended a product demo for security cameras. Along with his presentation, Steve brought a box of Krispie Kreme doughnuts. Since we don't have a Krispie Kreme up in our neck of the woods, I popped out the camera and took a picture. Doesn't this just make your mouth water?

Little did we know, that it was the last box of Krispie Kremes we'd see in Minnesota. On February 21st, Krispie Kreme ceased Minnesota sales. WCCO news story.

Krispie Kreme's short tenure in Minnesota has been newsworthy, but sales have evidently been less than profitable. The first store opened in Maple Grove in 2002. They had to call the cops to control the traffic jam around the doughnut shop (now there's an irony). At that time I lived in Rochester (about 75 miles south) and people coming through the Cities would stop in Maple Grove and pick up a box to impress their friends.

A couple years later, we got a Krispie Kreme in Rochester. It was pretty popular for a while, but closed up fairly quickly. The last time I was there, the empty store (without the signature "Hot" light) stood monument empty.

What's this got to do with libraries? Well, other than the doughnuts were brought to a library, when I went to the Krispie Kreme website, I found out that Krispie Kreme solicits visitors to join its "Friends of Krispie Kreme" (just like library Friends groups). The site promises that Krispie Kreme will "regularly send you timely information about exciting new products, special offers, and local events." What a neat idea, to sign up Friends on the website!

Apostrophe Ambiguity

2008-02-14T07:03:00.003-06:00

My Veterans Day post concerning to apostrophe or not to apostrophe garnered at least as many hits via search engines as any other single post I've written. Seems that we are an apostrophe-challenged society, but I'm heartened to see how many people are searching for correct usage.

So now as I write notices to close libraries on Presidents/Presidents'/President's Day, I am moved to write another apostrophe post. So I went to Wikipedia, and found that all 3 have instances of correct usage:

President's Day -- when speaking of only one president

Presidents' Day -- when recognizing multiple presidents

Presidents Day -- favored by the Associated Press Stylebook, which is followed by journalists and public relations folks

So, in case you're wondering, I settled on Presidents Day. Have a good one, if you're lucky enough to get it off. And, in keeping with U.S. Senate tradition since 1862, read George Washington's Farewell Address.

Washington's Farewell Address, from The Papers of George Washington at the University of Virginia:
Handwritten Facsimile
Transcription

Service Expectations

2008-02-09T16:29:00.001-06:00

I’ve moved to a town with no bagels! What a shock. The rhythm of my weekend life is disrupted – start coffee maker, make quick pickup trip to bagel shop, enjoy morning paper with fresh coffee and bagel. My expectation for available retail facilities is shattered. There are no bagels in this town – and the little frozen things in the supermarket just won’t do.

I’ve moved several times; this is the 9th city I’ve called home in my adult life. In each new home I anticipate that certain services will be provided by governmental and retail business. Most times I’m satisfied: the post office supplies me with a mail delivery box, the newspaper shows up daily once initiated, the garbage truck takes away the trash when I set it by the curb, and the house of worship delivers a predictable experience. A balanced complement of retail provides food, clothing, shoes, and take-out Chinese. So, when I don’t find a reasonable facsimile to something I’m used to having, my equilibrium is completely out of whack!

What expectations do people have of libraries? Time-tested amenities include books to check out, pre-school story time, and tax forms. Other service expectations may or may not be satisfied, depending on local priorities. You may or may not find movie DVDs, audio books for your MP3 player, public computers, or a wireless signal to hook into with your laptop computer. Even more frustrating may be the inconsistencies in privileges to use the library’s resources. For instance, in some libraries you can sit at a table and read a book, but you need a library card (verified with a permanent address) to use a computer.

What can the public expect when they see a “public library” sign? Should there be core services available to all? Should there be consistent requirements for use? Should those core services be tied to receipt of public dollars? Should it be the responsibility of entities receiving taxing authority to provide funding for core services? What are the core services? And who defines all this?

And in the meantime, maybe I’ll have to open my own bagel shop.

My food photos recognized

2008-02-01T21:44:00.000-06:00

At last notoriety! For my great leadership and management? Naw! For my awe-inspiring musical performance? Naw! For my insightful blog posts? Naw . . . . for my pictures of food. The ones all my friends and colleagues make fun of.

Well, let me tell you . . . the photo I took of the artfully presented entrees at the Cheescake Factory when I was at PLA in Boston 2 years ago is part of the Schmap Boston Guide. They even asked my permission. So, I guess that proves it, huh? I am an officially recognized food photographer.

Watch out for me at PLA in Minneapolis next month ;^)

here's my photo, in case you missed it

Digital TV and Seniors

2007-12-01T16:19:00.000-06:00

It's December 1st, and the holiday shopping advertisements are deafening. A great many of the ads are for HDTVs (high-definition television). Advertisers would have us believe that, unless we buy an HDTV, and preferably now, we will not be able to see any television after February 17, 2009 when the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005 takes effect Well, that's not exactly true - although the way we hook up our TVs may be different in just over a year.

I am particularly worried about some of the most vulnerable people in my community as this looming change in television occurs. Among the vulnerable are senior citizens, who have lived through the evolution of television from click-clicking channel changers, through the discernment of which programs are in "living color" to remote controls. Senior citizens have endured changes in entertainment and room arrangement brought by the televisions that have come into their homes. They struggle to translate bundled cable service bills and Dish network telemarketers who promise features that in truth if they installed they'll almost surely never learn how to use. My octogenarian family members still can't understand why they could not watch their favorite Green Bay Packers when their Thursday night game was hijacked by the proprietary NFL network.

The Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act will require full-power television stations to cease analog broadcasts and switch to digital after February 17, 2009 and will free up much needed spectrum for advanced wireless broadband services and interoperable communications among emergency first responders. Television viewers will benefit because digital television provides consumers with a clearer picture and more programming options.

In order to watch "over the air" programming and realize a clearer picture (of negligible benefit to many), all consumers will need to make one of three choices:
1. Purchase a TV with a digital tuner (not affordable to many)
2. Subscribe to a cable or satellite provider and comply with any special appliance or hook-ups that the provider prescribes (not required by many who live near broadcasting stations)
3. Purchase a digital converter for the analog TV they currently own

The Digital TV Act authorizes the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) of the Commerce Department to create the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program, administer distribution of the coupons, and carry out consumer education. The Act provides that each household can get up to two $40 coupons to be applied to the purchase of digital converter boxes.

So, while even my eyes glaze over as I ponder the realm and advisability of the possibilities, I am afraid for senior citizens, who are still trying to choose among and cope with complicated drug insurance programs. I fear that many with limited income will fall victim to over-zealous charlatans and buy televisions or appliances that they can neither afford or learn to operate. Still more will just give up on the televisions that provide them with diversion and entertainment in often limited or lonely environments.

As I'm pondering this dilemma on a snowbound afternoon, I am considering how libraries can partner with senior organizations to provide the information that seniors as well as all our customers can use to navigate through these new circumstances.

While I think many are woefully ignorant of this pending change, I expect that libraries will step up to provide valuable information and help community residents get through it. After all, we did survive Y2K!

Energy of change

2007-11-29T18:12:00.000-06:00

Is change energizing or draining? Depends on how you look at it. I'm usually energized by change. Sure it's tiring, but it's a good tired. It's been over 2 months since I made an employment change and moved 100 miles up the highway. While I was far from burned out in my former job, I find every day a new and exciting adventure. I actually get up and can't wait to get to work. Yup! For me, change is invigorating.

Sort of like re-arranging the furniture in your house. Some people never move a chair. Others move the couches so often that you'd better check behind before you sit down, lest it has moved across the room. I'm sort of in between (partly because my house doesn't give me a lot of options). And when you do sit down, and the couch is facing north instead of south, you get a whole new view of the room. You see things differently when the light shines on you from a different angle.

Had an inspiring change moment yesterday when I invited a small staff team to vision how we might re-arrange the public area of the library. First we gathered around a table, and soon we were walking around the library. Before I knew it, the team was so excited that they couldn't wait to accomplish even some small change that would feel like progress. They moved chairs and tables. Then we came downstairs and dug through closets finding magazine shelving for a revamped teen area. We'll have to wait for moves that involve electrical cords and Cat 5 cable, but we're on our way. Even today, people are pouring over sketches and diagrams What fun!

Blog readability

2007-11-14T07:22:00.000-06:00

Formulating a message to fit the audience is a constant challenge -- in both written and spoken communication. The online Blog Readability Test purports to assess a reading level for blogs, or any URL you put in the search box. I am proud to say that this blog rates a "College" rating (smirk). Well, alright, it's only "undergrad" but it's a credible rating, albeit from a suspect algorithm. Imagine my astonishment to find that my library system's newly launched East Central Libraries collaborative blog rates "Genius." Wow!

Thanks to Stephen's Lighthouse for this tip

Get your wiggles out

2007-10-24T22:18:00.000-05:00

I walked into work this morning, and there was a sign on our library door "Storytime cancelled today due to illness." When I asked "how come?" I learned that Vickie, our most excellent children's storytime leader, had been at the hospital ER last night and was too ill to come in today. She had tried her regular subs and found no one available, thus storytime had to be cancelled.

Well, as the new Director, I thought -- disappointing children and their parents is not a good thing to happen on my watch. So I walked through the library and offices, asking who wanted to take me up on the "opportunity" to read for storytime. No takers!

So, as my grandma would say, "the best place to find a helping hand is at the end of your arm." I started out my career as a teacher, so this was not foreign to me. What was difficult was pulling together a storytime in a short time -- but I was told the well-prepared Vickie had the lesson plan, complete with books, finger-plays, songs, and a video, all neatly piled on a cart. As encouragement, Carla said that she'd be right there for me guiding me through as my technical assistant.

So, just prior to 10:00 I went to the children's area to greet the kids, who kept coming and coming. The floor seating area was covered with attentive little ones, and still they kept coming. We lost count after 50; they don't stay still to be counted.

Well, aided by Carla we went through the planned program, moving from finger plays (put your hands in your lap), to stories about marsupials (it was Australian animals day), to picture puzzles (the kids assured me I draw good). Somewhere in the middle of the get your wiggles out song, I discovered we were ALL having a wonderful time.

Meanwhile, downstairs in the office, I had temporarily foisted my 10:00 appointment off on my able assistant director and technology staff. The appointment was with a network security guy, who was gathering information on our needs to prepare a proposal. Pretty heavy stuff compared to storytime.

But what is really important? Planning for secure computer networks to serve the growing technology demands or literacy training for 50+ pre-schoolers and their parents/grandparents/care givers.

Such is the life of the public library. Constant demands for a wide range of programs and services by a diverse clientele. Not enough time or resources, but somehow we get it done.

And the kids left with big smiles on their faces. And the computer network guy got all the information he needed. And although I was late to get to the start of the state library association meeting, I know I did what I'm called to do -- and I had a very good day!

Veterans Day - no apostrophe

2007-10-17T07:33:00.000-05:00

Next month there are 2 American federal holidays - Veterans Day (always November 11th) and Thanksgiving (celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November - this year November 22nd).

Many libraries will be putting up signs - "Closed for Veterans Day." One of my pet peeves (gosh, there are so many) is misplaced apostrophes. And because of my family involvement, Veterans Day is important to me. So, please forgive me for this soapbox pitch . . . . "Veterans Day" has no apostrophe.

And good librarian that I am, here's my source from an FAQ on the website of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs:

Q. Which is the correct spelling of Veterans Day?
a. "Veterans Day"
b. "Veteran's Day"
c. "Veterans' Day"
A. Veterans Day (choice a, above).Veterans Day does not include an apostrophe but does include an "s" at the end of "veterans" because it is not a day that "belongs" to veterans, it is a day for honoring all veterans.

Closing the Norwegian consulate?

2007-10-10T18:27:00.001-05:00

Somehow it just doesn't seem right! According to the Star Tribune, quoting the Grand Folks Herald (good librarians cite their sources), Norway is planning on closing the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in Minneapolis. The article says "The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to convert consulates in Minneapolis and Edinburgh, Scotland, to "honorary'' status while opening new consulates in China and Spain. Officials said the move would make better use of government resources." It further says that Norwegian-American groups dissuaded a similar intention in 2001 through a letter-writing campaign.

Norwegian-Americans unite. This is the closest we'll get to the homeland. Join Ole and Lena and Sven carrying signs in Nicollett Mall.