Tame The Web

Via It’s All Good:

Wednesday, June 25, 2008—The British Columbia Library Association (BCLA) announces the appointment of Alane Wilson as Executive Director of the BCLA, effective June 30^th, 2008. Alane Wilson was most recently Senior Library Market Consultant with OCLC in Dublin, Ohio.

During her time with OCLC, Alane Wilson monitored and analyzed trends and data to foster innovative thinking and strategic initiatives. She was a key player in the development of the OCLC seminal Environmental Scan of 2003, for which she was recognized by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services. A graduate of the University of British Columbia, Ms. Wilson is experienced in a variety of library and corporate sectors.

In making the announcement, BCLA President Lynne Jordon noted that “Alane Wilson is knowledgeable about trends and issues in the library field and an effective contributor to the profession; she understands the role of strategic planning and effective communications in developing strong associations.” The Board looks forward to continuing its leadership in advocacy and information policy, and forging strong partnerships with related associations and groups.

The British Columbia Library Association has more than 800 members with revenue of almost $3 million. The Association is an active member of The Partnership, an alliance of provincial and territorial library association across the country.

Congrats Alane!

Adrian Mixson, Library Director at Hall County Library System weighs in on an article about recent library trends in Governing via the library’s e-link newsletter:

http://www.hallcountylibrary.org/elink/elink_jul08.htm

Dear Patron,

I subscribe to Governing magazine electronically and usually read it shortly after the monthly is released. If you are not familiar with the magazine, it is probably the best publication currently out that addresses the most crucial issues facing state and local government. The June issue featured an article entitled Revolution in the Stacks: to appeal to a new generation some libraries are positioning themselves as places to create content, by Christopher Swope; pshew,  but that is one long Library 2.0 subtitle.

Every new generation of librarians feel they are on the most cutting side of service. Many have yet to fund change so they fail to understand why institutional change can be slow. They have yet to learn that a measured response is much better than being a leader of the pack. They are frequently not held responsible when change is not successful so they risk nothing.

I salute the leaders of the pack. They get us thinking in new ways. Thank goodness for DOK, PLCMC, Georgia Tech, HCPL, Darien, etc. But I would agree that all libraries do not have to live at the bleeding edge of innovation. I urge those folks to follow the innovators and implement change when the time is right.

Here’s the link to Governing: http://www.governing.com/articles/0806libraries.htm

Then:

I have seen a lot of change in 30 years as a practicing librarian. Most of what gets passed off as new customer service ideas is just old ideas repackaged as new.

The ease of creating of digital information, the endless flow of ideas from the “crowd” of bloggers, YouTubers, Facebookers, etc, and the possibility for interaction online locally as well as globally has changed the way many folks do business, interact with government and engage with non-profits (among many others) cause me to disagree. We could never connect in the ways we can now. The mob is smart and it’s not going away.

Then:

Most of the real change comes in how to provide service with new formats. Just think of the challenges in how to store cassette, CD and long playing record versus book. If you ever handled ultrafiche - which put the Bible on a piece of film the size of your thumb - you begin to understand the interplay of lighting, electricity, equipment and patron use with the introduction of a new format. Unfortunately most of us cannot change library space at whimsy.

I’ve seen libraries that have created easily changeable spaces as they look to the future. Hopefully, more will follow suit when the time comes for new buildings or renovation. Planning flexible spaces may be one of the most important things we do as we go forward, including lighting, electricity and patron use. Part of that involves changing the mindset about what a library building is and could be without focussing on not changing because of space/facility.

Librarians have always worried about losing the young adult reader and needing to provide new services and space to keep them coming back. This is not new. I once chased a fellow out of a library for skating about on roller blades. I know if we had made the main stairwell a roller blade park, the kids would have been there. I would have probably bought a coke and sat during lunch watching them jump on the stair rail and skate down. I just did not think this was the creative content appropriate for the location.

I’m reminded of Stephen Abram’s take on skateboards. It isn’t new but boy do I worry about how some teens are treated in some libraries.

Later: (emphasis mine)

There are new ideas about library service and some sound like fun. If you just convince your elected officials to give this library the money, we will be Wii-ing, You Tubing and blogging with the best. But libraries are still the bastions for ideas and they are important, and if at any time you feel that is not so then try reading Azar Nafisi’s Reading Lolita in Tehran. Somewhere on this globe people still die for a good book!

Ideas are important! All kinds - including those shared on a library blog or via a library YouTube contest.Or between strategizing youth at a game competetion hosted by the library. I hope the folks of Hall County respond that maybe some Wii, a blog and such might be useful. I’d especially think the young adult librarians there might find such tools useful.

Maybe the resources that will come from the $1 Million grant from Verizon to ALA for gaming will help folks understand the importance of this trend in libraries:

“In today’s technology-driven world, where learning does not stop at the classroom, the role of libraries in supporting literacy and learning is more critical than ever before,” said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston. “Gaming for learning presents a tremendous opportunity for libraries to further literacy skills in children as well as adults.” 

Maybe allocating just a bit of the Hall County Library budget for emerging digital tools for literacy and some exploration of Web 2.0 might be just the ticket for this library’s staff and ultimately, its users.

I’d post these comments about Mixson’s letter at the elink newsletter site, but I see no way to do so. I think I need some time anyway to ponder these points further. Take a look at the letter, and let me know what you think.

Helene Blowers pointed to Matt Gullet’s post about moving to the great Northwest:

Lastly, some may look at this move and say that is crazy, risky, stupid, etc. He is flying without a parachute or a net. Yes, I agree to some extent that doing this is a bit risky, but sometimes in life we need to do things a bit different by trusting and have some faith that things will work out. Library culture isn’t typically a place that handles risk well, but on the other hand that is the nature of a library (a stable place and space). It is just that risk and challenge is what tends to make things new and sometimes great. it makes us stretch as individuals and as institutions. I feel that living such a risk in my own life then helps me to more fully understand how that process really plays out in many other facets of an organization. I hope that makes sense.

That said, I will be seeking any and all opportunities in the Seattle area that help me grow, learn and discover new possibilities as a contributor in creating experiences for people and communities that enhance and sustain their lives (and ultimately their stories).

Like Helene, I’d urge any and all Seattle area libraries to look at Matt’s excellent work history and implementations of outstanding service, his personal philosophies of library service and his innovative ideas and grab him! 

Good luck to you Matt!

http://www.macworld.com/article/134054/2008/06/itunesstore.html

Apple on Thursday announced that more than five billion songs have been purchased and downloaded from its iTunes Store.

According to NPD MusicWatch figures, the iTunes Store is the number one music retailer in the U.S.; Apple also says that the iTunes Store is the most popular online movie store in the world, with people renting and buying more than 50,000 movies every day.

File this under “What to do about the AV department.”

http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/2008/06/sustainable-web.html

Great stuff from the LiB! I especially like her focus on planning, budgets and getting things done!

Profiles have great potential, writes David Warlick:

I’ve mentioned this in some of my presentations, that I do not believe that we - educators older than 30 (arbitrarily chosen age) - truly understand social networks yet.  For instance, we’re trying to grow individual and independent social networks out of every discipline, school level, and just about any other probable community of educational interest.  I’ll bet I’ve been contaced by e-mail or phone call by no fewer than ten people over the past month, each wanting me to see their social network.  “This social network is going to revolutionize physical education!”

What strikes me is that our students make it work with just one.  The three main choices, as far as I know, are MySpace, Bebo, and Facebook, the later seeming to be the one of choice at present.  So why didn’t we figure out how to use Facebook as the social network for NECC.  I looked there for a group for NECC.  I probably won’t do that again :-/

So, anyway, I keep wondering about this.  What’s the point, beyond costing time, which I guess many of our students have more to spend.  It seems to me, that the true potential for all of this, and something that I don’t even think Facebook has truly captured yet, is the profile.  What bothers me about social networks is that they have walls.  It’s a weekness of Ning, in my opinion, that there do not seem to be easy and logical ways for us to connect to each other, based on common interests, regardless of the networks we’ve joined.  There are certainly security issues.  But for me to learn, to grow, to solve problems, and accomplish goals, I need to connect to people and resources that help me do that.

Creating one profile that extends to all of my networks - to all of my spaces intrigues me. Is this the next step? One place? One profile? Many extensions?

Will all of these eventually be one:

• Del.icio.us
• Facebook
• Flickr
• Last.fm
• LibraryThing
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube

LISjobs.com is seeking submissions for a new logo that reflects its mission of job hunting and career development for librarians and info pros. This logo will be featured on the upcoming redesign of the LISjobs.com website, as well as in additional print and online materials.

Guidelines:

Please keep the design in a landscape (wider than it is tall) format, and use lighter colors to help it stand out against the redesigned site. While creating your design, keep in mind that the new LISjobs.com expands coverage of career development and library education issues, serving all stages of info pros’ career cycle. I’m seeking a logo that best represents that mission.

Please submit your design as a .jpg file to rachel@lisjobs.com by Monday, July 7. If your design is chosen, please be prepared to submit a high-quality Illustrator (.eps) or Photoshop (.psd) graphic (vector preferred).

If your design is chosen, you affirm that you will transfer all rights over to Rachel Singer Gordon/LISjobs.com. By submitting a logo design, you affirm that you are its creator and have not used others’ protected work in its design. You will be credited on the LISjobs.com website as the logo designer, with a link back to your own web presence if desired. You will also receive a free resume posting on LISjobs.com (lifetime, or as long as I still offer this service) as well as an autographed copy of What’s the Alternative: Career Options for Librarians and Info Pros (ITI, 2008).

The winning design will be chosen by Rachel Singer Gordon. If no design is selected, there may be no winner of this contest, and LISjobs.com may stick with its old logo.

I had lunch last week with Debra Futa, the Assistant Director of SJCPL, my former library. I enjoyed it because we got to “geek out” a bit with discussions of library processes, workflows, etc. The library has a some building projects going full steam ahead, including a brand new branch library in a few years. We also talked about the budget wors facing many Indiana libraries. Deb shared with me part of a talk she gave at the library’s staff day. I found it inspiring and straight-forward. It might be helpful to other Indiana librarians. She’s graciously allowed me to publish an excerpt here (with some emphasis from yours truly in bold). After describing the many successes of the library system in the past few years, Deb said:

“…We’re also looking at something new – less money.  For 20 years, we had the funds to expand and to prosper.  We had plenty of new materials, we had lots of programs, we did outreach, we attended conferences, we hired new employees.  By the end of 2010, we’ll have 1.6 million dollars less to do all of those things.  And operating costs continue to rise.

We’ve always changed but this is change of a new sort.  Presidential Medal of Freedom winner Eric Hoffer said,  “In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future.  The learned find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists.”

Well we are nothing if not learners.  We’ve spent much of the past 10 years learning to embrace the changes in libraries – constant new technology, Web 2.0, roving reference, self-service.  But this - this may be the hardest change yet because it feels like we’re moving backward instead of forward.  The real challenge is to learn (there’s that word again) how to prosper and retrench at the same time.  And that’s a difficult thing for all of us.

The word Learn is the first word of our Vision statement of Learn - Discover  - Enjoy. 

So what kinds of things are involved in this new learning? We’ll need to learn how to do our work with fewer resources. We’ll need to learn what programs are most effective and make changes accordingly. We’ll learn how to operate 10 buildings for about the same cost as 9 buildings.

And we’ll learn how to work in a new reality where we don’t have as much of everything.

Although we’re cutting back, there are also things we’re committed to doing:

• We are committed to finding a salary increase for employees next year.
  
• We are committed to reducing employee numbers through attrition, not layoffs
  
• We are committed to not reducing scheduled hours – if your job description says 20 hours, we’re committed to maintaining that unless you voluntarily reduce it.

These are not promises – the amount of our tax revenue is out of our control – but we have committed to finding ways to do these things

This year’s learning is all about how we’re going to accept and embrace a new reality.  We have until the end of 2010 to trim 1.6 million dollars from our operating budget and we’ll also need approximately 9 full time equivalent positions just to open German Township.

Can we do it?  Absolutely.  It’s why we’re starting early.  Taking into account the already vacant positions and the positions we know we’ll lose this year, we’re halfway there in staffing costs.

We are a terrific library and you are a terrific group of people.  Our staff surveys have always shown that one of the best things about coming to work at SJCPL is the people – our co-workers.

We’re all in this together and I hope we’re all working toward the same goals.  We want to continue to provide innovative, excellent service to our patrons and create a welcoming workplace.  Our shared purpose is still reflected in our mission and vision statements:  Learn  Discover  Enjoy.  That vision translates not just to our public but also to ourselves.”

This is hard, serious stuff. I was at SJCPL for almost 15 years - in a time when we had lots of funding, loads of technology and great opportunities so it is especially sobering for me. I wish the folks there and in all Indiana librarie the very best as they find their way through these times. 

Had to post this comment up top from Lynette in Australia. She was responding to this:

http://tametheweb.com/2008/06/05/wanting-feedback/

Many teachers and schools still see the need to “control learning” rather than sharing the learning experience with students, hence applications such as YouTube, Myspace, Facebook, etc… are blocked in educational facilities.

Literacy today is more than books and the published word, it involves communication, sharing  and  social networking and this is all achieved throught he use of Web 2.0 technology.  I am currently taking 900 teachers and teacher librarians through the Learning 2.0 program in Australia.  Apart from IT departments blocking sites, the biggest hurdle is teachers understanding that these fabulous tools can actually enhance their professional development and can also be used in the classroom to enhace the creativity and literacy skills of students.  For some of the particpants of the the Learning 2.0 program, this is their first experience with Web 2.0 applications. It is great to seem some of the creativity and thoughts coming from teachers, that some applicatons such as Flickr, YouTube, Facebook may actually be used to  enhance the learning experience rather than hinder it..

Very cool. Lynette - please let us know how your learning program goes.

Don’t miss this conversation with Helene Blowers, part of the Allen County Public Library’s ongoing video series. Her points about unplugging and leadership are spot on.

I was lucky to get to do this as well last December: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzBC8q_hTHY, as did Stephen Abram: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd_7VZF5kyk.

Frank Haulgren commented here and I just had to make it a post:

Western Washington Univ.s “14 Days To Have Your Say” project was directly inspired by the Starbuck’s campaign.  I had read a newspaper article (quaint, no?) about this project one day while having lunch and immediately thought to myself, “We can do this!  We should do this!”

It was a very, very worth while project!

http://lib206.lib.wwu.edu/14days/frontpage

New WWU Dean of Libraries Chris Cox responds on the site:

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who have taken the time to offer your ideas and feedback about The Western Libraries. I’ve been eagerly reading these and am looking forward to working with all of you to answer your needs, whether they be quiet in the library, the construction of a cafe, installing a book drop on the south side of campus or investigating the feasability of longer library hours and/or a 24 hour study space. I’m very excited to be coming to a place where the students, faculty and staff care so much about their library.

Gathering feedback for planning from stakeholders in the academic library should be a top priority. Using mechanisms inspired by good ole Starbucks in our 2.0 world is inspired. Well done WWU!

http://cogdogblog.com/2008/06/04/high-school-buddy-on-oldaily/

Adam Levine points to a facsinating presentation and a bit of serendipty with an old chum:

In the midst of my regular daily mix of seeing what new things come into my antennae, I am reading the email update of Stephen’s OLDaily and stop my scan/scrolling– there it is, a familiar name:

How Identity and Access Management Can Help Your Institution Touch Its Toes
Kevin Morooney, EDUCAUSE Connect

This presentation was both fascinating and infuriating. I really liked the style of presentation - page forward through it quickly - and I think the argument is well reasoned. But - it is well reasoned from an institutional perspective. Which make things like fingerprints sound reasonable.

Wait a second! I went to high school with Kevin.. and I know he is currently the CIO at Penn State University. So I browse over to theEDUCAUSE abstract and read:

Successful IT infrastructures and architectures are expected to nimbly provide the context for protecting and sharing information and identities. In today’s world, new legislation, expectations from faculty and students, and managing risk several times a second are all threats to keeping current services relevant and time to market for new services reasonable. Understanding the importance and nature of the intersection created by security, identity, and policy is vital to planning the future of our infrastructures and architectures.

I viewed the PDF of the slides and many of the ideas about changing perspectives on identity, security, etc  struck a chord with me as I grapple with university IT infrastructures and work with other libraries to plan effectively. Some of the stuff went a million miles over my head but I was really taken with the insights. Of course, the slide illustrated above made me say “Ah Ha!” Check it out. Good stuff.

Great stuff! I’ll be sharing these helpful presentations with my students:
I had a good time presenting at the Arizona Libraries Summer Institute, despite the fact that I was rather ill while presenting (darn food poisoning).  I had a number of very informative and energizing discussions with the staff who attended, and I want to especially thank Jaime Ball for making my entire experience a nice one (again, sans food poisoning). 

I did promise to post my presentations, so here they are!

• Methods for Staying Current (PDF)
• Tools for Staying Current (PDF)

Via Gerry McKiernan:

http://chronicle.com/wiredcampus/article/3064/

Josh Fischman writes:

Long a standard reference source for scholarship, largely because of its tightly controlled editing, theEncyclopaedia Britannica announced this week it was throwing open its elegantly-bound covers to the masses. It will allow the “user community” (in the words of the encyclopedia’s blog) to contribute their own articles, which will be clearly marked and run alongside the edited reference pieces.

This seems to be a response to the runaway success of the user-edited online reference tool Wikipedia. (See for yourself. Do a Web search on a topic and note whether Wikipedia or Britannica shows up first.) Scholars have been adamantly opposed to Wikipedia citations in academic papers because the authors and sources are always changing. Jimmy Wales, Wikipedia’s co-founder, agrees with this, but in next week’s issue of The Chronicle (click back to our home page on Monday for more) he also points to some changes in the reference tool that may make it more palatable to scholars.

At Britannica, “readers and users will also be invited into an online community where they can work and publish at Britannica’s site under their own names,” the encyclopedia’s blog explains.

Contributor: Lee.

ScholarsArchive@OSU is Oregon State University’s digital service for gathering, indexing, making available and storing the scholarly work of the Oregon State University community.

Its primary goal is to provide freely-available and long-term access to the historic and contemporary intellectual work that makes Oregon State University faculty and students leaders in research, teaching and creativity. It also includes materials from outside the institution in support of the university’s land, sun, sea and space grant missions and other research interests.

Contributor: Lee.

Under the direction of the Director, and in cooperation with the Website Coordinator and Manager of Public Information, the Virtual Services Coordinator develops strategies for implementing and delivery of virtual services to the public. The Virtual Services Coordinator works to integrate the Library’s web offerings and to guide the Library’s virtual services efforts toward user-centered services, incorporating new creative approaches that optimize the customer experience, manage content, and provide customer support.

Duties and responsibilities:

• Ensures that all our web services and virtual resources are integrated and designed for ease of use and convenience of patrons
• Provides leadership to engage the user in effective interaction with the Library’s resources. Considers the Skokie Public Library website, SkokieNet, the catalog, databases, eBooks, other online resources, opportunities for Library 2.0, social networking, and enriched content
• Serves on the executive team to develop and integrate virtual services strategies into the overall strategic plan of the Library
• Works in project management capacity in support of Library virtual service objectives
• Works with Library Director and Department Heads to organize workgroups to accomplish objectives
• Assesses use of virtual resources
• Utilizes analytical tools and accesses research to understand customer behaviors and increase the number and length of visits to virtual library resources
• Provides service at public desks
• May promote and participate in staff and patron training for new virtual services and strategies
• May develop content for the Library’s websites

I met Chris O’Malley in Australia. I was very interested to hear about the trainee program he’s in. I asked him to write a little bit about it for TTW:

Librarianship is a competitive profession to break into.  Getting that first professional role was a proud moment for me, which felt like the culmination of a lot of study, a lot of thought about where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do, and even dealing with a little rejection along the way.  This seems to be a reasonably common experience.  Of course, now I have broken through that barrier, there are many more that I have faced and am yet to face.  Maybe another story for another time.

My chance to enter into the profession came through a program run by Flinders University Library (Adelaide, South Australia).  Officially titled the ‘Flinders University Graduate Trainee Librarian Program’, it has been running for about 15 years now, and is still going strong.  The traineeship is 3 years in length, and is specifically targeted at librarians who are newly qualified or who have yet to have their first opportunity at a qualified role.  I’m currently about 15 months into my 3 years, and have recently started my second placement in the library.  My first gig was in Cataloguing, and although at times it seems to be a maligned art, I must admit that I liked it.  It gives a good foundation for a whole realm of librarianship, and has influenced me even when weighing in to debates such as the merits of folksonomical and taxanomical classification.

Non-librarian friends don’t quite get as enthused at times about such things, funnily enough.

Part of the program is that each trainee changes roles at least once in order to gain a diversity of skills and understanding, but some do change more than once.  I am now about 2 months into my second role, which is a dual role in the Law Library and the Special Collections.    

The Law Library aspect has a large reference component to it, amoungst other duties.  The Special Collections is part library, part archive, and if I don’t mention it too much I’ll be able to lure the curious of you out there to check it out at:

http://www.lib.flinders.edu.au/resources/collection/special/ 

The learning curve again is steep, and the dual job both interesting and rewarding. I’ve found that the traineeship has been a great way for me to enter into the world of librarianship.  The following is the link to the pages which show the history, philosophy and objectives of the program, as well as some past and current trainee experiences.  

http://www.lib.flinders.edu.au/info/trainee/index.html

There are a number of different ways for organisations to think about new librarians.  It will be interesting to see if this traineeship resonates as an option for anyone out there reading this.

Flinders University Library

“Opening New Windows of Opportunity: Creating Breakthrough Instructional Experiences” On Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 3 pm. EST.

Brian Mathews will speak on “breakthrough opportunities” as he shares his latest ideas on creating interactive library experiences for students. This session will feature tactics for engaging students in both the classroom as well as in digital environments. Brian will also discuss possibilities for the library and librarians to become a more integrated part of campus and will highlight his ubiquitous “push-out” philosophy.

Guest Speaker Bio:

Brian Mathewsis the User Experience Librarian at Georgia Tech. He frequency writes and speaks on the topics of marketing, assessment, and user interactions. His blog, The Ubiquitous Librarian, frequently describes many of his on-going projects aimed at making the library a more user-centered experience.

Although this event is free, advance registration is required.

Edited to add the link to registration - http://home.learningtimes.net/library?go=1199293

library patron? no., originally uploaded by aaron schmidt.

Aaron writes:

a library employee. everyone i saw minus one was on the OUTSIDE of these desks, not hidden behind.

I am so happy to see this. It’s a perfect example of the evolving library and evolving reference desk. Three cheers to this forward thinking library in Holland.

I’m reminded of recent retail experiences where I stood beside the person helping me as we designed our new front door. I’m reminded of checking into a hotel where the check in desk had been replaces with individual kiosks/stations, where I stood beside the hotel staff checking me in.

Have you tried this in your libraries? Do you want to? Is there resistance to new ways of thinking? Have you “always done it this way.” Look to other countries folks. Look to other businesses and organizations.

Please comment if you are trying this user-friendly, open model at your library.

http://curtisrogers.blogspot.com

Check out this article. Shouldn’t libraries be included in this equation?

Every Company Should Use Social Media | Employee Evolution

Social media is changing everything. Business Week recently published an article about the power of social media and how companies are beginning to embrace it, because they really don’t have a choice. Not everyone has a blog, or wants to blog, but you would be hard pressed to find many people who aren’t on some type of social network. Now it’s time for corporate America to follow suit and meet their potential customers on their own turf, or risk falling behind the times.

The article says, “It’s as if the walls around our companies are vanishing and old org charts are lying on their sides.”

This concluding section of the article is great:

Controlling the conversation

Social media is a constant conversation and because of this, business is now a constant conversation. It’s a comment string on Brazen Careerist, its someone’s Facebook wall, and it’s a Linked In recommendation. Someone, somewhere is out there talking about your company, and they can say whatever they want. All you can do is control the conversation.

Controlling the conversation does not mean telling people how to talk about your company or spamming a couple bloggers with job postings or company descriptions. It means creating a presence where you can initiate and continue a conversation.

What social media requires is authenticity, because even a newbie social media user can sniff out a phony quickly. But authentic conversation isn’t what most companies do naturally. So when corporations want to initiate a conversation, they have to find the right people, and they better empower those people to tell the truth, which isn’t always great news to deliver.

Starbucks is a great example. When things started going south, they publicly admitted to being at fault. They started a social networking site to ask for help from the customers. And we all remember when they shut down the stores across the country for an afternoon to address some fundamental problems. Smart decisions like that come when you take the time to start a conversation and then remember to listen, too.

It’s not easy. It takes a ton of time and it may even consist of a couple full time hires, but establishing a social media presence is worth it. Sooner or later every company will be actively using social media, but the trendsetters are the one’s who will get the most out of it. Don’t be left behind.

It fascinates me to see these discussions playing out in business, education, non-profits and more. Read the comments as well for more opinion and viewpoints.

Karl Fisch points to a job posting for a school principal:

http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com

The areas of proven success excite me, including what I perceive to be a focus on open communication, participation, and transparency. Awareness and use of technology is highlighted as well.

The candidate must show evidence of proven success in the following areas:

• Commits to the belief that each stakeholder in the school community deserves to be given individual attention and to be treated with dignity and respect.
• Embraces technology and uses it as a management and instructional tool daily.
• Designs opportunities to empower students, staff and parents to be integrally involved in all aspect of the school’s culture and climate.
• Commits to high visibility and daily communication with all stakeholders using multiple forms of communication.
• Understands the complexities and nuances of hiring, evaluating, inspiring, and mentoring all staff members to exceed expectations.
• Analyzes and shares student data and educational research as the foundational principles of Professional Learning Communities.
• Models and articulates high expectations
• Networks with universities, as well as county, state, national and international organizations to assure updated knowledge of best practices and teaching and learning in the 21st Century.

How would your school system and administrators stack up to these expectations?

The ALA Task Force on Electronic Membership Participation (TFOEMP) has been charged with evaluating ALA policy as it relates to members’ ability to engage with and interact with the work of the association through committees and other working groups. A survey of members’ practice and attitudes toward serving on Association committees, task forces, and interests groups at a distance is being undertaken. Through this survey, the TFOEMP hopes to gauge member familiarity, interest, and comfort with various means of participating both synchronously and asynchronously.

Lori Reed is NOT renewing her ALA membership next year:

The announcement I just received from ALA about the application for Emerging Leaders is the final straw in my decision to not renew my ALA membership next year.

The description of the program sounds exciting to someone who is eager to get involved in ALA:

The program is designed to enable more than 100 new librarians to get on the fast track to ALA and professional leadership. Participants are given the opportunity to work on a variety of projects, network with peers, and get an inside look into ALA structure and activities.

But then I read the requirements:

1. Be under 35 years of age or be a new librarian of any age with fewer than 5 years post-MLS experience, and
2. Have a recent MLS degree from an ALA or NCATE accredited program or be in an MLS program currently, and
3. Be able to attend both ALA conferences and work virtually in between each,
4. Be prepared to commit to serve on an ALA, Division, Chapter, or Round Table committee, taskforce or workgroup upon completion of program, and
5. Be an ALA member or join upon selection if not already a member.

So ALA will happily take the money from library “support staff” (BTW I hate that term) for membership but does not allow those same members to apply for leadership opportunities within ALA such as this one. Isn’t this the American Library Association (as opposed to the American Librarian Association)? When will ALA recognize that not all library “professionals” have nor need an MLS.

No thank you.

Sarah Houghton-Jan adds to the discussion:

Interestingly enough, I wanted to apply for the Emerging Leaders Program too but did not do so because of a different reason than Lori’s: the program requires in-person attendance at both ALA conferences.  I do not have institutional support to attend those conferences, so it would be my dollars and possibly my vacation time.  It would also be my poor body that would be traveling in an airplane - something I avoid because of a health condition.  Can we not communicate and participate and network virtually? 

I participate in LITA’s Top Tech Trends Committee, and have to asynchronously virtually participate each year via LITA’s blog because I do not attend the conference (which should mean I can’t even be on the committee, but I have continued to participate this way for a few years now).  Why do we place such high value on in-person attendance at conferences for something like this when there are so many technology tools to help us communicate (VOIP, chat, video conferencing, etc.)?  I’m pretty sure I can become an “Emerging Leader” without going to a two-hour elbow-rubbing party at ALA.  I’m willing to bet there are others who didn’t apply for that reason as well - not enough time, money, or ability to travel far from home. 

How many new leaders are we losing because of the librarian requirement?  And how many because of the traveling requirement?  I wonder.  I really do.

I think we’ll see these concerns appear again and again until something will have to change. I’d like to see more inclusive programs for all the folks who work in libraries and a re-evaluation of virtual participation. I am really looking forward to Jim Rettig’s presidency. The initiatives I’ve seen so far are wonderful.

An attendee at one of my recent talks handed me a small slip of paper as we were finishing:

Fear is the dark room where negatives are developed.