A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from a librarian in Kentucky inviting me to breakfast during my stay in Louisville. I’m glad I said yes! McCracken PL (Paducah, KY) librarian Iris Garrott, who blogs at http://circulating.wordpress.com and library director Marie Liang treated me to breakfast and told me all about what they’ve been doing at their library.
Using the works of Jim Collins, including his book Good to Great, these librarians reported their library was inspired to be great: great customer service, great interactions between staff, and great communication. I was impressed with something Marie told me: employess at the library can get funding to take classes — not just library classes — but any type of college courses, undergraduate, etc. She confirmed something I suspected. Give folks a nurturing environment, give them some assistance to learn and follow their interests and they pay the library back with dedication and enagement! I was also very impressed with their whole story and very sorry that I could not be at their presentation detailing the journey — we were scheduled at the same time!
Luckily, Iris has put up the slides as a Flickr set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/circulating/sets/72157594302022399/
Take a look. It might inspire you. Thanks Iris and Marie — for breakfast and for an official McCracken PL tote and my own copy of Good to Great.