DegreeTutor has a series of interviews up with various library folk. Take a look:
http://www.degreetutor.com/library/librarians-online
Here’s mine: http://www.degreetutor.com/library/librarians-online/michael-stephens
I do get talk about grocery stores:
We can learn from the “retail expectations” of our users and potential users. I was amazed to see a high end grocery store chain in Minneapolis offer a meeting room for groups. The Book Club could be meeting at the store – not at the library in the near future! One goal for the L2 library might be to restablish the idea of the commons – that shared space that can be many things to many people and everyone feels ownership. I’m sorry, but a sign stating the rules of the building on the front door is not encouraging. Find ways to make policies and guidlelines friendly…and welcoming.
Do you suggest selling groceries at the library?
Well, no but the idea that a grocery store chain is offering meeting room space – something libraries have done for years – says a lot to me about how once unique services found at the library are being adopted by buisness, etc. For example, what if the same store had not only community meeting space, but a cafe with wifi, a Red Box DVD rental machine and classes about cooking and food. That’s so similar to what the library down the street might be offering, it scares me. I am intrigued by the third place and I know I’m not alone.