Library Values

One of the sessions I attended at the WLA conference last month was about libraries “Leading the Change.”  It covered many, many topics (some of which may become future blog posts), one of which was library values statements.

You may be wondering what library “values” are and how a list of values is different from a vision statement or mission statement.  I really feel you need all three.  Values are those underlying things you believe in.

Here’s two good examples of values:

(Worthington Libraries, Ohio)

(Eager Free Public Library, Evansville, Wisconsin)

The only thing I would suggest for both of these libraries is too make these values more visible and easy to find on their webpages.

What are your library values?

 

Brought to You By the Letter C

Today’s post is brought to you by the letter C.  And no, it doesn’t stand for Christmas.  Or Cheryl.

It stands for Conflict.   There’s always conflict, of course, but I feel like I’m aware of a great deal of conflict lately.  Perhaps because of the November elections, which made me feel I live in a pretty divided country.  Perhaps because of the ongoing events in Ferguson, Missouri (and similar events elsewhere).  Or maybe because I’m currently living in a neighborhood experiencing some conflict, on a much smaller scale.

At any rate, I don’t like conflict.  And I personally believe that there are some things that contribute to reducing and even eliminating conflict.  They also start with C:

• Communication
• Consensus
• Compromise

Do I need to expand on this?  I don’t think so—I think it is very clear.  Am I oversimplifying?  Perhaps.  But I don’t think so, at least not much.

 

Presentations and Metaphors

Always looking for ways to improve any speeches and presentations, the article Finding the Right Metaphor for Your Presentation (Harvard Business Review) caught my attention.  I think that using metaphors, illustrated by clip art, do give your listeners a “hook” to help them remember your content.

I especially liked the chart in the article that lists cliché metaphors, and then more unique examples for the same concept.  (For example, instead of a handshake to illustrate partnership, a photo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.)

Meaningful Meetings!

Jesse Lyn Stoner has done it again.  This time she delved into meetings, and what makes them work.  Or not.  “The trick is to make your meetings meaningful.”

Since we tend to have lots of meetings in libraries, it is worth taking a look at Stoner’s insights.

Carefully consider her thoughts on reasons to hold a meeting, and reasons NOT to hold one, how to build a meaningful agenda, and involve your team.   I think these tips can help improve your meetings!

 

Thank You!

Thank you to all who read A Life in Libraries.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Why?

Today’s is another post with its basis in the Wisconsin Library Association conference I attended earlier this month.

I heard about the book Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek.  I confess, I have not read this book yet, but here’s what I know about it so far.  It suggests that truly great leaders have one thing in common: They started by asking the question “Why?” as in “why does our organization exist? why do we want to do XYZ?” Then, once you know WHY, asking, “How?” as in “how will we do ABC to achieve that reason why?”  And finally, once you know WHY and HOW, asking “What?” as in “So what?”

Read more about Simon Sinek and the Why/How/What “golden circle,” and watch the YouTube video below.

To me, this sounds like not only a prescription for a good leader, but also a great model for customer service.  We need both in libraries!

Moxie

Moxie.  Do you have it?

Leaders with moxie are leaders that have what it takes to lead others in tough circumstances. They are tough on the outside but soft on the inside. When knocked down they know how to get back up and they can bring others with them because they are likeable.

I think moxie is a good quality for a leader to develop.  Do You Have Moxie? (Leading Bog) describes four key attributes of leaders with moxie:

• Fire
• Drive
• Resilience
• Street smarts

I don’t think I have enough moxie.  I’m going to work on this.  How about you?

Makerspaces

OK, I’m stepping outside my comfort zone.  I don’t know a lot or understand a lot about the makerspace movement.  You probably know a lot more about it than I do.  But basically, a makerspace is just a place where people can work on projects—often tech or artistic projects.  Apparently they’re also called hackerspaces.

Makerspaces have caught on in libraries in a big way.   At last week’s WLA conference I learned about the mobile makerspace that the Arrowhead Library System launched with an LSTA grant.  Member libraries can borrow parts of it for programs in their libraries.

This is where I also learned more about the Library as Incubator project:

The mission of the Library as Incubator Project is to promote and facilitate creative collaboration between libraries and artists of all types, and to advocate for libraries as incubators of the arts. We serve this mission both through the Library as Incubator Project website and through other offline projects.

As I said, I’m just learning.  Are you?  Does your library have a maker space?  Do you offer “maker” programs?  Share your experiences and thoughts in the Comments.

 

 

 

Hope for the Hearing Impaired

I was pretty busy at the Wisconsin Library Association Conference last week, so I didn’t make it to a lot of sessions.  But I always learn something when I do—and last week was no exception.  I plan to let you know about some of them, starting today.

I went to one on hearing loops.  I’ve been hearing about them for a while, but never really took the time to learn more.  But my mom’s quite hard of hearing, so I’m always looking for possible solutions for her.

A hearing loop is “a loop of cable around a designated area, usually a room or a building, which generates a magnetic field picked up by a hearing aid.” (Wikipedia) That hearing aid has to be one with a t-coil.  Hearing loops are installed in churches, theaters, auditoriums, and. . . LIBRARIES!  There are “desk size loops” that can be used at information desks.

The statistics about hearing loss are pretty interesting.  Hearing loss is the third most common health condition for people over age 65, but it is an invisible disability invoking little sympathy.  Think about how your library and hearing loops could reach this population.

Read more at:

• LoopWisconsin
• HearingLoop.org

I’m going to!

Debrief!

One Meeting Every Project Manager Should Have on Its Calendar

“Take the time to reflect on what you learned and can use in the future.”