A Case for Taxpayer Support of the Arts

Here is an excellent piece on a case for taxpayer support of the arts.

A prevailing viewpoint is that public funds should be dedicated primarily to costs related to the maintenance and improvement of a region’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, waste management, emergency services and the like – and secondarily to attracting or retaining businesses, jobs, people, and generating new external funding. Within that view, how does support of the arts contribute?

First, while the arts are ‘not-for-profit,’ they are not revenue-neutral. They are revenue-positive in the same way any (most) for-profit businesses are: They generate paychecks, purchase supplies and materials and services from other businesses, and like any sports venue, they generate revenue for many other adjacent businesses, like restaurants, bars, and parking lots. When they work together. . .  the economic impact on ALL the businesses in each respective region is positive. Their activity, week in and week out, means revenue for businesses that could not have generated it otherwise, and they have expanded with it, and they have come to count heavily on it.

Finally, the arts are not, and should never be, limited to artists and ‘arts lovers.’ Creativity exists in everything that people do. It takes huge amounts of imagination and critical thinking to run a business (I grew up in a family business), or to create and manage a manufacturing process, or design a new widget, or promote different living environments. Art and creative thought is sought and appreciated by people who must turn thinking into action, and action into profit. The creative thinker – Steve Jobs, for example, and a thousand others like him – is the one who succeeds where others don’t, who expand when others stay static, and who drive change toward the new, and the untried, and the next best thing – or the next best place. And the key — perhaps the only — place where creativity, business, art, education, youth, and experience come together is the public library.

Buffalo’s Allentown Arts Festival (Photo credit: vectorlyme)

Praise for Newtown Public Library

My Sunday post was really just a moment of silence for Newtown, with a brief mention of what public libraries might do to offer assistance to those trying to cope with the tragedy.

Today I am in awe of the response of the one public library that is truly on the ground in this instance, the Cyrenius H. Booth Library on Main Street in Newtown, CT.

From the article:

. . . as the community grapples with how to begin to understand and grieve, the library is also trying to become a place where children can find some peace and a chance to be themselves for a bit in an otherwise upside down world.

“We’re thinking that parents can bring their children here, just as a diversion and to get them out of the house,” [Janet] Woycik [library director] said.

[The library] didn’t want to publicize the details of what the library will set up for children this week.

“We need a place where children can come, and not be bothered by reporters and people seeking information. Just a neutral place they can come where they can feel normal in an abnormal situation.”

Thank you, Cyrenius H. Booth Library.  I’m sure Newtown thanks you too.  I am so sorry for your loss.

Rainbow (Photo credit: homer4k)

A Moment of Silence for Newtown

After Friday’s horrific events, I could write about how libraries can have a role in helping people, especially young people cope with the tragedy.  Here’s a link Allen County Public Library (Indiana)’s list of resources on “Talking with Kids and Teens About Violence,” and you might want to think about doing something similar.

Much has been written these last few days, and much more will be written, about guns, mental illness, the proliferation of violence, and other topics.  On this blog, today, just this.  Silence.  Sorrow.  Respect.

Rose (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Make Social Media a Holiday Gift to Your Library

David Lee King asks (and answers) “Are efforts to use social media worth it? Indeed, they are. I see many reasons for libraries—or practically any other organization—to use these tools.”

No, not just a Facebook page you post to occasionally.  But a well thought-out social media presence.  Read all about it! Right here:  Social Media? (from American Libraries Online)

Here’s what you (and your library) can do with social media services, if you do it well:

• Listening
• Communicating
• Answering
• Sharing new stuff
• Sharing staff and personality
• Being “alive” online

Are you a Collaborative Leader?

And if not, why not?!  (And don’t tell me you’re not in a leadership position, either.  There is such a thing as leading from within, you know.)

Anyway, be sure to check out 12 Things Collaborative Leaders Do by Jessie Lyn Stoner.

Collaborative leaders create communities where people unite around a common purpose and values, working collaboratively to accomplish a shared vision that makes a powerful and positive impact.

Here’s just a few of those 12 things:

• Allow leadership to emerge.
• Ask for directions when driving.
• Genuinely care about people.
•  Seek out diversity.
• Open boundaries while maintaining separateness.

Yup, pretty much common sense.  But, who doesn’t need a reminder?

Working together… (Photo credit: Lollyman)

Are Guys Using Your Public Library?

Do you struggle to bring boys into the library and get them excited about libraries and books?  You may find helpful info in the American Libraries article Connect Guys With Books.

It is the story of how the New Albany–Floyd County (Ind.) Public Library implemented a “Guys Read” program series, which was designed to attract boys to the library and get them excited about books, with the help of local high school teacher and “Twitter legend” Paul Hankins (@PaulWHankins). The program involves Skyping with “guy-friendly” authors.

If it turns out that you just don’t have your own version of Hankins, you can still offer Skype chats at your library. Carefully choose books and authors likely to appeal to your male audience. (If you’re not sure, ask some guys.) Then, check out the Skype an Author Network, which lists potential guests, many of whom will offer brief “meet ’n greet” chats for free. Just make sure to check with them before you purchase books or supplies for your program.

Connecting boys with books is a perennial hot topic among librarians, and a program like this may be just what you need to inspire the young male readers you serve.

Good luck!

Guy Reads – Shelf 1 (Photo credit: Enokson)

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice. . . ??

“Winter Holidays: A Celebration for Everyone” Exhibit (Photo credit: Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library)

So it’s December.  In Wisconsin.  Christmas decorations are everywhere.  Christmas music is everywhere.  In an effort to honor diversity, respect those of different religions (including those with no religion), and remain true to its status as a governmental entity, what should libraries do?  No mention of Christmas, and no decorations?  Attempt to include something about EVERY religion/belief?  Something in between?

Discuss among yourselves.

 

Being Strategic Without Stalling

As a huge proponent of strategic planning for public libraries (see here, here, and here) I often struggle with finding the balance between being strategic while allowing for flexibility.  It is important to follow your strategic plan, and not fall victim to trying, willy-nilly, every new idea that pops into anyone’s head.  Such willy-nilly-ness is a recipe for disaster, in my cookbook.  But, so is such rigid following of your plan that you miss profiting from serendipity and happy accidents.

I struggle with the same search for balance in my everyday life.  It is important to have a plan, and a schedule, but it is equally important to be open to a last-minute change of plans. Sometimes you have to “Just Do It.”

As this post on Infoblog says, “Yes, careful planning is important; but there comes a point when ‘careful’ gives way to a kind of scrupulosity that means ‘stalling.’ You and/or the library staff may simply be stalled out by fear, rather than by a need for more helpful information or insights.”

How do you find that happy medium?  When should you just do it?  Ah, dear reader, if I knew the answer to that, I’d be a rich woman.  Instead, I’ll just say each of us have to find that balance for ourselves and our libraries.   Let me know how you find it.

OST Strategic Plan Initative Writing @ Worcester Academy (Photo credit: Antonio Viva)

Marketing for Libraries

Marketing is more than “advertising” programs and other things happening at your library, and a marketing plan is not something you do when you feel like you’ve got everything else done.  It is not (or should not be) and afterthought!

Marketing Your Library by Ned Potter in the November/December issue of American Libraries is an interview with Terry Kendrick, “guru of strategic marketing in libraries.”  Take the time to read about some of his ideas:

• Strategic marketing planning is important, despite the time and resources it requires.
• You must know your own library, and what you want it to be.
• Market your library to your users’ lifestyles.
• Understand the market.  Understand how the library looks compared with other “competing” services.

We sometimes tend to think that libraries aren’t “businesses.”  But in many cases we do have to learn to run them like businesses.  This includes marketing.

Marketing planning cards (Photo credit: plantoo47)

Can you Keep “Office Politics” out of Your Library?

The topic of politics has dominated our world, our minds, our news outlets this year.   No matter how invested in the outcome, most of us are tired of it.

Office politics is different, of course, but most of us are tired of that too!  Case in point: this excerpt from “Office Politics Suck” over at Fistful of Talent.

I’ve only just now figured out that someone, who I considered my friend, was only my friend so I would make decisions in his favor. He is the master of office politics, and everyone seemed to have known this about him. Everyone but me.

Don’t let office politics creep into your organization.  Work is work and friendship is friendship.  Sometimes the two may mix, successfully or unsuccessfully (be sure to read the comments to the post), but there may always come a time when push comes to shove, and you’ll have to set aside the friendship part.  A “real” friend will understand this.

Office Politics: A Rise to the Top (Photo credit: Alex E. Proimos)