Author: yestoknow

I'm Tony Tallent and I am the Chief Program and Innovation Officer for Richland Library. I like to talk about writing, libraries, arts and communities. Contact me if you'd like to do that, too.

Thoughts after a big, great library event

Tonight we had the finale event for the Paint the Town Read initiative that we’ve been running for 2 months now. We hosted 2 great come-celebrate-and-show-you-love-the-library events–one at the Main Library and one at ImaginOn. We had, collectively, over 1,000 people show up to celebrate libraries on this Friday of National Library Week! (May I mention that we were running our events parallel with the Keith Urban & Carrie Underwood sold-out concert at the arena in downtown Charlotte in the same city block?) It was a wonderful, library-loving night!

Here are some thoughts on how to make big library events that people love:

1. People love music, especially live music. Tonight we showcased the rocking & pure lovely music of Lunch Money. If you haven’t booked them for your library, get on it!

2. People love to be surprised. Many folks showed up prepared to see the theatre event only at ImaginOn, not knowing that there was food, drink and goodies waiting for them. Those that came just for the party found that there were welcoming staff, giveaways, music and lots to do!

3. People love to be treated special. Staff roamed among the many hundreds of visitors and welcomed them and thanked them for coming. It is the same as if you were having a party at your house–remember that…treat every guest special. And it will be a special event.

Here’s to Emily and all the staff that helped make the Red, Read Party a Real, Really Special Event!

Free Use Photos

After reading the ordeal Michael Casey has gone through by posting an image on his blog (after he jumped through the hoops of giving permission to the source), I started thinking about all the images I use (or would like to use) in presentations or on my blog. What if everyone received the same amount of heat by pulling off interesting images and using them in presentations or posts? Eeak! Thinking about the types of images that I usually use (or see) in presentations, they are generally images that capture a thought or a certain idea in a sharp way . I tend to use images of signs, angles, odd objects. Wait! I also take pictures like that (or at least try with my point and snap digital camera). While at the Computers in Libraries Conference in Washington, DC last week I thought, hmmm–I could share some of my own images and take even more, put them on my flickr account in a set and allow anyone to use them, no permission needed. After lunch I started doing just that. Snapping away images of signs, benches, buildings. Then I was stopped by the military and asked why I was taking so many pictures of buildings, signs, benches…you get where this is going. After some explaining, I went back to my hotel room and downloaded pictures I think could serve presenters and bloggers well. Not the most polished, but you’re welcome to use them! And please do. Free is good, so snap up some of these Free Use Photos. I’ve added more since DC and will continue. Here’s to freedom!

Un-it!

Lately I find myself talking to a small circle of colleagues about “unn-ing” practices, programs and services. Through these past few months I’ve collected quite a few terms that I file in the mental “unclyclopedia.” So what is unn-ing all about? It’s about deformalizing, it’s about letting the group gathered bring the direction and meet the needs that are right in front of them. There is no formal agenda, but instead what I call an “ungenda” that allows the group to create the topics that they find more meaningful than a standard pre-made agenda.

My colleague, Jason, has been putting our conversations about “unning” in play. He’s been have much success with “unprogramming.” Take a look at his 3 part series about the ins-and-outs of his experience working in this manner on our Circle of Knowledge Blog.

What other things can we “un?”

Live from Computers in Libraries–D.C.

It’s been a whirlwind of discussion, dreaming and doing these past couple of days at CIL. Helene & I lead off the Innovation Track this morning with our presentation ‘Innovation Starts with “I”.’ Great turn out, input and questions from the group. We’ll get the presentation up along with the streaming vid soon. We were followed by Michael Stephens & Michael Casey who talked about creating truly transparent, honest and open libraries. Good stuff. Some key take-aways:

Be willing to talk

Talk honestly

Work toward truth, not perfection

“It’s not a age issue, it’s an effort issue.”

On the edge of wonder

Innovation is often more about taking what you have and adding a new ingredient than starting from scratch to create something new. What is a good ingredient to add to a standard program or service? Try “wonder.” What can we do to add an element of pure wonder into what we do each day–both for our users and our staff? My colleague Emily recently ventured into an arena of the common-gone-wonderful when she created and offered an unapologetic Noisy Storytime. Yes, a program that was consciously crafted to allow kids who want (and need) to make noise have their kind of experience. Working off an idea found in SLJ, she put it into action. We have the opportunity each day to inject our programs, services and tools with the element of wonder (you may call it delight, energy, newness) into what we do. It’s not always the easiest thing to do when we’re balancing the many plates of our day-to-day–yet possible. Take a look at Emily’s post on the Library in Action blog for inspiration. Need some other ways to stir the wonder into what you do? Try these to start:

1. Bring something strikingly beautiful into your space (office, workroom, lobby) and let it speak for itself.

2. Ask yourself: what would my program look like if I allowed “the audience” to run the show? Let at least some of it happen.

3. Allow a kid to teach you something. Even something you know how to do already.

What give you a feeling of “Wonder?” Move with that.

Wisdom from the streets of Minneapolis

While walking the streets of Minneapolis as the city gears for a full-on day of PLA, store windows shouted out truisms (and ploys to buy their spring lines). This truism was worthy of a snap.

Simple can be quite sublime.

As I move forward in this conference with a myriad of workshops, meetings, catch-ups and info to seek out, “Keep It Simple” sounds good right now.

What are you doing to keep it simple (and effective)?

New Eyes

While I was doing some research for an article I’m writing, I came across this popular quote by Marcel Proust:

The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.

We talk about seeing with “fresh eyes” or “new eyes.” But how can we do that when we have been in the same field or location for some time? How can we freshen our perspectives?

Here are 4 ideas to get you started:

1. Walk through the front door of your building (not the employee entrance) at least once a week or so. This will let you know what your user/ customers / patrons are seeing when they first step into the building.
2. If your location offers services to children, you need to see things from a kids-eye-view! Don’t hesitate to lean down the height of a child every once in a while. You may see that all of those fun posters or the great book displays you’ve made are too high for a child to even see them.
3. Create a “makeshift reference desk” out of a table and a laptop. Situate yourself right in the middle of a study area or near the front door. Make a simple sign that says something like “Ask me for help” and tape it to the upturned top of your laptop.
4. If you have a couple of digital cameras or a flip video cam, ask a few of your users or new employees to snap images of 5-10 of the most interesting aspects of your location. How can you maximize those aspects (or what they represent)?

So, what are some other ways we can see with new eyes? How do you keep yourself awake, alive and refreshed each day?How about your users? So share.

Note: Marcel Proust is quite a quotable author. Other than that, I’m perfectly OK if you just use copies of his books as bookends.

We learn from what we love.

Those things that we love, hold dear or find fascinating enough to say they have meaning to us are very often a source of learning and growth.

How do we tap into what our community loves? Do we ask them? Are they telling us by the patterns they create in usage and requests?

Can our thinking and evaluating shift if we consider this for a guideline: We learn from what we love.

Ask: what do you love to do? To hear? To see? to experience?

Then ask: how can we create learning opportunities around this love?

A Re(a)d Letter Day

Today we kick off our freshest effort yet at PLCMC here in NC–Paint the Town Read! The Paint the Town Read initiative all started with a couple of key thoughts: What if we morphed the idea of “family literacy” into “community literacy?” And if we did that how could we make it very obvious? Mental gears started turning, and finally the day is here where we launch all of the other thoughts, actions, planning, dreaming and doing out into the Charlotte & Mecklenburg area. If you live in the area, look for these signs to start popping up. Anyone in the world can see images that community members have posted of themselves with their “We helped paint the town READ!” signs on the Paint the Town Read Web Page! Check out all the programs, experiences and events we’ve developed around the commitments to support reading, build community connections and learn & play together. You can do this in your community, too. I’ll gladly share all the planning info, vendors used, program ideas, you name it. Now back to “painting…”

The Kiss Heard Round the World

A few years ago Charlotte’s Gallery L in Main Libray was voted as one of the best places to sneak a kiss in a local entertainment newspaper. I wonder how many memorable dates, kisses or first glances have happened in the welcoming spaces of the Public Library.

As is the season for thinking of love and kissing, Patricia Martin— scholar, researcher, idea-stirrer and generally brilliant RenGenster, has created a virtual kissing booth for the whole world to take part in. What a way to prepare and celebrate Valentine’s Day 08! Go on over and tell about THE kiss that changed your life, you can’t forget or left an impression that will never be erased. The top three kiss-that-rocked-the-world sharers will receive a copy of John Starke’s new witty and lovely book The Dictionary of Love.

The folks at Project For Public Space have long said that a public place where people are often found kissing or holding hands is perceived to be a welcome, safe and well-loved by most. I think virtual spaces can be just that, too. Do you?

Step on into the Kissing Booth.