Here it is. Simple done and gone sizzle on this one, yo! It has reading, community
engagement, user interaction, homespun marketing all wrapped up. Check it out and then copy this idea all the way to YESSIRREE!
Louisville Free Public Library, good for you and good for everyone who grabs this idea and runs.
Thanks, Beth L. for sharing this with me. You have no idea how it sent shivers of wowee through me!
Take a look–it’s on their homepage–yes, their homepage–not buried on the “Kids Links” page!
A Library Champion Lives Here!
http://www.lfpl.org/
library
Principle, Practice, Policy
What I have found is that the order of the things is like this: Principle, Practice, Policy. I don’t think that it can work (really, work) any other way. In short…know what your principles are (at least feel them, sense them) put them into practice and then–maybe then–think about writing a policy to state what it’s all about. In life as in work.
Why Nots–5 More to Make You Ask.
It’s time for some more “Why Nots,” folks…Here are 5 more for the picking, the asking, the acting…Go ahead Libraries, orgs or businesses ask yourselves…
…congratulations to all libraries or orgs that are already doing these…
* Why not have short, tear-away library card applications in all printed library newsletters?
* Why not work with local florists to feature fresh flowers on the central desk(s) in your building. This offers a perk for florists to feature their work as well as a more perky public space. What says “we really take pride and delight in this building” more than fresh flowers? [Take a hint from “finer” restaurants and hotels–they know the biz].
* Why not set up an ebay or online bookstore account and sell those autographed copies of books that linger on the back shelves or the more interesting or rare books (ie, books that won’t be going into the collection) that are donated or going onto the book sale table? I betcha there are volunteers who are ebay savvy who would jump at this opportunity!
* Why not ask local stores or even some of the big retailers to partner with you to create shockingly interesting displays? Give the retailer credit for the work. [Check out Urban Outfitters or Anthropology to start with–the things they can do with a few old chair legs and newspaper will amaze].
* Why not replace all those departmental newsletters (online or printed) with blogs–they work better, harder, faster–and live longer.
Target Practice
Recently while in a dressing room in Target I overheard employees getting down to the marrow of their workplace problems. According to the discussion I (and anyone else in the immediate area of the dressing rooms) heard, someone didn’t show up to work again and the manager or shift leader was having problems getting someone to come in. As the conversation continued, one staff member piped up and said as plain as day, “why don’t we just hire people who want to actually work?” Nail on the head. Arrow in the bullseye. Her words hit the target, Target (and another business or organization that cares to listen). So, this brings some further thoughts to mind:
1) Good sense and right action is usually pretty clear and to the point
2) Staff who show up and perform usually know what the deal is
3) Why don’t we just ask the staff who show up and perform what the deal is? [And then act on that].
4) You sure can find out a lot about how things are working (or not) by just keeping your ears perked while trying on a T-shirt
Fine (and Fee) Service
According to the article “Overdue library materials sparking online shutdowns” Waco-McLennan County Library system patrons are now fobidden to use library computers if they have $5 or more in fines on their account. Later in the article someone asks the proverbial question: But what about the children? Why does this has to come up before such an action is questioned. Why isn’t anyone asking the question “Why are our libraries having to survive on fines and fees?” Are they? Are they?
What’s Been Rockin’ My World?
What’s been keeping me busy these days? Many things, one of which is connected to an amp and has helped a couple of thousand kids and their families rock out this summer. It’s the Tricycle Music Fest, boys and girls! And it has been an incredible experience. There’s more than one way to rock a library–well, several libraries. Music brings da people together!
Life of a Fish
Recently as I was traveling to New York City from Charlotte, NC the inevitable thought of “being a big fish in a small pond vs. being a small fish in a big pond” entered my mind (as I’m sure it does with many people traveling to NYC). As I pondered this on the drive and flight, another thought came to me: it’s not about being a big or small fish in a big or small pond. It’s about being a REAL fish in a REAL pond. Feeling REAL today?
Teams Need Lone Wolves
Every team has a lone wolf. My thought today: every team NEEDS a lone wolf. This is the person that wonders “why?” and asks it out loud (and not just to have something to say as in “Let’s be able to answer the ‘why question’ so we’ll get more funding”). Yes, team work, team work is the key…yes, yes, yes…but when a team becomes merged into a unit without individual pulses–it’s time to be a lone wolf. Yes, you may be a lone wolf if you…
1. Find yourself wondering why a weak team-created logo, tagline, or message is being used right up until the point it is going to be printed.
2. Ask yourself why a rent-a-rep was paid to tell you about the same problems that have been talked about by everyone in your agency for years.
3. Realize that moving-target-deadlines and schedules don’t really need to be moving targets at all–it’s just a manifestation of indecision.
4. Actually ask about the things that came across your mind or up in discussions during lunch.
5. Find yourself wanting to howl out loud at the end of a meeting that most everyone else quietly slumped out of.
We all have our lone wolf moments. Let’s find the power the lone wolves to get us out of the ordinary and into overwhelming excellence. Alpha Wolves may be in pre-meetings getting the skinny, Lone Wolves have the energy to spread the team into real action. Howl on.
What About Dreaming?
We (whoever “we” is) talk a lot about ‘strategizing’ and ‘accountablities’ and ‘leveraging’ and ‘advocacy’ and all the big phatty words that are so important and necessary and all that jazz that is required to get funding (yes, that is too often what it is really about it appears). My question is this: what about dreaming? When do we get to dream again? When do we get to apply our real talents and imaginations-in-action?
What if: we allowed ourselves to dream BEFORE the big meeting, before the big plea for funding, before we started rooting ourselves into the concrete of policy and “strategery?”
Have you dreamed today?
What has helped you dream a little? Follow that. Support that. Advocate for that. Question those that can’t speak the language of dreaming. Anyone can talk. It takes a special breed to dream and then put it into action. When you find you’re being encouraged to dream and allowed to act on those dreams, first, jump for joy, then, support that source–and then get back to dreaming.
Web As Process
“The sooner we view the web as a process, not a place, the quicker we will understand it. It’s two flows. The flow of information and the flow of attention.”
-Seth Godin
Soooo, with this in mind can we now get things moving a little faster, a little smoother (sometimes clunkier), things built up (or axed) quicker to meet our needs?
Neeext, is there a new word that exists that envelopes this idea of “web as process?”
Yes to Know 