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Murals, Meaning, and whatever happened to Diego Rivera

Having recently come back from a trip to Italy, it’s an understandment to say that I viewed my share of murals, frescoes and public art. There is a sweet pleasantness to public art (or art that simply happens to wind up out in the open) once it has weathered many years and become a part of the very landscape of a city. This weekend I had an engaging conversation with friends as we walked down a gallery-dotted street in Denver about public art–its relevance, its meaning and its ultimate “effect” on, well, the public. In the realm of art that is created for “the public” I tend to be drawn to art that has a level of functionality–pieces that encourage one to drawn close, sit, touch, become a part of its eventual patina. How do we involve the public in the creation of art without creating a contrived piece? These are some things I wonder about lately and am learning much about in my new role here in Boulder as Library & Arts Director. How do we saturate our communities and still be open, non-didactic, and original. Ah, nothing better than a chilly night stroll from an art gallery to warm the brain and imagination.

Welcoming ‘Thank You’

I’m a real believer in having easy, ongoing ways for our customers to give us feedback (ie, thank-yous). Ahhh, “feedback”what a word…so often a word that means something like “how you did me wrong” or “your people were’n’t nice to me…” Once you open yourself up for feedback you have to be ready and willing to receive  it. Now, I wonder how we get to the good stuff…the good stuff so that we can expand on that. In Dan Heath & Chip Heath’s article I Love You. Now What? we’re asked about what do we do to allow our customers to tell us the good stuff.  They make me wonder why we keep ourselves guarded from hearing what we are doing well. Do you ever feel like we are in flinch-mode when it comes to “customer surveys” or “feedback forms?” I often say “where is the confidence in public libraries?” We are doing really good stuff. Much good stuff. Can we improve? Of course. Do we hear about what we need to improve on? Oh, yes. Do we hear about what we are doing to make lives richer and better? I’d venture to say, not asmuch. How are we making ways to channel the good feelings, the love our customers have for what we’re doing? I don’t have the clear answer to this (and I know we walk a fine line for fishing for compliments in this), but I do know that talking about what is going well is important, necessary and ultimately builds more good. Let’s open ourselves up to hearing the good stuff.

New DEAL

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Is there anything better than taking an idea and customizing it in a new way? Here’s to the Youth Services Staff of BPL for taking DEAL and giving it a new view, a new life by DEALing for Teens! Actually, I fell upon this program listing and that makes me love it all the more. Here’s a great formula: Simply going with an idea because you like it and know that it will work because you know who you’re working for.

The Tip of Travel

I am always interested in hearing travel tips. Having come back to Boulder only this week after a 3 week trip to Italy and France, I find that the traveling isn’t over simply after you walk back through your door and the itinerary has ended. I think that this is my big travel tip. There is something about travel–especially about extended travel–that takes us to the edge (the very tip) of ourselves. I’ve heard that it takes a week to become adjusted to being on vacation and, generally, by then most are over. The adjustments we make with travel are unlike any other. A different space, different accommodations, different creature comforts (limited Internet access!). Once we get past that period of time in which we still feel tightly connected to our “lives back home” the magical door begins to open. We begin to loose track of time, perhaps even the day of the week. Morning drifts to late afternoon. We can begin to abandon regimented habits.

Often travel is thought of as a luxury when the physicality of it all can be far from it. I’m beginning to think that travel is one of the only things that can pull us out of our tightly knit lives and open our eyes to a broader world in a very human way. With small Italian phrases still trying to fall from my lips, I step back into a week of my life in Boulder and remember that the world is a broad place–so much to know, to learn, to dream and do.

Telling Our Story, Even in Uncertain Times

When the going gets tough do the tough stop caring? This is a thought that came to me after I read Patricia Martin’s post Cause Marketing’s Fate Tied to Economic Woes. The idea that economic uncertainty brings causes or issues we’d normally stand tall for to the bottom of the heap is a bit jarring. Is this a reaction born of selfishness or simply the way we humans are hardcoded?  A couple of weeks ago, papers and library conversation were sprinkled with the “news” that there seems to be an upswing in library usage as the economy begins to get a bit crunchier. Would these same users attend a community forum to discuss the future of their libraries? Would they give to a library’s annual fund? Ulimately times of uncertainly are ripe with opportunity. How are we considering telling our story during this particular time? How are speaking of our value when “value” begins to have several meanings?

When to say No Vacancy…

Some thoughts that have occurred to me in the past few weeks as far as when to hang out the sign (or “when to say No Way!)…

–No Vacancy–when it comes to making declarations, decisions or policies simply because it’s what they want to hear

–No Vacancy–for taking the Easy-in-the-Short-Run and Deal-with-it-Later leadership

–No Vacancy–for putting off questions, discussions and decisions that are crying for attention.

Here’s the deal with hanging out No Vacancy signs–everyone, well most everyone, knows that the No Vacancy sign really means “don’t bother me,” “don’t rock the boat,” or “I don’t want to deal with this now (ever).”

So, let’s flip it around. Let’s take down the No Vanancy Signs…and try “Welcome” or “Newly Envisioned” or “Ask Me” signs instead.

Easier to find, easier to serve

In the past couple of days, Boulder Public Library has migrated to a new web address. This is both small news and great big news–all at the same time. What we know is that things that are easy to remember are easy to find. Locations with actual street addresses, companies with memorable and sharp names (Target!) and web locations that don’t require googling each time to find them will receive more traffic. It’s that simple. I am happy to say that Boulder Public Library can now be found at www.boulderlibrary.org.  That’s pretty easy to remember. Pretty easy to find. BPL’s former web address (http://www.boulder.lib.co.us/) will also still work by redirecting you to the new URL, so no worries there. Here’s to making ourselves easier to find and ultimately more ready to serve.

Boulder Public Library has several more good and useful creative and efficient innovations coming down the pike…keep your eyes peeled (notice the new mission tagline?) . Here’s to a great city, a great library, and useful-and-quick movement (real life innovation!).

Thanks, Ray, for nabbing this URL in anticipation years ago!

Teens!

Today I had the pleasure of attending a meeting with the Boulder Public Library Teen Advisory Board.  One of the things I realized during the meeting is how far Public Libraries have come in the past 10 years or so with their commitment to the Teens in our communities. The very fact that I was sitting in a meeting room chatting with this vibrant group of Teens talking about libraries, podcasts and how to make the library a better place for them is quite wonderful. Salute to BTAB!

Check out what they’re up to at www.boulderteens.org

Touching the Meaning

If you know me well at all, you have likely heard me talk about the “Two Ms” that I think are important to the work we do…I usually phrase this as “Maximize with Meaning.” The “maximizing” is often cause for much hard work and is likely to be more obvious: a higher door count, more program attendance, impressive stats. The “meaning” part is generally a bit more allusive…and still it goes deep. Today I had a long moment where I touched on the meaning, and in some way it had shifted and tugged at me and I stand in awe at the very nature of the work that libraries do and the depth we can reach. The short version of the story:

Last week a library user asked to have an appointment with me. I checked my calendar, we made the appointment and I thought that perhaps this was a community member wishing to discuss a concern or perhaps even a local vendor wanting to make sure the Public Library knew about her service. Instead, when I walked out into our administrative office area, I was greeted by a gentleman who wished to share a story of gratitude with me.  I sat down beside him and he told me that his homeland is Iran and that he is Muslim. For many years he tried to gain his American citizenship unsuccesfully. He began coming to Boulder Public Library’s public program on citizenship as well as the Conversations in English programs that run throughout the week. He gained both knowledge, confidence and belief in himself. He reached into his small canvas briefcase and brought out a navy blue binder. It was slightly bent on the edges from wear. He opened the binder to show me his certification as an American Citizen. With joy and gratitude in his wise eyes he said “welcome” and “thank you” to me (me, who has been in this wonderful city for only a month). He continued to tell me that one of our strong and dedicated librarians (Laura) who had witnessed his long desire to become an American citizen had written a letter of recommendation for him to receive his citizenship. Our Outreach Librarian Ghada had helped arrange for him opportunities to strengthen his English. He pronounced the library as the very cause for the certificate of American citizenship he held in his hand. I stood in awe and mutual gratitude. This long moment touched on the meaning that we all seek to find in our work as we plow through the paperwork, troubleshoot the new technologies, rally the strong and faint at heart on a daily basis.

As this kind and gentle man put his beloved certificate back in his bag and stood to leave, I was speechless with my heart pounding. “I welcome you and thank this library,” he said. I stood in a moment of meaning so gloriously quiet and deep. This is why we do it.

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