It’s my second day in beautiful Jamaica! Had a wonderful presentation experience this morning with a ballroom full of dedicated and ready-to-innovate library professionals.  After my presentation, I had many good talks with members of the conference. What I realize again and again is that ultimately what everyone is wanting (and needing) is to have a memorable experience–whether user, staff, administrator or simply on-looker. How to create an experience? Start by telling a story. A strong and meaningful story. Your story. The story of your community or the group you want to reach. Tell your story in the way that will reach your intended audience. Pictures and images (shall I say “realia”) can help in the telling immensely!

By the way: these giant chess pieces (in the picture above) are on the grounds of the Rose Hall Resort where the conference is taking place. Simply seeing them sitting there under and tent as the thunder rang in the sky and the ocean lapped near me made me feel as if I were in a type of nouveau fairytale. Ah, story a story begins to develop…