« Previous Entries

Library Management

Library Management
Library Law: First Amendment Issues Part III
March 9th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

Kathleen Henn is a partner and Gregory Smith is an associate attorney with the law firm of Klein, Thorpe & Jenkins, Ltd., who write an article each month focusing on different aspects of library law.

“In this part of the series we will discuss the First Amendment’s role in censorship and filtering…Insofar as censorship and filtering are concerned, there are two main problems with unrestricted Internet access at libraries: first, the federal government has stated that as a matter of policy children should be protected from offensive content online. Second, unrestricted Internet access at a library can lead to lawsuits against the library if a patron is unwittingly exposed to sexually explicit material or if a library employee is exposed to such material and claims that a hostile workplace environment exists.”

Read the f ull article on WJIL
Part 2 of the First Amendment Series
Part 1 of the First Amendment Series
Illinois State Library, Library Management
The Impact of the Small Public Library Management Institute (SPLMI)
February 23rd, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?
Kathy Roegge of the Metropolitan Library System and Jim Deiters of the Blue Island Public Library collaborated on an article that focuses on the impact that the Small Public Library Management Institute had on one participant. Following is an excerpt and link to the full article.

In 1994 the Small Public Library Management Institute (SPLMI) was created by the Illinois State Library and Western Illinois University using funds provided by a Library Services and Construction Act (now LSTA) grant. The goals of SPLMI were to:
- Enhance administrative skills
- Develop leadership skills
- Provide opportunities for networking
- Build confidence and self-esteem
- Introduce automation, technology and on-line searching techniques
Since its beginning the program has gained local, statewide and national attention. Each year 50 applications from all over the state are accepted to participant in the institute. Topics covered by the institute include laws and legislation impacting libraries, programming, administering a library, director/board relations, standards, customer service and policies. During the 5 days participants are afforded opportunities for networking and to visit other libraries or sites. Over the years the institute has expandeded its requirements to allow more libraries to be able to participate and moved the site of the institute from WIU to the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS) in 2001.

In 2007 the State Library, as part of their LSTA Five-Year Evaluation stated “Four dimensions were consistently evaluated across the four years—amount and quality of learning, application of learning, networking, and contact with the Illinois State Library. There were extremely high ratings for the amount and quality of learning, with nearly all giving this the highest ratings. At least nine out of ten participants definitely felt that their new knowledge would change the way they would approach their library responsibilities. Most reported developing a better network of librarians (85 to 94%), and a similar number reported that they were more likely to contact ISL for assistance.”

A recent (2009) participant, Jim Deiters director of the Blue Island Public Library, talks about his experience at SPLMI…(read more)

Any library interested in sending their director or other staff to the 17th Annual Small Public Management Institute should visit the Illinois State Library web site for an application. The deadline for applying is March 1 and the institute will be held at UIS on June 6 – 11.
Library Management
On a Positive Note: Life is a Wheelbarrow
February 22nd, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

by Kitty Pope, Alliance Library System

Last week in our staff room, I heard a great story that keeps coming back to me. It goes something like this….

Life is a wheelbarrow. As you travel along life’s path, your wheelbarrow fills up with bricks – work, relationships, family commitments, life’s crises. The wheelbarrow gets heavier and heavier. However, on occasion, the load lightens a bit. We have some good luck; a kid graduates from college, you get a new job. Something positive happens and the wheelbarrow is a bit lighter. However, you will be disappointed again and again if you think that someday there will be no bricks. Your wheelbarrow will never be empty; we can simply hope the load will be different!

I think this analogy can teach us a lot, as we struggle with today’s heavy and unfamiliar bricks. Folks keep telling me they are working harder and longer than ever before, streamlining operations, and trying to keep up with the tsunami of work and tough decisions that keep coming their way. Everything seems to take longer to accomplish. We are turning over every rock, evaluating its necessity and searching for ways to successfully accomplish the task in less time. Personally, I think I have learned more in the last twelve months than in the last twelve years!

With time, I am sure we will learn to deal with the heavy issues of reduced funding, increased library usage, and stressed staff. I am confident that this heavier wheelbarrow will make us and our libraries stronger and better able to balance the very different brick loads of the future.
Ten years ago, our wheelbarrows were full with Y2K (whatever that was!), amassing more and more stuff, and planning for early retirement. In 2010, most of us have a different load of bricks and perhaps are shifting the load a bit. We accept that the load will never go away completely but I am confident that as a community we will find new, innovative and sustainable ways to make it easier to maneuver those bricks.

Life is a wheelbarrow! Have a great week…spring is on its way.
Jobs and Careers, Library Management
On a Positive Note: Keys to Success
February 15th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?
by Kitty Pope, Alliance Library System

What makes a librarian successful? This was a question I was asked by a library science student several weeks ago. I thought I knew the answer, and then I started talking to folks in library land. This is what they told me.
- For the library community, success and lifelong learning seem inextricably intertwined. It’s no surprise that the drive to constantly be learning was library land’s #1 key to personal and professional success.
- The second most popular answer to my impromptu survey on keys to a librarian’s success was a passion for serving people and ultimately making a difference. Folks repeatedly commented that it is that burning desire in the pit of their stomach that keeps them focused and searching.
- Several folks suggested that being inquisitive was fundamental to success. Striving for the best answer, as opposed to settling for just any answer, seems to be a factor when quantifying success.
- Research has shown that 87% of highly successful people are at their desk by 7 a.m. “Early at work” is a matter of training and routine; I continue to be amazed by how much I actually accomplish between 6 and 8 a.m. Having said that, I must confess that I am naturally a morning person, so it is easy for me to say that the early bird catches the worm!
- According to a recent Google survey, more than 70% of highly successful people eat a protein-loaded breakfast, walk daily, watch less than 60 minutes of television each day, and read more than 120 minutes every day.
- My personal key to success is laughter. I think the person who incorporates humor into their daily life has an edge on success. It opens your heart, mind, and soul to new ideas and, ultimately, success (however you measure it).
So, to all those library students out there looking for the keys to success: embrace lifelong learning, be passionate about what they do, be inquisitive, start early, support a healthy lifestyle, and laugh! And, thanks for asking.
Library Management, News
New at Library Beat: Libraries on Campus and in the Environment
February 1st, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

This week at Library Beat, learn about the changing roles of libraries. On her latest Longshots podcasts, NSLS Executive Director Sarah Long talks with Frank Cervone, Vice Chancellor for Information Services at Purdue University Calumet, about his role at the university and his plans to make the library a more proactive social center. Sarah also interviews architect Doug Skinner about the environmental sustainability of the new Rakow branch of the Gail Borden Public Library.
Library Management
2010 SPLMI Applications Now Available
January 12th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

“Serving Your Public”, the 17th annual Small Public Library Management Institute (SPLMI), sponsored by the Illinois State Library and hosted by the University of Illinois Springfield, will be held June 6-11, 2010.

Applications are available and are due no later than Monday, March 1, 2010 by fax or mail. Attendees will be notified of their selection in early April. Contact the Illinois State Library, Library Development Group at 217-782-7848 or 1-800-665-5576 for information. Information is also available from the state’s regional library systems.
Library Management
On a Positive Note: Hold Your Breath and Jump
January 12th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?
by Kitty Pope, Alliance Library System

Sometimes, when a decision is tough, you simply need to hold your breath, say a prayer, and jump. All of the planning and calculating will not replace that simple blind leap of faith and a call to action. To responsibly take that leap, as a leader there are a few practical steps that can ensure a safe landing. For example:
- Identify talent. Ask that employee’s supervisor to create opportunities for them to excel. Start small, but open a few doors, and see what happens.
- Have accurate risk assessment and some tolerance for failure. How many tries did it take Edison to create the light bulb?
- Accept that we do not know all of the answers. Often, supervisors shy away from a project, because they don’t know immediately how it will be received or how it will work. That is what a pilot or test project is all about – figuring out the details! At ALS, we didn’t know if avatars in the new world of Second Life would use a library, so we invested $46 and rented an island. As most of you know, three years later, Info Island is its own universe!
- Understand that innovation does not come from an open checkbook. As much as some staff will argue, I truly believe innovation does not take money; it takes vision, confidence, and passion. In fact, the most successful projects ALS has done started with the realization that we have no money to invest. Necessity truly is the mother of invention!
- Give the innovators in your organization time and space. In this world of instant gratification, we want immediate results, but innovation takes time – not time to waste, but time to nurture, develop, and test an idea. Innovation or a new way of doing things requires space to incubate and grow.
Sometimes, we just need the courage of our conviction, to hold our breath, say a wee prayer, and simply jump!
Continuous Learning, Library Management, Online Learning
Project Compass: Libraries Providing Direction in Tough Times
January 6th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

On September 10, 2009, IMLS announced a grant awarded to WebJunction and the State Library of North Carolina to support public libraries’ efforts to meet the urgent and growing demands of our communities as they struggle with the loss of jobs and the needs of the unemployed.

The team chose the name of Project Compass as an apt metaphor for the intention of assessing the present situation of workforce development in libraries and for setting direction toward future recovery. The compass is also symbolic of the direction that libraries provide to their patrons and their communities, especially in turbulent times. There is abundant evidence that people are turning to libraries as to the North Star, depending on this community institution to provide guidance through the economic downturn.

Libraries have already responded to the critical needs, creating or augmenting multiple and robust resources and services. The variety of responses to the Library Responses to Economic Tough Times survey brings to light the energetic guidance that is emanating from libraries all over the country. Highlights of the survey responses are captured in the Compass Survey Summary; the details of individual state responses may be read in the collection of Compass Snapshots for each state.

If you have followed any of these links, you’ve had a glimpse of what is a budding resource on WebJunction Illinois. In addition to the Project Compass section, which will collect information pertinent to the project and participants, there is a new Workforce Resources topic. This nascent topic area will grow over the coming year. We hope that everyone involved in workforce development issues will help that growth. We are interested in contributions on tools, resources, and services that any library—large or small, state or local— has deployed toward workforce recovery.

WebJunction’s January webinar will focus on Libraries and Workforce Recovery.

Join on January 28 to learn about successful library programs and best practices that address the increase in patron job-related needs. You’ll hear about strategies for triaging social services and how to analyze your library’s services in relation to existing community social services. You’ll discover new ways to create partnerships with community agencies to leverage workforce development efforts. Finally, you’ll get tips on tactics that can be implemented on a shoestring or non-existent budget to respond to patron workforce development need.

Register to attend this timely event and plan on joining in the efforts.
Library Management
Upcoming WebJunction Webinar: Libraries and Workforce Recovery
January 4th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

The upcoming WebJunction Webinar Libraries and Workforce Recovery is scheduled for Thursday 1/28/2010 beginning at 1:00 PM Central Time.

The data show that people turn to libraries in tough times. As part of Project Compass, an IMLS grant-funded initiative by WebJunction and the State Library of North Carolina, research has been conducted to assess the type and extent of current patron needs from libraries and the response to those needs by state and local public libraries. Join this webinar for an overview of this initial research, and to be introduced to the project and to a new section on WebJunction Illinois for Workforce Resources designed to collect library-specific resources and responses to these tough times.

You’ll hear about strategies for triaging social services and how to analyze your library’s services in relation to existing community social services. You’ll discover new ways to create partnerships with community agencies to leverage workforce development efforts. Finally, you’ll get tips on tactics that can be implemented on a shoestring or non-existent budget to respond to patron workforce development needs.

Presenters:

Raye Oldham, Continuing Education Consultant, State Library of North Carolina

Betha Gutsche, Project Coordinator (WebJunction), Project Compass

Kitty Yancheff, Public Services Division Manager, Humboldt County Library

Go to L2 for further information and registration.
Library Management
On a Positive Note: You can’t Shrink Your Way to Greatness
January 4th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?
by Kitty Pope, Alliance Library System

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result each time. In library land, we often either do nothing – putting our head in the sand and hoping the recession will pass us by – or we try something new without the end user in mind and lose the very customers who have supported us over the years.

For example:
- An upscale shoe store experiences a decline in business, so they have less money to spend on great sales staff and trendy inventory. They decide to keep the stock a bit longer and cut back on cleaning the store. Of course, business declines. The business owner does nothing and eventually has an empty, dirty shoe store that’s out of business.
- A doctor moves to a new office with very poor parking. As a result, he has fewer patients, less cash flow, and doesn’t invest as much in training a new scheduler. Patients get frustrated when they can’t find a parking spot and have to deal with a poorly trained scheduler. They quickly move to a practitioner who makes going to the doctor easy.
- A local newspaper, in these financially challenging times, has fewer advertisers, so they don’t invest as much staff time in covering local stories. People stop reading the local newspaper, because the only local news stories are the obituaries! As a result, advertisers have less reason to advertise, which leaves less money for local content, which means the local newspaper closes. With no new ideas, it becomes a vicious circle.
As Tom Peters, CEO of TAP Information Services, has said on several occasions, “You can’t shrink your way to greatness.” Yet, that’s what many dying businesses try to do. They hunker down and wait for things to get better. The reality is that this recession isn’t just a little wave in the economy; it’s a tsunami. The new financial reality requires brave leaders to seek new and innovative solutions. We are facing a whole new way of doing things.

Right now, your library may still have some cash, some customers, and some momentum. Instead of squandering it on a long, slow, death spiral, do something new and innovative: start a building project, pilot new products, use new channels of communication to reach a whole new community of users. It does not all have to start with money; it starts with a vision!

Change is a bear, but it’s better than death.

« Previous Entries

BlogJunction Illinois

about

search

Links

Categories

Archives Last 12 Months

Archives By Year

Pages

feeds

Meta

Copyright

Category

Library Management

Library Management

Library Law: First Amendment Issues Part III

Illinois State Library, Library Management

The Impact of the Small Public Library Management Institute (SPLMI)

Library Management

On a Positive Note: Life is a Wheelbarrow

Jobs and Careers, Library Management

On a Positive Note: Keys to Success

Library Management, News

New at Library Beat: Libraries on Campus and in the Environment

Library Management

2010 SPLMI Applications Now Available

Library Management

On a Positive Note: Hold Your Breath and Jump

Continuous Learning, Library Management, Online Learning

Project Compass: Libraries Providing Direction in Tough Times

Library Management

Upcoming WebJunction Webinar: Libraries and Workforce Recovery

Library Management

On a Positive Note: You can’t Shrink Your Way to Greatness