I had a very passionate discussion with a colleague on Friday that got me thinking about why I am a librarian, why libraries are relevant today, and what can be done to advance the profession.
1) The reason I became a librarian is relatively simple. When I was growing up, my mom took my sister and me to the library often. I remember spending not-enough-time browsing the shelves of my hometown public library. I was intensely interested in fantasy, science fiction, and metaphysics even back then and couldn't get enough of books about those subjects.
2) I think the basic purpose of a library today is to provide access to information. Whether this is done through answering a reference question or allowing teens to play games on the latest technology, the public is still getting information from librarians.
3) Unfortunately--and this was the crux of the conversation with my colleague--we live in an information economy, culture, and society. We're information professionals, yet we are not the first called upon to use our expertise to help further the goals of society. Large information technology companies have shown time and again that they can provide for the information needs of the world at large. Where do we fit in as librarians?
In my position as manager/librarian, I really feel that it's up to me to push for the inclusion of progressive ideas like this one. Let's invite people to participate in our library in ways they've not had the opportunity to do in the past. Let's provide an experience for our users that not only involves them in physical space, but virtual space as well.
The point is that we can provide people with places to explore, inquire, collaborate, and discover. We just have to re-invent ourselves to match 21st-century expectations.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Indiana Library Federation Annual 2008
I was able to attend Day 1 of 2 of the Indiana Library Federation's annual conference yesterday.
One session I attended was described as follows:
This presentation really reinforced the way I feel about the website redesign project I'm involved with. People have certain expectations when they use websites today. They want to create content and be engaged.
The speakers yesterday mentioned that a need of the modern researcher is "search and discovery." For some reason, though, library catalogs seem compelled to go the opposite way and don't allow the flexibility of faceted searching, for instance.
Users don't want to learn complex search strategies or controlled vocabularies, they want to type in a few keywords and get results. Another point that was made is that people are used to relevancy ranking in search results instead of the "last in, first out" structure of most library catalogs.
After reading Kotter's book about urgency, I'm really frustrated at librarianship's lack of momentum. These things about usability are not new information, yet it still doesn't seem to be a priority amongst library leaders.
We've got to escape this complacent attitude. Kotter's second tactic says it all, and that's my plan to deal with it.
One session I attended was described as follows:
The two presenters talked about Notre Dame's search for a "next generation" library catalog and their realizations along the way.‘Make it more like Google!’: next generation tools for library collections
Next Generation? Web 2.0? What are the next set of tools that libraries need to look at? How can we make our catalogs more useful and attractive to patrons who are increasingly familiar with Google and Yahoo, without losing our vision of what being a library should mean? Pascal Calarco and Mark Dehmlow [both of the University of Notre Dame] led a whirlwind critical review of the multitude of ‘next generation’ tools for library catalogs as a decision process for adoption and procurement. They will discuss the typical features of these tools, and some of the pros and cons of the various systems.
This presentation really reinforced the way I feel about the website redesign project I'm involved with. People have certain expectations when they use websites today. They want to create content and be engaged.
The speakers yesterday mentioned that a need of the modern researcher is "search and discovery." For some reason, though, library catalogs seem compelled to go the opposite way and don't allow the flexibility of faceted searching, for instance.
Users don't want to learn complex search strategies or controlled vocabularies, they want to type in a few keywords and get results. Another point that was made is that people are used to relevancy ranking in search results instead of the "last in, first out" structure of most library catalogs.
After reading Kotter's book about urgency, I'm really frustrated at librarianship's lack of momentum. These things about usability are not new information, yet it still doesn't seem to be a priority amongst library leaders.
We've got to escape this complacent attitude. Kotter's second tactic says it all, and that's my plan to deal with it.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Urgent Tactics: 3 & 4
I finally finished the Kotter book!
His final two tactics for maintaining a sense of urgency are: 3) Find Opportunities in Crises and 4) Deal with NoNos.
Find Opportunities in Crises
In this chapter, Kotter introduces the idea of the "burning platform" (120). He says, "even people who are most solidly content will begin to act differently if a fire starts on the floor beneath their feet. With fire spreading around them, everyone moves, the status quo is eliminated, and a new beginning is possible." He continues, "Within the logic of burning platforms, if natural events do not create a crisis, you must. You don't wait. You don't hope. You develop a strategy and act" (132).
Keeping in mind that true urgency is the goal, the notion of a burning platform doesn't seem that far-fetched. I think Kotter's point is that the issues that are most effective at propelling us forward are sometimes carefully managed. The organization doesn't get "burned," so to speak, but instead is driven to act by very real circumstances. As Kotter suggests, we must view each crisis as an opportunity to maintain that sense of urgency that creates an environment of positive change.
What platforms can be set on fire in your library? What strategies for managing those flames have you used?
Deal with NoNos
As you might've guessed, a NoNo is someone who thwarts efforts to maintain that sense of urgency described elsewhere in the book. However, Kotter makes an important distinction: NoNos are not skeptics. Skeptics, according to him, "can usefully keep enthusiastic, but naive, impulses in check." On the other hand, a NoNo "will do nearly anything to derail processes that attempt to create change" (147).
Think about the NoNos in your work environment. Kotter points out that it is almost always a waste of time to "co-opt" a NoNo. More often than not, someone in that position brings any productivity to a grinding halt. Likewise, he indicates that NoNos can't be ignored as they frequently kill urgency in an organization by being allowed to spread their message to others unchecked.
So, how do you deal with a NoNo? Kotter suggests three methods: 1) distract them, 2) push them out, and 3) ply them with social pressure by publicly acknowledging their behaviors. The bottom line is that NoNos must be dealt with in order for the sense of urgency to be maintained.
His final two tactics for maintaining a sense of urgency are: 3) Find Opportunities in Crises and 4) Deal with NoNos.
Find Opportunities in Crises
In this chapter, Kotter introduces the idea of the "burning platform" (120). He says, "even people who are most solidly content will begin to act differently if a fire starts on the floor beneath their feet. With fire spreading around them, everyone moves, the status quo is eliminated, and a new beginning is possible." He continues, "Within the logic of burning platforms, if natural events do not create a crisis, you must. You don't wait. You don't hope. You develop a strategy and act" (132).
Keeping in mind that true urgency is the goal, the notion of a burning platform doesn't seem that far-fetched. I think Kotter's point is that the issues that are most effective at propelling us forward are sometimes carefully managed. The organization doesn't get "burned," so to speak, but instead is driven to act by very real circumstances. As Kotter suggests, we must view each crisis as an opportunity to maintain that sense of urgency that creates an environment of positive change.
What platforms can be set on fire in your library? What strategies for managing those flames have you used?
Deal with NoNos
As you might've guessed, a NoNo is someone who thwarts efforts to maintain that sense of urgency described elsewhere in the book. However, Kotter makes an important distinction: NoNos are not skeptics. Skeptics, according to him, "can usefully keep enthusiastic, but naive, impulses in check." On the other hand, a NoNo "will do nearly anything to derail processes that attempt to create change" (147).
Think about the NoNos in your work environment. Kotter points out that it is almost always a waste of time to "co-opt" a NoNo. More often than not, someone in that position brings any productivity to a grinding halt. Likewise, he indicates that NoNos can't be ignored as they frequently kill urgency in an organization by being allowed to spread their message to others unchecked.
So, how do you deal with a NoNo? Kotter suggests three methods: 1) distract them, 2) push them out, and 3) ply them with social pressure by publicly acknowledging their behaviors. The bottom line is that NoNos must be dealt with in order for the sense of urgency to be maintained.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Urgent Tactics: 1 & 2
I've been trying very hard to finish Kotter's A Sense of Urgency this week. That ain't gonna happen.
Instead, I'll talk about his first two tactics: Bring the Outside In and Behave with Urgency Every Day.
Tactic One: Bring the Outside In
On page 60, Kotter highlights two points of this tactic. One is, "Reconnect internal reality with external opportunities and hazards," and two, "Bring in emotionally compelling data, people, video, sites, and sounds."
His first point seems incredibly relevant to libraries today. In this chapter Kotter warns that an internal focus kills urgency which leads to complacency and eventually an organization's demise. According to Kotter, the thing that turns the focus inward is historical success. Libraries have been historically successful as knowledge storehouses and the places people turned to when they needed to find pieces of information.
I'm suggesting that, as a profession, libraries and librarians rested on our laurels for far too long. Our long-term complacency has many of us questioning our relevance in light of external entities who do things better and faster than we ever did. And therein lies Kotter's point as I see it. We've got to start looking at what's going on outside the library world. What opportunities are out there of which we're not taking full advantage?
Tactic Two: Behave with Urgency Every Day
Again on page 60, the two points of this tactic are identified as: "Never act content, anxious, or angry," and "Demonstrate your own sense of urgency always in meetings, one-on-one interactions, memos, and e-mails and do so as visibly as possible to as many people as possible."
The part of the chapter I found most applicable to my own situation as a manager is that of "Urgent Patience." This refers to "acting each day with a sense of urgency but having a realistic view of time" (118).
Libraries can't be changed overnight. Making sure staff have the skills they need to be successful takes time. Consistently encouraging people, prioritizing goals and acting on them can go a long way to keep the sense of urgency up in the organization. How do you maintain that sense of urgency in your daily work?
Instead, I'll talk about his first two tactics: Bring the Outside In and Behave with Urgency Every Day.
Tactic One: Bring the Outside In
On page 60, Kotter highlights two points of this tactic. One is, "Reconnect internal reality with external opportunities and hazards," and two, "Bring in emotionally compelling data, people, video, sites, and sounds."
His first point seems incredibly relevant to libraries today. In this chapter Kotter warns that an internal focus kills urgency which leads to complacency and eventually an organization's demise. According to Kotter, the thing that turns the focus inward is historical success. Libraries have been historically successful as knowledge storehouses and the places people turned to when they needed to find pieces of information.
I'm suggesting that, as a profession, libraries and librarians rested on our laurels for far too long. Our long-term complacency has many of us questioning our relevance in light of external entities who do things better and faster than we ever did. And therein lies Kotter's point as I see it. We've got to start looking at what's going on outside the library world. What opportunities are out there of which we're not taking full advantage?
Tactic Two: Behave with Urgency Every Day
Again on page 60, the two points of this tactic are identified as: "Never act content, anxious, or angry," and "Demonstrate your own sense of urgency always in meetings, one-on-one interactions, memos, and e-mails and do so as visibly as possible to as many people as possible."
The part of the chapter I found most applicable to my own situation as a manager is that of "Urgent Patience." This refers to "acting each day with a sense of urgency but having a realistic view of time" (118).
Libraries can't be changed overnight. Making sure staff have the skills they need to be successful takes time. Consistently encouraging people, prioritizing goals and acting on them can go a long way to keep the sense of urgency up in the organization. How do you maintain that sense of urgency in your daily work?
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Bonfire of the Philanthropies
Our friend Sheryl is having a fundraiser (a bonfire/veggie-chili supper) for the community radio station in Bloomington (Ind.) tonight.
This event is making me think of volunteering and other ways of supporting non-profit organizations that desperately need help. I'm participating in Leadership Hancock County (the website's not maintained, unfortunately), a leadership development program in the county where I work. We just had Community Day this past week where I and my classmates had the opportunity to meet with several non-profit organizations in the county that provide support for issues such as education, homelessness, local arts, etc. For this program, we're required to complete a project requested by one such organization. Our projects were assigned this week.
My group's project involves working with an existing website designed to connect potential volunteers with volunteer opportunities in Hancock County. It's in bad shape and needs a lot of attention to bring it in line with modern usability standards (it was built back in 2004).
But, that's beside the point. I'd like to get involved with something in the community where I live. Perhaps it's time to consider volunteering at my public library.
This event is making me think of volunteering and other ways of supporting non-profit organizations that desperately need help. I'm participating in Leadership Hancock County (the website's not maintained, unfortunately), a leadership development program in the county where I work. We just had Community Day this past week where I and my classmates had the opportunity to meet with several non-profit organizations in the county that provide support for issues such as education, homelessness, local arts, etc. For this program, we're required to complete a project requested by one such organization. Our projects were assigned this week.
My group's project involves working with an existing website designed to connect potential volunteers with volunteer opportunities in Hancock County. It's in bad shape and needs a lot of attention to bring it in line with modern usability standards (it was built back in 2004).
But, that's beside the point. I'd like to get involved with something in the community where I live. Perhaps it's time to consider volunteering at my public library.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Jungian Slip
Wow. I haven't posted since July. Bad blogger! Bad!
I'm still developing my management philosophy and reading a lot on the subject. The one that is supplying me with food for thought on my lunch break recently is A Sense of Urgency by John Kotter. This book focuses on developing and maintaining a sense of urgency in the workplace defined as "a distinctive attitude and gut-level feeling that lead people to grab opportunities and avoid hazards, to make something important happen today, and constantly shed low-priority activities to move faster and smarter, now." (from the front bookflap)
Kotter discusses four tactics to use in order fight the enemy of urgency: complacency. They are:
The definition of a sense of urgency mentions "shedding low-priority activities to move faster and smarter, now." I recently attended PLA Results Boot Camp and am reminded of our conversations on Day 3 of the experience that involved the allocation of library resources: staff, collections, technology, and facilities.
The basic message as I understood it is that we've got to stop doing the activities that are ineffective and continue to waste our resources, which is what I believe Kotter to be saying. Get rid of the "stuff" that doesn't serve your organization!
We're starting the strategic planning process I learned at Boot Camp at my library now. Our current strategic plan expires next year, and my director has given me the go ahead to begin making a case to our Board to use the Results model. This will mean a lot of changes to the way we're doing things now, but it really is exhilarating to start down the path to working "faster [more responsive?] and smarter, now."
I'm still developing my management philosophy and reading a lot on the subject. The one that is supplying me with food for thought on my lunch break recently is A Sense of Urgency by John Kotter. This book focuses on developing and maintaining a sense of urgency in the workplace defined as "a distinctive attitude and gut-level feeling that lead people to grab opportunities and avoid hazards, to make something important happen today, and constantly shed low-priority activities to move faster and smarter, now." (from the front bookflap)
Kotter discusses four tactics to use in order fight the enemy of urgency: complacency. They are:
- Bring the outside in
- Behave with urgency everyday
- Find opportunities in crises
- Deal with NoNos
The definition of a sense of urgency mentions "shedding low-priority activities to move faster and smarter, now." I recently attended PLA Results Boot Camp and am reminded of our conversations on Day 3 of the experience that involved the allocation of library resources: staff, collections, technology, and facilities.
The basic message as I understood it is that we've got to stop doing the activities that are ineffective and continue to waste our resources, which is what I believe Kotter to be saying. Get rid of the "stuff" that doesn't serve your organization!
We're starting the strategic planning process I learned at Boot Camp at my library now. Our current strategic plan expires next year, and my director has given me the go ahead to begin making a case to our Board to use the Results model. This will mean a lot of changes to the way we're doing things now, but it really is exhilarating to start down the path to working "faster [more responsive?] and smarter, now."
Sunday, July 13, 2008
5 Dysfunctions and Other Management Challenges
So, I finally finished Lencioni's 5 Dysfunctions of a Team. Here is the model, in a nutshell:
Trust:
This is really as straightforward as it sounds. Before a team can get down to "brass tacks," its members must trust one another. I think about the lessons I've learned from working in groups, and this is so true. In my experience, I was most comfortable when I knew my group members had my back, were going to pull their weight, etc. It's a key foundation to teamwork.
Healthy Debate:
I really like the author's explanation of this one. He compares team meetings to movies. "Why do we like movies more than meetings?" He asks. "There's dramatic tension in movies," is the answer.
He goes on to explain that teams need to be able to argue passionately with each other with no fear of reprisal from other group members. If issues aren't addressed then productivity-killing frustration builds until there's a blow up of some kind. This is true in my experience, too. People have to be able get their ideas out on the table, no matter how unpopular they are. They can only do this if they trust their teammates won't maliciously attack them for it.
Commitment:
This one is also straightforward. Team members must be committed to making the team work, to solving problems, and agreeing to disagree. Lencioni is very clear on the point that it is not consensus. In fact, being committed means you must challenge ideas as they are presented.
Communication is also covered in this section. He calls it "cascading communication," and that just means that decisions are passed down through administrative channels so everyone is on the same page.
Accountability:
Again, it's a simple concept: hold people to what they say they'll do. Lencioni argues that you can't do this without dealing with the first three dysfunctions. He stresses that it's peer-to-peer accountability that is what's important, with the manager taking a back seat unless things get out of hand (people start to take criticism personally, for example, which is a sign of the second dysfunction.)
Results without Ego:
All this means is to put the needs of the team ahead of one's individual needs. For instance, if managers are working on a team, individual managers shouldn't put their own department's agenda ahead of the management team's goals. By supporting the team effort, all departments are affected positively.
I should also point out is that these "dysfunctions" kind of build on one another. In the book, it's presented graphically as a pyramid, the foundation of which is "Absence of Trust." Absence of Trust leads to "Fear of Conflict," and so on.
In Conclusion:
I really like Lencioni's approach in talking about the model. The fable was easy to follow and the steps are simple to understand and remember. I think the best thing is that he takes a common sense approach to these issues. While these concepts are not particularly complex, they provide a framework to bring honest and open communication back into the workplace.
Since I finished 5 Dysfunctions, I've become intrigued by his other books. I've not read them cover to cover, but my two favorites so far are Death by Meeting and Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars. They're very similar in style to the one I just read and have some great suggestions for combating some negative institutions of workplace culture.
- Absence of Trust
- Fear of Conflict
- Lack of Commitment
- Avoidance of Accountability
- Inattention to Results
- Trust
- Healthy Debate
- Commitment
- Accountability
- Results without Ego
Trust:
This is really as straightforward as it sounds. Before a team can get down to "brass tacks," its members must trust one another. I think about the lessons I've learned from working in groups, and this is so true. In my experience, I was most comfortable when I knew my group members had my back, were going to pull their weight, etc. It's a key foundation to teamwork.
Healthy Debate:
I really like the author's explanation of this one. He compares team meetings to movies. "Why do we like movies more than meetings?" He asks. "There's dramatic tension in movies," is the answer.
He goes on to explain that teams need to be able to argue passionately with each other with no fear of reprisal from other group members. If issues aren't addressed then productivity-killing frustration builds until there's a blow up of some kind. This is true in my experience, too. People have to be able get their ideas out on the table, no matter how unpopular they are. They can only do this if they trust their teammates won't maliciously attack them for it.
Commitment:
This one is also straightforward. Team members must be committed to making the team work, to solving problems, and agreeing to disagree. Lencioni is very clear on the point that it is not consensus. In fact, being committed means you must challenge ideas as they are presented.
Communication is also covered in this section. He calls it "cascading communication," and that just means that decisions are passed down through administrative channels so everyone is on the same page.
Accountability:
Again, it's a simple concept: hold people to what they say they'll do. Lencioni argues that you can't do this without dealing with the first three dysfunctions. He stresses that it's peer-to-peer accountability that is what's important, with the manager taking a back seat unless things get out of hand (people start to take criticism personally, for example, which is a sign of the second dysfunction.)
Results without Ego:
All this means is to put the needs of the team ahead of one's individual needs. For instance, if managers are working on a team, individual managers shouldn't put their own department's agenda ahead of the management team's goals. By supporting the team effort, all departments are affected positively.
I should also point out is that these "dysfunctions" kind of build on one another. In the book, it's presented graphically as a pyramid, the foundation of which is "Absence of Trust." Absence of Trust leads to "Fear of Conflict," and so on.
In Conclusion:
I really like Lencioni's approach in talking about the model. The fable was easy to follow and the steps are simple to understand and remember. I think the best thing is that he takes a common sense approach to these issues. While these concepts are not particularly complex, they provide a framework to bring honest and open communication back into the workplace.
Since I finished 5 Dysfunctions, I've become intrigued by his other books. I've not read them cover to cover, but my two favorites so far are Death by Meeting and Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars. They're very similar in style to the one I just read and have some great suggestions for combating some negative institutions of workplace culture.
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