In some ways, I agree with this librarian. We spend tons of money and expend lots of energy making sure that the services that we provide are of quality to our customers. We look at circulation rates and decide what to improve and toss based on this data. But are we spending enough time promoting what we have so that patrons can know how truly vital we are to our communities?

Social Media has made it easier than ever to promote ourselves to a much larger community and demographic of people. The Chattahoochee Valley Regional System does comprehensive marketing on facebook and twitter alone to ensure that we have a very visible presence with our patrons. In some ways this is invaluable, but it does not take from the fact that we still need to hit the ground running with face to face interactions with people. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve asked strangers if they had library cards, only to be responded with “why do I need one? I don’t read books.”

Its this fallacy of thinking that we need to change within our community. We are no longer the quiet, shushing centers of old. We are city and community centers with services as varied as the people who work in them. Maybe we should start promoting our selves by trying harder to use more personal marketing, as well as the other web 2.0 tools that we have at our disposal. Just saying

Check ‘em out!

Lately I’ve been thinking alot about change and progression. What this means to me in relation to my professional work environment, as well as how I can balance these two to fit into my personal scope of the world. My coworker, Bobbi Newman, posted a manifesto today on her blog entitled “The Hazards of Leading Culture Change” (view it here) and it struck a huge chord with me.

I’m in a confusing place, because this article brought up some great points that had me thinking a lot about how others handle change and progression. My main thought process was this; Why the h**l do people automatically reject ideas or negate progression, without first asking questions or seeking to find an understanding? Ive learned that change is inevitable and so is progression. These are two things that never go away, no matter how much you try to wish it away or ignore it like its not there.

I get so angry sometimes when people try to butt heads, or throw monkey wrenches into others ideas without first seeking to understand their rational and than offering alternative solutions. I understand that not everyone is going to be on the same page ALL the time, but we have to be fair and understanding with other people enough to value their insights and offer constructive criticism, rather than responding with destructive actions. And by destructive, I do mean creating an environment that fosters conflict and impedes a persons willingness to act within the spirit of transparency.

Anywhoo, just my opinion. We live in a world of haters, can’t expect that to change overnight. *shrugs*

So I was reading the news today and stumbled across an article on Library Journal. Can someone shed light on why a library system would decide to close a newly constructed branch library?

This is officially going to become a rant in the following sentences. Gwinnett County library board, how can you justify closing a three year old branch library WITHOUT warning the people who frequent your libraries of the changes first? Maybe Im getting my facts mixed up, but wasnt it also decided a few weeks ago that you will be closed on Sundays and Mondays because of a decrease in budget?

Excuse my naivete, but I don’t get the rational behind NOT being open on two of the BUSIEST library days. Actually, I hope its working out for you ’cause I’m seriously doubting that this is the best solution. And, in response to you guys deciding to close a new library branch, I extend an additional kudos to you for that wonderful idea (yes, that was sarcasm). I just hope that your patrons and customers woud be as excited as I would that you would spend millions of dollars to build a beautiful, massive building that will now be used as a sort of holding facility.

This is the sort of thing that happens whe a library board doesnt take the time to truly understand the community by which it serves and only makes decision based on monetary figures and politics.

I find myself loving a field that’s on the brink of change. For a industry whose main objective is to provide resources for those who seek it, the very way in which we do business is undergoing a massive structure overhaul. And the main question still remains:

Will libraries still be relevant in the future?

Each day, I feel like I’m in a competition to define myself as a library professional. What library person am I going to be? Am I going to be that librarian that defines their working relationship solely in correlation to the people that I serve, or am I going to be that Librarian that creates something new and inventive that ultimately changes the way that the library functions as a whole? Is there a middle ground?

I love customer service. I love seeing the way that people react to that unexpectant offering of assistance, or the gratitude that people exhibit when you finally help them find the solution to problem. Its my nature. Im usually the first to offer help when it is in my power to do so. But I am also a thinker…a problem solver who seeks to be inventive and revolutionary. But lately Ive debated whether my focus would be better spent focusing on one aspect, rather than the other.

So now I’m in a competition with myself and I don’t know who I should let win. Should I allow myself to follow my heart and stick to what I KNOW I am good at, what I know I was constantly excel in? Or should I let my environment dictate to me how I should grow, allowing my head to dictatate a path that is so very new but has limitless possibillities?

The fight still remains and I am as undecided as always.

I didn’t see you come in today, but my boss warned me not to come out of the office because she’d already spotted you. I’m quite certain that you wanted more help with your novel, but as I told you before I’m not helping you out. Can you not see that everyone is running away from you? Or are you so conceited and self absorbed in writing your “spiritual revelation” novel, that you dont see that your annoying the h**l out of all of us?

The first time you came in, I was accommodating. I did my best to provide quality customer service, aside from the fact that you were standing way to close and your breath was smelling like a trashmans glove. You asked whether I could locate some images on the internet for you, and I did. Even going as far as to print them in color so that you would think that I was super nice and would eventually leave me alone. Guess the smile made you believe that I wanted more from you, since (after ten minutes) you came back asking personal questions like you had a right too.

That was weeks (and various other encounters) ago, and now I feel as though I must confess that your getting on my d**m nerves. Do you really expect me to believe that your writing something that is going to be the next “big thing”, when you cant even figure to add three hours onto the time that you checked out a laptop so that you can get it back in time not to get fined? And are you expecting to market this book as juvenile literature? Because, contrary to what you have been told, only childrens books have pictures on EVERY PAGE!

Mind you, I’m all for customer service, but I really hate to see you come in. Your like diarrhea. I dread it when I feel like Im going to have an encounter, but feel amazing when your finally out of my system. There’s a reason why there aren’t any staff members or librarians around when we see you and you groundbeef beard walk in. We are sick of you. Tired of you trying to guilt and annoy us into helping you. Tired of having to come up with different and more creative ways of avoiding you. Using up energy that could otherwise be devoted to helping patrons with real issues and real problems. So, on my behalf and the behalf of all those who work at reference, we would like to say to you…

Get a life.

M

The downside: You can only listen to the music via the website, but you may purchase tracks for a set rate.

Me ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥’s!

I’m back from a self imposed blogging hiatus!! Ok, Im guessing that no one really cares, seeing as Im probably the only one that reads my blog posts. ANYHOO….

Today I’m in a weird state of mind. While cleaning the floor, I came across a box of canned Tuna and crackers and it got me to thinking. Why the heck would someone come to the library and eat something so stinky and foul WHILE reading Library materials?? I mean, come on, doesnt thought of tuna juice and cracker crumbs wedged between the pages of your reading book at least give you some type of pause? Or are you not thinking that far in advance to realize that what your doing is not only completely gross, but incredibly WRONG!

I posted a pic of the offending can of tuna on my facebook and, not ten minutes into my post being up for public display, a coworker responds to tell me that he caught someone eating a WHOLE SPAGHETTI DINNER (complete with salad and breadsticks, mind you) in one of the study rooms. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?????

Needless to say that I’m a little put out by the fact that people still view Libraries as coffee shops, though on a grander scale. I mean really, what does that make the people who work in the library to you? I shudder at the response to that question….

Sidenote: Weeks ago I caught a woman throwing a bag of sardines and crackers into the Reference desk trashcan. WTH would you think that that was ok? Hmmm…some people.

July 8-July 15, 2009

Two Years, No Rain (Shawn Klomparens)
The Eleventh Victim (Nancy Grace)
The Crying Tree (Naseem Rakha)
The Brass Verdict (Michael Connelly)
The Writing on My Forehead (Nafisa Haji)
Don’t Cry (Mary Gaitskill)
The Glister (John Burnside)
Peaks and Valleys (Spencer Johnson, MD)
The Elephant Keeper (Christopher Nicholson)
Gone to Green (Judy Christie)
Something Missing (Matthew Dicks)
American Lightning (Howard Blum)
The Invisible Mountain (Carolina De Roberts)
Waiting for Columbus (Thomas Trofimuk)
The Slippery Year: A Meditation on Happily Ever After (Melanie Gideon)
Under This Unbroken Sky (Shandi Mitchell)
Summer on Blossom Street (Debbie Macomber)