Value Frameworks

Here's some good reading:
http://museumtwo.blogspot.com/2013/10/who-counts-grappling-with-attendance-as.html

And it does bring up the question: is attendance our main measurement for success? I work in event planning, so let's use that as an example. Are the most popular events the best ones?

In terms of what we report and measure, we certainly act as though popularity is the only thing that matters. But we know, we know in our hearts, that it's not. An event where 100 people watch a skateboarding dog is NOT a "better" event than a class where 20 kids use Lego to learn about science. I think most library people would feel like the science class was more valuable, and a better use of taxpayer dollars, than the skateboarding dog.

Which means that we need to use another framework to define our success. To put it another way, when someone asks, "How did the Lego program go?" we need an answer that doesn't relate to attendance. "It was wonderful, the kids had fun and learned a lot!" is a good start.

But of course, that's just a start. Most of the time, when we are explaining why something is valuable, it's important to be professional and convincing. Which means that you need to take that statement and turn it into something you can tell your boss, and maybe something you can tell the board, or tell the taxpayers.

My quick and dirty method for doing this is to find one thing to measure that isn't attendance. Use your library's mission statement, your strategic plan, or your department's goals to figure out what this should be.

For example, if your mission has to do with learning, think about doing a quiz question at the end of the Lego class. Did the kids get it right? You can report that 90% of the kids in the class displayed an understanding of the such-and-such principle after your class. If your mission has to do with inspiration, try asking them instead if they plan to go home and use what they learned to make more Lego creations. If your mission has to do with providing opportunities, ask the parents whether they would have been able to do this with their child at home.

If you don't have a stated mission or goals, then just find some commonly-agreed-on Good Thing to support. If your boss is always happy to hear that people are checking out books, try setting up a display of Lego books in the classroom. Count how many of the items get checked out, or count how many kids take books from the display. Then you can say "75% of attendees checked out Lego books after the program!"

This is going to help you in several ways:

First of all, it will help you express the value of what you're doing. Right away, your projects will sound more purposeful and more impressive. If you work in a library (or other non-profit) then you probably believe pretty strongly in your work. This is going to help you get other people on board.

Second, it will actually add value to your projects. Here's a recent example from my job: I was using this method to think about a "Hunger Games" party the library is hosting. I wanted something besides attendance to measure, and I wanted it to be related to reading. Maybe we could measure book checkouts somehow? Then I had the idea to create a cool read-alike book display that would encourage the teens to check out books. What a fun idea! And it doesn't just articulate the value - my program is better because of this idea. In a small way, I am better expressing our mission.

Third, it will help you prioritize. You'll be able to sit down and say, "What should I schedule for this summer? A Lego science class, or a skateboarding dog?" You won't have to guess which would be "better" - you'll have a framework that helps you evaluate which program fits with your organization and helps you accomplish your mission and goals.

My Day in Design, May 5, 2013

At long last, another "My day in design" post! Lots of signage and architecture elements, mainly from Carytown, with a few from downtown Richmond.

Interesting Presentation on Physical Library Spaces

http://grimmandparker.com/links/PDF/The%20Library%20of%20the%20Future%20VEFP%20G+P%20website%20version.pdf

Results and quotes from a survey about the future role of libraries and the likely future needs for library spaces. Not too long, and interesting reading.

Wonderland: The Library Experience for Book Lovers

Do you remember reading Roald Dahl's Matilda? (if not, go read it now. Dahl is still very good reading for adults.) Remember her library experience? For book lovers, that story still rings very true - the world of wonders just waiting in books. It's the same reason we love The Never-ending Story movie, and we identify with Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Books are magical for us, and libraries are wonderlands.

I've posted before about the clash between this nostalgic affection and the image of the "modern library." But I've come to realize that while our wonderland libraries do clash with the library-as-consulting-agency model, they are delightfully consistent with another new idea of libraries: the library-as-destination.

Library-as-destination is really a beguiling vision. Libraries from this vision are community centers, coffeehouses, hubs of literature and conversation. We'll have concerts and storytimes and philosophy discussion groups and many, many book clubs. One of the high points of this vision is that we don't have to give up our love of books! Literature will be a focal point of our passionate community centers. Our teen areas will be cool to hang out in, and our children's areas - well, they will be wonderlands! Bright, magical spaces with toys and climbing furniture and walls of bright, colorful books.

The best thing abut this vision? It's appealing to our most passionate users, our "core" group - book lovers. Book lovers would flock to this library. And it makes more sense, really, to build a library that appeals to the people who already love us, rather than trying to build libraries that will draw in people who are currently indifferent.

So what's in the way? Mainly conflicting visions. A library cannot brand itself as both a cool modern library of expertise and professionalism and as passionate literary hub. We have to pick one. And sadly, there are practical concerns at work here. Our governing body (also our source of funding) is the county government, and they are eager to prioritize economic development - which means that the consulting-library is easier to sell than the wonderland-library. We would need an amazing amount of community support to work towards a different vision. And I think we could get it- it's just a matter of selling the dream.

What I'm reading: Maggie Stiefvater

It's been a while since I've been this excited by finding a new author. Maggie Stiefvater writes Young Adult fiction. I've read two of her books in the past month, and I thoroughly enjoyed both of them.

The Scorpio Races
Engaging, with appealing characters and the perfect level of magic. It's hard to suffuse a story with magic but keep the world believable, but this book manages it deftly.

The Raven Boys
I liked The Scorpio Races; I was utterly enchanted by The Raven Boys. For one thing, it's set in Virginia but rich with old-world magic. And the magic has that undefined and undefinable quality of being "right" - at least for me, this magic is plausible, believable, and real. "Yes," I think. "If magic was real, this is how it would manifest."

Character-wise, The Raven Boys was maybe weaker than Scorpio Races. I would love to hear a male opinion on this subject, but I felt like the expressions of maleness in The Raven Boys were a bit off - it rang like a woman writing about men, which of course it is.

But the appeal of the characters, the charm of the magic and the world, overcame all my reluctances. The Raven Boys - read it! Be charmed!

Portfolio Blog!

After years of shyness, procrastination and sloth, my design portfolio website is finally up and running! Yes, it's still under construction - but I have a web presence!

Find me at katedenwiddie.wordpress.com.

What I'm reading: "Under Heaven" by Guy Gavriel Kay

I'm still trying to decide if each of Kay's books focuses on a single theme, but this one definitely does: Under Heaven is all about power. Wealth, influence, physical strength, knowledge, family connections - all these and more run through Under Heaven, exploring how individual lives and the fate of nations are shaped by the power that people have over each other, and the ways they choose to use that power.

Kay's worldbuilding, as usual, is excellent - there's enough scenery to catch the imagination, without drowning you in detail, or telling the reader things just to prove that the author knows them. Characters are well-drawn, with a believable shared worldview, and extremely human. They might be more or less sympathetic, but they mainly avoid being caricatures.

On the topic of characters, however - there are just too many, and some of them are too random. I can see why you might want to narrate a scene from the point of view of the guy on top of the wall. I guess. But do I really need his backstory? In my opinion, I do not. In my opinion, it interferes with the story. Also because of the character-jumping, I had some trouble keeping track of who-was-supposed-to-know-what.

Overall, I enjoyed Under Heaven, but I didn't respond to it whole-heartedly. Perhaps that's because I don't care enough about the subtleties of power, or perhaps it's because this is one of the less fantastical of Kay's books (I like when there's lots of magic in my stories.) In any case: I cared what happened, but...not as much as I often do, with Kay's work.

I'm currently debating whether to go back and re-read a bunch of Kay's other work, to look for these recurring themes. It came to me, very clearly, that Tigana is about loyalty, and that I REALLY responded to that book. Off the top of my head, I would say that Fionavar Tapestry is about identity, the Sarantine Mosaic is about legacy and creation (what we leave behind us), and that Lions of Al-Rassan is probably about courage. Thoughts?