On Friday I went to VLA. The circumstances were somewhat ridiculous - we had to leave the library parking lot in our county van at 5:45 in the morning, and I think we got back around 6:30 that evening. 12 hours of paid time for 8 hours of conference-time. I chose Friday because of "Connecting to Community" and "Measuring the Soft Stuff." (On a humorous side note: the marketing preconference was cancelled due to low attendance. Funny but also sad - I fear that people don't recognize that libraries need marketing, now more than ever.)
Here's my programme of activities and a synopsis of the sessions. I deviated somewhat from my planned agenda, with mixed results.
* * * * * *
Connecting with Community: Reinventing Your Library as a Community Hub
More practical and less theoretical than I had hoped. Spoke more about libraries in small communities, answering needs, like dental care and nutrition classes, where because of the rural community, the library served as the only point of access. Had some cool-but-standard program ideas - partnerships with businesses, work with other departments, etc. Their approach to programming is basically the same as ours.
The presenter did emphasize one firm, solid principle that everyone should take to heart - think recklessly about radical ideas.
I'd like to maybe use that "think recklessly" (or perhaps "no fear!") as part of an internal campaign to rethink our library. Right now I think that one of the obstacles towards library reinvention is hesitancy among the staff - they are uncertain of their authority, reluctant to disrupt the status quo. Big concerns: it's too loud, it's in the way, it might be disruptive, it's too much work. My answer? THINK BIG. THINK RECKLESSLY.
Keynote Speaker
Steve Almond, author of Candyfreak. Funny, engaging, a true lover of literature and therefore of libraries. A complete essay inspired by his speech (especially his impression of libraries) will follow. For now, I'll just say he's a speaker worth hearing.
Measuring the Soft Stuff
This is a two-hour workshop compressed into 45 minutes, and you can tell. A lot of stuff flew by on slides that I wish we could have spent more time on. We touched on brand management in general, library brands in particular, social media strategies like connecting on a personal basis, and the rule of thumb for online conversations (listen twice as much as you talk!)
The "measuring" part was focused pretty much entirely on social media, and Facebook specifically. But the inherent message was good:
First, set goals, and align those goals with your strategic plan. What do you want to have happen?
Second, get some measurements. (She offered some tools for doing this, mostly Facebook focused).
Third, Do something with your numbers. It's a measurement when you write down a number. It's a metric when you have something to compare it to: an expectation, a previous measurement, etc. She suggested spending time focused on statistics that can correspond to physical statistics: number of visits, questions asked and answered, things like that.
We got a good list of things to potentially measure, and I got a bit of information about a concept that's pretty new to me - the "listening post." This seems to be an online portal for keeping track of online mentions of a specific keyword - i.e. your library's name. I believe one of my coworkers is using Google Alerts, but I'm interested to see what else we can do to keep track of our presence online. I wonder if there is any way to filter by location? Mentions of "Chesterfield Library" are great, but what about tracking all mentions of "library" within Chesterfield County?
Using Quick Assessment Tools to Generate Meaningful Data from One-shot Instruction Sessions
Interesting information - academic-library focused. I went to see if there perhaps might be some relevance to computer instruction. I think the main obstacle towards implementing this strategy would be that non-students don't do homework or expect to take tests - could we get them to fill out assessments?
In terms of presentation, this was probably the best workshop I attended, mainly because the presenter had a realistic idea of how much information could fit into a 45-minute session.
Lean Library Management
A fairly basic process improvement workshop - "work smarter, not harder" - with a focus on developing a team of people to address a specific problem or inefficiency. Again, it's hard to fit much information into a 45-minute time slot.
What I appreciated most was that the presenter emphasized the importance of trust in this process. She talked about some of the reasons that people fear change, and about how those reasons boil down to trust. People may fear that a new way of doing things won't be as good as the old way, but if you get their input, they will trust the process. People may fear that they won't be good at the new way of doing things, but if they trust their organization, they won't be afraid of losing their jobs. People may fear that their input is being ignored, but if you get them on board at the beginning and give them ownership over the changes, than they'll trust that the new system is truly better. Since this was a workshop for managers, the main points were these: When your employees trust you, they will be less resistant to change. When you trust your employees, you get the full benefit of their knowledge and experience. She also mentioned that if you keep the conversation focused on "How will this help the patron?", you can probably get everyone on board.
* * * * * *
Overall, the sessions were good but not great. At no point during the day did I feel that spark of inspiration, that feeling of "Yes! This is a great idea, I have to tell everyone about this!"
In my mind I return to the math of hours. Me and one of my coworkers were both there for 12 hours - 24 man-hours at this conference. If we instead divided those between the 6 people in my office, we could all take a 4-hour retreat and talk about our ideas, our problems, our creative solutions. Next year, I think this might be a better notion.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Media Communications
We've been having some success in our media communications recently, so I wanted to share what we're doing.
These points apply particularly to our position as a public library and as a county department, but I hope that some of these points could be generalized.
First, we work as a group in advance to decide which events and new developments will be highlighted. We discuss this at our weekly meeting - what's going on that is newsworthy, trend-related, or strategically important. We make a small list of 3 or 4 items to focus on.
Next, we have designated a single point of contact in our office. One co-worker monitors our visibility in the news and on the web, sends information to the media, and works with the county's Public Affairs department. Which brings me to our next point...
We are working more closely than ever with the Public Affairs department. Our point-of-contact speaks with a representative from Public Affairs every week; they discuss our list of highlighted items and how best to publicize them. This connection to the knowledge and experience of the Public Affairs dept. has been invaluable. For example, sometimes they send press releases for us, and other times they use memorandums to reporters. What's the difference? We don't know, and now we don't have to - we're taking advantage of their experience to lessen our workload. Now not everyone has a Public Affairs department to work with, but a broader point applies - use the tools and experience you have available.
Our results? News stories (3 or 4 in the past month?), skyrocketing interest in programs and events, and a smoother workflow within the office, since we're not jockeying to position our own events at the forefront of the publicity efforts.
In brief: focus your efforts, have a single point-of-contact, and use the tools and shortcuts available.
These points apply particularly to our position as a public library and as a county department, but I hope that some of these points could be generalized.
First, we work as a group in advance to decide which events and new developments will be highlighted. We discuss this at our weekly meeting - what's going on that is newsworthy, trend-related, or strategically important. We make a small list of 3 or 4 items to focus on.
Next, we have designated a single point of contact in our office. One co-worker monitors our visibility in the news and on the web, sends information to the media, and works with the county's Public Affairs department. Which brings me to our next point...
We are working more closely than ever with the Public Affairs department. Our point-of-contact speaks with a representative from Public Affairs every week; they discuss our list of highlighted items and how best to publicize them. This connection to the knowledge and experience of the Public Affairs dept. has been invaluable. For example, sometimes they send press releases for us, and other times they use memorandums to reporters. What's the difference? We don't know, and now we don't have to - we're taking advantage of their experience to lessen our workload. Now not everyone has a Public Affairs department to work with, but a broader point applies - use the tools and experience you have available.
Our results? News stories (3 or 4 in the past month?), skyrocketing interest in programs and events, and a smoother workflow within the office, since we're not jockeying to position our own events at the forefront of the publicity efforts.
In brief: focus your efforts, have a single point-of-contact, and use the tools and shortcuts available.
Monday, August 29, 2011
I like your stye
Great graphic design work here. I especially like the oh-so-simple, two-color work of the Tyler Crowley and Jonathan Vassar album covers.
http://triplestamppress.com/
http://triplestamppress.com/
Friday, August 12, 2011
Retail Marketing Expo
Recently most of my department went to a Retail Marketing Expo, put on by the Retail Merchants Association. It was an interesting contrast to the library conferences we sometimes attend - a gathering focused on our job function rather than our industry. My boss thought it was "way more useful than all of us going to VLA." I'm not sure I agree, but I am glad I went. Here are some insights into the pros and cons of attending this event, and what we learned.
My goals: Get more information about advertising opportunities, get new ideas for marketing/advertising vehicles, make contacts that could be useful later. I know that others in my office were more interested in the networking and making contacts side.
What we gained: I got contact information for A LOT of printing shops. We do a little bit of outside printing, so this was useful information. We could see sample papers and other things that it's hard to do online. One of my coworkers was able to get several price estimates for a new type of publication we want to create. It was quicker than doing the same research over the phone and online, and it allowed us to start building those relationships.
We saw some striking and creative signage and displays, which really inspired us to think about the physical displays in our library. We're interested in getting out of the "shoestring" mentality, moving away from the "boxes covered with colored paper" paradigm, and starting to get some elegant, professional-looking displays up in our library. The catalog that we got from one display company will be endlessly useful as we explore possibilities for future displays.
We were able to talk with some companies where we otherwise might not consider their services, or where it might otherwise have been difficult and time-consuming to get cost information. For example: radio stations, Valpak, small magazines.
The downsides: I would say that about a third of the exhibitors weren't relevant to our interests (Payroll services, health care providers, "groupon" deals, credit unions) and another third were so completely out of our price range that it's unlikely we'll be able to use information from them anytime soon (marketing and branding consultants, TV stations, radio stations, app developers, event planners.)
Speakers: We also attended two "power sessions," which I think were supposed to be like a power-nap or a power-walk, with lots of oomph in a short time. The information was about what you would expect; little nuggets of info, nothing new or groundbreaking, more like a reminder and a conversation-starter.
The first session was "Taking the Work out of Networking" with Jim Roman. It was a very short session, and the speaker didn't try to fit too much information in. He stuck to a couple of key points:
- Networking is different from marketing and selling. It's about building relationships, letting people get to know and like you as a person, to facilitate doing business later (not now.) Networking is about farming, not hunting. It's a slow process of cultivating your relationships, not a matter of finding someone to pitch to.
- You only need 2-3 networking groups to find success. How do you find the right groups? Ask your best clients/customers what networking groups they belong to - rotary clubs, professional organizations, etc. People hang out with like-minded people, so if you want to find other great clients, that's a place to start.
- Begin a relationship by offering something. Take someone out to coffee, find out more about what they do and what they care about, and figure out how you can help them. Help someone three times, and they'll help you back.
The second session was about social media, and it was a little disorganized. But there were still a couple of points that stood out to me:
- Be engaging. (He actually said "enchanting", but we all agree that "enchanting" sounds too Disney.) It's not enough just to post - you should post something interesting. "Be fractious, be factual, be funny, be famous, be first."
- Content is currency. Good content means views and likes, which translate into business.
- Take disputes offline. Don't argue it out on Facebook.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
VLA 2011 Annual Conference Schedule
The VLA Annual Conference schedule is out: http://www.vla.org/?page_id=3950
With work piling up the way it is, I don't know if I'll actually be able to go, but I liked the look of several things:
One of the keynote speakers is Rebecca Kamen, a fascinating artist who explores the connections between art and science. She'll also be presenting a session on Thursday afternoon about altered book art!
One of the preconferences is about marketing. Social marketing, no less - and a good thing, too! It's time for libraries to get serious about our brand and our image. WE know that we're wonderful, and it's time that everyone else knew it too.
I see several cool and applicable sessions I'd like to attend, which isn't always the case. Conferences seem to mainly have sessions at 1) reference librarians and 2) library administrators. Ideas for programming and marketing are much rarer. But this conference has quite a few sessions that apply to publicity; in a different set of circumstances I could see myself happily spending 3 days in Portsmouth, chillin' at a hotel, going to conference events, and getting inspired.
Here's my ideal Marketing Agenda for the VLA Annual Conference, 2011:
Wednesday
10 a.m.-1 p.m. Can Libraries be sold as soap? (preconference)
Afternoon/evening: Skip second preconference about ghosts in Virgina. Bum around, blog, catch up on emails, "network."
Thursday
10-11:30 a.m.: Opening Session, with keynote speaker Rebecca Kamen
noon-1 p.m.: New Members Round Table Forum Lunch (I'm thinking of joining VLA)
1:15-2 p.m.: What Can I Do with This? Deciphering Copyright and License Notices
2:15-3 p.m.: Sustaining your Professional and Scholarly Identity in the Digital Environment
3-4 p.m.: "Visit the Exhibits"
4-4:45 p.m. Destroying Books, Creating Visions.
(Yes, this session would be an indulgence, but altered book art is so cool. Alternate session would be Advocating for Public Libraries: Online Tools and Tactics)
5-6 p.m.: Paraprofessional forum
Evening: Conference social. More "networking."
Friday
8-8:45 a.m.: Connecting with Community: Reinventing your Library as a Community Hub
This time slot is when I'd most like to have Hermione's Time Turner available - there are several good options.
9-11:30: General session
11:30-12:15 Measuring the Soft Stuff
1:15-2 p.m. Nothing good. Visit exhibits? Take a long lunch? Write a blog post?
2:15-3 p.m. Documenting the Civil War: The Civil War 150 Legacy Project
Digitization and scanning are all the rage. Better get on board.
3:15-4 p.m. Reading Images: Art Libraries in Norfolk, VA
If I make it, I hope to see you there! Conferences are important - not just for the information and networking, maybe not even mostly for the information and networking, but because they give us a chance to focus on the big picture. Details aside, just the act of getting together to discuss fresh ideas, long-term solutions and goals is incredibly valuable. In my opinion, the gain is doubled if you make time to share what caught your interest with your coworkers. If we can inspire each other, spark conversation, and get ideas flowing, we've spent our time well.
One of the keynote speakers is Rebecca Kamen, a fascinating artist who explores the connections between art and science. She'll also be presenting a session on Thursday afternoon about altered book art!
One of the preconferences is about marketing. Social marketing, no less - and a good thing, too! It's time for libraries to get serious about our brand and our image. WE know that we're wonderful, and it's time that everyone else knew it too.
I see several cool and applicable sessions I'd like to attend, which isn't always the case. Conferences seem to mainly have sessions at 1) reference librarians and 2) library administrators. Ideas for programming and marketing are much rarer. But this conference has quite a few sessions that apply to publicity; in a different set of circumstances I could see myself happily spending 3 days in Portsmouth, chillin' at a hotel, going to conference events, and getting inspired.
Here's my ideal Marketing Agenda for the VLA Annual Conference, 2011:
Wednesday
10 a.m.-1 p.m. Can Libraries be sold as soap? (preconference)
Afternoon/evening: Skip second preconference about ghosts in Virgina. Bum around, blog, catch up on emails, "network."
Thursday
10-11:30 a.m.: Opening Session, with keynote speaker Rebecca Kamen
noon-1 p.m.: New Members Round Table Forum Lunch (I'm thinking of joining VLA)
1:15-2 p.m.: What Can I Do with This? Deciphering Copyright and License Notices
2:15-3 p.m.: Sustaining your Professional and Scholarly Identity in the Digital Environment
3-4 p.m.: "Visit the Exhibits"
Since I'm not shopping for RFID systems or early literacy computers, I mainly watch for two things at the exhibits: design and trends. I pick up any literature whose design I like. I keep my eyes open for creative layouts and formats, and new ways of presenting information. And I look at the trends - how are library-focused vendors presenting themselves? What are they emphasizing? Are there any ideas - for example, interactive signage - that I might be able to take back and apply in some way?
4-4:45 p.m. Destroying Books, Creating Visions.
(Yes, this session would be an indulgence, but altered book art is so cool. Alternate session would be Advocating for Public Libraries: Online Tools and Tactics)
5-6 p.m.: Paraprofessional forum
Evening: Conference social. More "networking."
Friday
8-8:45 a.m.: Connecting with Community: Reinventing your Library as a Community Hub
This time slot is when I'd most like to have Hermione's Time Turner available - there are several good options.
9-11:30: General session
11:30-12:15 Measuring the Soft Stuff
1:15-2 p.m. Nothing good. Visit exhibits? Take a long lunch? Write a blog post?
2:15-3 p.m. Documenting the Civil War: The Civil War 150 Legacy Project
Digitization and scanning are all the rage. Better get on board.
3:15-4 p.m. Reading Images: Art Libraries in Norfolk, VA
If I make it, I hope to see you there! Conferences are important - not just for the information and networking, maybe not even mostly for the information and networking, but because they give us a chance to focus on the big picture. Details aside, just the act of getting together to discuss fresh ideas, long-term solutions and goals is incredibly valuable. In my opinion, the gain is doubled if you make time to share what caught your interest with your coworkers. If we can inspire each other, spark conversation, and get ideas flowing, we've spent our time well.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Ask not what your partnerships can do for you...
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Periodically, our department identifies other organizations that we believe would be good partners for the library. We then begin an interaction. Here is how it usually goes:
Us: We think you'd be a great partner. Want to help us with this project we're doing?
Them: Uh, I guess so.
[Minimal help is given] or [they stop returning our phone calls]
End of interaction.
A couple of weeks ago, the county's department of youth services contacted us about starting a partnership. Here's how the interaction went:
Them: We think you'd be a great partner. I noticed you have a project going on. I've thought of some ways to help. What do you think?
Us: Yeah, that would be great!
[help is given]
Them: Okay, here are some ways we can work our goals into your project. What do you think?
Us: Okay, sure!
Them: We have some other projects going on.
Us: Maybe we can help you!
See how much better that is? And it's all because they came to that first meeting saying "Here is how I can help you" instead of "Here is how you can help me."
Here are my takeaways:
1. Prepare. Be aware of current projects within your partner organization and take some time to think about how the library could support or enhance them.
2. Come prepared to give more than you take. Invest some time at the beginning of the partnership, and it will pay off later.
3. Bring your strengths to the table. By offering help, you're basically giving yourself a chance to demonstrate what you do well, thereby demonstrating your value as a collaborator.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Harry Potter Read-Alikes for Grown-ups
We all love Harry Potter. From fantasy fanatics like me, to the fantasy-wary, almost everyone finds something to like in the easy-readability, the fanciful world, the likable characters, and the strong sense of morality. Here's my list of Harry Potter "read-alikes" (books that offer a similar reading experience) for adults.
Sabriel by Garth Nix
This is probably the best recommendation on this list; if you like Harry Potter, you should read Sabriel. The title character is tough and appealing, as she faces an array of obstacles both creative and frightening. You'll love the world and its characters both.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Okay, I said I wasn't sticking to Juvenile Fiction, but I'll use it when appropriate. Gaiman is a genius, and The Graveyard Book is a great story. Even if you don't particularly care about fantasy, you should give Bod a chance to win you over.
The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (Vorkosigan Saga)
The Harry Potter series is a great coming-of-age story; it watches Harry grow up, from age 11 to age 17. In a way, the Vorkosigan saga is the same; it starts Miles' story at 17, and watches him grow up from there. It's science fiction instead of fantasy, but it shares some charming qualities with Harry Potter. You can't help but love Miles, even when you don't agree with his decisions, and the books read fun and easy. If you love finding a new series to sink your teeth into, you'll be delighted to discover the Vorkosigan saga.
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik (Temeraire series)
I'm consistently struck by how much I like the characters in this series - I was hooked right from the start. The adventure is fun, and of course, there are dragons - who doesn't like dragons? But what really got this book on the list are the wider themes. Much like Harry, as the series progresses the characters must deal with not only their own dangers, but with a choice of how to behave in the face of wider injustice.
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
How will an ordinary young man respond when he finds himself at the center of extraordinary circumstances, battling a legendary villain? The inner journey of the two main characters is the linchpin of this fairy tale.
On Fortune's Wheel by Cynthia Voigt
Character focused, thoroughly appealing. I like to bring up Cynthia Voigt when I talk about strong women in fantasy. Her characters have a true strength; not the leather-outfit, tough-exterior strength that you sometimes see, but an iron-at-the-core strength that will resonate with anyone.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Whether you love or hate The Lord of the Rings, don't expect The Hobbit to be cut from the same epic cloth. It's a great adventure story, extremely accessible, with a sense of humor and a lot of relatability.
Fairies of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
I've been trying to recommend books with a universal appeal; stuff that even a non-fantasy-reader will enjoy. This book is an exception. It isn't a story of rich characterization that explores the heights and depths of the human spirit. This is a fun adventure, starring. . . fairies! Awesome fairies, fighting evil powers. Trust me, it's a total blast, and if you liked watching Harry learn to live up to his destiny, you'll like watching Magpie do the same.
I'm happy to hear your additions to the list! Add in the comments, or mention on Facebook and I can repost. I've mostly stuck to fantasy, but don't feel limited. I almost put Voigt's Dicey's Song on the list, but On Fortune's Wheel won out.
Addendums:
Well, here's where I'm adding the suggestions that other people have for the list, and stuff I didn't think about the first time around.
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman I purposefully left this off the first list, but I'll add it here along with her description (thanks Maya!): "It's a fantastic coming of age story whose narrative complexity follows the character's emerging adulthood. It's filled with complex issues and the need for true bravery."
Why I left it off: That very complexity takes the form of an increasingly conceptual story, touching on philosophical and religious issues. Characters (and therefore readers!) must cope with higher levels of moral ambiguity and personal tragedy.
Sabriel by Garth Nix
This is probably the best recommendation on this list; if you like Harry Potter, you should read Sabriel. The title character is tough and appealing, as she faces an array of obstacles both creative and frightening. You'll love the world and its characters both.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Okay, I said I wasn't sticking to Juvenile Fiction, but I'll use it when appropriate. Gaiman is a genius, and The Graveyard Book is a great story. Even if you don't particularly care about fantasy, you should give Bod a chance to win you over.
The Warrior's Apprentice by Lois McMaster Bujold (Vorkosigan Saga)
The Harry Potter series is a great coming-of-age story; it watches Harry grow up, from age 11 to age 17. In a way, the Vorkosigan saga is the same; it starts Miles' story at 17, and watches him grow up from there. It's science fiction instead of fantasy, but it shares some charming qualities with Harry Potter. You can't help but love Miles, even when you don't agree with his decisions, and the books read fun and easy. If you love finding a new series to sink your teeth into, you'll be delighted to discover the Vorkosigan saga.
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik (Temeraire series)
I'm consistently struck by how much I like the characters in this series - I was hooked right from the start. The adventure is fun, and of course, there are dragons - who doesn't like dragons? But what really got this book on the list are the wider themes. Much like Harry, as the series progresses the characters must deal with not only their own dangers, but with a choice of how to behave in the face of wider injustice.
Enchantment by Orson Scott Card
How will an ordinary young man respond when he finds himself at the center of extraordinary circumstances, battling a legendary villain? The inner journey of the two main characters is the linchpin of this fairy tale.
On Fortune's Wheel by Cynthia Voigt
Character focused, thoroughly appealing. I like to bring up Cynthia Voigt when I talk about strong women in fantasy. Her characters have a true strength; not the leather-outfit, tough-exterior strength that you sometimes see, but an iron-at-the-core strength that will resonate with anyone.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Whether you love or hate The Lord of the Rings, don't expect The Hobbit to be cut from the same epic cloth. It's a great adventure story, extremely accessible, with a sense of humor and a lot of relatability.
Fairies of Dreamdark: Blackbringer by Laini Taylor
I've been trying to recommend books with a universal appeal; stuff that even a non-fantasy-reader will enjoy. This book is an exception. It isn't a story of rich characterization that explores the heights and depths of the human spirit. This is a fun adventure, starring. . . fairies! Awesome fairies, fighting evil powers. Trust me, it's a total blast, and if you liked watching Harry learn to live up to his destiny, you'll like watching Magpie do the same.
I'm happy to hear your additions to the list! Add in the comments, or mention on Facebook and I can repost. I've mostly stuck to fantasy, but don't feel limited. I almost put Voigt's Dicey's Song on the list, but On Fortune's Wheel won out.
Addendums:
Well, here's where I'm adding the suggestions that other people have for the list, and stuff I didn't think about the first time around.
His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman I purposefully left this off the first list, but I'll add it here along with her description (thanks Maya!): "It's a fantastic coming of age story whose narrative complexity follows the character's emerging adulthood. It's filled with complex issues and the need for true bravery."
Why I left it off: That very complexity takes the form of an increasingly conceptual story, touching on philosophical and religious issues. Characters (and therefore readers!) must cope with higher levels of moral ambiguity and personal tragedy.
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