Library Revolution

But I have learned never to blog while on cold medicine.

Another time, then.

 Share

2007? What 2007? Never happened.

It’s 2008, baby.

 Share

So I did a Google search for “Library” and got this as the targeted ads. Pet Supplies?

Now, according to  Google, the AdWords results that appear after doing a search are based on keywords specified by the purchaser of the ad. In their words,

 When people search on Google using one of your keywords, your ad may appear next to the search results. Now you’re advertising to an audience that’s already interested in you.

So I dunno.

Of course, I usually don’t even see these because of the Firefox extension Customize Google. So whatever.

 Share

But it still makes me giddy.

Man, am I a nerd.

 Share

I can’t even say how excited I have been lately about a turn that a major project that I have been working on has recently taken.

See, it’s like this: I’ve been working on a huge project for the better part of a year, and the people who are now starting to look at it and evaluate the product of my efforts. And they are finding things that they don’t like about it!

I am far from being upset that people are finding faults with what I have produced, though. In fact, I am absolutely ecstatic and elated about it because rather than just complaining about the things they don’t like, I’ve had a number of people giving me very helpful suggestions for making my work better. And this kind of feedback has led to a very constructive process that is actually making the product better for everyone.

The lesson I’m learning: Complaining is one thing… but constructive criticism, accompanied by suggestions for solutions actually gets things done. It’s about moving from “complaint mode” to “collaboration mode.”

So I really identified with this post from Library Riot about this very topic:

“we can whine and complain all day, and we can even use the most guerilla methods to sabotage the status quo. But unless we have some kind of solution, or at least an alternative that we’re willing to defend, we sell ourselves and our ideas short. In the end, we only risk alienating ourselves and dooming our potentially great ideas to failure.”

Amen! It’s something we can all think about the next time we have a complaint. The next time I find myself ready to whine about something I don’t like, I’ll definitely take some time to think through some possible solutions before I open my big mouth. (Of course, it won’t stop me form opening my big mouth… that would take a miracle.)

There is great potential power to be found in complaining constructively. I’m learning this first hand.

BTW: What is this project? Maybe I’ll post about it soon.

 Share

Good luck to Smithtown Library…. I’m rooting for you!

Great video, BTW.

 Share

Via Library Bytes (among others) I came across this article on the “economy of free.”

The long and short of it is that businesses are figuring out that in a technology-driven world, “Just because products are free doesn’t mean that someone, somewhere, isn’t making huge gobs of money.” And they’re starting to capitalize on this notion. Read the article - it outlines an emerging business model that turns the rules of traditional buyer/seller models upside-down.

What does this all mean for libraries, who have long depended on their unique position as a provider of “free” services?

As I’ve said before, free might not be enough of a selling point for libraries any more. Our services are “free” to our users? So what? So are a lot of other services and products. “Free” is just not that special any more… especially when what we are “selling” is access to information.

So what do we have that is special?  Or what can we do in the future to fit the changing needs of our communities? When price is out of the equation, what is it that we offer that makes choosing our services the logical choice for our customers? What other values can we appeal to? And how do we communicate this with our communities so that potential users are aware of the benefits we have to offer them? How do we convince them to choose libraries?

I can’t wait to pick up FREE, Chris Anderson’s forthcoming follow up to The Long Tail. This may be one of the biggest issues libraries will need to deal with as we struggle to define ourselves in the economy emerging around us.

 Share

Guess who turned two this weekend!

Lesson learned: She who buys a bright blue Cookie Monster cake must be prepared to change bright blue diapers.

 Share

This line from Thomas the Tank Engine made my husband, Chris, spit coffee out of his nose the other day:

“Emily was a proud engine. She liked to tell the other engines how to do their jobs.”

F.U. Thomas. And you too, Chris.

 Share

Rochelle Hartman posted a great question on her blog (”I won’t call it a meme,” she says), and got some equally great responses.What she wants to know is what areas of technology are you NOT savvy with?

I responded to the post with an admission of my total lack of competence with phones. Sorry, I just can’t handle voice mail. Or phone trees. And don’t even try me with call waiting. I guarantee that I will hang up on you… but not on purpose.

Other areas where I experience technology “brownouts”?

The clock in my car would not even be in the right decase if my husband didn’t set it for me. And forget the radio presets. I can’t work a VCR to save my life. And record players might as well be from another planet.

This is such an important question for those of us who “work with technology” to answer now and then… especially when we are responsible for training others. We all have particular strengths and weaknesses when it comes to dealing with technology. Acknowledging and sharing our weaknesses is very important when you are trying to help people gain a comfort level with a technology that may be on their “TechNOT” list.

And who knows? If I can connect with someone and help them set up a wiki orrun their statistical reports, maybe they’ll help me get my voice mail.

 Share