The writing is on the wall
In Saturday May 9th’s Globe & Mail there is a “Blueprint for Prosperity” by Tavia Grant. She outlines 3 building design themes that successful organizations have adopted or will adopt: Going Green, Close Quareters, and Lifespaces. Going Green is pretty straight forward, it’s the latter two that I think might be a bit more of [...]
Where the extraordinary and fun happens
The Canadian version of Richard Florida’s Who’s Your City is now in print . Florida is known for exploring the relationship between people and place, and in this book the particular relationship between creative people and a small group of Canadian cities. Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers asks us to consider that leaders or successful individuals are [...]
Sewing, oil changes, and fish?
About a year ago I got a rather strange notion in my head that I wanted to learn how to sew. Not a totally comfortable fit, things like sewing and me. At a tender age I was asked to transfer out of domestic science and into business studies (with an instructor who taught us punch [...]
Rethinking thinking
Does your public library have a thinking pattern that is so tried and true, so formulaic, that it has moved beyond a successful method for solving problems into being a problem itself? Does every perceived problem get its own drawn out royal commission?
Occasionally when I muse on the future of libraries, I’m not enthusiastic: [...]
It was a hive of activity
Just back from OLA Superconference which i enjoyed immensely - thanks to the fine folks at OLA for the invite!
There is so much incredible on-the-ground stuff going on out there such as the geodemographic research being done at Mississauga Public Library using the social marketing tool PRIZM, the ongoing energy for the Project for [...]
Is an open door a successful business?
According to the Wall Street Journal public libraries are seeing an increase in use due to a down turn in the economy. If this were to be leveraged into developing our libraries (facilities, staff, collections,) what would that look like – do we know what we are so that we know what we [...]
Valued without the life time service pin?
“Congratulations, we are very pleased to offer you the position.” This is what a dear friend and new library school graduate is asking for in 2009. She’s anxious about getting her first job – but not necessarily anxious about keeping it.
She is a member of the urban creative class. She is willing to move [...]
Not getting it done: A different discussion about learning at the library
Staff development eh?
“Can’t work without it, and yet we have so much trouble working with it“ or..umm.. something like that.
The other day I found myself in a discussion about how to get staff trained. That’s right get staffed trained. It’s sort of like get the eaves done or get the cat fixed. Not [...]
Slainte
Whether taken with a stiff drink or straight up on its own, this brief slide presentation, The Art of Business: Top 10 Basic Business Principles, from the Hyper Passionate Entrepreneurs, can console/embolden those of us who want to push the boundaries of librarianship or well, actually, ahem, at times just kick over the stacks.
Believe [...]
Wow factor?
According to Designing Better Libraries it is time for libraries to deliver the Wow Factor. Some may, and have, taken offense at this suggestion. Yes there are libraries down to what feels like their last coping mechanism (and penny) to provide core services. They don’t feel that they can provide a wow experience by adopting [...]
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