Mark Your Calendar: Plans are underway for the 2007 WLA Annual Conference in Green Bay

Outgoing WLA Conference Chair Bernie Bellin passed the baton to the new Conference Chair Terrie Howe and her planning committee for the 2007 Wisconsin Library Association Annual Conference. This much anticipated event, is scheduled to take place October 16 – 19, 2007, at the beautiful Regency Suites Hotel and KI Convention Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Committee members for the 2007 event include: Terrie Howe, of the Nicolet Federated Library System (NFLS); Alan Engelbert (Manitowoc Public Library); Brigitte Vacha (WLA); Paula Ganyard (UW-Green Bay IS); Elizabeth Timmins (Seymour Public Library); Felice Maciejewski (St. Norbert College); Glenice Klestinski (NFLS); Jamie Matczak (NFLS); Jan Peterson (AE, 3M Security Systems); Julie Fricke (Lawrence University); Maggie Waggoner (Kaukauna Public Library); Mark Merrifield (NFLS); Michael Kenney (Appleton Public Library); and Rita Schiesser (NFLS).

The committee will be busy in the months ahead, deciding on 2007’s theme and keynote speaker, not to mention the other key responsibilities in their charge, such as programming, luncheon speaker, the silent auction store, pre-conferences, special side tours, and so on. Needless to say, the bar has been set very high after our wonderful conference in the Dells. The committee loves the challenge!

"Libraries thrive, despite Internet"

In case you were wondering...

The Appleton Post-Crescent, in a nice article about the latest Department of Public Instruction library statistics, also reports that "Technology is no substitute for tangible sources." They interviewed Appleton Public Library director (and WLA past-president), Terry Dawson.

WLA 2006: Conference Wrap-Up

As a follow-up to MATS' blog coverage of the 2006 WLA Conference, presenters' handouts and PowerPoints are starting to show up at the WLA conference web site.

If more presentation materials are found elsewhere, we'll link to them here; if you know of some, please send us the links by adding a comment to this post.

We had a great time "blogging the con", and hope to round up more MATSians to blog the WAPL Conference next spring!

Thanks to Nanette, Karla and Pete for all the bloggy goodness!

WLA 2006: More images

What a blast! I had such a great time blogging the conference. I still have a few more notes I want to post in the next week or so, most notably those from Debbie Schmidt's keynote address about providing great customer service in our libraries. We should be striving for loyal (and enthusiastic!) patrons, not just satisfied ones.

In the meantime, here are a few more images from the conference. I used Shutterfly, which is similar to Flickr. Thanks to all the folks who consented to having their picture taken. Especially check out the antler-wearing librarians at the Moosejaw. Who says librarians don't have fun?

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0BYuG7Zw4ZsXKg&notag=1

Nanette

WLA 2006: Small Libraries and The Digital Divide

Friday, 10:30-11:45am

This was a presentation by Jessamyn West, author of librarian.net, co-editor of Revolting Librarians Redux, an ALA councilor, a rural librarian, and library activist.

Links to info mentioned in her presentation are available at http://www.librarian.net/talks/wla2/

People don't use computers for all sorts of good reasons:

• the information poor
  
• the information don't care
  

According to the Vermont Telecommunications plan, reasons for not using the internet recently are...

1. 40% don't have a computer
2. 20% have no interest
3. 15% don't like computers
4. 2% have never heard of the internet

Often the library has a better chance of getting DSL or cable internet access than the home user because ISPs need to be convinced to run a line out to them.

The Pew Digital Divisions survey splits users into three loose categories:

1. The "truly disconnected" (22%)
   One in five American adults have never used the Internet or email and don't live in an internet connected household.
2. The highly wired elite (33%)
   broadband at home. high income, high education, generally younger
3. everyone else (40%)
   modest connections (dial-up) or they live with someone who's "connected"
   

Large public libraries in small states in Jessamyn's experience:

• Management treats technology as just another resource, like books or CDs doesn't know what a browser is
• Staff is alternately critical and uncritically accepting
  
• Patrons are alternately confused/needy and demanding; the more they use technology the more they hate our OPAC
• Community could look to library as a leader, but do they? We have to be mechanics; it's just changed from from fixing toilets to fixing computers.

Some management problems are disguised as money problems.

Adding things like blogs, wikis, etc. realistically speaking, "how am I going to find time to do any of this?

• Realism [setting expectations, what you can/can't have] figure out what you can and can't offer; knowing when's appropriate to say no
• Decisiveness you don't need to form a committee or wait until the next board meeting to decide whether to use flickr to upload your photos; deputize people to do things; "maybe I should just build this and get back to you"
• Problem solving for everyone!

Plan for...

• Friction
• Scaling: maybe this will work for 5 users, how about 500 users?
• Saving the time of the user: does this make things easier for our patrons, or more difficult?

What can you do for your patrons?
What can you do to help your staff do an awesome job? Ask your staff, "What do you need from me to do an awesome job?"

Social software:

• Help people connect; the future world will be more software, less hardware
• Lure people into your library with new tech
  
• Give your staff time to explore and play with technology so they can better help your library's patrons
  

In many rural situations, you are your community's local expert about the internet and technology.

WLA 2006: Sensible Technology Trends in Libraries

Friday, 9-10:15am

This was a presentation by Jessamyn West, author of librarian.net, co-editor of Revolting Librarians Redux, an ALA councilor, a rural librarian, and library activist.

You can see all the links from Jessamyn's talk at http://www.librarian.net/talks/wla

"Vermont is all rural all the time"

Library 2.0 means...

• the library is no longer the box where the books are
• it's a read/write environment

Ranganathan would have like the concept of the read/write web, especially regarding...

• Save the time of the reader
• A library is a growing organism.

The easiest freest thing you can do to increase your library presence:

• Offer an easy way for the public to ask you a question
  - consider creating generic email addresses for trustees@ and genealogy@ that get directed to whoever is in charge

Instant messaging:

• Consider offering IM so the public can reach you quickly & easily; be where your patrons are
  
• IM is also great for in-house communication with your colleagues
• "remember, we also debated telephone reference"
  

"Let computers do the heavy lifting."

Wikis aren't for everything, blogs aren't for everything.
Use the appropriate technology for what you want to offer to your patrons.

Blogs & wikis & RSS

• There are very easy tools to blog (like Blogger.com) -- don't settle for using the old-school "myblog.blogspot.com" URL if you already have a domain name for your library; you can publish your Blogger blog to your web site host
  

Social software:

• your patrons are already using it and might like help from you about using it
  
• understand why people might like it
• understand how your library might use it
• it's leaping the "flavor of the month" stage
  

Open source software...

• is free
• is redistributable
• has an open code base
• is the great unknown
• can have erratic documentation
• be aware of the geek culture vs. librarian culture

Mashups and open APIs

• Build your stuff on top of their stuff
• Mashing up the Library contest winners

Wifi/wireless

• It's one easy way to attract people to your library
  
• In some communities the library offers the only wifi in the area; your library may be the only wifi hotspot in town; this is especially in communties there's no broadband Internet access in the town

The good news and the bad news:

• No amount of money will make a tech-phobic staff love technology.
• No amount of dissuasion will keep a technophile away from technology.
• Knowing who you're working with and [the full range of] what your options are is more valuable than any amount of money thrown at your technology problem.

WLA 2006: Intro to Appreciative Inquiry

Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry presented by Louise Root Robbins

Louise gained my respect and grabbed my attention within the first few minutes by saying: AI is not a silver bullet, it is not for absolutely everything, and there are times when it won't work.

However, she went on to provide evidence and reasons why it IS extremely effective in most situations where it is applied.

The main 3 ideas:

1. Something IS working--find out what it is and make it happen more. We see quickly what is wrong. AI is not problem-solving
2. "we create our reality'" - social constructionism. We can choose to think differently about situations. Confronting reality but realizing you can think differently about things.
3. Questions are intervention. Stopping to think about question already opens one up to new ideas. Brings new energy. Doing it in a group, makes even bigger difference.
   

AI is about bringing people together to talk about things that they care about and figure out ways to make the things they care about better.

Not simplistic, not just positive thinking, or "looking for good in everything"

Hard to talk about--better to give brief 20 minute background intro, then do it.

Common uses:

• Lots of Coaches use it
• Performance evals
• Staff meetings
• Branding an Organization
  

AI 4-D Cycle: This is the basic process.

• Discovery - Appreciation
• Dream - Envisioning
• Design - Co-contsructing
• Destiny - Sustaining
  

AI looks beyond what is working (don't look at problem) and how to extend it.

Many groups using AI to try improve world situation.
Discovery:

• List positive instead of looking at the negative, which drains one
• Usually large scale meetings
• Have representation from all levels, areas of the org. Have a team (all repr'd).
• Hearing stories - letting people have a chance to speak - hearing them out.
  

Dream:
What is it that would make us feel committed to this cause?

Design:
I missed this part...sorry!

Destiny:
How practically do we make this happen.

Exercise:

• Pick a peak experience - anything
• Think in terms of what was life-giving, what made it so neat
• Get into details of it
• Think of how to recreate it
  

She tried introducing AI into dead staff meetings. Didn't go over well. Took 5 years from the first mention to implementation. Turned out, people had never had positive experience at retreats, so they didn't want to try again.

We are social -- we like to tell stories, hear stories, talk about our selves. From this we can pull out the common factors. There are things we all share.

Based on experiences.

When not to use it:

• When leadership not participating
• When there is too much resistance?
• When can't have all levels involved
• If there is no genuine committment to change.
  
• If one is unlikely to implement anything, better not to attempt.
  

Essence = we do share commonality, we need to open dialog. AI is a structured way to go deepr and deeper into dialog.

AI results in "it was a priority for all of us" so it is sort of self-policing from getting off track.

This was the first of three presentations on AI.

WLA 2006: MARC My Words: Elements of Speaking for Librarians

Manuel Urrizola clearly and concisely explained and demonstrated the basics of creating, preparing and presenting a speech.

Select and define topic:

1. Where or for what occasion are you speaking
2. To whom are you speaking?
3. Why? What is my approach?

Five approaches/Elements

• Inform - Bibliographic Instruction
  
• Persuade - Vendors
  
• Entertain - Storytimes
  
• Inspire - ex Gettysburg Address
  
• Advocate/Call to Action - Fundraisers

How to support topic?

• Facts, quotes
  
• History or future of topic
• Stories
• Balance:
  ex. Pros & Cons, Before & After, Question & Answers, Problem & Solution

Three is the magic number - 3 facts, 3 bullet points, 3 whatevers

Introduction:

• Get their attention
• State your topic
• Give audience know your approach

Body of Speech:

• Supporting elements
• Develop topic and support topic

Conclusion:

• Summarize
• Let them know where to go
• Mirror your beginning (ex start & end with a quote)
• Make it clear
  

Overcoming Nervousness

Why do we get nervous?

• We don't want to fail
• We want to be liked
• We care

Your brain chemistry is kicking in.

How to control nervousness?

• Be Prepared!
• Try relaxation techniques (ex deep breathing)
• Do something physical
• Experience

Rehearse

• Memorize beginning and ending
• Write it out
• Practice it
• Time your speech

Don't rely on your props--certainly not PowerPoint. What if computer failure?

It IS a performance. Don't kid yourself. They want more than just content.

Make the audience believe you:

• Speak with authority
• Don't apologize
  
• Be direct
• Use logic

Motivate your audience (appeal to self interest):

• Inspirational language
• Show some enthusiasm
• Financial rewards

Move your audience (emotional engagement):

• Personal experience
  
• Buzz words
• Make them laugh
• Trauma or Suspense

Show what you mean

• Body Language
• Move around room
• Gestures - bigger the room or audience, the bigger the gesture
• Eye Contact
• Facial expressions

Show what you mean - using Sound

• Inflection
• Volume
• Imitation
• Rate
• Variety
• Vary pitch & tone
• Metaphores, alliterations

Show what you mean - Visual

• Clothing
• Chart
• PowerPoint - should only illustrate speech, add to
  
• Props
• Handouts

Silence is golden

• Remember to breathe
• Wait for answers to questions
• When you don't rember your next line
• Don't use filler words. No ummmm. When catch filler word, repeat sentence w/o it.

End:

• Make sure audience knows -- ex turn it over to host
• Make ending strong. Thank you is not a strong ending
• End. Stop.

Post-Mortem:

• Evaluations, suggestions from audience
• Experience
  
• Exercises
  

WLA 2006: Running an Effective Meeting

Thursday, 2-3:15pm

This was a presentation by Kathy Pletcher, Association Provost for Information Services at UW-Green Bay.

Effective meetings have:

• A good chairperson
  
• The right people involved -- people with technical knowledge, with ideas, willing to do the work
  
• A clear purpose or charge --
  

Effective meetings require:

• Good planning
• Good leadership
• Appropriate follow-up

Planning the meeting (this is where you want to put a lot of effort):

1. What is the purpose of the meeting?
2. Which format will be most effective?
3. What needs to be accomplished?
4. Who should be there and why?

1. What is the purpose?

• Inform
• Gather information
• Generate ideas
• Enhance communication
• Enhance teamwork
• Improve morale
• Solve a problem
• Make a decision
• Persuade
  

2. Which format?:

• In person -- opportunity to draw out introverted attendees; you can read body language
• Telephone, teleconference -- requires more work; the agenda has to be highly structured because you don't have visual cues from attendees; you have to call on people
• Two-way video
• Computer conferences

3. What needs to get done?

• Set reasonable goals -- make a list
• Determine time needed to achieve goals -- give a start and end time
  
• Structure the agenda
  - action, discussion, information items
  - prioritize -- first things first
  - relevancy check
  - is the meeting necessary?

4. Who should be there and why?

• Who are the stakeholders and why?
  
• Who has pertinent information?
• Who will be affected by the outcome?
• Who might contribute good thinking?
• Who might help move things along?
• Who should be inside the tent? People who regularly oppose a topic on the agenda.
• Only bring people there who need to be there; don't waste the time of others.
• Keep in mind the size of the group. Groups larger than 15 can be hard to manage. Consider structuring subgroups or subcommittees.
  

Scheduling the meeting:

• Select a time that will achieve the highest attendance by key players.
• Select a place that will be accessible and conducive to good discussion.

"Calling" the meeting:

• Memo or email message that includes
  - purpose of the meeting
  - date, time & location
  - who will be there
  - let people know the preparation required
• Meeting agenda
  - date, start time, end time, location
  - action/discussion/information items
• Documents pertinent to meeting
• Maps, parking info if needed

Just prior to a meeting:

• Review the agenda
• Gather your thoughts
• Gather hand-outs
• Be there ahead of attendees
• Check out the meeting room
  
• Greet people

Running the meeting:

• Begin on time
• Appoint a recorder
• Stick to the agenda
• Foster discussion
• Use rules like parliamentary procedures -- consider appointing a parlimentarian
  
• Stay on course
• Summarize & show progress
• Draw conclusions
• Assign tasks
• Set deadlines

Parliamentary basics:

1. Only one subject may claim the attention of the assembly at one time.
   
2. Each proposition presented is entitled to full and free debate.
   
3. Every member has rights equal to every other member.
   
4. The will of the majority must be carried out and the rights of the minority must be preserved.
   
5. The personality and desires of each member should be merged into the larger unit of organization.
   

Motions:

• Allow enough discussion before a motion is made.
  
• A motion is made in order for the group to take action.
• A motion needs a second in order to be considered by the group.
• Discussion/debate must be germane to the motion.
• Presiding officer takes the vote by voice, show of hands or balloting
• The chair should remain neutral during the discussion, and will serve as the tie-breaker
  

Before you adjourn:

• Do a meeting wrap-up and summarize what we accomplished during the meeting
• Review assignments and deadlines
  
• Schedule the next meeting
• Thank participants
  

Post-meeting follow-up:

• Send out minutes or a summary
• List the tasks that need to be followed up; check on progress of assignments
  
• Carry out decisions, tasks, etc.
• Report back on progress

WLA 2006: LibraryThing

Thursday 11am-12:15pm

LibraryThing is...

• a web site for book lovers
• a social network built around books -- you can connect to other people through the books you share
• "kind of the Wikipedia of cataloging"
  

There are currently over 97,000 registered users.
Over 1000 members are librarians; see Librarians Who LibraryThing.

If LibraryThing were a library, it would be the 20th largest library in the United States.

Signing up is easy, and you don't have to give a lot of personal information to start your account.
LibraryThing is a fan of simplicity and privacy.
Your reading habits are online, but they're not connected to any personal data about you.
You can edit your profile with as little or as much as you like.
Many user profiles offer photos of cats, stacks of books, etc. not photos of oneself.

LibraryThing terms of use: "Be nice, please."

Add books to your library from...

• Amazon.com
• Library of Congress
• 60 other sources around the world
• copying & pasting from other sources or manually type the book info
  

You can customize each of the 5 different views of your library.

The link to "People who own this book also own..." helps you find other books you might like.

RSS feeds are created for books you've recently added, and for reviews by others who also own your book titles.

Small libraries are using LibraryThing to catalog their collections.
Libraries are using the LibraryThing widget on their web pages to recomend books and list new titles.

John Klima at the Franklin Township Public Library uses it to make the Young Adult Librarian's Library Thing catalog.

"It's the long tail; it drives people deeper into the stacks."