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February 14, 2007
III Public Library Directors Symposium
I've spent a very productive day and 1/2 at a symposium sponsored by Innovative Interfaces (III), our online catalog vendor. Every two years, III hosts a symposium for the public library directors that have III online systems. And it's just for the directors; we can't send our techies. This is good because we discuss technology on a different level than our techie staff does, and we can share perspectives with like-minded colleagues.
Marshall Keys, one of my favorite futurists, was the keynote speaker. Marshall always has more material than he can possibly cover in his allotted time, and the power point slides just whiz by. Yesterday, Marshall talked to us about the 3-D Internet. I know about Second Life, but I had no idea how fast 3-D Internet was growing. Marshall encourages us to find new ways of thinking about our services and the future of libraries. And I was encouraged to hear him speak of the importance of community, since that's a cornerstone of the services we plan for the new library.
I'm coming home with a number of ideas to share with our staff. Westerville OH has so many innovative services. And Middle Country Public Library on Long Island does a lot of cultural programming, a service we will expand in the new library. Cuyahoga County Public Library, OH has a terrific customer service model.
The most unexpected treat happened this morning when I found myself sitting next to the library director from Indian Prairie Public Library. Since her library system includes the town of Darien, IL. we enjoyed sharing stories about our virtual users who found themselves in the wrong state.
Posted by louise at February 14, 2007 06:00 PM
Comments
3 things occur to me regarding Godin's thought:
1. If people are not willing to work to raise the bar, then what is the point of life?
2. If an endeavor is worthwhile, it is worth fighting for.
3. Many critics are convinced that libraries will become a thing of the past as soon as 20 to 30 years from now. If library staff believe in libraries and are willing to work to continually raise the bar on service, think outside the box, and apply innovative practices to library service, we cannot fail.
As Tom Peters writes in Tomato TomA[h]to: Tom’s Re-imagine Manifesto (http://www.tompeters.com/blogs/freestuff/uploads/tomato-082005.pdf):
"Give me pushy, needy, nasty, provocative customers who will drag me down Innovation Boulevard at 100mph."
Posted by: Heather at March 10, 2007 11:56 AM