April 06, 2007
A Day with Nora Rawlinson
Nora Rawlinson conducts a workshop on buying fiction
We certainly learned a lot from Nora Rawlinson! Currently the VP of Library Services, Hachette Book Group, Nora has an illustrious career in both publishing and libraries, and generously shared her expertise on buying fiction with our book buyers this week. In the new library, self check machines will allow our staff to spend more time as Readers Advisors, out on the floor we're calling Main Street, talking about their favorite books with our readers. Some of the familiar faces you see behind the circulation desk now, checking out books, are becoming our fiction book buyers and are honing their skills. Nora's workshop was informative, practical and extremely useful as our staff learned how to use publishers catalogs as a selection tool to help them predict an upcoming book's popularity, the strengths of various publishing houses, and how to get the most circulation per dollar spent.
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September 29, 2006
A Week of Good Ideas
slide from Chris Anderson's talk and discussion during Library Camp
I attended two thought-provoking events this week and I'm still trying to sort out what they mean for the Darien Library. On Monday, we hosted Library Camp East, a technology unconference where librarians from Connecticut and the east coast gathered to discuss topics like how to make our online catalogs more like Google and Amazon, and our online services more useful to our customers. And last night, I heard Chris Anderson, author of The Long Tail, lecture at the New York Public Library. I also heard Chris speak at the American Library Association meeting in June, and I am certain that the long tail has implications for library services. I am just not sure what they are yet. Certainly we are going to be thinking more about niches in our collections and services. Are we buying what you want to read, listen to, and view? Although we are delighted when you tell us what you like about the Darien Library, we are even more interested in knowing where we need to improve. As we plan for the new library building, we are thinking a lot about library services of the future, and would love to hear your thoughts. What would make this library even more amazing?
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August 09, 2006
Plus ca change
Technology planned for the new Library, such as self check out and automated material handling, will allow our friendly staff to spend more time with our customers, talking about books. "Readers Advisory", a staple of public libraries in the past, is making a comeback across the country, as more libraries free their staff from standing behind desks and get them out on the floor talking books with readers. In preparation for an expanded role in the new library, our own staff of insatiable readers recently honed their readers advisory skills at a workshop in Middletown, and returned with lots of enthusiam and ideas. Watch for new booklists from Lois, Jen, Priscella, Alison, Ruth, Marianne and Emily!
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August 02, 2006
Great Good Place
I recently had the good fortune (as Dennis Weatherstone's guest) to attend "The Future Public Library Conference" which the Stavros S. Niarchos Foundation sponsored at New York Public Library. Rolf Hapel's animated discussion of his library in Aarhus, Denmark and Maija Berndtson's description of Library 10 in Helsinki validated our thinking about how public libraries will serve their communities in the future, especially with the idea of positioning a public library as the "third place" in the community. I've had Ray Oldenburg's book, The Great Good Place on my desk for the past year, and turn to it often.
Although Darien Library is already a place where much of the community gathers, we envision the new library as even more of a "great good place" for Darien. An expanded library will allow us to schedule more lectures, cultural programs and recitals, improving our ability to provide resources for intellectual pursuit and collaborative learning for all ages. We specially intend that our cafe will give users an experience similar to that of the coffee houses in Victorian London, a focal point for informal discussion of thoughtful ideas in an intellectually stimulating environment. The retail feel of our "Main Street" area, which will showcase new materials and technology, is likely a first for public libraries. And of course we will have many contemplative spaces for what Jesse Shera, former Dean of the Library School at Western Reserve University, called the "quiet stir of thought".... fulfilling the library's traditional role as the beacon of life-long learning.
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