Progress

Here is a nice progress report from the Library2.0 front. Folks at MPOW were open to softening their tone (read: sign) regarding cell phone use. Here is how much progress we were able to accomplish in a few short weeks. BTW, thanks to the travelinlibrarian for providing the perfect, kindly worded example I was able to present to spur this change.




I hope that it illustrates a few things for others in the same situation. (file this under: "lesson I am learning")
1--Don't give up and do not stop reminding decision makers that there are other ways to approach any issue/policy/service.
2--Remind yourself that even if you can't be the coolest library, you don't have to be totally square!

I know I am encouraged...
Who knows, maybe one day we'll even be hot!

Library Journal 2006 Movers and Shakers

Congratulations to Meredith Farkas and John Blyberg
- Library Journal 2006 Movers and Shakers.

They both publish wonderful blogs,
Meredith's is "Information Wants To Be Free"
John's is "blyberg.net"
I'm pretty much floored in amazement and wonder over John's hold label set up. It must save the staff there soooooooooooo much time and aggravation. ...insert green with envy face here.

Cheer up!

Ok, enough sulking...
I have to remind myself of all the great things that still happen here and not let a small bump in the road (as painful as it is for me) slow me down. I live to fight the good fight and will continue to do so.
In the last 3 to 5 years at my library, we have had wonderful experiences with innovative library services like "Library Lock-in", "Loud @ the Library" concerts, Computer Game nights etc... We have Teen Zones in all our branches, we teach great classes, have fantastic programming, our staff is tuned in to customer satisfaction and we continue to strive to be an all inclusive, forward thinking community center. I reminded them today that "no one said change was easy" I just have to be sure I remind myself of that too once in a while. Oh, and not to forget to have fun...
TTYS

deflated...

Man, I am so bummed...
As I return from the Sirsidynix superconference all pumped up, this is what greets me at the door:






Now, don't get me wrong, I am totally respectfull of a decision that was made, no doubt, under great pressure. I just thought that battle had been fought and won...
Like I said, I'm just bummed.

Why couldn't we have chosen to go with something like this... Just goes to show the need to "keep at it" and be ever present in every conversation to represent a different side of public service.

This definitely can also be filed under the "How to lose your best techies" meme... And I'll be sure to always bring it up when asked: "Why are people going to B&N for homework help instead of coming here?"

Sorry to be so down, I'll go back over my notes form the conference, get all jazzed up again and come back to post good, cool, up stuff in a day or two.

UUGI news

Live from the SIRSIDYNIX superconference! Good stuff! I have heard Rachel Singer Gordon this morning. She does recommend system librarians (of the accidental kind) do 4 things:
-Read more on Library 2.0
-Set some time aside to keep-up
-Share with others (especially the "cool tech stuff")
-Work to link the technology to the libraries goals

Sounded really familiar to me! It felt great to hear her confirm I am on the right track with this stuff. I'll try to remind myself of this when folks as me with a high brow: "How do you fin the time to read/blog/play with all this new stuff.

More to come...