The three questions, Or, why reflection is worth your time
34
Presented by: The three questions Or, why reflection is worth your time Buzzy Nielsen Library Director October 5, 2012 This presentation is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution United States license. http://www.creativecommons.org
-
Upload
hood-river-county-library-district -
Category
Education
-
view
193 -
download
0
description
The services public libraries have offered to their patrons have changed dramatically over the last several decades. However, oftentimes their internal processes have remained largely the same. This presentation argues that libraries need to reflect on their internal processes just as much as their public services in order to be nimble enough to adapt to the many changes happening in the field. This presentation was last given at the Douglas County Library (Oregon) staff in-service on October 5, 2012.
Transcript of The three questions, Or, why reflection is worth your time
Presented by:
The three questionsOr, why reflection is worth your time
Buzzy NielsenLibrary Director
October 5, 2012This presentation is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution
United States license. http://www.creativecommons.org
What do you wantyour libraries to be?
V
your public
Vtheir
What libraries should be doing
E-books Information literacy
Mobile services
Early literacy
Gaming
Job training
Electronic resources
Daycare storytimes
Graphic novels
Digital collectionsTabletsBlah
Blah
Blah
Blah
Blah
Blah
We're 21st century libraries.We're supposed to be
doing awesome things ...
But with what, exactly?
Source: Oregon State Library, Oregon public library data
Rough times
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000$2,565,103
$2,340,374$2,243,545
$2,062,771
Douglas County Library System revenues
*Budgeted amount
Rough times
2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13*$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
$500,000
$600,000
$700,000
$800,000
$900,000$785,648 $785,877
$566,662
$0
$897,663$844,447
Over 20% of the 2011-12 budget was grants and donations, and 12% of the 2012-13 budget is.
Hood River County Library (District) revenues
When we were a County department
Health Department Human Resources
Elections
Commission onChildren & Families
Community Justice
Emergency Management
District Attorney
Forestry
Sheriff
Justice CourtBudget & FinanceAdministration
Parks & Buildings
Community Development
Public Works
Information Technology
Veteran's Services
The brunt of budget cuts
2007-082008-09
2009-102009-10
2011-12*2012-13
010203040506070
65 65
34
2007-082008-09
2009-102009-10
2011-12*2012-13
0
5
10
15
2019 19
14
2007-082008-09
2009-102009-10
2011-12*2012-13
0
5
10
15
20
14 1411
Hood River
Parkdale Cascade Locks
A slight addition: The “D” word
Quick primer: library districts
Municipal libraries:Part of a larger governmental
entity (city, county, school, etc.)
Quick primer: library districts
County service districts:Districts with dedicated tax fundingthat are governed by their counties
Special districts:Districts with dedicated funding
and independent governing boards
With stable fundingcomes great responsibility
Human resources
Finance
Maintenance
Information technology
Administration
Intergovernmental agreements
Legal services
*2011-12 hours figured are averaged as hours increased in January.
We're coming back
2007-082008-09
2009-102009-10
2011-12*2012-13
010203040506070
65 65
34
0
3443
2007-082008-09
2009-102009-10
2011-12*2012-13
0
5
10
15
2019 19
14
0
1720
2007-082008-09
2009-102009-10
2011-12*2012-13
0
5
10
15
20
14 1411
0
1720
Hood River
Parkdale Cascade Locks
Image source: Book cover from The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
An apt moniker
LIBRARY
Funding is important, butthe most valuable resource youhave is you and your volunteers'
time and talents.
You don't have to close to ask these
What does the community want its libraries to look like in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
What services can and can't we provide, now and
in the future?
Who should beon our team?
Why do we dowhat we do?
How can we utilize our limited resources to their
maximum potential?
What services wedeliver is important
How we deliver themis even more so.
You don't have to close to ask these
What does the community want its libraries to look like in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
What services can and can't we provide, now and
in the future?
Who should beon our team?
Why do we dowhat we do?
How can we utilize our limited resources to their
maximum potential?
I promise this isn't a pyramid scheme ...
Buzzy's 3 questions to ask on the road to awesomeness:
1. Why?
2. How?
3. Who?
Photo c2011 Brian W. Robb. Used with permission.
Why?
It's the patrons, stupid!(with apologies to James Carville)
But it goes a bit farther than that
Channel yourinner annoyingkid. Ask “Why?”
All the time. About everything.
Are your internal processes worththe time you spend doing them?
Some examples - the mundane
Do we really need a written library card application?
Why do we leavethose lights on at night?
Some examples - the philosophical
Are the fines we collect worth the time we use and patron frustration we cause?
Are we better off on our own or as part of a consortium?
If so, which one?
How?
Self-service
Open source
Shopping around
But some things are worth the money
Subscription agents
PC management
Accounting
Who?
Book clubs
Master Gardeners
Knitting groups
Neighborhoodassociations
Sports teamsPTAs
Car clubs
You are a library ambassador.Build relationships.
And reach out
(Shh, don't tell anyone! We didn't doany of these programs ourselves)
Homeschoolingin Oregon
Author talk:Ice age floods
Family game night
Wild Beauty:Columbia Gorge Photography
Weeklypoetrynights
Sand mandala
Why?
How?
Who?
LIBRARY
GIMPImage editor
ShutterScreenshot utility
LibreOfficeImpress
Presentation program
Thank you
This presentation was made using open source software:
ChromiumWeb browser
Linux MintOperating system
View this presentation online:http://www.slideshare.net/hrcld
EvergreenIntegrated
library system
