When the Tide Goes Out, Everyone Can See Who’s Swimming Naked

When the Tide Goes Out, Everyone Can See Who’s

Swimming Naked

October 20, 2011

Presented byJoan Frye Williams and George Needham

Remember us?

April 26 – Sustainable choices

Existential sustainability

How does our community see itselfand its future?

Operational sustainability

How well do ourservices match community expectations?

Political sustainability

Are we asking the right questions?Ask about things they

know and care aboutDon’t ask how to run

the libraryLet them dream big:

don’t point out constraints

Listen, don’t explain

Financial sustainability

How can we diversify?

April 27 – Sustainable practices

Don’t assume that libraries are the “go-to” place for information

Enticing, not explaining

Don’t assume that people can’t find the “good stuff” on their own

Sharing, not

guarding

Don’t assume that getting the books back is more important than

getting the people back

Relationships, not transactions

Don’t assume that there’s only one right or fair way to do everything

Tools, not rules

Don’t assume that your library is primarily a window on the outside world

Local, not generic

Don’t assume that information is an end in itself

Transformation, not information

Don’t assume that the way to stay safe is to be perfect

Efficiency, not

perfection

Work worth doing

How can we…?

So what’s up, Docs?

First, the good news…

Now, the not so good news…

Your challenges• Think of the challenges you need to overcome to

move your library forward• Focus on what you need to accomplish, rather than

how other people need to change.• Write each of your challenges on a separate Post-it

note (one per note), legibly please.• On the flip chart paper, work with your colleagues to

clump the Post-it notes into common themes• Circle and name the themes.• Prepare to report your results!

More than one route to success

Build on our strengths

Access

Organization and problem-solving

Content curation

Coaching

Co-creation

Community convening

Convergence

Narrative

Infiltration

Build capacity

Beyond inventory control

to support forlearning and

creativity

Beyond processes to results

Beyond rationing to abundance

Beyond anonymity to market knowledge

Beyond remedial advocacyto peer engagement

Howcan

we?How

canwe?we?can

How will we…?

Find your motivation

Stay connected

Move forward…together

Don’t give up: she hasn’t sung yet

Let’s continue the conversationhttp://www.georgeandjoan.comhello@georgeandjoan.com