SLA 2012 Leadership Summit: Liz, Juanita, Gloria & Allison

SLA: Question: What sort of advice would you give to professionals, both newly minted and more seasoned professionals, who might be interested in nontraditional career paths?

Juanita:There is no such thing as a non-traditional career path. Our background and training have provided us with the skill set to select, acquire, organize, manage and share information. While these skills are fundamental to a traditional library environment, they are also fundamental to any organization where data / information / intelligence / knowledge is at the hub of that organization’s business. And in this knowledge economy – and in the face of the information explosion that is the Internet, more and more organizations have come to recognize the importance of information.

The pace of change combined with a sophisticated technical infrastructure to manage information has reached a stage where NOT having staff in place to manage not just the technology (the “pipes”) but the actual content, the data, the intelligence, the “water” means that that organization is not capitalizing on the one quality that can differentiate one company, one university, one country from another: our intellectual capital.

This is our moment. The time is now to expand beyond our traditional environments and take on new challenging roles in career paths that are, in fact, the exact right fit for us.

And they did so in carefully managed phases.

Check out their prezi. And thanks to Hal and Tomalee for sharing their insights with us.

Think Big: dream, imagine and design the experiences you envision for your library, your organization, your clients, your staff, yourself
Start Small: identify the initiatives that will lead to the dream that are doable, that give you wins & successes to maintain the momentum so crucial to keep going
Move Fast: get to it, today. As Michael says, what cost thousands of dollars & personpower a few years ago can now be piloted for a few thousand within a matter of weeks. Do it. Now. What’s the worst that can happen? To Jane & I, the worst that can happen is that you don’t move fast, & someone else does, leaving you way behind.

Other gold nuggets Mike left us with to consider:
“The tangible value of the present moment needs to be exploited.”

“Every user is a hero on their own epic journey and it is our job to help them be great!”

(this quote is linked to the original source, Kathy Sierra, at “Passionate”)

and, my favourite:
“Innovation is an endurance sport.”

Computers in Libraries 2012: Michael Edson from Jaap van de Geer on Vimeo.

Thanks Lia Friedman @piebrarian for this photo:

battledecks! #cildc twitter.com/piebrarian/sta…

— lia friedman (@piebrarian) March 22, 2012

Jeffrey Phillips at CIL 2012

The 27th annual Computers in Libraries is focusing on Creating Innovative Libraries.  Author Jeffrey Phillips talked about relentless innovation and the need to change from BAU (business as usual) to” innovation business as usual”.  He illustrated how we have been focusing on quality, efficiency, core competencies and being lean for the last 30 years and although they are good things, they have not been balanced with innovation as they were in the 1970′s.  To accomplish innovation business as usual with more emphasis on innovation in organizations he discussed the need for: communication & commitment (demonstrating with words and actions), compensation (if you want people to be innovative you have to reward them for doing so), and culture (creating attitudes, perspectives, and ways of working that sees innovation as important).  In addition, new skill sets have to be learned (focusing on customer needs, trend watching, managing innovation).  He left the audience with his Fab Four imperatives:  create clear innovation goals (& strategies) — he used P&G as an example; begin to define & sustain a process with language, methodologies, culture (understand how it works); rebalance with tools & skills; rework culture, incentives, rewards.  If you want more, check out his book, Relentless Innovation, and his blog.

Fantastic!  Spring is here — according to today’s Google Doodle, and the cherry blossoms  that are now blooming in full force in DC, and the 27the Computers in Libraries  which began with lots of workshops today.  Later today the opening networking event, Gaming & Gadgets Petting Zoo, provides an opportunity to reconnect, meet, and greet colleagues as well as to try your hand at some fun games (and understand what the young folk love!) and also try out each others’ gadgets.  Always a fun activity.  Tomorrow brings our morning keynote, Jeffrey Phillips, VP OVO Innovate on Purpose, and author of Relentless Innovation: What Works, What Doesn’t — And What That Means for Your Business.

If you aren’t registered for the conference but are in the DC area, you can take advantage of the free sessions, Cybertours, which are happening in the Exhibit Hall on Wednesday through Friday.

If you aren’t able to join us this year in person in DC, follow the Twitter feed (#CILDC), conference blog (www.Libconf.com) which links to other conference bloggers, and watch for some live streaming with links from the blog!  See you in person or online.

And………we all know that first week back at work.  The conference is a faded memory already…..the notes we so carefully scribbled or typed set aside for—- ah, for—– for when we get time to look at them, discuss them with our colleagues, take action with them.  We have the best of intentions, and too often, the worst of follow-up.

Thanks to The Learning Circuits blog for “10 Ways to Bring a Conference Back to Work,“ and to Stephen Abram for tweeting it! Here’s some tips from The Learning Circuits post:

BLOG LIVE FROM THE CONFERENCE – or Post-Conference
I agree wholeheartedly with this tip – unless you couldn’t get on the wireless, which is sometimes the case; but typing your notes lets you quickly plug them into blog posts when you do get back to work, even if it’ your personal blog in which you can tag the topics and easily retrieve the info and ideas in 6 months when your brain says “wait a minute….I heard someone at OLA talk about this….”.  If I don’t have my laptop or iPad, I type notes into my Blackberry to sync the docs or memo with my laptop.

GIVE BROWN BAG SEMINARS
I know many people offer “Best Sessions I Went To” lunch talks to discuss what they heard with colleagues who weren’t able to attend. These conversations are fantastic and, really, should be expected of those attending.  What people learn at a conference is useless if it isn’t shared and considered.

OFFER A WEBINAR
There are lots of webinar platforms – even Skype – to share what you heard, learned and found interesting with colleagues in other branches or locations.  Have a look at ooVoo as well – the quality is excellent.

 SHARE THE BACKCHANNEL
Archive the tweets of a conference and share with colleagues who don’t – or can’t – follow Twitter. Thanks to Rochelle Mazar at University of Toronto Mississauga for finding The Archivist ^Alpha to archive the tweets; I used to use TwapperKeeper but since Hootsuite assumed it, it seems to require “credits.”  If you know a better way to archive tweets to be shared with those who can’t follow Twitter, please let me know.

START SMALL GROUP CHATS
This is a great idea, that’s really just an extension of the Brown Bag Lunches. As the Learning Circuits post says, “Gather employees with common interests together and chat about issues and trends discussed at the conference. Let the conference topics be a starting point or stimulus for taking things further.”

SCHEDULE VENDOR DEMOS
If you saw some products of interest, ask the vendors to come in to talk about them.  Don’t be concerned that the vendor will push a sale; yes, sales are important, but more often than not vendors want to learn with you about the product – what questions do you ask about the product? What do you like? What improvements would you look for? Remember, vendors are our suppliers and our partners – without suppliers we really can’t create and deliver our services very well.

ARRANGE Q&A WITH PRESENTERS
Those who have given presentations at the conference are usually more than happy to give the presentation again – or to talk about it with you and your colleagues post-conference. After all, they’ve already put the work into the presentation, and it isn’t nearly as stressful talking with a smaller group! If they are located kilometers away, arrange for a teleconference or webinar (yep, there’s a use for Skype or ooVoo again!)

So how do you take a conference back to work, and build on your experiences and your “ah ha’s!”?  How are you using everything you learned, saw and talked about at Superconference last week?

1. Keep in touch with the front line:
Know what front line staff knows. Go on the front line occasionally to find out what the customers are thinking, and what staff is experiencing.

2.  Keep in touch with yourself:
Govern your temper, put everything in perspective, and be the calm centre of any storm.  Be in control of yourself.
3. Keep in touch with staff:
Be respectful of staff, and that respect will then be reciprocated. Acknowledge and highlight the work someone does well. Don’t just point out flaws. While it’s important to make sure staff knows what they can improve, it’s important that they know what they have done well.

4. Keep in touch with the golden rule:
Give 100% of the credit to everyone else when a project has gone well. Heap praise on them. Be front and centre when criticism comes your way. Project your people. Take the burden of blame. Build trust, show you have their back and people will do their best for you.

5. Keep in touch with the culture:
Keep your style flexible to reflect the style needed in any given environment.

6. Keep in touch with opportunities:
Look for opportunities to guide people. Don’t try to control. Identify people’s strengths, compliment their strengths, and seek ways to let them use their strengths to move forward.
7. Keep in touch with failure:
Failure is a part of learning. If you aren’t failing, you aren’t trying anything new. There are very few mistakes that can’t be corrected – in some way.

8. Keep in touch with who reports where:
You need a clear reporting org chart. Dotted lines are a recipe for trouble. You need a clear structure. People need to know who’s in charge, what they are supposed to do, and where the buck stops.

9.  Keep in touch with the context and strategy:
You need time during the day to think – just think. Not surfing the Internet. That’s how you outsmart the competition. That’s how you move forward in the direction you want to go.

10.  Keep in touch with influencers:
It’s important to be an efficient advocate, developing relationships constantly. Whoever you work for you are in the business of the larger organization. For example, if you are the chief librarian of Toronto Public Library, you work for the City of Toronto; if you are in a university, you work for the university. Know the influencers of the larger organization and ensure they know you.

Those of us working in knowledge management (KM) have long said that we need KM more in troubled economic times than any other time. Why? Because using KM as a strategy for getting or staying ahead of competitors makes sense. KM can drive consistency, consistency drives quality, and quality work brings in repeat customers. While this is true, why did we see so many layoffs of KM staff as the economy turned south? Apparently, hiring KM staff picking up again or it may be that it is being outsourced? As a KM consultant, Nick Milton reports that his business is growing. Read more in If knowledge management is dead, why does it have such a strong pulse?

I am very excited about KMWorld 2012, October 16-19 in DC which will include Taxonomy Boot Camp (Oct 16-17), Enterprise Search Summit (Oct 17-19), and SharePoint Symposium (oct 18-19).  The call for speakers for KMWorld 2012 is online and I hope you will consider sharing your experiences and knowledge with your colleagues at this key event for those in the KM field.  The theme of this year’s event is Knowledge Sharing & Learning: Communication, Collaboration & Innovation .  I’ll be sharing more information about new initiatives and keynote speakers really soon!  Stay tuned, propose a talk or workshop, and mark, the dates on your calendar NOW!

Lower Lobby of the MTCC

Community Mapping: Keeping it Simple and Straightforward 

Jenny Schnoll and Lina Kim

Toronto Public Library

Toronto Public Library’s new approach to community outreach and engagement says that library staff partner and collaborate with groups and individuals so they can define and fulfill their own interests and needs. To do this well, staff need the right skill set. This poster session describes a community mapping process adopted by TPL to help staff make that first step in community entry. Community mapping is generally recognized as the first step in helping library leaders and branch staff alike develop a new understanding of how the library fits into and contributes to the existing fabric of the community.