Do What You Love - ALA 2013

Chicago – What a wonderful city!  I was pleased to attend ALA and represent MLS.  It seems each time I attend a conference, I come away with an unplanned theme.  Perhaps it is what I need at that particular time in life.  ALA 2013 was no different.  Passion presented itself as the common thread.  Here are some highlights from various sessions I attended.

Do What You Love: Make Your Talents & Passions Work for You

• Everyone at work should be doing something they love – even if it is just one thing.
• What is passion?  How do I get it?  Valuation of the activity – Like what you do and want to do it for you.
• Service Project Chain –
• Happy Employees make happy customers…
• Why?
• Improves performance
• Improves organization culture
• Improves mood & mental health
• Less turnover
• Improved overall customer service
• Program ideas:
• Story time – include literacy skills – could be as simple as the child writing their name.
• Have themes – i.e. 5 sessions focusing on Eric Carle with ongoing art project(s)
• Craft night – do an open craft and watch what kids will make.  Are there themes which could be converted to a program?
• Recap:
• Find what brings you passion
• Remember to always do it for you
• Find allies to partner with you
• Passive programs can lead to passionate programs

Mid-Level Administrators: Leading with the Leaders and Managing the Managers

• Most important is to know your people and their strengths.
• Lead by walking around
• Program ideas – get to the “YES"

Where There’s Smoke – by Barton Seaver

• Food brings the world to us
• Food represents culture
• Food brings community, health, jobs, wealth, relationships, etc

We Are the Champions: 20s – 30s Library Advocacy

• The Make Lounge – a craft corner for adults
• Try to get demographics by age and compare audiences
• Let people do their passions
• Always announce what you are not!  i.e. – I’m not a nutritionist or personal trainer.
• Bollywood Night  - movie, Indian food, dance lessons, henna artist, etc
• Speed Dating for Book Lovers (gay & straight) – bring a favorite book as conversation starter
• "ALT Library” – no physical space
• Craft Group – meets once a month
• Meet them where they are – local coffee shop
• Do what they already like and then introduce them to the library in the process
• For the Spell of It – spelling bee for adults (can buy cheats – library fund raiser)
• Focus on the 20-30 crowd, but anyone can come
• Coasters great for advertising – pass out to local bars, coffee shops, and restaurants to use
• Strategic Planning done on Staff Day to allow for lots of input and have consistency across system

“The Library is not just books.  It’s an experience!”

Communication with Confidence: One year to success

1. Think about the goal
2. Always show respect
3. Empathy stops the argument
4. Recommended reading: Verbal Judo by Dr. George J. Thompson
5. Two Primary Skills:
1. Listening
2. Empathy
6. Facts vs. Stories:
1. Facts – visible, audible, verifiable info;
2. Stories – judgments, assumptions, conclusions

Other highlights were hearing Alice Walker & Octavia Spencer speak.  They each identified their own passions and discussed how libraries impacted their lives and taught them to dream.   This quote sums it up for me.

“Libraries exist to teach expansion & fairness.” – Alice Walker

Chris Kennedy is the Manager of Library Operations II for the Midwest City Library.  He has been an MLS family member for nearly 5 years.  He can be reached at [email protected].