Digitization 101

However you see fit, take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate this day.

I am pleased that I was a part of the 6th annual virtual conference hosted by the Southeast Florida Library Network (SEFLIN) on Sept. 16, which had the theme "Embracing Innovation: Creative Disruptions in Libraries."  Over 100 locations viewed/participated in the online event, with some of the sites hosting several people (perhaps a roomful!) which means that the reach of this event was tremendous.  While the conference was recorded and those recordings will be available to those that registered for the event, anyone can access the handouts and other materials through the conference LibGuide at http://nova.campusguides.com/c.php?g=534449&p=3655907. 

As you can see my topic was "Storming Towards Innovation." The description:

Many staff meetings become informal periods for quickly generating ideas which can be acted upon. This session will provide tips, techniques and tools for creating an atmosphere where everyone can contribute effectively to spawn concepts, plans and solutions.  Creating that atmosphere means building practices which become part of the workplace.  It also means understanding the role that each person can play in ensuring that the best ideas emerge. 

If you're curious about what I covered, the slides are available here and the handout is here.  I do know that there are topics I discussed which are not on the slides and the recording also captured the questions which were asked, such as how to weed through ideas that are generated. 

I do not know if SEFLIN will ever release the recordings for general consumption.  If there is a topic that interests your organization, let's talk about how to satisfy that curiosity.

My colleague, Kelvin Ringold, does a Daily Dose of Positive email (called Vitamin K) and this year expanded into doing podcasts that are informative and motivational.  Knowing my interests, Kelvin asked if he could interview me.  The result is a 39-minute podcast below on what innovation is,  how to make room for it, and tips for brainstorming and getting started being innovative.  The episode page includes links to relevant resources.  If innovation and brainstorming interest you, take a listen!

In 2012, I noted that one of the things on my plate at work was the program's accreditation review. When I took on the role of program director in my school, I knew that the program's accreditation review would be the most important thing I would tackle. The accreditation review took place in late fall 2015 and we received our decision in January 2016.  There were many, many steps leading up to the review and many things that happened prior to the decision.  I'll not list all of the details, but I will say that an accreditation review is more work than anyone can imagine.  And I led our review.  I rallied the troops which included a large number of faculty and staff who either worked on the review, provided auxiliary support and/or met with the external review panel.  I edited, wrote, shepherded, prepped, arranged, worried, picked up pieces, met, and eventually celebrated.

A desk with too many devices

One of the things I did a lot of was multi-tasking.  It became very normal to have multiple windows open on my computer and to be bouncing between them.  It is how many of us now work. We believe that splitting our attention across multiple screens or devices is efficient.  And somehow we prove to ourselves that it is.

Last week I listened to a 29-minute podcast on "Attention/Distraction" from RN Future Tense. The first thing it reminded me of is that there was a time when I didn't multi-task. True!  Even when I was using a computer, it used to be that flipping between windows couldn't be done.  Instead, I would concentrate on that one thing I was doing.  Being distracted took more work than just pressing Alt-Esc.

In the podcast, cell phones are compared to slot machines, where we are always wondering what is going to happen next. Yes, I must check it because something important might be happening on Facebook or in email.  Constantly checking the phone or email or...is a distraction, even if I'm just noticing it if is buzzing.

Looking at camera and laptop

More importantly, the podcast reminded me of something that is affecting many of us, and that is our inability to do deep work.  Deep work occurs when we are not distracted.  When I was a child, deep work occurred at the dining room table when I was doing homework.  As an consultant, deep work occurred when I "put my head down" and focused solely on the project at hand.  In the classroom, deep work occurs when I block out thoughts of what I need to do later and focus only on the material I'm teaching and on my students.  Deep work requires focus.

For students, being distracted impacts their ability to concentrate on the material being taught.  Most college students come to class with a laptop, tablet or cell phone (or perhaps all three) and they can easily distract themselves by flipping from window to window.  They can also distract themselves with non-computer activities. They can even be distracted by each other or by something in the environment.  Mel Robbins gives an example in this YouTube video of a fourth grade class that was distracted (26 min. 15 sec to 27 min. 35 sec.).  I'm now beginning to consider what changes I need to make in the classroom so that students stay more focused.  Not only do I need to create an environment that has less distractions, but I also need to teach them how to create less distractions for themselves.

Besides eliminating distractions, we need processes to help us focus.  David Allen's book and process Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity has been helpful to me.  I'm also a fan of his GTD podcasts, where I've been able to pick up tips. As I was going through the accreditation review, having a system was important. Today - when things are much calmer - having a system is still important, because it helps me focus. 

Mel Robbins talks about focus in this quick video and gives three tips that help her.  I'm not sure I would trust the three things that came to mind in the bathroom as being the most important for the day, but I do think that my to-do list (thanks to GTD) along with the sticky notes would work. And perhaps not in the bathroom, but over my morning cup of coffee!



I've tagged this post with "Innovation" and so you might wonder what this all has to do with innovation.  Innovations don't occur when our mind is split across multiple tasks or when we 're burned out.  Innovations occur when our minds a free to focus.  That freedom comes from not being distracted by a myriad of different things, including our to-do list.

Yes...I can hear you say that some inventions have occurred because a person was tinkering - was distracted - and came up with "X".  Was that person's mind really wandering wildly or was it ruminating over an idea?  Consider if you can come up with an invention while you're flipping through multiple screens on your laptop, glancing at your cell phone, and listening to a meeting.  If you're trying to invent a new way of doing "Y", I think you'd be better off eliminating distractions and toying with the ideas that come to mind about "Y".  Examine the ideas. Work on them.

If you think that you can't focus for long period of time, you might be correct. But it is likely that you can focus for longer periods than what you are doing now.  Consider using the Pomodoro Technique to help you, along with whatever other methods work for you.  The Pomodoro Technique asks you to focus for a specific length of time and then to give yourself a break.  Yes, it can really help.

Now that it is summer (in the northern hemisphere), take time to relax and to figure out how to be less distracted when you work.  Create new routines.  (I am!) Your mind and your to-do list will thank you!

During my "Enabling Innovation" session on March 10, I had a large number of people do a brainstorming exercise. (We were spread out in the center section of the International Ballroom, so hard to tell how many people there were.)   We were not at tables, so people had to work and move around in order to interact.  If you look at my slides, you can see the topics and brainstorming techniques that they were to use (either the long list or brand-storming).  I'm impressed that people did decide to use new-to-them brainstorming techniques AND that the interaction seemed fruitful.  I encouraged people to share their lists with me, so I could post and share them.  This is the intent of this blog post...which may be long. Apologies if the formatting gets messy.  I've done a minimal amount of editing.  I'll do my best to keep it all neat and I'll add more lists as they become available.

Description: We brainstorm all the time, but do we do it correctly or well? The answer is, “No.” There are techniques and rules to help us get the most of out the brainstorming that we do. This session begins with a review of seven rules that will instantly improve your brainstorming effort. The speaker (Jill Hurst-Wahl) will share several brainstorming techniques, including mind-storming, the long list, and brand-storming. Participants then use these techniques to brainstorm new innovative services, technology uses, and training tactics for their libraries.

Kevin Ashton, who wrote How to Fly a Horse: The Secret History of Creation, Invention, and Discovery, said:

The more you work, the more likely you are to succeed.

That is not the message that you would expect to hear in a podcast about serendipity, but then perhaps serendipity is not what we think it is.

RN Future Tense did a 30-minute program on serendipity entitled "Designing for Serendipity." (See links below) In it there is also information on the myth of serendipity, hence the name of this blog post.  We think serendipity just happens, but there is work behind serendipity. Serendipity is based on doing the work, never giving up, spotting opportunities, and engaging in opportunities.

Hearing the podcast reminded me of two "events":

• When I was a graduate library science student, many of the reference questions required me to go to the library and look for/through books. The subject area might contains dozens of books and I needed to find the one that contained the answer. I used to say that I found the correct book right before I passed out from exhaustion! It seemed like the mythical serendipity, but in reality I was doing the work and never giving up.
• Job offers can seem like the mythical serendipity.  You hear people talk about an opportunity coming from "out of the blue". In reality that person has done something to make himself known and to demonstrate competence. It might mean that the person spotted opportunities that helped him demonstrate competence. The person definitely didn't just sit at home and wait. The person took action. (Yes, I had a job offer that fits into this category.)

At the New York Library Association Annual Conference last week, I enjoyed watching people take risks, seize opportunities, do the work and never give up...and I heard some talk about the fruits of that labor.  One out of work librarian (perhaps a recent graduate) took a huge risk during a fun event, which attracted the attention of potential employers. I don't know if it has led to a job offer and that may depend on whether the person has put in the effort in terms of education and previous work. Still it may all feel like the mythical serendipity.

I am still working on a large project. On this project, things don't just "happen", rather there is a lot of work that is going into every part of the project. Still some pieces might feel a little "serendipitous", yet when I look at those pieces I see that they were created by opportunities pursued and work completed.

Yes, doing the work creates opportunities. Sounds simple.

Designing for Serendipity notes and transcript: http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/futuretense/designing-for-serendipity-segment/6847728

Designing for Serendipity Audio: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/2015/10/fte_20151018_1030.mp3

I like noticing people's language and the words that they use, and I especially like to notice if those words are positive or negative. We tend to say "don't" rather than "do", and warn people away from possible failures. However, every successful inventor, project manager, entrepreneur, executive and business owner has failed at least once (if not multiple times). We remember people for their successes and forgot about all the failures which occurred first. We learn much more through our failures than through our success.

In his daily Intensely Positive email, Kelvin Ringold said:

Children don't know about failing; children just know about doing! Trying! Having fun! They don't know failure until we teach it to them. Well, actually they DO know failure, but they don't call it that when they're kids. They call it learning... playing... exploring...trying... experimenting... seeing what happens... being curious... wondering "what if?"

Notice the photo above. This was a failure - a child who got tired of biking - that was turned into a lesson and a success. These three generations learned a lot more through the failure than they would have through an initial success. Would you have used your belts this way?

As a digitization project manager, I learned much from the bumps that occurred in the projects. I learned more about the technology, the metadata, the budget, and all of the various processes. Every step backwards - or sideways - led to regrouping, learning and eventually a solid step forward. A wonderful saying is, "Retreat will move you forward" and I've found it to be very true.

Projects often teach you about your team, too. Does the team have the skills that it needs? Does the team have trust in each other? Are people willing to show initiative? Trust and initiative were topics which BJ Armstrong spoke on at the SLA Annual Conference. Trust/loyalty and initiative must be balanced with/against each other for it to work well. While we hope that people join the team with the correct skills, sometimes we need to stop and train people so that they have the skills for the job. In some instances, we may need to take people off the team and replace them with someone else, especially if there is no time to do the training. While those that leave the team may see it as a failure, I hope they see it as a call to continue to learn and a call to continue to invest in their own development.

Finally, failures teach each us about our own fortitude. Can we move on? Can we turn the failure into a future success? Rather than giving up, can we experiment, explore, try something different, and be curious? If yes, then we've already turned that failure into something positive.

Last week, I published three blog posts on innovating professional conferences (part 1, part 2, part 3) and I appreciate the conversations that they began.  A few people left comments on Twitter and Facebook, and I want to capture their ideas here.

Jan Holmquist suggests using face-to-face sessions to give participants a problem to solve and have them create solutions in the moment.  While that might not work for every conference session, Jan believes that it could work for some. Imagine a conference where you hear a keynote on a specific topic, learn more in other sessions, then attend a session where you put what you have learned to practice to solve a practical problem. I can imagine people being interested in that type of conference or conference track.

Richard Hulser wants us to be back to the "smaller, more compact version of conferences that existed many years ago." For this to occur, I think conferences need to have a real focus and not try to be all things to all people. The innovation would be trimming sessions and topics, rather than adding.

Finally, Heather Braum noted that conferences are dependent on the topics and presenters selected. Some conference solicit proposals for conference sessions, while others have conference organizers who reach out to possible presenters. Both methods can yield very worthwhile and forward-thinking conference, or conferences that are not as inspiring as they could be. It takes a conference organizer or organizing committee who is focused on innovations (in the field applicable to the conference) to ensure that the conference is teaching knowledge, skills and abilities which are relevant to the participants' future. 

One problem with conferences is that some plan their conference sessions 12 or more months in advance. That can mean that the organizers select topics that won't be forward-thinking, relevant or even interesting by the time the conference is held.  Deciding on conference sessions 6-9 months before the conference likely feels like a "mad scramble", but it allows the organizers to better select themes, topics and speakers that will be more relevant.

Putting on a conference is more work than more people realize.  Having conference organizers who are willing to innovate, rather than delivering the same experience from a decade ago, would improve them as a professional development opportunity.  If you're a conference organizer, are you up for the challenge?

After I started this series (part 1 & part 2), I spoke to Paul Signorelli about it and he sees the innovation needed as being different and I want to capture that idea here.

While I think that we need to move our professional development from conferences to the online environment, Paul believes that we need to use our online technology to bring remote participants to a face-to-face conference. Before the ALA Annual Conference, Paul outlined a myriad of ways that he thought it would occur. Near the end of the conference, Paul hosted a session to talk about and experiment with bringing remote participants into the room. They tweeted - and colleagues tweeted back - and they tried doing Google Hangouts with lots of people (and it worked).

Some conferences will not want to open their face-to-face sessions to virtual participants. They will see that as losing income, because they are giving away content. Others might charge for the privilege of attending virtually, so they can setup reliable technology in the conference areas to facilitate that interaction. Others will open the doors, by letting participants be the gateway on their devices and data plans for that interaction. You'll recognize that the last option is occurring at many conferences, but I don't know of a conference that has wired itself so remote participants are seamlessly included in every session.

While I like the idea of bringing remote/virtual participants into a conference, they would also need remote access to the exhibit hall or to information about what is in the exhibit hall (and more than just a short description). There would also need to be a way for ad hoc interactions, which happen at conferences. Paul and I discussed the idea of having kiosks or cameras where people on-site could interact with whomever is online. It would be a version of those random interactions that occur in the hallways or standing in line.

Are there other problems with conferences and other solutions? Yes. In fact, there are likely as many problems and solutions as there are conferences and conference participants. The key is being willing to change...and for some conferences, those changes a long overdue because their number of participants and exhibitors are dropping. If they believe that professional development is important, then now is the time to do it differently, before their audience is completely gone.

In part 1, I laid out some of the changes that are needed in professional conferences.  Now I want us to consider one way that librarians can help improve professional development opportunities for everyone.

If we decide that in-person conferences are no longer the the correct vehicle for professional development and we want to be more creative, there is one problem that we need to solve - copyright and/or content licensing.

If we move more to an online format for professional development, then we need to ensure that the supportive materials are there too. This is not difficult and some conferences are already posting handouts online. However, it is frequently done without advising the presenters about the rights that they have to their work and how the might protect those rights through a license (e.g., Creative Commons). To me, this is an area where librarians can have an impact on every conference.  Librarians - hired by the conference organizers - could work with conferences to understand what rights they want to the presenters' work and for how long. Imagine that handouts, and other materials, are clearly marked with the rights that the participant has to them. And imagine that questions about items in those handouts around use/copyright clearance are answered by someone (a librarian), whose job it is to ensure that the materials are properly using and acknowledging the work of others.

Can an organization actually afford to hire a librarian to do this work? Yes, if the organization is serious about creating new/different professional opportunities, which includes moving face-to-face conferences to the online environment. Is this a full-time position? That I don't know and it might depend on what the organization is doing. If an organization that normally holds a yearly conference of 18,000+ people moves to offering online professional development sessions once a week, including several online conferences per year, that could justify a full-time librarian focused on the copyright and licensing of materials for use in those sessions.

I'd like to see librarians, who are knowledgeable in copyright and licensing, begin to approach conference organizers about ensuring proper licensing of their presenters' materials.  Librarians might also consider giving conference sessions geared to the other presenters that focus on copyright and licensing of presentation materials in an online learning environment. This could be the start of us creating new positions for ourselves and for others appreciating our skills even more.

Finally, in talking to a colleague, there is one more innovation to discuss. That is in part 3.

I began attending conferences in the late 1980s. I'm now able to attend several conferences a year and have been able to do so for several years. What is interesting to me - and a bit sad - is that conferences and exhibit halls have not changed in all that time in a major way. There are still many sessions, including some that are delivering old content, others that delivering content to only a few people, and a few that are forward-thinking. There is a large exhibit hall with many organizations displaying their products and services, and likely too few people visiting the booths. There are workshops, which are an additional fee, and a host of receptions, which are sponsored by someone who hopes to gain some marketing advantage.

Those who want to attend a conference need to decide which conference to go to out of the myriad of opportunities. The person has to review the conference program, understand the total cost, and then make a decision.  We should note that conferences are expensive and many employers are being selective in the costs they will cover.

Small Changes to the Status Quo

Yes, conference organizers have tried to innovate. For example, once unconferences became popular, some conferences included unconference-like sessions, but did that last? Did that innovation have a larger impact on how we organize conferences? Seemingly the answer is "no."


I think we need to dramatically innovate our conferences.

First, we must meet people at that point where they have a need for professional development. That means using different delivery mechanisms for professional development, including webinars and other tools. It might even mean the development of specific tools that don't exist now.

Second, if we are delivering professional development that gives library and information professionals the training that they need when they need it, then we need to understand what the new role is for conferences as the exhibit halls that go with them. What do we need to come together in one spot to learn? What - in terms of what someone could learn - would justify the cost for attending such an event?

I believe that there is a role for librarians in helping to change how we receive professional development.  In part 2, I'll give you the details.

In  seven day period in April, I moderated a track the Computers in Libraries Conference and then spoke at the biennial conference for the Library Association of Rockland County (NY) (LARC).  I also was in the same hotel as President Obama, who was attending the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Washington Hilton, and I visited the grounds around Lafayette Square and the extended White House complex.  I was very busy and here is what I learned.

In a sample size of 80-100, most librarians did not consider themselves innovative.   This was shocking.  We have been talking for years that libraries and their staff need to be innovative, and you would think that talk would have turned to changed attitudes and actions.  However, it could be that we've talked a good game, but haven't changed how we act. 

We need to implement what we learn.  Those tools and techniques that we're learning in our libraries, at conferences, and during professional development event are things that we need to use.  If you have someone attending training session, you can help them implement what they learned by asking them what they learned, and asking then to teach others.

How we work is changing.  I learned this during a conversation and it shouldn't have been surprising, but it was.  Our younger colleagues are used to working in very different conditions than we are. They work in noisy cafes, open spaces, and informal offices.  That office environment, that we think is important, isn't important to them.  This impacts the space that we create for our new, young colleagues, as well as the work space that we create for our community members.  If you're creating work spaces for your community, I encourage you to talk to that community about what their needs really are. You might be surprised.

We need to challenge ourselves to be the best presenters possible.  Every conference has someone who needs more practice in giving presentations. If you're presenting at a local, national or international conference (or some other type of event), practice out loud and, if possible, in front of others. You don't have to do it perfectly when you practice, but you do have to hear yourself say the words and give the presentation as a first - and important step - for getting better.

Finally...in trivia...We don't know what "The White House" is.  Our news media mentions the White House every day, but is it a building, a group of buildings, an organizational structure, or...?  Walking around Lafayette Square and passed the White House and Executive Office Buildings, you come to recognize that how we describe concepts like "the White House" is inadequate.  If we're defining that badly, how are we doing on other concepts and ideas?

Today (April 30) I gave the keynote address for the Library Association of Rockland County (NY) bi-annual conference in Suffern, NY.  Below is the description of my talk and my written text.  While I didn't give the talk exactly as written (in fact, I rearanged it!), I promised Tracy Allen (president of LARC) to post this, so she could share it with others.

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LARC Bi-annual Conference

Text:  I want you to take a moment and look at your hands.  Hold them up in front of your face.  Look at the top and bottom.  As a child, these are hands that used to build dirt and mud structures.  These are the hands that piled up blocks and other materials to create something  new... and something that would not fall over.  These are the hands that have unclogged copiers and kept equipment running, when others failed.  These hands have worked magic in the  kitchen...and...with short and long-term hobby projects.  You have been innovative...your hands know it.  However, we often lose that spark as we focus more on what is possible and as we forget how to play.

I worked in a multimedia office in grad school, which had one of "the" copiers in the building.  The copier received a lot of use and would sometimes overheat.  We - the student workers - learned how to operate the copier with the doors open, so we could keep working AND keep the copier cool.  I keep that memory because it reminds me that innovation takes different forms and that we all can do it.

In the book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey suggest that we "Start with the end in mind."  He sees this as what we need to do to spark our imagination.  We must look at the result which we want to achieve, and then work to achieve it.  Our goals should stretch us and our organizations.  Our goals shouldn't be easy.  And they should spark us to be innovative.

In reality, we often see those big goals and decide early that they cannot be done.  For example:

• We set a goal of exploring a new technology each week, knowing that we need to stay current.  Then we decide that we really don't have time for that. 
• We might decide to go out into our communities and talk to perspective users of our services, but decide against it because the weather is too unpredictable.
• We might decide to offer a cool new service for teenagers, and stop when we can't easily figure out how to attract them.

When we decide early that something isn't possible, we limit ourselves and what we're able to provide to our communities.  We fall back - in terms of goals - to what is safe and easy.  Safe and easy are akin to doing the same thing that we did yesterday and today.  Safe and easy limit our growth as individuals and institutions.  Safe and easy do not stretch our imagination or stretch what is available to our communities. 

Imagine if our profession has played it safe and easy, what would our libraries be like? Well...we wouldn't be doing computer training, circulating ebooks, offering database content, providing music downloads, giving our community access to the Internet, launching community gardens, circulating bake ware, or re-invigorating our bookmobile services...or in my library career...finding new ways of marketing the library's services and building a robust research service.  We don't play it safe and easy, but we also don't innovate as often as our communities want us to.

So let's spend the next 40 minutes talking about how to be "sparks" by creating a culture of innovation.

Let's first recognize that a culture is defined by its behaviors and beliefs.  

Beliefs are those opinions or convictions that we hold to be true.  We have our personal beliefs as well as the beliefs of our institutions.  By the way, I hope that your personal beliefs and those of your institution - your library - overlap, or you won't like going to work every day.  Our shared beliefs help to create our culture.  For example, libraries have a belief of serving all members of the communities.  That belief greatly defines our culture and permeates everything that we do.

A culture of innovation requires that we have beliefs - opinions or convictions - that support it.  

For example:

• We must believe that innovation is important and necessary. 
• We must believe that we - people who work in libraries - are called to be innovative.
• We must also believe that our libraries are called to be innovative.
• We must believe that innovation is something that we do everyday.  e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y.

Some of you may already believe in innovation. For those of you who don't, let me suggest that you make a conscious decision to believe in being innovative for the next 45 days or until Flag Day on June 14.  Until June 14, I'm not asking that you do anything except voice belief in being innovative.  Yes...I do mean that you need to say to yourself and others that you believe in being innovative.  You might set a goal of saying it once a day and saying it as if it is a heartfelt belief.

Okay...I know you have doubt that just saying that you believe in being innovative will do anything. Likely you've heard of doing affirmations.  When we go through rough spells in our lives, we often use affirmations to help change our mindset.  That is what I'm asking you to do.  Use  - I believe in being innovative - as an affirmation that will change your mindset.  

We also have heard rules about how long you need to do something before it becomes a part of you.  A colleague has suggested 45 days and, based on my own experiences,  I think he's correct.

I believe in being innovative.  We often don't talk about our real beliefs.  When we talk about beliefs, we are often talking about assumptions.  For example, I believe it will rain tomorrow.  When I say that I believe in being innovative, I'm talking about something I hold in my heart to be true.  Can you hold it in your heart as being true?

Besides beliefs, a culture is also defined by its behaviors.  Our behaviors are observable activities that we repeatedly do.  Some of our behaviors are conscious, meaning that we're aware of them. You might have the conscious behavior of wiping off the top of a soda can before opening it, or of always sitting so you are facing the entrance, or placing items on your desk in particular spots.  It is likely that you also have unconscious behaviors, such as how you hold your coffee cup, how you check to see if you've locked your front door, or how you cross your legs.

Innovation needs to be both a conscious and unconscious behavior.  We need to consciously have habits that support innovation.  For example, we need to learn and consciously use brainstorming rules and brainstorming techniques. We innovate, we frequently brainstorm.  I'm going to talk about two brainstorming techniques later.  For now, I want to explore the seven rules used by IDEO...and these are different than what you learned in school.  IDEO is a design and innovation consulting firm that has won awards for its work.  The seven rules that they use are: (From The Ten Faces of Innovation)

1. Defer judgment 
2. Encourage wild ideas 
3. Build on the ideas of others 
4. Stay focused on the topic 
5. One conversation at a time 
6. Be visual 
7. Go for quantity

Knowing the rules is good. Using the rules is better.  Using the rules is a conscious decision.  We can't be innovative, for example, if we're judging ideas as soon as they are spoken. We can't be innovative if we adopt the first idea spoken, which likely is something that has been thought of and done before, and is perhaps not very innovative at all. We can't be innovative if we're not listening to our colleagues and to our communities.

Conscious habits become unconscious habits through repetition.  For example, asking colleagues to be a part of brainstorming activities becomes an unconscious habit if you consciously do it all the time.  And yes, we need our colleagues - our fellow staff members and our volunteers or interns - to be part of our brainstorming and idea generation activities.  We need their ideas. We also need their buy-in.  And it would it be wonderful if we asked our community to brainstorm with us.  Let's not just ask them to hear the ideas that we've generated; let's ask them to join us in our ideation.

Let's dig deeper into the beliefs and behaviors that we need to create sparks of innovation in our libraries.

Do you remember when you learned that some things aren't possible? Do you remember when you stopped day dreaming about living in the wild west or traveling across country in a van with your friends?  At some point, we began to limit our vision and limit what we believe is possible.  Those people, who dream up those wildly creative products and solutions, have not yet learned that some things aren't possible.  For them, everything is possible...although some things are easier to do then others!

We limit innovation when we immediately say "no" to something. No...you can't do that. No...we did that once and... No...we don't have the money for that.

By the way...let me say that using a lack of funds as an excuse means that you're not willing to think innovatively.  For example, libraries have started lending tools and bake ware by asking community members to donate their spares. Yes, funding is important and the lack of funds might slow you down, but it should not stop you from being innovative.

When was the last time you asked someone for a solution to a problem, and tried whatever they said? Perhaps you asked how to get more youth into your library or how to better arrange a specific section?  Did you act on the answer that you were given or did you say "no, that won't work"?  

Being innovative means saying "yes."  It means recognizing that everything is possible...with some planning, ingenuity and time.  Yes, you must plan whatever it is that you want to do.  If it is developing a new service, then create a project plan for it. You need to figure out all of the details.  Once you have the details, then your ingenuity can work on how you can make it all happen within your budget and using the resources that you have on hand.  Time is important because awesome doesn't happen over night!  

I've talked about having a culture of innovation, which means we need both beliefs and behaviors.   I've talked about how we limit ourselves.  Now I'd like to give you two brainstorming techniques to go along with those seven rules of brainstorming.  The two techniques are mind storming and the long list. Why these two?  Well...mind storming is the basis for every other brainstorming technique. The long list is what we frequently try to do and frequently don't do well.  

We brainstorm with ourselves every day, whether it is generating ideas about what to eat for lunch, how to teach about mobile devices, or how to explain ourselves to someone who just doesn't get libraries.  When we brainstorm with ourselves that is mind storming.  

When it is important to  mind storm well, I want you to focus on the following techniques:

1. Set a timer and give yourself several minutes - perhaps 10 minutes - to generate ideas.
2. Challenge yourself to come with as many ideas as possible in that time.  In other words, don't just generate 1-2 ideas.  Instead generate dozens of ideas.  Dozens.
3. Don't judge your ideas as you're generating them.  Instead, just write the idea down.  Once you have hit your time limit, THEN review the ideas and make judgments.  
4. Don't eliminate an idea just because it seems hard to do.  Eliminate an idea because it does not do what's needed.

The long list is a similar activity that you do with other people. With those people, you want to aim to generate a long list of ideas and I think you should aim for 100.  

1. Define - really define - what you're brainstorming on.
2. Generate ideas quickly and without judging them.
3. Number the ideas as you go, so you can keep track of how many you've generated.  This also will be helpful later when you're sorting through the ideas.
4. Keep going until you reach 100!

With your culture of innovation in place and good practice around generating innovative ideas, the final piece is to say "yes" to the opportunities that develop.  I worked for a boss years ago who believed in saying "yes".

• Yes...that is a great idea.  Now what do we need to do to implement it?
• Yes, let's do that and let's start by doing this...
• Yes and I can help you by...

Jill Hurst-Wahl and Tracy Allen

Think is terms of "yes...and" not "yes...but".  "Yes...but" limits the idea.  It actually says that the idea wasn't really that good or do-able.  "Yes...and" expands on the idea.  it helps the idea become a reality.  If an idea changes along the way, that can be a good thing.  That can mean that a more do-able solution has been created.  If an idea dies along the way, recognize that everyone was changed in some way by hearing and working on the idea.  It could be that the idea's time has not yet come and that it will re-surface in the future, and be bolstered by the seeds that had already been sown.

In my life, I had ideas come to fruition from seeds that I didn't realize that had been planted.  I've witnessed innovations that seemed to have appeared from thin air, yet upon inspection, I can see their roots in the past.

My life has a been a series of saying "yes" to wild and innovative ideas, that I and others have generated. Those yeses have generated many sparks. May your culture of innovate generate the sparks that you need and the yeses to go with them.

Last fall (Oct. 9, 2014), I gave the keynote at the Polaris Users Group meeting in Liverpool, NY.  I am finally posting my keynote text (as written) here in four blog posts - four movements.  Below is Movement 4.

By the way, I've added photos to these posts; however, I did not use any images or projected presentation in October. 

---

Mark Surman, executive director of the Mozilla Foundation, said:

Coding, editing video, design — it really is just the tip of the iceberg. What’s below the tip of the iceberg is participation, critical thinking and being able to collaborate. You really need to be a well-rounded, Renaissance, Internet-era kind of person.

I've been talking about people and situations that are not what we think of when we hear the word well-rounded, Renaissance, and Internet-era. When we think of "Renaissance", we think of people like Leonardo da Vinci. Leonardo worked across knowledge areas. For example, he sketched the human skeleton and designed a helicopter. Today people who are Renaissance-like are able to work in different industries. They have broad skills that do not limit their opportunities. They are serial entrepreneurs. They are self-sufficient in ways that capture our attention. They've developed the critical thinking skills needed to tackle the problems that our world needs solved. They collaborate and these days that means collaborating with that device that they carry with them...all the time.

We have people, who lack some of the basics and who are being treated like they are disposable. On top of that, they look around and see others exhibiting skills that they know they may never have. Every person they see with the latest smartphone, iPad or tablet computer is a reminder of what they don't know, can't do, and can't afford.

You may be wondering if there is good news - or something positive - in all of this? Yes. I've already mentioned ideas that you might act on. But there is more that you can do.

First, adopt a definition of what you think digital literacy is. You'll notice that I have not yet defined it! According to the Digital Literacy Standards for New Yorkers:

Literacy represents a person’s ability to read, write, and solve problems using both spoken and written language. Digital literacy is the ability to apply those same skills using technology such as desktop computers, ebook readers and smartphones.

Is that a definition that resonates with you? If yes, use it! If not, create your own. Discuss the definition with your staff, with your champions and with your constituents. Help them understand the need for everyone to be digitally literate. Use examples to demonstrate what the life of a digitally illiterate person is like.

Second, work with your staff on their digital literacy skills and their ability to use mobile devices effectively. Yes, some of them are digitally literate, but some are not. Find create ways for people to improve their skills without making them feel self-conscience. You might take time at staff meetings to have people show each other new apps or new techniques. If everyone doesn't have a device, ask people to share OR use the library's devices during the meeting.

Third, if you're library isn't lending mobile devices, talk about the possibility of doing that. You might lend them for on-site use only, if you don't want them to leave the building.

Fourth, if you're in a public library, use mobile devices - in some manner - in your story times, ESL classes, and other events. These are times when we - the digitally literate would use devices - so let's give our community the same privilege.

Fifth, develop and implement create ways for your community members to use mobile devices to:

• Develop critical thinking skills
• Demonstrate creativity
• Communicate and collaborate
• Be creative
• Continue to learn
• Be good digital citizens

Those five things make seem overwhelming. That's okay. If you do ONE of them, you will be on your way to making a difference. We're not going to create a digital literate citizenry over night. This is going to take time and so every step forward is a step in the right direction.

Last fall (Oct. 9, 2014), I gave the keynote at the Polaris Users Group meeting in Liverpool, NY.  I am finally posting my keynote text (as written) here in four blog posts - four movements.  Below is Movement 3.

By the way, I've added photos to these posts; however, I did not use any images or projected presentation in October.

---

In August, with schools delayed in Ferguson, Missouri one of the concerns quickly became the health of the students, who received meals at school. I want to mention hunger, because it is more prevalent than we think and hunger gets in the way of learning. We even have college students, who find themselves without food, and they rely on college or local food banks. There are have stories of adjunct professors, who are homeless. As a former corporate librarian, I can imagine that some of the workers that we interact with are homeless or living in meager conditions.

We generally focus on the problem that we want to focus on. For example, we focus on the fact that people are not digitally literate, because we know that is a problem and we're willing to focus on it. Can we also focus on more basic problems, knowing that if we can help people with some of the basics - like food - we can create fertile ground for other efforts?

I can hear your thoughts...Jill, we're librarians and there are some problems that we can't solve! Yes, we're librarians. We are also people who are trusted by our communities. Could we use that trust to help our communities in ways other than what we traditionally do?

Each of our communities has basic needs that are going unmet. Through conversations, anecdotal evidence, information from social services, or surveys, we can figure out what those needs are. Through our ability to collaborate, we can build relationships that can help to meet those needs. Take a moment and think about the people and organizations with whom you could collaborate. Remember that collaboration means that each party brings something to the table. Perhaps food isn't what you bring to the table, but there is something else that you can provide. For example, libraries are often located in areas that are easy to get to and have parking lots. Is it your location and exterior space that would be of value in a partnership?

Last fall (Oct. 9, 2014), I gave the keynote at the Polaris Users Group meeting in Liverpool, NY.  I am finally posting my keynote text (as written) here in four blog posts - four movements.  Below is Movement 2.

By the way, I've added photos to these posts; however, I did not use any images or projected presentation in October. 

---

Last week, Van Jones - who is one of the hosts of CNN's Crossfire - spoke at Syracuse University and talked about how we treat people as being disposable. All of those people working at UPS are disposable. The job requires no real skill and when one person leaves, another can take easily take his or her place. I think being disposable is one way "some" think of people, who are different than them. You are not like me, so you can go away. You do not need to exist.

After Ferguson...and Santa Rosa, where a man was shot in a store after purchasing a BB gun...and after Columbia, SC...where a man was shot reaching for his driver's license...it feels like more people are being deemed as disposable. And I wonder how we - libraries and librarians - can change that?

First of all, when we are disposable, people see you as being interchangeable with someone else OR maybe that you have no discernible value. Libraries - all libraries - are part of the American educational system. Outside of our K-16 schools, libraries are THE place where people go to get educated. The place. But that is if people can actually get to a library and if they are allowed to use the library.

Some of those that are being left behind don't have good transportation. Without good transportation, you can't get to the library when you need or want to. Without good transportation, you may not be able to return books on time. And if you can't return books on time, your library privileges may be suspended. By the way, transportation is also an issue when it comes to finding or keeping a job. A manager at an East Syracuse hotel once said that he had people, who wanted to work for him, but that the buses didn't come out to that area when people needed to get to work. He tried to coordinate other transportation with mixed success.

I want to stick with that example for a moment, because I think there are some lessons or ideas that we can take from it.

First, should we turn how we deliver services completely on its head? Rather than asking people to come to the library, can we take our services and resources to them? Perhaps this a variation on the bookmobile, which would give people access to both physical and digital resources.

Perhaps this is setting up mini-libraries out in the community. I know that immediately creates questions about cost, resources, and staffing...but maybe we need to take a leap of faith and try it, and then assess the impact.

Perhaps this means creating a service that is not based on "lending". Could libraries help people own books, for example? This might be something that the library did in conjunction with another community organization. What if the library - working with other community groups - helped every child to own one new book a year? That would be one way of putting books in the hands of children and could help families to have books to lend to each other. Being able to lend your own book is a nice feeling, and a feeling that everyone should have.

Could the library take its training classes out into the community? I know that would create many hassles...but would it help people get the training that they need and perhaps lift them up from being or feeling disposable?

Is there a way of bringing devices into our neighborhoods?

Truly I think we need to act innovatively, if we want to have an impact on the digital literacy and the lives of our community members. We can't sit back and wait for them to come to us for the services that we offer. We need to go to them and deliver the services that they need.

Last fall (Oct. 9, 2014), I gave the keynote at the Polaris Users Group meeting in Liverpool, NY.  I am finally posting my keynote text (as written) here in four blog posts.  The keynote, as you will read, was structured into four movements, like a symphony.  Below is Movement 1.

By the way, I've added photos to these posts; however, I did not use any images or projected presentation in October. 

---

I began using a computer in the early 1980s. As computers became more prevalent, people in the workforce recognized that the needed to develop "computer skills". For some, that meant learning how to type documents and create spreadsheets. For others, it meant learning how to program. This divided the "computer users" from "the techies"...and I was a techie.

Both the computer users and the techies had something in common - our skills were transferable. If I used an IBM computer, I could also use a DEC computer, or an Apple. Yes, there were some differences, but they were easily conquered. The real problem was gaining the initial skill. Once you made it over that hurdle, you were fine. And people wanted to make it over that hurdle. Parents implored their children to develop computer skills. Bosses encouraged their employees. Employees begged that their bosses learn how to use the computer themselves.

But wait...in the 1980s, computers were not everywhere yet. That changed as the technology got less expensive and different devices took on different aspects of the computer. Now computers are everywhere and in everything. Some of the devices used for computer input or output aren't even called by names that make you associate them with computers. If it doesn't look like a computer, are you using a computer?

Every evening, workers descend on the UPS facility in Syracuse to sort packages and load trucks. All of them use scanners to read in bar codes. Those bar codes allow packages to be tracked by UPS, as well as you and I. These scanners are easy for everyone to use and that means that there is no "skill" involved. So someone who is not computer literate can work at UPS and be an excellent employee, because that person can use a scanner. And sadly, that person can work there for years and never develop better computer skills on the job. Someone who is computer illiterate will remain so.

Every day a child enters the United States, who has not had a good education. That child goes to a K-12 school and hopefully finds that the school has access to good technology, which that child will be challenged to use. Unfortunately, it is also possible that the child will go to a school that has limited access to technology. That child, who lacked computer skills may go through our education system and still not develop good computer skills. When that child grows up, what job will she be able to do? If you think she'll go to college, which will lead to a better job, I would ask if a person with minimum computer skills can succeed in college? And as we become more technology-focused, what chance will that person have?

We know that libraries - K-12, public, academic and special - can teach children and adults, those born here and those born elsewhere - to use technology. Many people come to libraries for computer training and for computer help. We try to understand what skills they need and then how to give them those skills. We try really, really hard to make people better versions of themselves...and to give them a better life.

Photo by @imallmadhere

During my session this morning, I had approximately 200 people do a brainstorming exercise.  If you look at my slides, you can see the topics and brainstorming techniques that they were to use.  I'm impressed that people did decide to use new-to-them brainstorming techniques AND that the interaction seemed fruitful.  Tables were encouraged to share with me their lists, so the could be posted and shared. This is the intent of this blog post...which may be long. Did a mention that there were 200 people?! So this may be a bit messy...and I'll add more as they become available.

First, these people posted their lists online!

• STEAM (using the long list), http://www.heatherbraum.info/conferences/cil/enabling-innovation/ (notes by Heather Braum)
• Tech in libraries (as Dunkin Donuts), https://www.evernote.com/shard/s60/sh/0b7f557a-d841-421d-aca7-dabd8d135477/b2e1f2a2728b1249b5086031c61a05ac (notes by @imallmadhere)

Now for the notes I received in email...(I've included the emailer's name.  If that is a problem, please let me know.)  Apologies for the different fonts, etc., but I'm not going to try to edit fonts or do massive spellchecking. 

Tom Horan wrote:

My group and I decided to do the “brandstorming” rule and used Ikea as our brand. I jotted down our ideas and this is what we came up with:

-Various small, open spaces in the way of Ikea’s walkthrough displays. The genius of Ikea’s design is that you have to walk past every display before getting to the end. You may go into Ikea only looking for a bookshelf, but being that you walk along one path, one may wind up leaving with a lot more than what they had intended to buy. Imagine this concept applied to a library.

-Rather than the pencil and paper Ikea provides, we thought about having a swipe card for each resource/display area. The customer can swipe as they go and then collect their resources at the end!

-Instead of having a heavy reliance on just text we also want to incorporate visuals/aesthetics. Although we would be providing books and NOT hard to assemble furniture, we all like the idea behind Ikea’s image only instructions; that anyone globally (in theory!) regardless of literacy level can follow their instructions.

I think we all loved the idea of people being able to enjoy nice aesthetics but also being able to handpick and craft their own experience based upon their individual needs. 

Robert Goodman wrote:

Role Storming - technique (roles and ideas)


Beatrix Potter

comfy library
No sharp edges, window seats, low bookcases, teashops & scones, vegetable garden. rabbits, tea cozies
Gardening and keeping animals
Art gallery

----

Temperance Brennan (Bones) -

laboratory for dissecting the rabbits
fridge to keep the deceased rabbits
science books
coroner's lab for how rabbits died
computing technology
sterile environment
soft rock and jazz music
learning for young minds - dissecting the rabbits

---

Henry - 10 year old boy

Place to bring people together - large family intergenerational meeting rooms
Projects to make intergenerational rooms
Accessibility for all in need (ADA compliant)
Fantasy - all kinds of fantasy

----

Captain Kirk

As many cultures involved as possible
Technology to explore
Language labs
Captain Kirk would need a nice chair - for his information section
And he would need a Spock
Imagination zone
Klingon Theater

Brody Selleck wrote:

We did a Brand Storming based on Disney. Here is our list:
 Heather Morgan wrote:

Colors..orange & white
Facilitators for additional vendors/services
Open market place
Library as a distributor
Amazon's mission fits perfectly with libraries...user centric
Keep more info on libraries
Recommendations on what a user has read/borrowed
Streamline customer service
24/7 support
Squash local business
Drone delivery system
Hierarchy of users (prime vs Joe Schmo)
Greater access to additional media
Reorganization by categories
Localized community directory
Exclusivity of certain resources ( ex. Author only read
Self publishing
Reviews by users
Cloud storage

Eric Cohen wrote:

Our group used opposites:

For opposite library services here's what we came up with:

outdoor spaces

physical activities

tool collections

crowd-sourced reference

tv clubs

anti-book club

audio-book club

No cataloging - random

wikipedia categories

alternate cataloging

highlight people assets

Erica Bess wrote:

OPPOSITES:

Opposite of technology classes
- technology house calls
- discovering ancient art

Opposite of borrowing items from library
- borrowing from others
- taking on the honor system

Opposite of librarians do storytimes
- what if kids do storytimes

Opposite of ibrary card
- finger print

Opposite of cafe provided by established restaurants
- Cooking classes where customers can supply the food from techniques they've learned

Quiet rooms
- Loud rooms

Information Desk
- Roving staff

Jim DeArmey wrote:

Here are our role storming ideas. We did technology in libraries as it would be done at Ikea:
Here's what we came up with...
Arrows on the floor
Tour through all departments
Big huge screen/monitor at the entrance with highlights, directions
Cutesy names for everything.
Difficult to follow instruction sheets
Talk to a gadget, get navigational tips
Gaming room for kids while parents are on computers - ball room to keep kids busy
Google glass
Augmented reality where you can look at photos of your place and see how the item will appear in your house.
Virtual Skype style library staff available at all spots.
Create spaces where people feel at home using technology - comfortable, welcoming maker spaces, computer instruction and labs.
Easy download from anywhere, scan and send to self
Lots of self service
Electronic shopping cart to collect your materials and information
Clear simple branding - blue/yellow example.
Family friendly. Place hops with families.
Place to eat, use tech, relax.
Lots of variety - big stuff, little stuff, trinkets.
[Place] where you can use lots of different types of technology.

Allison Parker wrote:

Brandstorming: Cambell’s Soup,New Ways of Using Tech in the Library

• Very visual
  

• Uniformity
  

• Comfort in consistency. Battling against different approaches of service at different locations
  

• Comfort food – comfortable space. Homey environment – digital and physical space
  

• Easy navigation. Keep it simple!
  

• Anticipating problems
  

• Adapting recipes // adapting tech resources for personal use. One product can be used in many ways 

• Digital signage – keep the brand consistent
  

• Online contests – valuing all cooks in “kitchen

Matt Beckstrom wrote:

Rolestorming

Design a new library with Lady GaGa -

Special collections on makeup, costumes, images, erotica, wigs

Lots of programs - performances

Physical layout of library would non-linear - abstract

Video archives of live performances

Haunted House

Musical instruments

Consortium with the Muppet's library

Human rights/diversity focused library

Alexander McQeen/Jean Paul Goutier design

Very tactile experience in the library

Interactive fashion for children and teens

Mike Campagna - Brandstorming as Nike

Wearables 

Fuelband to track most used areas.

Custom Maps within the library - Map out the library.

Service Points

Librarians are referees.

Nike ID

Customize your collection

Personal tech trainer

Advertising

Market - Just Read It

Reading Logs

Competition 

Summer Reading 

Getting Badges 

Personalized recommendation.

Recommendations

Music connects to music

Globalization of book clubs

Crowdsourcing book club picks

Kirsten Zelenky wrote:
 Stacey Wicksall wrote:

DISNEY

Story based tutorials
Use tech from Ursala’s point of view
Bring the story outside of the book (screens)
Patrons have more access to do the creating with multi-media
Gamify everything
Virtual library with neighborhoods
Have a kids’ area that is a space related to a particular book/character and integrates tech
Hand held concierge devices to lead thru library
Characters do book reviews
Librarians become characters tied to specific technology services
Make checking out more seemless-no need for a library card
Use technology to be entertaining inside the library and pique curiosity about something within the library
Have a tech event that would be multi-media and motivates library use

Jim DelRosso wrote:

LEGO

build it yourself

boxes of computer parts

coding modules for websites

putting together personal displays, collections

identify superusers who get specialized services, and get to build specific things and then build brand new stuff for everyone by mixing services

outreach to groups who don't get as much attention

build on existing intellectual properties or communities 

build things that are captivating and eyecatching

user reshelving program! (RFID could make it not an issue in terms of findability)

books that could be stuck together, virtual (subject terms, etc.)

bundling different types of books together a la Amazon

adjust looks/names of librarians to make them more approachable

build/design your own libraries with LEGOs; rebuild and design every year

modular library design, both furniture and web site

marketing: generate excitement to fanatical levels

 Marcia Kochel wrote:

Homer Simpson

Michelle Obama

Steve Jobs

Jane Goodall

Batman

Beyonce

Gordon Ramsey (chef)

Designing a New Library

cafe

beer fridge (corrected 4/11/2014)

dark, security control, unidentified location

VIP section

outdoor space with trees

exercise space

really simple, everything should make sense

lots of sparkly signs

nature sounds

free food

very clean and in perfect condition

sports on TV

highly dedicated, well-performing staff

resources for military families

should be pretty

resources for environmentalists, space for them to meet

recliners

a stage and a good sound system

space for security detail to relax and recharge

easy to charge Apple devices (and only Apple devices)

excellence should be the hallmark

have a special music collections room

free mp3s

great cookbook collection and food demonstrations by local vendors with lots of free samples

concierge service, delivery of materials

free cars

highly attractive and visually appealing

everything with rounded edges, no corners

needs a really big grand opening

no technology at all

someone to do everything you want for you

no dress code

highly starched uniforms

attention to presentation

doughnuts

cro-nuts

Fair Trade coffee

Emily wrote: (added 4/8/2014)

Roles: Dorothy from Wizard of Oz, Steve Jobs, Ray Crock (McDonalds), Frank Gary (architect), Wicked Witch from Wizard of Oz

Question #1

Drive-thru for checkout

As wild on design outside as it is on the inside

Own servers

Strong WiFi

Comfortable couches--like home, baskets for carrying items

Banned books, darker materials, good witch/bad witch

Food: some sort of cafe --> special orders --> food for Toto (pets) --> feed kids/food programs

Put the kids in the basement! Seriously, own space for teens to make noise.

Colorful, like Oz

Swordfighting--incorporating mental and physical stimulation

Holo deck to allow for creativity

Multiple portals for gathering information/accessing the space

Sookie of TruBlood (telepath, waitress, Southerner, friend of supernaturals) -
b/c she "hears" people's thoughts--sound proof rooms with windows
piped sound from the ceiling--a super Boze audio experience
inspired by her good service at Merlotte's--serves material, information, assists with internet to end-users
Food Bar; Beverage Bar
Urban Fantasy "Corner"
Lots of e-books, hardcopies, tablets to loan

Cinderella -
special corner in library---quiet area to read, etc.
good venue for story-telling
glass slippers
reading program area--shape of pumpkin
beautiful fantastical setting

Batman/alter ego Bruce Wayne -
unlimited budget
dark
secretive
lot of IT (technology)
must have an "in group"
"maker lab"--3D printer, laser, IT toys
Extensive databases to do a lot of different research
posters of comic characters

Cathy Wortman wrote: (added 4/15/2014)

Our table's Long List on STEAM ideas.

* Art displays

* Local artist for programs

* Art classes

* Makerspaces

* Local band night

* Worm displays for summer reading

* Legos

* Manipulatives for math

* Innovation festival

* Gardening program

* Ant farms

* Aquariums

* Inscetartiums

* Astronomy night

* Business incubator space

* Career discussions

* Resume workshops

* Pi Day

* Cooking/baking with science involved.

* Math baseball

* App design

* Programming courses

* Traveling kits - raspberry pie

* STEM kits to checkout

* Tutoring

* Science & Tech for girls

* Vehicle program

* Sailing lessons

* Car care

* Recording technology

* Video production

* Play

* Pilot visits