Digitization 101

In 2003, SFPL reached out to the City's Department of Public Health to discuss a need they saw in the city libraries.  Her first efforts were to have conversation with every branch and department at the library.  She learned that the library is a unique public place.  People come to libraries for many different reasons grounded in joy or pain.

Jennifer is a heath and safety associate (HASA) and a peer advisor.  Her personal story is one of joy and pain, highs and lows.  She told the story of her family and of her life.  (I will not repeat the details here for fear of getting them wrong, and because I feel this is her story to tell.)  The impact of her childhood eventually let her to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  She became unemployed in 2008, which lead to her being homeless. 
During the Q&A, Leah state the benefits of being part the Department of Homelessness, in terms of liability and insurance. She noted that their positions are fully funded and that the library pays for their services.  Yes, they follow HIPAA and the rules related to confidentiality.

At the start of her talk, Leah noted that she had spoken to many members of the media, but in terms of giving presentations, she had given those to small groups (15-30 people).  There were approximately 1000 people in the room (and it was standing room only).  It was the biggest group that Leah or Jen had ever spoken in front of.  It was a group that was quiet, because everyone was listening intently (and also likely on the verge of tears). And it was a group that gave Jen a standing ovation when she finished her talk; one that she deserved 10 fold!

Jeremy Johannesen, NYLA's Executive Director, calls every NYLA conference "the best conference ever!"  Well, this keynote was clearly the best keynote ever, because it wasn't theory or "pie in the sky", but about an issue that we are all dealing with. And it was given by two women whose stories are real and inspiring.  NYLA, thank you!

This fall, I am embarking on research related to public libraries and am building a small (for now) research team (The iSchool Public Libraries Initiative). Often teams form quickly with no forethought in regards to team building and creating the best environment for thriving.  This team is still in its forming stages and I know it would be good to provide some foundation for it. Part of that foundation needs to be understanding what is important to each one of us and how we each normally work.  Rarely do we discuss our normal work habits or what habits we expect from others. And rarely do we share those tips or thought processes that led to our habits, or what we wish our habits were.

This blog post is my attempt to list those things that influence me, in terms of getting work done and interacting with others. Do I do all of these things perfectly?  No.  Do I do them all the time?  No.  But I aspire.  As my team comes together, I hope they will share what influences their work habits with me.  Just talking about it, I'm sure, will make us work better together.

By the way, I have slowly worked on this post for a couple of months as I have remembered, found, and pulled together resources.  I suspect that it still isn't complete.  If you were me, what would you add?  Please leave that information in a comment. Thanks!

 

Productivity

• Productivity 101: A Primer to the Getting Things Done (GTD) Philosophy (LifeHacker)
• From David Allen and Getting Things Done
• Five Simple Steps That Apply Order to Chaos
• Podcast Episode #3 – David Allen guides you through a Mind Sweep (23 minutes)
• Podcast Episode #7 – Guided GTD Weekly Review (32 minutes) 
• Podcast Episode #40: Best Practices of Email Communication (29 minutes)
• I want to emphasize the importance of stating in your email who needs to answer the specific questions.  If you assume, rather than stating it, you may receive replies for no one or from everyone, and neither of those scenarios is helpful.
• If you are asking a question, be sure to make sure that someone skimming the email sees a question mark!  In other words, don't ask a question without actually asking a question.  (Trust me, this happens all the time.)  
• The Effective Emailer (Guy Kawasaki) 
• Writing emails people will read, understand and reply to (Alexander Skogberg)
• The correct way to email (Sarah Begley) - Added 09/27/2019
• What Makes Writing Effective: Interview with Rick Horowitz (11-minute podcast)
• Use the "Four Ds for Decision-Making" model (University of Nebraska Kearney) 
• How to Teach Yourself to Read an Entire Book in a Single Day - For me, the lesson in this article is not about reading a book in one day, but the fact that you don't read every work the same way. Being a productive reader means understanding what you are trying to learn from the work, and then reading in a way that allows you to learn it.
• Should you walk out of that bad meeting, even if it’s rude? (Aytekin Tank)

 

Personal Interactions

• From Heather Plett
• What it means to “hold space” for people, plus eight tips on how to do it well
• How to hold space for yourself first
• On holding space when there is an imbalance in power or privilege
• Reflecting (SkillsYouNeed)
• 10 Steps for Winning Every Argument (Pivotal Point Training & Consulting Inc.)

 

 Team Building

• Curious Minds Podcast Episode #103: Daniel Coyle on How to Build Amazing Teams (39 minutes)
• Consensus decision-making (Wikipedia) - This is a long Wikipedia article and all of it may not be useful.  However, it is important to consider how a team makes a decision and that is why this has been added here (e.g., agreement versus consensus).
• Six Thinking Hats (book) by Edward DeBono 
• Edward de Bono briefly explaining the six hats (7:40 minute video)

The Westin Hotel in Westminster, CO had this map available in its fitness center. I know it looks like nothing special, but it is not the look that caught my attention.

The Westin is near an amphitheater and a park. The terrain isn't quite flat, but it isn't mountainous either, which makes it good for a walk or run. This small 5 1/4 x 3 3/4" map is the perfect device for helping someone get in a good workout. The front side is the map, while the back side contains map directions. What makes it special, though, it that it is plasticized paper. Yup, waterproof, sweat-proof, snow-proof, rain-proof and mud-proof.

Since this is a blog about digitization and copyright, lets notice that this map has clearly taken advantage of a map (or maps) that already existed. Likely whatever map which was the basis for this was modified to fit the need of this specific running map. I don't know if using that underlying map was "fair" or if New Balance, who actually created this map, paid for the use. Whichever they did, I trust that they have kept it legal.

But let's also notice that this map - contents and type of paper - was made with its use in mind. We often create aids for our users that meet our needs (the library's needs) and don't always consider how a person will use them. Are we providing content in the correct format, language, etc.? I suspect our community members would be happier if we spent a moment thinking about that before we create materials for them.

I have traveled through the Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) in North Carolina several times recently and this sign below stood out to me. CLT is a sprawling airport and people often have to move from one terminal to another. Notice the information at the bottom which gives an indication of how quickly a person can walk between those different terminals. Those average walk times can be comforting to someone or might help someone who walks slowly to seek assistance. The overall message, though, is that the airport is a manageable size and that you can get to where you need to be.

Think about your library and the information you provide to community members. Do you give people clear indications of what is where? Does your signage provide answers to those questions you receive frequently? The idea is to not have so many signs, which might cause people to not read them, but to provide good information to people when they need it.

So what could you be doing?

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. 

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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.