We are an Anchor Institution

Did you know that you are a part of an “anchor” institution? You are! This was the term used by Diane Brown, Deputy State Librarian at the State Library of Louisiana, who led a recent disaster training workshop at Williamson County Public Library. With about 17,000 public libraries in the U.S., covering a total of over 3,100 counties, that averages out to five libraries per county in our country. When I thought of this statistic, I thought: “She’s right, we are an anchor institution.”

Brown shared with us about the experiences of Louisiana libraries during several major disasters they’ve endured, including Hurricane Katrina in 2005. They learned a lot from that experience. One of the most important lessons was that FEMA did not recognize public libraries as “essential services” back in 2005, and thus those facilities which lost buildings due to flooding were not eligible for temporary spaces or Federal funding. (They are now!)

Do you know one reason why FEMA ended up recognizing public libraries as essential? Because when first responders and victims of the disaster needed a safe space to rest and use the internet or computers to file FEMA paperwork, where did they send them? To the public libraries that were still operational! Though public libraries faced their own crises with damage and staff loss of property, they continued to provide services as much as possible to their communities. It was truly awe-inspiring to hear the stories.

The biggest take-away from this meeting was the importance of public libraries to be involved in the community before disaster hits. She said there was a huge difference in an example of two libraries struck by disaster, one of which the librarian was very active in community meetings, the other not. The first was able to get funding and rebuild. The second, is still not back in service. Relationships matter.

Our Director is a wonderful community networker, and I know that she will be able to easily get us a seat at the table among officials and first-responders for future disaster preparedness meetings. This is critical for us to be able to play not only the role we know we can, but be recognized from the beginning by all the services at the time of a disaster as a place for providing help.

All LPLS staff have a role to play in this, as we interact with community members on a daily basis. Take the time to proactively share what we offer as a library, from books to WiFi and computers to the driver’s license kiosk to notary services. All of these are truly critical needs when disaster strikes, whether you see that now or not. Your role in spreading the word helps people to remember when they’re traumatized: “Oh, even though we’ve lost our home, we can go to the library to get on the computer.”

Building relationships benefits everyone in a time of crisis, though I pray we won’t have to face one anytime soon!

The Selfless Servant

A colleague recently shared a book with me entitled: The Public Library: A Photographic Essay by Robert Dawson. It had a very interesting article by Dorothy Lazard called, “Practicing Seva” (from the Sikh notion of selfless service). She talks about the increased role libraries are having in providing service to the homeless and untreated ill, especially as large psychiatric hospitals have continued to close over the years.

Lazard says, “We library workers are, in practical terms, surrogates for shuttered schools, parks, hospitals, and homes. And we know we are hopelessly unqualified to treat what ails many of the people who pass through our doors.” What librarians do, even with this influx of complicated patronage, is to carry on selfless service. “We are acting,” according to Lazard, “as the last outposts of community space.”

Librarians are trained to be polite, patient, and helpful, no matter who stands across from the reference desk. The most important thing is that we look them in the eye and take them seriously…And if our work calms someone’s demons or teaches someone else how to treat the mentally ill with respect, then I am proud to be a part of the process.

While this article did not encourage me much about the future of society in general, it did remind me that librarians can still be examples to others in how to deal with all members of our community. There may be times when a situation requires intervention from authorities, because someone has gone off their meds or added too much alcohol to their system, but in general, we are able to provide that safe space even for those who are living in another reality.

Knowing our patrons by name is a first step to building a comfortable environment for all, as we treat each person with respect as a fellow human being. It’s a challenge on some days, but is part of what makes the library such an important part of every community. I’m glad to be a part of that, and I hope you are too.

The Embedded Librarian

I recently attended a tri-regional in-service in Brentwood, TN, which dealt with analyzing community trends and telling the library’s story by gathering data. Much of what was discussed, we were already doing at our library system, as our current strategic plan process jump-started our awareness of this concept and helped us learn new ways to gather data and access our services.

One aspect of this process that is crucial for us to be engaged in on an on-going basis is looking at community trends. We were fortunate in having the great committee of community members to give us that baseline in community vision, but it’s important to realize that this is not a one-time issue. As communities grow and change, vision changes; new things change the nature of who we are and what’s happening in our area. Because of this, we as librarians need to be constantly listening to our patrons and citizens at large.

The seminar facilitator mentioned the idea of The Embedded Librarian. It refers to proactive efforts on the part of EVERY library staff member to be intentional about building relationships in the community. Each of us are parts of groups or organizations outside of the library. Are we listening to conversations with our library in mind?

Another idea was to seek to have coffee or meet with someone new in the community. Think of these two Community Reference Questions:

•  What are your concerns about our community?
•  What is one thing you feel we're not addressing?

Whether we meet new people or hear ideas through groups we're a part of, it is important to share what we hear with library leadership. When we see a new trend happening in our communities, maybe this is an area the library can engage, partner or provide a new service.

Our tag line at Linebaugh Public Library System is Explore, Imagine, Engage. This works for us as staff members as well. The more we, as staff, explore and engage with our community “outside” the walls of the library, the more we can imagine new ways to serve and add value back to those around us through targeted materials and programming.

I encourage you to become an embedded librarian! It’s for a good cause.

The Public Relations Difference

Today I was working on reports and heard the familiar music of our Story Time going, so I glanced over at the cameras to see how many children were participating. What caught my eye, however, was not the children, but the glowing heads of Mindy and Laura as they sang the welcome song. I knew I had to get up and go see what they were doing. I found Kathleen also watching, and she explained to me that they were aliens. As they introduced the letter A, they did mention that alien starts with A. It all became clear to me.

I continued watching for a while as the children happily repeated the alphabet with the ladies and also were quick to pick out the day’s shape – circle, and then watched the short abcmouse.com video on the letter A. All of these new additions (short of the aliens) to our story time are a direct result of surveys taken this past year. Parents wanted to see more “preschool readiness” exercises and more stories in our story times. Our Youth Services team listened and responded.

Meeting patrons’ needs can be tricky, but I think the secret of doing it well is relationship. Mindy and Laura, I know, got MANY more suggestions from their story time survey, but because they knew their audience, they were able to make changes that were of best service to the entire group and actually “doable” as well.

This last week Lisa Robert shared with me a story of one of her Bookmobile regulars. As you may know, our Bookmobile folks have become very adept at choosing items that will meet the reading tastes of their patrons; they are the ultimate “personal shoppers”. However, Lisa had run out of the usual authors for this one patron, so she decided to take a risk and provide a completely new author. What an amazing response she received from the patron who said to her: “Oh, you got my message!” Lisa told her, “No, I didn’t get any message from you.” The patron replied by saying: “I was thinking about you really hard and wanting you to bring me something new to read. You read my mind!”

I won’t go into Lisa’s psychic abilities here, but I do think that because she had developed a relationship with the patron, she had learned to know what she enjoyed reading. This is what customer service is all about – not the mechanical attempt to serve people we don’t know, but the natural outgrowth of service that comes with enjoying real “relationships” with our patrons.

This may mean that you click with a certain demographic of our patrons, while other staff members are able to help and serve others. Yet, even if a person’s reading tastes are different from ours, we can learn how to meet their needs by just getting to know them. This takes conversation and interaction. In our increasingly automated and electronic world, this is where the public library can shine. We hear their voices and respond, whether through a survey, a conversation, or just a feeling…that is what sets us apart and keeps people coming back! 

Promoting Partnerships

This month, Linebaugh has been very encouraged by some of our local businesses. Reeves-Sain Pharmacy came to the library to provide flu shots for any staff members who wanted to get one for the season. Just Love Coffee is offering free coffee for our patrons this last week of September in commemoration of Library Card Sign Up Month and National Coffee Day.

These businesses, along with many others who support us through our Summer and Winter Reading Programs and other special events, are crucial to the library increasing her footprint in the community. Partnerships have to be a win-win for both sides. So, as we receive giveaways or services, they receive free publicity or a tax write-off. However, we’re not just getting “freebies” from our partners, as we also have partnerships in which we offer them a service. In either case, we’re making connections with people who may have known nothing about us until now.

A special prize may draw someone into the library who has never darkened our doors, but the partnership also connects us with the owners and staff of the businesses who also learn something new about who we are and what we can offer to them. The reach of these connections are hard to measure, but they are real.

This is where you come in as a staff member of LPLS. How does it affect you? Library administration can only know so many people. But the other 60+ employees of this organization combined know exponentially more people in our county. Each one of us has a role to play in connecting the libraries with potential partners in our communities.

Think about who you know, whether a business owner, a wealthy philanthropist, a school administrator, or someone who has a specific skill-set they want to share. Each of these and others can be viewed as a potential partnership for our libraries. So, the next time you talk to someone, ask them: “Have you considered partnering with the library? I’d be happy to get you connected!”

It’s as simple as that! Be a bridge builder for library awareness in our community.

Am I Communicating?

At a recent event, I heard Laura Creekmore, President of Creek Content, share about communication. She began with a quote from George Bernard Shaw:

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. 

Gone are the days when a manager or even sometimes director of an organization sits in an office and is able to dictate directives and letters to a secretary or administrative assistant. From the CEO to the low man/woman on the totem pole, every one of us is responsible for our own communication. For some, it comes more naturally than others. Even for the experienced "communicator" the means have changed drastically in the last 20 years, requiring each of us to learn new skills and develop ways to organize our communication.

Though I entitled this piece: "Am I Communicating?", I really want to press home the point of what am I saying about myself in my communication? As Creekmore spoke, I realized her theme of communicating on purpose was key. Simply because today's communication is a 24/7, fast-food reality, I should not find myself as a leader falling prey to the pitfalls inherent in being "speedy", but instead be intentional and even more careful in how I use current mediums to speak to others.

Simple things are important, such as starting with the body of the email before putting the recipient's email in the space provided. Write the message first and read through it before choosing the recipient and hitting SEND. In reading my message, I want to put myself in the shoes of the one who's receiving it. Will they understand what I'm saying? Have I made assumptions and not clarified my stance? Does my tone come across correctly? Taking the extra time to be deliberate in outgoing communications is crucial to how my staff and clients perceive and respond to me (and the organization I'm representing).

Because we no longer have our own personal secretaries, it's important to be the one who sends out the invite for meetings. Emails are helpful to get things started, but the invitations that require responses and can add events to calendars are the best way to confirm and make sure everyone involved has it scheduled. 

Scheduling is a huge adjustment for some, and overbooking or being consistently late to meetings reflects badly on you as a person and also shows the other people involved that you don't value their time. Being intentional means finding a scheduling resource to best suit your needs. Whether it's a held-hand planner or an online app, get started in writing down your appointments and tasks. 

As our number of contacts increase exponentially with technology, it is critical to keep a contact file that gives you instant access to information on those you're meeting, working with and serving. I can no longer remember personal preferences of staff or even friends, so being able to add them to my file helps me to maintain that personal touch that shows I care. It is one more step in showing you respect them as an individual and seek to meet them where they are.

When you look at your communication habits, you may come up with an entirely different list of things needed to help you become an intentional and purposeful communicator. That is fine. We are all different, but each in need of constant evaluation in how we "get the message across" to those who matter. I hope you'll be willing, as I now am, to take a look at yourself for purposeful growth.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Dealing with Complainers

As public institutions, we get a wide variety of comments from patrons. Many are glowing and encouraging, but others can be “downright ugly”, as they say in the South. While we’re happy to respond and thank patrons for the positive comments, we are also responsible for responding to the negative. Criticism is not easy to take, but I like to look at them as “learning opportunities”.

Therefore, how we respond to criticism, privately and via our very public social networks is important and can speak volumes to those watching from the outside. While some comments should be deleted for profanity or slander, others can remain to allow not only the patron but the public realize that we are able to take the good with the bad from those who frequent our facilities.

Here are some basic rules for handling public complaints:

1. Respond with an immediate “short” comment. Whether you dealing with someone in person or on social media, let them know that you regret their negative experience, and you will look into it and talk with them further. Basically, this lets them know someone in authority is acknowledging them.

2. Get the facts. Talk with other staff members who were directly involved (if it relates to an actual incident) and find out what happened. Look at the person’s account as well. Find out as much as you can about what would have provoked them to complain.

3. Don’t handle the entire situation via social media or in public. If you’re dealing with a social media complaint, while you may put some of your response on the site itself, share that you will be contacting them via email or telephone as soon as possible. There is no need to begin a “back-and-forth” on Facebook or Twitter, which may not reflect well on the institution. Quickly move the longer response to a more private space.

If you’re dealing with an irate patron in person, move them to your office or a quieter space (once you’ve done #2), so you can answer their complaint in detail and without further disruption to others.

4. Answer their complaint point by point. Many times a person will have a bad encounter with staff over an issue and then decide to complain about everything else in the library. Begin with the initial complaint and put them at ease about our procedures or desire to serve them. However, do not apologize for other issues that may have just been spoken in anger. If I know that staff did their best to serve the patron, I do not apologize for our staff member’s behavior but tell them how proud I am of the service our staff provide. If they complain about filthy conditions of materials or space, I remind them that we have thousands of people in our facilities each week and we do the best we can in providing a clean environment.

5. Bad attitude does not have to be met with bad attitude. Even if a complaint is ugly and borderline abusive, I do not have to stoop to their level in response. Maintain a positive attitude in responding. Smile (if you’re face-to-face) or keep a calm demeanor. A calm, soft answer actually does diffuse anger.

6. We are here to serve the public. Just as we proudly proclaim as librarians that we provide “free access for all”, we sometimes need to be reminded that this includes “difficult” patrons. They want to use our facilities and check out materials just like everyone else, but can sometimes be demanding in their ways. We must still strive to keep them as patrons and turn them from problem to positive patrons, as we acknowledge their grievances and help them understand our system and policies.

Does this mean we won’t have some who will try to buck the system and always try to get away with things? No, they will always be among us, but as we acknowledge them and continue to positively articulate our rules and procedures, we can have hope that they will eventually turn out to be patrons who will share compliments more than complaints.

So, the next time you’re faced with a complainer – step back, breathe and say to yourself: Here’s a great learning opportunity! And smile.

Don't Be an Intruder!

A colleague recently shared a 2012 Forbes article written by Sean Devlin entitled: “5 Ways to Stop Desk Intruders”. I found the title intriguing, as this can be a common problem in many office environments, and even at our libraries. As we have various roles within our organization, sometimes we forget that what may constitute “work” for one person may not for another. For those who work behind a computer, it is important to remember that it is just that – work. Our lack of walls does not mean that we are free to invade a person’s work space without asking for permission.

I do not want to be accused of being what the writer called one of the “Desk Intruders”. Read his description:

You know the people who somehow figure out exactly when you are at your most productive moment and they intercept it by stopping at your desk (sometimes just to chat), or tap you on your shoulder, or yell your name. They want to see if you got the email they sent earlier or if you can help them later on or if you want to go take a break. Sometimes their requests are important, but mostly for them and without any regard for your current focus. These people are productivity vampires and they come out during the day and they are in offices everywhere.

I can make a confession to you that even on the day of writing this article, I found myself in this category.

1. I walked into the Director's office without knocking, stood by her desk as she was obviously working on finishing an email, and asked her a question about something that was not urgent. (I do this a lot…more confession). What are my options?

• Knock on the door and ask if she has time to talk.

• Peak in the door, and if she’s working, go back to my desk and send a message. 

• Send her an email prior to taking the time to go to her office to ask her when she’s free to talk.

• Send all my thoughts to her in an email.

• Realizing they were in a meeting, I just waived, said hi and left.

• I could have returned to my office and gone back to check on them later.

• I could have sent an email to say, “I saw you and Laura were busy. Just wanted to say good morning.”

I think any of the above would be appropriate, but when I look at productivity for both the Director and myself, I think the best choice is to send her an email with what I need to tell her. She can then make the decision whether it is necessary to have a face-to-face.

2. As a supervisor, I walk around the library each morning to check in with those for whom I’m responsible. When I went to the Youth Services Specialist's office, I noticed that she and a co-worker were hovered over a large calendar, obviously discussing a program plan.

I don’t think I killed their productivity with my quick hello, but as I write this article, I see that there could have been other options that would have prevented interrupting their work. I wanted to share those thoughts, because it’s good to know we’re all guilty of this from time to time. If you are one of those who is frustrated by frequent interruptions, here are some suggestions from the Forbes article:

1. Use a signal.

When you’re in the zone and absolutely do not want interruption, put a sign on your desk. I know that some Tech Services staff at Linebaugh have adopted this practice, and our Director does it when she’s busy with things like budgets, so I encourage everyone to be aware of signage when you go to approach someone working at their desk or if you want to start using this yourself, notify your colleagues, so they will be on the lookout for the “no interruption” times.

2. Establish communication pipelines.

How many times have you chatted with a colleague about something that could have been addressed with a short email? If this persistently happens in a way that keeps interrupting your work flow, tactfully talk with them about how to best communicate with you.

3.  Put up walls.

While this can be difficult at every location, there are ways to at least put some kind of barrier between you and potential intruders. Always get your supervisor’s permission first.

4. Schedule office hours.

Establish times when you have “open-door” opportunities for colleagues and when you need to be left alone. I know for some of our front desk staff at Linebaugh, it is easy to say that the “back of the desk” tasks need to be uninterrupted to enable them to finish the required work in a reasonable amount of time. Unfortunately, these can become some of the most interrupted periods.

5. Don’t desk intrude!


As with my above confession, I realized that I do this as much as anyone, and I am sorry to all those I’ve interrupted without considering the value of your time. We are each hired to be productive. Let’s encourage productivity in each other by respecting each other’s time and space.

Nothing is different, but everything's changed -- that's really true for libraries!

I recently attended the Lead the Change conference at Nashville Public Library, sponsored by Library Journal. David Bendekovic was the speaker, and he encouraged us to realize that regardless of our job titles, everybody in the library needs to think of themselves as a marketer to meet the changing needs of existing patrons and reach new users. I found this especially important as I have been working to clean up our patron database and accept the challenge from Sandra Nelson to keep our users current within a three-year span. Wow, that bit a chunk out of our registered borrowers on file, and made me realize that we have a LOT of work to do to not only keep current patrons active and constantly renewing their cards, but attracting new users as well. We went as a system from having a total of 146,039 card holders in 2011-12 down to 92,094 in 2014-15. This means we’ve removed around 50,000 inactive patrons from our database! It hurts to think of that loss, but I can now say that our numbers are much more realistic. Unfortunately, this means that we are now only reaching about 37% of our total service population, which is 254,632 and growing.

In leading the change, each of us leads within their sphere of influence. But in order to lead, I need to know myself and my strengths. I encourage you to take this free test to see what your areas of strength may be. This is a shortened version of the Myers-Briggs personality test http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp but it is helpful to gain insights into what makes you tick or perform the best. There are many tests like this that can help us each better understand who we are and our strengths. Working in our strengths gives us energy and enjoyment.

Once you know yourself better, you can seek out areas of growth. This is one reason one of our goals each year is to attend one training or webinar. We all have things to learn related to our jobs, and the more we seek growth, the better able we are to meet patrons’ needs and enrich the services of our library. The better we are at living out our strategic plan and the key words of “explore, imagine, engage”, the more our community knows what we stand for at LPLS.

Paul Simon has a song which goes: “Once upon a time there was an ocean, but now it’s a mountain range. Something unstoppable set into motion. Nothing is different, but everything’s changed.” David Bendekovic tweaked this by saying: “Libraries: Something unstoppable set into motion. Nothing is different, but everything’s changed.” Libraries are creating an environment where people can come and change their own lives.

I think we are on the right track with our strategic plan and our vision of being the place where people can explore the possibilities, imagine what could be and engage in experiences that lead to growth as individuals and a community. This is an ongoing conversation as we seek to lead from our core values to be what people are interested in and thus engage them in an on-going relationship.

We Have a New Front Desk!

We have a New Front Desk at Linebaugh!

Ben, the IT guy, at our new desk

Lots of extra space, as noted by our new carpet tiles

Though it’s still a work in progress, we do have a new front desk at Linebaugh! We are getting great compliments from patrons, and staff is adjusting very well to the new space.

This has been something we’ve been planning for since I started here, so I’m thrilled to see the (almost) finished product. We should have everything finalized by the end of September, as there were some mistakes in the order, but we’re still functioning in the meantime. I do appreciate the Linebaugh staff’s flexibility during the transition and installation (that was a fun day), and as we wait for the final pieces to be installed.

This summer has been one of tests and trials for us at Linebaugh. Let me give you a short list of things we’ve been dealing with:

• Front desk transition
•  HVAC problems and some very hot days for staff and patrons
• Challenges with the new Wandoo Reader program for Summer Reading
• Some especially sketchy patrons and incidents
• Renewal of efforts to steal library materials
• Front enclosure problems
• Mystery break-in or break-out.

So, what do we do in this ever-changing and challenging environment? I’ve noticed some things here that I’d like to share in this summer of trial:

1.      We learn new skills.

I can tell you that I’ve learned more about HVAC systems that I’ve ever cared to know in my life. I’ve had to in order to be able to talk with technicians and sales reps and facilities committees. Now, however, I can talk the talk and add this to my resume of knowledge.

2.      We learn to be more observant.

With several of the incidents we’ve had, I have noticed staff members becoming much more aware of what is actually happening in the library. We all have a tendency to get “into our own little worlds” when we work, but part of working with the public means we need to be alert to the people in our buildings and what is happening around us.

3.      We learn to speak up when there’s a problem.

With all the responsibilities each of us has, I have discovered that a supervisor or IT person may not instinctively know that something is broken or not working unless I tell them. So, I have a choice: Speak up and tell them about it (In a nice way) or keep quiet and allow the issue to become a source of ammunition to use against them later. I’ve especially been very thankful to Mindy Barrett this summer who has been our “go-to” person for Wandoo Reader, as she has been on the phone and writing those emails to Evanced whenever something didn’t work with the software. I think Mindy will be the first to say that because she stayed on them with the problems, the company continually worked to get things fixed. This works for in-house issues as well, as I really appreciate the ability to send a ticket to the IT staff with problems knowing they have a great system to get priority problems fixed quickly. Just email them @ Linebaugh IT Support.

4.      We learn to analyze better.

I love watching Garrett and Kathleen try to figure out a problem. Looking at procedures that are shaky, they work through them together, revise as needed, test them out and then say: “Let’s go with it this way for a while.” With all the transitioning with the desk, we have definitely had to revisit workflow and habits. I’ve so appreciated Kathleen and Garrett’s willingness and leadership in analyzing everything that is going on behind the scenes up front.

5.      We learn to laugh.

There are some days when you just can’t imagine anything else happening in the library. When Garrett is digging through the men’s restroom trash can searching for contraband and finds a prescription for Oxycodone, a vodka bottle and two covers of graphic novels that have been ripped off? Or, when Jonathan is trying to wake up a patron who is in a drunken stupor asleep in the stacks? Or, when Becky sends me an email picture of a vodka bottle a patron found behind one of the public computers. What can you do? That’s when I feel led to post a picture like this on Linebaugh’s Facebook Page and try to quickly close the door on Friday night.

So, it’s definitely been an interesting summer, but not one without lessons and growth. What’s even more amazing is I’m excited for the future. Yes, even with all the above, we’re looking at great days ahead as more and more people connect with the library and the services we offer. It’s a great day, we have a new front desk!

Accomplishment

For three years, I have spent time doing special projects along with a week of each year participating in intense training to complete certification as a Public Library Manager. I think what I learned the most is a wider perspective of the library world in our State, coming to know other librarians in a personal way. Hearing their stories, seeing pictures of their libraries, and realizing their struggles helped me to see how much I have to be grateful for. So, first of all, studying with others is good for reminding us we're not unique or alone in this job of management.

I also have learned that leadership takes many forms. Sometimes, it's just being a listening ear or helping someone print. Leadership can also come in the form of direct suggestions or modeling. What is crucial is knowing how to adjust your form of leadership to meet the needs of those around you. Leadership can also be a lonely place, as not everyone wants to be close to a leader, whether they feel threatened, intimidated or just prefer to do things their own way. A leader learns to adjust to how people react as well.

Our library system is on a good path, as I've had the opportunity to analyze it during these past three years. We've come a long way, and I now see how we can serve as a model to many other libraries, because just like my experience at the Public Library Management Institute, our system is made up of large, medium and small libraries in a variety of locations, meeting the needs of a variety of communities. As we grow and change in meeting our patrons' needs, we can share what we're learning with others in our field. That's a great feeling and gives me a lot to look forward to for the years ahead.

Everybody likes a challenge

At a recent management training, our facilitator used the Survivor TV show as our theme for the week, complete with opportunities to be challenged in groups. While TV shows are often used to bring some life to various meetings, not being familiar with Survivor, I was not sure I cared for the idea of doing some unknown activity with a group of peers to win a Moon Pie.

However, I've learned that despite my initial tendency to want to sit on the sideline, you can have much more fun being part of the game and cheering others on. After all, it's not who wins but how you play the game that counts. This is true in game participation, work and life in general. It all starts with your attitude.

We can choose to be unhappy and irritating or we can find a bright spot even in a game that gets us way outside our comfort zone and just focus on that. That in itself can be the greatest challenge!

Working as a Group, Pt 2

Learning to work in a group is not always easy, and sometimes as completion time nears, stress increases. I have recently been able to witness an amazing array of group dynamics as a group of librarian-professionals-in-training were forced to produce a project with others who in most cases were extremely different from themselves.

Such situations are interesting when you think of the fact that these are the library directors and branch managers who are facing these issues. Why would we expect any more of our staff members, if we ourselves cannot function in a group setting?

I am happy to say that I had a great group, and we worked well together. This, I think are some quick tips to working as a group:

1. Step back from your ego. You are now part of a team, and it's not all about you.

2. Quickly analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your team members, while realizing your own.

3. Remember that working as a team may mean you have to do something that is not within your comfort zone for the good of the group.

4. Be willing to help others learn something new as you go, so they can grow and develop their skills.

5. Be kind.

6. Carry your part of the load.

7. Give everyone credit for a job well done.

8. Count it as a learning experience -- you learn about yourself, how to be a part of a team, how to lead and how to follow -- all in one setting!

Old Advice is Still Good Advice

We are very quick in today's world to throw out the old to embrace the latest and newest, and yet today I was again reminded that much of the old is still very relevant and useful for leaders today. I was given a book, courtesy of the Tennessee State Library and Archives, by Dale Carnegie entitled: "How to Win Friends and Influence People." This book, written in 1936, is timeless in its value for leaders, and I look forward to digging into it in a deeper way after the overview we received.

The talk began on the importance of our frontline staff providing the lasting impression on all who enter the library, and how Carnegie's book can help us in training them in this area. I thought what could a 1930's book do to help me with my staff in the 21st century? Yet, as I saw the principles from the book I was amazed at how spot-on Carnegie was and still is for how we can influence not only as frontline staff with our pratrons, but as leaders who seek to influence staff, patrons and governments on behalf of the library.

So, be sure there will be more to come from Mr. Carnegie in future blogs, but in the meantime don't dismiss the old as we seek to impact the world around us.

Team Work -- Really?

Ask me to do something, and I'm all in; ask me to do something with a team, and I instinctively roll my eyes. Teamwork is not a natural thing for me, but is something that requires me to get outside of my comfort zone. When I am put in a situation that requires me to work as part of a team, I have to consciously step back and become something that is outside of my nature.

Is it fun? No. Is it easy? No. Is it beneficial, Yes. I have to admit that when I'm forced to work with others, it helps me be a better leader, because I force myself to think of others, who they are, their gifts and even their weaknesses. I find myself working to encourage and push others out of their comfort zones in order to grow, all the while knowing that I'm doing the same -- growing, learning, becoming vulnerable and ultimately a true part of a team.

What do I learn from being put in team-building situations? I learn that when I'm pushed outside my comfort zone, I can still find ways to grow as a leader and take what I learn back to my library as I seek to grow my own team for the betterment of our institution and patrons.

So team work, really...yes, because it's an chance to grow and consider others for a change.

Fear's affect on the workplace

Do you fear change? It’s understandable, many people do. If change is hard for you, as it is sometimes for me, I hope you’ll find encouragement in some steps for facing fear that I recently heard via Rory Vaden.

The first thing to realize is that in the majority of cases, FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. Ask yourself the question: How many of the things you have been afraid of have truly come to pass? Our imaginations and creativity are wonderful tools for work and productivity. They can move us in positive directions for finding solutions to problems and developing new initiatives, but when fear enters the picture, that same creativity can be moved in a negative direction as our minds begin to imagine all the horrible things that can happen as a result of what we perceive to be happening as a result of the change.

We all have fear, that is a given, but how we deal with fear varies. Rory gives some great helps in overcoming fear from a book by Jon Acuff, entitled: Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters.

1. Label it. Write it out on paper or speak it out loud. When you voice the fear, it begins to lose its grip on your mind.

2. Counteract it. Refute it with truth. Put your creativity to use in a positive way, and find the supporting evidence for why this thing is not likely to happen. This helps you gain confidence

3. Share it. Fear fears community. Fear impacts the individual, but when we share it, others will start to share their perspective of how ridiculous what your fear sounds. This helps us to see that we were actually allowing something to affect us that was not true, but only lived in our imaginations. 

Creativity is a wonderful thing in the work place. Which will yours be – positive or negative? Don’t let fear hinder you from making a positive and productive impact to your library.

Little Things Make a Difference

Sometimes it’s the little things that make the most difference. A staff member sent me an email this week that reminded me of that when he shared that many patrons have commented on how much they like the changes happening at the library – he was referring to things like the flash drives we now sell. It seems such a small addition to the services we offer, but to the patron who needs to save an important document, it makes all the difference in the world to be able to buy the jump drive on the spot.

I think it’s actually been more rewarding to see how these little changes affect our patrons rather than having a one-time huge new building to wow them. Why? Because it shows our community that we are moving forward to meet their needs. All I have to do is look at the patron suggestion list and know that we’ve come a long way in responding to their desires. Let me show you some examples directly from our patrons of what I mean:

May 2012:

• Books are handled by many hands -- to keep hands cleaner we need paper towels in the rest rooms, please! DONE 2015!
• Many children’s series books such as 39 Clues and the American Girl books are written by multiple authors and are located all throughout the juvenile fiction area. My kids are trying to find the next book the series have a hard time finding it. Our last library had a section for series books where all the books in a series were shelved together making them much easier to find. We would suggest the same for Linebaugh libraries. Made posters to help them with these series 2013!

June 2012:

• I wish we could be allowed to bring water into the library. No more major restrictions on beverages 2014!
• In the future, could there be a “quiet computer room” for people without children and talking. Just quiet. Appreciate the computers. Computer Lab 2013!

December 2012:

• Please find a more efficient way to shelve/display DVD’s. Done! 2013 – 2015!

April 2013:

• Have more children computers. Done Fall 2014!
• I think there should be a play area for kids. Added Duplos, puppet stage for kids 2015!
• Fix the men’s restroom door handle. Changed all bathroom handles 2013!

November 2013:

• Scanners. Coming May 2015!

June 2014:

• Simplify getting a computer upstairs. Done Fall 2014!
• Add Signage to indicate where NF is located. Not on sign pointing upstairs. Done 2015!

Are we listening to our patrons? Yes, in small ways and large, and as a result, I know we will continue to hear even more good things about how our libraries are viable, valuable and vibrant!

Keeping the Library a Place of Integrity

I want to share some thoughts I’ve gleaned through Rory Vaden’s books: Take the Stairs and Procrastinate on Purpose. I’ve enjoyed these books, because they have helped me to work on focusing and purpose in my own life. One area Vaden speaks about deals with integrity, which he describes as the congruence between your words and your actions. There are six ways to strengthen your integrity as well as six ways to weaken it.

Vaden’s 6 ways to keep your integrity:

1. Give yourself AR’s (Action Required). When you speak with someone, or respond to an email or phone call, you use phrases like: “I’ll get back to you on this in two days” or “I will finish this by Thursday”. This provides the person a specific time when they can expect something from you and allows you to show that you can fulfill what’s asked of you.
2. Always be on time. This helps others to see that you respect their time, your work schedule, or other obligations.
3. Over-deliver always on what you promised. People take notice when you produce more than what you said you would do. It adds weight to your words. It also allows for forgiveness during those times when perhaps you are not able to complete something on time or as well.
4. Don’t exaggerate the extent of your problems or magnitude of your achievements. Basically, this means don’t over exaggerate. Let your words speak of the reality of what’s going on in your life.
5. Tell people what you are afraid of and what you’re disappointed in. When you share your fears or struggles, it adds to your integrity, because it shows you’re honest.
6. Go directly to the source of any conflict you have. Watch out for the gossip triangle!

All these will increase the power of your words and strength of your integrity.

Vaden’s 6 ways to weaken your words:

1. Breaking promises.
2. Uncontrolled language.  Keep your language intentional. Don’t let words fly out of your mouth without thinking about what you want to say.
3. Tearing others down. It’s always a big deal to talk bad about other people, because even if the other person has the same opinion, they will know that you might do the same about them with someone else.
4. Creating backdoors for your commitments. Making commitment qualifiers: “I should be able to…” or “I’ll try to…”
5. Using too many words. Mark Twain said: “Brevity is the essence of wisdom”. Using too many words always dilutes the impact of your message.
6. Intellectual dishonesty. Allowing someone to believe something you know is not true.

                                                                         

Though we know the definition of integrity to be the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. I also like the second one given: the state of being whole and undivided. When we strengthen our integrity, others will see us as a person who is whole, sure, and trustworthy. I think these are all values we can not only work on as individuals but also as a staff, as public libraries have long been considered places of integrity. 

Significance

When I looked at my last post, I realized that it was related to the same author I wanted to discuss today: Rory Vaden. I have just completed his second book, Procrastinate on Purpose. Like his earlier book, Take the Stairs, this one focuses on time management or more specifically how to multiply our time. One of the most important messages I took from this excellent book is boiled down to the word: significance.

I have always been a person who prioritized and made a To Do list for each day, but Vaden took this to a whole new level for me, and I think it is very relevant for anyone in management. Not only do I look and analyze what I have to to do, but I need to think about the significance of each action, appointment, email, and telephone call. This affects every area of my life, not just professional, as I think about the significance of all I do in life.

For a person who is seeking to make a difference as a leader, this means that I will be saying "No" to certain tasks or even people and "Yes" to others. There is a constant evaluation process going on in my head to literally judge everything that faces me each day.

While it can sound tiring, I realize that as time goes on, I develop the skills to more quickly and painlessly evaluate and organize my actions each day. This can have dramatic effects on our libraries and how we lead and model leadership for others. I encourage you to read the book and look at how you invest not just your time, but yourself in the things you do that will make a difference for tomorrow.

Taking the Stairs

It is amazing how many opportunities I’ve had lately to either read or hear about change and organizational structure. What is exciting about each one is how they can be applied to all that is happening at Linebaugh or with our strategic planning process. Let me share with you some snippets from a recent speaker at the monthly Rutherford CABLE meeting, Rory Vaden. He is the co-founder of Southwestern Consulting and New York Times bestselling author of Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success, published in 2012.

Vaden shared a study of U.S. employees that reveals that the average worker admitted to wasting 2.09 hours each day on non-job-related activities. This costs employers $10,396/year per employee! What is the source of this? Procrastination.

We all know about procrastination, and most of us admit to falling prey to it, whether as a college student and waiting till the last minute to study for a test or finish a project or in just cleaning the house. Vaden shares three forms of procrastination:

1. Classic procrastination – You know when you do it.
2. Creative avoidance – Unconscious procrastination. It’s doing menial work just to be busy and avoiding what really needs to be done.
3. Priority delusion – Allowing your attention to shift to less important but more urgent tasks.

Vaden’s premise in Take the Stairs is that success in life comes down to the choices you make, especially when no one is looking. Really successful people formed habits of what they knew they should be doing even when no one else was doing it. Nobody wants to take the stairs, because we live in an escalator world. Even though a broken escalator becomes stairs, some will complain and look around for the elevator. That convenience has turned into entitlement and a majority of people are no longer willing to do the work. (I see this a lot with the handicapped button in our front entrance…but I digress).

Negativity in life comes from continuing a bad habit and putting off what we knew we should be doing in the first place. Vaden says the solution comes from something we all know about but don’t like to hear – discipline. “Success is never owned, success is rented and the rent is due every day.”

I was thinking of this principle recently as an email was sent to remind staff to “slow down and be more careful with checking items in.” Being more purposeful in our work takes discipline, and though we may see it as going slower, the end result is better efficiency. With the changes happening in our system, we will all have to change some habits that we’ve grown comfortable with but which no longer meet the needs of our patrons or organization.  As we look to the success of our libraries, we will all have to pay the rent of a disciplined mindset and work ethic each and every day. So, let’s take the stairs to get on the bus!