The 80/20 Librarian: Focusing on the 20% that matters

Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ann Handley did a great job analyzing this past spring’s Pew Research Center report on teen social media use and in particular the role of Facebook (the platform that over 70% of teens use).

She notes that in order for organizations to better promote their value to teens, they should do the following:

1) Publish better Facebook content not necessarily more of it

2) Use visual aids and photography effectively

3) Reach out to smaller size audiences which are those “you care most about.”

4) Get active on Facebook groups and private groups.

In particular she discusses some key developments in how adults and teens use Facebook.

I am enclosing a table that notes the trends.

(Photos from Wikipedia)

One of the big stories that librarians will recall from May is the partnership between the Andreessens (Marc Andreessen and his wife Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen) with Hewlett Packard to donate roughly $170,000 worth of computers, printers and other equipment to public libraries in Ferguson and Baltimore. USA Today’s Jessica Guynn wrote a great article on this which is worth revisiting.

There were really 4 key points to the story for me:

1) Key philanthropists and influential members of the business community do care about libraries. This may be on account of positive experiences based on previous library use and or observing what libraries currently are doing to be of service in the community. To quote from Guynn’s article, “Arrillaga-Andreessen says her local library nurtured a lifelong relationship with reading and books. “Libraries were a safe haven and provided access to another world as we were growing up,” she said.”

2) Philanthropists and those in the business community care enough about libraries to want to make a meaningful contribution. In this instance the contribution is a six figure donation of computers, printers, and other technical equipment.

3) Positive connections made between the library and the philanthropist increase the likelihood of effective philanthropic engagement. Equally important positive press about libraries and the great work they do will increase the likelihood of  philanthropic engagement. In this instance the Andreessens were “moved” by the work of librarians in Ferguson and Baltimore.

4) The question now is, how are libraries planning to keep engaging with philanthropists and the business community? Brainstorming how to continue to spread the news about the great work that libraries do should be something every librarian will want to think about.

While I was disappointed that I could not attend the 2015 American Library Association annual conference in San Francisco, I was delighted that Barbara Alvarez was willing to report back on what she learned. Thanks to Barbara for being my first guest columnist!

The Librarianship Way of Life: Highlights from ALA 2015

To an outsider, an annual library conference probably sounds dull or uninspiring. To those in the library field, we know that conferences provide us with the perfect time to rejuvenate ourselves, our libraries, and our careers. As the 2015 BRASS Morningstar Public Librarian Support Award winner, I was honored to receive the financial support to attend the annual conference in San Francisco. Throughout the various innovative workshops, inspirational colleagues that I met at various networking event, and exciting products/practices that I learned about, the following moments resonated the most with me:

Gloria Steinem, Keynote Address: As a history major who took many Women and Gender Studies courses in college, I have always admired Gloria Steinem’s activism and ability to mobilize others in an effort for gender and sexual equality. As a result, I was really excited to hear her speak about the impact that libraries and information access has had on her philosophy of equality. Gloria spoke about how libraries and librarians opened her eyes to new ideas and practices, but also emphasized that librarians democratize information and knowledge. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to ask her about her trip to North Korea in May, as part of Women Cross DMZ. In this effort, Gloria and other women’s right activists were able to cross the border into North Korea and speak with women about their rights and experiences in one of the world’s most secluded countries. A controversial endeavor, Gloria reiterated that it was worthwhile because it demonstrated how women throughout the world stand together in solidarity despite their national circumstances. Furthermore, she noted how they were forbidden to bring books, computers, or access the Internet when entering North Korea. As a result, Steinem’s experiences and discussion showed librarians that the work that we do is important because our democratization of information helps keep an informed and educated public, and in turn active citizens.

Building Blocks: Constructing Your Career Path through Networking, Branding, and Flexibility:  As a 2011 Spectrum Scholar, I collaborated with four other Spectrum Scholars to present about our experiences in graduate school and in the library field and what we recommended to current Spectrum Scholars and recent graduates. Each of us on the panel had different expertise and backgrounds, but we all agreed on the fact that you do not know where your career path will lead you. Sometimes we have a vision for ourselves and our career, but depending on evolving economies, job industries, roles, communities, and opportunities those expectations can shift. Therefore, it is so important to remain flexible and open to change in your current position or future job roles. Additionally, it is essential to form connections and maintain contact with people that you meet at conferences, on committees, and in different positions because you never know how those relationships will impact your career and future. Lastly, developing yourself as an expert in a particular area will help you leverage your contacts and develop a reputation as someone who is dependable, innovative, and throughout the nation. The key message of networking, branding, and flexibility, as well as our own personal experiences in graduate school and in the professional field can be viewed here.

#Lovewins: While in San Francisco, the Supreme Court ruling that gay marriage will be legally recognized throughout the United States was announced. This paralleled with San Francisco’s Pride Parade on Sunday, June 28^th which made it even more a celebration. Additionally, the conference opening auditorium speaker on Friday, June 26^th was Roberta Kaplan, litigator in the defeat of Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Roberta talked about her experience not only as an attorney who successfully fought for her client, Edie Windsor, a woman who was unable to inherit her partner’s estate despite being in an relationship that spanned over 40 years, but also discussed her own experience coming out to her friends and family. This was an emotional talk, especially in light of the Supreme Court ruling. Two days later, the Pride Parade brought many librarians outside the conference hall and into the street to celebrate equality and love for all.

As librarians, we contribute to equality, democracy, and innovation. The ways that we do this can vary: through the networks that we develop and maintain, through our changing responsibilities within the library and within our communities, by introducing and instructing residents about new technologies and resources available to them, and in creating equal opportunity access for every person that comes to us regardless of income, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs. My experience at ALA 2015 showed me that the role of a librarianship is not restricted to a library, job title, or organization. Rather, librarianship is a philosophy and way of life; a commitment to equality in our communities, for citizens, and to one another.

These were the best/most inspirational quotes that had the most impact on me after reading Make Change Work For You by Scott Steinberg.

Page 5, Innovation is simply, “The introduction of something new.”

Page 57, “Courage, the researchers say, is the quality that allows someone to pursue valuable goals despite risks.”

Page 96, “Never be without a plan, and never rely on it.”

Page 110, “The more you confront barriers others shy away from, the greater your odds of success. The more you push past them, the greater the rewards you’ll reap that lie beyond because they’ll be more uncommon and hold more value as a result.”

Page 111, “When you encounter failure, don’t get discouraged and don’t resign yourself to ongoing disappointment. Before there was Ford’s wildly successful Model T automobile, there were models A, N, S, and so on.”

Page 120, “Thinking outside the box is for suckers; the only boxes present are the ones you choose to put in place. All it takes to remove them is preparation, persistence, and a solid plan of attack, not to mention a healthy tolerance for taking the pain that goes along with executing it. If you should happen to encounter a legitimate barrier to success, don’t be afraid to take a deep breath, then break out a sledgehammer and start knocking down walls.”

Page 153- “The future belongs to B+ students. Tomorrow, victory doesn’t go to pedagogues or perfectionists. It goes to those who apply just enough effort to meet premium standards (a principle that economists refer to as satisficing) and devote time that would otherwise be applied toward diminishing returns (what’s the practical, real world difference between scoring an A- and a B+ again?) to more productive uses.”

Page 155-“ You don’t need an MBA. You don’t need a PhD. You need a GSD (get stuff done) degree, and all it takes to earn is a willingness to change and innovate, allowing you to readily adapt to and deal with whatever stumbling blocks life throws your way.”

Page 163, “Luck is hard work”

Page 166, “Today it is safer to take risks than it is to risk playing it safe.”

Page 172, “The single most important investment you will ever make isn’t in a stock or mutual fund-it’s in yourself.”

Page 173, “Create opportunity, don’t wait for it to come to you.”

Page 173-174, “Today’s most effective leaders are eternal students, constantly seeking to expand their knowledge base, skill sets, and support networks.”

Page 174, “Seek out tasks and problems that others avoid.”

Page 179, “Risk takers are a valuable commodity in any modern organization; they’re the men and women who aren’t afraid to question the status quo.”

Page 189, “Innovation isn’t about being more talented or high-tech, it’s about being more resourceful and creative.”

Page 192, “Failure can be seen as an investment of sorts: a fundamental process through which people and organizations learn and make more informed decisions.”

Page 241, John Holt is quoted as saying, “True leaders, in short, do not make people into followers, but into other leaders.”