Every year since 2004, we hit the road to visit our most recent partner sites, and learn a bunch about local needs, interests, and innovations — crafting a local and national strategy for cooperation and collaboration all the while. We’re just back from Montgomery, Alabama – visiting the state library there, getting started on a custom version of the WJ for public library staff across the state.
Every time I visit a state library, I’m struck by how truly unique the state and state library are. Surely there’s a lot of synergy between state library agency initiatives, missions, and approach to services (otherwise, WebJunction wouldn’t be as useful, would it?). Still, each state library is made, culturally, from the communities they serve. Visiting state libraries, though not an entirely glamorous form of travel (yes, I visited the bowling alley next to my hotel, for example), is a bit like working in an episode of this american life.

Alabama library folk seemed to be already living and working in the cooperative spirit we work to foster at WebJunction. You may have heard us talk about “the WebJunction way.” Sure – there’s something unique about “us” too – but it struck me during our visit that Alabama is already traversing this path. First, they don’t seem to be concerned with sometimes typical boundaries around library size, or even type. They’re just like – hey, let’s help each other by working together! Second, they seem somewhat lost on the concept of boundaries between the state library staff roles. Over the course of our day there, we had a number of staff members from different aspects of state library services raising their hands saying I want to help out on this project! How can I be involved? Some of these folks even surprised themselves. What a treat!! Finally, at least the folks we met with, had a real let’s just get it done sort of approach. We came away with more ideas for connecting and sharing content than I’ve had in a single 8 hour period since, I don’t know, ALA-midwinter? And in spite of their insistence that I am indeed a yankee, southern roots or no, what a lovely group. I can’t wait to start working with them on the WJ-Alabama site, which should be live sometime this summer. (MP took some pictures while we were there. I’m sure he’ll post them soon and at that point I’ll update here.)

And who is next? you may want to know. Well, I’m very excited to say that Maine and Illinois are our next two destinations.