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Sustainability

Library Management, Library Services, Sustainability, Technology Planning
fresh, hot competencies
July 23rd, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

I noted over on the CE Buzz blog the recent sizzle over competencies for library staff. How timely that WebJunction’s Learning Webinar series is spotlighting competencies in this week’s presentation: Core Competencies for Library Staff. With guests Sarah Houghton-Jan, author of Technology Competencies and Training for Libraries, and Karen Strege, project director for Western Council of State Libraries, there should be a rich flow of information on the topic.

Follow the instructions for getting online. And I hope to see you Wednesday!
ALA2007, Sustainability
Reeling from the Rural Forum
July 6th, 2007 | Permalink | 1 Comment

Yes, it’s true; we’re passionate about rural libraries.

And I can’t think of anything more invigorating than a gathering of fellow rural library fans. After every conference, I spend weeks reminiscing about the sessions, the conversations, and the inspiration. But this year really tops them all. WebJunction had the great honor of hosting a gathering of over 180 library staff who work in or for rural libraries across the country. I told you back in May about the folks selected to attend the Rural Forum @ ALA and am now excited to share news of the fantastic presentations, resources and rich discussion coming out of the gathering (and check out the great stuff from last year’s gathering in New Orleans!). We’ll be talking about this year’s highlights during July’s Rural In Focus webinar including the Rural Café (imagine a café filled with 180 librarians brainstorming) and Jana Ponce’s dynamic and inspirational keynote presentation (everyone’s talking about it!).

Oh, and did I mention the pictures?? (Thank you Susan!)
Online Learning, Sustainability
Rural Online Course Launched!
June 21st, 2007 | Permalink | 2 Comments

Certainly not to be overshadowed by all the ALA doings, today is the official launch of WebJunction’s Rural Library Sustainability Online Course. With the completion of 3 rounds of on-the-ground workshops in 42 states across the country, this course now provides the opportunity for everyone in the WebJunction community to learn (at their own pace and for FREE) new strategies for sustaining the great work of their libraries. The course explores seven areas critical to sustainability and includes case studies of rural libraries that have developed and completed action plans in these areas. Learners are guided through a supportive action planning process by identifying goals, selecting activities and learning about peer-recommended resources that will help them accomplish their goals! We’re VERY excited about the course (can’t you tell!!) because it allows folks to focus on ANY area and provides customized documentation for them to actively engage with their staff, boards, and library communities in the action planning process. Please, spread the word!
Library Services, News, Sustainability
Meeting Library Celebrities
May 10th, 2007 | Permalink | 1 Comment

I’m checking in from the Wilkes County Public Library in North Carolina, where I’ve been camped out on wireless, finally getting caught up on some work. It’s amazing how much I can get done when I’m out of the office! My completed tasks include finally getting some Rural Library Sustainability workshop photos into WebJunction at Flickr. I’ve added shots from LA, MN, TX and NC where I was most recently treated to the themed workshop, “Your Library Fortune.” Dana and Timothy, the NC trainer and coordinator, pulled out all the stops with their celebratory Chinese theme, complete with fans, snazzy take-out containers, dragons and fortune cookies. Dana had us share a variation on the fortune cookie game…you know the one, where you tag THAT phrase on the end of the fortune. Well instead, we added “in the library” so my fortune read “We are shaped and fashioned by what we love, in the library.” Lots of unexpected fortunes were shared, but perhaps the most exciting was meeting Jackie Cornette, Library Journal’s Paraprofessional of the Year 2007! See more about her at PARAPROSE, the North Carolina Library Paraprofessional Association’s blog.
Meet Ups, Seattle, Sustainability, WebJunction Staff
Meeting To Meet Your Needs
March 15th, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

Kannan (his hand anyway), Chrystie, Anna, Dave, Jeff, Joe, Doug, Clayton, Dale, Mike and Janet….toasting WJ in the middle of a big ole’ planning meeting.

Here is a very happy shot of a nice hunk of your friendly neighborhood WJ team members during a recent meeting we had in Seattle. Three days of very productive meetings were held in the always visually impressive main Seattle Public Library. We worked and thought very hard, focusing like lasers on the tasks at hand and getting lots and lots done. Heck, we even sang a song along the way. In fact, we were singing when I took this shot! While I can’t repeat the words to this particular song, suffice it to say that Jeff was hazing me by leading the group sing-along of this particular ditty. Don’t worry, for the greater good of the community legal action will not be forthcoming.

In addition to singing, we really did work very hard. Trust me when I promise that you’ll see result springing up as we move forward (cool, cool stuff!).

While we’re talking about being at the Seattle Public Library here is a shot of one of Libraryland’s very favorite Chrysities, Chrystie Hill. She was on break from this meeting in the hallway, on her cell phone, in a separate meeting! Between that and the reflection on the floor, we’ve got some seriously recursive action going on here! Enjoy!
Advocacy, Design, Library Services, Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Sustainability, Technology Planning
Community Meeting(s)
March 1st, 2007 | Permalink | 4 Comments

What gives? Why haven’t you seen more BlogJunction posts this week? Two words:

1. Refresh!

2. Meetings!

Well, that might be a slight over simplification, but we really have been kicking up some dust ’round WebJunction way lately, both in relation to current projects and in relation to the planning of future projects. Sweet, sweet planning, how we love you (I really mean that btw).

Have you heard any of us say lately that this is the most exciting time ever to work in/with and/or for libraries? The buzz is palpable around the office, the main WebJunction site, the Community Partner sites, and most importantly in lots of libraries all over the place, the very libraries that are the reason we exist in the first place. Sure, I sound like a cheerleader, but I promise you it is genuine and well deserved excitement.

Now, just so you know we are working hard in our many meetings to get the things you need us and want us to get accomplished actually accomplished, I offer you a bit of a visual riddle. Perhaps the riddle might soften the blow of fewer blog posts this week? Sadly, I can’t really jump out there and say the answer to the visual riddle provided below. Still, it might be fun to hear your speculations about this image. What the heck were we doing in this meeting anyway? Rest assured we do know! *snicker* Even though *we* know, it might fun to hear what you might guess. You’ll play nice with this one, right? Here’s the picture (click it for a link to a larger size if you need it):

Anyone care to speculate?
Library Services, Sustainability
Low tech, high energy
November 8th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

Having just come back from the tech-infectious Internet Librarian conference, I have notes full of new online toys to investigate and a head swimming with new ideas. In the midst of my saturation in stimulating conference sessions, I was writing up the November Library of the Month story about the Northwest Regional Library in South Dakota. What a contrast!

As enticing as it is to be swept up in all the must-do’s and gotta-get’s of cool new technologies for libraries, the story of rural Harding County’s library and bookmobile reminds me that there is a core of library service that endures apart from technology. The story is about family and community and an abiding belief in the transformational power of libraries, no matter how small. Yes, there are DSL connections and electronic databases, but the real energy comes from the human sparkplugs, the individuals with the dedication and “we can do it” attitude that drives true success, whether high tech or low.
Advocacy, Library Management, Online Collaboration, Sustainability
building a sustainable future
July 13th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

Cindi Hickey is one of my most inspiring colleagues. Her recent work on WebJunction Kansas deserves a round of applause. Congrats Cindi, the site really looks fab, not to mention all the great work you’re doing to let Kansas librarians know about their new service!
But what Cindi impressed me with most recently is her new Building a Sustainable Future blog – just started to support her work with Kansas-statewide Rural Library Sustainability workshops offered in collaboration with the Gates Foundation, the State Library of Kansas, and WebJunction. Cindi even took Brendan up on his offer and posted our fancy new “join WebJunction” button on the right side bar.
Just knowing that you have a blog out there supporting the idea of building a sustainable future for libraries in Kansas makes me simply feel a bit better about (and more supported around) the challenging and sometimes overwhelming task all libraries ultimately have in this area. Looks great, Cindi! Keep up the good work.