My personally selected top 10 from the links I shared on Twitter from 3/5/2010 thru 3/11/2010

1.How to Overcome Idea-to-idea Syndrome via @dmlcentral – Ideas are great, but its the follow through that matters. The idea is the easy part, the dream the vision the excitement, putting it into action requires rolling up your sleeves, late nights, long hours, convincing others and more. The follow through is where most ideas fall down.

2. How to Stay Positive…when the boss isn’t – via @buffyjhamilton for the record my boss is great and more positive than I am

1. Make Your Bus Great
2. Your Positive Energy Must be Greater than All of the Negativity
3. Live it, Breathe it, Share it – Walt Whitman said we convince by our presence.
4. Invite Your Boss on Your Bus – Give your boss The Energy Bus or another book on positive leadership.
5. If Your Boss Doesn’t Change, You Can – If all else fails then you have a choice.

3. Digital Literacy Skills Essential to Closing Broadband Gap – from the The Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy

The survey findings reinforce the growing body of research that finds digital literacy skills are critical to bridging the gap between those who are able to fully participate in the information age and those who live as second-class citizens in informed communities. While the cost of Internet connectivity was cited by 36% of non-adopters as the  reason for not having Internet access at home, issues related to digital literacy came in second, with 22% citing this concern. Other reasons for non-adoption included relevance of Internet content (19%), other reasons outside of these categories (11%), combination of the above (4%) and lack of availability (5%).

4. Deliver a Better Presentation by Reminding Yourself It’s Not About You [Mind Hacks] RT @MLx

There are five main components to pulling together a good presentation:

1. Choose a goal;
2. Find a storyline that will help the group reach that goal;
3. Develop a series of activities or a method of presentation that allows you to develop your storyline. Don’t let your media determine your storyline!
4. Remember that your role is to facilitate the group reaching its shared goal. This is your primary responsibility!
5. Remember that it’s not about you. All that matters is the experience of the other people in the room.

5. Print is dying. Digital is surging. Everyone is confused#ebooks via @cindi an ebooks must read

6. Are These 3 Odd but Common Obstacles Standing in the Way of Your Success?

1. drama
2. Small invisible barriers.
3. You fall back into old patterns, thoughts and behaviors.

7. U of Michigan debuts PictureIt Rare Book Reader via @GMLGeek @ericrumsey @jgreen31@archivesnext @lljohnston

PictureIt is a web-based animation program that gives users the sensation of turning the pages of digitized rare materials that would be otherwise difficult, if not impossible, to view or obtain.

8. Digital Natives? Naive! Are we embracing the ill-defined notion of “digital natives” via @Strng_Dichotomy – a good reminder that the digital divide is  not just along generational or age lines

9. eBooks in Libraries a Thorny Problem, Says Macmillan CEO

Sargent is not afraid of changing the publisher’s relationship with libraries. In fact, change may well be required.

“That is a very thorny problem”, said Sargent. In the past, getting a book from libraries has had a tremendous amount of friction. You have to go to the library, maybe the book has been checked out and you have to come back another time. If it’s a popular book, maybe it gets lent ten times, there’s a lot of wear and tear, and the library will then put in a reorder. With ebooks, you sit on your couch in your living room and go to the library website, see if the library has it, maybe you check libraries in three other states. You get the book, read it, return it and get another, all without paying a thing. “It’s like Netflix, but you don’t pay for it. How is that a good model for us?”

“If there’s a model where the publisher gets a piece of the action every time the book is borrowed, that’s an interesting model”

10. RT @vonburkhardt: Good post from @blendedlib about finding the right market for libraries: Will What Worked For Groucho Work for Libraries

CC image used courtesy of holeymoon on flickrSimilar Posts:

• Top Ten Links 2.3 – All About Ebooks
• Top Ten Links Week 16
• Top Ten Links Week 7

Yesterday I attended a MaintainIT webinar – Using MaintainIT Resources for Technology Training, where they shared some useful information and links.  One of the sites was Infopeople, a nonprofit that archives their presentations and handouts and makes them available under a Creative Commons license!

As I was exploring I came across materials for a previous workshop - Stress Management in the Library Workplace.  There are a lot of workshops listed but since my post – Library usage will go up during a recession – management are you really prepared? is still getting a lot of hits, I thought I’d share this one specifically. You can download the PowerPoint presentation, some exercise and these handouts:

• The “Bakers Dozen” – How to Reduce Stress
• Relieving Stress through Exercise
• Stress Relief through Nutrition
• Stress Relief and Sleeping Habits – 10 Tips for Better Sleep
• Symptoms of Stress and Causes of Stress
• Seven Quick Tips for Time Management

Similar Posts:

• Library Usage Will Go Up During a Recession – Management Are You Really Prepared?
• Your Inbox Is Not a To-do List
• Managers – The Message You’re Sending About Time is Affecting Customer Service

I’ve seen many news articles and video lately about usage of libraries increasing during a recession. I’ve personally noticed my library seems busier.  While many have celebrated the increase of use and the public attention we so rightly deserve, we also need to consider the down side.  Our funding might be cut, the public is less likely to approve bonds or tax levies to increase services, in some cases staff may be laid off.  Libraries are masters of doing more with less and we are really going to need that skill now.

The other side of recession is that is causes stress.  Patrons are likely to be less happy about paying their fines and, in general, be a little more on edge.  Staff are aware of the news and what is happening, even those who feel secure in their jobs, have family and friends who have been affected.

So why am I asking management if they are ready?  All of this stress means an increase in irritable, angry, demanding, stressed out patrons who are rubbing up against your irritable, angry, tired, stressed out staff.  See where I’m going with this?

The one thing you can do is try to decrease the stress level of your staff.  Happy library staff makes everything run just a little smoother (not to mention they are healthier and less likely to call in sick).  So given the hard times how can you do this? You probably don’t have the funds to hire a masseur to be on call in the break room. I found a great many articles on workplace morale, some things kept popping up :

• make sure staff feel appreciated
• encourage open communication
• training (almost any it seems)
• provide clear goals and expectations
• encouraging a sense of team
• empowering staff
• be flexible with time and schedules.
• And  there is always the fish books

These are great general principles for all workplaces.  Oddly enough I couldn’t find any article or recommendations that were specific to libraries.  I can think of a few library specifc ones and a few general ones:

• ensure employees get break time away from a service desk
• make sure they have a clean, comfortable place to take that break
• make sure staff feel supported by management in customer issues
• empower employees to waive fines or make other concessions that will smooth patron interactions
• cross train staff so they are comfortable working all service desks and understand what each point of serivce does
• pay attention – just being aware of employee attitudes will allow you to intervene to boost morale faster and more appropriately when/if need
• be ready – have a plan, know how will you boost morale overall and on a case by case basis
• take action – don’t wait to see the need before you put your plan into place

What suggests do you have?  If you’re a manager what steps have you taken with your staff? If you’re staff what things could management do to boost morale?

Further reading:

• Libraries Are Used More in Recession
• The library – a recession sanctuary
• The Public Library Renaissance
• Library usage increases with the recession
• Library usage up in wake of recession
• Obama Warns of Severe Consequences Without Stimulus Package
• Foster Success for People: Two Musts for Employee Motivation and Positive Morale
• Eight Leader Behaviors That Increase Motivation, Morale, and Performance…And One That Won’t
• Downturn in economy increasing stress in the workplace
• Top Ten Ways to Retain Your Great Employee

Similar Posts:

• Stress Management in the Library Workplace
• Libraries looking to save money? Consider telecommuting!
• We are del.icio.us!