Librarian by Day

As always conferences are amazing, stimulating, intense and tiring, but worth every second of it. I was able to talk with so many amazing people, and yet there were so many others I wanted to connect with and didn’t manage to. *More reflection at the end, but for those who want the nitty gritty….

Pulled from notes and tweets – some of my favorite quotes/idea and what I’m thinking about.

• If you could tell the world 1 thing about libraries in 30 secs or less what would it be?
• Good enough is the new perfect
• Lean into your discomfort – change doesn’t happen without discomfort.
• Be clear where your lines are drawn.
• Your librarianly obsession with Star Wars will not endear you to your patrons.
• The future is here its just not evenly distributed.
• Privacy is dead, get over it
• “If I’d asked them what they wanted they would have said a faster horse” – Henry Ford
• “If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.” Gen. Eric Shinseki
• If we keep identifying with books – libraries are dead.
• We should reward success and failure, punish inaction
• We have more autonomy as college students that we do as adults
• “I can’t understand why people are frightened of new ideas. I’m frightened of the old ones.” – John Cage
• Assume everyone is going to be an ally
• Understand what your org hidden org chart is
• Ask for the sale
• When people see something new they think you’re taking away the old, so start with what is staying the same
• 70% of patron interaction occurs remotely.
• Quest to Teen: Are you ever bullied online? Teen: Nope, I’m private, but sometimes my friends annoy me
• 70% overlap btwn teens & boomers. Volunteer 4 xs more & engaged in the issues

Books I’ll be reading –

• Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It: No Schedules, No Meetings, No Joke–the Simple Change That Can Make Your Job Terrific
• The Art of Woo: Using Strategic Persuasion to Sell Your Ideas
• Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die – this one has been sitting on my to-read shelf for months

Jason Griffey created a wordle from the tweets, take a look at it full-sized it’s awesome.

*I was fortunate on my travels home, I did make it home with only minor delays (comparatively) and missing one bag which showed up 24 hours later, intact. I am grateful I was able to attend and extremely grateful for all the people who talked with me in hallway, coffee shop, sessions halls, exhibit halls, at dinner & coffee, and on the street. I wish we’d had more time to talk. I wish I’d had the nerve to approach more people I only know by name, I’m a little socially awkward. (Once I get to know you, you can’t shut me up) I vow to do better next time. Until then, ciao!