Overheard from CA librarians at the conference…

I now have a whole list of ideas for how to help job seekers in the library (Helping Your Community Get Back to Work session)- the Job Search Toolkit wiki, utilizing the expertise of HR persons from local businesses to help patrons review and revise their resumes/applications/interview skills; show them how to access skills assesments and tutorials to learn new skills. — Jody Meza, Orland Free Library, CA

I attended a great program this morning called Getting IT online, and finally got the lightbulb above my head regarding Twitter.  The presenters explained how you can put an RSS feed link on your library’s website so that all your Twitter posts will appear there!  This would be great for our library, since I would then be able to post directly to the website without asking for help from the IT guy!  –Margaret Miles, Plumas County Library, CA

I was here for the preconference on “Dewey or Do We Not” at the new Gatlinburg Public Library. This program really spoke to me about ways to update and merchandize our collections and library spaces to our customers. I took about 80 pictures of their library illustrating the ‘book store model’ modified dewey approach that they took for their library collection. It was an invaluable workshop for me. — Wendy Burke, Colusa County Library, CA

Here are three quotes and one statistic that resonated with me:

• “How you think about the customer is how you will treat them.” If you have a colleague who thinks that a library would be a great place to work, if the annoying patrons would only stop bothering them, that attitude will inevitably percolate through to the service that is provided.

• “Years wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.” (Samuel Ullman) Times are tight and we are all being pulled and strained in all directions. We need to guard against losing sight of why we love libraries.

• “Today’s service is tomorrow’s reputation.” I lived in China for a year twenty years ago, in a city that had millions of inhabitants but only 40 foreign residents. I was always aware that I was the first foreigner that many of the people I encountered had ever met, or might ever meet. If I was having a bad day or bad moment and someone had a negative interaction with me, that could color their impression of all Americans, so I made an extra effort to always be gracious, patient, and diplomatic. The stakes are similar when you work in a service profession, and it’s important to remember that.  — Laura Pappani, Nevada County Libraries, CA

If you are interested in trying gaming at your library, and you do
not have a lot of money to purchase electronic games such as an
X-Box or a Wii, there are free online games that you can direct
your patrons to such as www.bellasara.com<http://www.bellasara.com>
and www.blokus.com<http://www.blokus.com> .  Patrons can also design
their own games at www.scratch.mit.edu<http://www.scratch.mit.edu>. 
--Victoria Mrozek, Merced County Library, CA

I primarily chose to take breakout sessions that covered the topic of
building community and partnerships. Two workshops on the first
day, one after the other "Community Leadership - it's not a spectator
sport" with presenter Jim Connor opened up may possibilities for
developing new relationships in our communities that could provide
support for our library. This support might be in the form of volunteers
as well as dollars. His training material should be on the ARSL web
site and is worth reading through most especially if your funding
sources seem to be dwindling, but also to open your eyes to some
new possibilities for relationships that can provide new funding for
your library.
–Kristen Freeman, Humboldt County Library, Kim Yerton
Memorial/Hoopa Branch

This entry was posted on Friday, September 18th, 2009 at 7:08 pm. It is filed under News and tagged with ARSL Conference. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.