What I learned at MLA:
Keynote Speaker, All the World’s a Stage—Stevie Ray:
Stevie Ray had some great exercises for library staff, including one called “passing the clap.” This game is part of the game theory of education pioneered by Viola Spolin. (Spolin went on to become “American Grandmother of Improvisation” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Spolin, which might explain why Stevie Ray is so interested in her.) These are icebreaker games that enable people to use their right brain instead of their left brain and /or vice versa. Stevie advised us to try to follow the follower and to practice saying “yes” to everything. He said to try to go an entire day without saying “no” and another day without saying “but.” He opined that we trust least the people who say “trust me.” His presentation was very entertaining with lots of audience participation.
Make me Over: How the Rochester Public Library Traded Spaces:
This informative session, presented by Kim Edson, explained how the Rochester Public Library rearranged/reorganized its space. They based their work on the Mount Laurel model [http://www.sjrlc.org/tradingspaces/pdf/ts_final_report_4_dist.pdf]. Roaming staff members update the displays, using a face-out model as much as possible. Kim advised that if libraries purchase gondolas, to get them with wheels so they can be moved around. Rochester Public Library has organized their programming announcements and flyers in one central location so customers know where to look for them. Kim advised that libraries with limited or nonexistent budgets implement ideas using existing resources. (One example I can implement at Highland Park Library is to add more brackets and books to the three slatted end caps.) Kim also advised putting book displays on low shelving units. The changes Kim and her team made at Rochester Public Library have increased circulation in all genres.
Using Wikis to Build Library Web Spaces:
Joyce Yukawa, Assistant Professor, MLIS Program, College of St. Catherine, lead this session on wikis. She set up a wiki which she used in place of a powerpoint and handouts. Here is the link: http://www.jyukawa.com/sample-site/index.php?title=Main_Page. Joyce said that if you use a free pbwiki, you can choose from three different “skins” or templates. She pointed out that wikis are more collaborative and structured than blogs. She suggested that attendees read The cult of the amateur : how today's internet is killing our culture by Andrew Keen to perhaps find out more about how google and wikipedia are impacting society.
Readers Advisory Roundtable Happy Hour/Business Meeting:
At this informative event, I learned that Deanna Germain, author of Reaching Past The Wire: A Nurse At Abu Ghraib did a good job of discussing her book at the Lakeville Public Library. The book should be coming out in paperback next fall, so it might be a good idea to invite Deanna Germain to speak at one or more sppl locations. Two books were suggested as very popular book club titles, Eat Pray Love and a Thousand Splendid Suns. Also, the author of Three Cups of Tea might be in the area next February. I understand he is a dynamic speaker so we might want to ask him if he would speak at one or more sppl branches. I got some book suggestions for personal reading: Medicus : a novel of the Roman Empire by Ruth Downie, The Spellman files : a novel by Lisa Lutz, Beware of cat and other encounters of a letter carrier by Vincent Wyckoff, and Hot dish heaven : classic casseroles from Midwest kitchens by Ann L. Burckhardt; introduction by Karal Ann Marling.
Readers’ Advisory 2.0:
Jody Wurl and Michele McGraw of Hennepin County Library explained how to use Web 2.0 tools to enhance our readers’ advisory skills. Michele mentioned the “long tail effect” (customers want to read and watch material they can’t find at the “big-box” book and video outlets) and how it has begun to impact Interlibrary Loan requests in the past year—they have gotten more and more eclectic and less mainstream. They provided a list of Readers Advisory Sites to Explore and a Readers Advisory 2.0 Glossary. Their powerpoint presentation can be found at: http://hclib.org/extranet/staff_presentations/MLA_RAFINAL.pps#256,1,Readers Advisory 2.0. (You’ll need to cut and paste this link into your browser.) The handouts aren’t there yet, but Jody said she would be adding them.
The Saving Grace of Stories, Author Sandra Benitez:
Sandra Benitez talked about the importance of libraries throughout her life.
Being a Servant-Leader in the Library Setting:
Paul Elliott Dahl outlined the Servant-Leader model based on Robert K. Greenleaf’s book using Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet as examples. A servant-leader apparently provides open communication and shares information, works alongside employees instead of separate from them, is open to receiving criticism and challenge from others, encourages people to take risks even if they may fail, gives employees the power to make important decisions, accepts employees as they are, values the employee’s work more than their title, puts the needs of employees ahead of his/her own, uses persuasion to influence others instead of coercion and force, and views conflict as an opportunity to learn and grow. The servant-leader sounds like an excellent supervisor although it wasn’t clear to me how a supervisor like this would work in a municipal bureaucracy. Paul Dahl provided a bibliography and suggested that the must-read work on this topic is Robert K. Greenleaf: A Life of Servant Leadership.
Movies @ Your Library Bollywood, Bhangra, and Books:
This delightful program was presented by Gail Mueller Schultz and Jeffrey Gegner of Hennepin County Library. They described a sampling of books by South Asian and NRI (Non Resident Indian) authors; they played samples of Hindi popular music, including filmi music (music played and danced to during Bollywood films) and music performed by NRI musicians who use samples from Bollywood films; and then they finished with clips from Bollywood films. They provided “bibliographies” of books (including teen and genre selections), music, films, and websites. They also gave us lists of the vendors they use and a glossary. This was a very valuable program—there are many NRIs living in the twin cities and using the library.
Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum of Unshelved:
These guys are a hoot. They talked about how the strip evolved—Gene is the librarian (although he is now in administration) and Bill is the cartoonist. They are very talented public speakers and their stories of how their strips are put together are so entertaining. Gene provides the content and Bill provides the form. Apparently they get lots of material from librarians around the country—they can’t make it up. Their opening audience participation piece was great. It involved hats, a beach ball, and most of the audience going “murmur, murmur, murmur.”
Here are links to MLA’s website, www.mnlibraryassociation.org; MLA’s blog, www.mlaupdate.blogspot.com; MLA’s facebook page, www.facebook.com/group.hp?gid=2384944595; and MLA’s library thing account, http://www.librarything.com/groups/minnesotalibraryasso.
