Other PLA sessions
I had planned on blogging each day of PLA, but the Hyatt Regency did not have free Internet access in my room, and I couldn't get to the business center to blog anymore while I was actually in Minneapolis.
On Fri March 28 I attended "Great Libraries for Dummies." Some key points: 4 trends in library service are library as destination; customer convenience; customer-based technology; connect w/the community. The presenter had 10 items that every library should be doing to become excellent libraries, many of which BCPL is doing, just not to the degree that this man advocated. I was really impressed with the automated DVD dispenser that his library uses, and I also realized that instead of multiple stackable merchandizing cubes in the new Perry Hall, we should purchase wheeled merchandizing units which will be more portable and therefore more flexible. Here are a few of the presenter's comments that really struck me:
"Consensus is not always required & is sometimes counter-productive"--capture staff's enthusiasm & energy, focus on the customer, then the majority will follow.
"Try to meet customers' needs not manage them."
I also attended "How to Move a Library." I guess I expected there would be more involved when you're actually moving from one building to another, but this session reassured me that my work on Towson's renovation had prepared me for the task of moving into a new Perry Hall. These presenters used a chart similar to (but more complicated than) the Shelf Space Allocation chart that I created for Towson and marked boxes in a similar fashion.
After lunch, I attended "Making Space for Teens in Libraries" which presented case studies from 3 libraries. Some key points: even without much money, you can use wallpaper, fabric, etc to bring color/drama to an existing teen area; changing some of the furnishings (chairs, tables) is another way of making over an existing area--need versatile, interesting seating areas (not standard table w/4 chairs); in teen areas, social experience should trump the collection; teen areas need identity very distinct from rest of library; incorporate new technology; have different zones in the teen area for various levels of social interaction--alone vs. groups.
For anyone who couldn't attend PLA, some of the handouts are available from PLA's website http://www.placonference.org/handoutspage.cfm In addition, PLA taped some of the presentations and Jean Mantegna indicated that she will purchase the CD for the Staff Development Library so look for that in the future.
On Fri March 28 I attended "Great Libraries for Dummies." Some key points: 4 trends in library service are library as destination; customer convenience; customer-based technology; connect w/the community. The presenter had 10 items that every library should be doing to become excellent libraries, many of which BCPL is doing, just not to the degree that this man advocated. I was really impressed with the automated DVD dispenser that his library uses, and I also realized that instead of multiple stackable merchandizing cubes in the new Perry Hall, we should purchase wheeled merchandizing units which will be more portable and therefore more flexible. Here are a few of the presenter's comments that really struck me:
"Consensus is not always required & is sometimes counter-productive"--capture staff's enthusiasm & energy, focus on the customer, then the majority will follow.
"Try to meet customers' needs not manage them."
I also attended "How to Move a Library." I guess I expected there would be more involved when you're actually moving from one building to another, but this session reassured me that my work on Towson's renovation had prepared me for the task of moving into a new Perry Hall. These presenters used a chart similar to (but more complicated than) the Shelf Space Allocation chart that I created for Towson and marked boxes in a similar fashion.
After lunch, I attended "Making Space for Teens in Libraries" which presented case studies from 3 libraries. Some key points: even without much money, you can use wallpaper, fabric, etc to bring color/drama to an existing teen area; changing some of the furnishings (chairs, tables) is another way of making over an existing area--need versatile, interesting seating areas (not standard table w/4 chairs); in teen areas, social experience should trump the collection; teen areas need identity very distinct from rest of library; incorporate new technology; have different zones in the teen area for various levels of social interaction--alone vs. groups.
For anyone who couldn't attend PLA, some of the handouts are available from PLA's website http://www.placonference.org/handoutspage.cfm In addition, PLA taped some of the presentations and Jean Mantegna indicated that she will purchase the CD for the Staff Development Library so look for that in the future.
posted by Rose Frase | 5:51 PM
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