Inside The Alberta Library

 

 

From the desk of Clive Maishment, CEO

 

 

As anyone who has taken part in a strategic planning session will tell you, coming up with a new vision and mission for an organization can be an exercise in corporate navel-gazing.

Not so with the strategic planning process that led to The Alberta Library’s new vision and mission – which were approved at our April board meeting.

Strategic planning is often done by senior managers who have a vested interest in the status quo. Our strategic planning process, on the other hand, was informed by the results of the NEXT Symposium, which was attended by everyone from students and recent graduates to trustees and vendors.

The message from the NEXT Symposium is clear: it’s time for bold decision-making. The risks of not taking action outweigh the risks of change. Michelle Toombs and her strategic planning team embraced the message and consistently challenged conventional thinking at every turn.

The result is The Alberta Library’s new vision: ‘Together. One Card. One Click.’

It’s bold. It’s simple. It’s memorable. It captures our imagination and stimulates creativity.

‘Together’ speaks to community collaboration and gives us scope to include new members, perhaps schools.

‘One Card’ is about seamless access, a passport to everything. ‘One click’ is about bringing resources together, equitable access and convenience for the user.

Our new mission, ‘Strengthening communities through collaboration,’ speaks to the fact that we are all members of overlapping communities, and that we not only make our communities better but we are an integral part of the community – and the community is part of who and what we are.

In April, TAL board members also got a good start on drafting strategies to support the new vision and mission. As a result, Alberta’s library community is facing the future in the only way that makes sense – by being open to change, by embracing transformation and by engaging our communities.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this shared vision – and to everyone who is working hard to make this vision our shared reality.

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TAL's new vision and mission

The Alberta Library’s newly approved vision and mission is bold, inclusive and something to strive for.

As TAL continues to develop strategies for the 2012-2014 strategic plan, we invite you to download a copy of the new vision, mission and strategic planning pillars.

 

 

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TAL Profile: Carol Shepstone, University Librarian, Mount Royal University Library

 

 

What drew you to your profession?

I did my undergraduate degree in cultural anthropology (museum studies) so before going on to do my MLIS I worked for a number of years with museums and archives. I think this really informed my interest in librarianship. I was most captivated by the research process and by the “hunt” for information. I loved the detective work that was involved with finding the answer or helping users find the right piece of information. It was about the thrill of the hunt --the perfect combination of logic and creativity.

Why do you think libraries are important?

Libraries are powerful places. One of my most memorable experiences that speaks to the importance of libraries was while working at the University of Saskatchewan. We were meeting with a student about placing print journals in storage to create more user and stack space – a seemingly operational issue – and one of the students shared a completely unexpected and heartfelt story of transformation and empowerment.

She was a first year student from a rural area, new to the city and this big campus. She came to the library and through serendipity and chance discovery by browsing the shelves she discovered the books on lesbianism and sexuality. It was a revelation for her. She had never read about herself in this way before. Never realized she was not alone or different. Never knew that her sexuality was normal. It was such a matter-of-fact telling of such a transformative moment in this woman’s life.

I think of the story often. It reminds me our work is so much more than all the things we do day to day. To even be able to create a space for this kind of life-changing moment to happen for even one person is amazing.

Who had the most influence over your career?

There are so many people I have met both within and outside the Library community it is difficult to identify someone who has had the greatest influence. I work with a great team of completely engaged and enthusiastic staff and faculty right now and I have so many wonderful colleagues from other institutions it is hard to pin point the “most” influential. And I have had great teachers and mentors.

I did grow up in a household where volunteering and community engagement were the norm and where such involvement was considered everyone’s responsibility. That has certainly shaped many of my professional involvements and what I value about the work we do through libraries.

What major changes have you noticed in your time in the library community?

I have to admit this is one of my least favourite questions. Librarianship and work in libraries has always been about change. I don’t think many of us would be happy without a continually evolving profession and workplace.

In terms of the top three for academic libraries I think we have improved our ability to demonstrate (rather than simply talk about) the value of libraries to the enterprise; we have very much changed how we manage our acquisitions including what we purchase and how we allocate our funding; and we are much more directly involved in the scholarly communication cycle taking on roles of education, advocacy and dissemination.

What has been the most rewarding part of working with the library community? What have you enjoyed the most?

I love the fact that I can go to work every day in a place where there are always interesting and open debates and that the diversity of ideas are truly celebrated and encouraged. In my experience, libraries are some of the most open-minded and non-judgmental work environments. We live intellectual freedom every day and there is always something new to learn. As a community of professionals and as teams of library staff we create and foster these environments for our users and for ourselves. We are very lucky.

What is the best/most memorable item you ever borrowed from the library?

No doubt it was something that was very overdue and most memorable (unfortunately) because of the fines that had accrued!

Tell us something about yourself that might surprise others in the library community.

Hmmm...this is a daunting question. I was going to say that the last pair of shoes I bought were skate boarding shoes but I have gone shopping since then so that’s not true anymore. Maybe I should share that I secretly enjoy dub-step music and have been known to bake a mean cinnamon bun on a good day (not necessarily at the same time).

What is your involvement with The Alberta Library?

I have thoroughly enjoyed being a TAL director on behalf of MRU. In addition, I currently chair the Governance Standing Committee (a dedicated and great group of thinkers) and I am also very pleased to be part of the newly formed and very busy Post-secondary Library Directors Standing Committee.

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Get talking about Mango language learning software

Now that the Alberta government has announced a significant investment in language learning software for libraries across the province, Alberta libraries can move ahead with promoting the chosen software to their patrons.

The Alberta Library’s Licensing Service Committee was asked to choose a suitable software option for all TAL members and recommended Mango, a digital language learning

company that currently serves one in five North American libraries. Mango Languages teaches practical conversation skills in 48 languages including English as a Second Language.

While Mango is a great tool that has the potential to improve the lives of thousands of Albertans, it can only be successful if people know about it. That’s where the art of promotion comes in.

Mango makes promotion easy by providing a variety of resources for libraries to use. Libraries can download free resources and templates such as such as press releases, logos, sample tweets, posters and ads. Many of the promotional materials are customizable.

Mango also provides Mango Credits that libraries can use to order promotional items such as T-shirts, shelf talkers, pencils, bookmarks and bags from the Mango Store. Libraries can earn more credits by completing promotional tasks identified by Mango. Creativity is rewarded too! If libraries come up with ideas for promotions that are not listed on the Mango checklist, the Mango promotions team will award credits based on the activity. Smoothie parties are one example of a promotion that is outside the norm. Mango may even highlight your activity through their social media channels.

For more information on how to promote Mango, contact the coordinator at your library/region.

And remember, when it comes to promotions, talk is good!

 

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Library Q & A: Stony Plain Public Library

Tamara Van Biert, Director of Stony Plain Public Library shares what's new.

 

 

What is your library's biggest current challenge?

We are getting too busy for the number of staff we have! As we get busier and run more programs that people are very interested in, waiting lists and age restrictions have started to be more important. We are a small town library with urban and rural members and we need to balance the benefits of small-town service with big-city services to ensure the highest member satisfaction.

What area is changing the fastest in your library? Why?

With an expansion in 2010 and a CIP grant of $25,899 that matched an equal amount of community contributions for furniture and upgrades, the library itself is changing a lot! We are playing with different ways to organize and display our materials through reader-focused displays like Staff Picks and “indulge yourself at your library.” We are also working on having the maximum amount of space possible for reading, studying, tutoring, or just hanging out.

What idea are you most proud of over the last five years?

That our youth (both children and teens) are motivated to participate in library activities that allow them to give back and be involved in their community. One of our Teen Advisory Group’s most successful events was organizing a Kids Night at the library, with games, food and events for young kids after the library closed. The Summer Reading Program now includes an external element: in 2010 the kids read in order to adopt an animal at the Edmonton Valley Zoo, and our participation was up 50%. In fact, the Stony Plain Public Library won the first place award for the national TD Summer Reading Game Awards for our 2010 Summer Reading Program!

Where do you see the most opportunity for innovation over the next decade?

I think we need to be the place where people go to learn about new book technologies. If we can continue to teach people about what is happening in the eBook world by having eBook Readers available for loan and drop-in device help, we will be seen as an authority on what’s new in reading. We also have the opportunity to use our space in different ways as information becomes available digitally through eBooks and other means.

Presenting the library as a public space for collaboration, a “third space” where people spend time away from home and work, and a community hub for events and information will become even more vital.

How does your library stay in touch with your clients/library users?

We talk to them! Our library users are incredibly satisfied with our staff (4.98 out of 5 on the last survey, and we hear about it through thank you cards, donuts, flowers, chocolate, and word of mouth all the time). Helping people is our first priority, and many of our front-line staff take the time to get to know people by first name. We’re always available for a conversation, and we receive a great deal of feedback.

We also produce a monthly newsletter that we distribute to a variety of establishments in town, email to our subscribers, and have available at the library; we have a Facebook and Twitter account; and we’ve started accepting text registrations for teen events (half of our 42 registrations for our Cosmaniac event were by text).

How do you stay in touch with political leaders in your community?

Aside from the yearly presentations to town council, we stay in touch with our council members through attending community events, hosting community events that the council members attend, and ensuring they receive our annual report and any significant media releases we develop.

We are also included in the Town’s trade show booth, and we find that to be a great way to talk to the political leaders in the community.

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Next ideas: tapping the power of conversation

 

 

Margaret Wheatley, one of the world’s leading change consultants, once said that “We completely underestimate the power of conversation to change the world.”

The recently released report, Listening in, speaking out – Ideas and insights from NEXT: A Library Futures Symposium, distills the conversations of over 250 library participants at the symposium, hosted by The Alberta Library last October.

Although participants came from a variety of library sectors and communities, common themes emerged, including evolution and transformation, bold-decision making, community engagement, collaboration and partnerships, access and equality, focusing on user experience, 21st century skills for librarians and leveraging technologies.

“Ideas in the report can inform strategic thinking and planning, and act as a catalyst for engaging others in a conversation about the future,” says Clive Maishment, CEO of The Alberta Library.

Here are a few suggestions for continuing the conversation in your community.

Share the report with members of your city or town council or make a presentation on the future of libraries to council. It’s clear from the report that the library community is open to evolution and transformation and is focused on meeting the needs of communities. That is a powerful starting point for a conversation about the role of your library with political leaders.

Build a community consultation around the report. Bring community leaders together to talk about the future role of the library in the community. The report can provide participants with an overview of key issues and help get people thinking about how best to address those issues.

Use the report as the focus of your next staff meeting. Choose a theme that appeals to people, such as 21st century skills for librarians. Encourage staff members to reflect on the ideas in terms of what the ideas might mean for the organization and for their own personal and professional development.

Share the report with library trustees. They are committed supporters of libraries and play a leadership role in communities. The report can help trustees better understand the issues libraries are facing – today and in the future.

Partner with another library in your region. Use the report as a common starting point to come together to share perspectives and talk about how each organization is planning for the future.

Build the report into your organization’s strategic planning cycle. One of the challenges of strategic planning is to get beyond conventional thinking. The NEXT Symposium was designed to spark innovation and creativity - from the keynote speakers who challenged participants’ existing assumptions and set the stage for thinking about the future to the small group discussions which encouraged sharing of different perspectives. The resulting ideas in the report are likely to help you approach strategic planning from a broader perspective.

Put the power of conversation to work for you and your library.

For print copies of the report, please contact Janelle Beblow at TAL Communications.

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Spring board meeting highlights

Aside from the traditional spring blizzard, there was nothing business-as-usual about The Alberta Library’s April Board meeting in Calgary.

TAL CEO Clive Maishment presented an overview of Listening in, speaking out – Ideas and insights from NEXT: A Library Futures Symposium. The report distills the discussions of over 250 library community members at the symposium hosted by The Alberta Library last October.

Keeping the focus on the future, Michelle Toombs, Director of Marigold Library System and chair of a Strategic Planning Team, presented a new vision, mission and strategic planning pillars for The Alberta Library.

Once the vision and mission were approved, board members spent time in small groups discussing strategies for the organization. Based on the results of these discussions, further work will be done on strategies for approval at the November board meeting.

Treasurer Mary-Jo Romaniuk presented the 2010 Audited Financial Statement, followed by a presentation on TAL membership fees. Over the past seven years, the organization’s membership fees had not increased to keep pace with increased costs – creating a structural deficit. Following the presentation, board members approved a 15 per cent membership fee increase to maintain services in the coming year.

Maggie Macdonald was re-elected Board Chair, while Mircea Panciuk was re-elected to the Executive Committee as the Regional Libraries representative. Debbie McGugan was elected College and Technical Institute representative, following the completion of Fiona Dyer’s term.

Tim Janewski was re-appointed to the Finance Standing Committee while Joanne Griener, Cory Stier, Larry Tiedemann and Ron Sheppard were re-appointed to the Alberta Public Library Electronic Network Standing Committee.

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