Thank you all for your patience. It is quite a process beginning something new!
A rough draft of by-laws have been submitted for review. The timeline is to have them "tweaked" and ready for presentation at the August PaLA board meeting. Once the by-laws are approved WE ARE OFFICIAL! Look for the Roundtable on your 2010 PaLA membership renewal form!
In the meantime, I gave a lunchtime "update" at the Southwest Chapter's Spring Workshop in May. And, I will be presenting at Aliquippa's District meeting in July. I have contacted District Consultants in PA for assistance with the session at this year's annual conference in Harrisburg, October 18-21
As you may recall, last year's PaLA session was: "More Cows than People". And, keeping with that theme, on Monday, October 19, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. the session is entitled: "Udderly Wonderful! Rural & Small Libraries in PA". I want the session to "celebrate" great stories, great innovation and great happenings at rural and small libraries across Pennsylvania.
If you know of a small (serving less than 25,000) or rural library that is "thinking outside the box" and doing amazing things, please let me know! tanner@citlib.org
Monday, June 22, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Don't forget Webjunction!
Michelle McIntyre reminded me about Webjunction so I thought I would remind you.
She found a great article called "Marketing the Small Library". It is by the State Library of Kansas, 2002 and available on Webjunction. I have put a link to it under the Articles section to the right. It is 70 pages long, so you might want to just print the sections relavent to your need/interest.
There is an entire marketing section under management.
Webjunction really is a "one stop" for rural and small libraries wanting assistance with various topics. It also provides staff training, help with technology and is a social networking site for librarians. Don't discount social networking! For those of you geographically located in the hinterlands, social networking sites can help you stay connected and feel less isolated or alone.
Libraryland is filled with blogging librarians who without the Internet or social networking capablities would ever been noticed.
So, if you haven't visited in a while why not visit today:
www.webjunction.org
She found a great article called "Marketing the Small Library". It is by the State Library of Kansas, 2002 and available on Webjunction. I have put a link to it under the Articles section to the right. It is 70 pages long, so you might want to just print the sections relavent to your need/interest.
There is an entire marketing section under management.
Webjunction really is a "one stop" for rural and small libraries wanting assistance with various topics. It also provides staff training, help with technology and is a social networking site for librarians. Don't discount social networking! For those of you geographically located in the hinterlands, social networking sites can help you stay connected and feel less isolated or alone.
Libraryland is filled with blogging librarians who without the Internet or social networking capablities would ever been noticed.
So, if you haven't visited in a while why not visit today:
www.webjunction.org
Herb's Book
The latest publication to go into the "toolkit" of the libraries in Washington & Greene Counties was Herb Landau's "The Small Public Library Survival Guide: Thriving on Less".
I first purchased it for the professional collection at the district center and that copy has yellow sticky note tabs coming out of it. Next to my copy of Seth Godin's "Tribes" it is my other "bible". I then decided that every library in my district should have a copy of it. It is available through ALA. Insist that your district center purchase copies! Or, ask that someone purchase it for your library (a Friend, Trustee, a book in "honor" of your small library...).
Chapter Four is "Funding Your Library's Plan" and talks about the development of a fundraising plan for your library. No matter how small (or rural) your library, a plan for fundraising it a great idea. It need'nt be long and involved. Keep it simple. DJ Oshry recently came to the Washington District Center to talk about the very same thing. For an over view of that session and the 4 components of a plan, checkout the district blog: www.washdlc.blogspot.com.
Herb's book is filled with practical applications and ideas for thriving. If you are unfamiliar with Herb Landau, his is a story worth knowing. Herb is the director of the Milanof-Schock Library in Mount Joy, PA. Herb has a background in business and was hired by the library in 2002 when there wasn't enough money in the budget to pay his salary. In 2006, the Milanof-Schock Library was selected as the "Best Small Library in America".
As we face the possibilities of further cuts to library funding and statewide programs, it is imperative that we regroup at the local level in order to survive and thrive. Herb's book is a great start in that process!
I first purchased it for the professional collection at the district center and that copy has yellow sticky note tabs coming out of it. Next to my copy of Seth Godin's "Tribes" it is my other "bible". I then decided that every library in my district should have a copy of it. It is available through ALA. Insist that your district center purchase copies! Or, ask that someone purchase it for your library (a Friend, Trustee, a book in "honor" of your small library...).
Chapter Four is "Funding Your Library's Plan" and talks about the development of a fundraising plan for your library. No matter how small (or rural) your library, a plan for fundraising it a great idea. It need'nt be long and involved. Keep it simple. DJ Oshry recently came to the Washington District Center to talk about the very same thing. For an over view of that session and the 4 components of a plan, checkout the district blog: www.washdlc.blogspot.com.
Herb's book is filled with practical applications and ideas for thriving. If you are unfamiliar with Herb Landau, his is a story worth knowing. Herb is the director of the Milanof-Schock Library in Mount Joy, PA. Herb has a background in business and was hired by the library in 2002 when there wasn't enough money in the budget to pay his salary. In 2006, the Milanof-Schock Library was selected as the "Best Small Library in America".
As we face the possibilities of further cuts to library funding and statewide programs, it is imperative that we regroup at the local level in order to survive and thrive. Herb's book is a great start in that process!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Weeding!
I just received this link from the ARSL listserv today. It is a link to the updated (2008) CREW Manual.
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/
Weeding continues to be an "issue" at some small libraries. Keeping the library collection "fresh" and relavant is a professional responsibility! It borders on "unethical" to maintain a collection that is dangerously out-of-date and of no real use to your library customers. And, in PA that should concern you--if you don't meet your customers' needs they can drive as few as 10 miles and visit another public library to get what they need! Yes, really! And, once you "lose" them to another library--chances are they "ain't coming back"!! (Even rural and small libraries need to think QUALITY not quantity!)
Sometimes the problem is "traditional" thinking staff members; sometimes it is board members. Those days have to be over if you want to survive.
The bottom line is, WE WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE BOOKS OUT OF THE LIBRARY!
Unless your library shelves are currently empty, chances are you really need to do some serious weeding.
Here is the challenge: take a look at your circulation statistics for 2008, then do a massive weeding of your collection. Follow CREW and do it right! If you have a circulation system, run a list of all items that have not circulated in the past five years and get busy! Have this project completed by National Library Week (April 12 - 18). (A great week for a booksale!)
At the end of the year, compare your circ post-weeding with last year's figures. I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised!
http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ld/pubs/crew/
Weeding continues to be an "issue" at some small libraries. Keeping the library collection "fresh" and relavant is a professional responsibility! It borders on "unethical" to maintain a collection that is dangerously out-of-date and of no real use to your library customers. And, in PA that should concern you--if you don't meet your customers' needs they can drive as few as 10 miles and visit another public library to get what they need! Yes, really! And, once you "lose" them to another library--chances are they "ain't coming back"!! (Even rural and small libraries need to think QUALITY not quantity!)
Sometimes the problem is "traditional" thinking staff members; sometimes it is board members. Those days have to be over if you want to survive.
The bottom line is, WE WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE BOOKS OUT OF THE LIBRARY!
Unless your library shelves are currently empty, chances are you really need to do some serious weeding.
Here is the challenge: take a look at your circulation statistics for 2008, then do a massive weeding of your collection. Follow CREW and do it right! If you have a circulation system, run a list of all items that have not circulated in the past five years and get busy! Have this project completed by National Library Week (April 12 - 18). (A great week for a booksale!)
At the end of the year, compare your circ post-weeding with last year's figures. I guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Update
A list serv has been created for this Roundtable at googlegroups.
Emails from the petition will be sent an invitation to join.
If you do not receive and invitation and would like to join, please email the Roundtable: rsbroundtable@myway.com or tanner@citlib.org.
Each Chapter will be contacted and encouraged to include someone from a rural/small library in their planning process for the upcoming year.
Emails from the petition will be sent an invitation to join.
If you do not receive and invitation and would like to join, please email the Roundtable: rsbroundtable@myway.com or tanner@citlib.org.
Each Chapter will be contacted and encouraged to include someone from a rural/small library in their planning process for the upcoming year.
Monday, December 22, 2008
PaLA Board Vote
The PaLA Board met on Wednesday, December 17, 2008 and unanimously supported the creation of a Rural and Small Libraries Roundtable.
Thank you everyone!
Now the fun begins.
Keep an eye on your inbox. A googlegroup is being created to keep everyone informed of activity.
Thanks again and Happy Holidays!!
Thank you everyone!
Now the fun begins.
Keep an eye on your inbox. A googlegroup is being created to keep everyone informed of activity.
Thanks again and Happy Holidays!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Stories
We have been working with a PR/Marketing consultant. We thought we could just hire someone and they would "do everything". That isn't how it works, really.
Constant marketing of library services requires us to "think differently". I have noticed a "mindset" shift in myself. I am constantly looking at how other "industries" are marketing their goods/services.
One of the first things we learned was to keep a notebook on us at all times in order to jot down ideas, examples and stories. We are working to collect stories that will "sell" library services for us: examples of great things that are happening in libraries. Those stories will help us make connections with potential funders and communicate to our current funders the importance of our services.
Rural & Small Libraries and Bookmobile & Outreach Services touch people's lives everyday. Please email me your stories. I would like to add a "stories" link to this site.
rsbroundtable@myway.com
Constant marketing of library services requires us to "think differently". I have noticed a "mindset" shift in myself. I am constantly looking at how other "industries" are marketing their goods/services.
One of the first things we learned was to keep a notebook on us at all times in order to jot down ideas, examples and stories. We are working to collect stories that will "sell" library services for us: examples of great things that are happening in libraries. Those stories will help us make connections with potential funders and communicate to our current funders the importance of our services.
Rural & Small Libraries and Bookmobile & Outreach Services touch people's lives everyday. Please email me your stories. I would like to add a "stories" link to this site.
rsbroundtable@myway.com
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