In an attempt to "catch up" before the end of May, I have attended a SirsiDynix webinar archive that was very easy to navigate. Pat Wagner presented, "How to Understand Library Your Users - The Better Futures of their Communities and Institutions." I chose this because I've just attended several of Pat's Ethics sessions. The emphasis in this one hour session was to look at whether your library was relevant to the people who use it and how that would affect the mission of your library. It should be about being a tool to build better futures for the individuals, communities and institutions you serve. So we learned:
•How to identify seven areas of concern for your library users
•What mistakes to avoid while connecting with people in your community or institution
•How to communicate better futures in images, sounds and stories, not just in an abstract way and
•How to anticipate rather than react to critical community and institutional issues
I'm ready to take the informal polls and meet with small groups because our library is very much a traditional library. In this current setting, I don't believe we meet the needs of our users. For such a wonderful facility the usage by public patrons is relatively low. Stats show a different story because of the school's usage of the building.
I have also attended several live webinars that have been offered this spring. With professional development budgets been cut, I depend on the webinars and our library regional systems to help keep me up-to-date and current. I really appreciated the Everyday Ethics of Facebook.
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