No Limits
Francine Fialkoff, Editor-In-Chief -- Library Journal, 3/15/2006
“Libraries [and librarians] are not only in the library 'business,’ ” says Las Vegas–Clark County Library District outreach coordinator Sal Avila, “they are also in the community business.” Like Avila, the 50 or so librarians, library workers, and vendors profiled in Movers & Shakers 2006 who are transforming libraries for the future, are in the community business. They are in a slew of other “businesses,” too. They’re in the access business, making sure that residents of their cities, towns, counties, schools, and colleges, have open and free use of all the resources on which a democratic society thrives. They’re in the assistance business, helping people find information on jobs, schools, even “shelter from the storm(s)” of Katrina and Rita. They’re in the diversion business, providing books, magazines, audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs to those who come through their doors or log on to their web sites. They’re in the diversity business, promoting cultural awareness and understanding and bringing people together. They’re in the businesses of education, instruction, lifelong learning, literacy, technology, and much more.
Business may be the wrong word to describe what libraries and librarians do. Librarianship is a public service profession, and its philosophy is predicated on sharing and collaboration. That comes through in many of these profiles. Virtually all of the 2006 Movers & Shakers begged us to explain that their accomplishments would not have been possible without the support and teamwork of talented, dedicated colleagues and mentors.
This year’s Movers not only “served” in their own communities but responded when hurricanes devastated the Gulf Coast. As they did after 9/11, librarians used all their organizational skills and customer-centric focus to deliver aid and information for recovery and rebuilding to hurricane survivors and evacuees. Their efforts and those of vendors in the library field are detailed in individual and group profiles (p. 22–25, 27, 31, 52).
As we’ve done with previous M&S supplements, LJ will send to members of Congress, governors, and mayors nationwide. Although public libraries are government entities, they are in dire need of sustained financial support to continue the limitless work they do.
Once again LJ will be celebrating all the Movers & Shakers (some 250 strong now) at the annual American Library Association conference, this year in New Orleans. Special thanks to LJ’s own Movers & Shakers: Marylaine Block (www.marylaine.com), guest editor, writer, speaker, and “Librarian Without Walls”; contributing editors Rachel Singer Gordon (rachel@lisjobs.com), consulting editor, ITI Books, and author of The NextGen Librarian’s Survival Guide (ITI, 2006), and Ann Kim, LJ Special Projects Coordinator; Kevin Henegan and Irving Cumberbatch, LJ’s art team extraordinaire; and Bette-Lee Fox, LJ’s own limitless managing editor.
ADVOCATES
Whether they’re ensuring that schoolchildren have library media centers staffed by media specialists; defending intellectual freedom; promoting zines, historical novels, or pop culture; or helping the socially excluded and NextGen staff find their place in libraries,
these individuals make their voices—and those of library users—heard
Trina Magi; Sarah Johnson; David Ongley; Angela Crocket; Annette DeFaveri; Alycia Sellie; Barbara Brown; Sophie Brookover
COLLABORATORS
They work in public libraries and schools, in healthcare systems and at universities, and they see the power of cooperation everywhere they turn. Whether through digitization, resource sharing, public library and school partnerships, or the expansion of early literacy efforts, they make the connections needed to invigorate library service and increase access every day.
Maura Marx; Richard T. Kim; Lisa Radha Weaver; Laurel Graham; Merle Colglazier; Cheryl Space
COMMUNITY BUILDERS
Establishing a branch library where none existed, bringing people of different cultures and interests to the library and educating staff on cultural awareness, rebounding and rebuilding after Katrina so librarians could serve survivors: just a few of the ways librarians and libraries enhance people’s lives
Ann Curtis; Poppy Johnson; Jeannie Dilger-Hill; Valerie Bell; Salvador Avila; Dana Eure; Patricia Husband; Charles Pace
INNOVATORS
Developing pathways to make things easier for their patrons defines these library staff. That might involve creating tools for more effective search results or writing blogs or wikis for their colleagues. It might mean giving public library users or college students their own space online or bringing courses to students. Their initiatives may be powered by technology, but they’re never defined by it
Tim Bucknall; Sabrina Pacifici; Tito Sierra; Susan Pinkerton; Derek Engi; Meredith Farkas; John Blyberg; John Hubbard
MARKETERS
It’s about so much more than “selling” the library. It’s about increasing customer satisfaction, exposing the entire collection, from print to electronic, turning old hands into tireless spokespeople, and making the youngest users into lifelong users—and lifelong learners. Librarians have turned marketing the library into a communal effort by everyone who works in the library
Karen Rossi; Joan Bernstein; Gary Shaffer; Ruth Sinker; Jill Stover
MENTORS
Recruiting a diverse work force that includes teen volunteers in public libraries and grad students being trained to organize special collections, helping new librarians network, and providing continuing education represent only a few of the ways these professionals ensure better library service.
Christina Stoll; Ira Revels; Laurel McPhee; Daniel Berdaner
STORYTELLERS
The stories they tell range from Cherokee tradition to immigrant experiences to personal family histories. They’re the stories embedded in small towns, rural areas, and big cities. Ultimately, these librarians’ stories describe the impact libraries have on all of us.
Kathy Leeds; Mimi Cirillo; Christy Wiggins; Sandra Singh; Carrie-Ann Smith
TEEN ACTIVISTS
These librarians give teens respect and self-respect, a voice in the library, a love for books, technology skills, job experience, and much, much more. They take the library where teens go, do what teens like to do, like gaming, and train other librarians on working with teens. Missed opportunities? Not a chance. Teen Services rule!
Beth Gallaway; Amy Cheney; Kerwin Pilgrim; Matt Gullett; Bart Birdsall
