Blatant Berry: Ohio Insights

“Call 'em members,” said Joan Frye Williams, the librarian, consultant, futurist, and provocateur who was the opening speaker at the 2008 Reference and Adult Services Conference of the Ohio Library Council. Held in Columbus on July 9–10, the event offered a compelling mix of big picture vision and practical, local solutions.

Williams had been challenged to help librarians answer that ancient question, “What should we call people who use public libraries?” I loved her answer: “Member.” In one word it solves one of librarianship's oldest problems. “Member” is far better than “customer,” since it avoids equating a public library with a retail outlet selling stuff. It is better than “patron,” which also refers to a donor of money to a cultural or other organization. It beats “user,” which can suggest addiction, exploitation, and other negatives. “Member” delivers a sense of ownership, community, and belonging. If I were a director, I'd put “member” on every library card. [The LJ/Urban Libraries Council poll overwhelmingly endorsed “patron.” See poll at www.libraryjournal.com.]

“Swimming pools are dangerous to small children. You can build fences or use other ways to keep them away, but isn't it better to teach a child to swim?” That's my paraphrase of a quotation posted with the program “Social Networking Sites,” featuring Gretchen Yonata, Tim Capehart, and Eric Wirick of the Dayton Metro Library. The trio showed practical ways libraries can employ these newest digital offerings to serve members. Wirick told how he would give his own child and any other a helping hand in how to use these sites kids love.

Sarah Houghton-Jan, all the way from San José, CA, delivered two programs. Particularly impressive and useful was the one showing small libraries that can't afford technology experts 20 free, easy steps to build and improve their web sites.

OCLC's George Needham told the Ohioans how people really view libraries, based on recent OCLC studies. The newest item was the pyramid of library supporters put together by the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency, the researchers for OCLC's just released From Awareness to Funding. Some 40 percent of citizens don't ever vote in tax levy elections, and a few others always vote “no.” Needham's advice: save money and be more effective by concentrating on the 60 percent who do vote in library campaigns.

Ami Bray (Madison PL), Steven Haynie (Cleveland Heights–University Heights PL), Cheryl Kuonen (Willoughby-Eastlake PL), and Deva Walker (Cleveland PL) convinced this senior that the answer is “yes” to “Can Teens and Seniors 'Get Along' in Your Library?” The dynamic quartet gave attendees lots of ways to make that useful connection between library members at the opposite ends of life.

I got anxious when Sara Trepanier (Worthington Libs.), Melanie Bucey (Fairfield Cty. Dist. Lib.), and Judy Nablo (Greene Cty. Dist. Lib.) talked about all the titles that attracted censorious challenges in their program on “Selecting and Collecting Sensitive Materials.” I was most likely responding to their nervous mention of the impact of controversy on voters in tax levy elections. When I pressed them, however, all three reassured me with hearty endorsements of the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights and especially its assertion that children have the same rights of access to library collections as adults. This is a tough position to defend in practice in small-town or big city Ohio. There are Ohio librarians who have lost their jobs over it. Such practical problems haven't diminished their drive to practice what libraries preach.

The fine Ohio conference was created by a committee chaired by Worthington Library's Monica Baughman. I owe a lot to the Ohio Library Council's Doug Evans, my old friend Wayne Piper, and Lori Hensley for inviting me to be the “official summarizer” in the last session. For me, it was a refueling with hundreds of new ideas and insights to bring back to LJ. Thanks a million, Ohio!