Michael Casey and Michael Stephens discuss how to bring the concepts of Library 2.0 into the library
The Transparent Library: Six Signposts on the Way By Michael Casey & Michael Stephens - 11/15/2008
We recently presented a workshop in London at Internet Librarian International, based on our writings here, and realized that throughout the columns we've identified a set of mile markers for the journey toward transparency. Give everyone an avenue to talk. Offer online and real-world mechanisms for all of the library's stakeholders, staff and users, to talk, react, and suggest solutions.
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Library PR 2.0 By Michael Casey & Michael Stephens - 10/15/2008
The rules of marketing have changed. Do libraries know that? Corporate PR-types used to control the message. Sitting behind a desk, they'd write a carefully crafted press release and then send it off to newspapers and upload it to their web site. The attention the company got might barely justify the salary of the PR professional.
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The Transparent Library: When Worlds Collide By Michael Casey & Michael Stephens - 09/15/2008
As the buzz around social networking continues, consider that author Kevin Kelly has called the emerging web “One Machine” and predicts that “total personalization in this new world will require total transparency.” So, where do we fit in? Where do we position ourselves as professionals? We two don’t completely agree, so we thought we’d try to tease out the r...
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The Transparent Library: Let's All Lighten Up By Michael Casey & Michael Stephens - 08/15/2008
Sometimes, it's simply not easy. When life throws us $4-a-gallon gasoline, rising unemployment, a housing credit crunch, and tight local, state, and federal budgets, libraries feel the pinch. It's natural for work morale to suffer. Boards and administrators feel pressure to make cuts and increase staff efficiency.
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The Transparent Library: Check Your Ego at the Door By Michael Casey & Michael Stephens - 07/15/2008
Egos can insidiously prevent us from doing what we could do best. Recently, in a late-night conversation, a few trusted librarian colleagues told us how much damage an inflated ego can do to a library’s culture. One in that small circle had clashed with a department member and been called out by the administration for “only thinking of herself” in planning and implementing a ...
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The Transparent Library: How To Find the Right Fit By Michael Casey & Michael Stephens - 06/15/2008
Dear MLS grad (and others who may be looking for a new position), We're glad you are ready for the first (or next) step in your career. We know that the job market can be tight and that most newly minted librarians are happy to get their foot in the door, recognizing that no one library will conform to your workplace ideal.
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The Transparent Library: Embracing Service to Teens By Michael Casey & Michael Stephens - 05/15/2008
When did it become an acceptable customer service response to try and push out an entire age group of users? Never, but that's happening at too many libraries. Can we remain transparent, open, and focused on the core value of access and still tell young people to find another place to be social online? MC: I still get emails from librarians who endure meetings where administrators bemoan havin...
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