Director’s Blog / Left ~ pvlddirectorsblog.typepad.com/kathy/

PVLD operates on a July 1 - June 30 fiscal year, so about now is when we start seriously thinking about what we want to achieve next year and beyond and how those goals will affect our budget.  For many years this has meant reviewing and updating, and periodically re-writing, our Strategic Plan.

Back in November I wrote this post about my growing feeling that PVLD may have evolved to a point where a highly structured strategic planning process resulting in a formal Strategic Plan is not only un-necessary, but possibly counter-productive. 

As the end point of our most recent three-year Strategic Plan draws ever closer I have been reflecting on how dated it already seems,how little it really guided our decision-making, and how badly we missed the mark on most of the quantitative measures.  I don't think that is because it was a bad piece of work.  It was written by smart people guided by an excellent consultant based on our best knowledge at the time.  I think the problem is that the environment is so turbulent and the pace of change so great (and getting greater) that any attempt to set objectives and goals for anything other than the very near term future (measured in weeks and months, not years) is doomed.

 A couple of weeks ago I came across this excellent post on the "Obituary of the 5 Year Strategic Plan" by Lea Blair (via Michael Bungay Stanier's Box of Crayons) and loved her idea that what we really need to to is equip people to run our organization as if they were riding a bike:

"In order to ride a bike you do the following:
1. You pack what you think (best guess) you will need for your bike ride.
2. You know your destination – or at least what you want to see when you get there.
3. You start pedaling in that direction.
4. Most important…You have a short window of time to make a decision on how to successfully navigate what comes in front of you. Especially the surprises. And surprises are one thing we can count on in ever increasing number. Whether it is a child running in front of your bike, or a turn in the road that you didn’t expect, or an oncoming biker. Only at the time when you see the actual change can you make the best decision as to how to navigate your bike."

 Let us learn what we can about the future (and pack our bags well). And, if your rider – manager or executive, has the awareness and skills necessary to be able to make those quick navigation decisions with agility and flexibility, your company will wind up at its destination… no matter what changes and surprises happen along the way."

The challenge for libraries (and, I would venture to guess, for almost every type of organization) is that  the accelerating pace of change and the unkown but surely profound outcomes of the current technological revolution make it very hard (maybe impossible?) to envision our ultimate destination. 

I'm thinking that right now maybe the best we can do is hold on tight to the handlebars, pedal like crazy, and make navigation decisions based on some core touchstone principles like whether a given course of action enhances access to information or restricts it, or whether it makes the library more connected to the community or less so, or whether it meets the test of good stewardship of the public's money.

And maybe the most recent PVLD Strategic Plan will be the last...at least for this Library Director.

Miss Agnes McMillan served as PVLD's first (and for the time of her tenure only) Librarian from 1930 to her death in 1956.  During the course of my 8 years at PVLD I have heard snippets about her, but really didn't know much.  I have always, for example, loved the story told by one of our book sale volunteers about what a momentous occasion it was for her when Miss McMillan allowed her to go into the "adult" stacks at a younger age than was generally permitted, giving rise to questions from her mother when she came home with a stack of books from the adult collection.  The mother's concerns were allayed when she learned that "Miss McMillan said I could read these".

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to meet a lifelong Peninsula resident, Mrs. Jane Armstrong Eubank Hall, aged 90, who back in the early 1930's was a "library kid".  The family, which for a time had no father, lived near the Malaga Cove Library.  Mrs. Hall's mother was a businesswoman who founded an insurance agency in the Malaga Cove Plaza and, distracted by the demands of business and the demands of single parenthood, allowed Jane to spend many hours at the Malaga Cove Library where she came to view Miss McMillan as a second mother.

Local History Librarian Marjeanne Blinn and Librarian Dennis Piotrowski have been gathering information and documentation about Miss McMillan to share with Mrs. Hall, and came across this 1930 letterfrom her to Mr. Charles Cheney, then-Secretary of the Board of Library Trustees - Download Miss McMillan letter in which she reports on, and gently educates him about, library operations.

While the letter certainly gives a glimpse into library operations in an earlier time, much of what she wrote made me realize how little things some things have changed. Yes, the "accession book" has been replaced by the Integrated Library System and the typewriter by the computer, but I bet there is not a library out there that has enough trash cans or has not dealt with the plumbing problems caused by inappropriate waste disposal.  We still spend a lot of time trying to get high school reading lists and visiting school classrooms, librarian still go out of their way to give the kind of service Miss McMillan provided to the "boy at the plunge", our meeting rooms are still heavily used by community groups, Library Directors still wrestle with budgets, and we still value and rely on community donations like that from the Friends of Art.

At the time when changing technology makes the future of libraries seem cloudy I found it reassuring to know that much of what we do is at its heart unchanged from 80+ years ago...

Great article from Public Libraries magazine - Community Centered:  23 Reasons Why the Library is the Most Important Place in Town - but as Patrick Sweeney pointed out when he shared it on Facebook it is really too bad it was printed in a library magazine that is read by "the choir" rather than a mainstream publication.

...Which is why it was nice to see this article by Susan Hildreth, Director of the Federal Institute of Museum and Library Services  and former California State Librarian, in the Huffington Post today.

Bottom line...libraries are still relevant, and we do matter.

Great interview with author Walter Dean Myers, the new Ambassador for Youth Literature, on Morning Edition this morning.  Click here to listen to compelling story about why reading is important to success in life, the importance of reading to kids early, and why gritty realism is an important element of Young Adult fiction.  Good luck in your new post Mr. Myers!

As expected, this holiday season saw an explosion in the sale of tablet computers and e-readers.  According to this article from MSNBC (shared by our Facilities Manager Charles Crouse), during December Amazon.com sold over 1 million Kindles of various types each week, and during the week between Christmas and New Years Eve over 20 million Adroid and Apple IOS mobile devices were activated and over 1 billion mobile apps were downloaded. 

We are certainly seeing the effects of this in the library, as patrons come in with their new devices seeking help with everything from connecting to our WiFi network to downloading e-books.  As I wrote in my earlier post, the staff is doing its best to help - our "Getting Started With E-Books" guide is prominantly featured on our website, we have invested in a selection of devices for staff training, and we will soon begin to offer small group (2-3 people) hand-on training to the public by appointment.  We also continue to beef up our e-book collection, which now has over 1,000 titles.

I'm sure we will make it through this wave in decent shape, but I am less confident about our institutional ability to respond to the tectonic shifts that are generating these waves.

 My friend Derek Wolfgram posted this article ("Why Best Buy Is Going Out of Business...Gradually") from Forbes on Facebook this morning.  It's about Best Buy's failures during the holiday season just past and what they say about the company's ability to survive in the digital age but, as Derek pointed out, the issues identified are as relevent to libraries as they are to retailers:

"Moving online required new thinking, new management structures, and new strategies.  It would also require integrated front and back-end information systems.  Customers would expect inventory to be transparent between the web and the stores, and that specials and “exclusives” would be consistent across all channels.  Whatever attributes they associated with a retailer’s brand—whether price, quality, convenience, expertise, service—would need to be translated to the online experience and enhanced.

To compete successfully against new online retailers, traditional retailers would also need to find ways to transform the expensive liabilities of physical locations with limited hours and high labor and inventory costs into assets that complemented rather than competed with the online experience.

...Amazon neither invented nor appropriated its basic strategies from Best Buy or anyone else.  It simply does what consumers want.  Best Buy does what would be most convenient for the company for consumers to want but don’t, then crosses its fingers and prays."

Antiquated back-end inventory and database systems that do not integrate seamlessly with the online experience, expensive physical locations with limited hours and high labor and inventory costs, inability to carry sufficient inventory to fulfill customer expectations, systems that are based on what we think the customer should need....sounds eerily familiar.

I know libraries and librarians across the country and around the world, and certainly here at PVLD, are working hard to fundamentally change our operating models so that we can surf the waves of technological change rather than being crushed as they crash over our heads...but I do worry that the changes are not as fast, or as fundamental, as they need to be.

My friends Rosario and Carolyn shared this of Facebook, and it is too good not to pass along. It's a great description of what libraries are and can be...as the author puts it places of new ideas, not old books. Happy reading, and happy New Year!

http://toptrends.nowandnext.com/2011/12/28/in-praise-of-libraries-and-librarians/

The past few weeks have capped off a very difficult year for my family, and for many people I know, and despite the fact that I actually had fewer parties and events to attend the holiday season has been more harried and generally less enjoyable than in years past.

Despite the challenges I've been trying to cultivate a spirit of gratitude, and as my work year winds down (I'll be on vacation from this afternoon through the New Year) I've been aware of many small blessings.  Some of the things I have been grateful for just this week include -

• An interlude of beautiful harp and flute holiday music wafting through the library on Monday that provided a respite from the holiday rush.  Thanks Ashley!
• The barrista at Starbucks this morning who upgraded my skinny peppermint mocha (a favorite holiday treat) to a larger size at no extra charge.
• Kind words and holiday wishes from members of the staff.
• Laughter at the daily staff meeting....its a pleasure to work with people who remember to laugh even when things get stressful!
• Finally getting a few minutes to read in front of the fire while listening to holiday music last night.
• A car salesman who had the courtesy to ask how I wanted to communicate and the graciousness not to pressure me....and as a result will get a sale.
• Time spent with family, however brief.
• The end-of-year decline in meetings and work commitments, which allowed me to catch up on projects and paperwork so I can start the new year with a clean desk (shown below for posterity since it may not look this way again after January 3rd!)

• Ending my term as Chair of the Board of the Chamber of Commerce, which has been rewarding but far more challenging than anticipated when I accepted the nomination as Chair-elect two years ago.
• The coming 10 days away from work which will give me a chance to recharge my batteries and (hopefully) get my home as ready for the New Year as my office now is.

Lastly, and this isn't a small blessing but a big one, I'm grateful to be able to have a job that I love in a beautiful part of the world and a spouse who accepts the demands of that job and supports me in many ways, not the least of which is doing far more than his share of the cleaning and other household chores.

Whatever holiday you are celebrating - Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Solstice or Festivus - I hope you too have experienced blessings small and large. 

Best wishes for 2012!

For the first 7 of my nearly 8 years at PVLD the most common question I got out in the community was "We have the Internet, why do we need libraries?"  This past year, the question has changed.  It's now one of several variations of "Why do we need libraries if we can get nearly every book we want on our Kindle?"

My response usually touches on the digital divide and the role libraries play in bridging it, the aesthetic value of print, and the fact that libraries also offer e-books and they are free...but I have to confess that my words usually sound weak even to me.

The truth is that, especially as we face the first holiday season in which the price point of decent e-readers is low enough to make them an extremely popular gift, it feels a bit like iwhen I am heading into the ocean for a swim and look up to see a giant wave about to break on top of me.

This time the wave is a technological one, but I suspect that the only safe response is going to be the same - dive as deep as you can, , let the wave tumble you around without fighting it, and hope you can keep your balance once you are able to get your feet on solid ground and your head above water.

The signs of profound change are everywhere, and as articles and blog posts like these make clear, they are disrupting the entire writing/publishing/content distribution ecosystem:

http://www.idealog.com/blog/how-many-christmases-until-we-see-a-whole-new-industry notes that the % reduction in sales at bricks and mortar bookstores is doubling every year -from a 1% decline in '09 to a 2% decline in '10 to an estimated 4-5% decline in '11....and probably 10% or more in '12

http://www.technologyreview.com/business/39210/  identifies the rise of consumer e-books as one of the 5 disruptive technologies of 2011

 http://ebookfriendly.com/2011/12/15/3-out-of-top-10-best-selling-kindle-books-of-2011-are-self-published/ points out that 3 of the top 10 bestselling Kindle books are self-published

http://copyrightandtechnology.com/2011/12/04/a-bleak-future-for-public-libraries-and-e-books/ provides insight into just how vulnerable public libraries are to some of the new e-book distribution models arising in the public sector

Just the fact t that these links reflect just a sampling of articles and blog posts that have been published in December alone is scary enough, but when I read the contents all I can think is that libraries are in no way prepared for the wave that is about to hit.

I'm pretty sure that the PVLD staff is not alone in heading into the holiday season knowing that as fast as we've tried to grow it our e-book collection can't meet current demand much less what we expect once all of those Kindle's are unwrapped; Overdrive, our e-book lending system, is not easy to use (especially when contrasted to just downloading an e-book from Amazon); and our staff is struggling to learn the quirks of all of the devices and is not as well-equipped as we would like to help patrons learn how to use them.

We're putting some plans in place to help us cope with the post-holiday wave, and we'll make it through the near term rough surf...but I'm honetly not sure how we, and all public libraries, will adapt to the fundamental changes rocking our world.  The one thing I do know, is that getting out of the water is not the answer... 

(Thank you California State Library for sharing the above links)

In late November PVLD lost one of our staunch supporters and a true Friend, Ted Paulson.  Ted was a retired Army Major General who devoted countless hours to the library, serving in many capacities.  I was honored to be asked to speak at Ted's memorial service this past weekend.  Here is what I said...but words truly can't express the difference Ted made to the Palos Verdes Library District or how deeply I valued his friendship and support:

Ted Paulson not only was a steadfast support of our Palos Verdes libraries, but a friend and mentor to me, and to many library employees and volunteers.

 His involvement with the Library District spanned many years and two periods of service on the Board of Directors of the Peninsula Friends of the Library, including terms as Vice President and President, between which he served as a publicly-elected member of the Board of Library Trustees – including terms as Secretary, Vice President, and President of that body.

Ted also served as Chair of the Peninsula Center Library Advisory Committee, member of the PVLD Strategic Planning Committee, and book sale volunteer….not to mention supporting Pat during her involvement with the Friends, which included a term as President. 

Ted was a born leader, something that the Army recognized very early when he was commissioned as an Officer in the National Guard at the age of 19 – two years before he was even eligible to wear his bars!  

He started his military career as an enlisted man, and made a deliberate choice to remain in the Guard rather than following a more traditional route to military leadership via the ROTC. I understand that it is quite unusual for someone with that background to become a General Officer – another indication of Ted’s leadership ability.

I mention Ted’s military service because it was so much a part of who he was, and as such really influenced how he served the library and the community.  Some of that influence was obvious, like his firm belief in protocol, formal planning processes and documented policies and procedures.  Or how he could assert his leadership in a very commanding way when someone challenged him or was disrespectful to a staff member or volunteer.  Or his tolerance for lengthy meetings and endless cups of bad coffee.  He also had no problem giving direction, and I used to joke that Ted sometimes forgot that I was not his Aide de Camp, as it was not uncommon for him to turn to me in a meeting and order me to “write that down”.

A less obvious, but to me equally important legacy of Ted’s military background was his concern for the welfare of the library equivalent of the enlisted man or woman – the frontline employees and volunteers.  In my nearly 8 years of working with Ted in various capacities he could be relied upon to always take into consideration the impact of decisions and actions on the people who actually do the work.  After his death I heard many stories from employees about his care and concern for them whether it was a giving a quiet word of encouragement to a new employee, stopping in to say hello to members of the administrative staff when he was at the library, remembering to check in regularly with an employee going through a very difficult family situation, or advising an employee whose son was enlisting in the Army.  Not every PVLD employee had the opportunity to get to know Ted personally, but those who did loved him.

All of these attributes contributed to the key role Ted played in bringing PVLD through a period of conflict and turbulence and re-establishing the library as an important, valuable and valued community resource.

Some of his influence was informal and behind the scenes - helping recruit suitable candidates for the Board of Library Trustees, providing advice and counsel to the Library Director and colleagues on both Boards, and using his many community connections to build support for the library.

Some of his influence was more overt – participating in the final settlement of the lawsuits related to the Peninsula Center Library construction and then leading the process of remediating the building defects; participating in the difficult process of consolidating two fundraising organizations into one, and then providing leadership to the Friends as they began the transition to a more broadly-based fundraising organization; leading the development of a community relations plan and then personally going to City Council meetings and other venues to give presentations about the library and reassure the community that past issues were in fact past.

Ted wasn’t just a leader, though.  He was also someone who could be relied upon to roll up his sleeves and pitch in where needed.  When no one else volunteered to set up and tear down the Friends’ booth at community celebrations, Ted did it.  When the book sale volunteers needed help picking up a big donation, Ted was there.  When no one stepped up lead a committee, Ted would.

Lastly, for me personally and for many others, Ted was a mentor and a true friend.  From the early days of our working relationship, when Ted was President of the Board of Trustees and therefore the one of my five bosses that I worked with most closely, Ted was there when I needed him for advice or counsel about something happening in my job.  After he moved from the Library Board to the Friends Board we no longer had that boss-employee dynamic, but he remained a trusted advisor and confidante.  About once a month we would get together – for lunch at the Red Onion if we were just catching up, or for breakfast “off the hill” at Coco’s if we wanted to talk about a particular issue or concern.  In between he was always available if I needed to talk.  I still catch myself wanting to pick up the phone to call him, or thinking that an incoming “caller id blocked” call is from him, because they usually were. 

Through Ted my husband Don and I got to know Pat, and to learn a bit about their family.  He was so proud of his children and grandchildren, and valued the time he spent with all of you…he especially talked about his travels with Pat and their car trips with grandchildren to visit the California missions.

Ted cared about his career, and his community work, and the library….but he always knew what was most important - his marriage and his family. 

I know I am not alone in saying that Ted taught me more than I could ever express here – about leadership, and being engaged with your community, and most importantly about keeping first things first.

Pat and family, thank you for sharing Ted with us.  He is leaving a tremendous legacy both because of his role in making the Palos Verdes Library District the thriving institution it is today and because of the lives he touched.  We will all miss him.

Ted - RIP, and thank you.

Tomorrow night is the Rolling Hills Estates Parade of Lights and the PVLD elves are busy making our float.

If you want to see the finished product you'll have to come out tomorrow evening to see the parade....or I may post some photos next week.

P.S. This is the first post from the new Ipad2 Don and I bought....hope it works!

Every year has its ups and downs, but for me 2012 was one of those roller coasters where the downs were steeper and the ups were higher than we've experienced for some time.  There were plenty of moments (and days, and even a few weeks) that I hope never to have to live through again, but there were also many blessings.

A good portion of the blessings have to do with where I work and who I get to work with.  The PVLD staff is an amazing and energetic group that continuously seeks out ways to make our libraries better and better.  This year we've taken on some really major projects - from overhauling our library collection to a comprehensive renovation of the Miraleste Library - and countless more incremental improvements to services, programs, and operating practices.  Much of the work on all of these projects was done by the staff in addition to their normal daily and weekly duties.

We also have more than 200 vwonderful olunteers, from teens through older adults, who help with everything from shelving books to library programs to fundraising.  Without them we simply could not deliver the quality of library services we do.

Plus I am blessed with 5 wonderful bosses on our Board of Library Trustees.  Next month we will be saying farewell to Trustees Nancy Mahr and Bill Lama, who have served on the Library Board for my entire tenure as Director and welcoming Jim Moore and Debby Stegura both of whom have all of the attributes necessary to provide the leadership the Library District needs.  I am grateful that both Bill and Nancy have indicated their willingness to continue their involvement with the library and that they will have such capable replacements.

I've also been fortunate to be able to serve with many wonderful community members on the Palos Verdes Chamber of Commerce Board.  They are a hardworking bunch and dedicated to sustaining the Peninsula as a wonderful place to live and work.

Lastly I am blessed to have a spouse who is willing to do more than his share of cooking, cleaning and yard work so that I am free to spend the time that my job and community/professional commitments demand. 

On this Thanksgiving eve I am feeling very blessed despite the personal and family challenges the year has brought.  Thank you to everyone who has supported me this year, and a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all!