Discovering OpportunitiesIn Challenging Times:

Tuesday, May 26, 2009Southwest Florida Library Network

A Workshop for Librarians

presented byPamela MacKellar

mackellarconsulting@comcast.net

1. Introduce yourself, your position/the work you do, your library

2. Are you experiencing obstacles or barriers in your library or in your work?

3. What are some of them?

4. How are you handling them?

Welcome

Librarian with >25 years experience in public, tribal, special, school, post secondary technical school libraries, state library agency

Author

Speaker and trainer

Independent library consultant

My Story

Basics of libraries and librarianship Importance of your library’s mission, vision and

plan Meeting community’s information needs Designing goals and projects to meet needs Funding library projects with grants Removing “barrier thinking”****

How Can I Make a Difference?

Share what I have learned about:

Removing Barriers

Chapter 14

www.accidentallibrarian.com

Take a closer look at obstacles and barriers

Learn techniques you can use to change your mind about obstacles

Learn about opportunities for librarians

Start on an action plan you can use

What We Will Do Today

A Closer Look atObstacles, Barriers and

Challenges

Part 1

Obstacle Exercise – 10 minutes

Fill in as many blanks as you can on the worksheet.

Be honest with yourself. You will not be asked to share what is on

this worksheet. It is for your use only.

CBS News story “The Economy and Libraries”http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?

id=4771080n

Are you experiencing any of these things?

Yes, These are Hard Times

Sometimes things have to get really bad before we take action

This is a wake-up call from our bad behavior Now we have to change Adversities ahead will teach us lessons An abundance of opportunities are surfacing

The Upside

Obstacles are negative thinking patterns that result

from internal or external events, factors or

circumstances

What Are Obstacles?

Block positive thought Prevent you from seeing opportunities Intolerant and inflexible Drain your energy Cause stress, worry, illness Cause anger Block creativity Win-lose Reduce productivity Resist new ideas

Results of Negative Thinking Patterns

When you focus onNEGATIVE THOUGHTS

you make them stronger

When you focus onWHAT IS MISSING

you attract what is missing

Reality is ever-changing If something is a reality now it doesn’t mean

it is always going to be a reality How we frame or perceive reality is our

choice We can flip a negative into a positive

A Short Lesson on Reality

When you see mostly

and you remind yourself and others about them

over and over,day in and day out,year in and year out,eventually …

They become your reality

Negative thinking patterns are learned

and they can be unlearned.

Martin Seligman

The Good News Is …

Approach a person, thing or situation Open to new ideas and experiences Broaden our resources People like us better We engage Coalitions are more likely to establish Mental set is tolerant, expansive and

creative

What Results from Positive Thinking Patterns

Event Positive(Opportunity)

Circumstance ChoiceFactor Negativ

e(Obstacle)

“We are troubled not by the things of the world

but, rather, by our perception of those

things.”Marcus Aurelius, 2nd century AD

“If you think you can – or if you think you can’t … you’re

right.”

Henry Ford

If you can create your own reality

Why not choose to focus onseeing opportunities?

Techniques You Can Use

Part 2

Become Aware and Observe

Learned Optimism Test from Dr. Martin Seligman’s book

Human Mind Project Optimism/Pessimism Test

Spirituality & Health Optimism Test Psychology Today Optimism/Pessimism Test Happier.com Positivity Test and Optimism

Test Univ. of Penn. Positive Psychology Center

Self-Test Examples

Learned Optimism Test from Dr. Martin Seligman’s book - http://www.stanford.edu/class/msande271/onlinetools/LearnedOpt.html

Human Mind Project Optimism/Pessimism Test - http://www.learnmyself.com/personality.asp?p=Optimism-Test

Spirituality & Health Optimism Test -http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/newsh/items/selftest/item_236.html

Psychology Today Optimism/Pessimism Test - http://psychologytoday.tests.psychtests.com/take_test.php?idRegTest=1320

Happier.com Positivity Test and Optimism Test- http://www.happier.com/assessment.htm

Univ. of Penn. Positive Psychology Center - http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx

URLs

Take Action

Adjust Your ThinkingChange What You Say to Yourself

“You and I are infinite choice-makers” Deepak Chopra

Natural defenses sometimes kick in before we have a chance to think

3. Be Less Reactive and More Responsive

Eliminate these words Replace them withthese words

We can’t We canI don’t think I knowWe don’t have enough ___

We will make enough ____

I’m afraid of I’m confidentIf I willDoubt Expect the bestIt’s impossible All things are possible

4. Watch Your Language

Give what you are doing your full attention

Complete one task before going on to the next

5. Do One Thing at a Time

Know your library’s plan, mission, vision and goals

6. Focus on Library’s Plan

Know where you are going

Writing a Mission Statementhttp://www.docstoc.com/docs/2135622/

sample-personal-mission-statement

7. Update Your Personal Mission Statement

“After my house burned down, I saw the moon more clearly.”Old Zen saying

8. Cultivate the Optimism Habit

Notice what is right

9. Look for Opportunities

Write down any opportunities you see

10. Keep a Notebook

MaintainIT WebJunction TechSoup Library Open Source Webinars (nominal fee) SirsiDynix Institute archive 100 Free Library 2.0 Webinars and Tutorials Sarah Long’s Podcast State Library Agency/Library

Network/Consortia Read

Extra!11. Take Advantage ofFree Webinars, Podcasts Etc.

MaintainIT - http://www.maintainitproject.org/ WebJunction - http://www.webjunction.org/1 TechSoup - http://www.techsoup.org/ Library Open Source Webinars (nominal fee) -

http://librarywebinars.blogspot.com/ SirsiDynix Institute archive -

http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/archive.php 100 Free Library 2.0 Webinars and Tutorials -

http://www.collegeathome.com/blog/2008/05/29/100-free-library-20-webinars-and-tutorials/

Sarah Long’s Podcast - http://www.librarybeat.org/longshots

URLs

Finding Opportunities

Part 3

Invite Opportunities

Grants Partnerships Volunteers Outreach

Where are They?For Starters …

New Funding OpportunitiesAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act

http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/wo/woissues/washfunding/fedfund/arra101.cfm

FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Bill contains $171.5 million for the Grants to State Library

Agencies program within the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) http://www.wo.ala.org/districtdispatch/?p=2291- an increase of more than  $10 million over last year

Library Grants Bloglibrarygrants.blogspot.com

Be prepared◦ Projects, plans, data, documented needs ready

Stay up-to-date with new developments re ARRA

Sign up for grants alerts It’s about the people not the money Collaborate and partner

Grant Tips

Local businesses and corporations Local agencies, non-profits, organizations Schools Other departments in your organization Other libraries – reciprocal borrowing,

combined programs, collaborating on projects

Museums

Partnerships

Identify jobs that need to be done Assess volunteers’ skills Match volunteer with the jobs requiring

skills Interview and evaluate Consider project-based or temporary

volunteer jobs

Volunteers

You have an audience – libraries are visible Reach out to people who don’t use the

library Meet new community needs Tell community about your plans, projects Be vocal Market the library

Outreach

Library Value Calculator

Leanne Hathcock Maureen O’Connor Martha Liebert

Librarians Seizing Opportunities

Leanne HathcockAztec Public LibraryAztec, NM

Digital Media Arts Program

Fulfills need in community Goal and purpose driven Funded by multiple sources Multiple partners involved New “library paradigm” model for

community

Aztec UFO Symposium Alien Run Mountain Bike Competition Disney movie

Also at Aztec Public Library

Aztec UFO Symposium - http://www.aztecufo.com/home.html

Alien Mountain Bike Competition - http://www.alienrun.com/

Disney movie - http://www.nmstatelibrary.org/docs/hitchhiker/hh%201681.pdf

URLs

“Small town” thinking Breaking out of “libraries don’t do that”

paradigm Lack of support from some town leaders Lack of support from some library board

members

Biggest ChallengesLeanne Hathcock, Director, Aztec Public Library, Aztec, NM

Stay committed Think big Strive for a purpose or goal Stay in your power Keep trying Be fearless Don’t listen to criticism Just jump into it Believe in yourself

Overcoming BarriersLeanne Hathcock, Director, Aztec Public Library, Aztec, NM

Solution to challenging after-school situation Provides positive atmosphere for youth age

7-15 Activities that help them succeed Funded by NYS Div Criminal Justice Led to more opportunities for library

Maureen T. O’ConnerLaurelton Library Youth Empowerment InitiativeQueens Borough Public Library

Librarians Choosing OpportunitiesSummary

First have a plan, vision and mission Know your library’s goals Know your community’s needs Be brave Believe in yourself Be persistent Think outside the box Focus on solutions

Look at your Obstacle Exercise Pick 3 obstacles from the list On the back, write 3 positive statements

responding to the 3obstacles

For 30 daysConsciously practice these 3 positive

statements when responding to the corresponding obstacles

Action Plan Idea #1

Pick 3 things from the 10 Things Handout Write down what you will do to cultivate

each one Consciously practice this for 30 days

Action Plan Idea #2

What negative thoughts about your work situation go through your mind regularly? (See Self-Evaluation)

What thoughts about your work situation must you face to turn your attitude around?

Write down one attitude you want to adjust or thought pattern you want to redirect.

Practice changing this attitude or thought pattern for 30 days.

Action Plan Idea #3

Your Action Plan

At first try something easy Start small Enjoy the process Be flexible Loosen up, it doesn’t have to be perfect Spread the word about your success Don’t forget to look for opportunities

Implementing Your Action Plan

Good luck!

Pam MacKellarmackellarconsulting@comcast.net