CIL Day One: Delight Your Customers

Yesterday was the first day of the Computers in Libraries conference, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. I have attended seven CILs, and while they have always been immensely helpful, I always felt like there was a bit of anxiety surrounding the conference.  I attributed this to uncertainty in the profession regarding the future of libraries.  I could hear people thinking "Is this the next big thing?"  "Will this new gadget save libraries??"  "Is this what patrons want?????"

I'm happy to note that this year feels markedly different.  The focus is back to how we can make customers happy.  This shift in atmosphere should not be overlooked.  If we shed our anxiety regarding the future and instead focus our energy on delighting our patrons, then we can truly become successful innovators. 

Ideas flow freely from inspired people.  Inspired people must be free of anxiety and fear.  Stop worrying about the future of libraries and start focusing on bringing joy and inspiration to your communities.  If you do this, and do it well, then you won't ever have to worry about becoming irrelevant.  

I hope everyone in attendance can feel this positive shift, and I hope that it's reflective of a larger trend in libraries.   Finally, I hope that every single person present at this conference returns to their respective libraries newly inspired, and spreads that inspiration to all of their coworkers.  What great things we could do together!

Tactical Innovation and the Spastic Soldier

The two buzzwords that I hear the most in our profession are "innovation" and "technology."  They are the subject of our professional workshops, the focus of library literature, and a source of envy from colleagues when another is recognized for their latest idea.  Libraries with limited budgets scramble to "innovate or die," adding the newest gadgets and services in an effort to keep up with the trends.  

The problem with this is that it's not productive.  No one comes to your program, and no one uses your new service, so you take them away and come up with something else next month, to the same result.  You're like a soldier on an empty battlefield, unleashing a war cry and swinging her sword in the air.  There's a lot of energy and motion, but you're not actually hitting anything.  You wind up exhausted, and you look spastic.  

You might fall into the Spastic Soldier category if you or your organization has ever uttered any of the following statements (and I have heard them all):

"A lot of other libraries were offering it, so we bought one, too."

"It doesn't get a lot of use, but it makes us look tech savvy, so we keep it."

"These are the hot new thing."

"The program isn't well attended, but it makes us look good in the newspaper."

"The Trustees kept telling us to innovate, so we added this to make them happy."

"We were just trying to do something new."

Instead of swinging away and hoping you land on the cover of Library Journal, why not try a more tactical approach to library services?  If you're looking to improve your reputation with the town, increase your circulations, or get more people in the door, then it's best to start by thinking like a customer, and not a librarian.  Here's how:

Identify your enemy- what problems exist in the community that keep you (the resident) from a better quality of life?  Most community problems are complex, so spend some time making sure you understand every facet before you move on to the next step.

Look for weaknesses- there is no such thing as an unsolvable problem.  Any condition that exists in your community can be improved with persistence- and an intelligent approach.  What would have to be done in order to solve the problem that exists?

Refine your strategy- How can the library exploit these weaknesses in order to make the problem better?  Start making a plan for what supplies you'll need, how much time it'll take, and what resources or tools you could use.

Recruit- No one wins a war without allies.  Get key stakeholders on board, and seek community partners that can help you achieve your strategic goal.  Look for grants that might help you fund your endeavor. 

Propaganda- market your program in advance of the launch date.  Reach out to groups of people who are likely to benefit from your program, or to organizations who work directly with those groups.  Hype and anticipation will increase your chances of success.

Attack-  Swing that sword and charge, good Soldier!

Adapt- Nothing ever goes the way you envisioned.  If you have a solid foundation, however, you'll eventually be successful, so long as your ego doesn't prevent you from being open to feedback and suggestions.

Okay, enough with the military analogy.  The bottom line is that you should focus on making your community a better place to live instead of focusing on "innovating with technology."

Good luck, my badasses!

-Jenn

13 days to Computers in Libraries 2015! This is my fourth time attending, and each one gets better and better....