by Josh Walters
At the end of 2010 I reviewed and reported on the goals I’d set for my work-year back in January. These included top level categories like service delivery, business partner engagement, advocacy and outreach, and strategy and communications. Tactics within each of these areas involved extensive use of web communications vehicles and online business networking platforms. Time and time again I was called upon to join teams as a consultant, a critical ear, or to aid in the redirection of a team mired in its own detail.
I should mention that technically, I’m an Access and Interface librarian–that means I do web design, usability, optimization; I “productize” services we’ve traditionally done as manual processes using the web, or translate business partner and end user needs into a service we can “sell” inside the enterprise to other groups. In many cases, this leads to innovation. In others, it means greater user-awareness and more work. In either, it’s exposure, proof, leverage, an elevator speech… that said, considering the words “access” and “interface,” and using a broad interpretation, it may be apt.
We have a leadership attribute inside our company that translates to: Finds a way. It implies that when the road is ill-defined (or non-existent) one who will succeed is one who taps some inner reservoir and marshals a solution. During this current economic downturn–as we have fewer resources, people and consequently, time–it is often the punchline to a dire joke. But it’s serious as a heart attack to librarians under the gun.
Librarians jump into new platforms and mediums as easily as breathing. New social bookmarking app? Librarians are in it. Putting web pieces together using JQuery and AJAX? Librarians. Extending the blog as a strategic communications vehicle? Turning a wiki into a publishing platform? Tying together underpowered SharePoint environments for greater collaboration? Teaching groups that there’s more to the library than what they ever thought possible? Librarians, librarians, librarians… librarians.
In reviewing my goals at the end of 2010 I noted that in more than one of my focus areas ‘come 2011, I’d be putting “Finds a Way” to extensive use. Being “Future Ready,” none of those subject areas are going away: Service, engagement, outreach, strategy, communications: open the tool box, find a way. The fun is just beginning.
Talk to you again soon,
Josh
Josh Walters is a librarian with The Boeing Company. He spends extensive time consulting on projects throughout the enterprise related to optimal use of tools and collaboration environments, supporting the Knowledge Management effort, and talking about effective communications practices using social business platforms. Though physically located in Durham, North Carolina, and with due respect to the locals, he considers himself an SLA-Southern California Chapter member in diaspora.
I like what you have to say about finding a way. All librarians I have met are interested in helping people to find a way to do things better somehow.
The part of your posting that I find interesting is the idea that we can do a lot with newer technologies. But what about selecting the technologies in the first place? It’s one thing to be really good at using them, but shouldn’t we also be the ones determining the requirements of a new platform?
I would think that being future ready would mean being ready to assume a role that allows an organization to provide services that are closer to what people need, rather than to adapt existing services to those needs.
That’s a good point Ben — and it wasn’t one I left out on purpose. Gathering, interpreting and conveying requirements to decision makers is an important part of the process. Interestingly in my experience, decision makers frequently look at capabilities that a platform provides vs. cost, but when setting up the service IT or whomever, is hardly ever going to become the power user of that service. Librarians as power users and technologists themselves, can (and should!) Find a Way to be a part of that process.
It seems that Finds a Way is at the very core of the library profession. One of our fundamental services.
Great thoughts, Ben, I agree that part of “Future Ready” and “Finds a Way” is that we need to be not only skilled with the technology, but also skilled at selecting the right tool for the job, rather than, as you say, adapting existing services.