Thursday, July 31, 2008
Thing # 15 Web 2.0, Library 2.0, & the Future of Libraries
Wikipedia was most helpful for me because I needed the background knowledge of these terms we've been slinging around. I'm never comfortable saying things my son might ask me about and I don't know what I'm talking about. So that's a relief that I can at least give a brief explanation now without just having a blank look of panic take over while I stumble and make up some lingo mumbo jumbo. I do want to wave the yellow flag of caution as we all charge into the world of library change. Last week I listened to Dr. Michael Chirichello speak in my district about increasing leadership capacity and highly effective teams. The most salient point I took away was to never again use the evil word change. When we tell people we want/need them to embrace educational change to improve test scores or every other wonderful desired result, we DON'T VALUE WHAT THEY ARE DOING NOW. Before we go changing libraries and librarians as we know them, we must admit that the old and current style had/has value, or there would have been no attraction for all of us presently involved. Dr. Chirichello recommends the better way to approach change is to say: "We are going to make some TRANSITIONS, and I'm going to hold your hand as we make this journey together." This way no one feels threatened and devalued, and everyone can begin to appreciate the JOURNEY. The library 2.0 world is definitely a transitional journey for librarians, teachers, and administrators. We've got to take the trip for the students and their futures, because we have to prepare them for a world that does not even exist right now. They need the skills to know how to react to the transitions they will have to deal with... Agrab.
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4 comments:
Alicce,
I like the term transition better as well. I never thought of it before, but the word change does have a negataive implication. I'm going to have to remember that as I have made great physical "transitions" in my school library, and a few procedures & programs will "transition" as well.
Thanks for a great post!
Terri
I'm so glad you liked it. I feel like this was the first/only thing I have posted that was semi important to other people and not just self-discovery. Thanks for the feedback! Agrab.
Nice, Alice. I agree, the very word "change" can be threatening, and you are right that people can be made to feel that what they are currently doing is not valued...not a good way to get people to work with you. "Transition" is much less threatening, and a good word to remember. I also like the concept that we need to recognize that what has gone before was of substance and value. Ditto the great post comment.
You know what, "change" does have a negative connotation. Perhaps that's why I always cringe at the very beginning of each school year. Administrators eagerly greet teachers with all the changes to be implemented during the year and all the while most teachers appear to be frowning. I guess it's like you said, sometimes "change" sends an unintentional message that what one was doing before was perhaps inadequate. Good observation on your part.
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