The presentation walks participants through the goals, processes, legal background, and format of the new Colorado Public Library Standards. Participants will discuss the newest Standard, Human Engagement, and explore options for success.
13. Trends – 2010 + Community Centered Library Demographics Emergent Literacy From Input to Impact From Use to Support Publishing Merchandising Content Creation Self - Service Mobile Computing Green Library
I’m pleased to be here with Diane Levin from Eagle Valley Library District, one of the members of the revision committee for the Colorado Public Library Standards. Diane is one of 16 people who have spent most of last year working on making the new Public Library Standards a document that is relevant, useful, and inspiring. We are all proud of the final product and grateful for the new friendships. To get us warmed up here and in line with the philosophy behind the standards, we’re going to look at some quotations that tie in with the philosophy behind the standards.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Ralph Waldo Emerson ( 1802-1882) American essayist and poet.
Yogi Berra – It ain’t over till it’s over.
Many of you may have been tasked to read “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery in high school. I loved this book because of all the philosophical undertones. Saint-Exupery was well known for a number of great aphorisms including the following: Why plan? I can think of three good reasons and I’m sure you can up with a lot more…Good planning conserves resources, prevents wasted effort, and saves time and money. By failing to plan, you almost certainly fall into the trap of reacting to situations as they come along rather than dealing with priorities in a controlled, systematic manner. That said, planning will not solve all your problems. Rather, it is just one of the vital ingredients needed for success. In order for it to be successful, planning must be a participative activity.
We have thus organized the standards so that they can be viewed and discussed as part of a regular discussion on improving library services. We hope the standards will serve as a planning tool for Boards, staff, the community, and funding authorities to: Improve the quality of library services Determine opportunities and threats to reduce risks and loss Increase awareness, support, and funding In the end, the purpose of the standards is to guide you along your way in developing a unique and local vision. I encourage you to make the most of these standards as you move forward with your library planning to achieve excellence in your library.
Your “community” is integral to any decision you make concerning library operations. Libraries and communities have an interdependent relationship. Our communities provide us with our funding, with opportunities to collaborate, and advocates. A library contributes to the economic health of the community, collects the memories of the community, and provides a place where people can explore, get access to resources, share ideas, and be transformed. The library is also an asset that can be of great value while addressing other community-wide problems….