This document discusses escaping from professional silos in libraries. It defines silos as separate professional universes that limit perspectives. It argues that silos are problematic and can be dangerous, forming unconsciously through homogenous networks and confirmation bias. The document provides tips for escaping silos, including seeking out diverse contacts and ideas, learning continuously, and contributing more than criticizing. The overall message is that librarians should break out of isolated mindsets by interacting with others outside their normal circles in order to stay informed and bring new perspectives to their work.
7. It is hardly possible to overrate the
value, in the present low state of
human improvement, of placing
human beings in contact with
persons dissimilar to themselves,
and with modes of thought and
action unlike those with which they
are familiar.
-John Stewart Mill
16. References
• Bundred, S. (2006). Solutions to silos: joining up knowledge. Public Money and Management, 26(2), 125-130.
• Duhigg, C. (2012). The power of habit: Why we do what we do in life and business. New York: Random House.
• Gilbert, E.; Bergstrom, T.; Karahalios, K. (2009) Blogs are Echo Chambers: Blogs are Echo Chambers. System
Sciences, 2009. HICSS '09. 42nd Hawaii International Conference on 1-10. doi: 10.1109/HICSS.2009.91
• Gladwell, M. The Tipping point.
• Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2010). Switch: How to change things when change is hard. New York: Broadway
Books.
• Mill, J. S., & Ashley, W. J. (1965). Principles of political economy: With some of their applications to social
philosophy. New York: A. M. Kelley, bookseller.
• Newman, B. (2011, January 23). In the End I Want to be Able to Say I Contributed More Than I Criticized
Librarian by Day Retrieved from http://librarianbyday.net/2011/01/23/in-the-end-i-want-to-be-able-to-say-i-
contributed-more-than-i-criticized/
• Newman, B. (2012, June 28) Libraries are powerful partners. Librarian by Day.
http://librarianbyday.net/2012/06/28/libraries-are-powerful-partners/
• Pariser, E. (2012). The filter bubble: How the new personalizedWeb is changing what we read and
how we think. NewYork, N.Y: Penguin Books/Penguin Press.
• Patterson, K. (2011). Change anything: The new science of personal success. New York: Business Plus.
• Rogers, E. M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press.
• Sims, P. (2011). Little bets: How breakthrough ideas emerge from small discoveries. New York: Free Press.
• Singer, N. (2011, March 28). Online Personalization Creates Echo Chamber to Affirm Biases - NYTimes.com.
Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/technology/29stream.html
• Uzzi, B., & Dunlap, S. (2005). How to build your network. harvard business review, 83(12), 53.
• Vanderkam, L. (2012). What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast. New York, NY: Penguin Group
17. Photo Credits
1. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nakrnsm/3898391760/
2. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nakrnsm/3898391760/
3. http://lookslikelibraryscience.com/ and http://librarydayinthelife.pbwiki.com/
4. https://www.flickr.com/photos/twob/8741933/
5. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dalesbest/9661092099/
6. https://www.flickr.com/photos/rutkowskic/5531392638/
7. quote - Mill, J. S., & Ashley, W. J. (1965). Principles of political economy: With some of their
applications to social philosophy. New York: A. M. Kelley, bookseller.
8. https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathancharles/159246233/
9. https://www.flickr.com/photos/crsan/3454169748/
10. Quote
11. https://www.flickr.com/photos/bobjagendorf/3627254654/
12. https://www.flickr.com/photos/lukeprice88/8437684441/
13. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/6799164313/
14. https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpstjohn/5743599498/
15. http://www.flickr.com/photos/-bast-/349497988/