The Information Activist Librarian

LIBRARIANS WITHOUT BORDERS HOSTS PROMINENT GUATEMALAN EDUCATOR AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST

November, 2012 — Librarians Without Borders is proud to announce Jorge Chojolán’s North American speaking tour, which includes events in Toronto, London (ON), Ottawa, Montreal, and Los Angeles . Our Guatemalan partner, Jorge, is the founder and director of the Asturias Academy, a progressive K-12 school that offers education for students from low-income and indigenous families. The speaking events will focus on education reform, leadership, indigenous issues, libraries and literacy in Guatemala and take place from Nov. 11-29, 2012. For more information on specific cities: http://tinyurl.com/968mmms.

An overextended and underfunded school system has failed to meet the educational needs of Guatemalans, especially the indigenous population, which has a 65 per cent rate of illiteracy. Jorge has spent his life committed to improving access to education for low income and indigenous families in Guatemala and has created an alternative school system designed to spur improvements in education throughout the country. The Ashoka Foundation recognized the impact of his social entrepreneurship with a prestigious fellowship.

Since 2009, Librarians Without Borders has worked with Jorge and the Asturias Academy to promote literacy and libraries in Guatemala. Through many hours of fundraising, planning and hard work, Asturias was able to open a community library to students and their families in January 2011.

Tour Dates
Toronto, ON Nov. 12 and 13 • London, ON Nov. 14 • Ottawa, ON Nov. 16 • Montreal, QC Nov.19 and 20 •
Los Angeles, CA Nov. 29

About Librarians Without Borders
Librarians Without Borders (LWB) is a non-profit organization that strives to improve access to information resources regardless of language, geography, or religion, by forming partnerships with community organizations in developing regions. We believe libraries have a fundamental role as defenders of intellectual freedom and providers of equal access to information.
Access to information is vital in supporting learning and literacy, reducing poverty, empowering citizens, and building healthy, strong communities.

For more information
Melanie Sellar and Mark Gelsomino
Co-Executive Directors,
Librarians Without Borders
exec@lwb-online.org
310-303-7303 or 613-863-5450
Carla Wintersgill
Communications Specialist,
Librarians Without Borders
carla.wintersgill@lwb-online.org
416-574-4632

Back in July I posted an article titled Naked Librarianship. The article got such positive feedback, I thought I would repost it here. For your reading enjoyment:

I recently read Patrick Lencioni’s Getting Naked: A Business Fable About Shedding the Three Fears That Sabotage Client Loyalty. Lencioni is the author of numerous books. Many of those books rely on a fictionalized story or fable to make business, management and leadership models or concept clearer.

Getting Naked, is a fable about two different strategies in the consulting industry. It is really a great book, and I suggest you read it. But I want to briefly discuss the Naked model. The Naked model is really about offering exception client (patron) services. At its core, Naked service boils down to the ability of a service provider to be vulnerable–to embrace uncommon levels of humility, selflessness, and transparency for the good of a client. Client loyalty and trust are achieved by overcoming the following three fears:

1. Fear of losing the business
2. Fear of being embarrassed
3. Fear of feeling inferior

This model is totally applicable to libraries. So let’s see what Naked Librarianship might look like (note I am taking a very abridged approach to this model)

Fear of losing the business has a few remedies.

The first solution is to consult instead of sell. Libraries have been striving for this for some time. But I think it’s interesting when we see ourselves as a research, book, information, or life consultant.

The second solution entails giving away the business. In this solution we are called to always err on the side of the client when it comes to fees. How many times do arguments erupt at the circulation desk over a $1 or $2 fine? What is the impact of this fight on the patron? How are other patrons in the library impacted? Is this really necessary?

Fear of being embarrassed

Ask dumb questions is one way of overcoming the fear of being embarrassed. How many times do we engage in a reference transaction when someone refers to or asks about something we have never heard of? What do we do? I, for one, will quickly jump on the Internet to just figure out what ever the topic is. Why don’t I just ask the patron instead? I know that I have certainly made myself look smart by quickly researching and talking about a concept a patron asks about and in the process I make them feel stupid. If a patron asks me how to adjust an onboard serial port in bios, I might ask them what bios is?

Celebrate your mistakes is one of my favorite embarrassment solutions. I believe that every library should throw a failure party to celebrate the risks and lessons learned through mistakes. It is a way for a library to acknowledge the giant elephant in the room, and to insist that perfection and innovation are simply mutually exclusive.

Fear of feeling inferior

Make everything about the client (patron) is a simple and obvious tactic. Naked librarianship focuses attention on the person we are serving. This means no multitasking while helping someone. Moreover, you always defer the credit to the person you are helping. For example, if you two are looking for the next Fifty Shades of Grey and you both find it together you give the credit to the patron.

Do the dirty work is another remedy to the fear of feeling inferior. This might be difficult for naked librarians. When helping a patron, there is virtually nothing beneath you. Demonstrate your dedication to the patron by doing whatever it takes to make them happy (yes, of course there are limitations). If a patron wants you to print something for them, just do it. It will save the time of both of you if you argue and try to teach them how to use your crappy computer reservation and print release station.

In the preceding paragraphs, I boiled a complex model down to a quick couple of bullet points. If any of this interests you, I suggest you read the book. More importantly, I hope that you see how some of these fears affect you and limit the service that you provide. Getting naked really deals with being vulnerable, but in most cases, your patron demonstrated vulnerability first by asking you for help.

May you realize that it’s ok to be vulnerable. May you embrace uncommon levels of humility, selflessness, and transparency for the good of your patron, and may you strip off the layers separating you from providing exceptional service. May you offer naked library services.

As many of you know, ILEAD U has been a life changing experience for me and many librarians.  I wanted to let you know that ILEAD U has gone national and you may be able to get in on the action.  Here is a blurb from their most recent email.

ILEAD USA Applications Available-“National Day of Application” November 1 The State Library continues its preparations to host ILEAD USA (Innovative Librarians Explore, Apply and Discover): The 21st Century Technology and Leadership Skills Institute for the States. This continuing education initiative will be held at the University of Illinois Springfield on March 25-28, June 17-20 and October 21-24, 2013.  Our partner states in ILEAD USA are Colorado, Iowa, Ohio and Utah.

We are accepting applications until December 14th for mentors, instructors, and participants for ILEAD USA.  ILEAD USA is a competitive, application-only program.  Please consider applying for one of the three components at   http://www.webjunction.org/partners/illinois/il-programs/ileadusa.html.  Applications are currently being accepted for Illinois, Ohio and Utah, and will be available shortly for Colorado and Iowa.

A “National Day of Application” will be held November 1 featuring a live Webinar from 10 a.m. to 12 noon CST.  During the Webinar ILEAD USA project directors will answer any questions about how to complete the ILEAD USA application.

Registration is encouraged but not required to take part in the “National Day of Application” Webinar.  Register at http://www.librarylearning.info/events/?eventID=14432.    The live Webinar will take place at http://isl.adobeconnect.com/r15io28cfo0/.  Log in as a guest with your name and state.  No password is needed.  If you wish to test the system prior to November 1, please contact Debra Aggertt at daggertt@ilsos.net or 217-558-1945.

If you do not have an audio connection via your computer for November 1, you may participate via conference call. Please call this conference call number:  888-494-4032,  Access Code: 3886075450.

ILEAD USA is made possible by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant awarded to the State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Contact Gwen Harrison at gharrison@ilsos.net (217-785-7334) or Debra Aggertt at daggertt@ilsos.net (217-558-1945) if you have questions.