43 Things: The Library Edition

1
43 Things The Library Edition

• Why is this presentation called 43 Things?
• It's based on the popular social networking site,
  43 Things, where users create accounts and then
  share lists of goals and hopes.
• Its the first prime number after 42, which we
  all know is the Ultimate Answer to the Great
  Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.
• In the parlance of Getting Things Done, a Tickler
  File consists of a series of 43 file folders 12
  monthly and 31 daily folders.
• Plus, 43 is just the right number of ideas for a
  one-hour session at Tri-Conference.

2
Whats the point?

• People have known for years that making a list of
  goals is the best way to achieve them. But most
  of us never get around to making a list.
• You can use the ideas you hear today to inspire
  your own 43 Things. Or, set up your own goals
  from scratch. Either way, the intent is to
  stimulate action!

3
1

• Create a Flickr account and upload some photos.

4
2

• Read a graphic novel, cover to cover.

5
3

• Visit Second Life.

6
4

• Visit a library (not your own) and act like a
  patron.

7
5

• Start using an aggregator such as Bloglines for
  RSS feeds.

8
6

• Download and play with a browser other than
  Internet Explorer.

9
7

• Read your collection development policy. Do you
  have one?
• Kansas City (MO) Public Library's Policy
• Lawrence Public Library Policy

10
8

• Throw away some magazines/books youve had in
  storage.

11
9

• Weed your print reference collectionruthlessly.

12
10

• Request an item using your librarys OPAC.
• Follett Web Catalog

13
11

• Offer notary service at your library.

14
12

• Clean and dust your computer keyboard(s).

15
13

• Call your library on the telephone.

16
14

• Go into the mens room (or ladies room) at your
  library.

17
15

• Download an audio book.
• Free Digital Audio Books, Digital Music

18
16

• Find and request an item on WorldCat.
• WorldCat via SLK First Search

19
17

• Edit an entry on Wikipedia.

20
18

• Download Picasa and organize your photos.

21
19

• Take down two unnecessary signs at your library.

22
20

• Find a library account on MySpace .

23
21

• Add a book in LibraryThing.

24
22

• Subscribe to a library-related blog.
• The Goblin in the Library - Joshua Neff
• librarian.net - Jessamyn West
• Tame the Web - Michael Stephens
• The Annoyed Librarian

25
23

• Watch a video on YouTube.

26
24

• Help someone learn to use a mouse (use a
  tutorial).
• Mouserobics
• Mouse Exercises at SeniorNet

27
25

• Fly to Tokyo with Google Earth.

28
26

• Explore the State Library of Kansas web site.

29
27

• Tell your childrens librarians how important
  they are.
• Ive often thought (and Im sure Im not alone)
  that the future of libraries rest in the hands of
  our childrens librarians. Its actually quite
  poignant how that army of burden has been routed
  to a group of librarians who probably never
  considered that they would be given that kind of
  responsibility.
• John Blyberg 3/19/07

30
28

• Let patrons bring food and drink into your
  library.

31
29

• Visit and explore WebJunction Kansas.

32
30

• Participate in a National Library Week (April
  15-21) activity.

33
31

• Start a New Technology Committee at your library.
  
• Highlands Regional Library (NJ) Cooperative HRLC
  Technology Committee
• Automation Information Technology Committee
  (NY)
• PLCMC (NC) Emerging Technology Committee
• Wisconsin Library Information Technology Advisory
  Committee
• The Library Network Technology Committee
• NEKLS New Technology Committee

34
32

• Invite your mayor or city council to meet
• your library.

35
33

• Register for a library teleconference.

36
34

• Go wireless in your library.
• I want to make the case for the benefits of
  having a wifi blanket, by which I mean,
  loosely, making wireless Internet connectivity so
  common that we can rely on it being available
  just about anywhere we are in this country.
• David Weinberger

37
35

• Start a book club.
• Morrill Public Library, Hiawatha
• Louisburg Library
• Lawrence Public Library online book clubs

38
36

• Start a special collection (cake pans, fishing
  rods) at your library.

Osage Citys cake pans
Coffey Countys fishing rods
39
37

• Provide voter education resources at your
  library.
• Libraries Lead the Way for Voter Registration
  Services
• Using WordPress to set up voter info blogs
• Voter information blogs
• League of Women Voters
• Guide to Voting in Kansas

40
38

• Hold a Geek Out, Dont Freak Out (Andrea
  Mercado) session at your library.

Ed Jean explore their digital camera at Reading
Public Library.
41
39

• Go to (or start) a regional library meeting.

fundraising patron behavior issues
collection development board relations
staffing technology concerns programming
community partnerships scheduling staff
morale
42
40

• Listen to a podcast or watch a video podcast.

LibraryPods
43
41

• Make a Staff Recommends display in your
  library.

A popular activity in the library is Student
Picks. Students pick their favorite books and put
them on display in the library. A banner
distinguishes them as a great read!
We have a permanent Staff Picks display at our
branch. What I did is type up people's comments,
so they could be printed out as a little card.
44
42

• Use plain English signs for your non-fiction
  collection.

45
43

• Pilot a public access computer management system
  such as LibraryMetricks.

46
Thank you!

• Mickey Coalwell
• Library Development Consultant
• Northeast Kansas Library System (NEKLS)
• mcoalwell_at_nekls.org
• This presentation is available from the NEKLS
  website, www.nekls.org