Comments on: In praise of small things http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/ It is and we do. Musing, enthusing, libraries, emerging technologies, balancing, being mum. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:43:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Walt Crawford http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1450 Walt Crawford Wed, 25 Apr 2007 01:01:23 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1450 Well, the new "Making it Work" section in Cites & Insights isn't specifically about celebrating small successes--but I am a great believer in small successes. I don't know about avalanches; maybe I'm not one to believe that avalanches are what we need. I believe small successes can become continual improvement--and that, to me, is a lot more important than avalanches or revolutionary change. Anyway, thanks for the mention. Maybe my response to "administrators who can't see the value of Library 2.0" is that you shouldn't try to sell the (amorphous, ill-defined) package. Sell one small piece with one fairly clear benefit. Then another small piece with a related benefit. Then show how they fit together (do they?) and how patrons respond (do they?). And it all starts to add up. Well, the new “Making it Work” section in Cites & Insights isn’t specifically about celebrating small successes–but I am a great believer in small successes. I don’t know about avalanches; maybe I’m not one to believe that avalanches are what we need. I believe small successes can become continual improvement–and that, to me, is a lot more important than avalanches or revolutionary change.

Anyway, thanks for the mention. Maybe my response to “administrators who can’t see the value of Library 2.0″ is that you shouldn’t try to sell the (amorphous, ill-defined) package. Sell one small piece with one fairly clear benefit. Then another small piece with a related benefit. Then show how they fit together (do they?) and how patrons respond (do they?). And it all starts to add up.

]]> By: Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1440 Kathryn Greenhill Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:25:58 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1440 Janice. and Aaaa-men. That's why I think it's so important for us to sing to the choir sometimes and for librarians who have small successes to share them. So we can keep on being enthusiastic and know that in some library out there, someone is implementing what we'd like to do, and that their action is bringing our library that bit closer. Janice. and Aaaa-men. That’s why I think it’s so important for us to sing to the choir sometimes and for librarians who have small successes to share them. So we can keep on being enthusiastic and know that in some library out there, someone is implementing what we’d like to do, and that their action is bringing our library that bit closer.

]]> By: Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1439 Kathryn Greenhill Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:20:58 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1439 Matthias. I think it's even harder for a new grad, even someone with your tech background, as you don't have the years of experience to give you "tradlib cred". You can be easily dismissed as an eager puppy who really has no idea - which would be sooooo frustrating when you probably see the gaps in service more clearly because you haven't been working around them for years. Do your small projects sometimes feel like you are building not only credibility for the tool, but for yourself as a professional also? I guess it happens for all of us, but even your little projects would have more riding on it personally, I'd imagine? Keep on hacking away with the A4. Matthias. I think it’s even harder for a new grad, even someone with your tech background, as you don’t have the years of experience to give you “tradlib cred”. You can be easily dismissed as an eager puppy who really has no idea – which would be sooooo frustrating when you probably see the gaps in service more clearly because you haven’t been working around them for years.

Do your small projects sometimes feel like you are building not only credibility for the tool, but for yourself as a professional also? I guess it happens for all of us, but even your little projects would have more riding on it personally, I’d imagine? Keep on hacking away with the A4.

]]> By: Janice http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1429 Janice Tue, 24 Apr 2007 05:02:52 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1429 Hi Kathryn, Hallelujah! You speak what I would like to say... it is so difficult to infect others with my enthusiasm and unshakable belief that these "small successes" can lead to something big (like an avalanche!). Hi Kathryn,

Hallelujah! You speak what I would like to say… it is so difficult to infect others with my enthusiasm and unshakable belief that these “small successes” can lead to something big (like an avalanche!).

]]> By: matthias http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1428 matthias Tue, 24 Apr 2007 04:59:34 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1428 When I first started my library career (a little over a year ago), I kept on telling people about "big" things that we should do. Everyone smiled, nodded and continued doing exactly what they were doing already. I then started coming up with little ideas to improve the library experience for staff and clients, and they seem to have had a bigger impact. Death by a thousand paper cuts! Also, hello Kathryn! I didn't even notice your comment on my somewhat neglected blog until today. When I first started my library career (a little over a year ago), I kept on telling people about “big” things that we should do. Everyone smiled, nodded and continued doing exactly what they were doing already.

I then started coming up with little ideas to improve the library experience for staff and clients, and they seem to have had a bigger impact.

Death by a thousand paper cuts!

Also, hello Kathryn! I didn’t even notice your comment on my somewhat neglected blog until today.

]]> By: Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1401 Kathryn Greenhill Mon, 23 Apr 2007 01:56:28 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1401 Hi Helene. You were the guru, so borrow away. Auuuuummmmm. Hi Helene. You were the guru, so borrow away. Auuuuummmmm.

]]> By: Helene Blowers http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1398 Helene Blowers Mon, 23 Apr 2007 00:55:47 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1398 I love that new mantra! Can I borrow it too? :) I love that new mantra! Can I borrow it too? :)

]]> By: Kathryn Greenhill http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1392 Kathryn Greenhill Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:48:51 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1392 Yes, and as we know, babies grow into running and leaping adults. You're right about celebration. This is so important, along with publicising those successes. Yes, and as we know, babies grow into running and leaping adults. You’re right about celebration. This is so important, along with publicising those successes.

]]> By: Elizabeth Swift http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/comment-page-1/#comment-1391 Elizabeth Swift Sun, 22 Apr 2007 16:16:56 +0000 http://librariansmatter.com/blog/2007/04/22/in-praise-of-small-things/#comment-1391 Where I work, I call it "baby steps". I try to celebrate every move forward no matter how small. These small successes build momentum. Where I work, I call it “baby steps”. I try to celebrate every move forward no matter how small. These small successes build momentum.

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