Wednesday, October 26, 2005

32 Tips to Inspire Innovation for You and Your Library (Parts 2 & 3)

Back in July, I noted that Steve Abram had published the first installment of 32 Tips to Inspire Innovation for You and Your Library. Since then, he has published that last two installments. There is something in these for everyone. For example:
I find that it pays to remind myself that I am not trying to create products and services for mini-librarians - and that this is a poor goal in the first place. I need to understand the user's context and needs and not project my own onto them. For instance, it is likely that the end-user doesn'’t actually want "“information"” but, more likely, wants to be informed, entertained, taught, and/or transformed in some manner. Libraries are great environments for that.
Or...
Ask the three magic questions:
  • What keeps you awake at night?
  • If you could solve only one problem at work, what would it be?
  • If you could change one thing and one thing only, what would it be?
Or...
Bring management on board first.
Or...
Cheap is expensive.
Part 2 was published in the September Sirsi Newsletter and Part 3 was published in October.

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