From Transactions to Transformations, MD Libraries 2014
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This document discusses shifting from a transactional to a transformational mindset in libraries. It provides examples of how libraries describe themselves in transactional terms, such as providing resources, versus transformational terms focused on empowering communities. The document advocates challenging existing mental models and using questions to minimize risk and expand thinking. It contrasts finite and infinite models of power, and suggests developing ideas that could transform library programs and services. Participants were asked to share and develop their own ideas on a wiki portal.
From Transactions to Transformations, MD Libraries 2014
- 1. From Transactions to Transformations: how shifting our mental models moves us forward faster This project made possible with funding by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, through the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library Development and Services and Western Maryland Regional Library Maryland Libraries May 2014 Gail Griffith
- 2. Peter Senge: The Fifth Discipline—The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization
- 5. Give an example of customer service
- 6. While we’re talking about customer service…. • How does your willingness to consider your mental models shape the kind of customer service you offer? Programs Fees Borrowing limits What else?
- 11. Transactions “…provision of open access to cultural, intellectual, and informational resources” —Evanston, IL Public Library
- 12. “ an icon of transformation for GU, empowering its communities to surpass their own aspirations and to have a global impact” -- Georgetown University Transformations
- 13. Transactions “…provision of open access to cultural, intellectual, and informational resources” —Evanston, IL Public Library “ an icon of transformation for GU, empowering its communities to surpass their own aspirations and to have a global impact” -- Georgetown University Transformations
- 15. Transactions “…provision of open access to cultural, intellectual, and informational resources” —Evanston, IL Public Library “ an icon of transformation for GU, empowering its communities to surpass their own aspirations and to have a global impact” -- Georgetown University Transformations
- 17. Build a Transformational Library #1: Components Parts of the concept #2: Characteristics Features associated with the concept #3: Challenges Obstacles associated with the concept #4: Characters People associated with the concept
- 18. Challenging a Mental Model
- 19. Using Questions to Minimize Risk • Outside the Center Thinking and Transformational Questions
- 20. Mental Models of Power Finite • Scarcity • Winners and losers, zero-sum game • Differences are used to determine winners and losers • Play within the rules • Partnerships and influence are temporary and limited • Life and death struggles Infinite • Abundance • All depend on the well-being of the players and their other relationships • Differences are valued • Play with and outside the rules • Partnerships are safe, stable, diverse, unlimited • Growth and learning are primary goals Michael Broom
- 21. One Idea • Individually—think and write it down on a card • One idea to expand our mental models of library programs and services • Small is OK! Focus on something you could actually do! • Can be something to help transform programs, services, self, colleagues, other? • Example of ‘creating community’ • When asked, take your card and a pencil to another place in the room • Share your idea with someone you don’t work with, and write theirs down • Bring both ideas back to your table group
- 22. Follow-up • Develop an idea (can be small, medium, or large) that you’ll share on our project wiki It can be one from the last exercise. • We’ll send you an email so you can go to the wiki and login • http://mentalmodels.pbworks.com • Goal = develop a portfolio of ideas that will expand mental models of library programs and services, shared statewide • Online follow-up over the summer to share what’s happening • We’ll send you a registration link with choices of dates and times
Editor's Notes
- #2: This project made possible with funding by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, through the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library and Development Services and Western Maryland Regional Library
- #8: What about transformation? Is it something like what happens to a caterpillar?
- #9: Or maybe you have a different mental model? Maybe it’s what happens when a princess kisses a frog…or maybe it’s what happens to Zach Braff in this picture?
- #10: It might be more like this—because you have all been very involved and very committed to seeing that our libraries are sustainable—that you continue to rebuild and reinvent services that respond to the changes in your environment. My own mental model is a little more like this one—and it has certainly been influenced by my experience of working with libraries around the country AND especially in Maryland--where Irene and her staff have demonstrated a long-term commitment to supporting the kinds of leadership and innovation we need in order to keep moving forward
- #11: Bottom 4 are Foundation/Challenges—Deficiency Needs Top 4 are Expert/Dreams—Growth Needs
- #12: Again, our goal is to surface what happens when our mental models line up with one of these models—we’re not saying that one should replace the other….
- #13: Again, our goal is to surface what happens when our mental models line up with one of these models—we’re not saying that one should replace the other….
- #14: Looking back at the functions you worked with earlier---where might they fall? How can you tell? What might you do to move the library further into the transformational circle in the Venn diagram (or to make the circles overlap more?) Can ask them what kinds of transformations (on what levels) are most likely to occur in the function they chose…is it up to the person to transform? How will they know their organization or their communities are transforming in a positive way? Do staff need to transform in some way in order to make it happen?
- #15: Our not-so-hidden agenda is to help people do work that is both transactional and transformational—to help them align their work to release creative energy, to help us create more advocates who have experienced the transformational power of libraries because of our work.
- #16: Again, our goal is to surface what happens when our mental models line up with one of these models—we’re not saying that one should replace the other….
- #17: Give them this to think about over lunch.
- #19: Whole idea of mental models is to barbecue the sacred cows. Funny thing about those—most people are unaware of their own. And sometimes they become part of an organization’s culture because of something that happened 20 or 30 years ago—not even relevant to the people tending them today!
- #20: Take the dangerous question you created at your table. Work in pairs. One person asks the question, the other rejects it using a statement from inside the center. Come up with a question from outside the center—how was the fit? What happened?
- #23: Example: if library creates or strengthens community, may begin every program by asking people to meet those sitting next to them and share what brought them here (Delaware) Recognizing that transformations occur on individual, organizational, community levels…