This is the 2013 series premiere of Technology and the Arts, a webcast exploring the connections between technology and art. Co-hosts Brian Kelley and John LeMasney discuss Arduino, Raspberry Pi and a study on how technology can be used to teach young people about creating art. For more information, visit http://technologyandthearts.com.
I have recently had some discussions with people considering co-working spaces and thought immediately of how many times I’ve used the library for this purpose. Thanks to Janie Hermann for the idea to make a quick graphic on it. Libraries have community, technology infrastructure, comfort, services, facilities and amenities. If you have a cafe there, extra points. 🙂
Today, I did one of my favorite consulting tasks: library technology assessment. I sat down as part of a team with the administrative and technology staff of a New Jersey library system to help them to find out where they’ve been, where they are, and where they want to go with technology in the next two years. It’s a fun discussion, especially after we get past the point of discovery and move to solutions.
We begin by asking about what it is that they hear is missing or insufficient from patrons. In this particular case, we learned that the public use computer systems needed updates and renewal, the printing and copying system was less than ideal, and that the web site needed to move from one engine to another. Noting those, we moved on to a structured list of discovery items, such as asking about the speed, price, and coverage of wireless access. We learned that the phone systems were sufficient and reliable, but that better methods of communication, such as those found in unified messaging systems and intranets might be a great addition to supplement phones.
We talked a lot about social networking and communication and how to use them more effectively to support and inform stakeholders of new systems, updates, and programming. We talked about internal development and training to support external development and training. We discussed a lot of things, discovered a lot of truths, and began to develop new plans for forward movement. We discovered a lot of points for discussion aligning with 20 points of technology assessment, with many short-term, intermediate, and long-term solutions. I often get a little charge out of explaining how easily the issues at the top of the list of patron feedback and needs are going to be met, how the awareness is the toughest part.
Many libraries have not had this discussion, and some have never had the discussion. Those who have are taking part in the conversation about the ways that libraries are changing, moving from being media distribution points to development centers, community life and work spaces, and collaborative, making, and incubator spaces.
Libraries that are thriving are meeting new and different needs than they were 5 years ago. They are creating comfortable, enabling, rich work spaces for people to grow in the ways that they wish to. People want to meet, develop themselves, organize, and extend themselves, and the best libraries today are helping them. Books and movies are a part of it, but just a part. Decreases in physical media circulation is being countered by an increase in foot traffic, participation in programming, increases in digital circulation, and increases in specialized meeting services, co-working, and knowledge sharing. I wonder what the conversation would be like with your library?
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A few colleagues have learned that I always offer my first hour of consulting with a new client for free, and have given me lots of advice:
The reasons that I give my first hour of consulting for free to new clients considers these and many other issues. I’ll discuss them here.
I may only get one hour out of a client, but if that’s the case, I was not likely going to get a lot of business out of them anyway, and they are likely to speak well on my behalf to their friends and colleagues if it goes well. If even one referral comes from any client, it is at least worth an hour of my time.
I have spent many hours volunteering my time doing my consulting, presentation, and training work, and it has come back to me a thousand times over in referrals, new paying work, experience, and good-faith networking. Volunteering also happens to bring me joy and happiness,all by itself. I am focusing more now on paying work these days, but I will never regret the volunteer hours I have put in.
I welcome people to take advantage of me, or try to. I think that if someone sits with me and sees what I have to offer them, I can make an impression that makes them think of me the next time they need graphic design, technology support, a presenter, a media consultation, etc.
Perhaps the most important reason for the first-hour-free clause is that I may not wish to continue to work with someone after hour one, and they may not wish to work with me. Everyone has their philosophies, concepts, experiences, and values, and they may sometimes make for uncomfortable partnerships. I’d rather not have to ask for money from someone who does not wish to work with me, and I’d rather not take money from someone who I’d rather not work with. It’s more important that we be able to amicably walk away, saying “I’m sure you will find success, thanks so much for your time!” with smiles on our face, cheer in our heart, and money safely remaining where it was.
This philosophy also acts as a standing discount on the remainder of our work together, meaning that if I work with someone for two hours, it’s as though they had a 50% off coupon.
So if you are wondering if I can help you, remember that you can find out for free, no strings attached, for the first hour that we work together. I promise.
Richard Stallman, a professor at MIT, and a personal hero of mine, is a curmudgeon. He is the father of the Free Software movement, and a personal inspiration in his steadfastness in keeping the idea of free software alive, very specifically separating the ideas of Free (Libre) Software and Open Source Software, which he opposes. I approached him once when he spoke at Trenton Computer Festival, and it was the most brief of encounters. I came up to him at lunch, the only time I saw him outside of his speaking engagement, and he said simply, without really looking at me, “I don’t think I can do this right now.” I said, “thank you for all you do”. He looked at me, nodded, and went back to his salad. Even though this meeting was a bit of a disappointment, his speech was certainly not. He was in rare form, highly political, and just a bit offensive, in the most delightful way. Thanks for all you do, Richard. I appreciate it.
free software, Richard Stallman, lemasney, Inkscape, design, face, text, sketch, face in text, libre
I live in a tiny studio apartment. I mean, really tiny. For the last year or so, after a major life change, I lived minimally, with a few tables, chairs, and mattresses, and have gotten some pretty honest feedback about it from many of the people who I love, and who love me.
My response is that you do what you can with what you have. But now, after having some stability in various areas of my life, such as emotional, nutritional, and spiritual, I’m ready to make my space more like me. Where does one get the various items to do this, you might ask? My answer: Ikea USA.
I’m excited about the prospect of these items bringing together the space in a sensibly cohesive way, and even more excited about not hearing my living space referred to as the crack den or a dorm room.
tags: ikea, floor, plan, floorplan, studio, apartment, sleep, live, life, lemasney, 365, open source, Inkscape
We’re back…August 5!
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