Blog June Post 9 - Libraries Community Builders

This morning I shared this article on my other jobs FB page.  My other job is marking library student assessments for TAFE.  So I shared the article with students.

Along with the article, I asked the students this: Discussion about public libraries often leads to phrases like community hub etc. Do you think the same applies in academic, special, and school libraries?

The students must be busy people because as yet there have been no replies.  However, I am open for those reading my blog to discuss and perhaps share a comment on FB, twitter or here on the blog comments.

When I used to work in academic libraries, pre-child, the campus was my community.  My coworkers were my community.  Those that used the library were my community.  I put this down to the campus being the main place I was spending my time.

Yes I would do my shopping etc outside of the campus, back in the suburb I lived in.  But I never felt the suburb was my community until I had my daughter, went on maternity leave and started spending more time in my suburb.  I stared interacting with more than the check out person at the grocery store.  I attended the community nurse sessions, baby rhyme time, mother's group and the list goes on.  Suddenly, I was interacting, meeting and becoming friends with people who lived in my own suburb!!  In my community!!

This brings me back to the original question - do academic, special and school libraries build communities?  Or have their own communities?

They all provide spaces for people to gather.  They provide different programs for people to attend as groups or individuals.  But do they build communities and if so what sort of communities?

I will leave this open for some discussion (I hope)!

Today's mantra: Your body deserves the best

In my case lately, my body has been having the best chocolate!! 8-)

Small changes can make a big difference. #blogjune #3

Today's mantra: Small changes can make a big difference.

For me, small changes made a 15kg difference in 12 months.  No dieting for me, just conscientious decisions.  I don't believe in denying myself, however, I will limit myself, except when it comes to M&M's.  Although, I have managed to restrain myself to smaller serving sizes and still maintain the same level of satisfaction.

While some may see my increase in exercise and obsession with running a big change, for me it was minimal.  Really at the beginning I saw it as major change - getting up earlier, putting myself out of my comfort zone physically and mentally, and ensuring I don't cross that line that I have previously blogged about. But really it wasn't that hard and not such a big change after all.  It is now part of my lifestyle!

At work, small changes can make a big difference too - it's all in the way you present your collection.  Having books on display, changing things around in little ways - using a book spinner to display stock that doesn't usually move.  People see a new piece of furniture and wonder why the books are there - are they new books or something special?!?

Making an effort to remember people's names - yes small changes can make a big difference.  At first they were just coming into the library to get some books, but then the staff member addressed them by name and asked them something about what they had told them the last visit and a smile breaks out and it becomes more than a staff/client relationship - it becomes a caring one!  Yes, small changes can make a big difference!

So what small change have you made that made a big difference?  Or even better, what small changes you want to make will make a big difference??