The Big Question; Books on bulletin boards / displays

News June 22, 2007 (mp3 file: 5 MB, 5:21 min.)
The Big Question; books on bulletin boards and other library displays

I ran across a reference to “The Ultimate Question” in a library blog a couple of weeks ago. The blog author had, in turn, heard about “the ultimate question” from somewhere else (OCLC’s NextSpace) The ultimate question: Would you recommend us to a friend?" (And she added a second question—If not, why not?) Well, I thought, that’s a great question and one that begs to be asked in libraries. We think—hope—that the answer would be a resounding ”Yes!” but wouldn’t we perhaps learn some valuable things should anyone’s answer be “no?” It does get at the heart of what we want to know about our service.

To be honest, I had to go in search of that blog because I’m a good librarian and needed to have a citation. I Googled it. (We all use Google—we know how to use it well and evaluate the results; besides, with a Google data center moving to town I thought it appropriate.) That search failed, not because of Google but because I looked for the big question, not the ultimate question—and I didn’t learn that until the search failed and I scrounged around my notes and found the citation. ( I had been a good librarian, after all.) Still, I got interesting results, even with the wrong keyword. Traveling down a different but parallel track I found some other “Big questions,” not necessarily related to libraries in this context, but many would be interesting questions for libraries to ask.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul Star-Tribune online has a column called “The Big Question,” and the particular column I found was entitled: “What I stand for in 2 words.” The subject was political but wouldn’t asking that question cause us to give some serious thought about what libraries stand for.? Could we do it in 2 words? All right, if that’s too restrictive, what about 4 or 5 words? (For example, I have a sign above my computer that reminds me: “Grow or go.” In my work, family and friends life I attempt to also go by “Be there.”) What would your 2 words be, as a librarian, as a person, and then what would 2 words be for your library? Ask you trustees. It might make for some interesting discussion and insights.

The Delicious Blog had an interesting concept around the Big Question. It simply asked, “Got big questions? Ask ‘em” and then let readers ask their questions in the comments of the blog. How would that work on a library’s blog?

Stephen Abram of Sirsi-Dynix asks Five Big Questions to Drive Strategic Thinking. But you could choose any one of the five to ponder. My favorite is # 4: “Are we automating for the real future? Or are we just automating 19th and 20th century processes? “ I’m going to be asking that about SWILSA and what we do.

Maybe you have your own “big question.” I’d love to hear what it is! -Karen

Blog posts mentioned in today's podcast:
The Ultimate Question” in a library blog (Library Garden)
OCLC’s NextSpace
“What I stand for in 2 words.” (Minneapolis/St. Paul Star Tribune's "Big Question")
The Delicious Blog: “Got big questions? Ask ‘em”
Five Big Questions to Drive Strategic Thinking (Stephen Abram, Sirsi-Dynix)

Books reviewed by Marcia:
Simply super bulletin boards, by Amy Vangsgard. Alleyside Press, c1997.
Off the wall" the art of book display, by Alan Heath
Back to Books: 2000 library activities to encourage reading, by Karen K. Marshall
Publicity and display ideas for books, by Linda Campbell Franklin.