By now, most of you get the change thing. You understand that the need for change is a constant one and that if you don't change, the Library will become outdated and loose relevancy in peoples lives. You get that.
This morning, on my way to get my haircut, I passed by the library in the picture above.(click the image for a larger size) That was my childhood library. This is where I received my first library card and did research for school projects. Obviously, it is closed now. I wasn't here when it closed, so I am not sure as to why, but I can guess that budgetary reasons closed this branch. I remember Kelly Pepo telling the story about the Edgewater branch was going to be closed and how the community protested and convinced the Library Board to keep it open. Why didn't that happen here? Why wasn't this branch seen as being so vital to the community that it would be devastating to loose it?
Change is difficult and not easily done. An organization needs leaders that have the vision to see the end results even when chaos is happening. Employees have to have trust that the direction they are going is the right one. There are benefits for not changing. Looking at the image, one could say that the staff of this branch don't have to learn about new technology, or deal with smelly restrooms on the first floor, or get frustrated or worried over new policies or procedures. The former patrons now have the opportunity to travel to other communities for their library needs. Maybe even go to the Main branch downtown. Its nice to get out of the house, espcially in the winter when there is five feet of snow on the ground... ;)
Enjoy your relevance, embrace the changes and avoid the For Sale signs.
