My Thoughts And Comments After Attending PLMI 2013

I am glad to say that I enjoyed my overall experience at the first year of the three year Public Library Management Institute.  Our fearless leader certainly knew her material,  articulated  it in a manner that everyone could understand, chose motivational speakers, and definitely kept our attention and tried to keep us on our toes!  Generally speaking, I learned that safety should be a main concern of a library and that the second most important thing is having a vision for your library.  The fire department will soon visit our library to implement a plan in case of an emergency.  As far as vision, I have had a vision to expand our library since I was first asked to take this position.  I believe my personal decision-making skills, time-management skills, customer-service skills, and leadership skills are the things that help me be a good librarian.  The empathy I try to  have for others is a real necessity in my position.  If I didn't have that, if I didn't care about people, I would not be inclined to continue in the library.  To me the library is about people.  Attending the PLMP is giving me encouragement and specific information that I need to be the best I can be and although I was way out of my comfort zone - I survived!

Of course I do want to learn new skills, but social media is not my primary interest.  Learning to work with my city board of commissioners to achieve what is best for the citizens and for the town is my primary interest.  I want to see this library expand in order to help meet more needs of more people, and have space for better programing.  I have attended every County Library Board Meeting since I have accepted this position, with the exception of one meeting.  I have given my Library Report at every meeting.  I have attended Ocoee River Regional meetings and have tried to learn all that I can.  One thing I learned at Public Library Management Institute, however, is that I should also be attending our city meetings, which I have never done.  I guess I thought it was not necessary as long as my commissioner gave my report (I do turn in a library report to the city).  I have made a decision to attend at least one city meeting per quarter - if not every month!  I have realized that my presence will be important and that I will be gifting my city with my presence, after all, they give me my check, they hired me, and they are the elected officials in this town!  I also have been challenged to have more of a marketing presence in the community, although we are a small community - there are places I need to be, meetings, etc., businesses, and people I need to be talking to.  Just today,  (my good news is that I am effecting change) I have set up one day per month which happens to be the first Tuesday, for a dependable volunteer to run the library!  This will free me up to catch up on reports, shop for supplies, or just take a break away from the front desk.  I do not have a staff (yet) so I do it all!  I have been motivated to try to delegate a little better instead of thinking I am indispensable!  I am not!  Another bit of news is that, as of today, I have a Tech Planning Committee in place, a first for this library.  I also received an email from our County Library Board Chairman letting me know that our allocation of money from the county has almost tripled due to the board changing the formula!  I am so excited!  Could all this be a direct result of PLMI?  It amazes me at the timing of all this.  At any rate, I'm glad I attended, and yes, I am encouraged to be the best library director I can be - after all - that's why I chose to apply for the Public Library Management Program.