Blind Spot

We were watching Grey's Anatomy last week. The show centered around the theme of blind spots. Not the actual blind spot, but things that we can't see or that we refuse to see.

I was thinking about what kind of blind spots that libraries have.

I have been keeping up with a lot of different blogs about libraries and they seem to fall into three camps:
1. The Library Mavens--they push the edge of what libraries can and should be doing,
2. The bloggers that report on what the Mavens are writing about and doing and
3. The bloggers that are complaining about their jobs or libraries.

Some of my favorite library blogs are in the Maven category. I find myself thinking about the posts from Michael Stephens of Tame the Web, Michael Casey of Library Crunch, Jenny Levine of the Shifted Librarian and Stephen Abrams of Stephen's Lighthouse on a daily basis.

I enjoy the Library Mavens because of their enthusiasm. They preach the good that libraries are doing and they spend their time inspiring us to take that step. Even if it means leaving our comfy library world and exploring something new. I was fortunate enough to see Michael Stephens and Michael Casey at the Learning 2.0 event at the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Public Library. I went with the Assistant Director of my library. We both left inspired and ready to make some changes.

What we liked about the presenters were their enthusiasm. Not just for web 2.0--but for libraries doing their very best to build community. To meet the patron wherever the patron is. To offer services because they make sense for the patron. Granted, Michael and Michael are on the edge. They have to be extreme in order to get the point across. We can't do everything that Michael and Michael suggested, but we can add services, make changes or try out some things. Take a few steps.

I guess this leads to blind spots. Are we so trapped in the traditional library mode--through staff, patrons and governance--that we can't see what is needed? Could all of this talk about library 2.0 be a blind spot? Are some of us so hyper-focused on new technologies that we are leaving our traditional patrons behind?

My current job has a lot of freedom. My previous job didn't. I am finding tremendous growth in my new position. Although, I am allowed to do whatever I think necessary to get the job done, I still have to think about the whole picture--and be 'mature' about my decisions. I have been given the opportunity to try new things. If I fail, then we all learn and we try something else. Our biggest motivating factor is to have people like the library. That encompasses a lot. Not only finding the books they want, but having a helpful staff, having computer access and a great library space.

What about my blind spots? I get bored easily. I tend to be too nice to people. I want everyone to like me. I often choose technology over simpler things. And I overanalyze everything.

Seriously.

What about you?