On My Honor: Creating an Ethical Work Environment

I was honored to present at the 5th annual Wild Wisconsin Winter Web Conference - 2 days of amazing free, hour-long webinars on a great variety of library stuff.  My prezi was on exploring issues involved in being ethical and creating an ethical work environment. While it was on the management/leadership track, it has alot to say to all library staff.

Thanks a million to Jamie Matczak, founder and coordinator of this CE day sponsored by all 17 WI library systems and to Jean Anderson and Leah Langby who ably moderated along with a host of library system folks who assisted in organizing the days. You can find all the archived prezis on the website. They are ALL amazing!


2017-01-26 13.01 WWWC17 On My Honor Creating an Ethical Work Environment from Nicolet Libraries on Vimeo.

Resource List

American Library Association. Code of Ethics.  http://www.ala.org/advocacy/proethics/codeofethics/codeethics

American Library Association. Conflicts of Interest. http://www.ala.org/advocacy/advocacy/proethics/explanatory/conflicts-of-interest

Private Lives. Julie Jurgens. Hi Miss Julie blog. December 30, 2015. https://himissjulie.com/2015/12/30/private-lives/

The Things You Might Be Doing That Will Force Your IT Guy to Start Spying on You. Jake Swearingen. August 26, 2016. New York Magazine http://nymag.com/selectall/2016/08/how-to-be-so-dumb-that-the-it-guy-is-forced-to-spy-on-you.html

Martin Luther King: A True Servant Leader. James Perry. Huffington Post March 20, 2010. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/james-perry/martin-luther-king-jr-a-t_b_427417.html

Library Ethics in the 21^st Century. Sarah Houghton. Librarian in Black blog. November 18, 2015

http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/ethics/

Agreeing to Disagree

I had an odd moment yesterday when reading a couple of posts on a national listserv.  Someone had originally asked for ideas on improving a library service. The poster finished the inquiry with the phrase "All ideas are welcome".  However, when someone replied with an idea, the original poster stated that she very much disagreed with the idea. It was a jarring realization for me - perhaps all ideas were not welcome.

It struck me that this is the kind of reply that shuts down ideas, that says thanks for the input- but not really.  If I had an idea to contribute, would my opinion be welcomed....or disrespected? I definitely felt a strong urge to keep my ideas to myself on this issue. Who needs to be put in their place after four months or forty years in the business?

This is by no means the first time I have seen this behavior. You name the issue in librarianship and you know a few people are going to wade in, say their piece (on any and all sides of an issue), lob a few bombs and shut down discussion.  Others shy away from saying anything lest they be branded a less-than-true believer or flaming the fan of disagreement even further.  The bomber has accomplished something that, in most cases, I hope they didn't mean to do - they have effectively  shut down discourse.

The townhall of listservs, groups, online discussions and comments seems to be more and more a place where one gets to state their opinion and then re-state and re-state it and re-state it. Each time a particular topic comes up that someone disagrees with vehemently, he or she feels duty-bound to wade in and state for the record just how wrong-headed the idea, approach or opinion is. Reasoned discourse devolves into "This is my opinion and if you don't like it, bite it." or "I have the research, so shaddup." or "Lots of people feel/think/believe the same way I do, which proves me correct."

We all have strongly held opinions - both personal and professional. We would be less than human if we didn't. And what a boring world if we all believed exactly the same thing! It strikes me that innovation would simply stop if we didn't have the constant give-and-take of divergent opinions to push us to new solutions and heights.

How we express our opinions dictates whether we will brook no disagreement or are willing to evolve, change and learn from the discourse engendered by our expressions and inquiries.  When I work with students, respect and reasoned discourse is the guide by which we agree to disagree. Once we hit the work world, spats and tantrums must be left behind.  Learning to elevate opinion and conversation into a respectful space takes patience, wisdom and smarts.

While I certainly own to being less than perfect in expressing my opinions and honoring those of other people, perhaps there are a few ways we might all navigate better when asking for input and honoring what we receive. Let's think of it as bringing some civility to our professional-level discourse - welcoming, listening to and absorbing divergent viewpoints without disrespecting opinions or ideas that are diametrically opposed to our own.

Strangely or not so much so, I am guided by the best set of book discussion guidelines ever. The CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center in Madison WI) developed these to help people speak and listen actively and intelligently. Book discussion committees that use these guidelines have an amazing experience when discussing books.

So let's look at these and see if there are ways we can use some of these suggestions to do a better job of respecting each other while expressing our firmly held beliefs. Try substituting the word "issue" for "book" in the Guidelines and see what we get:

CCBC Book Discussion Guidelines
Ginny Moore Kruse and Kathleen T. Horning
© 1989 Cooperative Children's Book Center
Look at each book (issue) for what it is, rather than what it is not.

1. Make positive comments first. Try to express what you liked about the book (issue) and why. (e.g. "The illustrations are a perfect match for the story because....")
   
   
2. After everyone has had the opportunity to say what they appreciated about the book (issue), you may talk about difficulties you had with a particular aspect of the book (issue). Try to express difficulties as questions, rather than declarative judgments on the book (issue) as a whole. (e.g. "Would Max's dinner really have still been warm?" rather than "That would never happen.")
   
   
3. Avoid recapping the story or booktalking the book (issue). There is not time for a summary.
   
   
4. Refrain from relating personal anecdotes. The discussion must focus on the book (issue) at hand.
   
   
5. Try to compare the book (issue) with others on the discussion list, rather than other books by the same author or other books in your experience.
   

All perspectives and vocabularies are correct. There is no "right" answer or single correct response.

1. Listen openly to what is said, rather than who says it.
   
   
2. Respond to the comments of others, rather than merely waiting for an opportunity to share your comments.
   
   
3. Talk with each other, rather than to the discussion facilitator.
   
   
4. Comment to the group as a whole, rather than to someone seated near you.

Sometimes, it's also ok to accept an idea or opinion without responding to state a disagreement. Our opinion isn't changed but no response also honors the fact that the other person has a right to theirs. Learning to express our views with an eye towards engendering discussion often involves phrases like, "While I appreciate what you are saying, I wonder whether..." or "I hear what you're saying, but my hesitation lies in....". It opens up communication and creates a safe space to express and share.

I wonder if we might commit to be more open, less combative and elevate our discussions with each other? Can we honor the ideas others share while tactfully expressing our own and even learning to moderate our opinions based on what we hear? Can we put down our arms and learn to disagree in a collegial way? As Eli Mina, the ALA Council parliamentarian, suggests in Council when tempers begin to flare and back-and-forthing detours councilors from the larger issues of working towards solutions: Let us return to the balcony in this discussion rather than staying on the floor. I wonder if we can do this more?

I don't know, you tell me.

Image courtesy of Pixabay

You Picked That Up From Where?!?!?

A recent post from a widely read blog, which will itself remain uncited, described a library's program for  kids. It looked fun and had a ton of good ideas. It is a program we have done too. All was well and good until I reached the point in the post where I read about an activity that I had created and originated and blogged widely - and more than once - about. Sadly, I didn't see a link back here. Sigh.

I definitely like to scatter idea seeds - both ones I've thought up and ones I've learned from others.  I let them fall where they may. I always hope for fertile soil;  for sprouts and gardens to grow that let kids experience something amazing that they couldn't if their youth librarian didn't try something new they heard from me - or discovered on a listserv, blog post, workshop or book .

But truly, as much as I have scattered, I have also gathered from others. I have learned and borrowed and recreated ideas that others have pioneered. Each time I do, I have said, "Hey, I found it here; or this library or librarian was the founding mother or here was the acorn that produced this oak." Everything comes from somewhere and I appreciate the person that hatched the first egg of the idea.

Every time I read a post that describes a program, I love to see where it came from (the writer's mind; another colleague; a chance conversation; an adaptation of an article; like that). It leads me to that first place and adds a colleague and their work to my blog roll, my reading pile or my bookmarks.

I have been mellow about seeing stuff I've created go viral ("Oh, there's my little baby," I coo proudly, "all grown up") even if my hand in it is long gone. I rarely pitch a fit.  But, somehow, this time, this missing link bothered me. I will totally get over it. I understand how in this world of Pinterest and links to links to links, things can easily fall between the cracks. But I send out a plea to my sister and brother pinners and bloggers and blog administrators - please remember to ask yourself and your writers to link to original content or at least lay a path that helps others find their way.

After all, everything starts somewhere.

Note: I composed this post last month and scheduled it for next week. But three incredible posts of the last 24 hours moved this up since they touch on aspects of support for each other in what I am writing: Hi Miss Julie's questions about who gets tapped for rock stardom vs. the librarians truly working in the trenches of youth librarianship; Kelly over at Stacked who thoughtfully and reflectively explores how we support each other in our work and blogging; and KM Librarian who thinks about networks and support that matter. All these posts are knock-your-socks-off thoughtful.


Image: '382e nestled in'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/25171569@N02/6298805160 Found on flickrcc.net

My Bad

I wish decisions that didn't work out were as easy to dismiss as a simple, snarkily insincere, "My bad!". We all strive to make great decisions - at least I've never talked to anybody who started out their day planning to make nothing but bad choices. We weigh alternatives; look at what has come before and then look out at what's coming; listen to and talk with co-workers, patrons, colleagues and stakeholders; consider the impact library-wide and department- specific; and wrestle with how the decision will affect and be perceived by patrons and community members.

For me, decision making is a complex stew of the above factors...and time.  Sometimes the simmering takes an hour; sometimes a month; sometimes a year. The more rushed decisions under unexpected deadlines leave me trepidatious - the mixture is a bit underdone - is this going to work or we all going to be chewing on some hard and rather indigestible tidbits that make us sick sooner rather than later? Even on long-simmered decisions, the whole thing may simply refuse to boil. Whichever way the decision is made, the results are weak and unappealing. You make the best of it, hoping that you still are getting some nutrition.

When a decision outside the box is made or one that sets service on an entirely different track, the stew becomes immeasurably more complex. Some flavors you are trying for may be familiar and some a shot in the dark (I think this will blend in well). At first the finished product seems appetizing - but then you discover only for certain tastes. More people than expected are holding their noses, loudly decrying their hatred of lima beans or politely setting aside their stew .  You realize that this decision stew is truly a bad one.

Although some might force people to keep eating that dish, there is only one thing to do in this case.  Apologize, scoop up the bowls, toss the contents and admit that you used the wrong ingredients and that the stew is bad. Starting again and making smaller adjustments to the recipe may help everyone enjoy the experience more.

Decisions and changes need to be made to stay on top of great library service.  But knowing when to say when; owning and apologizing for the poor decision and being able to halt work resulting from a decision that isn't working out is just as important. That reflection and readjustment is part of life. Don't fear it, but face it. And, as my mother would say when we went to her with the results of our tasteless or badly done stew, "Oh, don't worry. Just try again and I think everything will come out OK next time." Such a wise woman.

Image: 'chicken stew'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/35034346243@N01/261246550 Found on flickrcc.net

Extra, Extra - Who's Got It?

I read a post by Jessica Olin over at Letters to a Young Librarian that really got me thinking. In it she reflects on what it is that motivates her to reach out and beyond herself to stay fresh in her work. She read Daniel Pink's book Drive and talks about his use of the mathematical concept "asymptote".  As Jessica writes, Pink "uses this concept to talk about motivation and skill mastery and about how, if you're really passionate about something, developing your practice never stops."

"If you're passionate about something, developing your practice never stops." 

Those words really struck me.  I think they encompass the difference between a great worker and an adequate or poor one.  When I look at colleagues I work (and have worked with) with at my libraries (at all position levels), colleagues professionally in my state and across the country, colleagues online and on social media sites, I know I most appreciate those who constantly strive and look for ways to do a better job and learn more each and every day.  They listen to the public and peers and leap out with great service.

They help ME learn. They help colleagues learn. They share ideas and enthusiasm generously and constantly. They aren't afraid to try, fail and try again.  They are collaborative. They care passionately about making life better for the customer. They are intrigued by solving the puzzle of advancing librarianship.

It isn't who they know.  It isn't how much they know.  It isn't how much knowledge and expertise they "own". It's how they process the things they see and hear to build consistently better service in collaboration with co-workers and the public.

And they don't stop. They don't phone it in after 10, 20, 30, 40 years of work. They bring it and they bring it every day for their customers.  When they feel badly managed, they bring it. When funding collapses, they bring it. When doors close in their face, they bring it. When their personal life is challenging, they bring it.

I'm not sure I'm enough of an uber-manager or colleague to help create that passion and ongoing commitment to developing practice where it has never existed or simply no longer exists. I don't know if I have the skills to expand very narrow passions ("I just want to be a grandma to the little kids and do storytimes"; "I know everyone in town, but you don't"; "I have a skill but it's mine and I'm not sharing."; "I served on state library association board once and I'm done with that forever").

But I know the people who truly are passionate, who have that "extra", are the ones that are most satisfied with their work, the most worry-free and take the most pleasure from the sharing, learning, collaboration and innovation they help create.  They love the moment that they step into work each day even if the challenges they face are discouraging. They don't give up. And they never stop developing their practice.

Are you someone like that?

Image: 'IMG_1904'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/45339532@N00/95202050

Leaving with Class and Style

I ran into a post from my friend Ingrid, the Magpie Librarian this week that I really adore. She talks about the process she went through as she decided to accept another position in her library system. In this thoughtful post, she considers what she should share, how she should break the news to her patrons and when she should say good-bye.

Most impressive to me is her care in taking responsibility for the decision and not trashing and burning her way out of a job that seemed to have had some tough personnel aspects. She wants the transition for her patrons to be painless and wants to make sure her colleagues left behind short-staffed for the short term get the benefit of her planning and leaving updated files and info.  Her tips are so thoughtful I had to share.

In the same vein, Jen the Youth Services Librarian's in a recent blog post revealed she would be leaving her job in weeks and shared the programs she had planned for the summer she won't be there. That is so thoughtful. Today on Facebook she posted a picture of the storytime mom and kids who surprised her with a goodbye visit.  You receive in karma what you give.  Both of these librarians do and will!

 Image: '004/365'  http://www.flickr.com/photos/29559659@N03/6010519164

ARC Alert

I discussed the issues of the use of Advanced Reader's Copies (ARCs) after we have finished with them in a previous post. Liz over at A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy has an excellent post and links to other posts that goes into more depth about why the post-use of ARCs in library collections or selling them in booksales is simply unacceptable. Thanks Liz for saying what needs to be said -again!