Richard has welcomed appointment to the Board as an opportunity to contribute his wide experience of library service innovation and professional development and training.

For more information about PLA, visit http://www.pla.org.au/

A recent Smartblog article at http://tinyurl.com/2df57no supports the view that technology without strategy is only half the customer service story.

“Great corporate social-media efforts aren’t about technology … new gadgets aren’t what make companies great at engaging their customers — that has to come from sound strategic planning.”

An expert panel convened for BlogWorld Expo 2010 identified three emerging trends in social media strategy:

• Listening to your customers is great but reaching out to them is better. Great customer service is the best crisis-communications strategy. Organisations should make staff available to answer questions and talk with customers before they become disgruntled.
• No one department within an organisation (eg, Marketing) can control social media. Ultimately, all parts of the organisation will need to make effective use of social media within their areas of expertise.
• Listening doesn’t mean forgetting who’s in charge – of services and the organisation’s brand. Social-media fans are only one subset of customers, and not necessarily a representative sample. Organisations must ensure that complaints received via social media truly represent how the bulk of their customers feel – not just a vocal minority. Feedback is not a substitute for good planning and judgment!

With extensive experience of social media and strategic planning, let us help your organisation ‘stay on message’ online – contact us today.

Is your Strategic Plan gathering dust in a drawer? Worried what the future holds for your library?

Call Richard on 0410 746 540 to discuss a customised ‘future proofing’ strategy for your library.

Joann is one of the thought leaders responsible for the Koha and Kete open source library systems. Earlier this year, Joann was named one of the American Library Association’s Movers and Shakers for 2010, the first New Zealander to be honoured in this way.

Joann’s thoughts on innovation are simple, practical and incredibly profound. Her advice to other librarians includes:

• Go to conferences in other sectors, not just library conferences
• Don’t over think things – ask yourself, “how hard can it be?”
• Use critical friends from outside libraries to test ideas and prototypes
• Communicate your vision (the big picture) from day one
• Don’t get stuck trying to be perfect, and above all
• Don’t be scared…try things!

It’s all good advice, from someone quietly changing the library landscape, one innovation at a time.

Follow Kete.net.nz

Introducing an exciting and practical new program on Library Innovation. Topics include:

• Defining opportunities to innovate
• Re-discovering personal and group creativity
• Overcoming ‘Innovator’s Block’
• Sustaining innovation at work

A dynamic group of 12 university, government and public library managers completed the first program in Sydney in August; focussing on the roll-out of iPads in several libraries.

To discuss Library Innovation training in your organisation, email richard@richardsayers.com.au or telephone +61 (0)410 746 540.

To discuss using the Personal Creativity Assessment ® in your team or for individual coaching purposes, email richard@richardsayers.com.au or telephone +61 (0)410 746 540.

With appropriate training and the right tools, oral history can be collected by virtually anyone in the community.  Public and university libraries are particularly well positioned to facilitate local oral history projects and add value.

Richard Sayers is proud to offer a new and very practical half day workshop introducing the primary tools and techniques of oral history.  ALIA will be offering public dates soon.  For more information, email richard@richardsayers.com.au or telephone +61 (0)410 746 540.

For more information and to discuss using Belbin or TMS in your team or organisation, email richard@richardsayers.com.au or telephone +61 (0)410 746 540.