Tame the Web Guest Post: A Tipping Point for Mindfulness Meditation?

I am honored to have a guest post up at Tame the Web in honor of the blog's 10th Anniversary. 

Happy Anniversary Michael, and thanks for continually using your voice to expand our thinking and uplift the quality and tone of conversation in our profession!

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Malcolm Gladwell famously defined the “tipping point” as that magic moment when an idea or practice crosses some invisible threshold, tips, and spreads widely throughout a culture or society.  Lately I’ve been wondering if the practice and benefits of mindfulness meditation are hitting that tipping point.
 

The many benefits of mindfulness meditation have been known to Buddhist monks and western scientists alike for many years.  But it is only recently that mindfulness seems to be recognized in the workplace as a valuable practice worth promoting and fostering among employees.

read the rest of the post at Tame the Web

The Very Heart of It. Keynote for Urban Libraries Unite (ULU) Conference, April 5, 2013

Here is the slidedeck from my recent keynote, The Very Heart of It, given at the Urban Libraries Unite (ULU) Conference in Brooklyn, NY on April 5, 2013. Note that the full text of the talk is available as a pdf (with slides) at: http://www.slideshare.net/pbromberg/urban-libraries-unite-ulu-conference-keynote-text-version-wslides

The Very Heart of It. Keynote at Urban Libraries Unite (ULU) Conference from Peter Bromberg

University of Rhode Island GSLIS Keynote: Influence When You Have No Power or Authority

Here is the slidedeck from my recent keynote, Influence When You Have No Power or Authority, given at the University of Rhode Island GSLIS Conference in Kingston, Rhode Island, March 23, 2013.  Note that the text of my talk is available in the notes field of the powerpoint which can be downloaded from Slideshare.

Influence When You Have No Power or Authority from Peter Bromberg

Indiana Library Federation Conference Keynote: FrameChanges (How to Be Effective)

Please note that the full text of the talk is available at:
http://peterbromberg.com/indiana/FRAMECHANGE.pdf 

 
FrameChanges (How to be Effective) from Peter Bromberg

Support your library PAC: EveryLibrary for every library!

An open letter to the New Jersey Library Community:

Have you heard the news about EveryLibrary, the new PAC being formed to support libraries across the country?  

EveryLibrary has the potential to be an enormous help to thousands of libraries, but right now it needs our help to get off the ground.  EveryLibrary is conducting a $50,000 fundraising round from September 5 to November 7, 2012 to underwrite the fees associated with its legal filings and to create campaign toolkits, voter education materials, and messaging targeted to 2013 election initiatives.


Please join with other NJ library colleagues in lending your support by clicking here:

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT EVERYLIBRARYEveryLibrary is a nonpartisan PAC registered under section 501c4 of the U.S. Internal Revenue code. Most library associations are organized as 501(c)3 educational associations which are legally prohibited from engaging in direct voter advocacy or funding political campaigns. As a 501(c)4 organization, EveryLibrary can act where these associations (like NJLA and ALA) cannot. The opportunity to fund-raise and directly support library ballot initiatives will be unique in the library world.

EveryLibrary will raise funds nationally and spend them on local library ballot initiatives like tax rates, bonds, and other referenda, as well as serve as a consulting organization for libraries on their political campaigns.  As EveryLibrary founder (and former Membership Chair extraordinaire for ALA) John Chrastka says, "Any library ballot initiative anywhere matters to every library everywhere."  Check out this great interview with EveryLibrary creator John Chrastka for more info on the EveryLibrary vision.

The brilliant Dave Lankes (who keynoted at our NJLA conference last Spring), writes, “I was very excited to hear about EveryLibrary. A PAC that it is dedicated to…'support these [local library funding] campaigns through non-partisan, pro-library voter education and get out the vote work.'  I love it!...More than making folks feel good about libraries, or love reading, here is an organization meant to directly support libraries at the local level with funding."

I've donated to the cause because I believe EveryLibrary will ultimately benefit, well, every library. If the spirit moves you, please show your support for this groundbreaking organization by donating here.

And as long as you have that credit card out why not make a donation to NJLA too- I did!  :-)

Thanks everyone,

-Pete

PLA Presentation: Now What: 12 Steps to Thriving in a Different World

Now What: 12 Steps to Thriving in a Different World

View more PowerPoint from Peter Bromberg

QandANJ: Brief Update on NJLA Reference Section Meeting of May 13th

On Friday, May 13th, approximately 60 people turned out at the Princeton Public Library to participate in the NJLA Reference Section meeting convened to discuss the future of QandANJ.  Many people drove lotsa miles to be there, and represented all types of libraries and library organizations; publics, academics, association, consortia.  It was wonderful to hear so many independent voices from all over the state speak overwhelmingly and passionately in support of keeping QandANJ alive.

The two big pieces of news:

1.  LibraryLinkNJ Executive Director Cheryl O'Connor announced that her Board had voted unanimously to accept an extra $50,000 from the State Library and continue to run QandANJ through early September.  A big thanks to LibraryLinkNJ Board members and Cheryl O'Connor!
2. The NJLA Executive Board will appoint a Task Force to chart out a path forward for QandANJ

Cheryl, along with QandANJ Project Coordinator Beth Cackowski, had already done a good deal of analysis on how far $50,000 takes us, and they presented a number of spending scenarios and sought input from the attendees on how the money should be spent.  I would like to again thank Cheryl and Beth not only for the time they've invested -- which was not insignificant -- but also for the their their transparency in sharing their budget numbers, presenting possible spending scenarios, and proactively seeking the input and feedback of the library community.

If there was a recurring theme of the day I'd say it was transparency.  A good part of the afternoon was spent in small group discussions aimed, ostensibly, at providing guidance for the as-yet-unnamed Task Force.  During report-backs from the groups the issue of transparency came up repeatedly.  Whatever happens to QandANJ -- or any other shared service -- in the future, we want to be part of an informed discussion and offer input into how our limited shared resources are used.

Again, progress was made on Friday.  But there is also a lot of work ahead.  The as-yet-unnamed Task Force will have its work cut out for it, and a fairly short timeline in which to operate. The clock is ticking.  Stay tuned... (or follow along on Facebook.)

Note added 5/16, 10:45 AM:  A HUGE if belated public thank you to Michael Maziekien, NJLA Reference Section Chair, and the NJLA Reference Section for calling this meeting in spite of pushbacks from those who thought an open discussion was either unnecessary or otherwise politically problematic.  I am greatly appreciative of Michael's leadership, sense of professional responsibility, and the amazing integrity and fairness he has displayed throughout this process. 

See Also:

• Andy Woodworth's take on the day
• My quick-n-dirty handout on QandANJ