Book Review: 10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You

10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You (But Can't Because He Needs the Job)
Rev. Oliver "Buzz" Thomas

I picked this one up on a whim, stumbling across it somewhere now long forgotten. It's short, pointed, and thoughtful and written in an approachable tone.

Thomas addresses ten familiar points/questions that are items we often see brought up in the news, from pulpits, and hotly contested among Christians.

1. How did it all begin?
2. Why are we here?
3. What is the Bible?
4. Is there really such a thing as a miracle?
5. How do I please God?
6. What about women?
7. What about homosexuality?
8. What about other faiths?
9. What happens after we die?
10. How will it all end?

Each question is thoughtfully explored, given some historical context and, where he can, Thomas points to translation of the Greek texts as we have them. (BTW--there's the new "oldest Bible" online--if the hits haven't crashed the server again) It's practically written to--not attempting to revolutionize one's opinions but answer, in the friendly pastoral way, questions that you might have.

I was intrigued by some of the points made and wish Thomas had included a) footnotes and b) a reading list. I think this will spark discussion and could spark research interest. Certainly it'd be nice to know where he got some of his information. An interesting read.

Where Will the Hedgehog Be?: The ALA 2009 Edition

I'm in Chicago for the ALA Annual Conference and Unconference and the seeing of AudioGirl...well, I'm crashing at her place anyways....

The tentative schedule:

FRIDAY:

ALA Unconference (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) **Lead Discussion from 3:20-4:10 on Libraries and Young "Adults" (not teens)
LITA Happy Hour (5:30-8 p.m.): Potter's Lounge Palmer House Hilton

SATURDAY

8:00-10:00 a.m.
Technology and the Developing World
(MPW W-179)

10:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Literacy Leadership (I wanna see Laurie Halse Anderson)
(MPW W-184)

1:30-3 p.m.
Either
Ultimate Debate: Has Library 2.0 Fulfilled It's Promise
(MPW W-181)

or

Life After 2.0
(MPW W-190b)

3:30-5:30 p.m.
Love is in the Air
(MPW W-194a)

6 p.m.--whenever
Library Society of the World Meetup
Giordano's on Jackson

SUNDAY:

7:30- 9:00 a.m.
Scholastic Library Publishing Breakfast
Shertaon Chicago Hotel Ballrooms

10:30-12 p.m.
LITA Program Planning Meeting
Palmer House: La Salle 2

12:00 - 5 p.m.
Exhibits with the Incredibly-Patient-Mother

I am best reached by cell phone...interwebs will be sporadic this weekend. Catch me if you can!!!

Hedgehog Crossing

No...not my ALA schedule yet. I'm working on that. This is courtesy of Laura B :)

Mixed Management...

Jenica has a very thoughtful post about management, and the general attitude of library professionals towards management and managers. The attitude is skepticism, fear, mistrust, anger, and general frustration and she makes some excellent points about the comments that have been made to her since taking on a directorship for one of the SUNY schools.

The comment that best struck me was the "don't forget where you came from." Her answer is somewhat indignant and rightly so. And while I don't expect her to overnight turn into someone completely incapable of remember how to answer a reference question, it pointed out something that I have witnessed with managers and educators within the library profession. When moving into management or education, it seems to become beneath many to actually perform the everyday tasks called upon by the majority of your staff or students.

I have had the unfortunate experience of watching a reference librarian I respected advance to the directorship of a library. The power went to her head and I've watched her not only find the work of the library beneath her, including the work that falls into her job responsibilities, but also run off the good people who worked for her. It's become a toxic environment where the focus seems to have become building her legacy, as it certainly doesn't seem to be patrons, materials, staff or anything else. I've met managers who were firmly of the belief they should only ever work bank hours and certainly never on a public service desk (not because they were needed elsewhere--but because it was beneath them, keep that in mind). But then, I worked for a system that adamantly argued that I as a professional wasn't to shelve but conversely the pages who only shelved weren't allowed to do a "shelf check" for an item for someone from another location. If that isn't convoluted and setting people up with a "beneath me" mindset, I'm not sure what is...

And then there's the story that hit a week ago from Tulsa--where the Library CEO has had her position restructured so that she has no day-to-day responsibilities in the building and gets to work from home two days a week--with the same pay. They say it's having an effect on employee morale. Without day to day responsibilities in the building, or even having a presence in the space, it's rather unclear how the CEO is planning on staying aware of what is going on and what the needs of her staff are.

But for the ones that scare me to pieces, there are managers I have to point out my admiration for.

At present, I have the pleasure of working both with Madame Storyteller and Madame Director--neither of whom despite their lofty titles and extended experience--find shelving and checking out books beneath them. Granted, shelving isn't the everyday task of these two women, who have a lot of other things on their plate, but Madame Director takes a shift on the circulation desk nearly every week. It's one of the best places to catch her when I need something signed, because for those two hours, I can guarantee she'll be pretty much in one spot. But it also shows to our aides and the other managers that she values that work just as highly as any other professional work, and it's noticed and appreciated.

And there is a branch manager at CPL that I would have stayed for, had they let me work for her. She has the management of a west side branch and works, works with and for her staff, and is pretty awesome. As a result, people really want to work at her branch.

We do need a shift in our view of management, on that I agree with Jenica. But we need to find a way to highlight the managers who are doing it right, doing it well, and training other good leaders--as opposed to those who are most concerned with getting things out of it only for themselves, such as those banking hours and relief from the ref desk. Myself, though management wasn't my initial goal on entering the field, I see it as somewhere I'd like to go. I've managed people before and it's one of the few promotional paths available to me. I just have to remember what the Incredibly Patient Mother taught me about management long ago: one leads by example and a good manager won't ask you to do something he or she won't do*.


*with the caveat of course for things one physically can't do or don't have the appropriate training to do

Book Review: Graceling

Graceling
Kristin Cashore

I kept hearing that this book was good. And it duly followed me home and sat in my library basket. And sat. And sat. Finally, when TeenLibrarian said "super awesome must read!" I cracked the cover.

In the kingdoms people are born with Graces, which come apparent when their eyes change to be two different colors, usually during childhood. Some Graces are very helpful (healing horses), some worrying (mind reading) and some odd (climbing trees). Those that are useful are put into the service of the King, others are left with their family, outsiders not fully accepted because of their difference.

And among the Graced is Katsa, who has the Grace of killing. Now required by the King, her uncle, to be his enforcer, Katsa is not especially pleased with her role in life. When she meets another Graced fighter, though, life takes an unexpected change. There are battles, cruelty, survival tests, love, and murder.

It's one of the best written books I've read in quite a while. There's a lyrical epic-poem quality to the writing, you're easily absorbed into the story and the emotions of the characters. You feel for Katsa, a young woman required by her king to kill or maim despite she often sees that the king's actions are wrong. Supporting characters are well defined, allowing for loving family relationships, new friends, and realistic insights into how even good people at times have only their own best interests at heart.

Well done, I'm looking forward to the sequel due out this fall.