Crazy ... or Inspired?

One of the meetings I attended at the Kansas Library Association annual conference - probably the best of the bunch, IMO - was called "Impractical, Unfeasible, Unfundable Ideas for Libraries". The truly engaging guy who led the session, Joshua Neff, is a librarian who works for the Johnson County (KS) Library. He posted his list of ideas generated from the session here.

Anyone who knows me knows that I love brainstorming. This conference session, which was billed as a brainstorming session and attended by at least fifty "library people" did not disappoint. Some of the ideas were indeed dreams; for example, people-sized pneumatic tubes (a la bank drive-throughs) in the library to deliver librarians to the spot they are needed.  Sounds like a blast to me!

But the let-it-all-hang-out power of brainstorming twisted that idea around from the implausible to the possible.  Instead of tubes, why don't libraries have call stations scattered around the stacks for patrons to call for help like some big box stores? What about a catalog that shows you the shelf location in the building? Maybe a catalog system with a Staples-like "EASY" button that patrons could use to IM a librarian for help.  These last two ideas could be easily created by the companies that make catalog software.

How about this one: Item check-out like NetFlix. You could check out a certain number of library items and keep them, essentially, as long as you wanted. However, you can't check out more items until you bring the first bunch back.  Patrons might like it because the bludgeon of overdue fines would go away.  Staff might like that aspect too!

Here's one that seemed impractical to me at first, but is now growing on me:  Combining a library with something like a laundromat or a hair salon - some activity that causes people to have to sit and wait.  You could check out a book or download an audiobook and do some reading while you launder or get your hair done.  Sure, the library might have to get into the landlording business, but it seems like a win-win.  I remember going to a place called Duds-n-Suds to do my laundry because it was a laundromat that served beer.  Hey...there's an idea!

I think that the results of just this one hour of brainstorming show that when librarians, or anyone for that matter, think a little outside the box, great improvements can be discovered.  The real trick though, is figuring out how to implement the new ideas and then actually making them real.  Perhaps that is a good topic for next year's conference, "A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementing Your Crazy Idea".