2012 Kansas Library Association meeting

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Every once in a while, it's good to get together with a group of people who do the same general things you do and talk about it.  You find out new things, get new perspectives on old problems, and sometimes you find that the things you are doing are ahead of every one else!

I spent a couple of days last week in Wichita at just such an event, the 2012 KLA conference.  This is a gathering of Kansas librarians from all walks of the profession - public to college to special libraries.  Of course, the best thing about these events is the time you get to spend talking with colleagues.  Sure, the sessions impart information, the keynote speakers inspire you to new heights, etc.  But the real value in putting forth all the work necessary to hold a professional conference is the face-to-face communication.

I will say that the keynote speaker, R. David Lankes was quite interesting.  His whole talk was about how libraries have slowly shifted focus over the centuries and how we need to look back and consider reviving some ancient practices.  Take for example the great library at Alexandria.  Over two thousand years ago, some very wise people started collecting not "things" per se, but thinkers - people.  They invited great scholars to come there and create.  The knowledge created was then cataloged and stored in the library there.  Wouldn't that be a cool thing for modern libraries to do?  We could make it easier, more conducive, and desirable to come to the library to collaborate, think and create.  And here's a crazy idea:  We could tell people that's what we're doing!  It made me feel very good about the future directions of the Hutchinson Public Library and what we are planning with our re-imagined library technology center.

Well, off I go, back to my daily routine.  But I have some new ideas to work into the regular flow of "stuff" that happens every day.  I think that if some of my HPL colleagues were as inspired to make changes as I was, you'll see some cool new stuff here soon!