ORWARD
Anaheim, CA
IMAGINE. LEARN. INNOVATE FASTER.
Fast Forward Conference Program
June 4, 2008, ULC Audio Conference
More details are available here.
February 27, 2008, ULC Audio Conference
More details are available here.
ULC Midwinter Meeting
January 11-12, 2008, Philadelphia, PA
Conference Schedule
2007 Annual Conference Schedule
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Program and Speaker Biographies
Supplemental Materials: Libraries as Positive Developmental Settings,
Out of School Time Policy Commentary #9.
 Presenters: MartÃn Gómez, ULC President ; Dan Walters, Executive Director of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District; Jane Fisher, Director of the Rutherford Public Library (NJ); and Danielle Milam, ULC Sr. VP/Program & Development
Topic: The Urban Libraries Council is now conducting its third class of the Executive Leadership Institute, a two phase initiative made possible with funding from IMLS. Program participants will share perspectives on the value of identifying and nurturing the next generation of leaders for public libraries, the utility of using �leadership labs� as training grounds for emerging leaders, and cultural conditions that foster or hinder leadership development.  Presenters: Anne Woodsworth, Learning Systems Advisor at Brooklyn Public Library; Sheila Murphy, Sr. Program Officer at The Wallace Foundation; Kathleen Degyansky, Assistant Director of Programs and Services at the Queens Borough Public Library; and Margaret Tice, Coordinator of Children�s Services at the New York Public Library
Topic: Challenges and lessons learned in the Wallace Foundation-funded project that is fostering new interlibrary collaboration around new and improved youth services that relate to summer reading, online homework help, and staff training.
 Public libraries in Singapore and Hong Kong have been in the forefront of fascinating new innovations that have implications for libraries around the world. In November, 2005, the National Library Board of  Singapore, the governing authority for the Singapore National Library and public library, will officially open its new national library building. This new facility blends cutting edge technology and public services with some of the most progressive "out of the box" thinking regarding library operations anywhere in the world. Susan Kent, Director and Chief Executive of Branch Libraries, New York Public Library and June Garcia, Managing Partner, Dubberly Garcia Associates, Inc. arranged three full days of detailed tours and presentations at the new National Library as well as selected branches and at Singapore's technical processing center.
In addition, ULC has made arrangements, for those who wish to continue to Hong Kong, to tour the recently opened Central Library of Hong Kong and to meet with and learn from colleagues at the Hong Kong Public Libraries. (Learn More)
"The workshop is designed to provide an in-depth look at the information and issues related to our knowledge and understanding of the poverty culture. This one day seminar (held on three separate occasions on the dates listed below) will discuss how economic class affects behaviors and mind-sets, why students from generational poverty often fear being educated, the "hidden rules" within economic classes, discipline interventions that improve behaviors, and eight resources that make a difference in success" (Learn More)
 "Cities are the engines of America�s growth, accounting for 85.4% of the nation�s output of goods and services, up from 84% in 1994. This trend is expected to continue through the next 25 years as the focus of economic growth and activity in the nation remains in the metro areas. What keeps metro areas vibrant? Recent research indicates that the social networks of neighborhoods are incredible catalysts to creating and sustaining livable cities and resilient metro economies. This conference will put a magnifying glass to the layers of activity and connectivity in American neighborhoods � those in cities, suburbs and in �edge city� communities.Elected officials and library directors from 150 urban areas (serving populations over 100,000) will be invited to meet at the downtown Chicago Public Library to share experiences and explore the varied, rich world of neighborhood vitality. " (Learn More)
"Paco Underhill styles himself as a "retail anthropologist." His specialty is �looking at the interaction between people and products, and people and spaces." He has spent the past two decades trying to figure out why consumers buy some things and not others. What he's learned so far has made him one of the most sought-after retail consultants in the world for companies large and small. Underhill doesn't talk with consumers about their likes and dislikes. Instead, he records their actual behavior on the selling floor, utilizing hidden cameras and human "trackers" who follow customers and document every move they make." (Learn More)
This highly interactive conference challenged current library leaders to examine trends shaping the library industry, to think about how these trends will reshape the work of public libraries, and initiate the process for inventing our preferred future scenarios.
Specialists in �future world� thinking and modeling launched the conference discussions and facilitated the brainstorming activities.
(Learn More About Our Presenters)
ULC Conference Fellows Suggested Conference List
"Budgeting for Outcomes", a process created by David Osborne, Peter Hutchinson and the Public Strategies Group, promises to give citizens the "results they want at a price they are willing to pay." David Osborne, author of The Price of Government: Getting the Results We Need in a Time of Permanent Fiscal Crisis talks about setting the price of government; setting the community�s priorities for government; setting the price of each priority; developing a purchasing plan for each priority; and negotiating performance agreements with the chosen providers. Panelists include Fontayne Holmes, City Librarian of Los Angeles; Molly Raphael, Director of Multnomah County Library; and Jan Sanders, Director of the Spokane Public Library. Mr. Osborne also speaks to a few of the larger organizational reinvention themes of his book, Reinventing Government.
Panelists shared their thinking beyond today and envisioned how the public library might be doing business in five years, or ten. Based on an OCLC environmental scan, �Pattern Recognition,� George Needham, Vice President of Member Services at OCLC led a discussion about dominant trends emerging on the social, economic and technology landscapes, and the impacts they could have on the work of public libraries. The �reaction panel� was comprised of Dr. Robert Martin, Director, Institute for Museum and Library Services; Mike Crandall, Technology Manager for the U.S. Libraries Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation; Ginnie Cooper, Executive Director, Brooklyn Public Library; and Mona Carmack, County Librarian, Johnson County Library, shared their foresight, looking at how the value and work of public libraries could be affected and change.
How is the work in public libraries changing? What new skills and attitudes does the new work of urban libraries require? What role does MLS education play in staffing urban libraries in the future? Panelists for the program were: Jim Fish, Director, Baltimore County Public Library; Anne Marie Gold, Director, Sacramento Public Library; Susan Kent, City Librarian, Los Angeles Public Library; Dan Walters, Executive Director, Las Vegas-Clark County Library District
Dr. Virginia A. Walter, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Library and Information Science, UCLA, �A Framework for Measuring Outcomes.� Dr. Leslie Edmonds Holt, Project Manager for the St. Louis Public Library IMLS National Leadership Grant, �Children�s Access to Technology,� �Using Outcomes to Improve Technology Services.� Neel Parikh, Director, Pierce County Library System WA, �Outcomes that Measure Changes in Life Skills.� Louise Blalock, City Librarian, Hartford Public Library CT, �Literacy Outcomes: Care Givers, Families and Elementary School Kids.�
Rick Maurer,conference presenter and consultant in organizational change, has been a major hit among Fellows and Sponsors at ULC�s Executive Leadership Institute. Drawing on psychology, management, principled negotiation, and training in improvisation, Mr. Maurer lead sessions that provided a framework for avoiding resistance, winning support, and getting results, addressing three questions: Do they get it? Do they like it? Do they trust you?
The conference explored the framework of public finance and library revenue options. Program elements included:
- Framework for Understanding Public Revenue Sources and Structure Choices. The key conference presenter was Dwight Dively, currently the Director of Finance for the City of Seattle and also Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Washington�s Evans School of Public Affairs, where he teaches classes in public finance and government structure.
- Current Strategies. A panel of ULC member library directors held a conversation about structural changes now underway in some cities and states, linking those strategies to the principles of public finance. Panelists included Dr.Rick Ashton, City Librarian for the Denver Public Library; Susan Hildreth, City Librarian for the San Francisco Public Library; Herb Elish, Director of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh; and Gary Nichols, State Librarian for Maine and the President Elect of COSLA.
- Federal Update. Dr. Robert Martin, Director of the Institute of Museum & Library Services, reviewed the current status of federal revenue streams for public libraries.
In 2001, the ULC Executive Board established the �Conference Fellows� program as a way to keep ULC member directors aware of issues emerging �outside the library tent.� Every year, the Board approved a list of conferences and covers the registration costs for directors to attend. In return for this registration support, Conference Fellows prepared a very brief report to share with their director colleagues � observations on agendas of interest and/or issues that may impact public libraries or urban communities. You can find links to 2004 Conference Fellows Reports.
Mary Dempsey, Commissioner of the Chicago Public Library, reviewed collection development process changes in a framework of balancing the best interests of staff and community customers. Harriet Henderson, Director of the Montgomery County Public Libraries, talked about specific management challenges associated with digital content -how digital products have impacted the selection process, budget management and customer mix. Glen Holt, Executive Director of the St. Louis Public Library, shared his insights on the changing role of the �Central Library� in collection development in the digital age. Susan Hildreth, City Librarian of the San Francisco Public Library, provided her perspective on how her library�s collection development process is shifting to respond to changing neighborhood demographics, expanding the holdings and improving the search tools for multicultural materials.
Public libraries are resources to communities undergoing transformative change. This conference was convened to find new ways to be valuable and enhance public paths of learning. Focus areas included:
- Active Community Paths for Learning. New research on how individuals learn is challenging the world of education. Dr. John Falk, author of Lessons without Limits (2002), presented his ideas on learning innovation. Chris Walker, of the Urban Institute, highlighted the findings of ULC�s research on how public libraries, museums, public television and public radio are finding ways to build strong community collaborations that support individual learning and discovery.
- New Services to New Americans. Stories from immigrants and refugees provided immediate and compelling perspectives from New Americans. Statistics from Michael Fix, also of the Urban Institute, detailed what resources immigrant families need to build successful lives. Gary Strong, Director of the Queens Borough Public Library in New York City provided an overview of the depth of New American resources that can be provided in public libraries, including literacy, technology, economic development, neighborhood, and health-related information and services.
- Leadership in Creating Public Value. Mark H. Moore, faculty with the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, uncovered new ways library leaders can think about and provide public �goods.� Moore is an advocate of the public manager as explorer � using initiative, innovation and imagination to search for and deliver more public value.
Mary Kay Conwell of the New York Public Library talked about � Community Relations in the Neighborhoods� - Developing a corps of branch managers that know and work with community leaders provides a foundation for long- term institutional support. Molly Raphael of the District of Columbia Public Library talked about �Managing Advocates� - From grassroots activists to high profile celebrities, working effectively with community advocates is key to gaining visibility and support. Herb Elish of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh talked about �Cutbacks that Preserve the Future� � a strong focus on what needs to be preserved defines effective strategies when reacting to state and local cutbacks. Deborah Jacobs of the Seattle Public Library spoke about �Surviving System-Wide Closings� - n avigating the internal and external politics of closures requires savvy political leadership with officials, unions, staff and the public.
Why are corporations interested in public libraries as partners? What do they want and need? What do we want and need? What kinds of partnerships are possible? Panelists included: Susan Hildreth, City Librarian, San Francisco Public Library; Terry Collings, Executive Director, Seattle Public Library Foundation; Melissa Richardson Banks, Sponsorship and Marketing Consultant, Library Foundation of Los Angeles; Angela L. Easton, Director of Community Affairs and Sponsorship, Farmers Insurance Group
Dr. Regina Romero, a partner with Psychological and Educational Associates, Inc., an adjunct faculty member at the National Leadership Institute of the University of Maryland University College, and a coach for the ULC Executive Leadership Institute, facilitated this discussion of creating organizational bench strength in our library systems. The emphasis was on common errors and best practices.
Dr. Jon Pierce, Associate Director for the Center for Governmental Services at the University of South Carolina�s Institute for Public Service & Policy Research provided a framework for exploring approaches, strategies, attitudes, and implementation of cutback decisions while ensuring long-term organizational improvements.
�When I was first elected Mayor, my job was to fix what was broken. Now my job is to build on our success. As I see it, Boston should be a city where every child gets a good education, every resident gets a good paying job, and every family is part of a strong neighborhood.�
Thomas Menino, Mayor of Boston MA
This conference was held in partnership with the National League of Cities� Institute for Youth, Education and Families and the National Association of Counties and provided an opportunity to work with a national audience of people committed to successful partnerships that support children, youth and families living, working and learning in America�s urban areas. (Learn More About This Event)
This conference, the first �event� at the brand new Main Library in Nashville, hosted a set of discussions to learn (and share) how to think skillfully about central library facilities in a time of rapid changes in service delivery systems.
Conference presenters included Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell; Pittsburgh Director of Planning Eloise Hirsch; Robert A. M. Stern, AIA � � Nashville�s Main Library;� and Mary Jo Waits, Associate Director of the Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Collage of Public Programs, School of Public Affairs, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, on �Civic Vitality, Civic Life and Central Libraries.� Other panel presentations included �Roles of Central Libraries in a Digital Age;� �Support and Funding Strategies;� �Lessons Learned: The Good, The Bad, The Exemplary;� �Technology: Plans, Process, Products, People;� and �Spaces that Work.�
This conference focused on new methods of structuring work for high-performance now and in the future. Conference highlights included:
Judy Soren Brown, speaker, writer, and visiting professor of Leadership and Management at the University of Maryland guided an in-depth session on restructuring work, including effective use of staff with varying credentials.
Dr. Rudolph Penner, Senior Fellow at The Urban Institute, presented the demographic picture of �Who Will Do the Work When the Baby Boomers Retire?�
The Washington, D.C. firm, Restructuring Associates, Inc. (RAI) lead a session on redesigning high involvement, high performance work systems, including those working in a union environment.
 Co-Hosted by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and the Chicago Public Library
This conference covered broad urban agenda topics related to Economic Development.
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