Telling Library stories

March has been a busy month - lots of budget talk, budget work, review of services, concerns about sustainability, etc. Much like the talk over the past few years - I am having serious Deja Vu moments all the time... But in talking about services, budgets and sustainability, one thing has become quite clear to me. I haven't done a very good job in telling the Library story. What do I mean by that? What is the Library story? To me, the Library story is about how amazing libraries are, and the difference they make in people's lives. Libraries feed the mind and are the collective record of our civilization. Libraries are tangible manifestations of democracy, open to all. But every time I turn around and read the latest news report or talk to someone, even family members, people are just completely unaware of what we can do for them and how we benefit the community. We are seen as a "nice, quiet place." Or we are seen as old fashioned, obsolete, a relic of a previous age. With all the new buzz about eReaders and eBooks, this image - one that implies irrelevancy - is maddening. So I am going to try and use this blog more regularly, and with any luck, maybe I can start to change the Library story a bit. At least here in Huntington Beach. So stay tuned...