Someone asked me recently why it can be hard for libraries to change. She wondered why when her library wanted to try something it required a committee of people and a long process that in many cases meant by the time the something was ready to implement it was too late. I think about this construct a lot and have realized that a part of what is going on is a desire or need to make sure that a program or service is perfect before it launches to the public. When we strive for perfection in libraries we end up creating an environment that isn’t nimble or flexible or responsive to the community. And, as a result, we don’t move forward as quickly as we need.
The conversation where someone asked me about libraries and change led to this Tweet:
@LibraryFanatic …and it's a beautiful thing! pic.twitter.com/24OZ8cZGHn
— Gillian Madeley (@aljasngenietoo) August 24, 2014