Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Meetings, Meetings, Meetings! Omaha Thinks?  

Part of my job means lots of meetings. As a person who isn't always as patient as I'd like to be, I sometimes don't participate as fully or as creatively as I'd like. However, last week, in addition to weekly check in meetings both with groups and individuals, a catch up with the fiscal staff, a Library Board meeting, and an update on a building renovation, one of my meetings was with two of Omaha's creative class, Brian and Trilety. The outcome reminded me why I love my job.

We met at Dundee's Blue Line where I had a wonderful iced green tea that looked like Mountain Dew but tasted like bliss, and started talking about expanding Omaha Reads to include books like The Omnivore's Dilemma. As we talked about sustainability, local food, financial fitness, and getting people to TALK, I realized that what we need isn't Omaha Reads, but Omaha Thinks. I know that one idea I became a librarian is because I love all that access to information, which really hasn't changed from the days I was besotted by the blue binders containing Facts on File, the green bound volumes of Current Biography and having my own copy of the World Almanac. I use different tools, but the idea is still about connecting people and ideas. So what if we really talked about all this stuff that is causing us sleepless nights? What if Omaha Thinks? What if everyone suddenly woke up one day and said, "Wow! Isn't it great that we have this terrific public library that wants to pull it all together for us?" What if we really starting talking about what we're thinking instead of shouting one another down?

I know I'm naive, but just in case anyone wants to try it, I registered the domain name.

What next?

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1 comments: to “ Meetings, Meetings, Meetings! Omaha Thinks?

  • Corin
    August 6, 2008 at 6:26 PM  

    Hey Rivkah. I like this concept and the approach you have. I spent some time recently arguing that literacy was not just about people reading (which people often limit it to), but about people accessing information or entertainment. Libraries have always been in this business, it is just that the format they access it in has changed. Where once they might have only been able to read a script or a trashy novel, now they can watch a trashy movie as well. Omaha Thinks, what a great great concept!

    Corin