From Transactions to Transformations, MD Libraries 2014
1. From Transactions to Transformations:
how shifting our mental models moves us forward faster
This project made possible with funding by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, through the Maryland State
Department of Education, Division of Library Development and Services and Western Maryland Regional Library
Maryland Libraries
May 2014
Gail Griffith
2. Peter Senge: The Fifth Discipline—The Art and Practice of the
Learning Organization
6. While we’re talking about
customer service….
• How does your willingness to consider your mental
models shape the kind of customer service you
offer?
Programs
Fees
Borrowing limits
What else?
12. “ an icon of
transformation for GU,
empowering its
communities to surpass
their own aspirations and to
have a global impact”
-- Georgetown University
Transformations
13. Transactions
“…provision of open access to
cultural, intellectual, and
informational resources”
—Evanston, IL Public Library
“ an icon of transformation
for GU, empowering its
communities to surpass their
own aspirations and to have a
global impact”
-- Georgetown University
Transformations
15. Transactions
“…provision of open access to
cultural, intellectual, and
informational resources”
—Evanston, IL Public Library
“ an icon of transformation
for GU, empowering its
communities to surpass their
own aspirations and to have a
global impact”
-- Georgetown University
Transformations
16.
17. Build a Transformational Library
#1: Components Parts of the concept
#2: Characteristics Features associated with the
concept
#3: Challenges Obstacles associated with the
concept
#4: Characters People associated with the
concept
19. Using Questions to Minimize
Risk
• Outside the Center Thinking and Transformational
Questions
20. Mental Models of Power
Finite
• Scarcity
• Winners and losers, zero-sum
game
• Differences are used to
determine winners and losers
• Play within the rules
• Partnerships and influence are
temporary and limited
• Life and death struggles
Infinite
• Abundance
• All depend on the well-being of
the players and their other
relationships
• Differences are valued
• Play with and outside the rules
• Partnerships are safe, stable,
diverse, unlimited
• Growth and learning are
primary goals
Michael Broom
21. One Idea
• Individually—think and write
it down on a card
• One idea to expand our
mental models of library
programs and services
• Small is OK! Focus on
something you could actually
do!
• Can be something to help
transform programs, services,
self, colleagues, other?
• Example of ‘creating community’
• When asked, take your card
and a pencil to another place
in the room
• Share your idea with
someone you don’t work
with, and write theirs down
• Bring both ideas back to your
table group
22. Follow-up
• Develop an idea (can be small, medium, or large) that you’ll
share on our project wiki It can be one from the last exercise.
• We’ll send you an email so you can go to the wiki and login
• http://mentalmodels.pbworks.com
• Goal = develop a portfolio of ideas that will expand mental
models of library programs and services, shared statewide
• Online follow-up over the summer to share what’s happening
• We’ll send you a registration link with choices of dates and
times
Editor's Notes
This project made possible with funding by the Institute of Museum and Library Services,
through the Maryland State Department of Education, Division of Library and Development Services and Western Maryland Regional Library
What about transformation? Is it something like what happens to a caterpillar?
Or maybe you have a different mental model? Maybe it’s what happens when a princess kisses a frog…or maybe it’s what happens to Zach Braff in this picture?
It might be more like this—because you have all been very involved and very committed to seeing that our libraries are sustainable—that you continue to rebuild and reinvent services that respond to the changes in your environment.
My own mental model is a little more like this one—and it has certainly been influenced by my experience of working with libraries around the country AND especially in Maryland--where Irene and her staff have demonstrated a long-term commitment to supporting the kinds of leadership and innovation we need in order to keep moving forward
Bottom 4 are Foundation/Challenges—Deficiency Needs
Top 4 are Expert/Dreams—Growth Needs
Again, our goal is to surface what happens when our mental models line up with one of these models—we’re not saying that one should replace the other….
Again, our goal is to surface what happens when our mental models line up with one of these models—we’re not saying that one should replace the other….
Looking back at the functions you worked with earlier---where might they fall?
How can you tell?
What might you do to move the library further into the transformational circle in the Venn diagram (or to make the circles overlap more?)
Can ask them what kinds of transformations (on what levels) are most likely to occur in the function they chose…is it up to the person to transform? How will they know their organization or their communities are transforming in a positive way? Do staff need to transform in some way in order to make it happen?
Our not-so-hidden agenda is to help people do work that is both transactional and transformational—to help them align their work to release creative energy, to help us create more advocates who have experienced the transformational power of libraries because of our work.
Again, our goal is to surface what happens when our mental models line up with one of these models—we’re not saying that one should replace the other….
Give them this to think about over lunch.
Whole idea of mental models is to barbecue the sacred cows. Funny thing about those—most people are unaware of their own. And sometimes they become part of an organization’s culture because of something that happened 20 or 30 years ago—not even relevant to the people tending them today!
Take the dangerous question you created at your table.
Work in pairs. One person asks the question, the other rejects it using a statement from inside the center. Come up with a question from outside the center—how was the fit? What happened?
Example: if library creates or strengthens community, may begin every program by asking people to meet those sitting next to them and share what brought them here (Delaware)
Recognizing that transformations occur on individual, organizational, community levels…