How Many Librarians Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?

 

Is there a library worker alive who doesn't know what it's like to be in the middle of a tsunami of change? George Needham will discuss the benefits of change and transition in libraries from multiple points of view: the manager trying to introduce change, the staff member trying to implement it, and the library user trying to find what she wants in the changed system. Using examples from libraries and the rest of the world, George will offer ideas to help make any transition happen as smoothly as possible. He'll also cite examples of easily avoidable pitfalls that can derail your change process before it ever has a chance to prove itself. And during the program, he'll offer at least three or four answers to the title riddle!  

 

Keynote Speaker: George Needham 

 

George Needham is a librarian, consultant, speaker, and facilitator. After earning his BA and MLS degrees from the University at Buffalo, New York, George began his professional career at the Charleston (South Carolina) County Library, and has served as director of Fairfield County (Ohio) District Library, as an association executive with the Ohio Library Association and the Public Library Association, and as State Librarian of Michigan. For 16 years, he served as OCLC's Vice President for Global and Regional Councils in Dublin, Ohio. A frequent speaker at library and community events, George has also written several articles, contributed chapters to three books, and reviewed hundreds of books, audiobooks, DVDs and other materials for Library Journal, Booklist, Columbus Dispatch, and AudioFile. His sole brush with non-library fame came as a two-time Jeopardy! champion in December, 1994.