Ten things you could do Now to Turbo-charge your Library Super Powers

Here are ten ides that could super-charge your libraries strength and increase your impact in areas that are critical to community and society. Please add your own ideas by commenting below or shouting it out via Twitter @KarenAPerry @KSlibassoc #LibrarySuperPower

1. Download my presentation, Why Librarian Super Powers Could Save the World, from the Kansas Library Association Conference.  Libraries already have the super powers of trust, knowledge, technology and place.  They can activate strengths in each of these areas to help people, their communities, regions, and maybe the world.  We are in a knowledge economy and a service-driven economy. Libraries sit at the intersection of both!
2. Read and Share the new report from the Aspen Institute Communications & Society Project Rising to the Challenge: Re-envisioning Public Libraries. Have a book discussion on the sections discussing, A Renewed Vision of the Pubic Library and A New World of Knowledge.
3. Share the Rising to the Challenge Report with your partners and discuss the 4 Strategies for Success and 15 Steps for Library Leaders, Policy Leaders or Community Leaders to prompt local discussion, reflection and action.
4. Do something new to meet community information needs. At the Hotel Murano in Tacoma WA, their spiritual menu includes a lending library of books on all major religions of the world. How can your library promote greater understanding in your community? There selection includes: Bhagavad Gita, Book of Mormon, Eight Noble Truth (Buddhism), King James Bible, The Koran, New American Bible, Tao Te Ching, The Torah, What is Scientology?
5. Complete the 2014 Digital Inclusion Survey by November 21, 2014.  Your data supports ALA’s advocacy work at the federal level.  You’ll get useful state data if enough surveys are submitted from your state.
6. Check out the new E-rate Modernization Order and take action this year to apply for upgrades to your library’s Local Area Network.  The FCC has allocated $2B for wifi upgrades at schools and libraries.
7. Do something new to engage your community in creating new information. Check out the work of the North Carolina State University Library that was just awarded a grant to develop social media collection, curation, and preservation toolkit, based on their amazing project to Crowd Source Images when they opened the new My #HuntLibrary
8. Make a plan to take the Library Edge Assessment.  It is a good process to align your technology plan with community service needs and it helps build your case for increased support.
9. Need help telling the story about what libraries do?  Consider using the U.S. Impact Study Toolkit to make your case.  Funded by Gates Foundation; managed by UW; free to you.
10. Check out the Pew Internet Libraries research. There is a lot of nationally representative and well-respected research and reporting here.  Start put by just reading the executive summaries of the report and discuss the implications with your library staff and board.

I know, ten ideas is just not enough! Please add your ideas and inspirations in the comments below or via Twitter @KarenAPerry #LibrarySuperPowers!