Colorado Association of Libraries Futurist Interest Group

Notes from 2019 Planning Session

Oct 11, 2019

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Colorado Association of Libraries

Proposed New Interest Group

Futurists Interest Group

Purpose

The Futurists Interest Group (FIG) shall prepare CAL members to take advantage of tomorrow’s opportunities to vitally serve their communities.

Context

To address the rapidly changing world – technological, social, and otherwise, the Futurists Interest Group (FIG) will engage in future-focused content from a broad spectrum of fields and consider implications for libraries. The FIG will function as a think tank: tracking trends, addressing issues relevant to Colorado libraries, and sharing their knowledge with members and member organizations. This interest group will fill a gap because we have no other systematic strategies or consistent offerings to support CAL member in this arena.

Strategies for 2020 and Beyond

FIG will:

  • Vigilantly track emerging trends across many sectors and disciplines.
    • 2019-20 Plan (17 Votes)
      • Identify sectors for future tracking – build on ALA Futures work, other ideas; FIG members set aside time and space to intentionally track & meet to discuss
      • Monthly meetings on Second Friday of every month (via CAL Zoom)
        • Environmental scan
        • Book club
        • Set ourselves up to speed
        • Develop comment language
    • Guiding Strategies and Concepts
      • Get comfortable with chaos (or what seems like chaos)
      • Learn the stuff
      • Consider and reconsider organizational expectations
      • Have fun
      • Become the sense makers and share with others
  • Offer opportunities to library leaders and staff to embrace change through a mindset of proactive adaptation.
    • Potential Projects
      • Coordinate a pool of change consultants – situational mentoring, CAL Member to CAL member (7 Votes)
      • Record video profiles of change leaders, featuring CAL members (we produce or promote, bi-monthly? Online?)
    • Guiding Strategies and Concepts
      • Spread a mindset of flexibility, curiosity, empathy, benefits of change
      • Flexibility and change requires structure, how can libraries balance structure and shift simultaneously?
      • Find ways to empower libraries to be engaged (various levels) in choosing change (identify options, transparent processes, stories to help the process and outcome and their possible roles
      • Create systems to offer to library leaders for how to be involved in change, address change fatigue, acknowledge emotions, barriers and articulate why (vision) and what could be if change occurred and if change does not occur. Risk and reward
      • Develop systems and recommendations that address those who are scared of change
  • Develop scenarios, cast predictive frames, and provoke discussion to prepare libraries to be future-ready.
    • Potential Projects
      • Connect relevant parties – (4) Social Media; Podcast/blogs (5) attend other CAL group meetings (6)
    • Guiding Strategies and Concepts
      • We share trends, question prompts for reflection, scenarios, Current events… in other states?
  • Provide opportunities to strengthen the future of libraries in Colorado through speakers, workshops, publications, and conference activities.
    • Potential Projects
      • Make CAL 2020 Theme – Futuristic
      • Inspirational speakers/F2F/activities/online PD for frontline staff (10)
      • Emphasize personal engagement with futurists (8)
      • Encourage futurist mindsets in hiring (3)
      • Speakers to get higher level managers to think outside the box.
      • Brainstorm ways to get publications to focus on futurism

FIG Communications

  • Slack for online portal for resources, collaboration, online work
  • Zoom for monthly meetings

20 CAL Members Attending 2019 Planning Session

41 CAL Members Supporting CAL FIG (signatures gathered via Google Forms in 2018)

Carol Smith
Debbi MacLeod
Stephen Sweeney
Laurin Arnold
Sharon Morris
Crystal Schimpf
Sara Wright
Kristin Spencer
Alex Austermann
Peggy Norris
Veronica Smith
Joanna Nelson Rendon
Jennifer Cook
Jennifer Kim
Shannon Foster
Hillary Dodge
Brenna Cox
Christine Kreger
Sheila Brockmeier
Michelle Jeske
Anna Seiffert
Cassandra Bland
Shanachie Carroll
Kate Prestwood
Claudine Perrault
Tim Miller
Jackie Kuusinen
Bud Hunt
Paul H. Paladino
Tana Lucero
Tiah Frankish
Becky Russell
Natalie Wagner
Haley Squires
Julia Bordeaux
Nicole Becwar
Tiffanie Wick
Genevieve Smith
Wendy thomas
Lisa Varra
Lauren Reed