Raise a Reader. #49:2012

As the director of a mid-sized public library in southwestern Ontario and as a kids’ librarian by heart and by training, I am asked at least once a week, “How can I get my kids to read more?” My personal favorite is “My seven year old son only reads dinosaur books. How can I get him reading other stuff?”

My automatic response to these questions is always, “to raise a reader you need to be a reader”. If your children see you reading, dollars to donuts (I think that is a uniquely Canadian, Tim Horton’s phrase), they will grow up to be readers. If your children see you watching television 24/7, they will be television watchers 24/7. It doesn’t matter whether you are reading cereal boxes, magazines, or websites, reading is reading. The best way to get kids to read is to model the behavior.

The second way to raise a reader is to read to them. There is nothing finer than being read to. Whether you are 2 or 82, there is something magical about sharing a story. I have to admit that, as I cruise through the Acquisitions Department and come upon a new picture book (especially a Robert Munsch title), I have been known to pick it up and read it aloud to anyone who will listen. There is magic in being read to!

Canadians have a whole day dedicated to encouraging family reading and literacy.  ABC Life Literacy Canada is a non-profit organization that encourages Canadians to read. They connect and mobilize businesses, unions, government, communities, libraries, and individuals to support lifelong learning. Like the Guelph Public Library, ABC Life Literacy Canada envisions a Canada where everyone has the literacy skills they need to live a fully engaged life.

On their website (http://abclifeliteracy.ca/), I particularly like the facts about the impact reading with your kids will have on their whole life. For example, “just 15 minutes a day can improve a child’s literacy skills dramatically and can help a parent improve their skills as well.”

I recommend ABC Life Literacy Canada. For the latest news about literacy and promoting reading, follow them on Twitter or their Facebook page.

Happy Literacy Day!

Kitty Pope                                                                                           #50 January 2012
kpope@library.guelph.on.ca

People are simply working longer. #48: 2012

I am sure it will come as no surprise that new data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec (http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/default_an.htm) show the number of people working past age 65 has mushroomed in the last decade. In Ontario and Quebec, it has grown from 117,000 workers over age 65 in 2000 to more than 294,000 in 2010. The annual employment growth rate for people over 65 in Canada is in excess of 11%, and the growth rate is even higher for university-educated employees.

Freedom 55, a uniquely Canadian marketing campaign of the insurance giant London Life, was a national slogan in the 1980s. It promoted the idea that, with wise investment planning, you could retire at age 55. It is now clear that Freedom 55 is dead in 2012! We all sort of had a hunch that this was happening as we watched our employees delay retirement, but now we have statistical conformation of the trend. People are simply working longer. By choice or by necessity, the average Canadian can expect to be in the work force for more than 40 years! Yikes. 

Workers are delaying retirement, because:

► they simply cannot afford to retire. The financial crisis of the last few years significantly impacted their retirement funds, or they have ongoing family expenses and debt that have delayed saving for retirement

►their skills and experience are in high demand. Companies struggle to find young, skilled employees to take their place.

►there is a growing number of workers who still want to work, but not at the same level. They take jobs that are less stressful or offer flexible hours and working conditions

The entire work life cycle of Canadians is changing. People are staying in school longer. They are having kids later in life, and they are carrying significantly more debt. This means they are unable to start saving for their retirement until their kids have completed their education.  Retirement for most Canadians in 1990 was expected to last 15-20 years.  In 2012, retirement is expected to last 20-22 years. The longer you live, the more retirement funds you need.

This trend is impacting libraries as we manage our staffing levels and plan for the future. People are simply working longer.

Kitty Pope                                                                                               #49 January 2012
kpope@library.guelph.on.ca

The Business Case in Library Land. #47: 2012

I’ve had lots of emails this past week about building a business case. A business case is a formal planning tool used for project development and evaluation. It usually is developed by stakeholders or management as part of the decision-making process. Business cases are used by municipalities, planners, and now libraries to justify the resources and financial investment necessary to roll out a new project or service. It is the planning document where all relevant facts are linked together into a cohesive evaluation and action plan.

A business case is defined as:

► the strategic reasons and quantifiable benefits for initiating a project or service.

► capturing both the quantifiable and unquantifiable characteristics of a project.

► putting business applications into project management and evaluation.

Developing a business case includes:

● Background research: including project scope, context, benefits, outcomes, options considered, and strategic business reasons for implementing or rejecting each option.

● Benchmarking: comparing the project/service with other similar services and assessing best practices.

● Gap Analysis: identifying the variance between current organizational capabilities and optimal performance.

● Risk Analysis: indentifying and assessing factors that may jeopardize the success of a project or service.

● Financial justification: including estimating funds, ROI, and staffing needs for a real-time total costing of the project.

● Action Plan: including time lines.

How are libraries using business cases?

► To evaluate department performance. At GPL, we do one department service review/ business case annually; they are outlined in our Strategic Plan.

► To evaluate and propose new library services. (e.g. Do we want to lend eReaders?)

► To plan new facilities and renovation projects.

Learning how to develop and present a compelling business case is a management skill library land needs to embrace and love!

Kitty Pope                                                                                          #48 January 2012
kpope@library.guelph.on.ca

Who is the grumpiest generation? #46: 2012

A recent workplace study by several Canadian universities talked to more than 3,000 individuals about how they view their work life and future. They found some distinctive generational characteristics, which although not definitive, are at least interesting. I quickly add that not every Baby Boomer embraces change and not all GenY folks are fun seekers. However, the study does provide a unique window into the psyche of employees and how they view employment. In talking about the study, Professor Lyons of the University of Guelph said, “The theory of generations says you have dominant and recessive generations, and they tend to alternate. GenXers are definitely a recessive generation caught between two much more dominant, louder, impactful generations.” I found this fascinating. The study went on to draw some generalizations about each generation.  For example: 

Generation	Birth date	Current age	Characteristics
Matures	Before 1945	67+	Leaving a legacy is important.  They still closely identify with their career and its progress.
Boomers	1946-1964	48-66	Even as they approach the end of their work life/career, they are still achievement driven and embrace change as a positive good.
GenXers	1965-1979	33-47	Report the lowest job satisfaction and perhaps are the grumpiest! Heading the list complaints were low pay, lack of career advancement, and insufficient training. On the positive side, they embrace technology and see it as a good thing.
Millennials or Gen Y	1980-	-32	Are most prone to rating fun, social interaction, job promotion, and recognition as important to them.

However, all four generations agreed on what was important to them in their work life: salary, benefits, job security, work achievement, a supportive supervisor or boss, having the right information to do the job, and last but not least, having interesting, challenging work to do.

 P.S.  To all my friends and co-workers who are 40-something: my apologies. You aren’t that grumpy! 

 Kitty Pope                                                                                          #47 January 2012    kpope@library.guelph.on.ca