Wiki - New Content

From Julie Todaro -

All, please continue to visit the Transforming Wiki! http://transformingtxlibraries.pbwiki.com/

We now have:

• more summit content
• content from two groups worked with post-summit
• pictures from the summit (we have just added "stakeholder content" as per your request)
• Assembly content
• a few general pictures creating the transforming feeling
• a redone front page
• we begin with content on transforming Texas (the environment within which we operate)
• we then offer content on transforming Texas libraries content
• we then offer content on transforming the Texas Library Association (from Assembly)

I will link Mary's Jo's good information from resources pages...keep those ideas coming...

Annual Assembly

Reposting from the TLA Blog:

TLA's Annual Assembly will start tomorrow evening with the Chairs Training program. A large part of this session will address the exciting Transforming Texas Libraries initiative. Julie Todaro, chair of the Visioning Steering Committee, and Joyce Baumbach, who's leading the TLA strategic planning process, will be on hand with some exciting news. Be ready to offer your thoughts on how to transform Texas libraries and TLA!

TLA Annual Assembly

There is no general meeting for the Transforming Texas Libraries Task Force at the 2008 Annual Assembly per se. Following are some Annual Assembly activities:

Julie Todaro, chair of this task force, will lead a discussion of "Transforming Texas Libraries: Ideas for Transforming Your Own Community" on Tuesday, July 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. All Annual Assembly attendees are encouraged to participate in this "train the trainer" session to learn how to conduct their own version of the visioning summit. Julie has developed a series of tools and training materials for a new wiki (http://transformingtxlibraries.pbwiki.org). Please contribute your own stories, ideas, and experiences to ensure that this wiki becomes an ongoing virtual "idea lab" for all to use.

On Monday, July 7 a small working group of task force members will flesh out the final report. If you are interested in volunteering for the full day, please let me know.

The Steering Committee will meet on Wednesday, July 9 at 8:30 a.m.

In terms of establishing an infrastructure for statewide change, TLA will also be focusing on own structure so that we can better lead change in the state. Annual Assembly will be the kick-off of an exciting new TLA strategic planning process chaired by Joyce Baumbach. Joyce's task force is asking individuals as well as unit and committee officers to contribute ideas to the following questions:

• What are the most important statewide activities to undertake to effect a statewide transformation of libraries for their constituents?
• What do librarians need to help them transform their libraries for their constituents?
• How can TLA lead the transformative process for their constituents?
• How can librarians begin to transform our professional culture?
• How should TLA be organized to focused on issues facing libraries?

Just this week, the 2008 class of TALL Texans created their own vision for Texas libraries. In the next few weeks, we'll be linking their vision to the Transforming Texas Libraries wiki.

Transforming Program at TLA Annual Conference

TLA is making the 2008 Second General Session program with speakers Roy Tennant, Joe Janes, Karen Schneider, and Stephen Abram available on the TLA website. This extraordinary panel really stimulated thinking about the transformational process; and with the speakers' permission, we are disseminating this valuable content. You can find a six-minute excerpt of their presentation at http://www.txla.org/conference/conf.html or can contact Randy May (randym|at|txla|dot|org) for instructions for downloading the full 80 MB file.

TLA 2008 - Transforming Texas Libraries Task Force: Session Debriefing

I also wanted to share my write up of the debriefing session TLA. You can read it over on my personal blog. Once again, if you've written about this session or seen anyone else who has, please leave a comment with a link!

TLA 2008 - Transforming Texas Libraries: An Update on Statewide Visioning

I just wanted to share my write up of the Transforming Texas Libraries session at TLA. You can read it over on my personal blog. If you've written about this session or seen anyone else who has, please leave a comment with a link!

Transforming - 2nd General Session

This Just In:

The Transforming Texas Libraries Task Force will be asked to stand at the Second General Session and be recognized. This general session will be on Thursday, April 17 at 4 p.m. in the Arena of the Dallas Convention Center. There's no special seating area--just wherever you are comfortable.

The keynote speakers will be Stephen Abram, Joe Janes, Karen Schneider, and Roy Tennant who will contribute their own ideas on the transformational process in libraries. The session should be extremely lively and a perfect follow-up to Joan Frye Williams and George Needham this past December. See you there!

-Patricia H. Smith