Getting your color on: maybe there’s some truth to the trend

Post originally published on LITA Blog http://litablog.org/2016/05/getting-your-color-on-maybe-theres-some-truth-to-the-trend/

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Coloring was never my thing, even as a young child, the amount of decision required in coloring was actually stressful to me. Hence my skepticism of this zen adult coloring trend. I purchased a book and selected coloring tools about a year ago, coloring bits and pieces here and there but not really getting it. Until now.

While reading an article about the psychology behind adult coloring, I found this quote to be exceptionally interesting:

The action involves both logic, by which we color forms, and creativity, when mixing and matching colors. This incorporates the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in vision and fine motor skills [coordination necessary to make small, precise movements]. The relaxation that it provides lowers the activity of the amygdala, a basic part of our brain involved in controlling emotion that is affected by stress. -Gloria Martinez Ayala [quoted in Coloring Isn’t Just For Kids. It Can Actually Help Adults Combat Stress]

A page, colored by Whitni Watkins, from Color Me Stress Free by Lacy Mucklow and Angela Porter

As I was coloring this particular piece [pictured to the left] I started seeing the connection the micro process of coloring has to the macro process of managing a library and/or team building. Each coloring piece has individual parts that contribute to forming the outline of full work of art. But it goes deeper than that.

For exampled, how you color and organize the individual parts can determine how beautiful or harmonious the picture can be. You have so many different color options to choose from, to incorporate into your picture, some will work better than others. For example, did you know in color theory, orange and blue is a perfect color combination? “According to color theory, harmonious color combinations use any two colors opposite each other on the color wheel.” [7]  But that the combination of orange, blue and yellow is not very harmonious?

Our lack of knowledge is a significant hindrance for creating greatness, knowing your options while coloring is incredibly important. Your color selection will determine what experience one has when viewing the picture. Bland, chaotic or pleasing, each part working together, contributing to the bigger picture. “Observing the effects colors have on each other is the starting point for understanding the relativity of color. The relationship of values, saturations and the warmth or coolness of respective hues can cause noticeable differences in our perception of color.” [6]  Color combinations, that may seem unfitting to you, may actually compliment each other.  

Note that some colors will be used more frequently and have a greater presence in the final product due to the qualities that color holds but remember that even the parts that only have a small presence are crucial to bringing the picture together in the end. 

“Be sure to include those who are usually left out of such acknowledgments, such as the receptionist who handled the flood of calls after a successful public relations effort or the information- technology people who installed the complex software you used.”[2]

There may be other times where you don’t use a certain color as much as it should have and could have been used. The picture ends up fully colored and completed but not nearly as beautiful (harmonious) as it could have been. When in the coloring process, ask yourself often “‘What else do we need to consider here?’ you allow perspectives not yet considered to be put on the table and evaluated.” [2] Constant evaluation of your process will lead to a better final piece.

While coloring I also noticed that I color individual portions in a similar manner. I color triangles and squares by outlining and shading inwards. I color circular shapes in a circular motion and shading outwards. While coloring, we find our way to be the most efficient but contained (within the lines) while simultaneously coordinating well with the other parts. Important to note, that the way you found to be efficient in one area  may not work in another area and you need to adapt and be flexible and willing to try other ways. Imagine coloring a circle the way you color a square or a triangle. You can take as many shortcuts as you want to get the job done faster but you may regret them in the end. Cut carefully. 

Remember while coloring: Be flexible. Be adaptable. Be imperturbable.

You can color how ever you see fit. You can choose which colors you want, the project will get done. You can be sure there will be moments of chaos, there will be moments that lack innovation. Experiment, try new things and the more you color the better you’ll get. However, coloring isn’t for everyone, at that’s okay. 

Now, go back and read again, this time substitute the word color for manage.

Maybe there is something to be said about this trend of the adult coloring book. 

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References:
1. Coloring Isn’t Just For Kids. It Can Actually Help Adults Combat Stress http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/13/coloring-for-stress_n_5975832.html
2. Twelve Ways to Build an Effective Team http://people.rice.edu/uploadedFiles/People/TEAMS/Twelve%20Ways%20to%20Build%20an%20Effective%20Team.pdf
3. COLOURlovers: History Of The Color Wheel http://www.colourlovers.com/blog/2008/05/08/history-of-the-color-wheel
4. Smashing Magazine: Color Theory for Designers, Part 1: The Meaning of Color: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2010/01/color-theory-for-designers-part-1-the-meaning-of-color/
5. Some Color History http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/vision/colhist.html
6. Color Matters: Basic Color Theory http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory
7. lifehacker: Learn the Basics of Color Theory to Know What Looks Good http://lifehacker.com/learn-the-basics-of-color-theory-to-know-what-looks-goo-1608972072
8. lifehacker: Color Psychology Chart http://lifehacker.com/5991303/pick-the-right-color-for-design-or-decorating-with-this-color-psychology-chart
9. Why Flexible and Adaptive Leadership is Essential http://challenge2050.ifas.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/YuklMashud.2010.AdaptiveLeadership.pdf

I’m a Librarian. Of tech, not books.

Post originally published on LITA Blog: http://litablog.org/2016/02/im-a-librarian-of-tech-not-books/

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Image from http://www.systemslibrarian.co.za/

When someone finds out I’m a librarian, they automatically think I know everything there is to know about, well, books. The thing is, I don’t. I got into libraries because of the technology. My career in libraries started with the take off, a supposed library replacement, of ebooks. Factor in the Google “scare” and librar*s  were going to be done forever. Librar*s were frantic to debunk that they were no longer going to be useful, insert perfect time and opportunity to join libraries and technology.

I am a Systems Librarian and the most common and loaded question I get from non-librarians is (in 2 parts), “What does that mean? and What do you do?” Usually this resorts to a very simple response:
I maintain the system the library sits on, the one that gives you access to the collection from your computer in the comfort of your home. This tool, that lets you view the collection online and borrow books and access databases and all sorts of resources from your pajamas, my job is to make sure that keeps running the way we need it to so you have the access you want.
My response aims to give a physical picture about a technical thing. There is so much we do as systems librarians that if I were to get in-deep with what I do, we’d be there for a while. Between you and I, I don’t care to talk *that* much, but maybe I should.

There’s a lot more to being a Systems Librarian, much of which is unspoken and you don’t know about it until you’re in the throws of being a systems librarian. There was a Twitter conversation prompted when a Twitter’er asked for recommendations on things to teach or include in on the job training for someone who is interested in library systems. It got me thinking, because I knew little to nothing about being a Systems Librarian and just happened upon it (Systems Librarianship) because the job description sounded really interesting and I was already a little bit qualified. It also allowed me to build a skill set that provided me a gateway out of libraries if and when the time arrived. Looking back, I wonder what would I have wanted to know before going into Systems, and most importantly, would it have changed my decision to do so, or rather, to stay? So what is it to be a Systems Librarian?

The unique breed: A Systems Librarian:

• makes sure users can virtually access a comprehensive list of the library’s collection
• makes sure library staff can continue to maintain that ever-growing collection
• makes sure that when things in the library system break, everything possible is done to repair it
• needs to be able to accurately assess the problem presented by the frantic library staff member that cannot log into their ILS account
• needs to be approachable while still being the person that may often say no
• is an imperfect person that maintains an imperfect system so that multiple departments doing multiple tasks can do their daily work.
• must combine the principles of librarianship with the abilities of computing technology
• must be able to communicate the concerns and needs of the library to IT and communicate the concerns and needs of IT to the library

Things I would have wanted to know about Systems Librarianship: When you’re interested but naive about what it takes.

• You need to be able to see the big and small pictures at once and how every piece fits into the puzzle
• Systems Librarianship requires you to communicate, often and on difficult to explain topics. Take time to master this. You will be doing a lot of it and you want everyone involved to understand, because all parties will most likely be affected by the decision.
• You don’t actually get to sit behind a computer all day every day just doing your thing.
• You are the person to bridge the gap between IT and librarians. Take the time to understand the inner workings of both groups, especially as they relate to the library.
• You’ll be expected to communicate between IT staff and Library staff why their request, no matter the intention, will or will not work AND if it will work, but would make things worse – why.
• You will have a new problem to tackle almost every day. This is what makes the job so great
• You need to understand the tasks of every department in the library. Take the time to get to know the staff of those departments as well – it will give insight to how people work.
• You need to be able to say no to a request that should not or cannot be done, yes even to administration.
• No one really knows all you do, so it’s important to take the time to explain your process when the time calls for it.
• You’ll most likely inherit a system setup that is confusing at best. It’s your job to keep it going, make it better even.
• You’ll be expected to make the “magic” happen, so you’ll need to be able to explain why things take time and don’t appear like a rabbit out of a hat.
• You’ll benefit greatly from being open about how the system works and how one department’s requests can dramatically, or not so dramatically, affect another part of the system.
• Be honest when you give timelines. If you think the job will take 2 weeks, give yourself 3.
• You will spend a lot of time working with vendors. Don’t take their word for  “it,” whatever “it” happens to be.
• This is important– you’re not alone. Ask questions on the email lists, chat groups, Twitter, etc..
• You will be tempted to work on that problem after work, schedule time after work to work on it but do not let it take over your life, make sure you find your home/work life balance.

Being a systems librarian is hard work. It’s not always an appreciated job but it’s necessary and in the end, knowing everything I do,  I’d choose it again. Being a tech librarian is awesome and you don’t have to know everything about books to be good at it. I finally accepted this after months of ridicule from my trivia team for “failing” at librarianship because I didn’t know the answer to that obscure book reference from an author 65 years ago.

Also, those lists are not, by any means, complete — I’m curious, what would you add?

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Possibly of interest, a bit dated (2011) but a comprehensive list of posts on systems librarianship: https://librarianmandikaye.wordpress.com/systems-librarian/

OPAC Tags

One of the best ways  libraries can enhance their catalogs are with tagging in the OPAC. The population we target understands tags. They used applications like Tumblr, Flickr, Pinterest, Facebook, and many others.

Allowing the tags to be user-generated will bring a new light to what the students think of outside of the typical LCSH. Their tags will help us understand how to market our resources.

A disadvantage to employing user tagging is you may get tags that are not related to the title. It is always a risk letting other in to do a work you know so well but it is important that we tailor our marketing to our audience and OPAC tags are the perfect way. Not only with marketing but with the services we offer.

LibraryThing is a tagging system that OPACs that accepts HTML  you can add the tagging from Library Thing.

I encourage everyone to get a LibraryThing account, you can get a personal account and add 200 books for free. If you are like me and have over 200 books you can buy a lifetime account for $20.