Working on the book

I talked to a publisher this week.  Now it is time to get outline on paper and start construction.  I have planned and read, and thought and dreamed.  Time to do is at hand.  The Founding Fathers and I will be good friends for the next few months - Ben Franklin, welcome to my world.

twittering

I am learning through Twitter's limit of 140 characters to be more precise in my writing.  At times in writing for the news column I have to fluff a little to get a usable article.  At times I have to trim to make it fit a limit.
Twitter is good exercise for writing. Exercising your brain is just as important as exercising your body.

Listen to readers

One of the joys of being a librarian is sharing books, encouraging people to read.  In addition to sharing your own favorites, it is important to listen to your readers and share their excitement over "finds" with other library patrons.  Share the joy.  Listening to readers just provides another uncataloged resource for you to share.

Questions about the Question

    Librarians have been trained and quickly add to training with experience in one of our most valuable tools, the reference interview.  What sets librarians apart from keyword searches is the insight gained from eye contact, body language and questions about the question asked.  Keywords in a Google search bring more "hits"  than anyone has time to tunnel through.  The professional librarian is still the key to making the keyword search productive in most cases.  Yes, we do have knowledgeable high school and college students who can do it themselves, but the vast majority of the public including administrators of government offices and big business, do not have a clue how to search to limit the responses to clearly what they are asking for.
The way to be future ready as a librarian is to focus on the things we do best that no one else does professionally.  And ramp it up to the best we can be. 
    Reference questions, whether snake identification, finding people information or statistics to support ones view or need, or a variety of other types, are the investigative and fun side of librarianship.  Next to shopping for books with someone else's money - it is the best thing we do.  We could all stand to study the reference interview more and the subtle body language and voice cues that tell us what level of information the patron really needs not just what they are asking for. 
   Growing professionally in service to others is the key to librarianship of the future.

Legends and Heroes

    I have been blessed to live in an era where the media, for all its faults has brought us heroes into our living rooms on a daily basis.  Yes, the media also supplies lots of junk and trash, but as a librarian I know that the shelves are full and it is I who choose what to take from them. 
   I still have the power to turn off the power, change the channel or just do something else, which I often do when others in my family watch something I do not want.
     Over the years, seeing legendary heroes often, helps cement the knowledge that those who are determined can do much with their lives. Bob Hope,  Jimmy Stewart, Michael Landon, Marlo and Danny Thomas, are just some of the heroes I count as extraordinary leaders. 
    Bob Hope entertained the troops on foreign soil through danger, discomfort and unpopular wars.  He helped countless other careers in a tough business and was a humorist who could dig, tease and ridicule,  without being hateful.  I so wish the modern comedians could have learned from his example.
   Jimmy Stewart was a gentleman in Hollywood who could play cowboy or Congressman with equal fervor, who spoke slowly and gently at times but you had no doubt of his strength.  He served his country in the Air Force, was a true family man and friend.  He worked long past 65 - as most Americans do.
   Michael Landon, who I grew up adoring as Little Joe in Bonanza, became the Angel in Highway to Heaven which gave voice to  faith at a time our country desperately needed television to have some good choices for family viewing,  and he went on to create one of the greatest family shows ever in the Little House on the Prairie series based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's books.  Michael Landon Jr is another one of his gifts to the world.  Any parent would be proud.
  Danny Thomas and his daughter Marlo have led the unerring fight against Cancer in children for most of my life.  My young cousin Mike Yates benefited from St. Jude over 30 years ago and our family all still stands in awe of this wonderful facility.  Ideas can have far reaching effects and last generations.  I still remember the show Make Room for Daddy, but it is St. Jude that will touch lives forever.
  

Selection and keywords

Preparing to write a book requires planning of key words for advertising, chapters, outline.  Choosing the right key words is paramount to getting the message across to the reading public clearly. 

We are what we choose to be.  We are what we choose to do.

Ben Franklin, my hero

Since the writings of Ben Franklin are a cornerstone of the material I hope to bring together for a book, I will often quote him on this blog as a collection of important points and as a reminder of his contributions to the character of our country.  Ben inspired many to give time and effort to public service.   He followed the Puritan teachings of Cotton Mather and he recognized God and Jesus, not in a Baptist, Methodist or other denominational way, but in the spirit of the new American, worshipping God as the divine power, Jesus as the Savior and one of a new generation literate enough to read and discern history on his own. 

For much of the world, prior to this time, literacy was not widespread so the organized church taught and directed rituals and forms of worship rather than individuals seeking Jesus through Bible study themselves.

Franklin was in addition to being a printer and a writer, the instigator of lending libraries in America.  He is indeed my hero.

Franklin sought to cultivate his character by a plan of thirteen virtues, which he developed at age 20 (in 1726) and continued to practice in some form for the rest of his life. His autobiography lists his thirteen virtues as:

1. "Temperance. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."
2. "Silence. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
3. "Order. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time."
4. "Resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
5. "Frugality. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing."
6. "Industry. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
7. "Sincerity. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
8. "Justice. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
9. "Moderation. Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
10. "Cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation."
11. "Tranquility. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
12. "Chastity. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation."
13. "Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates."

Planning ahead

Planning for writing, planning the work day, planning a trip  all require the focus on the goal or end result desired.  Time to make some outlines - road maps for each activity.  Steps today include registration for Philadelphia SLA housing, writing on the blog and emailing folks helping with planning the trip. 
Writing on this blog is also one of the ways I focus on reminding myself of the mission - research, tell and write about Ben and the other founding fathers and Our Father who art in Heaven.  God Bless America again, please!