From the Director's DeskMay 19, 2010 |
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Change/Transition/The FutureChange is all around us. This is especially true in spring as flowers grow and bloom and the corn in the fields goes from peeking through the ground to knee high in a few weeks. Some changes are easy; a new car or painting a room. Some are much more difficult; a child going off to college or the loss of a parent. But as the saying goes, “The only constant is change.” We are finding this is the truth more and more each day. Transition is a word that is often used interchangeably with the word Change. However, transition is a larger concept. Change is an action that happens, while transition is a process. The transition process* has 3 distinct phases
Library Systems have changed during their 45 years of existence. Some changes were small and others very large. We are in a time of extreme change. We must work together through this transition. First we must let go of what we currently know as library systems. Traveling through the in-between time means we shall travel many paths with sharp turns, steep hills, and maybe a few dead ends. The result will be a new beginning for library systems. The future appears uncertain. However, I believe that the commitment, knowledge, and spirit of collaboration found in the Illinois Library Community can and will transform library systems into a new organization that is a strong, vital, and sustainable partner in providing library services to the people of Illinois. * Taken from Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change, 3rd ed. by William Bridges, PhD Beverly J. Obert, Executive Director Rolling Prairie Library System |
