Happy 2012

The years 2011 and 2012 have been important ones for me, both personally and professionally. The following is a piece I wrote for the January 2012 edition of the Friends of Atchison Library newsletter. I became the director of the Atchison Public Library last August and am now happily settled in.

Dear Community of Atchison,

It’s been five months since I relocated from Denver to Atchison, and I’m glad I did. This is the first time I’ve lived anywhere but Colorado, and you’ll just have to believe me when I say even that state’s beautiful mountains become commonplace after a while. The big trees and bucolic rolling hills of eastern Kansas are just as lovely.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to serve you as the director of the Atchison Public Library. Though I’ve been a librarian for about ten years, this is my second career. I started my professional life as an accountant while I was finishing my undergraduate degree in English literature. Near the end of my coursework, I enrolled in a children’s literature class, which required me to spend lots of time at my local public library searching for specific children’s books. I marveled at the technology libraries were adopting and how much easier it had become to use the library since the days of the old stand-alone card catalog. By the end of the semester, I was hooked. I knew then I wanted to become a librarian.

When I completed my master’s degree in library science from Emporia State University in 2006, I seized the opportunity to become the director of the American Alpine Club Library in Golden, Colorado. Founded in 1916, the AACL is the world’s largest library dedicated to the subject of mountaineering and rock climbing, and with its thousands of irreplaceable books, photographs, and manuscripts, it one of the true gems within the realm of special collections. I held that position for three and a half years, gaining experience with rare books, archives, photo digitization projects, grant writing, and working with benefactors and major donors. That job was so inspiring that I even became a rock and ice climber for a time!

Me, pre-Kansas

But my heart has always been in public libraries, so after leaving the AACL, I went back to work as a reference librarian at the Denver Public Library, where I had served some years earlier. In the meantime, I met my girlfriend (now fiancée) Mindy, who was/still is a doctoral student at the University of Kansas. So, I set my sights on opportunities in eastern Kansas, and the rest is history.

A lot has happened during my first months in Atchison. I had the great pleasure of hiring our new Youth Services Librarian, Holly Hutchison, who has already transformed the children’s library into something magical. Claudia Bosshammer-Bilimek, now in her 43^rd year at the Atchison Public Library, continues to be an indispensable part of the team, managing the Kansas Room and cataloging new library materials. In fact, the entire staff is a dedicated bunch and I’m honored to be working with every one of them. I look forward to building upon the accomplishments of previous directors Diana Weaver and PJ Capps.

Going forward, you’ll see many positive changes at the library. Duane Williams, our Technology Administrator, has been working on replacing all of our public computers, including eight laptops, with brand-new equipment. I’m hopeful, too, that we’ll be able to significantly increase our internet bandwidth speed later this year. Our free computer classes will resume this spring, as well.

Perhaps you’re beginning to hear a lot about e-books and wondering what the all the hullabaloo is about. For those who are curious, you may want to join us for one of our monthly “Tech Petting Zoo” workshops. Classes for January, February, and March are already lined up, and you can check the library’s events calendar for dates and times. Test drive a Kindle, NOOK, Kindle Fire, and an iPad, or ask questions about your own. You can also learn how to “borrow” e-books and audio e-books from the State Library’s collection.

For those of you who had noticed uncomfortably high and low temperatures inside the library over the last several years, you’ll be pleased to know that we’re completely replacing our 30-year-old heating and air-conditioning units with a modern system. We expect the new equipment to be up and running by March 1, and approximately half the cost is being funded by a grant the library received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The library's climate should be a lot more temperate going forward, especially during the months of August and January!

Once the new HVAC system is installed, we’ll begin investigating ways in which we can significantly update the library’s interior space. This could take a few years to fully accomplish, as we’ll need to get community input, flesh out ideas with designers and architects, and launch a capital campaign to raise money.

As Holly and her staff begin to engage the children and teens of Atchison, our soon-to-be-hired Adult Services Librarian will address the needs of the “older” crowd. Plan to see more cultural, career, and educational-oriented programming for adults as the year progresses.

And let’s not forget books, audiobooks, and DVDs! If you haven’t checked our shelves lately, you’ll be happy to find plenty of new stuff that will pique your interest. In fact, our budget for new library materials will nearly double by the time 2013 arrives, so let us know what you’d like to see. You can browse and put items on hold though the NExpress catalog, too.

On a related note: Though library usage has increased significantly over the last decade, public libraries across the country continue to face crippling cutbacks in funding, staff, and services. In fact, it is not uncommon these days for libraries to close their doors altogether, even in the big cities.

By contrast, the Atchison Public Library is upgrading its technology, maintaining a full staff, is open six full days per week (including evening hours on Mondays through Thursdays), and increasing its budget for new circulating materials. To say the community of Atchison is fortunate to be in this position is an understatement; many people deserve to be thanked, especially local taxpayers, our city and county governments, the Library Board of Trustees, the Northeast Kansas Library System, and longtime library benefactors. Please be sure to tell your local and state officials how much you appreciate your public library. They need to hear from you!

Please stop by anytime and say “hi.” I would love to hear from you via email and phone, too. I want to know how we're doing and what we can do for you. You can reach me at glandeck@atchisonlibrary.org and 913-367-1902.

Sincerely,

Gary Landeck, Director

Donor Bill of Rights

In these days of economic hardship, cultural heritage institutions are relying on their donors more than ever. It's therefore imperative that professionals working at all levels in these institutions have training in proper donor stewardship.

Lists like the following (a one-page "donor bill of rights") make that task fairly easy. Post it on the wall above your phone, make ticklers on your calendar, and implement processes to be sure your donors are well-cared for. Thanks to the Association of Fundraising Professionals for developing this handy reference.

1. Inform donors of the organization's mission, of the way the organization intends to use donated resources, and of its capacity to use donations effectively for intended purposes.

2. Inform donors of the identity of those serving on the organization's governing board, and to expect the board to exercise prudent judgment in its stewardship responsibilities.

3. Give donors access to the organization's most recent financial statements.

4. Assure donors their gifts will be used for the purposes for which they were given.

5. Ensure donors receive appropriate acknowledgment and recognition.

6. Assure donors that information about their donations is handled with respect and with confidentiality to the extent provided by law.

7. Assure donors that all relationships with individuals representing organizations of interest to the donor will be professional in nature.

8. Inform donors whether those seeking donations are volunteers, employees of the organization, or hired solicitors.

9. Give donors the opportunity for their names to be deleted from mailing lists that an organization may intend to share.

10. Give donors the freedom to ask questions when making a donation and give them prompt, truthful, and forthright answers.

Outsourcing My Way to a Better Life

About a year ago I read two books that have stayed with me. Though neither was literary or particularly creative in style (usually big draws for me), their messages have had lasting impacts. One book was The 4-Hour Workweek, by Tim Ferriss. The other was How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read, by Pierre Bayard.

The push of The 4-Hour Workweek was how to delegate and outsource the details of your life so you can spend more time, well...living. The author left out nothing: Everything from mowing your lawn, to managing your email, to creating automated income for yourself, to collecting and synthesizing information should, according to Ferriss, be systematized and then delegated to other people. It was a book remarkable in its simplicity and execution. And to anyone who can actually pull off everything Ferriss suggests, you are my hero.

The main message of How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read was similar: Let other people do your reading for you. As someone who loves to read, I was intrigued (and perhaps a little troubled) by Bayard's recommendation. But as I read the book, I quickly discovered that the author was NOT suggesting that you don't read, but that because it is impossible to read everything, it becomes imperative that you leverage your network to become better read and informed about what matters to you.

What was most striking to me about both books is that though the authors appeared to shun work (at least on the surface), what they were really going for was capacity building. And to build capacity, one must have solid, well-articulated, and healthy relationships with other people. There is no way one could do what Ferriss and Bayard suggest without good relationships.

I sometimes get sidetracked by personal progress and achievements, but really what matters most to me in this life are relationships. In my moments of clarity, everything else becomes incidental. For me, those two books were evidence that I'm on the right track.

Learning From a Pro

Last night I witnessed an impressive piece of fundraising. It happened at the American Mountaineering Museum's Hall of Mountaineering Excellence Gala, which was almost single-handedly organized and run by my colleague and museum operations manager, Sarah Wood.

The event was well-attended (about 200 people), and included names such as American mountaineer Ed Viesturs and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard. At the beginning of the event, Sarah welcomed everyone and engaged in other niceties with the audience. She recapped the museum's first two years of operations.

Then Sarah moved into a discussion about the museum's cultural significance. She discussed specifics such as how many children the museum could reach out to in a year. Then she attached actual price tags to those efforts. Then Sarah asked for money.

I was taken aback by Sarah's approach because it was so...direct. I mean, within minutes she went from welcoming everyone to asking for money at an event that had a different overall purpose. I don't think most people in the audience expected it. I certainly didn't.

But Sarah was masterful in her approach with these 200 people. She never once said that anyone should give money. She simply presented a compelling argument. She nailed the emotional hook all fundraisers look for to connect with their donors. And Sarah pulled it off brilliantly.

She even had a slick video presentation. A dollar amount would appear on the screen and Sarah would say, "Who will give this amount to put a child through one of the museum's programs?" Hands were raised. Then a new dollar amount appeared on the screen and Sarah would ask a similar question about another of the museum's programs. More hands were raised.

I'm guessing that in about ten minutes, Sarah raised $5,000 for the museum. From an audience who (mostly) wasn't expecting it. It was absolutely remarkable. My mouth was agape and my wine glass nearly slipped from my hand.

I'm pretty sure that if I asked Sarah, she would say that she isn't a fundraiser. But she is, and here's why: First of all, she runs an institution whose mission she believes in. Second, she knew what her audience's emotional hook was. Third, she executed that hook by being respectful and by being herself. It was a slam dunk.

Sarah's presentation reminded me again that there are many ways to raise money for museums and libraries. Leaders of these institutions have to know what it is about these places that resonates with themselves and with their donors. The rest just falls into place.

I Chose Death

The Death Card

I had an interesting experience last night with my deck of tarot cards. I had just attended a presentation by Phil Powers at the American Mountaineering Museum. Phil's presentation was about his life during the time he was climbing some of the world's most challenging and dangerous mountains. Phil discussed not only his climbing adventures, but how those adventures affected and altered his perceptions of his own life. It was quite powerful.

When I got home, I thought about what Phil had shared. As I was doing so, I picked up my deck of tarot cards. I like tarot as a tool for meditation and introspection. It helps me to think creatively about problems and opportunities. The cards are often startlingly accurate in the way that they deal out and what they tell me. Tarot creeps me out, but it's part of what I like about it.

As I shuffled the cards, I asked the tarot, "OK, Tarot, if you're going to tell me one thing tonight, what is it? Lay it on me, baby." I picked one card. That card was "Death."

Of the 78 cards in the tarot deck, Death is the most loaded. Death is described as "a major transformation," which can mean a lot of things. Actual death is only one of the interpretations.

It was funny, because just before I pulled the card, I had wondered if I was going to choose Death. Strange thing, that tarot is.

The card resonated with me because I feel like I AM going through a major transformation. Specifically, letting go of fear. For a number of reasons, fear is becoming less and less of an issue in my life. I'm much more adept (and happier) than I used to be about taking risks.

There are a number of things in my life that could very easily blow up in my face right now. I've deliberately taken some big chances. But I'm at complete peace with whatever happens as a result. I just want to live. And if living means getting my brains splattered across the front of a bus or at the bottom of a crag, I'm OK with that.

That doesn't mean I'm not careful about what I do, because I am. It just means that I'm ready to take on whatever life brings. I cannot tell you what a wonderful feeling that is.

I'm not sure I would have really heard Phil's meaning if I was not in this place in my life. True awareness is beautiful. I seek it out more and more every day.

Wants and Lifestyles

I've found it curious that a few people have asked me recently about why I want certain things. Things I've talked about on my blog and on Facebook. Stuff that smacks of mid-life crisis. Stuff like Corvettes, motorcycles, and climbing.

Perhaps no one really cares, but I'll try to explain. I've come to a point in my life in which I've realized that life shouldn't be boring. A gentleman who frequents the library once described a climbing route to me as "like life: Exciting in the beginning, boring in the middle, and scary at the end." His comment made me laugh, but I also found something troubling in what he said. That I didn't want my own life to follow the course of that climbing route.

For a long time, my own progress through life was hampered by various factors. But in spite of them, I managed to build a satisfying career, own a beautiful house, maintain my health, marry a remarkable woman, and developed some of the best friendships I could ever hope for.

But I'm not ready to settle down. In fact, I feel the years peeling off me. I feel younger and younger.

So, I want some exciting stuff! Is that so bad? Some people want children, I want hot rods and to hang from 200-foot cliffs. Does that mean I'm superficial and lack depth? No, people. I just want some zip in my life, OK? I'm cutting loose, so lay off.

What I will tell you is that I don't personally subscribe to the lifestyles that often accompany the things I want. Do I want a powerful Corvette to see how many gears I can get rubber in and to push the car to its limits? Absolutely. Am I going to join a car club or hang posters in my office of women draped over exotic cars? Hell no. Do I want to ride a wheelie on a crotch rocket at 60mph? You bet. Am I going to hang out with my biking buddies at the bar in our leathers? Nope.

I don't have anything at all against those other lifestyles. It's just that they're not for me.

I love my quiet life; I love my books, I love birds and nature, and I love all that I've ever loved. I just want to add a bit of ruckus to my everyday living. A little noise and chaos makes those quiet moments even richer. That's all.

Does that help?

Endowment Building (Part 2)

My last post outlined a basic strategy for building endowments. If you are trying to take the very first step in building an endowment for your cultural heritage institution, developing your "case for giving" should be it. Your "case for giving" is the statement you can take to all your current and potential donors to ask them about their participation in building an endowment. The Association of Fundraising Professionals has an excellent guide to help you develop your case for giving.

It is important to get a handful of big gifts for your endowment before you take your campaign to the outside world. The reason for delaying general promotion of your effort is to give your endowment a chance to be a success. If you already have half of your target goal in your endowment, other donors are going to be much more likely to contribute. It is likely that the first half of your endowment will come from one or two major donors; donors who are already committed to your cause and who also have extensive resources.

The next 25% will probably come from gifts that are still fairly significant in size. The last 25% will consist of small gifts ($500 or less). This is a standard pattern of development for endowments, according to the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Endowments have an essential place in cultural heritage institutions because they're among the best vehicles for your donors to leave a legacy. Many major donors are interested in legacy giving. Be sure to give them ample chance to do so with your institution.