ALA Community Conversations Webinar Conversation Leaders and Note Takers ALA 2015 Annual Conference—San Francisco June 22, 2015 Prepared by Nancy Kranich 1

Promise of Libraries Transforming Communities  Partnership between ALA and the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation  Support from IMLS  Multi-phase approach designed to strengthen the role of librarians and libraries as conveners and facilitators of community change  Apply framework in the field and within ALA 2

Webinar Participants Respond  Type into the chat box any questions as we go along.  We’ll either respond as we go, or wait until the end.  Begin by saying hello and telling us where you’re located. 3

Moderating and Recording Community Overview of Webinar 1.Turning Outward 2.Community Conversation Workbook 3.Leading the Conversation 4.Note Taking 5.Questions 4

Turn Outward Toward the Community  Community rather than organization  Aspirations and concerns  Authentic engagement  Relevance and significance  Impact  Assets 5

6 View and Download: Community Conversation WorkbookCommunity Conversation Workbook

 How and whom to recruit  Finding the right conversation leader  Where to hold conversations  What to ask  How to make sense of what you heard 7

Downloads/Handouts  Community Conversation Workbook (Harwood) aries/sites/ala.org.transforminglibrar ies/files/content/LTC_ConvoGuide_fi nal_ pdf aries/sites/ala.org.transforminglibrar ies/files/content/LTC_ConvoGuide_fi nal_ pdf  Ground Rules  Step-by-Step Guide with Questions  Recording Template and Categorizing Template 8

Leading Community Conversations  These are “kitchen table” style conversations  Arrive early, if possible  1 ½ hour discussion  Use Question Tool from the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation (modified for ALA MW)  Record conversation in the format of the questions  Reformat under the 6 categories 9

Value of Community Conversations  Engage more deeply  Uncover “public knowledge”  Start listening  Recognize new opportunities and connections  Uncover our value to the community  Listen and act on what we hear  Build relationships and collaborate 10

Common Starting Points Starting Point 1.ID problems 2.Visioning 3.Aspirations What we Get  Rooted in Complaints  Blame  Wish lists  Disconnected from Reality  Based on reality  Focus on community What it Creates  Problem lists  No shared sense of direction  False hope  Not rooted in people’s reality  Shared aspirations that roots work  Possibility 11

Step-By-Step Guide 12

1. Welcome Participants 13  Introduce yourself.  Thank them for attending.

2. Set Expectations (Community Conversations Workbook p. 6)  ALA will convene conversations to talk about members’ aspirations, concerns, and how we can move forward.  Purpose: Better understand how you see things in the ALA community.  Today’s conversation is focused on the issue of making it simpler for members to connect and engage  No promises for new programs, but follow up about what we learn and how we’ll use it.  These conversations will last 1 ½ hours. 14

3. Review the Ground Rules (p.11) [Copies in Room]  Present guidelines for the discussion and test for agreement  Remind participants that there are no right answers  Listen carefully to others  Encourage everyone to participate  Maintain an atmosphere of discussion and analysis 15

 Remain neutral  Ensure everyone has a chance to participate  Focus on the questions  Make sure thoughts of participants are understood  Probe and follow up  Manage time 4. Explain Your Role as Conversation Leader, p. 8 16

5. Introduce the Note Taker  Assisting us today is our recorder _______  We will NOT make the notes public or record names  Want to make sure we capture what participants are saying  Use the notes to identify common themes and concerns 17

6. Introduction of Participants  Go around the table and ask people to tell everyone their  first name  their library/affiliation  what they like to do in their free time 18

7. Ask 11 Questions  Follow the script in the Step-by-Step Guide  Questions will flow from one to another  Move through the questions in a tactful but timely manner  Use the sub questions only if necessary 19

Questions # 1, 2 1.If we think of community as ALA members and staff, what kind of community do you want?  Why is that important? 2.Given what you just said, what are the 2 or 3 most important issues when it comes to the community of ALA members and staff? 20

Question # 3 3.As you know, today’s conversation is focused on the issue of making it simpler for members to connect and engage. What does simpler look like for you?  When you first became a member of ALA, who or what were you most interested in connecting to?  What helped you connect with the people, services and information you were looking for? (E.g. did people ask a colleague or ALA staff for help? Call ALA? Surf the web?)  What was missing that would have been helpful to get you connected? 21 Listen for how people relate to the issue.

Questions # 4, 5 4.As you think about making it simpler for ALA members to connect and engage, what concerns do you have about this issue? Why?  Does it seem like things are getting better? Worse? What makes you say that? 5.How do the issues we’re talking about affect you personally?  What personal experiences regarding these issues have you had?  Are some people affected more than others? Who? In what ways? Why? 22 Look for turning points in the conversation Keep opening up the conversation. Give them room to tell their story. You’ll start to see their context.

Questions #6, 7 6.When you think about these things, how do you feel about what’s going on?  Why do you feel this way?  How do you think other people in the ALA community feel about this? 7.What do you think is keeping us from making the progress we want? 23

Question #8 8.When you think about what we’ve talked about, what are the kinds of things that could be done that would make a difference? (Encourage creative ideas)  What do you think these things might accomplish?  How about in terms of individuals: What are the kinds of things that people like us could do to make a difference?  What’s important for us to keep in mind when we think about moving ahead? Listen for when people think action is possible or when they tell hopeful stories. 24

Question #9 9.There are a few specific ideas ALA staff think would make a difference and we’d like to ask you about those.  Would you be willing to provide us with more personal information “upfront” so that we could tailor the information that gets sent to you? (E.g. type of library you work in; special interests you have)  We know we need to simplify the ALA website. What would make it easier for you to navigate the site?  We hear a desire for a simpler join and renew process. What would make it easier for you to join or renew your membership? 25

Questions #10, If we came back together in 6 months or a year, what might you see which would tell you that the things we talked about today were starting to happen?  Why would that suggest things were changing? What would it mean to see that? 11.Now that we’ve talked about this issue a bit, what questions do you have about it?  What do you feel you’d like to know more about that would help you make better sense of what’s going on and what should be done? 26

8. Closing Statement  Thank them for their time and for sharing their thoughts.  Let them know that ALA is convening a number of these conversations during this conference and over the next few.  Ask them to encourage their colleagues to join the conversation.  Thank the Note Taker.  We will look for themes and communicate back what we have learned.  Make sure everyone has provided an address for follow up—leave in an envelope in the room. 27

Effective Conversations—Tips (p.9)  Practice active listening  Take nothing at face value  Engage everyone early on  Encourage the expression of different points of view  Illuminate contradictions  Help participants understand each other and their different perspectives  Keep the conversation focused  Summarize periodically  Manage time 28

Handling Moderator Challenges (p. 10)  Dominates the conversation  Talks too much  Talks too little  Gets off on tangent  Rambles  Argues excessively  Appears too polite  Obsesses about a grudge 29

Note Taking 30

Role of the Note Taker (p. 15)  Listen carefully—hear what people are saying and understand why  Not a transcript--capture key: * Insights* Themes * Ideas * Turning Points * Details* Quotes Stories and anecdotes * Patterns Record answers to 11 questions  Observe how people express themselves (body language and emotions), common ground/tensions, what’s ignored  Identify themes & compare notes with the moderator 31

Organize Notes Into 6 Categories (p. 19) 32 1.Aspirations 2.Main Concerns 3.Specific issue concerns 4.Actions that would make a difference 5.Whom do people trust to act 6.Questions people have  Send your your notes by JULY 3rd to for posting and analysis  Critical that you return these notes by the deadline in preparation for a working session at headquarters the following week

Community Conversation Checklist 1.Review Community Conversation Workbook at: s/ala.org.transforminglibraries/files/content/L TC_ConvoGuide_final_ pdf s/ala.org.transforminglibraries/files/content/L TC_ConvoGuide_final_ pdf 2.Download Step-By-Step Guide 3.Attend your session at the ALA Annual Conference—Marriott Marquis San Francisco Walnut Room 4.Lead conversation and compile notes 5.Categorize notes 6.Submit both sets of notes by JULY 3rd to Thanks for your attention and help! 33

Community Engagement Meetings at ALA 2015 Annual Conference  SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 8:30 – 10:00, Turning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Aspirations MCC Esplanade 301 & 303Turning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Aspirations  SATURDAY, JUNE :30am - 12:00pmTurning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Turn Quiz MCC Esplanade 301 & 303Turning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Turn Quiz  SATURDAY, JUNE :00pm - 2:30pm Turning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Intentionality MCC Esplanade 301 & 303Turning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Intentionality  SATURDAY, JUNE :00pm - 4:30pm Turning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Sustaining Yourself MCC Esplanade 301& 303Turning Outward to Lead Change in Your Community: Sustaining Yourself  SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 5:00 – 6:00 pm Libraries Fostering Community Engagement Reception Marriott Marquis San Francisco Pacific Suite BLibraries Fostering Community Engagement Reception  SUNDAY, JUNE 28, - 8:30 – 10:00 am, Libraries Foster Community Engagement Membership Initiative Group MCC 111 NLibraries Foster Community Engagement Membership Initiative Group 34

Follow the ALA Center for Civic Life 1.Center for Civic Life blog: Libraries Foster Community Engagement on ALA Connect: Subscribe to the “deliberate” listserv: Subscribe to Programming Librarian: Learn how to convene, moderate, and frame deliberative forums: library-getting-started-part-1 and session-1 library-getting-started-part-1 session-1 35