Library Layoff in Rome - apologies/clarification

[Susan Martimo Choi <smchoi@IX.NETCOM.COM>]

It seems that one word can cause problems, more so in email where there's
no chance to gauge a person's demeanor or to response to the statement.
My message commenting on Library Layoff in Rome contained the following
phrase:
 " but it works a lot better than doing nothing!"

I received a chastisement from a fellow LM_NET'er who wrote that he
thought it "unfair" to "suggest" that" library professionals are doing
'nothing' in any context."

What I wanted to do was to give some positive things that can be done/are
being done to communicate to people of influence, including students and
parents, the value of what we do so they can advocate for us and our
programs.  I didn't mean to imply that I thought folks in any school
library were doing "nothing".

However, I DID mean to convey that NOT to communicate these messages was
very short sighted.  Too many of us seem to think that any kind of
communication, advertising, or public relations is blowing our own horn
and is wrong.  Therefore, it's a low priority.  We feel that because we
are doing good things people should know it instinctively, but that isn't
the case.

Effectively communicating what we do and why it's important has to be one
of our top priorities.   If we don't have the time or we don't have the
energy to do it,  then we need to let go of something else in order to
get it done.


Susan Martimo Choi
Director, Educational Media Center
Santa Clara County Office of Education
San Jose, CA
smchoi@ix.netcom.com

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