#InnovationIsAboutMoreThanTechnology

in·no·va·tion

ˌinəˈvāSH(ə)n/

noun

1. the action or process of innovating.

   synonyms:

   change, alteration, revolution, upheaval, transformation, metamorphosis, breakthrough;More

2. _______________________________________________________________________

When thinking about innovation, make sure you include infusing innovative thinking in your staff.

Wirtz Labor Library Staff
Recipients of the John Sessions Memorial Award
Presented by the Reference and User Service Association of the American Library Association
2009

Staff should be able to:

• Feel free to experiment, feel free to fail, feel free to succeed.
• Analyze failures and celebrate what is learned from them.  
• Always include those who live in poverty in your "innovative thinking."
• Outreach to innovative leaders in the communities you are trying to reach. 
• Work with these community leaders to gain insights to user information needs. 
• Make sure innovative thinking is taking place in multiple languages.
• Infuse Civics instruction in your innovative thinking. 
• Infuse Social Justice via programming based on community needs.
• Use technology when appropriate, but focus on people when innovating. 
• Focus on more than just the needs of patrons who come into the library.
• Base innovation on  community need. _________________________________________________________________________

Community

• What do they want?
• Do we know what the community needs and wants?
• How do they want it?
• What formats do they need this information packaged in?
• Where do they want it?
• Will they come into the library for this information or will we deliver it somewhere?

We need to empower our communities by providing them the information they need in the places they want it and deliver it via the methods they prefer.   While this may seem outrageous to some, it is important to outreach to those who pay taxes for the library, but who don't think the library is relevant to their lives because the library is not providing the information they need.  This is not just the job of the outreach department of your library--it is the library's job!

• How do we know what people need?
• Ask them via the leaders of their communities.  
• They can answer questions about community needs and survey their communities.
• Do you know the leaders of the communities? 
• These leaders can disseminate information to their communities for the library.
• They are trusted already within their communities.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Mt. Angel Public Library

I once went into the Mt. Angel public library in Mt. Angel, Oregon.  I asked them about their Spanish collection.  They showed me a single shelf of books.  I asked them why there were so few and they replied, "Because Spanish speakers don't come into the library much."  I replied, "Well, maybe there is a reason!"

Woodburn Public Library

On the other hand, I went into the Woodburn, Oregon public library recently and they had a decent Spanish collection that was being heavily used by patrons.  Woodburn PL also have staff who are bilingual. 

Both Woodburn and Mt. Angel have large populations of Spanish speakers...

So empower your staff to innovate, but be strategic about who these innovations include and why your library is making them. 

Communicate these innovations to the community via several channels.

Does the community have a radio station in their language?

Can the library send someone to be interviewed on the radio in that language?

My Heroes Call Out

My heroes call out to me from across time

Some call out from hundreds of years ago

I can hear some from just yesterday

My heroes call out to me and make my heart strong

They are our alternative narrative

Calling out our history

Calling out our enemies

Calling out our allies

Calling out our resistance

My heroes call out to me and I listen

They are part of what makes our culture great

They are the true Americans

Calling out hatred makes us stronger

My heroes call out that shit

What if Huey P. Newton hadn't called out?

What if Rosa Parks hadn't called out?

What if John Trudell hadn't not called out?

What if Malcolm X hadn't called out?

What if Audre Lorde hadn't called out?

What if Larry Itliong hadn't called out?

What if we don't call out?

My heroes call out to me


 

Select CBD Review...

Select CBD Promotion Materials

I suffer from PTSD and from arthritic pain.  My state, Oregon allows me to get a medical cannabis card for these conditions and it helps me greatly.  My main experience has been with THC though.  Select Cannabis Oil makes my favorite high THC vaporizer cartridges in Oregon.  I've been trying to get some for review on this blog.  They told me they can't give away THC cartridges, but that they would send me some CBD products to test and review.  They sent me some vape pens and some tinctures to test out and review for you all.  CBD is non-psychoactive and does not get people high.

I had the good fortune to receive a box of CBD products from Select oil last month.

 I am excited because I have not had the opportunity to try CBD in any real quantity for a period of time.  CBD is something I had not had a chance to try--it is expensive and I have not seen scientific studies that confirm results for pain and anxiety.  However, I have heard so many anecdotal reports of   CBD mitigating anxiety and pain that I am super curious about it.

Select CBD Disposable Vape Pens

The vape pens are disposable and also taste really good.  I received:  Grapefruit (revive), Lavender (relax), Peppermint (focus), cinnamon (relax), and Lemon (revive).  These vapes are broken up into 4 groups: relax, revive, focus and revive.  They all taste great and like Select's THC cartridges, they produce a large amount of vapor when a person draws from them.

Select CBD Tinctures

Their tinctures taste great!  I began to take two ML of tincture a day and I vaped about 6 times a day on February 18th, 2018.  The tinctures taste really good and I received a variety of flavors:  Spearmint, Lavender, Unflavored and Lemon Ginger. I have had tinctures before and usually they taste horrible.  ALL these select tinctures taste great--even the unflavored.  You can drop the tincture into coffee, or water, or some other liquid, or you can take it sublingual with the dropper--which has precise measurements.   

They come in 100 ML dropper bottles.  

The bottles and packaging are top notch.  The droppers have exact measurements and make it easy to use in exact amounts.  

Variety of flavors

Dosages: Are confusing.  I would recommend Select sends included material about dosages for pain, anxiety, etc...It was hard to figure out.  I had to do a web search to find information and am still not sure I am taking the proper dosage.

Impact on health

After one month of daily dosing with Select CBD tinctures and vape pens, I have not noticed any sort of changes.  I have been experiencing arthritic pain and stiffness for the last two months and it has not changed one bit.  I did fall and hurt my kneed recently and seemed to recover more quickly the usual.  This is all anecdotal of course.  I am probably about 1/2 way through my supply and will update this post in a couple of weeks.  So, if you are interested in trying CBD products, or already know they work for you--Select CBD makes a good product.  I recommend it.  However, like I said--I have not really experienced any noticeable improvements with my anxiety or my pain.

The (.5 gram) vape pens retail 45 dollars and the tinctures (30 ML) retail 65 dollars.

Here is the blurb from Select:

Select CBD Blends

• Relax: Take it easy with either Cinnamon or Lavender

• Revive: Restore and uplift your body and mind with Lemon or Grapefruit

• Focus: Increase mental clarity with Spearmint or Peppermint

Explore the benefits of CBD like never before with our all-in-one disposable CBD vaporizer pen that combines therapeutic essential oils with smooth CBD isolate. These products are hemp-derived and contain zero THC, with no psychoactive buzz effect that you would expect from most cannabis. Our sleek pen design provides hassle free portability and ease of use, with a built in battery and the same core technology as our proprietary design.
●      DISCREET & PORTABLE - No fragrance, easy to fit in your pocket, purse or bag ready-to-go
●      OPPORTUNITY TO MICRODOSE CBD - Each puff provides you with 1-2 mg of CBD●      ORGANIC JAPANESE COTTON WICK - Many other vaporizer companies that use silica wicks, which give users a plastic taste, and can be dangerous when heated●      ALL-IN-ONE - The product is self-contained and ready-to-go, with a battery life that lasts just as long as the oil does -- about 150 puffs! 
Select CBD Drops

• Peppermint: Infused with ashwagandha, rhodiola and peppermint, which are known to bring energy and focus

• Lavender: Infused with lavender, chamomile and passionflower, which are known for relaxation and calmness

• Lemon-Ginger: Infused with ginger, turmeric and lemon, which are known to be naturally energizing, revitalizing and uplifting

• Flavorless: Contains no added herbs or essential oils

Experience the relief of fast acting CBD in the form of our convenient & discreet tinctures. Select Drops provides a fast-acting solution of benefiting from the restorative effects of cannabinoids without vaping or smoking. Drops contain a specially formulated balance of cannabidiol and herb-infused refined coconut oil, known as MCT oil for fast acting absorption into the bloodstream. Find the bliss of convenient herbal relief anytime, anywhere with our proprietary cannabidiol tincture.
●      TASTES GREAT - Unlike many tinctures, Select CBD Drops have a great taste -- making them easy to add to your favorite foods and drinks, or just to take directly from the dropper●      CHOOSE-YOUR-DOSAGE - Start with .5 to 1 mL per day, and work your way up - everyone has a different sweet spot for CBD●      INFUSED WITH HERBAL BLENDS - We steep dry herbs into our oil for 48 hours, allowing the healing power of these herbs to really shine 

Here is a link to the Select CBD site: https://selectcbd.com

Special for Library Journal...Cannabis Literacy

You can read it here: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2018/02/opinion/backtalk/cannabis-literacy-backtalk/

Cognitive Dissonance

"If we deregulate everything--people and corporations will do the right thing!" 


"I need to carry my gun with me at all times because people are basically evil and out to get me." 


Are mutually exclusive beliefs! These idiots hold both!  


#Illogical#Impossible #CantHaveITBothWays #Liars

Hello. I'm a Turd.

[I was just informed this 'review' was taken down by Amazon because of racism.]

A recent Amazon.com reviewer of the book I co-edited--Librarians With Spines--took the opportunity to degrade me in public and to even try to humiliate be because I don't speak Spanish.

I'm publishing this hear because this is a perfect example of of librarians of color are harassed by anonymous flamers.

By stellabooon October 19, 2017

This is an unnecessary book. I am a MLS librarian with years of experience. I cry for my profession when new librarians trip over themselves trying to out-radicalize each other. Trust me: ALL librarians believe in intellectual freedom and collection development policies that promote alternative views. That is as old as libraries.

Max Macias, the editor, is considered a kind of joke we tolerate in Oregon. A POC quien no habla Espanol. I welcome new library minds that push our profession forward. Unless you are truly radicalized and want to destroy libraries for all people, this book has zero value.

Listen Stella--I'm fine with criticism of our book, but don't try to criticize my culture and who I am.  

I am not your 'mexican.' 

I am no joke.

I am a Chicano.  

Y-que.  

Thanks for showing how close-minded and racist librarians can really be.  You gave me the perfect example!  Who died and made Stella the grand-poo-bah of libraries, or the definer of ethnicity in Oregon?  This is the kind of environment I exist within.  People don't realize they can't define my ethnicity and also don't define who I am and my worth.  This is a good example of how someone with an MLS can be a close-minded turd.  There are many great librarians her in the PNW.  This just happens to NOT be one of them.

Link to review 

Love, 

Max

Cultural Appropriation is Inappropriate!

There is currently a discussion on the librarian Facebook group ALATT concerning cultural appropriation.

You should hear some of the rationalizations!

Everything from the insulting: "Let me tell you a secret: All Culture is appropriated!"

Then people go on to say, "Yes--like agriculture, rock n roll..." and other absurd comparisons.

This seemingly funny statement, is passive aggressive to the extreme.

These statements belittle people's feelings about their heritage and culture.  This is especially true then aspects of their culture are used in inappropriate manners such as when White people run 'Native American' sweat lodges that allow anyone who pays to come sweat and pray--that is fucking absurd and spits in the face of indigenous tradition!

You may be asking yourself, "Why is Max getting all bent out of shape about this?"

Please watch this video for a better understanding:

I hope more librarians become more empathetic and will listen to people when they say to stop doing things that hurt them, or are offensive or insulting.