CCPL Adds Career eBook Collection (Thanks, DISCUS!)

Here’s something to get excited over!    The SC State Library’s DISCUS project has always provided CCPL and all SC libraries with access to some awesome resources for our online library collections.  Their latest addition is really cool: the Career eBook Collection from OCLC’s NetLibrary!

What is it & how does it work?  First the what: OCLC’s NetLibrary is an online ebook platform that lets you read an entire book online.  We have access to 250+ career-related ebooks from NetLibrary’s larger book collection.  

Here’s how it works: Browse the list of titles in the collection or search by title, author, keyword, etc.  Click on any title that’s interesting to you and you can read the book right from there!  NetLibrary will also let you to add your own notes, bookmarks, and even add a book to a favorites list if you set up a free account, a helpful feature since you can’t download the books to your own device.

I haven’t had a chance to play with it a lot yet, but the titles look great to me so far.  We’re talking about things like the McGraw-Hill Careers for You series, books on cover letters, interview questions to ask (and how to answer them!), resume writing guides, and even a book on writing a business plan.  Most of titles are great for middle & high school students who are writing that ubiquitous career paper.  If you’re like many people these days & you’re researching a career change, this would be a great resource for you, too.

So hop on over to our online Career library and take a look at the Career eBook Collection!

Social Web Basics at This Month’s Networking Lunch

This month we’ll begin a new series on understanding social media and leveraging its power for your organization at our monthly Small Business & Nonprofit Networking Lunch.
 
First up: cover the basics and tour the social web with us!  Learn about blogs and how to start your own using WordPress.  Explore the popular social networking sites Facebook and LinkedIn, and discuss some differences between the hugely popular Facebook and the more professionally oriented LinkedIn.  We’ll also take a look at the micro-blogging service Twitter.  Come see what all the buzz is about!
 
This program is for anyone who wants to learn how to set up a basic presence using these social media sites.  Some of you will already be past this part of the process, but if you’re still trying to figure out the mechanics of how to set up and use your account, we’ve got you covered this month!  Future programs in the series will teach us how to leverage these sites as marketing and communication tools to increase your bottom line.
 
Our speaker, Gretchen Scronce, is an instructor with CCPL’s Technology Learning Center. 

Where: Main Library, Meeting Room B, 68 Calhoun St.
When: Tuesday, February 9th from 11:45 a.m.- 1:15 p.m.
 
Registration is not required.  For more information, email us at askaquestion@ccpl.org or call 805-6930.

CCPL Reducing Hours to Deal with Budget Shortfall

We’ve all been there.  Every so often, you find yourself with your back against the wall and your only choice is to do something you don’t really want to do.  We had one of those moments here today at CCPL.

The Board of Trustees has unanimously voted to change the service hours for the Main Library and the 5 Regional branches – Dorchester, John’s Island, Mt. Pleasant, Otranto, and St. Andrews – starting on April 1st.  As of that date, the Main Library will close at 8 PM Monday – Thursday, and the Regionals will close on Sundays year-round.

Presently, Main is open 9 AM to 9 PM Monday – Thursday.  The change will bring the Main Library in line with the 8 PM closings at other branches in the system.

The Regionals are now open from 2-5 PM on Sundays just during the school year.  After the change, the Main Library will be the only branch to remain open on Sundays from 2-5 PM.

Why is the Library making the change?  Well, just like every other organization, CCPL has felt the pressure from the flagging economy.  We’ve done our best to deal with the budget cuts last year and this year from both the State and County without interrupting service to you.  We’ve had a hiring freeze since January 2009, and with the system-wide vacancy rate now at 16%, it’s just not possible to offer the same level of service for the same number of hours each week.  The change ensures that there are enough staff members here to help you when we’re open.

There are no branch closures or layoffs planned at this time, so that’s a spot of good news in this decision.

It’s a tough thing for us to do when we know you need the Library now more than ever.  We’re hopeful that when the economy improves, we’ll be able to go back to our customary service hours.

For more details, please see the press release on our website.

Charleston Flagship

Yes, I knew about this site. No, I didn’t know exactly what the City of Charleston and the Charleston Digital Corridor Foundation have been building next door to the Main Library. Here’s a peek at the Charleston Flagship, a coworking site / knowledge economy incubator at the corner of Calhoun & East Bay.

Of course, I think the best amenity is the fact that the Library is next door, but I have to admit that having free parking and a Starbucks in your building is pretty fantastic, too!

This Week’s Crop of New Books

Every week, new books come into the library.  Not every week is there something new in business, but this is one of the weeks where there is!

First, we have a new book by Michael E. Gerber, the author of The E-Myth, called The Most Successful Small Business In the World.  Gerber shares what he calls the Ten Principles that govern how we should create successful small businesses.  He argues that unless you think really big right from the beginning, your small business is doomed to stay small, merely replacing a conventional job for its owner.  He encourages us to think way beyond that.  Gerber’s consistent use of an example business he calls “Joseph’s Auto Repair” makes the principles easy to understand. It also helps that the book is short, readable, and asks us to reach for the stars to achieve our full potential.  What’s not to love about that?

Next up is a book by Paul Kurnit and Steve Lance called The Little Blue Book of Marketing: Build a Killer Plan In Less Than a Day.  Okay, I admit it: I’m a little skeptical.  Marketing plans are  hard work.  You have to gather a bunch of data in order to get one to work, right?  Well, the authors argue that if you set your mind to it, prepare a space, and gather everyone in your organization who has information to help you, you can write a useful marketing plan  in a day.  A long, exhausting day, but a day nevertheless.  Looks like they’re prompting you to ask the right questions, so if you’re looking for how to get a good plan done in the shortest amount of time, consider giving this book a try.

Don’t you just hate it when you’re sitting through a presentation or reading something online and you encounter a graph that makes no sense to you?  Well, maybe it’s not you.  It could be that the information graphic that’s making you scratch your head  isn’t well designed.  Here’s a book that might help you when it’s your turn to make a graph or graphic represent information clearly.  The Wall Street Journal Guide To Information Graphics: The Dos and Donts of Presenting Data, Facts, and Figures starts with basics, like legibility, and goes from there to explore the whole range of design principles that help you create a graphic that says what you need it to say clearly.  There are loads of example graphics, both good and bad, throughout the book.  Definitely one to check out if you’re new to this area of design or if you’d like to include good information graphics in presentations or online.

As you might imagine, a good few of our new business books have to do with getting a job.  Here’s this week’s offering, Over 40 & You’re Hired! Secrets to Landing a Great Job by Robin Ryan.  One of the scariest things about going back into the job market regardless of the economy is looking for a job mid-career.  Here’s a friendly guide to help you approach your over 40 job search.  Why’s it different looking for a job over 40?  Well, you’re probably applying for jobs with more responsibilities and employers don’t want to make a costly mistake.  They’ve got a lot riding on you & they need to know you’re worth their while.  And that’s just the start of it.  Things have changed radically since the beginning of your working life if you’re over 40, and this book can help you learn the new rules for everything from where to find job prospects, how to write a resume & cover letter to handling salary negotiation. 

That’s it for this week’s crop.  If you try one of these books, let us know what you think!

One Last Thought on Business Cards

I am sad that I didn’t see this video until today.  If I ever do the business card presentation again, it’s going in!

Have We Helped You? Tell Us Your Story!

Have we helped you or your business lately?  We want to hear your personal library story at http://bit.ly/chslibrarybucks!

Why do we want to hear from you?  Well, for one thing, librarians are curious by nature.  In fact, I’d go so far as to say that there are few things more curious that a group of librarians! 

In all seriousness, though, we want to hear how we’ve been of service to you.  Our basic goal is to help you with your information needs.  Those needs range far and wide, everything from the research for your child’s homework projects, books to read for pleasure, work, or personal improvement, computer training, Internet access for fun and profit, free DVDs for movie night at home, and business information that you need to be a success.  Knowing how you use the library will help us know how to serve your needs.

With your permission, we’d also like to share your library love with others, including elected officials who help determine future library funding.  That part is completely up to you, though. 

So please stop by our website and let us know your story!

Putting Your Best (Card) Forward Presentation Notes

As promised during my business card presentation at the Library today, here are some extra resources to help you make the most out of your business cards!

• 50 Awesome And Creative Business Cards – photos, descriptions & links to some awesome business card examples!
• Amazing Business Cards Tutorials and Inspiration Collection – great links and how-tos including several Photoshop tutorials.
• Cheap and Effective Marketing With Business Cards – blog post with some great tips for using your cards as marketing materials.
• How to Use Business Cards – 10 quick, useful tips.
• Business Card Tips – several mini-articles on business card design, marketing, and etiquette from a business card printing company.
• 10 Creative Business Card Ideas – someone sent me this article from Inc.com just a couple days after the presentation.  They are especially awesome!

Don’t forget to check out a copy of Here’s My Card by Bob Popyk and the articles in Business & Company Resource Center, too.

If you missed the presentation or would like to have a copy of the slides, you can find them on the Research Tips page and on Slideshare.

[Edited on 1/22 to add link to the Inc.com article]

Start-ups will keep struggling in 2010

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, “The economic downturn has dimmed many entrepreneurs’ hopes of opening a small business, as sources of funding have dwindled or dried up completely.  And while many hope 2010 will be better, the outlook continues to be bleak.

“The majority of entrrepreneurs use personal savings or contributions from  family or friends to fund their ventures, but personal wealth, often connected to the value of stock portfolios or homes, hasn’t bounced back…”

See the full article by College Debaise in The Wall Street Journal 1/5/2010

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703580904574638282624707184.html

Welcome to 2010…

Happy New Year!  Here’s hoping 2010 is a better year for everyone than, say, 2009.  Eek!

We like to think of the New Year as a way to clear the decks and start over again, and if it’s the beginning of a decade, so much the better!  Here are some tips that help me get a new year at work started.

Have a Plan: OK, so it’s already January 4th and you’ve probably landed back in the middle of whatever projects you were hoping would just go away over the holidays.  If you’re frantically trying to catch up, here’s how I get focused.  Stop whatever it is you are doing.  Grab a pencil and a small piece of paper (no bigger than an index card).  Close your eyes and just concentrate on your breathing for a minute.  When you open your eyes, jot down what you have to accomplish on the paper.  You can flip it over to the back, but you’re not allowed to use more than one piece.  Why?  Having to fit everything on a small piece of paper will force you to stick to what’s most important and stop you from trying to do everything at once.  Once you get it down, it should be easier to figure out what to do first.

Clear a Space: I can’t be the only one who walks back into my workspace after vacation to find it covered with stuff other people left for me to do or to see, with the remains of my last day buried below like a mini Pompeii.  A simple way to avoid (or to clear away!) this scenario is to get a big (and I mean enormous!) wire basket and put it on a corner of your desk. 

When I say huge, I mean flipping enormous

This basket is your friend.  Train your coworkers to use this as your inbox instead of taping stuff to your phone, your computer monitor, or sitting things in your chair.  If you come back in to a huge mess, scoop everything unfamiliar up and put it in the basket.  Figure out what your priorities are first, then worry about the stuff in the basket.  If you’re distracted because of clutter on desktop, try clearing off something the size of your desk in grade school by moving things to your basket.  I inherited my basket when I came to the Main Library.  I love it.

Calendars: If you still keep a paper one, decide how long you might want to keep it & then file it away.  You don’t need to keep it forever, but you might not want to toss December’s items into the recycling bin just yet.  Pick a date to toss it and until then, store it out of sight.  Make a note in your new calendar to toss it when it’s time has come.  While you’re at it, make sure you move forward anything from your old calendar that still needs doing in the new year.  I prefer electronic calendars that let you set up an email, pop-up, or text message reminder because it will get your attention if you have a hard time getting in the habit of checking your calendar daily.

Really Look Around You:  Once your first-day-back fires are put out, take a look around you.  Has that picture been hanging in the sun so long that the colors are fried?  Are the photos of your family getting a little, shall we say, dated?  Has the highlighter evaporated off that memo from 2 years ago stuck on your monitor?  Is your plant more gray from dust than green (or brown, depending on how often you remember to water)?  Clean up the place for heaven’s sake!  Use alcohol to clean your mouse, keyboard, and telephone.  Dust your plant with a damp cloth so it (and you) don’t have to breathe through dust & allergens.  Move some of the office supplies you’re hoarding to a common storage area and keep only what you’re actively using.

Get Started:  At some point, you’re just going to have to face the facts: no amount of clutter, dust, calendar management, wire baskets or extraneous papers can make the holidays last one day longer.  You just have to dive in and start working.  Speaking of that, what are you doing still reading this blog?  Get started with what you’ve got to get done in 2010!