Maybe it’s just the circus-like atmosphere that Palomino’s experiencing now that school is back in session, but I just finished reading an excellent blog post called “Run Your Library Like A Circus” on ARCLog and it really spoke to me!

The article was inspired by an interview that Lyn Heward, the creative director at Cirque du Soleil, conducted with David Rockwell for Contract magazine, and it shares several leadership lessons that libraries can learn from Cirque du Soleil.

Here are links to the blog post and the interview that inspired it:

“Run Your Library Like A Circus”

http://acrlog.org/2009/08/18/run-your-library-like-a-circus/

“Life is a Circus”

http://www.contractmagazine.com/contract/content_display/esearch/e3i3c6dccc0e0549069eb158b7d5af3083a

Take a look and post your thoughts!

-Lindsey Donovan/Palomino Circulation-

Previous articles in this series:

• The Transparent Library: When Worlds Collide (9/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Measuring Progress (5/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Cheers and Jeers (4/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Introducing the Michaels (4/07)
• The Transparent Library: Triumphing Over Opacity (10/07)
  
• The Transparent Library: The Open Door Director (7/07)
  
• The Transparent Library: Living Out Loud (6/07)
  
• The Transparent Library: Going to the Field (9/07)
  
• The Transparent Library: A Road Map to Transparency (12/07)
  
• The Transparent Library: Coping with Anonymity (1/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Check Your Ego at the Door (7/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: How to Find the Right Fit (6/08)
• The Transparent Library: The Technology Storm (11/07)
  
• The Transparent Library: Insights From the Front Line (2/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Embracing Service to Teens (5/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Cheers and Jeers (3/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Let’s All Lighten Up (8/08)
  
• The Transparent Library: Ask For What You Want (8/07)
  
• The Transparent Library: Turning “No” Into “Yes” (5/07)

All the above articles should be required reading for everyone working in a library setting right now. That said, I’m still getting through them myself!

Other things:

Research shows negative gossip can build friendships, release tension

Gossip Can Be Good for You: An NPR program in which Jack Levin, a sociologist at Northeastern University, talks about his research on gossip.

Making Work Fun

-Krista Bolan, Palomino Library