'Hold your horses' on that 'no loan limits' idea

Here's an instructive article from yesterday's Chicago Tribune that I just shared with my LIS 712 students.

Northbrook Library Board members balk at director's bid to drop checkout limits.

And here's the gist of it.

The director's first day on the job was January 5, 2015.

The idea she floated resulted in what some board members called the longest board meeting 'they had ever seen'.

The director confessed that she was caught off guard.

Hall, who took over from longtime Executive Librarian Chadwick Raymond in January, said she didn't see the opposition coming.

"I thought this was going to be an easy one," she said.

I'd say that somebody didn't do her homework.   And probably should have waited awhile before making any specific proposals.

A better approach:

• Take your time to get acclimated.
• Observe, ask questions.
• Talk with staff.
• Meet with board members individually
• Prepare a list of items, based on the above 3 bullet points, that need attention, improvement, etc. (and need board approval to move forward)
• Present to board with background, justification; ask for their input, prioritization.  (Avoid a piecemeal approach, in other words.)