Public programs can be unpredictable, and Sheri Boggs shares stories of storytimes gone awry (p. 5) while Steven Bailey and Chanteal Craft describe an underwhelming program to promote social services (p. 9) and Kris Becker discusses the planning and expectations for a community storytelling series of events (p. 11). Technology is a familiar face where failure is concerned, and Lola Estelle revisits a software migration that didn’t fly (p. 6) while Tony Wilson recalls some pre-computer innovations that died due to lack of support (p. 17). Linda Johns considers a failure of a different kind – when something is so successful it’s unsustainable – in delivering a personalized reading service to readers (p. 16) while Kathy Watts revisits a conference presentation that didn’t connect with attendees (p. 14). And you can read lots of practical advice from Anna Shelton that she learned on the job as a rookie supervisor (p. 12) and words of wisdom from WLA President Brianna Hoffman and Past President Darcy Brixey (p. 18).
This issue doesn’t stop at mistakes. Find out more about Susan Hildreth, who returns to Washington after a four-year stint in the “other” Washington as the University of Washington iSchool’s first Professor of Practice (p. 19) while Marci Howells considers the challenges of teaching information literary standards in the 21st century (p. 22). Carolyn Martin provides resources of health information for older adults (p. 21) and Alpha DeLap recalls her journey from aspiring poet to teacherlibrarian (p. 23).
Be sure to check out Brianna Hoffman’s eloquent essay on the value of mistakes in Up Front (p. 3), and the Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children’s and Young Adult Literature turn a critical eye towards five books for children and young adults that gave them pause (p. 24). Robin Bradford steps in to discuss how mistakes make for great reads in three books for adults in I'd Rather Be Reading (p. 27). And you’ll have the last laugh with the latest installment in Alki’s new humor column, Dispatches from Swellville (p. 30).
Alki Editor: Frank Brasile
Alki Editorial Committee: Sheri Boggs, committee chair; Molly Allen; Steven Bailey; Chanteal Craft; Sean Fullerton; Marci Howells; Tami Echevarria Robinson; Anna Shelton; Tony Wilson
