Trending Tech Services: The Need for Mistakes and Failures in Libraries

ABSTRACT

In order to be innovative, libraries need to experiment and attempt new things. Part of this is the possibility of making mistakes and having failures along the way. Librarians can learn from these mistakes and failures and become better informed for future initiatives. However, like many organizations libraries are often risk-averse and do not reward experimentation and often mistakes and failures are looked on negatively. This can lead to less innovation and less learning – both on the individual and on the organizational level. Library leaders should encourage experimentation and understand that in order to be innovative, mistakes will be made and some initiatives will not be successful Making mistakes and having failures should not automatically be seen as a negative as long as they are used as leaning opportunities. By making mistakes, librarians can learn and grow. With this gained knowledge they, and their libraries, can be brought closer to success in the future.

KEYWORDS:

• Mistakes
• failures
• risk-averse
• library culture
• growth mindset

Column Editor: Edward M. Corrado, Associate University Librarian, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA [email protected]Editor’s Note: The “Trending Tech Services” column examines current developments along with emerging and future trends involving technology and its impact on the technical operations of modern libraries and information centers. In this issue’s column, we look at some of the challenges beyond technology when it comes to digital preservation. Interested authors are invited to submit proposals and articles to the column editor at [email protected]. Please include “TSQ submission” in the subject line of the e-mail.

Column Editor: Edward M. Corrado, Associate University Librarian, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA [email protected]Editor’s Note: The “Trending Tech Services” column examines current developments along with emerging and future trends involving technology and its impact on the technical operations of modern libraries and information centers. In this issue’s column, we look at some of the challenges beyond technology when it comes to digital preservation. Interested authors are invited to submit proposals and articles to the column editor at [email protected]. Please include “TSQ submission” in the subject line of the e-mail.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).