For the Love of Learning

"First Day of My New Job..." by theunquietlibrarian

Personal friend, and professional inspiration, Buffy Hamilton, recently left her position as a high school teacher librarian to join the staff of the Cleveland Public Library.

Her job title at CPL is "Learning Strategist." Not "School Strategist," or "Library Strategist" but "LEARNING Strategist," an inclusive term embracing a wide range of possibilities.

As a semi-retired, (Medicare) card carrying Senior Citizen, I'm concerned with staying mentally active and professionally involved. While doing the Sudoku and Cryptogram each morning is fun, it's hardly a spur to intellectual growth.  So I'd like to adapt the Learning Strategist concept and apply it to my own life.

I will try to

• make a conscious effort to leave my comfort zone Volunteering to do an Ignite! presentation at the ALA Annual Conference last year was a challenging, somewhat scary, but ultimately very satisfying experience which taught me a lot about presentation zen.

• read, analyze, and apply Taking in information isn't enough; creation of new knowledge is the highest level of Bloom's Taxonomy. Lifelong learning should be authentic and relevant.

•  interact with others Social isolation may trigger psychological issues; it can affect any age group, but older citizens are especially vulnerable. Networking, both online and face to face, not only forestalls feelings of isolation, but also serves to deepen understanding through dialog and collaboration.

Buffy and I will be moving in different directions as we explore what it means to be a Learning Strategist. But we will continue to share our experiences and LEARN from each other.

"The excitement of learning separates youth from old age. As long as you’re learning you’re not old." -Rosalyn S. Yalow

Unquiet in Cleveland

"Visualization of Buffy Hamilton's Enchantment Talk" by theunquietlibrarian

It is with great pleasure that I congratulate my professional colleague, and personal friend, Buffy Hamilton on her new position as the Cleveland Public's Learning Strategist.

Some might consider this move a career change, leaving a school setting to join the staff of a public library. Yet, if you read the CPL's overview of the position, you will note that the words "learning" and "teaching" figure prominently:

She [Buffy Hamilton] will serve as an internal consultant to management and staff on matters related to CPL’s mission as the “People’s University”, the center of learning for a diverse and inclusive community. Ms. Hamilton will champion the formation of innovative, sustainable, library-supported communities of participatory learning throughout the city with special attention and focus on those that address specific deficits affecting our community. She will also work to coordinate and design a learning and teaching agenda based on the 2012-2014 strategic plan, and work with the new Literacy & Education Coordinator to build an array of effective learning programs at each of CPL’s onsite Learning Centers. As CPL’s liaison to the school systems, she will develop strategies to support curricula through library resources and services.

This is more an expansion of her current practice than a completely new direction. Buffy has been, and will continue to be, a thought leader in the library world. Her move into the public sector is a natural progression, when you consider her interest in participatory librarianship, transliteracy, and maker spaces. She perceives opportunities - to blur the boundaries between the various library genres (school, academic, public, special) - where others see barriers.

Public and school librarians, in particular, frequently serve the same population. I would love to see more collaboration, sharing of staff, and launching of joint programs. Buffy will be uniquely placed to facilitate such services. I look forward to following her progress.

Have fun, my friend!

"Diane Cordell and Buffy Hamilton" by dmcordell