{"id":77396,"date":"2014-07-22T09:30:53","date_gmt":"2014-07-22T14:30:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=77396"},"modified":"2014-07-21T23:54:24","modified_gmt":"2014-07-22T04:54:24","slug":"meet-clive-maishment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inalj.com\/?p=77396","title":{"rendered":"Meet Clive Maishment of The Alberta Library (TAL)"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Christina Wilson, Head Editor of\u00a0INALJ Alberta<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0INALJ Manitoba<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Meet Clive Maishment of The Alberta Library (TAL)
\n<\/span><\/h3>\n

\"TAL<\/a>I\u2019d like to introduce readers to one of Alberta\u2019s outstanding library organizations and its\u00a0visionary and effective leader. Formed in 1997, The Alberta Library (TAL)<\/a> is a consortium\u00a0of 49 member libraries serving over 300 locations in Alberta. It was established to connect\u00a0Alberta\u2019s physical and digital libraries and is sustained through voluntary collaboration among\u00a0members, who are from all library sectors. TAL remains committed to promoting cross-sectoral\u00a0collaboration and resource sharing amongst different types of Alberta\u2019s libraries. In June,\u00a02010, Clive Maishment became TAL\u2019s third CEO. Last month, TAL received two prestigious\u00a0awards that recognized its achievements in collaboration and innovation: the Canadian Library\u00a0Association\u2019s Award for Innovative Technology<\/a>, sponsored by OCLC, and the Association for\u00a0Library Collections & Technical Services\u2019 (ALCTS) Outstanding Collaboration Citation award<\/a>,\u00a0given out at the ALA conference in Las Vegas. ( Picture:\u00a0Clive Maishment, CEO, The Alberta\u00a0Library with the 2014 recipient of\u00a0the CLA\/OCLC Award for Innovative\u00a0Technology, Canadian Library\u00a0Association Conference, May 30, 2014<\/em>)<\/p>\n

Below is my interview with Clive Maishment, CEO, The Alberta Library.<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0What drew you to this position?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0I have been with TAL since June 2010. I originally came on a secondment from Edmonton\u00a0Public Library, so I did not come through a conventional application process. The position was\u00a0and is of interest to me because I am very interested in seeing library service advance through\u00a0libraries collaborating together.<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0TAL was established as a province-wide, cross-sector consortium to help member\u00a0libraries throughout Alberta face the challenges of a changing government philosophy together\u00a0and also reap the opportunities of the information explosion, emerging technologies and the\u00a0Internet. Over the years, it has taken many forms. What do you see as its biggest, current\u00a0challenge?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0I think there are two main challenges. The first is to clarify our role with regard to\u00a0government policy; how can we remain partners while still respecting the priorities of\u00a0members? The second is broader \u2013 how to establish a structure that enables us to quickly\u00a0respond to changing situations and priorities? Some of this is related to governance \u2013 what\u00a0is the best structure to allow that bold action while still making sure we are following our\u00a0members\u2019 wishes? Some is related to the more mundane matter of having the financial\u00a0resources to pursue interesting projects. That is a problem every library has!<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0TAL has accomplished a great deal since 1997. Of what are you most proud?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0I am most proud of two services: TAL Online and the TAL Card. The new TAL Online has\u00a0won four awards \u2013 provincial, national and international. It is a great new service that makes it\u00a0easy for patrons to request items from any TAL library.<\/p>\n

The TAL Card is newly expanded in reach; now patrons can use it and expect they will receive\u00a0the same access to resources as patrons of the library they may be visiting. What a service! The\u00a0challenge is to rationalize this service with the various other card programs that exist in the\u00a0province. I\u2019m not sure how that will end up looking, but my priority has always to look at what\u00a0is going to give the best user experience.<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0Where do you see the most opportunity for innovation in Alberta\u2019s libraries over the\u00a0five to 10 years? What will be TAL\u2019s role?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0I think the best opportunity for innovation lies with the next generation library service\u00a0platforms, also sometimes called next generation ILS\u2019s. The service possibilities of libraries\u00a0collaborating at the core are amazing. This can truly lead to an excellent and integrated\u00a0user experience of library service in Alberta. What is TAL\u2019s role in this? Initially it can only\u00a0be in facilitating the discussion among members, a process that began with our recent ILS\u00a0Symposium (held in Edmonton, AB on June 23 and 24). Whether TAL\u2019s role evolves to be more\u00a0active, like that of an automation consortium, remains to be seen. At its simplest, however, I\u00a0can say that TAL\u2019s role will be whatever TAL\u2019s members want it to be.<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0What role do you envision for TAL in the professional development plans of the 21st\u00a0Century workforce that tomorrow\u2019s libraries require?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0Right now our role is really limited to The Toolshed, an online repository of learning\u00a0objects. It was originally developed under in the Alberta Public Library Electronic Network\u00a0(APLEN) program, but now that APLEN is done it is a TAL service. I am very pleased that it is\u00a0now a joint program offered with the BC Libraries Cooperative. Moving forward our role will be\u00a0determined by the available resources and whether members wish this to be a priority.<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0You\u2019ve sometimes referred to the new, emerging pool of 21st\u00a0\u201csuperheroes\u201d, a great characterization. Who are your library \u201csuperheroes\u201d?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0Where to start? Where to end? There are so many great library superheroes. Some\u00a0people that come to mind (in no particular order):<\/p>\n

\u2022 Linda Cook<\/span>.<\/strong> (CEO, Edmonton Public Library) What can you say about a leader that has\u00a0led her library to so many awards? The latest (LJ Library of the Year 2014) is the best\u00a0summary of how this library has thrived under her leadership.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Ernie Ingles<\/span>.<\/strong> (former University Librarian, University of Alberta and Dean, School of\u00a0Library and Information Sciences, U of Alberta) Ernie showed so much leadership for\u00a0the Alberta library community, from his work to get The Alberta Library started, to\u00a0lobbying for creation of the Lois Hole Campus Alberta Digital Library, to his unilaterally\u00a0creating the U of Alberta Book Card. This last item was a special card created by U of A\u00a0Century librarians as\u00a0to allow any Albertan to sign out 5 books \u2013 the pre-cursor to the TAL Card. His work with\u00a0the Royal Society of Canada rightly gives him the right to put FRCS after his name.<\/p>\n

\u2022 Punch Jackson<\/span>.<\/strong> (former Director, Public Library Services Branch, Government of Alberta)\u00a0Punch is someone who always saw the big picture. By looking for partnerships, he was\u00a0able to leverage provincial money into a larger pot of money that helped to get APLEN\u00a0up and running. Under his leadership public library service in Alberta was transformed.<\/p>\n

\u2022 John Helmer<\/span>.<\/strong> John is the Executive Director of the Orbis Cascade Alliance, a consortium\u00a0of post-secondary libraries in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Under his leadership\u00a0this consortium has taken the leap to shared library software \u2013 one of the new library\u00a0service platforms. John is risk taker and consensus builder, who is helping member\u00a0libraries move on to the next level of collaboration.<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0TAL was first established to help various types of libraries deal with the changing\u00a0government philosophy together. Is this role still important to Alberta\u2019s libraries and what role\u00a0does TAL play in this landscape? What tips might you have for library leaders to keep abreast of\u00a0political leaders\/decision makers in Alberta?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0One of the challenges facing libraries is deciding how to try influence government.\u00a0Is it TAL\u2019s job? One of the several associations in Alberta? The local libraries? Given this\u00a0diverse landscape, how do libraries ensure government is hearing a consistent message from\u00a0libraries? Remember, this could be about public libraries, post-secondary libraries or school\u00a0libraries. What this says to me that there needs to be greater clarity regarding the roles of the\u00a0various players in the library community. What TAL\u2019s role is or should be will depend on what\u00a0message is to be communicated, to whom and whether or not there is someone else whose\u00a0responsibility it is. But for me the key message is that government leaders always wants to\u00a0hear from the grassroots; there is no way for any organization like TAL to \u201cdo advocacy\u201d for its\u00a0members.<\/p>\n

Christina:<\/strong>\u00a0Is there anything else you\u2019d like people in the library community to know about\u00a0yourself, The Alberta Library, its services, members or staff (other than you guys are\u00a0awesome)?
\nClive:<\/strong>\u00a0The big news for me, of course, is that I will be retiring at the end of February 2015. I am\u00a0delighted that I will be around to see the new strategic design process through to completion,\u00a0but implementation of a new plan will be the responsibility of the new CEO working closely\u00a0with the Board and Executive Committee, and of course the terrific TAL staff. On that last point,\u00a0I have to say that the staff here at TAL really is fantastic. You cannot imagine how proud I am\u00a0of the excellent work that they do, their professionalism \u2013 by how much they care about what\u00a0they do.<\/p>\n

Perhaps I can also refer back to the re-vitalized TAL Online. One of the awards that we received\u00a0for that was the ALCTS* Outstanding Collaboration Citation. The truth is that it shows what TAL\u00a0is best at \u2013 all of the members and TAL staff working together to do something remarkable.\u00a0With financial backing from the Public Library Services Branch, that is a project of which we can\u00a0all be proud.<\/p>\n

*Association of Library Collections and Technical Services, a division of ALA<\/p>\n

These are exciting times in the landscape of Alberta\u2019s library and information profession, guided\u00a0by visionaries such as The Alberta Library\u2019s CEO, Clive Maishment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Christina Wilson, Head Editor of\u00a0INALJ Alberta\u00a0and\u00a0INALJ Manitoba Meet Clive Maishment of The Alberta Library (TAL) I\u2019d like to introduce readers to one of Alberta\u2019s outstanding library organizations and its\u00a0visionary and effective leader. Formed in 1997, The Alberta Library (TAL) is a consortium\u00a0of 49 member libraries serving over 300 locations in Alberta. It was established…<\/p>\n

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