The "Experience LC" program: a personal narrative

Information Outlook, Oct, 1998 by Marie Deuerlein

The warmth and considerable personal charm of each special assistant was immediately apparent. They were as curious about us as we were about them, as one person stated later in the day. Our presence was not a "chore" to be endured. Fresh points of view from colleagues in different functional areas were welcomed. As we five realized this, we settled right in to enjoy and contribute whatever we could to the day's activities,

The first meeting proved to be a heated and somewhat acrimonious discussion about emergency procurement measures. The situation involved printed invitations for a reception for a major Hollywood actor. We were given handouts of "Ground Rules" that stated emphatically: 1) stick to agenda; 2) listen to each other; 3) find common ground; 4) honor time limits of agenda; 5) all ideas are welcome. Ill feelings were aired and hopefully resolved. In a highly visible setting in which several offices must cooperate to produce an event, there is no room to nurse grievances. These "Ground Rules" were brought up several times in the course of the day, both playfully and in earnest.

With barely a pause, we swept into a presentation of the LC Strategic Plan for 1997-2004, presented by Planning, Management, and Evaluation Directorate (PMED). Several other staff members joined us for this meeting. At this meeting, we learned of the Eight Values of the Library of Congress http://lcweb.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9708/web/plan1.html and of PPBEES (Planning Programming Budgeting Executing Evaluating System). This system identifies the core processes, activities, costs, and avoidance of "mission creep" (defined as taking on additional responsibilities which may not meet the core mission) in LC services to the Congressional Research Service and federal government. [Since I had been in the throes of writing my Annual Report, the last topic seemed pertinent indeed.]

The agenda overview for this presentation included a short grid of:

WHAT    topic          Q&A          Plus/Delta
HOW     presentation   discussion   input
WHO     presenter      audience     all
TIME    15 min         30 min       5 min

It also included a "desired outcome" so we could each judge if the meeting had served its purpose.

By now it was time for lunch, and we walked past the impressive digitized "elephant folio" prints from Audubon's Birds of America and took the elevator up to the staff cafeteria. Each person paid for his/her own meal,

and we took our trays back to the conference room for a working lunch while enthusiastically speculating about our professional lives and how they would change in the future. One person disliked electronic catalogs, even though admitting their usefulness, which led to a lively argument about efficiencies and changing work norms.

Digitizing America

The first afternoon session was a special delight to me: a trip to the Geography and Map Collection. Two life-size papier-mache figures stood near the door, costumed in the styles of circa 1775 and 1810 - their gowns, hats, cloaks, parasols, curled hair, and features created entirely from topological maps.