Ready or Not? NOT!

However, the Web 2.0 tools I use and love have helped a little. I have a calendar --or three or four--in place. I've started seeing more applications for 2.0 tools such as Shelfari and have felt more comfortable adding them to our resources as other departments are more open to them. Last year when I started talking about mashups to an IT employee, he was delighted. I barely knew what a mashup was.
I always thought that it takes about 2 years for an idea to be accepted by an institution because of the academic structure of courses and semesters. As librarians we need to be ready for the next year in April of the previous year because we need to be rolling out changes well before the fall semester so faculty can think about ways to incorporate them into their classes. Never mind our suggestions; the courses belong to the faculty.
One secret most new librarians and new faculty don't realize is that some getting started in the Fall is relatively easier because of previous preparation. So I'm not finished with handouts and tutorials--thanks to upgrades from databases-- and other areas, but I know what needs to be applied to those areas. The secretaries are sending me items without my asking. And like variations on a tune, I can add some grace notes or turns here and there to make this semester different. The major changes are coming later.