I am grateful for the opportunity to attend this informative 2-day event, meet new people, and enjoy a beautiful setting. All of the sessions offered good insights, and I especially appreciated Valerie Horton’s talk on innovation. “Promote secure vulnerability”: admit failure, get rest, ask questions, and build an environment where concerns are voiced. One of her examples was to bring in new ideas from “outside” people who have a totally different concept/perception of what you do. For in-line skaters who needed helmets and other protective equipment, roofers were brought in as consultants. They use safety equipment all the time, so they have a new, but educated perspective to offer. I was so impressed with Meredith Vaselaar’s positive energy and “we can do it!” attitude toward fundraising. I felt encouraged and a little more motivated to step out and just ask after hearing her talk. I learned more about ELM and feel more confident in showing patrons all the many features. I also enjoyed the discussion about SAMMIE, which went in many different directions, but allowed for a good conversation about not just SAMMIE, but how we can better serve our patrons and communities. I look forward to the next retreat!
