Category Archives: Natalie Bright

Tracking Your Progress

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Middle Grade Mondays

Tracking Your Progress

by Natalie Bright

Some people are more visual than others. Actually ‘seeing’ the results of your work may inspire you to keep writing. I’ve asked several writer friends about how they track their progress and how they keep themselves motivated.

Visualizing

An author of 30 novels uses dry eraser boards to track deadlines and list goals for each month. Her novel in progress is posted on another board with character traits, pictures of houses where her characters live, and a timeline. All there readily available while she’s writing. Authors are utilizing Pinterest in much the same way. Whatever might inspire you about that work in progress is close at hand as you write.

I adapted this idea for my freelancing. A dry eraser board lists my WIP article ideas and titles along with contest deadline dates and possible markets for each article.

I hung a second board for my middle grade novel listing main plot line notes for four novels featuring the same character. If anything comes to mind concerning this character, I scribble a note on the board. As I dig deeper and deeper into the development of my characters, I discovered a sense of having a bigger picture of their world. As I develop and learn more about their history, the people they interact with, the time period, and the setting, my mind is constantly thinking about possible scenes and adventures. I don’t want to forget anything that might become a story element.

Now I’m working on two more novel ideas, both in completely different time periods so I’m wondering if I should have a separate board for each one or one gigantic board covering an entire wall.  I’ll let you know how that works.

The Year at a Glance

Another friend uses a yearly wall calendar to mark productivity. Different colored markers can be used for specific things. For example, a red pen for submissions would be title, name of publication, and editor on the date submitted.  Follow-up is noted in blue. If published, I highlight the entry in yellow.  Rejections are noted next to the submission with the response date. I usually write a “No” with an X over the entry. Daily words counts are listed in bright neon pink.

One of my critique group members suggested I turn the letter O in every “no”  into a smiley face.  Seeing lots of colored entries gives me a visual that I’m moving forward. Even the smileys makes me feel productive. At lease I’m getting my work out there.

Social Media Tracking

For another friend, the wall calendar seemed cumbersome to her.  She tracks her word count, submissions, and responses on a spreadsheet, which she keeps in a brightly colored folder.

The spreadsheet idea was just what I needed to track social media posts. When I switched gears from WIP to blogs, I could never remember which ones were polished and ready, which ones were to be posted on my own website as an article, or which ones I’d forwarded to the WordsmithSix blog administrator. Plus I needed to tweet and Facebook links to the articles and I didn’t want to bombard followers with the same information over and over. A spreadsheet seemed to be the answer.

For consistency, our group assigned specific days to each member of the WordsmithSix writers. I blog every Monday, and I decided to post articles on my website on Fridays. My spreadsheet is printed on legal paper and covers about three months of Mondays and Fridays.

Date

Twitter

Author Page

Facebook

Nat’s Site

WordsmithSix

To Admin
Fri Jan. 4    “title”
Mon Jan 7         “Title”       12/20

The twitter and facebook columns are for recording the dates and times of links that have been tweeted. I like using Hootsuite which allows me to pre-schedule and cover all of the social media outlets I’m participating in. Based on the interests of my followers, I can choose whichever groups to link to. For example, an article about writing would probably not be of interest to my cousins and friends on my personal Facebook. Target markets are important to keep in mind.

Word Count

It’s all about the word count. If you keep cranking out those words, then you know you’re making progress. Even if that piece holds a future rejection, you’re still learning about story craft while you write.

How do you stay organized?

There are so many ways to stay organized. I hope this article inspires you to take control. Happy writing!

www.nataliebright.com

Authors Reviewing Authors

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Middle Grade Mondays

Authors Reviewing Authors

by Natalie Bright

Writers write and writers read. And most successful writers I know read a lot, which brings me to the question of book reviews.

Should authors be reviewing other authors? The messages are mixed.

Some say no because if you’re going to do a book review, you need to be honest. If you have to give a bad review, why would you want to jeopardize relationships with other authors?  There are professional reviewers who can give honest, unbiased reviews of books. That is their job. The point being, do you want to write novels or post reviews?

The other side argues why wouldn’t you want to help a local author or friend? The gesture will be returned in kind, and everyone wins with the additional promotion. One author told me she only gives blurbs or reviews if she is absolutely blown away by the story and by the writing talent. Most authors post reviews for their friends and the question remains if they’ve taken the time to even read it.

Goodreads

I am beginning to rely on Goodreads more and more. It’s like a humongous book club where everyone loves stories and books, and those that don’t like a book aren’t afraid to say so. I read a lot, and I usually post reviews for stories that I absolutely love. For every book I love there are probably two or three that I couldn’t get past the first chapter, which makes me sad. Does that give me license to trash that author’s work? I don’t think so.

Now that eBooks have become an impulse buy and in my opinion, GoodReads offers varied and honest opinions to guide me in my purchases. My eReader is running over and that’s a good thing. It’s a wonderful time to be a book junky.

Subjective Opinions

The shocking realization that publishing is such a highly subjective business and people are so varied in their personal tastes came to light for me through a contest. One of my very first middle grade manuscripts was submitted to two different contests with varying results.

The first had a $50 contest fee, and came back with scathing comments. This judge did not like my characters, the setting, with the added notation that this should NEVER be in print even as a manuscript. Seriously, one entire page, single-spaced, of why and how much he detested this story. My investment to learn about story craft came back as hate mail.

How about a notation to subscribe to a market listing for magazines?  Your goal will be to actively study submission opportunities and submit X number of freelance articles during 2013.

What about your goals in social media and promotion? These are difficult to measure because the connections you make this year may not reap benefits for months, even years from now. I’ve had invitations to speak come from a contacts I made years before at a chance meeting.

You can define specific activities, for example, actively participating on twitter during the next year, setting up a Facebook fan page, or uploading your inspiration to a Pinterest page. Authors are utilizing Pinterest in unique ways and it’s loads of fun.

Dreaming Big

Add to your worksheet one “dream big” goal. List something you hope to achieve that seems totally impossible. Go ahead and put the “NYT Bestselling list” here if that’s what you want more than anything.

I’m excited to announce that my dream big goal from way back in 2010 was realized this past year in 2012: I signed with a literary agent. Don’t be shy or doubt your abilities. Dream away.

Thanks for Following our Blog

Good luck and Happy New Years, and thanks to all of you who have followed this blog, Wordsmithsix, during the past year. We really appreciate you. Sending out our best wishes that you achieve your writing goals in 2013!

www.nataliebright.com

Zombies are Among us Still?

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Zombies are Among us Still?

by Natalie Bright

 

This is a topic that I should defer to the horror writer of our group, Nandy Ekle, but I read a zombie novel, TRUE NATURE, and it blew me away. I was surprised how much I enjoyed reading about gory, flesh-eaters.

Which got me to wondering, why is everyone so fascinated with zombies?  It seems like they’ve been around forever.

A Classic Flesh Eater

The classic Night of the Living Dead started it all in 1968, so yes, they have been around for a while. The director, George A. Romero, and co-writer John A. Russo, redefined modern horror at the cinema. This classic can be found on YouTube.  Romero went on to expand this classic into a trilogy, and returned in 2000s with three more flicks (Land of the Dead, Diary of the Dead, and Survival of the Dead).

The famous deathlike stupor, typically after death, has roots in various cultures throughout the world. Africa and Haiti repeat tales of wakening the dead, past relatives coming back, or witches that can inhabit bodies. Even as recently as 1982, a Harvard ethno botanist claimed his research in Haiti resulted in the discovery of two special powders with the ability to turn a living person into a walking-dead zombie-like state.

The zombie remains undead to legions of fans through movies and books.

eBook Debut

The author of TRUE NATURE, Jere Ellison, met with our writers critique group several years ago and I knew this novel in its infancy. I was intrigued then by the characters and writing style, and I couldn’t wait to see how it would develop into a full story. I wasn’t disappointed.

Jere kept writing and kept polishing, and thank goodness, shared this story with the world as an eBook. It’s available now on Amazon.com.

Writers who Stretch and Grow

For the New Year, I’ve decided to stretch out and consider reading genres that I normally would never spend time on; horror is one of those categories.

Writers write, and in order to have a greater appreciation for the flow and order of words, I think that it’s imperative that writers read too. Even zombies can teach us a thing or two.

Authors Reviewing Authors

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Middle Grade Mondays

Authors Reviewing Authors

by Natalie Bright

Writers write and writers read. And most successful writers I know read a lot, which brings me to the question of book reviews.

Should authors be reviewing other authors? The messages are mixed.

Some say no because if you’re going to do a book review, you need to be honest. If you have to give a bad review, why would you want to jeopardize relationships with other authors?  There are professional reviewers who can give honest, unbiased reviews of books. That is their job. The point being, do you want to write novels or post reviews?

The other side argues why wouldn’t you want to help a local author or friend? The gesture will be returned in kind, and everyone wins with the additional promotion. One author told me she only gives blurbs or reviews if she is absolutely blown away by the story and by the writing talent. Most authors post reviews for their friends and the question remains if they’ve taken the time to even read it.

Goodreads

I am beginning to rely on Goodreads more and more. It’s like a humongous book club where everyone loves stories and books, and those that don’t like a book aren’t afraid to say so. I read a lot, and I usually post reviews for stories that I absolutely love. For every book I love there are probably two or three that I couldn’t get past the first chapter, which makes me sad. Does that give me license to trash that author’s work? I don’t think so.

Most certainly eBooks have become an impulse buy and in my opinion, GoodReads offers varied and honest opinions to guide me in my purchases. My eReader is running over and that’s a good thing. It’s a wonderful time to be a book junky.

Subjective Opinions

The shocking realization that publishing is such a highly subjective business and that people are so varied in their personal tastes came to light for me through a contest which is why I’ve learned to take book reviews with a grain of salt. One of my very first middle grade manuscripts was submitted to two different contests with varying results many, many years ago.

The first had a $50 contest fee, and came back with scathing comments. This judge did not like my characters, the setting, with the added notation that this should NEVER be in print even as a manuscript. Seriously, one entire page, single-spaced, of why and how much he detested this story. My investment to learn about story craft came back as hate mail.

The second entry had a $20 fee and won honorable mention! The judge provided solid feedback and even included a copy of her edit checklist sheet. Because of this successful author’s gracious and helpful critique, I kept writing. This particular story is stashed away somewhere, and thank goodness I didn’t obsess over the other contest results too long. Negative energy only distracts me from reaching my goals and stops my writing in its tracks. Don’t let those subjective opinions get you off track to achieving your dreams.

Everything you write makes you an even better writer the next day, week, month, and into years. You’ll be amazed at how your writing changes from just over a months time. Some readers will like your work and some readers may hate it.

Keep writing, keep improving. There are never enough good stories out there, in my opinion.

Thanks for Following our Blog

Good luck and Happy New Years, and thanks to all of you who have followed this blog, WordsmithSix, during the past year. We really appreciate you. Sending out our best wishes that you achieve your writing goals in 2013!

www.nataliebright.com

Goal Setting for Writers

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Goal Setting for Writers

By Natalie Bright

Why Set Goals?

For writers, I think visuals are important. Keeping daily logs on the words you crank out is certainly a necessary target. Other than putting pen to paper, there is so much more to this writing business. And if you want success, you have to take an active part in the entire process. (In a future blog, I’ll talk about ways to measure your progress.)

Be establishing long term goals, you are able to consider the big picture of what you hope to achieve. Will you be working on that same novel five, even ten, years from now?

Goal Setting Worksheet

Our critique group uses a worksheet. Make your goals simple and specific, things that you can actually visualize yourself achieving. Making the New York Times Bestselling list is probably not realistic if you’re a beginning writer.

3 in 24:

Identify 3 times in a 24-hour period to Write.

For example:

1. Wake-up one hour early and write.

2. Skip lunch with coworkers and write only new words on WIP Monday-Thursday.

3. Stay up late at least one hour on Friday, Sat., and Sun. to work on edits or blogs.

Study your list. Can you visualize yourself actually accomplishing these tasks? Can you see yourself with pen in hand or typing at the keyboard at the times and places you’ve chosen? Setting achievable goals equals success.

Realistic Attainable Goals:

Make a list of at least four goals you hope to accomplish within the next year.

Achievable goals would be defined as something you can definitely complete, to measure your progress and give you a sense of accomplishment that your writing career is moving forward. This could be things like writing and polishing an entry for a contest, or completing a submission for an anthology. Be specific; what contest? Don’t know of any? Find one and list it on your goals sheet.

How about a notation to subscribe to a market listing for magazines?  Your goal will be to actively study submission opportunities and submit X number of freelance articles during 2013.

What about your goals in social media and promotion? These are difficult to measure because the connections you make this year may not reap benefits for months, even years from now. I’ve had invitations to speak come from a contacts I made years before at a chance meeting.

You can define specific activities, for example, actively participating on twitter during the next year, setting up a Facebook fan page, or uploading your inspiration to a Pinterest page. Authors are utilizing Pinterest in unique ways and it’s loads of fun.

Dreaming Big

Add to your worksheet one “dream big” goal. List something you hope to achieve that seems totally impossible. Go ahead and put the “NYT Bestselling list” here if that’s what you want more than anything.

I’m excited to announce that my dream big goal from way back in 2010 was realized this past year in 2012: I signed with a literary agent. Don’t be shy or doubt your abilities. Dream away.

Best wishes on reaching your writing goals in 2013, and thanks for following WordsmithSix Blog.

http://www.nataliebright.com

 

Longfellow and Christmas Bells

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Longfellow and Christmas Bells

by Natalie Bright

 

A ‘spark’ for writers is the moment an idea is ignited in our mind. The actual words may appear that very moment as notes on a restaurant napkin, or it may be months from now. I have spark notes written on and in everything. Sticky notes, an essential tool for writers, completely cover the wall next to my desk. One statement my son made became the basis for an article published in a magazine over a year later. You just never know what those spark might become.

Where Are the Sparks?

Ideas are everywhere (check out Postcards from the Muse segments by Nandy Ekle right here on WordsmithSix Blog).

Writers find sparks in overheard conversations or by reading others written words. Pictures or art can conjure up a story idea. More often than not sparks come from a writers life experiences. Good or bad, joyous or devastating; emotions evolve into wonderful prose.

As I writer, I’m always fascinated with the history behind the spark and the environment that influences that writer’s words.

Longfellow’s Sorrow

In the case of Christmas Bells, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote the words to his poem on December 25, 1864.  The music and words are lifting and it’s always been one of my favorites, bringing to mind joyous holidays past spent with my favorite grandmother.

The words actually came from a very distraught Longfellow.

Precious Fanny Longfellow

Just three years earlier, his wife Fanny had wanted to preserve her daughter’s hair clippings in wax.  In a tragic turn of events, hot candle wax dripped onto Fanny’s dress, igniting it in flames. She ran into her husband’s study, where Henry tried to extinguish the blaze with a rug. He experienced severe burns to his face, arms, and hands. How they both must have suffered through that long night, only to have Fanny Longfellow die the next morning. Henry was much too ill to attend her funeral.

“A merry Christmas’ say the children, but that is no more for me.” reads Longfellows’ journal entry for December 25, 1862.

Tragedy struck the family again in 1863 when his oldest son Charles, who was only 19 at the time, suffered a severe wound as a lieutenant in the Army of the Potomac. Charles had left without his father’s blessing, joining the Union cause in March of that same year.

Continuing On

The Christmas season of 1864 must have been a dreadful time for Longfellow, as he carried on to care for their remaining small children, Ernest, Alice, Edith and Allegra. The Civil War was raging, skirmishes had continued throughout the country as they were still months away from Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox, and Abraham Lincoln had just been re-elected.

From the depths of his soul he wrote “Christmas Bells”, what some believe to be a pacifist poem roused by his grief upon hearing about his son. It was first published in 1865 in a juvenile magazine.

In 1872, five stanzas were rearranged by John Baptiste Calkin and put to the tune “Waltham”. Two stanzas referencing the war were omitted, and the poem became the beloved carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”

  1. I heard the bells on Christmas day
    Their old familiar carols play;
    And wild and sweet their tones repeat,
    “There’s peace on earth, good will to men.”
  2. And thought how, as the day had come,
    The belfries of all Christendom
    Had rolled along th’ unbroken song
    Of peace on earth, good will to men.
  3. Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
    “God is not dead, nor does He sleep,
    For Christ is here; His Spirit near
    Brings peace on earth, good will to men.”
  4. When men repent and turn from sin
    The Prince of Peace then enters in,
    And grace imparts within their hearts
    His peace on earth, good will to men.
  5. O souls amid earth’s busy strife,
    The Word of God is light and life;
    Oh, hear His voice, make Him your choice,
    Hail peace on earth, good will to men.
  6. Then happy, singing on your way,
    Your world will change from night to day;
    Your heart will feel the message real,
    Of peace on earth, good will to men.

The Gift of Story

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The Gift of Story

by Natalie Bright

Conversations from the Past

“I can’t believe she bought everyone a present,” my mother said, as Dad eased our car out of my grandparent’s driveway.

My father shook his head in agreement. “She’ll be paying for gifts through next summer.”

So began the conversation my parents had every year following our family’s Christmas. My grandmother bought presents for everybody. The gift list included her four kids and their spouses, plus nine grandchildren. She bought and baked goodies for her mail carrier, her beautician, the pastor and his family, and most of the neighbors on her rural country road.

Giving to Others

My parents never understood why my grandmother worked so hard and spent so much money at Christmas. I think she wanted to make special holiday memories for all of us, and more importantly, I think it made her  happy.

How Do You Give?

A lighted tree, decorations hung everywhere, and seeing my children’s faces when they open their gifts makes me happy. It is indeed a thankful time of joy and giving, which got me to thinking how people give in so many different ways.

You might cook a fantastic meal for loved ones, knit or sew, or donate money to a worthy cause. If you don’t have  extra funds, you probably donate your time. Most of you simply show up: at work and at home again, because someone is depending on you to be there. It’s all giving in one way or another and hopefully, you’re happy in doing it.

As for Writers, We Write.

Writers give by writing. It may sound trite compared to some of the things I’ve mentioned above, but it’s not insignificant to us. In reality, as words fill the blank page, we don’t expect anything in return, although with fingers-crossed we sincerely hope that you’ll buy the book, love the story, post a great review and become a devoted fan. That would make us very happy.

With words we bestow our innermost sadness, hurts, happiness, and fears to you, our dear readers, throughout the year. It’s hard work and we rip our guts out for you. The written word is a powerful gift. Words can change your world view, touch your heart in ways you never imagined, make you laugh out loud, or make you cry.

Sometimes, the gift of a story will remain with you your whole life.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everybody!

http://www.nataliebright.com

It’s Called Networking

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It’s Called Networking

by Natalie Bright

Throughout the world of business, professionals network. Everyone does it, from skilled surgeons, teachers, CEO’s, office managers–you name it. At some point in their career, these workers will attend some type of meeting to learn more about that profession. When I worked in human resources, conferences were invaluable. It’s where I learned about the new labor laws and where I found a network of people who worked in the same industry that I did. People I could call on, if I needed information or help. People who were saavy as to the latest trends or tools that I needed to know to do my job effectively.

Writers are No Exception

In Economics and Finance 101, the first thing you learn is that every smart business owner has at least one year of working capital set aside to get through the bad times and the second thing you realize is that every successful business owner puts everything they make right back into their business. An owner’s priority is the facility, equipment, goods, and the people; everything it takes to make that business a success, and they network with others in their profession.

Writing is a business after all, and at some point in  your career, you’ll need to step into the business world of publishing. You need to know about social marketing, query letters, proposals, characterization, plotting techniques, and you need to network with people who understand what you do. Editors, agents, and writers all love stories. It’s what we do.

YOU the Man

So what have you done for yourself lately to advance your writing career? What have you put back into your business? As a professional writer, one of the best ways to make an investment in YOU is to attend a writer’s conference.

Here are two of my favorites, and they’re scheduled for the same weekend in 2013 (drat!) Whichever you might choose, they are both well worth your time and money.

OWFI 45: Revive! Strive! Thrive!

Sponsored by the Oklahoma Writer’s Federation, Inc. May 2-4, 2013 in Norman, Oklahoma. Conference topics generally includes a good representation of every genre. Fun and friendly group! http://www.owfi.org

DFWCon May 4-5, 2013

Dallas/Fort Worth area writer’s group sponsors this conference which features a ton of agents. Each attendee gets one free pitch session, so research those agents and agencies carefully. Don’t waste your time or theirs by pitching something they do not represent. This huge conference is well-run and organized, and I met so many serious writers who are firmly focused on learning everything they can about the publishing business. It’s a total brain overload for two days on everything writing and it’s wonderful. http://www.dfwcon.com

Network, learn, and keep writing!

http://www.nataliebright.com

NOVEMBER IS DONE! YOU HAVE A NOVEL! Now What?

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NOVEMBER IS DONE! YOU HAVE A NOVEL!

Now What?

by Natalie Bright

November is done, and what a great month it is for writers: National Novel Writing Month. It’s a thrilling time to be a writer because of the endless opportunities.

Switching Gears

Did you participate this year? I tried, but had to stop mid-way and switch projects because I could not stay focused on the time period at hand. Another character popped into my head and I just had to give her some attention. That’s when the word count flew. I got more done in the last part of the month than I’ve ever thought possible.

Yay for You!

Many of you blogged about or shared your progress on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks for that, and cheers to those of you who stuck with the work at hand. It’s so hard to power through that first draft and you should congratulate yourself. Writing an entire book is an amazing accomplishment.

One post, however, gave me pause for concern. The word count was impressive for this author’s NaNo November 2012, and it was followed by a listed publishing date of ‘December 2012’.  My heart hurts for this person.

You want your book out there more than anything in the world. I understand. Don’t do it.  Don’t jeopardize your writing career. That first power draft is not ready for publication. You need to make several more passes through your novel, and I’ve found it’s impossible to analyze these key components at the same time. Each aspect must be looked at separately.

You’re Not Done Yet!

Here’s your editing checklist.

Add sensory elements. The rule is you want at least two to three (or more) senses in every scene. Show me what your character hears, tastes, smells, feels, and can see. And then there’s the whole list of internal senses to consider.

Dialogue. Does the dialogue ring true for each character? Are there plot elements or information the reader needs which can be clarified through dialogue?

Helping Verbs. Best advice I’ve ever had is to search and highlight the word ‘was’. As you power through the first draft, it’s easy to type ‘was’ and keep going. Sometimes when you stop to consider a better word, you might loose the image of that scene. Press on, but always replace those helping verbs with active verbs later.

Chapter Hooks. It’s so important to end each chapter with a hook. Give the reader a reason to keep turning those pages. Make a pass through your novel, reading out loud the first sentence and the last sentence of every chapter.

Critique Groups are next. You need an unbiased opinion from a group or a reader who understand story craft. Even though your mother is proud as punch that you’re holding 60,000 words which you typed all by yourself, she might not be the best one to give you a valuable critique.

Leave it alone. You read this right; shove your baby in a drawer. Go back to your life for a few days, weeks, even months, and then come back to that novel with refreshed eyes.

Grammar check. Read your novel out loud. Not just some parts, the whole thing. Awkward sentences and grammatical errors and strange word substitutions compliments of your computer will be revealed during this pass. Typos are a no brainer–don’t have any.  Also consider over-used clichés, point of view, shifts in verb tense, word echoes, and varied sentence length. No one ever said this writing business is easy. This is hard work people so get back to it.

Finally, publish away!

It took me forever to realize that our creative brains don’t work in a linear manner –1, 2, 3.  I think our subconscious muse is always working on our stories but the images may come in fragments, never in perfect chapter order and sometimes not even on the work in progress. Don’t stress over it. Just make notes of the scene as it comes to you. You can fix everything during the editing process – that’s when the real work begins.

It’s a thrilling time to be a reader. There are so many great stories out there–keep up the good work everybody!

http://www.nataliebright.com

Libraries: the Future is Now

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Libraries: the Future is Now

by Natalie Bright

Friends of the Cornette Library, WTA&M University, Fall Luncheon featured Gillian McCombs as the keynote speaker. McCombs is Dean and Director of Central University Libraries at Southern Methodist Unviersity in Dallas, soon to be home of the George W. Bush Presidential Center, making Texasthe only state with three presidential libraries.

Card Catalogs

She reminded us about libraries of old. Who remembers the card catalog, with hand-written reference notes on actual index cards? Times have certainly changed and as McCombs points out, “Librarians are doing so much more than saying Shh.”

“Librarians have always believed in open access, and Google certainly unlocked the store,” McCombs says. With an estimated 4.7 billion searches in any given day, we’re a part of a democratization of information. Everybody can contribute as writers and bloggers, and information is readily available. We have the unvalidated Wikipedia, book reviews on Amazon, and we see newspapers struggling to find the best method to deliver their content ‘now’.

The Physical Place

The question asked today is do we need physical libraries?  McCombs believes we do now more than ever. Even with information at our fingertips, students and communities still choose the library. “Think of the library as place,” says McCombs.  ” For most people, #1 place is home, #2 is work, and the library meets the need as #3. A place to go outside of work or home, similar to the coffee houses or pubs.” Cafes and gourmet coffee shops are appearing in libraries all across the country offering internet access and sponsoring community events making them an essential part of neighborhoods.

It’s a New Day

Southern Methodist University library offers mobile apps for students. Have a question? You don’t have to go downstairs and find the librarian. You can send a text.

SMU is also making great strides to digitize special collections making rare documents available on a world wide level. A few to mention is The Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, provides online digital resources related to theology and religious studies. Highlights include images of rare books, Bibles, manuscript codices and fragments. The Underwood Law Library, part of the Dedman School of Law, featuring an online archive of litigation pertaining to the desegregation of Dallas schools.

McCombs reminded us that kids today have not lived in a world without digital access, and to meet their needs many libraries will be conducting continual assessments of who they serve. I for one, am anxious to see how our libraries will evolve for the future.

www.nataliebright.com