There can hardly been an easier way to have fun than to celebrate someone or something. This post will concentrate on the someone. Please note that there is a fine line between celebration and reward and recognition; I'll provide some examples of the latter in a subsequent post.
Birthdays - Someone usually maintains a birthday list; if not it is easy to construct one. Them, depending on the size of the organization, you can celebrate birthdays on a monthly or quarterly basis. No time for a food event? No problem. Pass around a birthday card and deliver it to the lucky person(s). Purchase party hats and put on a label with the celebrant's name and give it to them. If they are on a social networking site, encourage people to wish them a happy birthday there. Offer up a birthday balloon. In any case, a rousing chorus of happy birthday is optional. In every case think of your own way to take advantage of this easy way to have fun in the library.
Years of Service - How long have your colleagues been working in your organization? One year? 5? 10? Celebrate their longevity and dedication. One way is for the unit to a list of the ways in which this person has contributed to your department or organization and present it to them. Another is for the supervisor to present a hand written note of thanks and acknowledgement; if the person celebrating IS a supervisor, how nice if he/she receives something similar from his/her reports. At one library, the University Librarian took all the years of service awardees out to lunch (I'm back to food - sigh). Again, this is a pretty easy thing to do and goes a piece towards building community.
Year of Hire - This is a little different from the first two and is primarily something for the supervisor to do. We acknowledge many things but often not the anniversary of a person's hire date. Well, this is an instance when a thoughtful handwritten note with specific examples of how the person has contributed is often greatly appreciated. It serves as another reminder that the recipient is valued by the organization and their supervisor knows it.
Professional accomplishment - Has someone achieved something noteworthy? An article published? A presentation given? A promotion achieved? A notable number of years of service? A project completed? A new idea for the organization implemented? Well, bring out the confetti (real or virtual) or, at the least, make an announcement at a staff meeting or departmental meeting, and give colleagues a chance to cheer and be cheered. You could even have little awards to commemorate the occasion: a light bulb (for bright idea); a giraffe (for sticking one's neck out); a copy of the article or of the program, signed by everyone in the organization with a big Well Done! You get the idea.
There are lots and lots of easy ways to have fun in the library and celebrating a colleague's accomplishments is one of the very best. How do you do this? Inquiring minds want to know (and then use!).
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