BEATING THE COMPETITION: LIBRARIAN AS PERFORMANCE ARTIST Marc Mason Arizona State University Marc.Mason@asu.edu 1-800-He’s-Nuts My Greatest Teachers •Creativity My Greatest Teachers •Creativity •Passion My Greatest Teachers •Creativity •Charisma •Captivating personality What if you don’t have those? What if you don’t have those? YOU’RE SCREWED Am I really screwed? Am I really screwed? OKAY, MAYBE NOT. The Marc Tour Bus Inspiration Without Perspiration •Phil Hartman Shows the Way Inspiration Without Perspiration • Phil Hartman Shows the Way • Campus tour groups: say WHAT???? Time For New Tools! Time For New Tools Honestly? Time For New Tools LYING Time For New Tools Don’t Take It Personally Time For New Tools MOCKERY But the Most Important Tool… But the Most Important Tool… YOU What the Hell Does THAT Mean? What the Hell Does THAT Mean? • Librarianship draws many introverts What the Hell Does THAT Mean? • Librarianship draws many introverts • Students have more distractions than ever What the Hell Does THAT Mean? • Librarianship draws many introverts • Students have more distractions than ever • We must not only teach- we must also PERFORM. What the Hell Does THAT Mean? • Librarianship draws many introverts • Students have more distractions than ever • We must not only teach- we must also PERFORM. • Librarians (as well as teachers) are generally not given any emphasis to develop performance art skills, which will help them as instructors. The New Paradigm • We have already embraced students as our CUSTOMERS. The New Paradigm • We have already embraced students as our CUSTOMERS. • We must now consider them our AUDIENCE. So… THAT’S WHERE I COME IN. Performance Art Skills and You • Gain Confidence in Front of Groups • Enhance Creativity • Be Better Prepared for the Unexpected • Give Your Audience a Positive Experience that They Remember When Done AZLA: DECEMBER 2008 • Pre-conference workshop (3 hours) • 17 attendees • 15 potential games to play AZLA: DECEMBER 2008: ASSESSMENT • Lowest Rating: 6; Highest: 10 • “A librarian doesn’t have to be boring.” “I can use lying for good.” • Only one person said their library would not benefit: “Gov’t stick-in-the-muds.” • Two games stuck out the most. Not “Global Thermonuclear War” WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY A GAME?