Introducing Supriya Bhat! She is the Head of Circulation at Chelmsford Public Library. Recently we asked Supriya to share her Project SET experiences.
How did you become aware of Project SET, and what elements drew you to the program?
For two years I have been seeing flyers and could not even think about it as I was in my masters program. Since then I have wanted to join. I wanted to see what other libraries and librarians are doing as I like to learn new things. I was drawn to the idea of working with other librarians as by nature I am an introvert and was hoping that it would force me to go out of my comfort zone. And I am pleased to report that it is working.
What are your first impressions of the program and its intended outcomes?
During the first meeting I was amazed by all the creativity that went on in that room. To begin with I always thought that I do not have a creative bone in me and to my amazement I did end up creating something creative. It has helped me to gain confidence in my ability to stand up and present as I have terrible stage fright. So I will say public speaking as the intended outcome is a success.
Project SET begins each year with a study of trends currently impacting libraries. Of the trends you’ve learned about which one do you feel will have the biggest impact on your library and why?
I would say that technology is the trend that is impacting our library as I work in a public library in a small town with ageing population. We have the influx of younger population in recent years who are more tech savvy. To meet their demand and expectations we have to keep up with the emerging technology.
Want to know more about Project SET? Visit our LibGuide!
