Scientists have determined that geese fly in a V Formation during migration for two very important purposes.

First, it conserves their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. The birds take turns being in the front, falling back when they get tired. In this way, the geese can fly for a long time before they must stop for rest.

The authors of a 2001 Nature article stated that pelicans that fly alone beat their wings more frequently and have higher heart rates than those that fly in formation. It follows that birds that fly in formation glide more often and reduce energy expenditure

The second benefit of this formation is that it is easy to keep track of every bird in the group. Flying in formation may assist with the communication and coordination within the group. Fighter pilots often use this formation for the same reason.

I have spent the last four years working with North Carolina's statewide resource sharing consortium, NC Cardinal and I have seen the power of working together in real time, and it has been as wonderful to watch as the flocks of geese we are starting to see fly across our Carolina blue skies.

Every year I travel the state and ask library directors what are the biggest issues they are facing and I consistently hear “we don’t have enough staff and we don’t have enough money”. When I would ask how are you managing I heard how libraries were busily filling the holes in the dike, reducing services, closing service desks, eliminating travel, closing on Saturdays.

Remarkably, the tide seems to be turning and not because the situation is really much better. The trend is to shift from this culture of “save us” to one of “we can rise above this, if we work together we can be better than we were, and we can model the way for the library communities we serve”.

Public Libraries are succeeding and doing better with less through increased collaboration and partnerships. Libraries across the country are increasing their capacity by building and maintaining partnerships and developing collaborative programs from within the library world as well as outside – looking outward to state and local agencies, businesses, and non-profits.

I believe this trend can have a huge impact on how our libraries are changing to meet the needs of their communities. Innovation clusters are developing outside the library walls; webs of people, organizations and businesses are workig together to solve problems and inspire new ideas.

Clusters are emerging as a major focus in economics and policy discussions, but they seem to fit perfectly in the library world. Research confirms what we have already seen, strong clusters can deliver positive benefits to workers, libraries, and their communities. They foster innovation, strengthen entrepreneurship, and enhance productivity. Linking skills and pooling resources leads to greater capacity for everyone.

Public LIbraries have a proven track record in helping to strengthen their communities. The 21st century library is raising the bar, becoming centers of learning, and innovation.

In the libraries they are reallocating their spaces to make room for maker spaces, media production studios, and digital scanners.

The third trend, building the bench, is about ensuring a level of excellence in all of the libraries within the state through staff development. I call it Building the Bench.

Public Libraries are making sure their staff have the necessary continuing education opportunities they need to stay in front of the learning curve and be confident. This is making a marked difference in staff innovation and resilience to change.

Access to training is being made available through shared portals for online and self-directed learning.

Continuing education and staff development of library staff is one of the highest criteria nationally. Library leaders envision the day when access to the training you need is available when and where you need it. Nationally there are several initiatives to develop shared ce programs for library staff. The Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) are working with a grant from Institute of Museum and Library Services for a Continuing Education (CE) Connector Project. The goal of this project is greater shared development and delivery of CE programs across state libraries.