Follow the footsteps to Hectic Pace at OCLC...

I'm proud and happy under the OCLC banner. But I would be remiss if I did not thank a few people, including the people who don't like to be thanked!

Thanks American Libraries. You've been a great home.
Thanks Leonard Kniffel, for talking me into doing this.
Thanks Beverly Goldberg, for helping me make sense when I was only making sense to myself.
Thanks OCLC, for giving me a new platform from which to blog.

And thanks faithful readers, and I hope I have not had an empty RSS feed for so long that you won't follow Hectic Pace to OCLC.

Yes, I am still here. Thanks to so many of you for the virtual cards and letters that have accompanied my transition from NCSU to OCLC.

Today marks the end of three full weeks at OCLC. It has flown by. 'Hectic' has new meaning for me, as I learn the ropes of a new job, settle into a new home, and try to make things as comfortable as uprooting and replanting can be for a family of four.

For those of you who were wondering what would become of my writing, I do have a plan. Some of you may have seen my last Technically Speaking column in American Libraries. That chapter is closed. But I do plan to keep blogging.

Some time in the coming weeks, "Hectic Pace" will appear under the OCLC banner as a new blog with an old name, and some different content. When that happens, I will post the link here.

There's nothing like a very flattering press release to turn rumor into fact. It's true, starting January 7, I will be the Executive Director, Networked Library Services, at OCLC.

I've had a great run at NCSU Libraries, where I have been just shy of nine years. I'm immensely appreciative for all the opportunities that were given to me here—a library that puts its money where its librarians' mouths are, aspires to and achieves greatness, embraces practical advocacy, and hires some of the best people you could ever hope to work with. I can honestly say that in nine years, I have never had a boring day at work.

More than that, NCSU Libraries indulged my desire to speak, write, and consult on a variety of library topics . . . activities that ultimately led to a platform from which I could launch a new chapter of my career. Of course none of the above would have been possible without an unbelievable collection of colleagues, some of whom have moved on to other pastures, many of whom I will be leaving with a touch of sadness.

Okay, before this gets too sappy . . . what about OCLC? I can barely contain my excitement. Yes, this is a big move, both for my career and for my family. Frankly, it's where the action is, and that's where I want to be. I'm going to get a chance to work with really great people, learn new things, and help increase the value of OCLC to libraries and the value of libraries to patrons.

Dark side? "Pshaw," I say. Those of you who know me well know that I decry the notion that there are "sides" to our profession. My passion for my chosen field requires that I work for places and people that embrace the ethos of librarianship. OCLC is such a place. It is the biggest such place. What will I be doing? Suffice it for now to say that I will be working hard to make things better. The same thing that I have always tried to do. The word might be passé, but "psyched" is the best one I can think of to describe how I'm feeling about the new job.

What becomes of my status as vendor provocateur? My column? This blog? Well, I'll be submitting my last "Technically Speaking" column next week for the January/February issue of American Libraries. Again, a nice run there, and a platform that I have loved and will dearly miss, but life goes on. As for the blog, I have not completely decided. As a companion to the magazine column, I hope the mantle will pass. But I also hope to find a platform and new voice (i.e., new content) for "Hectic Pace" . . . like many things, that will depend on time allowed and whether readers out there want to continue to hear from me. Will I stop provoking and being a little disruptive? Will I stop writing? Will I stop being so opinionated? Fat chance on all three counts.

I've had so many nice emails, Facebook wall postings, IMs, and phone calls from friends and colleagues, but I'd be remiss if I did not mention the love and support of my family during this transition—my wife Sharon with whom I embark on another geographic adventure like the one we had to California now so long ago, Emma (9), and Eli (5). I couldn't do this without them. So, farewell (soon) to Raleigh, N.C. Hello Dublin, OH. I can hardly wait.

If you've been on a conference call with OCLC lately, you might have experienced that awkwardness of not knowing who you're talking to sometimes—OCLC? PICA? Former Fretwell-Downing? Actually, the confusion is small compared to many of the name games that have been going on lately, whether it's corporate identity, code-names for new products, or the revolving door of corporate leadership.

Well, in an effort to get out in front of the impending confusion, OCLC has rebranded itself . . . OCLC. There's a new logo and a new tag line.

Branding and marketing aren't really my thing, I have to admit. I'm much more interested in other news coming out of OCLC, and that is the publication of its latest report, Sharing, Privacy, and Trust in Our Networked World.

I have not read the entire report yet, so a detailed review would be premature. Suffice it to say that this thing has a huge amount of data behind it. Sharing, Privacy, and Trust reports statistics and perceptions in six countries. I got my hands on a copy and it's long, so prepare yourself. If you're fatigued by all the talk about social networking, I suggest skipping to section 3-1, where the discussion of privacy begins. See if you can leave your library ethos at the door and read these sections with an open mind.

Finally, keep in mind that this is a report to the OCLC membership—this is our report; we paid for it. We should take some pride in its production because there are few library organizations producing reports of this magnitude for free consumption.