I entered the large Children’s Services Room a few moments later and informed the staff librarian that I had a scheduled appointment with Ms. Lee at 10:00 a.m. in Room 6 (which adjoins the room where I was standing). The librarian went inside Room 6 for a second, came out and said, "Ms. Lee will come out to see you in a minute." And that is exactly what happened.

As soon as Ja-Lih Lee came out of her office and extended her hand in a welcoming gesture, we looked at each other and both of us laughed at the same time. "You know, I was wondering if that was you," she said, to which I replied, "And I was wondering if that was you." And thus the "yous" met (the word "yous" does not really exist but it fits somehow in this context).

Ja-Lih directed me to her office and immediately said that she has two questions to ask me. The first one was the offer of a refreshingly cold cup of water, a most welcome treat. The second question, as politely inquired as the first, was: "How do you pronounce your last name?" I pronounced "Souroujon" and thus our interview began.

The agenda was completely open-ended, a "whatever you wish to tell me" kind of dialogue, a sharing of background experience and ideas about the world of libraries, offered with spontaneity interspersed with thoughtful pauses and reflections, all within a period of close to two hours (that parking meter was getting hungry again).

Ja-Lih started her conversation by telling me that she was born and raised in Taiwan, earning her undergraduate degree in Library Science there prior to her arrival in the United States. She arrived in Chicago, Illinois, in January of 1976 where her brother-in-law was living at the time. After a short stay in Chicago, Ja-Lih drove to Rhode Island to join her husband. He had applied at the University of Illinois-Champaign and had been accepted as a student; Ja-Lih had arrived too late in the U.S. to be accepted at the same time so she had to wait another year for her acceptance at the same university. Ja-Lih’s Master’s of Science in Library and Information Science was bestowed upon her in 1978 at the University of Illinois-Champaign.

Between the years of 1978 – 1985, Ja-Lih held quite a wide range of various positions, with employers as varied as the U.S. Army and a computer company. Ja-Lih worked in a corporate business as a consultant in Washington, D.C., translating from Chinese to English and vice-versa (this was in the ‘80’s, for a period of 1-1/2 years), and that particular environment was instrumental in introducing Ja-Lih to the world of technical and business structures, a position which served her well later on in her other endeavors.

Ja-Lih enthusiastically related to me that the emerging era of Information Storage and Retrieval (now named Information Technology or "IT") and the corresponding embryo of Library Automation, perfectly coincided with her recently-acquired degree from University of Illinois-Champaign and she was very fortunate to be able to utilize her knowledge in a most practical way through her different places of employment in these new fields of learning. Ja-Lih was most grateful for the opportunities which were now all around her and she took full advantage of opening each door and entering inside a new "room" of knowledge, learning and teaching what she had learned, tentatively trying to follow the footsteps of her excellent professors at the University of Illinois-Champaign.

Ja-Lih mentioned that when she was studying for her Master’s Degree, there was one professor who was the "guru" for Information Science. His name was F. W. Lancaster (currently professor emeritus at the University of Illinois Graduate School of Library and Information Science) and when she spoke of Professor Lancaster, her obvious reaction showed in the sunshine of her face. She was privileged to have such a person as her mentor. Professor Lancaster was not a "techie" but had "forward-looking ideas" according to Ja-Lih. He was unorthodox in his thinking, encouraging his students to "evolve, to think for themselves."

One of Professor Lancaster’s "unorthodox" ideas was the creation of signage, setting aside the exact and correct method of how a library "should be" but rather concentrating on "what works." Today, our airports, especially international airports, use signage without a blink and a memory of when and where the method originated.

A most significant part of Professor Lancaster’s method was "measuring" a library’s success. For example, Ja-Lih recounted, if a patron asks the reference librarian for information, there are two ways to offer a response. 1) Produce lots of references for the patron’s benefit or 2) Analyze the question and proceed to one source and find one data (the precision method). Where is the "measure of success" in the library? The measure is in the feedback received from patrons.

As Ja-Lih spoke of Professor Lancaster, I immediately thought about the tremendous privilege some of us have in finding an outstanding teacher, one who remains with us forever. I would like to add, at this point, that an excellent librarian can function as a tremendous role-model as well. I was already beginning to get hints of Ja-Lih’s possibilities of affecting the children of Oakland through her leadership and enthusiasm in just this kind of role!

At the time that Ja-Lih was studying for her Master’s of Science in Library and Information Science, the University of Illinois-Champaign’s School was divided into three sections: 1) Special Libraries (companies, corporate, research, R&D), 2) Academic and 3) Public. Today, the School of Library Sciences is divided into academic, public and school (which requires a teaching credential).

After escorting me through a delightful "tour" of the Library and Information Science School, Ja-Lih now entered a different aspect of her life, the one "after University" life which many of us encounter.

Together with her husband, Ja-Lih came to live in San Jose, California in 1987 (her husband found a job in that rapidly-growing city) and eventually the couple was blessed with the birth of a son and daughter.

Between the period of 1987-1996, Ja-Lih, together with her husband, raised their two children. Ja-Lih taught Chinese language in San Jose and then, one day, she found out about the American Booksellers’ Association and decided to participate in a one week conference in Denver, Colorado, sponsored by this Association, to learn the "inside story of how to start a bookstore – the financing, investing, control, marketing – merchandise, etc. After completing the conference, Ja-Lih launched her new venture – a Children’s Bookstore, "Jolly Land," in Cupertino, which she owned for four years.

As Ja-Lih worked at her bookstore, she developed a more extensive interest in children’s libraries and literature, culminating in a "detour" as a School Librarian, a position which she held for two years (K-6). This position was essentially an "on-the-job training," an excellent path toward discovering the significance of outreach to both teachers and parents. Ja-Lih indicated that the outreach process showed her how to critique and select books which would be suitable for the community which she was serving, a critical component of a good library system.

Professionally, Ja-Lih was interested to move into the field of teaching. She took a part-time position in San Jose’s Public Library, working in the Young Adult Section (patrons between the ages of 20-28 years of age). Ja-Lih was planning to start her Teacher’s Credential at the same time but the job at the Library took up all of her attention and she was unable to proceed with her teaching plans. It was at that point in her life that Ja-Lih decided to remain with the Public Library System and concentrate on her expertise in the field of outreach (senior services, young adults, etc.).

In 1995, Ja-Lih was appointed as a full-time Outreach Librarian in the San Jose System (at that time, the Library System had a separate Outreach Department) and Ja-Lih remained in the position until 2002, when she was appointed Manager of the Department.

What constituted "Outreach" in San Jose?

1) The San Jose Library had a visible presence by setting up a booth with pamphlets at each of the myriad festivals and fairs offered by the City.

2) System-wide Programs of the Library. For example, there was a program called "Books for Little Hands." Each bag, containing 20 books, was distributed to day-care and home-care providers. Many of these providers lacked the training in choosing appropriate children’s books. The Library Foundation stepped in and contributed seed money for the Program, paying for all the books and bags. There are 17 Libraries in the System. The communities which the libraries served were told that the day-care and home-care providers of their community can get a special library card which entitles them to a "bag" of 20 books, to be returned within a month, and a new "bag" would then be given to them once more.

The success of the "Books for Little Hands" extended to outside grants, beyond the initial seed money given by the Library Foundation. In addition, the Program initiated Parents/Teacher Training and offered theme book suggestions for pre-school learning (ex. "Seasons" with appropriate props).

Ja-Lih said that in 1995, the City of San Jose started to undergo a transformation. Downsized budgets became a reality. This change naturally affected the San Jose Public Library System as well and presented new challenges to its administrative and library staff-persons. What happened next is worth noting.

The San Jose Public Library’s Librarians started to pay attention to the successes of giant bookstores, such as Barnes & Noble, and think about and learn how to create similar successes in libraries which were now unable to function as effectively as they had been in the past due to limited resources and staffing.

In 1997, the San Jose Public Library created its visionary Master Plan which innovatively re-invented public library service to meet the needs of the new century.

What did the librarians learn? To become more creative and develop techniques to deliver services.

Ja-Lih interjected at this point to say that in 1999, she became Manager of the Outreach Unit and the branch manager of the Calabazas Library in 2001, a position she held until 2002. Both positions took Ja-Lih through an aggressive public library outreach planning and the actual implementation of what is currently called "The Innovative Library Service Module."

Now we turn to a leap from life in San Jose to Oakland today. How did this occur, I asked? Ja-Lih explained that while attending the 2001 American Library Association’s annual conference in San Francisco, she approached the Oakland Public Library’s information table and saw a position for Supervising Librarian, Children’s Services. Ja-Lih decided to submit her resume. A year later, Ja-Lih was approached by Director Carmen Martinez and Administrative Librarian Leslie Rodd and asked if she would entertain the thought of coordinating the Oakland Public Library’s Children’s Services. Ja-Lih "saw this as an opportunity" and, combined with her extensive work at the San Jose Public Library, decided to apply, was accepted and started her new "life" in October 2002 – as a daily commuter from San Jose (!) to Oakland to serve the needs of this community.

What are some of Ja-Lih’s observations a year after she started her new position in Oakland? First of all, Ja-Lih sees a very dedicated group of Children’s Librarians throughout the whole District – one at each of the Public Library’s branches! Secondly, Ja-Lih observes that there is a tight, strong team of Children’s Librarians who recognize the challenges of their communities, armed with a sound dedication and vision to confront these opportunities.

What is Ja-Lih’s Vision for Children’s Services within the Oakland Public Library System?

To promote and advocate Children’s Libraries. How? Through outreach to parents, teachers, day-care and home-care providers. An example: to educate providers and children how to use the library system AND the use of the Internet within the confines of the Library.

To create a stronger role and place for the Library relating to the complex issue of Early Literacy and to acknowledge the need for further help for parents and teachers in assisting children from early childhood into young adulthood.

The need for System-wide Public Library outreach programs to give support and confidence to providers and the necessary tools to help parents, teachers, etc.

An emphasis on the pivotal role of the Oakland community and its close relationship within the Public Library, where the latter can offer experience, support and building of confidence in those who provide guidance to the children of this widely-diverse city.

Ja-Lih said that there is always a time factor to be considered, of course, and that there is no need to be frightened if something does not work. The value of advocating Libraries and the vision of what it can do for the community should be the most important factor – the encouragement, the utilization of skills, the dedication – these are the issues at hand.

From the broad art-strokes of vision, we turn to the "real world" and the implications for the future.

Ja-Lih sees the biggest challenge today in Libraries is how to use limited resources and still maintain a high standard level of service, working within a diminished and increasingly diminishing budget. This test is an ongoing process and poses some exciting opportunities.

A personal example. In March 2003, Ja-Lih accepted an additional responsibility. She is now also the Manager of the Children’s Room at the Oakland Main Library. Many hats!!

The Children’s Services Office is adjacent to the Children’s Room at Oakland’s Main Public Library. In the past, there had always been a collaboration between the two entities, but the formal structure was not always there. Now, there is an official, methodical integration of staff talents and times.

The Children’s Services Office (Room 6) houses the following staff persons:

Ja-Lih Lee, Supervising Librarian, Children’s Services Office