“I have worked with Carson on several projects over the years. He’s smart, funny, knowledgeable and able to translate geek talk into English for the rest of us. He is an innovator and is always thinking about what’s around the next corner.”
Robin Gard
Former Vice President, Board of Trustees
Poudre River Public Library District, Colorado
“Carson ‘gets’ libraries. He approaches emerging technologies with enthusiasm and interest. What sets him apart from other technologists is his clear passion for the public sector, and his refreshingly direct and jargon-free way of talking about what we can DO with technology. I highly recommend him as a speaker, a consultant, and a facilitator of technology planning for libraries.”
Jamie LaRue
Former Director
Douglas County Libraries, Colorado
“Carson proved to be the perfect match as consultant for our small library’s ambitious plans to expand into a former firehouse that will offer us nearly eight times the square footage of our current building. Not only is Carson capable of projecting our technology needs well into the future, he brought his outstanding people skills to understand the culture of our library and to create a customized technology plan for our future home. Throughout his consultancy, we found him to be responsive, sensitive to our budgetary constraints, generous with his time and consistently willing to clarify the many things we did not fully understand. A genuine pleasure to work with!
Jennifer F. Post
President, Board of Trusteest
Claverack Free Library, New York
“Thanks for speaking. You created quite a buzz and led people to think much more about the role of libraries in their communities.”
Tom Zillner
Research and New Technologies Coordinator
Wisconsin Library Services
“I have had the opportunity to engage with Carson both professionally and personally, and in all instances have come to consider him a singular asset to the library community…Carson has personally developed and styled a firm that embraces the challenges of a very difficult service sector, and performs the work with professionalism and distinction. Suffice it to say that Carson is the first (and, given our druthers, the only) call we make when soliciting proposals for these types of services for our design team. While part of the reason for this is the attention and thoroughness of the work he provides, another large motivation is the consideration Carson consistently displays to the specific needs of both pour office and our clients. We are invariably made to feel that our project is the most important thing on his agenda at all times.”
Paul K. Mays, RA
Principal
Butler, Rowland, Mays Architects, LLP
“Carson worked with our library in an analysis of library technology and staffing and made what could have been an uncomfortable process enjoyable. He has the rare ability to talk about technology in a way that is understandable and interesting to people at all levels on the technology know-how spectrum. He is funny and sensitive, AND very knowledgeable about libraries and current technological trends. Carson’s observations about our library and his recommendations for change were right on target.”
Deborah Mesplay
Director
Daviess County Public Library, Kentucky
“Carson brings more than technical expertise and project management skills to his consulting work.
While performing a staffing gap analysis of our library system’s IT department, he staged the process so that targeted information sharing felt more like natural conversation. He was diplomatic and tactful during individual and group meetings where people needed to express strong opinions and feel that they’d been heard and understood.
A staffing gap analysis raises sensitivities and fears almost by definition. Carson’s considerable ‘people skills’ added significant value to our process.”
Martina Kominiarek
Executive Director
Bucks County Public Libraries, Pennsylvania
“Carson has a unique ability to work with clients to determine essential needs in order to guide them to well informed decisions. He understands the relationship of technology and modern library service in a way that few others do.
Recently I had the fortune of Carson’s help with a difficult hiring decision for an essential position. He offered insight to the interview team that has proven to be invaluable. I am confident that right decision was made thanks to his participation.
Carson is indeed a technologist who understands the core values of libraries. His passion is evident in his work and his support for the industry. If you get a chance to work with him on a project then consider yourself lucky because you are in good hands.”
Oliver Sanidas
Associate Director of Digital Services
The Arapahoe Library District, Colorado
“Carson has the ability to work with people of all abilities on the technology curve. His presentation for our Long Range Plan was well thought out, delivered with humor, knowledge and made all participants feel that they had something important to contribute. It made the process all that stronger.”
Sara Dallas
Director
Southern Adirondack Library System, New York
“I had the opportunity to work with Carson Block as part of a construction project for a new library being built in upstate New York. He had been recommended to our Board by our Architect. I can say, without reservation, that Carson’s work ethic, attention to detail, skill, knowledge and respectful demeanor is absolutely excellent. No question went unanswered, all phone calls and e-mails returned almost immediately and he approached everyone with dignity and respect. His initial on site experience with us was a visioning session which allowed our entire Board to be a part of his planning process from the beginning .This session provided the opportunity to start the trust relationship so important to any client/consultant environment. Carson’s work product is, without doubt, exemplary and I would recommend him without reservation.”
Fran Wolf
Management and Labor Consulting, LLC
“We had the good fortune of engaging Carson early in our extensive networking / technology project here at Red Feather Lakes Community Library. As a very small Colorado library we lacked sufficient technical background to make the best decisions on equipment and wiring that otherwise needed to be made. We also needed to stretch our dollars to facilitate a biggest bang for the buck.
And, on both (and all) counts, Carson helped considerably: conducting and drawing up a site survey; making specific recommendations regarding equipment, wiring, and vendors; assisting or managing equipment configuration and troubleshooting; and, balancing economy and performance.
Carson Block made the difference for us.”
Creed Kidd
Library Director
Red Feather Lakes Community Library, Colorado
“Carson has been a guest speaker for our annual TechFest staff training day for two years. His presentations always receive high praise from staff and are well attended. Carson has an extraordinary ability to communicate complicated technologies into easily understandable information. And Carson is fun to work with! He always has interesting ideas and well thought out theories. I can count on Carson to help me better understand and maneuver through the constantly changing and complicated world of emerging technologies.”
Mindy Kittay
Finance Director, Tech Team Leader
Anythink Libraries, Colorado
Regarding an article in the January/February 2012 issue of Public Libraries featuring “The E-Books Issue”:
“I was blown away by ‘If Books are Our Brand,’ by Carson Block. It is an outstanding article. It’s everything I would have written if I was smart enough to do so. Every e-reader class I teach or every time I demonstrate the e-book catalog, I get that odd sense that I am sending folks further away from the library. It’s a strange feeling; worse than when we lost $85,000 in funding. Money will always be a problem; it’s the idea that as library professionals, we feel less relevant–even in a fleeting moment.
The article is dead-on; ‘this is about how market forces could, perhaps unknowingly and without malice, wipe out the public good served by libraries.’ This is exactly what I couldn’t seem to quite ‘get’ when trying to wrap my head around e-books and e-readers and their impact on libraries.
And I agree, ‘knowing how to go forward isn’t a snap,’ but with the issue so succinctly clarified by Mr. Block, it eases my mind a bit and re-enforces my commitment to what I believe is our brand–reading. Yes, we must ‘have access to the resources and tools in an ever changing world,’ but we must fundamentally champion reading.”
Sharon McRae, Director
Shaler North Hills Library
Glenshaw, PA
http://www.shalerlibrary.org/
“I have to tell you – I wasn’t very interested in technology when I first came in this morning, but I’ve changed my mind. You have shown me why this topic is vitally important to my library!”
Workshop participant “Keeping Your Library Relevant, Today and Tomorrow”
“He fixed my crazy computer that was giving me conniption fits. I highly recommend his services.”
A thankful and satisfied mum and customer