Features
Citywide Conversations at Seattle Public Library
Submitted by saraneppl on Mon, 03/01/2010 - 2:04pmLast week, we tweeted about Seattle Public Library's Citywide Conversations - SPL's process of getting input from the public regarding their strategic planning process. Our director, Diane, just returned from the first of these scheduled conversations, where she snapped this cell phone photo:
As the Library puts it, "These 'open houses' at five libraries are designed to have participants 'think big' and use their creativity in considering new models, services and potentially new roles for the Library."
From Diane's description, there's no big presentation and no large facilitated conversation. Instead, there are large post-it pads placed around the room, and attendees are given smaller post-its or stickers to place on ideas of their choice. This is a really great, "non-confrontational" way to get ideas - nobody has to stand up to a microphone and speak to the whole audience, they can just express their approval, or disapproval, through a sticky note on a notepad.
Although there are no more scheduled for the Central Library, you can attend a Citywide Conversation at the following branches:
Northgate Branch
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
6 – 8 p.m.
High Point Branch
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
4 – 6 p.m.
Ballard Branch
Saturday, March 6, 2010
2 – 4 p.m.
Beacon Hill Branch
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
6 – 8 p.m.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
6 – 8 p.m.
High Point Branch
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
4 – 6 p.m.
Ballard Branch
Saturday, March 6, 2010
2 – 4 p.m.
Beacon Hill Branch
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
6 – 8 p.m.
How CityClub is - and is NOT - like a gym.
Submitted by saraneppl on Thu, 01/28/2010 - 9:56amWhile it may be difficult to fathom for those of us on the "inside",
the name CityClub can be confusing. For example, we receive (almost
weekly) Facebook friend requests from folks who think we are a club -
of the bass-thumping, strobe-lighting persuasion. One of my favorite
bits of CityClub lore (fact? urban legend?) is the tale of a gentleman
who once showed up in a towel and gym shorts, ready to work out - he
thought CityClub was a gym. (To be fair, we suspect that at one point
we were listed somewhere in an online city guide as an athletic club.)
Now, a new sort of branding adventure is upon us: we have a true-blue gym moving in next door to our offices in Rainier Square! Already we've dealt with one confused delivery man who was down at the gym with our package, saying "Are you SURE you're not CityClub?"
All of this has lead us to start brainstorming ways in which CityClub is - and is NOT - like a gym. We've come up with a few to share!
1. It's true, we are both membership-based organizations.
2. However, one does not have to be a member of CityClub to attend an event!
3. We like to think we exercise your mind rather than your body. The brain isn't technically a muscle - but one could argue we encourage you to exercise your tongue, and be heard on issues you care about!
4. You never have to shower and have a change of clothes when you attend a CityClub program.
5. Going to the gym regularly can be a challenge - and so can finding time to stay civicly engaged in your community. (Don't worry, CityClub can help!)
6. The gym will never serve you dessert.
Are there other ways CityClub is different than a gym? Similar?
We are looking forward to being good neighbors with the gym (there has certainly been talk of staff members joining, because it's so convenient!). And, it'll keep our delivery folks on their toes!
Now, a new sort of branding adventure is upon us: we have a true-blue gym moving in next door to our offices in Rainier Square! Already we've dealt with one confused delivery man who was down at the gym with our package, saying "Are you SURE you're not CityClub?"
All of this has lead us to start brainstorming ways in which CityClub is - and is NOT - like a gym. We've come up with a few to share!
1. It's true, we are both membership-based organizations.
2. However, one does not have to be a member of CityClub to attend an event!
3. We like to think we exercise your mind rather than your body. The brain isn't technically a muscle - but one could argue we encourage you to exercise your tongue, and be heard on issues you care about!
4. You never have to shower and have a change of clothes when you attend a CityClub program.
5. Going to the gym regularly can be a challenge - and so can finding time to stay civicly engaged in your community. (Don't worry, CityClub can help!)
6. The gym will never serve you dessert.
Are there other ways CityClub is different than a gym? Similar?
We are looking forward to being good neighbors with the gym (there has certainly been talk of staff members joining, because it's so convenient!). And, it'll keep our delivery folks on their toes!
CityClub Staffer interviewed on KUOW Weekday
Submitted by saraneppl on Thu, 01/07/2010 - 3:30pmJessica was on Weekday today with Steve Scher, and those of us who were in the office huddled around computer's set of speakers to listen to her and other conversants discuss the changing face of journalism. Here's a description of their discussion:
The face of journalism is changing. Traditional newspapers are declining. Television networks are becoming more streamlined and editorial in their content. What kind of journalism does a democracy need in order to thrive? How do you define good journalism?
Other conversants included Sarah Stuteville, lead journalist and education director for the Common Language Project; Florangela Davila, lecturer in the communications department at University of Washington and a freelance arts reporter at KPLU–FM; and Todd Mohktari, news director for KIRO TV News.
To follow up this coversation, Diane and Jessica are off at the Journalism that Matters conference: "Re-imagining News and Community in the Pacific Northwest".
If you didn't catch the show this morning, never fear - you can catch a podcast whenever you want. Click here to listen to the whole conversation! For more information about the Journalism that Matters conference, happening all weekend, visit our co-presented events page.
The face of journalism is changing. Traditional newspapers are declining. Television networks are becoming more streamlined and editorial in their content. What kind of journalism does a democracy need in order to thrive? How do you define good journalism?
Other conversants included Sarah Stuteville, lead journalist and education director for the Common Language Project; Florangela Davila, lecturer in the communications department at University of Washington and a freelance arts reporter at KPLU–FM; and Todd Mohktari, news director for KIRO TV News.
To follow up this coversation, Diane and Jessica are off at the Journalism that Matters conference: "Re-imagining News and Community in the Pacific Northwest".
If you didn't catch the show this morning, never fear - you can catch a podcast whenever you want. Click here to listen to the whole conversation! For more information about the Journalism that Matters conference, happening all weekend, visit our co-presented events page.
Mayor-elect McGinn's Transition Wants You
Submitted by saraneppl on Fri, 12/18/2009 - 10:54amThis video
was put out about a month ago, and although the transition town halls have already passed (Did you attend one? How was it? We'd love to hear it in the comments!), you still have time to give your feedback. In the video below, Mayor-elect McGinn asks for your input on three questions. His transition website includes a website dedicated to collecting the answers to these questions, as well as other feedback from Seattle citizens. Check out the video below, or go directly to the input page to see the questions and submit your thoughts. (You can also watch for more transition videos by subscribing to the McGinnTransition YouTube channel.)
Mayor Nickels' final Ask the Mayor
Submitted by saraneppl on Thu, 12/17/2009 - 9:53am
We wanted to point your browsers over to our friends at The Seattle Channel - where Mayor Nickels and C.R. Douglas filmed the Mayor's final episode of Ask the Mayor.
From the program description: "Find out what the Mayor's plans are once he leaves office, what his biggest accomplishments are and what he believes are his biggest regrets. Plus find out how he'll work with Mayor-elect Mike McGinn as he begins his new job as Mayor of Seattle. Those topics and more including, SR 520 plans, Viaduct latest and the City budget are all discussed on this episode of Ask The Mayor."
CityClub Volunteer Receives 2009 Katryna Gould Award
Submitted by saraneppl on Tue, 08/25/2009 - 10:03amCollin Tong, former CityClub board member and current, long-time volunteer, has been chosen to receive the National Adult Day Services Association's (NADSA) 2009 Katryna Gould Award!
Collin was nominated by The Alzheimer's Association's Western and Central Washington State Chapter in recognition of his advocacy toward increasing awareness of adult day health issues. Keri Pollock, Communications Director, wrote in an email, "Our Chapter nominated Collin in recognition for his often-Herculean efforts in building awareness and rallying support for Adult Day Health (ADH) over our long battle to preserve this important community-based service!" (For more information on ADH, you can also visit Elderhealth NW.)
This description of the award comes from the NADSA website: This award is named in honor of Katryna Gould, who served on the NADSA Board of Directors as a consumer advocate. This award was created in 2006 to recognize a consumer of Adult Day Services who, through advocacy efforts, has increased the visibility and recognition of Adult Day Services as a viable community-based long-term care option.
Collin will be recognized at an awards luncheon, part of the national conference for NADSA, on Saturday, October 10th at the Red Lion Hotel in downtown Seattle.
Congratulations, Collin, from all of us at CityClub!
Congratulations, PATH!
Submitted by saraneppl on Wed, 08/19/2009 - 9:20amPATH, an amazing organization and a frequent CityClub, co-presenter, has just received a fantastic award! We are thrilled to hear this news, and wanted to congratulate them here in our blog, as well as share the news with all of you. From PATH's email:
We have just learned that PATH will receive the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize for 2009. This is the world’s largest humanitarian award, presented annually to a nonprofit organization judged to have made exemplary and extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering. We are humbled to be this year’s recipient.
Established by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation in 1996, the award honors humanitarian organizations that are addressing the most challenging issues facing the world’s most vulnerable populations. “Bringing new ideas and technologies to the toughest global health challenges and scaling them up at low prices, often hand-in-hand with the private sector, PATH is having a profound impact on the health and quality of life of millions of men, women, and children around the world,” said Steven M. Hilton, president and CEO of the Hilton Foundation.
Previous recipients include Doctors Without Borders and Partners in Health. We’re honored to be in their company and hope the $1.5 million award will be a catalyst for expanding our work around the world and addressing new areas of need.
Click here to read PATH's full press release. Congratulations again, to everyone at PATH! (We also send them best wishes on their big move to South Lake Union from Ballard - we only had a few desks to move, and it was quite an undertaking! I ride the bus past PATH's current building every day and I've many times tried to imagine moving everything that must be in there! It's enough to make a person shudder.)
CityClub History
Submitted by cityclub on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 11:12am
A little peek into CityClub history! We found this certificate from 1985 during the recent move. CityClub's place in the community is forever cemented on tile number 8650! Granted, I don't think any of us has ever seen it, and it didn't come with a map marking the location of #8650. But isn't it nice just to know it's there, somewhere, under the bustling feet of thousands of people a day?
Incidentally, one of CityClub's staff members also has a tile with their name on it - and they know where it is and can point it out!
Seattle New-Comer "Crash Course"
Submitted by saraneppl on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 1:57pmAh, the challenges of blogging during Gala prep week! As you may already know, The Big Day is next Tuesday, June 23 - so it's crunch time at the CityClub office. As busy as we may be, the rules of blogging are clear: if you want to keep your readers, be consistent! No skipping! But clearly, no sacrificing quality for quantity, either.
As the week begins, we're making shopping lists and ordering supplies, building slideshows and printing materials, and listening to inspiration theme songs on repeat. (I can't tell you which songs - they're a surprise!) We're crossing things off our the top of our to-do lists and adding more things on the bottom. In a few days we'll pore over reservation lists and assign seats.
While we're busy doing that, we want you to discuss amongst yourselves! One of our future goals for our new office space is a sort of orientation space - a library, for example, with information about other non-profits in the city, for folks who are new to Seattle and want to get involved in the community. Seattle's annual influx of newcomer residents (31%) is the second highest nationally, making Seattle a "first move" city.
Now, there's a rumor floating around that Seattleites maybe aren't the friendliest city folk out there - when we Tweeted a blog link that was floating around our office - "6 Things You Cannot Say in Seattle", from Crosscut's blog - the response in terms of comments back to us and "retweets" (people copying and pasting our Tweet into their feed) was one of the biggest we've had to a single Tweet. (Crosscut's now posted a follow-up: "6,000 things you can't say in Seattle (or Portland)".)Perhaps it's not just rumor, but surely we can improve? How can we do a better job welcoming and orienting newcomers so they feel connected and involved in our community?
As the week begins, we're making shopping lists and ordering supplies, building slideshows and printing materials, and listening to inspiration theme songs on repeat. (I can't tell you which songs - they're a surprise!) We're crossing things off our the top of our to-do lists and adding more things on the bottom. In a few days we'll pore over reservation lists and assign seats.
While we're busy doing that, we want you to discuss amongst yourselves! One of our future goals for our new office space is a sort of orientation space - a library, for example, with information about other non-profits in the city, for folks who are new to Seattle and want to get involved in the community. Seattle's annual influx of newcomer residents (31%) is the second highest nationally, making Seattle a "first move" city.
Now, there's a rumor floating around that Seattleites maybe aren't the friendliest city folk out there - when we Tweeted a blog link that was floating around our office - "6 Things You Cannot Say in Seattle", from Crosscut's blog - the response in terms of comments back to us and "retweets" (people copying and pasting our Tweet into their feed) was one of the biggest we've had to a single Tweet. (Crosscut's now posted a follow-up: "6,000 things you can't say in Seattle (or Portland)".)Perhaps it's not just rumor, but surely we can improve? How can we do a better job welcoming and orienting newcomers so they feel connected and involved in our community?
Remember Where You've Been
Submitted by ebangs on Thu, 05/07/2009 - 9:53amIf you've ever moved before (and I'm sure you have), you know exactly what happens - you discover just how much you've managed to accrue in the years you've been staying in one place. Hopefully, though, some of those things are awesome surprises. For us, many of those awesome surprises were photos. We could fill blog after blog after blog of old headshots and Polaroids.
It seems appropriate to be finding these old pieces of our history, especially at this particular time, when we are making so many huge steps forward. Tonight is our Members and Guests Only Open House and Annual Meeting, and it's the first official time we're inviting folks into our new, under construction space. To mark the occasion I thought we'd share a few snapshots from CityClub's past: CityClue.
According to CityClub's oral history/lore, CityClue was a giant city-wide scavenger hunt. Teams partnered with taxis and raced across the city, competing for some pretty fabulous prizes. Our last CityClue was in 1999. The photos don't have dates, but we suspect these are pictures of the happy winners.
Although looking at old CityClub photos can sometimes be like opening an old family album and laughing (goodnaturedly, of course!) at the clothes your aunts and uncles were wearing in the 70s, we promise we will never deliberately post embarrassing photos of people we know. So, if you see yourself and wish you hadn't, let us know.
As for tonight's huge step forward - i.e. the Open House - we'll be doing a bit of tweeting from the event, so stop by our Twitter feed around 6 p.m. to read, if nothing else, our review of the sweets from Chocolopolis!
CityClub events: