[Views expressed in this post are strictly my own and do not represent the official stand of my employer. This is also a long, rambling post. Consider yourself warned! 
]Today was Day One of the 3rd Library Association of Singapore (LAS) conference (8 - 9 May 2008).I’d planned to blog its highlights from the keynote speech and papers.But a chance encounter with a Question changed all that (as you will learn soon enough).The way I answered the Question nagged at me; a mental itch that I have to scratch away.I decided to blog about it as catharsis.But instead, I ended up with an idea for next year’s conference theme.So…The QuestionDuring one particular Q&A segment, an overseas delegate asked the panel, “Is there a National Marketing Strategy for Singapore’s public library services?”I wasn’t in the panel, you see.I was standing way back in the room. Wasn’t even listening to the question, to be honest.The current LAS president, Ms. Ngian Lek Choh, who’s also the Director of the National Library and the Deputy Chief Executive of the NLB, took the microphone.I heard her say something about asking someone from the public library services.Then I heard my name being called: “Where’s Ivan Chew?”Whaaat?!Me? I’m not on the panel.What was the question?(I guess my other senior colleagues from PLS weren’t at the conference, so I was next in line to answer the question).So I pretended to be cool and walked the 30-metres to the front.Oh boy.Took the microphone.Whispered to Ngian, “What was the question again?”She told me.I faced the delegate who asked the question.”Don’t ramble,” I mentally instructed myself.My Answer”We don’t have one,” I said, in essence.We have marketing activities but not a marketing strategy. …
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