Comments on: 10 Principles of Improv and why you should care http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/ An ongoing conversation among librarians with differing perspectives (public, academic, school, consortial, youth) but one shared goal: ensuring the health and relevance of libraries. [insert your own gardening metaphor here] Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:44:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: PriscillaHowe http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2868 Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:17:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2868 Excellent post! As a storyteller/puppeteer, I mix improv into my work. I find that it has gotten easier the more I let go. When I teach puppetry, I encourage workshop participants to say “Yes, and…”

I’m also a former librarian–reading this list, I see that the best reference librarians follow the principles of improv.

http://www.storytellingnotes.blogspot.com

]]> By: urifrommissouri http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2462 Mon, 12 May 2008 16:02:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2462 Pete,

As you note in your very inspiring post, improv gives us a tool to interprept others and in the process reinvent ourselves. Any technique that celebrates “constructive failure” is okay by me.

Uri

]]> By: John http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2193 Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:05:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2193 Wow, great post! I am a Toastmaster too and just started an improv course. I am capturing each week on my website:

http://www.omniscium.com/

John.

]]> By: Anonymous http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2140 Tue, 11 Sep 2007 02:22:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2140 Hey librarians,
I was just searching around for people talking about improv in Philly and stumbled onto this thread. If you’re interested in improv, you should check out http://www.phillyimprov.com.

There’s a lot of improv going on in Philly, especially as I write this (during the Fringe Festival). There’s also a big Philly Improv Festival in November; http://www.phif.org.

Just spreading the word,

]]> By: Amy J. Kearns, MLIS http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2086 Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:18:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2086 Pete,
I am blown away by this brilliant post and can see how all of these things could really improve my life personally and professionally. Thanks for this post! :-)

]]> By: cwood http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2053 Mon, 09 Jul 2007 19:12:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2053 Kudos for attending the class! The resident reference librarian at WDFPL left for Alaska this weekend on a trip of “firsts,” in her own words. It’s really cool that you both are taking advantage of new and different opportunities.

Getting back to improv …it comes in many forms. A few weeks ago I was visiting a local Barnes & Noble store. I like to do this from time to time to schmooze with customers and promote library use. Ok, I am also spying on the competition on some strange business/marketing level.

On this particular trip I slipped into the last row of audience chairs for a program entitled “The Art of Comedy: Getting Serious about Being Funny,” with Paul Ryan. I listened to tips from the master and sat through some audience improvisation and scripted bits from hopefuls in attendance. Shortly before Paul Ryan’s publicist rose to promote the book signing following presentation, Paul singled me out of the audience, “You have a lot of books on your lap. You must like to read.” I couldn’t resist the opportunity and retorted, “Actually I am here to exchange all these books.” (Laughter ensued) Paul asked, “What do you do?” “I’m a librarian.” (More Laughter). Needless to say he and the audience laughed and learned more than expected about visiting local libraries in person and online throughout the book signing. I don’t know about the use of props in improv. In my example, the duplicate titles came in handy.

FYI – Paul’s book, The Art of Comedy is available to check out at the West Deptford Free Public Library! He also recommends checking out Helium, a Philadelphia comedy club, for more fun.

]]> By: Nancy Dowd http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2049 Sat, 07 Jul 2007 12:59:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2049 Yes and … what a great post! I’d love to hear more about those exercises. Sometimes I have been part of teams where the elements of improv you describe just flow and are so natural. I just thought it was the nature of the people “clicking” but now I see the light…

]]> By: Tyler Rousseau http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2048 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 18:20:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2048 “Zen and the Art of Improve” by Pete Bromberg.

I tell you what, now there is a title, content and author that would reel them in!

]]> By: K.G. Schneider http://librarygarden.net/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2045 Fri, 06 Jul 2007 12:11:00 +0000 http://librarygarden.wordpress.com/2007/07/06/10-principles-of-improv-and-why-you-should-care/#comment-2045 Oddly, I woke up this morning with two “lists of ten” on my mind, and one was very close to this — how the principles of writing workshops have helped me overall. This is a great post about a creative approach to lifelong learning.

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