My Digital Organization Turning Point

<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-Q2MC6HHGTH"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-Q2MC6HHGTH'); </script><script id="Cookiebot" src="https://consent.cookiebot.com/uc.js" data-cbid="9a575506-32c3-4ed2-8123-3527a9a1f3a7" type="text/javascript" async></script> ![[Lake Forest Library - 1.png]] ***Note: Image created using Nano Banana based on article text. AI was not used in the writing of the article itself.*** # Introduction This article, I share the story of what started this whole journey of digital notetaking and organization. It is a trip down memory lane if you like. As I approach five years of owning the [Supernote](https://supernote.com?sca_ref=5405083.rmKBHKIeVR) A5X (which I will cover another time), with [Supernote](https://supernote.com?sca_ref=5405083.rmKBHKIeVR) also being my primary platform for that entire time period, I was struck the other day by just how powerful and meaningful this has been to my own workflow and how I approach organizing information. After all, my approach has never been about "E-Ink for Change," or "Obsidian for Change." It is about Organizing for Change, meaning blazing your own path for how you engage with and manage information in the continual storm that is the human experience. # The Old Way Let's take a journey back in time. Imagine that is is February, 2020 and you just started a new job one month before the United States and the rest of the world would shut down for the largest and most dangerous pandemic in modern history. ![[Digital Turning Point.png]] [Take a Virtual Tour of the Library](https://www.hotspots.midwestpano.com/F1enUU9N03/41891848p&84.22h&98.16t) This job was in a historic building that had not been updated technologically in decades, and was in many ways an analog workplace. However, the importance of the building, what it stood for, and how it supported the role of lifelong learning were crucial to the local community. Well, that was the position I found myself in as the new Director of Operations at the [Lake Forest Library](https://www.lakeforestlibrary.org/) in Lake Forest, IL. ## Library Technology When I mentioned the Library had not updated it's technology in decades, this is not a swipe or a negative, but a recognition of the old philosophy if "it's not broke, don't fix it." The Lake Forest community loved coming into this deeply historic building and browsing the stacks and stacks of books. When you entered the building, you were greeted by grand murals and a circulation desk that felt like it had been pulled out of a novel. There were beautiful quiet reading rooms and courtyards. Not to mention the added bonus that you might run into [Jim Lovell](https://www.nasa.gov/former-astronaut-james-a-lovell/) being interviewed by a news crew about his historic [[Apollo 13]] mission. ![Apollo 13: Jim Lovell relives the Moon mission that almost didn’t make it home](https://youtu.be/Rz5VHD55Vyw?si=PY6Pu1W-5i_Wq4rY) However, lurking under the nostalgia and history was the reality that there was no fiber internet infrastructure or cloud-based (or even server-based) backup solution. Wi-Fi access points were over a decade old and did not cover the building adequately, and the computers, while functional, did not support the needs of patrons or staff. There were also no self-checkout options and most of the processes were manual. Even the phone system was depended on dedicated infrastructure that did not allow for remote access. Why was this last one important? COVID-19, which we will address in a little bit. ## My Technology While I have always been tech-forward and loved installing my on RAM into my machines (shout out to Packard Bell with a 500 MB hard drive), I have to admit that I had become a bit spoiled when it came to technology. In my role at the [Associated Colleges of the Midwest](https://acm.edu/), we were running both Microsoft 365 (Office 365 at the time) and Google Workspace (Apps for Education at the time). I had an up to date Samsung phone and was connected everywhere. However, my notetaking was still highly analog at the time. I took a lot (and I mean A LOT) of notes on paper. I would then laboriously transfer them to OneNote by typing them in and maybe snapping a photo or two. That being said, once my notes were digital, it made sharing information in my previous role easy. I was a Microsoft and Google Admin and had extensive experience in SharePoint and Microsoft Teams. # The New Way You may be thinking that I am over-inflating these two things. What does the digital journey of a library have to do with my personal notetaking and organizational approach? You may even being saying: > Ed, so what's the big deal? After all, people come to the library to borrow books, use computers to search for obscure references, participate in a story time, and read newspapers. Everything is online now, so why do we even need libraries anymore? Don't worry, I am not going to get on my soapbox about the value of libraries, but I will say that the modern library is more important now than ever, and is about far more than just borrowing a book or searching a database. It's about a public good and the free flow of information. If you really want to get a sense of a library, I would recommend [The Library Book](https://amzn.to/3MUe4Nb). Although I just started reading it, I am hooked by the descriptions in the first chapter. But let's move on to how things changed ## Library Technology In the previous section, I set the stage for what the infrastructure of the Lake Forest Library was, and yet still how it was a staple of the community. However, in March, 2020 COVID-19 forced the closure of so many businesses and public spaces. While we will not get into the human toll or the any of the socio-political discussions here, we will focus on what it meant to be in a public municipal library at the time. | What We Had | What We Didn't Have | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Dedicated & Brilliant Staff Compassion A Desire to do Good Funding (Fortunately) | Remote Infrastructure True High Speed Internet Audio Visual Infrastructure Unified Communications | Luckily, we were greenlit to begin moving in the direction of updating the technology in the library shortly before the pandemic hit full force. I had begun a pilot of Office 365, funny enough a municipal library did not qualify as a non-profit for Google at the time. The education and non-profit pricing from Microsoft was a blessing for a small library. What was supposed to be a 90-day pilot followed by a six month implementation was all of a sudden accelerated to a six week intensive implementation. In six months, we (and I really mean it was a team effort) managed to do the following in what I would call phase one: | Previous State | Reimagined State | | ----------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------- | | Individual Microsoft Licenses | Microsoft 365 | | Paper Schedules | Microsoft Teams Scheduling | | Paper ToDo Lists (in some cases Microsoft ToDo) | Microsoft Planner | | Tape backups for computers | NAS Backup | | Shared server drives (VPN Access limited) | OneDrive Implementation | | Traditional Phone Communication | Microsoft Teams (Phase I) | | Information Organization - By Department | Departmental SharePoint Sites | While I will not go into any detail on these changes, it is important to note that implementing anything like Microsoft 365 in less than six weeks for a group of about 40 people is daunting when you include all of the documentation, education, and development that needs to accompany it. This was a gargantuan team effort and we managed to pull it off. We were able to restore curbside service in less than a month, develop complex quarantine procedures for books and materials, and design a process for safely bringing people back into the library, all because we became an organizational powerhouse. We went on to modernize our infrastructure with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tagging of the entire collection, moving to a true VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) unified communication system, full cloud backup and restoration, and the introduction of full self-checkout systems. However, these discussions are for another time. ## My Technology Ok, so you are probably wondering why this story and what it means to me from an organizational standpoint. The truth is that while I am very proud of many of the things I have been a part of in my over 35 years of employment, this may have been one of the most formative experiences of my life. It wasn't that we were looking at adopting new technologies, I had done that. It wasn't the overall scope of change, I had done that as well. Instead, it was the absolute rate of change that was staggering, and somewhat humbling. The first year of these changes was a hot mess from an organizational standpoint, even for me and I thought I had it all together. I leaned into my systems and they did get me through, but it was very difficult. I was taking paper notes and finding that I didn't have time to put them into OneNote so I was constantly trying to rifle through papers and notebooks. I started to keep different notepads for different projects but that pace even made that difficult. I pivoted to mostly using my computer, specifically, Outlook, Teams, Microsoft Lens, and Planner to keep myself and the staff organized. Even then, the sheer amount of information coming at me made me feel like I was drowning. What does this have to do with my digital journey? It put in stark contrast where the gaps were in my systems, while showing that the core (folders and making sure I had a system in the first place) was sound. While Supernote was not a part of that initial six month push or in the thick of the beginning of COVID, this process, procedure, and level of introspection is what led me to find a digital notetaking device. My old way of doing things just was not going to cut it. However, I knew that I had to pick the right device for me. I didn't have the disposable income (or frankly the time) to try a bunch of devices. I could not risk a "false start." That's why I turned to any information I could find on the net related to notetaking devices, including [My Deep Guide](https://www.youtube.com/@MyDeepGuide), [Kit Betts-Masters](https://www.youtube.com/@kitbetts-masters), [Brandon Boswell](https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonKBoswell), and [Morning Coach](https://www.youtube.com/@morningcoach). Since then, the space has grown significantly to include many others in both e-ink and now with my journey with [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/). Here is an expanded list if you are interested | E-Ink Focused Creators | Obsidian Focused Creators | | :------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | :-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------: | | [Vladimir Kostek](https://www.youtube.com/@VladimirKostek) [2530 Media](https://www.youtube.com/@Media-vr5xt) [David @ Tablet Tech](https://www.youtube.com/@davidtablettech) [Jeffrey Moss](https://www.youtube.com/@jeffreymoss) [Chalid Raqami](https://www.youtube.com/@ChalidRaqami) [The Spark!](https://www.youtube.com/@markfromthespark) [Graf-X Tech](https://www.youtube.com/@Graf-XTechReviews) [Entry Line](https://www.youtube.com/@entry_line) [Pixel Leaves](https://www.youtube.com/@pixelleaves) [Matt Gemmell](https://www.youtube.com/@MattGemmellAuthor) | [Linking Your Thinking](https://www.youtube.com/@linkingyourthinking) [Brandon Boswell](https://www.youtube.com/@BrandonKBoswell) [Vlad Campos](https://www.youtube.com/@vladcampos) [Dan Berg](https://www.youtube.com/@DannBerg) | I provide this list because I see this as a huge decision for most people. I mentioned only having money for one device. If I had made the wrong choice, I would have wasted time and energy spinning my wheels. This does not mean that [Supernote](https://supernote.com?sca_ref=5405083.rmKBHKIeVR) will be the right device for you. [reMarkable](https://amzn.to/3OTEr6w), [BOOX](https://amzn.to/40eNykN), or [Amazon](https://amzn.to/4rRVAMm) may be a better fit for you. As a matter of fact, you may see a device I have not interacted with or do not support on one of the other channels that makes your workflow easier. However, the most important thing is to make an informed choice. [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/) is included because even though I was not using it until several years later, it is an integral part of my workflow. # Conclusions & Final Thoughts I appreciate your attention in what turned out to be a longer article than anticipated. I had originally gone into this expecting to write more about the [Supernote](https://supernote.com?sca_ref=5405083.rmKBHKIeVR) and my journey of almost 5 years with it. However, as I began framing and writing, I got caught up in the story behind the decision more than the decision itself, so stay tuned for another article that will focus more on the reason the platform was, and continues to be, my first choice in e-ink. If you are interested in diving in deeper to [Supernote](https://supernote.com?sca_ref=5405083.rmKBHKIeVR) now, I would suggest visiting my [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdofOksT0V35qf1-zqsIXUQ/) or reviewing the following blog articles: | Supernote Focused Articles | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | [[Supernote A6X2 - Early Impressions]] [[Supernote A6X2 - Two Weeks Later]] [[Supernote - Continuous Improvement]] [[Supernote A6X2 as a Reader]] [[My First 3 Years With the Supernote A5X Part One - Research]] [[My First 3 Years With the Supernote A5X Part Two - Using the Device]] [[My First 3 Years With the Supernote A5X Part Three - New Features & Enhancements]] [[Supernote & Microsoft Word - Better but Unfinished]] [[Supernote Manta is Here]] [[One Week with the Supernote Manta]] [[Supernote and Obsidian - Moving my Blog & More]] [[Supernote Beta Update (March 2025)]] [[To Upgrade or not to Upgrade - Supernote A5X vs. Manta]] [[Perfecting the Supernote Calendar]] [[Supernote A5X - Four Years Later (Still a Great Investment)]] [[Supernote - An Evolving Ecosystem]] [[My Supernote Wish List]] [[Supernote Manta - One Year Later]] | Additionally, if you are interested in knowing more about how I stay organized and want to incorporate my process into your own life, check out my [Introduction to Organization & Second Brain Systems](https://www.patreon.com/posts/introduction-to-147277486?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link) course. Until next time, thank you for visiting my site and please feel free to read other [[Blog]] articles. You can also check out my various videos, podcasts, and social media links below. Just remember, keep moving forward. **| [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdofOksT0V35qf1-zqsIXUQ/) | [Patreon](https://patreon.com/OrganizingforChange?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/edward.w.finn/) | [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/changeagent1820/) | [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@changeagent1820) | [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/change1820.bsky.social) | [X](https://x.com/EdFinnIII) | [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/6Tvle14n3fjG8mn0DGfO1G?si=k4B3ocohTI2EuNoFWos1GA) | [iHeart Radio](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-change-chat-274015995/) | [Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/change-chat/id1812220268) |** ![[Buy Me a Coffee!.jpg]]