You don\'t need a polished ask. Tell me the situation. I\'ll ask questions. By the end of our conversation, you\'ll know whether I can actually help. This isn\'t a sales call. It's an honest assessment.
Not sure if you need consulting?
Check the consulting page first. Most situations are covered by the free resources. If not, the 30-minute call will sort it out.
Why Me?
- Both sides of the sales call: 18 years across public librarianship and library vendors.
- Recognized work: Library Journal Movers & Shakers (Tech Leaders) and an Ohio Library Council Innovation Award.
- Independent: no commissions, no sponsored recommendations, no vendor kickbacks.
Or email directly: sam@unhingedlibrarian.com
What happens next
I\'ll read your message and either reply with specific feedback or suggest a call to dig deeper. If we talk, here\'s what that looks like:
- I ask questions. Not to sell you something, but to understand what you're actually up against.
- You get honest feedback. If I think the problem is outside my wheelhouse, I\'ll say so. If it\'s a legal issue, I\'ll tell you to talk to a lawyer. If there\'s no fit, I'll still point you somewhere useful.
- No pitch. No pressure. No obligation. The goal is for you to leave the call knowing whether we should work together, and feeling like you got something useful regardless.
To get a useful reply faster, include:
- Vendor name + product (if relevant)
- What decision is coming (renewal, rollout, policy, board meeting)
- Your timeline ("by Friday", "next board meeting", etc.)
Subject: Contract renewal question (needs decision by [date])\n\nHi Sam: We're a [public/academic] library serving ~[size]. Our [vendor/product] renewal is coming up on [date]. The clause I'm stuck on is: "[paste clause]".\n\nWe're trying to decide [what decision]. Can you double-check the risk and what we should push back on?
What I Can Help With
- Contract questions — Send me the clause that\'s bothering you. I\'ve probably seen it before.
- Vendor red flags — Not sure if something's standard or sketchy? I can give you context.
- Consulting — Yes, I do consulting. If you're reaching out about a project, share your timeline, budget range, and what decision you're trying to make.
- Horror stories — Sometimes you just need someone who gets it. I do.
- Article suggestions — Is there something you wish someone would write about? Tell me.
- ATLAS questions — Working on open-source library systems? Let's talk.
What I Can't Help With
- Vendor recommendations — I don\'t do endorsements. I\'ll tell you what questions to ask, not who to buy from.
- Legal advice — I can explain what a contract clause usually means, but I'm not a lawyer.
- Sponsorships / paid partnerships — I don't run sponsored posts or pay-for-play recommendations. The site stays independent.
Privacy note: I don\'t share emails or stories without explicit permission. If you want to stay anonymous, just say so - I\'ve kept plenty of sources confidential over the years.
Response Time
I read everything. I reply to most things within a few days, though vendor horror stories sometimes get bumped to the front of the queue because they make my day.