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Module 4: Participatory Service & Transparency

Participatory Service & Transparency

“The participatory library is open and transparent, and it communicates with its community through many mechanisms… The community should be involved in the brainstorming for new ideas and services, they should play a role in planning for those services, and they should definitely be involved in the evaluation and review process.”

—Michael Casey

This week, we explore what it really means to create a library that invites participation and shares openly—with intention and heart. I love this quote from Michael Casey, which gets at the core of it: participatory service is about building something together. It’s about creating space for users to contribute ideas, shape services, and help guide where the library is headed.

At the same time, transparency is key. A transparent library doesn’t hide behind layers of bureaucracy or closed doors. It talks—and listens. It invites feedback, shares decisions, and builds trust through open conversation. The talking library has no secrets. It cultivates a culture where users expect to be included, where communication is honest and continuous.

As we move through this module, we’ll consider all the ways libraries can foster participation—from program planning to service design to daily interactions—and how openness strengthens the connection between library and community. You’ll also read a few pieces from “The Transparent Library” column that I co-wrote with Michael Casey for Library Journal. These pieces reflect our ongoing thinking about how libraries can respond to change with empathy, presence, and a commitment to shared purpose.

Let’s think about how we, as hyperlinked librarians, can create experiences that are not only innovative—but inclusive, transparent, and built with our communities every step of the way.

Lecture Recording

Things to Read

  • Stephens, M. (2016). “Stuck in the past” in The Heart of Librarianship, p. 54
  • Stephens, M. (2016). “The age of participation” in The Heart of Librarianship, p. 79
  • Stephens, M. (2016). “Collection Bashing & Trashing” in The Heart of Librarianship, p. 99
  • Stephens, M. (2019). “Telling Stories” in Wholehearted Librarianship, p. 91
  • Participatory Service

Transparency

Things to View

 

  • Local Stories at DOK

YouMedia

Things to Explore

Participatory Service

Transparency

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