Category: Assignments

Looking Back: The Power of People, Technology, and Stories 

These three themes inspired and guided my understanding of hyperlinked libraries and hyperlinked communities. While the ideas are deeply interconnected, each theme is reflected in my work. My work this semester focuses on applying these ideas to public libraries and the communities they serve.

The Power of People and Communities 

I began my coursework with Assignment X: Libraries Designed with People in Mind, a report that examined libraries as being designed as places for people instead of just places for collections. My main takeaways from this assignment were that libraries are designed based on the needs of the community they serve, as well as being designed for people to connect and learn in unique and innovative ways.

I continued to explore how libraries can engage their communities in my first reflection blog post, Engaging Hyperlinked Communities. Here, I discussed various forms of hyperlinked community engagement and library outreach services. Two months later, my final reflection blog post circles back around to the same topic, exploring Learning Environments and how libraries address the needs of patrons in virtual and physical spaces.

The Power of Stories

My second and third blog posts focus on the power of stories, exploring first Censorship in Public Libraries and then Little Free Libraries. The two posts examine the contrasting desires to limit and increase access to stories. Censorship, book challenges, and book banning are often done by groups that wish to silence the voices of minorities. Little Free Libraries on the other hand facilitate the free sharing of stories of all kinds with the community.

Inspired by the power of stories, I created my Inspiration Report outlining how the Santa Clara County Library can modify its existing mobile library services to facilitate the sharing of stories through a new senior story hour program. Seniors who attend the story hour programs will not only be exposed to new perspectives in the readings, but will also have the opportunity to share their own stories, memories, and experiences in a discussion following the readings. 

The Power of Technology 

In my Innovation Strategy and Roadmap, I explored personal digital archival and file management programs. I explained that by hosting these programs, the San Jose Public Library can improve community access to technology, support the development of digital skills, and provide services relevant to the community’s needs.

My favorite assignment to write was my fourth reflection blog post on Robotic Animals in Public Libraries. Inspired by an article in the American Libraries Magazine, I explored public libraries that have added lifelike robotic animals to their collections and the benefits they bring to people of all ages.

Looking Forward: Continuing to Learn After #Hyperlib and the MLIS Program

I will continue to learn once #hyperlib and my time in the MLIS program are complete by keeping an open mind, following current and emerging trends, and listening to what others (in the profession and the community) have to say. Going forward in my career as a library professional, I will dream big, be kind, and be all-in in everything that I do. I will seek a balance between my personal and professional lives but will commit myself wholeheartedly to uplifting the voices of my community.

My understanding of what it means to be a library professional has evolved. I have learned a lot about emerging trends, new models of service, and new horizons in the field of library and information on science. I understand that to work in a library is to work with compassion, with empathy, and with heart. This course has made me feel excited and proud to work in the library.

The Power of Stories: Senior Story Hour with the SCCLD Bookmobile

This brief examines how public libraries can utilize the power of stories and storytelling to deliver effective outreach programs that improve community access to library resources and connections between community members. This brief outlines how the Santa Clara County Library District (SCCLD) can modify its existing mobile library services to facilitate the sharing of stories through a new senior story hour program.

The SCCLD has a mobile library service called the Bookmobile that provides outreach services to community members who are unable to visit branch locations due to physical, economic, or location-based barriers. However, the Bookmobile’s services are currently being underutilized. The SCCLD can optimize the Bookmobile and expand its outreach services to include story hour programs for adults and seniors. The SCCLD can offer a traveling senior story hour program to senior care facilities and senior living centers. The program will allow seniors to hear stories from new perspectives and give them a chance to share their own stories. 

The library plays an important role in making, keeping, and sharing stories with the community. People of all ages stand to benefit from sharing stories, including older adults. This brief will outline the power of stories in the library and provide examples of successful storytime programs, such as adult story hour and mobile library storytime. The mobile library services of two libraries will be compared. Finally, suggestions will be made on how the SCCLD can modify its existing mobile library services to harness the power of stories and improve its outreach services to seniors.

View my full Inspiration Report HERE

The San Jose Public Library (SJPL) is made up of 23 branches that serve a large population with diverse backgrounds and information needs. SJPL strives to provide services that are relevant to the community’s needs and empower individuals to learn new skills in an increasingly digital world. I have identified a community need for access to personal archiving technology and services. The city of San Jose lacks local businesses that offer photo labs and archiving services. Many retailer chains such as Target and Costco no longer offer these services. As a library support staff member at SJPL, I have noticed patrons frequently inquiring about where and how to digitize their files and documents, including VHS tapes and photographs. 

Implementing personal digital archival and file management programs at SJPL will support the library’s mission of improving community access to technology, supporting the development of digital skills, and providing services relevant to the community’s needs.

View the full plan for implementing personal digital archiving programs at SJPL here:

Personal Digital Archiving and File Management at SJPL

For my Project X topic exploration, I chose to explore the idea of libraries being designed as places for people instead of simply places for collections. I initially chose this topic because I was intrigued by the complex black-and-white diagram of the four-space model from Jochumsen et al., (2017). Here is a color-coded version of the diagram of the four spaces of the library from the University of Copenhagen (Impact Of Humanities Research, 2017):

Figure 1: A color-coded diagram of the four spaces of the library, featuring the overlapping preformative. inspiration, learning, and meeting spaces.

Jochumsen et al., (2017) developed the four-space model, which describes the role of the physical library as shifting from a passive collection of documents to an active space for experience, involvement, empowerment, and innovation. Libraries offer communities physical spaces for learning, experiences, meetings, and creative expression. Because the role of the library is evolving, library buildings must be designed or redesigned with flexible multipurpose spaces. Flexibility is key when thinking about designing and redesigning library spaces. Libraries are for everyone, and they need to be capable of supporting diverse groups of people with diverse needs and interests (Laerkes, 2016).

The four-space model reminded me of a concept I read about last semester in INFO 200: Information Communities. While researching programming opportunities in public libraries, I read an article by Professor Micheal Stephens (@michael) about the idea of libraries as creative classrooms. Libraries act as creative classrooms, or learning environments that utilize innovative teaching practices, including formal, informal, in-person, and virtual. As creative classrooms, libraries have the unique opportunity to create valuable community learning spaces and creation zones that foster discovery, social learning, and participation (Stephens, 2014).

Figure 2: The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s Main Theatre, located at the Clark County Branch. This facility is one of six performing arts centers available for rental through the library district for a fee (Room Detail, n.d.).

Libraries are neutral spaces that belong to everyone. These neutral spaces serve as common areas where people can come together and feel like they belong to a community regardless of their background. Public libraries can create some pretty unique neutral spaces. Depending on the needs of the community, spaces can range from multipurpose meeting rooms to kitchen facilities to performing arts centers (Sannwald, 2007). The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District encourages its community to gather together in its diverse facilities, including conference rooms, auditoriums, performing arts centers, and podcast recording studios. (Rental Facilities, n.d.). The diverse neutral spaces offered by the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District act as both learning spaces and creation zones that foster creativity and collaboration between community members. Additionally, both the spaces and programs offered within the spaces serve the creative needs and theatrical interests of the Las Vegas community.

In my future practice as an information professional, I will be reminded that libraries are for people every time I interact with library patrons. The idea that libraries are designed for the communities they serve will guide my interactions with my community. In the future, I hope to work in public libraries as a librarian, branch manager, or in an administrative role. I will refer to the four-space model if I am ever tasked with redesigning or designing new public library spaces.  While designing programs, I will remember that libraries are neutral spaces for people to connect with others and learn in unique and innovative ways.

References 

Impact Of Humanities Research: 24 Case Studies. (2017). University of Copenhagen. https://humanities.ku.dk/collaboration/impact/pdf/Impact_cases_august_17.pdf

Jochumsen, H., Skot-Hansen, D., & Hvenegaard Rasmussen, C. (2017). Chapter 2 – The Four Spaces of the Public Library. In D. Baker & W. Evans (Eds.), The End of Wisdom? (pp. 39–44). Chandos Publishing.

Laerkes, J. G. (2016, March 14). Building new libraries and redesigning existing libraries. https://blogs.ifla.org/public-libraries/2016/03/14/building-new-libraries-and-redesigning-existing-libraries/

Rental Facilities. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2024, from https://thelibrarydistrict.org/rental-facilities/

Room Detail – Las Vegas-Clark County Library. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2024, from https://events.thelibrarydistrict.org/roomdetail?roomId=5258

Sannwald, W. W. (2007). Designing libraries for customers. Library Leadership & Management, 21(3), 131-138.

Stephens, M. (2014, May 15). Library as Classroom. Library Journal; New York, 139(9). http://search.proquest.com/trade-journals/library-as-classroom/docview/1522681789/se-2