Hard to believe that it is nearly the end of the course, isn’t it? It seemed like yesterday we were all getting ready to read Professor Stephens’ modules after reading the syllabus. I had a lot of fun in this class and I am both sad and happy to see the semester end.
Here’s my virtual symposium that I made with Piktochart. I tried being creative with this assignment and did it in the style of an infographic. I think it turned out alright, all things considering:
Have a wonderful summer break everyone, and Professor Stephens thanks for all of your help to.
Here’s my submission for my Inspiration Report. I hope you all like it, I put a lot of work into this piece and I think that the effort shows. I did my report on a global trend that I thought was pretty incredible and was something that public libraries should really look into: Open Libraries. Check out my submission below to see (Just so you know, I added the PowerPoint and the PDF just in case once doesn’t work with your computers):
“Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities.” — R. David Lankes
“Librarians should seek every opportunity to be teachers in their communities. Library users should look to the library for opportunities to experience new things, new ideas, and new technologies” — Michael Stephens, YLibrary: …Infinite Learning, p. 14
The library has been integral to human civilization for thousands of years, keeping all the knowledge that humanity has accumulated over the millennia and preserving it for future users to access. However, while the library’s mission has been chiefly unchanged, with emerging technology, libraries have become more than just a place to read text from a book or document—they have become hubs of infinite learning.
For the past two weeks, Professor Stephens has given us a chance to explore the idea of infinite learning in his modules, CYOA: Infinite Learning: 1 and CYOA: Infinite Learning: 2, exploring how “learning is changing…examine the ways new literacies are impacting how information is shared…how WE develop and learn as professionals” (Stephens, n.d.). While all of the options were good, I decided to talk about “Infinite Learning: Learning Everywhere.”
This section of the module(s) talks about how libraries have changed from places where people can obtain books “to collaborative spaces that facilitate lifelong learning and help our communities develop literacies that are necessary for successful functioning in today’s society” (Stephens, 2019, p. 119). Professor Stephens introduced examples that demonstrate how libraries have become hubs of infinite learning, which I thought was pretty incredible:
The first thing that caught my attention was the use of makerspaces, or hack(er) spaces, in libraries. Makerspaces are a relatively new type of learning that has been around for almost twenty years, facilitating learning through interaction and experimentation. Users of the makerspace can sew a sweater, create a painting, dive into computer coding, and learn how to make miniature robots within these creative spaces. The possibilities of what they can learn within these areas are nearly infinite and serve as a perfect example of a new literacy that “are impacting how information is shared” and “how WE develop and learn as professionals” (Stephens, n.d.).
Another new literacy service that has helped communities develop and facilitate learning has been the online digital literacy courses. According to Digital Promise (2016), many people who visited libraries like the Chicago Public Library were “adults struggling to be successful in a digital world. These adults …lacked access to computers or the internet at home, but…needed to get online to look for work and to find resources for their families” (para. 6). To help these patrons, the libraries created the CyberNavigator Program to train people from the community to become “digital skills coaches, helping patrons understand all facets of digital literacy — from turning on the computer…to sending emails and doing internet searches…CPL has found this program demystifies technology, in turn helping patrons incorporate technology into their daily lives” (Digital Promise, 2016, para. 8). This program is an excellent example of how libraries are changing, incorporating new and emerging technologies, and helping people of the community develop skills that have become necessary in today’s day and age.
The final thing that caught my attention was reading Professor Stephens’s “Learning Everywhere” section in his book The Heart of Librarianship. He briefly talks about how emerging technologies help students with group projects before stating that the same technologies would also be beneficial in helping libraries and librarians facilitate learning everywhere and collaboration. With helpful online applications like Dropbox, Google Docs, and Zoom, libraries can connect with patrons, facilitate learning, and collaborate to solve problems. “Employing cloud services, open-sharing platforms such as blogs or wikis, and a high level of transparency strengthens collaboration among work groups and teams” (Stephens, 2019, p. 123).
With all of these services and technologies, libraries can provide nearly infinite learning opportunities to current and future library users almost anywhere on the planet. With makerspaces, library users could collaborate and experiment with any ideas or projects they might want to try out. Services like the digital literacy courses at the CPL would help adult library users understand the technology and provide them with skills they would need to live and succeed in today’s high-tech society. Furthermore, with online platforms and cloud services, library users can collaborate from almost anywhere, allowing them to access information wherever they may be.
“Libraries should keep stories, share stories, and make stories.” – Michael Stephens, Wholehearted Librarianship, p. 92
For as long as humans have walked the earth, people have used different methods of communication to share stories with other people. As someone with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing, I certainly understand how powerful stories can actually be, whether they are being shared verbally—for example, standing in front of a crowd and telling a story with their words or hand gestures—or through words or pictures. The fact is that no matter what format, stories tend to leave an impact on people.
In this week’s module, titled The Power of Stories, Professor Stephens mentions how libraries are trying to “embrace diversity and inclusion to empower community voices”, and states that stories can help “foster connection by bringing communities together for enjoyment” (Stephens, 2023). He introduces us to several different programs and ways that libraries are trying to help us keep, share, and make stories that I thought were pretty cool or interesting:
The first thing that caught my attention was the use of emojis in the library. Although I don’t use them myself, “92 percent of all people online use emoji as a means to convey information and emotion” (Stephens, 2019, p. 94), so it kind of makes sense that libraries have started to use emojis. In fact, in Library 2.0 (2020) they showed how some libraries use emojis to communicate with their patrons through a library communication board, which has visuals symbolizing audiobooks, DVDs, closing time, and other things (10:35-10:56). And it’s not just libraries; other organizations have started using emojis to help create, share, and keep stories. A fine example can be found in Wholehearted Librarianship: Professor Stephens mentions how the National Young Writers Festival in Australia added an “emoji storytelling category, known as the ‘Emoji-pocalypse'” (Stephens, 2019, p. 94).
The next thing that caught my interest was the Library on the Move. Basically, it’s almost like a bookmobile program, but in addition to providing books members also stage story times and sing-alongs at certain areas. This is a great way to share stories with people, especially young children at areas where they can be found, such as waterparks, baseball fields, and large parks. In the video captions, the Library on the Move program “serves as an extension of the library, partnering with local initiatives. Giving residents the ability to check out materials, sign up for a library card and have access to programs and resources such as early literacy initiatives” (Gwinnett County Public Library, 2022, 1:02-1:11).
The final thing that caught my attention in this module was the link to the StoryCorps website. According to the website, StoryCorps is all about “collecting, sharing, and preserving of people’s stories” (About StoryCorps, n.d.). The way they do this is by interviewing people and recording their stories. In one of their introduction videos, they state that their method helps “people feel more connected and less alone, to increase hope and decrease fear of the other, and to shine a light on our best and truest selves” (StoryCorps, 2018, 0:31-0:39).
All of these are great ways that would help the libraries connect with more potential users in the future. With emojis and visuals, libraries will be able to connect with and communicate with people who might be struggling with grasping English as a second language or someone who has a disability that makes it harder for them to understand written words. The Library on the Move will not only make, share, and keep stories, they will also provide people with access to books and programs, and allow children and adults to sign up for a library card all from the comfort of their bookmobile. Finally, with organizations like StoryCorps, people will be able to preserve and share precious moments with other people by recording their stories and storing it so that others (friends, family members, or even random people) can hear them.
Personally, I kind of wish I knew about StoryCorps over a decade ago, that way I could have interview my grandfathers and recorded their stories so that I would have shared them with the newest members of my family, who would never get the chance to know who their great-grandparents were.
Take care everyone, and Professor Stephens, this is for you:
For my Innovation Strategy & Roadmap, I wanted to propose an idea for a makerspace at the Gilroy Public Library.
Since I was introduced to the idea of makerspaces, I have wondered how the Gilroy Public Library might benefit from having one of its own. With an area like this, the people of Gilroy will have a place where they can experiment with ideas they might have, seeking to bring those ideas to life through various means. With a makerspace, the possibilities are nearly infinite.
The following PowerPoint presentation was created to showcase how the makerspace might benefit the Gilroy Public Library and a “roadmap” on how to achieve it:
“We have a great opportunity to harness emerging technologies and create engaging and useful services, deeply connected to the core mission and values of librarianship”–Michael Stephens, Taming Technolust: Ten Steps for Planning in a 2.0 World (Full Text), para. 22
Over the past thirty years or so, the “image” of libraries being just quiet places where people can read and checkout books has effectively been shattered and remade several times over.
In this week’s module, titled New Models, Professor Stephens introduces us to several “new models of service” and “ideas outside the box of traditional library land thinking” (Stephens, 2023). I found several of these new ideas and models very interesting:
One of the ideas that I thought was interesting was the Get to Know Your Neighbor Program. Basically, the library, or an organization affiliated with the library, set up a block party. “These gatherings are low key ways to have a snack or a cup of coffee, listen to some music and have a chat with one of your neighbors” (Get to know yourneighbors, 2016). On the table there is a little container–a bowl or bucket–that contains slips of paper with simple questions. People can sit down in the chairs and ask each other questions that they pull out of the container, forming connections with each other.
Another fine idea was the Easy Access Card. At the Berkley Public Library, the staff have created a card that people who do not have a fixed home address can use to “check out three books or other library materials at a time, put holds on three items, use library computers and check out laptops for in-library use” (Rees, 2018). This card would be a great way for people who are either transitioning, do not have certain documentation, in foster care, or homeless to still be able to access the library and its materials. Although, Rees (2018) does point out that there are issues with getting the card, particularly that people are required to provide a photo ID before they can receive the card. This creates a bit of a barrier for homeless patrons who wish to use the library, for while the library accepts several forms of picture IDs (high school or college pictures, Costco card picture, transit cards, etc.), “many individuals don’t have the ‘capacity’ to obtain them or they may ‘refuse’ to for various ‘privacy’ reasons” (Rees, 2018).
Then there are also the creative or innovative uses that libraries have been doing with various technologies. In the article, “Feature #01: Innovative use of Technology in Libraries”, the author introduces readers with ideas that several libraries are already have in place, such as the Library Live And On Tour program. This program outfits book mobiles with Internet access, laptops, e-readers, and other types of technology and have them visit areas like food banks and soup kitchens, granting people access to information and “thus changing the emphasis of what a mobile service could provide” (Feature #01: Innovative use of technology in libraries, 2012). Another creative way that libraries use technology is by creating video games that are in some way related to the library. There is already plenty of evidence of this, as libraries have created mobile games that users can play that would reward them points that they can use to clear any fines that might have, and libraries have used online video game programs like Second Life to create online libraries that “provides free library resources and services to the residents of Second Life’…and is maintained by volunteers” (Webber & Nahl, p. 6).
All of these new models that libraries are implementing are great ways to help both the libraries and potential and current library users. With the Get to Know Your Neighbor program, members of the community will be able to forge and maintain bonds with each other. Easy Access Cards will allow potential users who might be homeless to checkout materials from the library and use library services, thus enriching their lives and possibly changing theirs as well. And with the various forms of new and emerging technologies, libraries are able to connect with their patrons is ways that years ago would’ve seemed unlikely or impossible. Of course, while all these technologies are good, it is important to remember that we shouldn’t let our “technolust” (Stephens, 2012) for new and shiny technology take control of our actions and expect it to be the solution for all of our problems.
“We should consider our users through a lens of compassion and empathy. What would make their lives easier?” Michael Stephens, Wholehearted Librarianship, p. 80
This week we have been talking about participatory services, transparency, and the hyperlinked communities. In his lecture, Hyperlinked Communities, Professor Stephens showed us how several library services and methods of engagement have either been introduced or recently evolved to ensure that they are “reaching all users” (2022, 00:13).
While there was a lot of content covered in the module, for this reflection I want to focus on the services that caught my attention:
The Open+ System: early in his video Professor Stephens talked about this service. It is basically a system that allows people to enter the library during hours that it normally would not be open, either during the morning or evening. According to its website, this system “allows libraries to provide more flexible hours, making them more accessible to the community…open+ allows libraries the flexibility to extend access in the way that best meets the needs of their community and space” (Laming, 2021). Considering how some people (such as students) might require access early to acquire a book or want a place to do some work quietly, this would be a handy system to have at our libraries, though it does raise some concerns about security and how to prevent it from being abused by those who might not have the best intentions.
Library Sleepovers: While perhaps not a new concept, some libraries have been offering people the chance to sleep inside their buildings during the evening, perhaps as a special weekly or monthly event. According to Stephens (2022), the Dokk1 Library located in Aarhus, Denmark, is offering a “post-pandemic, lock-in sleepover” (03:53) that would “pull in young people” (04:07) to enjoy all the things that libraries have to offer at night: late-night storytelling, an activity or two, perhaps even watching a movie before going to bed.
Community Closet: basically a storage unit at the library where people and staff donate useful items and personal care products that people can have access to. This would certainly be helpful for members of the homeless community or members of the low-income community.
host a soup night (or a bread night, or whatever-you-feel-like-eating night) where members of the community can gather and talk. It’s another great way to help members of the community come together.
What Are you Reading?: This is either a blog or discussion forum, where library users can chat and discuss about the books they have been reading, their favorite genres, what books they are thinking about reading next, or how we feel about them. According to Professor Stephens, this is a great way to help bring people in the community together by having them share their interests with others and forming connections with others.
Libraries have come a long way since being just places for us to read and study. Nowadays, libraries are almost like the community centers, a place where people can gather and be able to form connections. That’s what I think, as future librarians, should be our main goal: hosting events or introducing programs like this that would allow us to not only better serve our users but also help bring the community together.
Throughout these past few weeks, we have been learning about the foundational aspects of the hyperlinked library, from Web 2.0 to our current reading of articles related to participatory service and transparency. Several ideas and concepts have been covered in these modules, all of which emphasize new and exciting ways of getting people to come and explore the library.
One of the many ideas that Michael Stephens talked about in Modular 3—The Hyperlinked Library Model that caught my attention was the “take a walk, read a book” (Stephens, 2019, 34:56) event that the Johnson County Park and Recreation District had hosted. I had seen something like this just a few weeks ago at the Morgan Hill Library, where several pages from a children’s book were placed on signs and scattered throughout the small park next to it.
Curious, I decided to do some checking online and discovered that it was called a StoryWalk®, an “innovative and delightful way for children — and adults! — to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time” (Bridger, 2019, para. 1). The idea behind this activity is straightforward: pages from a children’s book are printed and laminated before they are either hung or posted along a trail outside the library. As the library users walked along the trail, they would stop and read each page before continuing down the path until they reached the end.
The idea for this activity was created in 2007 by Anne Ferguson, who sought “to create something different, fun, and interesting” (Ferguson, 2017, para. 2) that would help prevent chronic disease in Montpelier, Vermont. Knowing that one of the best ways to prevent chronic disease was by doing a physical activity, Ferguson came up with the idea for children and their parents to walk along a pathway while reading a book that contained “minimal text that would appeal to all ages…and that could fit into families’ busy schedules” (Ferguson, 2017, para. 3). After contacting the Vermont Arts Council, she received funding to try out her idea in a local park near Kellogg-Hubbard Library, placing laminated pages of David Ezra Stein’s Leaves on a path with a notebook for feedback at the end of the trail. Ultimately, her StoryWalk® idea proved to be both popular and successful.
Now, almost twenty years after she first came up with the idea, Ferguson’s StoryWalk® idea is being used by libraries not only in the United States but in thirteen other countries, including “Germany, Canada, England, Bermuda, Russia, Malaysia, Pakistan and South Korea” (Bridger, 2019, para. 1). And not just for children’s books either. According to Lenstra (2020), “As the project developed, different libraries have taken the concept of the StoryWalk and spun it in all kinds of different directions. Some StoryWalk programs focus on adult readers” (para. 4)—though I imagine that they are probably using novellas or something just as short; can you imagine doing a StoryWalk® for a book like Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace? Yikes!
Anne Ferguson, the creator of the idea, has used her StoryWalk® for the PoemCity program at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, using poems from writers like Wendell Berry and Mary Oliver and creating custom artwork to go along “each line of each poem… From there we coupled a line from each poem with an art work, laminated it and posted them” (Lenstra, 2020, para. 5).
Since learning about the idea, my mind has been buzzing with potential ideas for setting up a StoryWalk® in Gilroy. I could try and convince them to host a program in Christmas Hill Park, which has several paths that take people through the natural hillsides and surrounding forests. Alternatively, maybe I could do as the people in Massachusetts did, have a “downtown StoryWalk®” (Lenstra, 2020, para. 9) where businesses could hang poems or book pages in their store windows and lead people on a merry walk throughout the city until they reach the final page at the library.
My final idea, while not in Gilroy itself, could also work: hosting a StoryWalk® at the Harvey Bear Ranch County Park. Not on the main trails—which are over 30 miles in length (though that would certainly make for quite the StoryWalk®!)—but on the smaller, two-and-a-half-mile circuit. Using this trail for a StoryWalk® would allow the library to set up multiple books on the trail, or perhaps a longer book for more older children and adults, while also getting participants of the program to exercise at least one hour a day.
As future librarians and information professionals, it is our job to provide information to people—but who says it has to just be within a library? Like Professor Stephens wrote in his book, “The library is everywhere—it is not just the building or virtual spaces” (Stephens, 2016, p. 2). With ideas such as the StoryWalk®, I can encourage current and potential users to go outside and read a story while walking. This activity would benefit the users because they get some exercise, develop their minds, and encourage their interest in reading and perhaps artwork. As a future librarian, this concept/idea would help the people within my community and encourage them to visit the library more often.
Over the past few weeks, we have been reading many works on hyperlinked libraries and foundational readings. One of the things that caught my attention during the reading was Library 2.0 A Guide to Participatory Library Service. In the book, the authors, Casey and Savastinuk, discussed how the library needed to change to meet the user’s current and potential needs, and one way to that was through the available applications. They introduced several concepts that I thought were pretty cool:
One concept was creating a wiki for library staff. If a staff member could not perform their duties for whatever reason, they could create a list of their responsibilities that would teach their replacement how to do their jobs. What is also great about this is that as roles and responsibilities change, the staff members could also update their lists so that other staff members are adequately informed.
Another concept had a library blog that anyone–staff or user–could use to communicate with each other. This blog could be used externally so that the public got to know the library better and kept informed on the comings and goings around the library. Furthermore, library users can “be notified of new information or content” (Casey & Savastinuk, 2007, p. 85) with a blog’s RSS feed, making it easier for them to stay informed even if they do not revisit the blog. This blog could also be used internally, allowing staff members to be able to communicate with each other on an asynchronous basis–so, while two of them may work in different departments, at different times of the day/week, they will be able to communicate with each other, forming connections, and sharing ideas through the comment sections or blog posts.
The final concept I would like to discuss is having a Top-Down blog between library staff and their boss. According to Casey and Savastinuk, “Administrators often underestimate the power of their words when it comes to workplace morale”, and a blog between the staff and their administrator would “play a very important role in improving vertical communications” (2007, pp. 81-82). It would allow the staff to send their thoughts and concerns to their superiors and would let the staff know that “their concerns are the director’s concerns, and that the issues staff are talking and worrying about are being addressed by the director” (Casey & Savastinuk, 2007, p. 82).
As far as where this reading took my thinking about library and information works, it made me think of how valuable those applications could be for the libraries in my area. While I think that the libraries are fine right now, with the applications Casey and Savastinuk mentioned, they would—in my opinion—help both them and current and potential users. With blogs, users can let staff members know what they think about the library and allow them to participate and provide any feedback they may have. Internal wikis and blogs would strengthen communication between staff, which would help keep the library operations running smoothly and efficiently. Finally, a Top-Down blog between the staff and administrator would allow staff to voice their concerns to their superior without worry and allow the administrator to keep staff up to date on current proceedings and updates.
Greetings and salutations to all of my fellow INFO 287 classmates. My name is Aaron Rodgers, and for those of you wondering no I’m not the Green Bay football player (unfortunately XD). So, since this is the first post on my new INFO 287 blog, I figured I might share some information about me to all of you.
I hail from the (sometimes) sunny city of Gilroy, California. Ever heart of it? You might also know it as the “Garlic Capital City of the World,” though we do grow more than garlic here, I assure you. Now, I might be biased, but I consider this city to be a very nice place to live with clear skies, lots parks and recreation areas, a movie theater, and several good places to eat.
I originally was a graduate from SJSU with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. One of my biggest strengths has always been my ability to tell amazing stories, so I tried putting that ability to good use and managed to get a degree out of it. I’ll admit, I don’t really have any stories published at the moment, though I do have some stuff in the works and have even posted a few creative works on my other blog, if anyone wants to take a look.
So, along with my writing skills, I enjoy reading quite a bit. I spend a lot of time reading books, both paper and online, as well as various fanfiction stories. Yes, I admit it, I’m a fan of fanfiction, so sue me. Still, despite what some might say about it, there are a ton of good stories on those sites, and I enjoy reading them whenever they are uploaded. Currently, some of my favorite fanfic stories are Last Hope, written by The Wasp1995, a Star Wars story that focuses on Luke Skywalker who, after the fall of his nephew Ben Solo, learns of a way to travel to the past and seeks to prevent the rise of the Galactic Empire and the fall of his father, Anakin Skywalker; Avengers: Infinite Wars, written by free man writer, a crossover story between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Star Wars; and finally the Vox Populi series written by Aelwyn which presents an alternative take on the Assassin’s Creed series with Desmond Miles still being alive.
While on the subject of Assassin’s Creed, I also enjoy playing video games. Ever since I was little, and my cousin gave me his old Gameboy as a birthday present, I have had a fondness for games of all types. I have several consoles that I play on, including my Xbox One, PS5, Nintendo Switch, my PC, and even my first Gameboy (it still works too!). I have played endless hours on each of them and have several games for each console. Right now, my favorite games I like are: Red Dead Redemption 2, Grand Theft Auto V, Anno 1800, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, and Batman: Arkham Knight.
So far, I have taken INFO classes 200, 203, and 204. I am currently taking this class, along with INFOs 202, 260A, and 287. I’ll admit, I’m both excited and nervous about taking four classes this semester. I have taken four classes before when I was getting my bachelor’s, but it’s a bit more exciting when going for a master’s degree. Hopefully, that’ll pass as I get to work with you guys and focus on the work.
Finally, I have four animals that I love very dearly: my dog Samantha “Sammy” Rodgers, my cat Chloe Rodgers, and my two goats Belle and Aphrodite “Dottie” Rodgers.
Chloe Rodgers
Chloe has been a member of the family for over three years. When we got her, she was a crazy little kitten, all scared and upside about the new family she became a part of. Now, though, she has mellowed quite a bit, and knows that we care for her and love her greatly. She’s an excellent hunter, she’s always going outside and chasing birds, gophers, and mice in our backyard, as well as the neighbor’s yard. Her favorite “hobbies” are eating, hunting, and sleeping in between her owners’ legs.
Samantha “Sammy” Rodgers
Next on the bulletin board is Ms. Samantha “Sammy” Rodgers, our family’s yellow lab. She’s been a lovable member of the family for over five years, as well as my dad’s hunting partner during duck season. While she might have a little trouble understanding orders now and again, she makes up for it with enthusiasm and energy of a dog half her age. Her favorite things to do are running, chasing any unknown critters off our property, and giving everyone her “Puppy Dog” eyes.
Aphrodite “Dottie” Rodgers
And last, but not least, are our two goats Belle and Aphrodite, “Dottie” for short. To be completely honest, I don’t really have much to say about either of them, though they do tend to drive me crazy, especially when I’m mowing the lawn and they try to escape to eat the clean-cut grass. They also love to eat fresh fruits and vegetables, one time they tried eating all of our apples of our tree a while back and we had to purposely move them back into their area. Despite the headaches, though, they are well-beloved, and we take great care of them.
Belle Rodgers
Well, that’s about all there is to know about me. I hope you all enjoy reading this, just as I hope to enjoy reading yours eventually. Looking forward to reading and working alongside all of you eventually as we journey down this path towards our MLIS degrees.
