Author: Ali Ongaro

Image from Getty Images, Retrieved from Inside Higher Ed.

For my wild card reflection blogging assignment, I wanted to touch on something that caught my attention in the New Horizons module. As an information professional, it’s a best practice to always keep your eyes on the horizon in regards to upcoming trends and technologies. The 2025 Educause Horizon Report, reports that “technology is providing new ways to document student learning and success” (Educause, 2025). Now what does that mean? Educause reports that there is interest in implementing alternate modes of documentation that record learner’s accomplishments. This can look like a digital wallet in a student’s device that holds badges that students earn from completing courses and learning new skills called digital credentials. Digital credentials can go as far as students having access to their transcripts and diplomas in their personal devices. 

An example of this in action is Arizona State University’s ASU Pocket, a “digital credentials wallet that holds a student’s transcript, certificate and other badges” (Inside Higher Ed, 2024). The ASU Pocket enables students to access their credentials themselves which does not require them to request access from a third party like many platforms for transcripts do, reference image below. It’s also been described as a “storytelling opportunity; one thing you can do with this is fill in some of the gaps and spaces that a transcript may not” (Inside Higher Ed, 2024). Grades on a transcript can only go so far, but a digital wallet that holds credentials with badges for soft skills training, extracurricular activities and volunteer work paints a fuller picture of what a student has holistically learned. 

ASU Pocket, Image Retrieved from NapKforPC. 

With any new technology, there are concerns about cybersecurity. Educause addresses that “the verifiable and tamper-proof nature of these digital records could help to address concerns about credential fraud” (Educause, 2025). Inside Higher Ed reports that higher education institutions are not quick to adopt new technologies so getting these organizations on board may be a challenge. Also, funding is a potential challenge. Institutions would need to assign resources to develop and create digital wallets. That being said, digital wallets are used in the public sector. Some state DMV offices offer digital wallets. Digital wallets are widely used in the private sector with digital concert tickets, airplane tickets, insurance cards and much more. 

What excites me about digital credentials is that it’s already here. We’ve all used digital wallets in one capacity or another. Where the growth lies is within the application. How can higher education institutions use digital wallets to make student’s accomplishments more accessible? Would a digital wallet entice students to pursue more skills to earn digital badges? I can see a gamification aspect to using digital credentials. Picture students “friending” each other on a digital wallet platform where they can like, love and leave comments encouraging their fellow students. Items held in a digital wallet can also be shared to social media, so students can share their accomplishments socially, even on professional platforms like LinkedIn. 

How does this apply to libraries you might ask? When I read about ASU’s pocket that mentions badges, this reminded me of my local library’s summer reading program. In Sonoma County Library’s summer reading challenge, we are using an app called Beanstack which participants can track their reading (Sonoma County Library, n.d.). While they are tracking their reading they are earning badges, prizes and raffle ticket entries. I’m participating in the adjacent staff summer reading challenge which works the same way but with a different raffle. I personally have loved seeing the digital badges come in on my Beanstack app, I feel like it encourages me to read more and excites me every time I open up the app. SCL only uses Beanstack during the summer months to track this program. What if they were able to develop their own app that functions holds digital credentials? I can picture patrons being able to pull up their digital library card, badges for programs attended and certificates for milestones like 1000 Books Read Before Kindergarten. The possibilities are endless! 

This semester I am focusing on the participatory library where libraries are engaging their communities and integrate them into change. If SCL were to implement a digital wallet for their patrons, it would be crucial to get patron feedback on what they think that should look like. Surveys can be released to give patrons the opportunity to advocate for what they would like to see as digital credentials. They can even vote if they want library funding to be allocated to that project. This might be something for me to revisit in the future… 

References

Educause (2025). 2025 Educause Horizon Report | Teaching and Learning Edition. Educause. Retrieved from  https://library.educause.edu/resources/2025/5/2025-educause-horizon-report-teaching-and-learning-edition 

Inside Higher Ed (2024). Digital Wallets Explored as Next Generation Transcripts. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/tech-innovation/alternative-credentials/2024/04/05/digital-wallets-next-generation-college 

Sonoma County Library (n.d.). Summer Reading Challenge 2025. Summer Reading Challenge. Retrieved from https://sonomalibrary.org/browse/audience/kids-families/summerreading 

Image retrieved from https://www.bike-summer.org/ 

This week’s module New Models focuses on library models that break free of traditional frameworks. A Scandinavian term we’ve been introduced to is Hygge, which “can be defined as the art of building sanctuary and community, of paying attention to what makes us feel alive. A feeling of belonging to the moment and celebrating everyday” (Stephens, 2019). Hygge can be in the form of library programs that bring people together like storytimes, open mikes and so much more. When I reflect on Hygge and when I’ve felt this sense of community, it reminds me of when I used to live in Portland, OR. 

When I lived in Portland, during the summer months I would participate in Bike Summer which is commonly referred to as Petalpalooza. Shift2Bikes is a non-profit organization that runs this summer festival which is community-focused (Shift2Bikes, n.d.). Petalpalooza is a summer long bike festival where participants join scheduled themed bike rides. Anyone can host a ride and anyone can participate. There are several bike rides a day, happening all over the city. These bike rides have themes like kids unicorn costumes, Missy Elliot, book lovers rides and so much more. In 2017, when I first began participating in Petalpalooza, I was not a confident bike rider and hadn’t ridden a bike since I was a kid. I actually went to a Walmart and bought my first adult bike the day of my first ride to participate. It was a costume themed ride, so my friend and I dressed up as princess butterflies and joined the ride (see image below). I remember being nervous about riding in a large group and wondering if I would be able to keep up. There was a point when I was struggling to stay with the group and I heard another participant chanting “go butterfly go! You got this!” This was a moment when I felt welcomed in this community and felt the support of the other participants. Now, as an avid bike rider years later, I fondly remember this ride as the moment I got back into bike riding as an adult. 

My friend Chancy (left), Me (right). 

What made me think of Petalpalooza in relation to Hygge was a social media post about a month ago about a Snail Mail Ride. I no longer live in PDX (Portland) but still follow many of the communities I used to participate in like Petalpalooza. In this Snail Mail Ride that happened last month participants brought stationary, cards and stamps to a park to write letters with others then biked to a post office to mail them together. This gives me the same warm feeling that a community gathering in colder months might bring. The Snail Mail Ride is a wholesome activity for all ages to participate in and go together. 

Image retrieved from https://www.shift2bikes.org/calendar/event-21210 

Even though Petalpalooza is outside of the library space, I think that it encompasses Hygge. As information professionals we can draw inspiration from this sort of community run event. This semester I am focusing on the participatory library where libraries are engaging their communities and integrate them into change. I wonder if libraries can facilitate programs like this. Maybe patrons write letters at the library then ride their bikes to the post office together. If patrons only want to write letters then great, join that portion and opt out of the bike ride. I love the idea of involving community members as leaders within these programs. As seen in Petalpalooza, community members are ride leaders in these scheduled bike rides. This sort of programming supports community engagement with each other, supports healthy activity like bike riding and can inspire community members to participate further with the library. 

References

Shift2Bikes (n.d.). Bike Summer. Shift2Bikes. Retrieved from https://www.shift2bikes.org/ 

Stephens, M. (2019). The Wholehearted Librarian. American Library Association. 

Image retrieved from https://christianlauersen.net/2021/04/19/a-haven-in-our-community-the-impact-and-value-of-public-libraries/

This week’s module in the Hyperlinked Library course we are exploring Hyperlinked Environments. In this choose your own adventure model, I was able to pick my topic of the week. Last week, I reflected on my local library system and how they are engaging their communities to be a participatory library. This week, I wanted to examine an international library environment to see if I could find an example of a participatory library abroad. With no surprise, I looked through the material presented to us this week and found great examples in Danish libraries. 

Lauersen, Director of Libraries and Citizens Services in Roskilde Municipality writes about “the value of a library” and its cultural impact in a 2020 post on his blog. By using the framework of a cultural study conducted in 2019 by the Arts Council England, Lauersen examines his own local libraries in Denmark. Lauersen, along with a consulting firm Seismonaut, developed The Impact Compass. This framework outlines four major impacts of public libraries on patrons: emotional, intellectual, creative and social (Lauersen, 2020). By looking at public libraries through this lens, information professionals can get a cultural look at their libraries. The goal of this framework is to look beyond the data of how many patrons enter a library and get a better understanding of the impact libraries have on their communities. Lauersen (2021) states “we need insights and understanding beyond usage to have a sound and constructive debate about why libraries matter and how we should shape them to lift future challenges.” By definition, the application of this study makes Roskilde Municipality libraries participatory libraries. 

The results of this The Impact Compass informed that in Danish communities, “public libraries help form and maintain communities” (Lauersen, 2021). They were able to collect data and information directly from library patrons to see why they interacted with the libraries. Reference Figure 1 below as an example. They also discovered that “the public library promotes communities – both in the direct sense, by being a place where Danes meet and experience togetherness and belonging with others, and indirectly by Danes experiencing the public library as a common property” (Lauersen, 2021). They used these results to inform decision-making within their library system. 

Figure 1, retrieved from https://christianlauersen.net/2021/04/19/a-haven-in-our-community-the-impact-and-value-of-public-libraries/ 

Lauersen and the team at Seismonaut saw so much interest in their study that they developed The Impact Compass as a guide on how to implement this cultural study at your own library. It was first developed in Danish then translated into English to reach a broader audience. This guide instructs people to “use the Impact Compass as a tool to develop and evaluate activities at the library.” This guide encourages both qualitative and quantitative research methods to engage communities in activities like surveys and interviews. In The Impact Compass worksheets are provided as a starting point for libraries to begin to think about their environments in a cultural lens. 

When thinking about participatory libraries and how you can engage your town communities, it’s important to also look outwards and see what other public libraries are doing. You might find inspiration or, like in the case of Roskilde Municipality public libraries, an open source guide on how to engage with your community in a cultural lens! The Impact Compass provides relevant research and information to apply to American public libraries. I can see this framework to be used in many libraries. I would be interested in applying this to my own local library system to see what new ways we can engage with our local environment to become a participatory library. 

References

Lauersen, C. (2020). A new language for the value and impact of libraries: Design and first findings. The Library Lab. Retrieved from https://christianlauersen.net/2020/12/02/a-new-language-for-the-value-and-impact-of-libraries-design-and-first-findings/ 

Lauersen, C. (2021). A haven in our community: The impact and value of public libraries. The Library Lab. Retrieved from https://christianlauersen.net/2021/04/19/a-haven-in-our-community-the-impact-and-value-of-public-libraries/

Seismonaut and Roskilde Central Library. (2021). A guide to the Impact Compass The impact of public libraries in Denmark: A haven in our community. Seismonaut and Roskilde Central Library. Retrieved from https://287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/en_brugsguide_06.05.21_0.pdf 

Figure 1, Architect’s rendering of the new Roseland Regional Library.

This week’s module in the Hyperlinked Library course we are exploring how we can foster genuine connection within our communities as information professionals. We are thinking about ways in which libraries can serve as a platform for shared experiences and growth. This semester I am focusing on the participatory library where libraries are engaging their communities and integrating them into change. This coincides with the concept of transparent libraries. The idea of hyperlinked communities is essential to this task of connection. 

Stephens outlines criteria for a transparent library as a multistep process where  “listening very closely to what your users are saying, even if you don’t like it, even if it pushes the boundaries of what you think the library should be” (Stephens, 2016, p. 43). When I read this, a lightbulb lit up in my head and I knew exactly what I wanted to reflect on for this blog. Listening sessions are an effective way to connect with community members and give them a platform to voice what they want and need from their local library. 

But first, a little background information. I work at the Sonoma County Library headquarters supporting two teams: the Fund Development team and Executive Services which is the Library Director’s team. Both the Fund Development Manager and the Library Director’s main goal is to build our new Roseland Regional Library. My library system has 16 branches, one of which is in southwest Santa Rosa, CA. Over the past couple of years, this community has seen devastating changes to their local infrastructure. Elementary schools and middle schools have been closing due to a budget deficit, leaving this Latinx community in need of more resources. A larger, better equipped public library is what we are teaming up with the City of Santa Rosa to build. The interior of this library is going to 12,000 square feet with 3,000 square feet of outside programmable space. We have the funds to build the building itself but are about halfway through our campaign to raise the money to bring the inside of the library alive. This is where we’ve connected with our local community to get their input. 

The goal for this project is to reflect the local community and meet their needs. Two months ago my team held a listening session where we invited community members to see the architect’s renderings of the new library and to get their feedback. We brought in a Spanish-English translator so that community members could speak in whichever language they felt most comfortable with. We brought in dinner from a local restaurant and had a relaxed discussion in the children’s area of the current Roseland Regional Library location. 

The Library Director did a short presentation of what she pictures for this new library while I held up large images of the architect’s renderings, reference Figure 1 above. After this, we had a list of questions for the community members and encouraged all feedback. We made note cards available, if people preferred to write their comments rather than discuss. Some of the questions we asked were: 

1. How would you describe the spirit and heritage of Roseland and how is that reflected in the community visually?
2. What kind of theme would you like to see if there was a mural in the children’s imagination tower room?
3. Does the idea of a landscape installation interest you, using natural materials to enhance the exterior environment?

This was the most inspiring library event I have participated in so far in my career. We were all so impressed by the community members who attended and spoke to what they felt like their community members needed. To question one, library staff had imagined the spirit of Roseland to be represented with Latinx influences. The participants thought that yes, Latinx should be included but they weren’t the most important or needed the most representation. These participants spoke to all the heritages in the community and emphasized that they wanted everyone represented. To question two, there will be an imagination tower in the children’s area of the library, reference Figure 2 below. Library staff had pictured this to include a dangling mobile, possibly with an astronomy theme. The participants very quickly said, “ask the kids what they want?” This was an aha moment for me, of course we should be asking the kids! To question three, library staff had pictured very organic landscaping that felt like a meadow and was not structured. The participants felt very strongly that the landscaping should be structured and labeled so that children can learn about the plants. 

Figure 2, Roseland Regional Library Idea Board, designed by me. 

Most of this feedback was the complete opposite of what “we,” library staff, had pictured. Circling back to Stephens quote, “listening very closely to what your users are saying, even if you don’t like it, even if it pushes the boundaries of what you think the library should be” (Stephens, 2016, p. 43). We loved everything that the participants said but some of the comments did push what we thought the library should be. When I think about engaging communities and integrating them into change, I think about providing opportunities for patrons to advocate for their wants and needs like in listening sessions. “We must continue to fight for all people, especially those from vulnerable groups” (Garcia-Febo, 2018). In trying times, when communities need support, this is the time to listen and ask what these communities need, how we can support them. 

“Libraries are free, non-judgemental, trusted, and accessible to everyone” (Nural Hasan, 2023). I wholeheartedly support this statement. Another statement I support is that “libraries are a safe space for all” (Stephens, 2019, p.78). For libraries to serve as a platform for shared experiences and growth, information professionals need to work to continue to make libraries safe spaces. A big part of this is providing opportunities for patrons to have conversations in safe spaces like what we created with our listening session. 

References

Garcia-Febo, L. (2018). Serving with Love. American Libraries. Retrieved from https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/11/01/serving-with-love/ 

Nurul Hasan, T. (2023). ‘Free, non-judgemental, accessible’: How your local library is a sanctuary of health and wellness. SBS Bangla. Retried from https://www.sbs.com.au/language/bangla/en/article/free-nonjudgmental-and-accessible-how-your-local-library-is-a-sanctuary-of-health-and-wellness/t15blzsi9 

Stephens, M. (2016). Heart of Librarianship. American Library Association. 

Stephens, M. (2019). The Wholehearted Librarian. American Library Association.