I can relate to how the 23 Things project stemmed from a frustrating experience with how to get adults to participate in professional development. As someone who has been both a teacher and an administrator, I understand the frustration on both ends. The frustration of getting employees to want to learn certain things, and the frustration of not having the time to learn the things. The 23 Things project was, and still is, a great way to lead adults into reflective practice and use that framework for learning. This seems similar to self-paced learning, but this type of learning was not prevalent in the early 2000s. The self-paced learning we know today doesn’t really allow for inter-user engagement.
It definitely follows Library 2.0 of trying new things and embracing change. 23 Things also exists in the Hyperlinked Library space. Instead of just having self-paced learning, 23 Things can exist on a blog or social media platform to encourage connection and engagement. There are different iterations of 23 Things: data sets, information skills, and information literacy. I started thinking about how we can flip the 23 Things so it can also apply to library patrons or different professions.
I’m currently a Reading Specialist for a high school, and I would love to adapt this program to my field. I often have teachers asking me for resources or ideas on how to work on reading skills in high school. This is not something that high school teachers are taught. Unfortunately, many of our planning periods don’t line up, so there is little time for collaboration. I’ve started brainstorming my own version of 23 Things for reading, but I haven’t fleshed it out yet. I want to create a program that can be used throughout the year and that allows for reflective practices.
I’m going to tap into the hyperlinked hive mind: What 23 Things do teachers or parents wish they knew about teaching different components of reading?
Let me know what you would want to learn about reading or teaching someone how to read!
Hyperlinked Library and Choose Your Own Adventure:
Library 2.0 is foundational to understanding the Hyperlinked Library. A foundational part of Library 2.0 is embracing change and listening to the needs of the community. Galiwin’ku Library, in Australia, takes Library 2.0 to heart when they moved their collections away from Dewey and closer to what the community needs. The indigenous community doesn’t have labels for “fiction” and “nonfiction” as many Westerners do, so it didn’t make sense to categorize the books this way. They categorized books based on subjects, similar to a bookstore.
The Dewey Decimal System is a snapshot of John Dewey’s time and place, and it replicated his biases and prejudices. This antiquated system no longer worked for the library in Australia, so they switched to something that was relevant. 19% of libraries still use the Dewey Decimal System, and I wanted to know why some library systems still do.
I found a blog post from 2023 by an elementary school librarian that discusses why she won’t “ditch Dewey.” Her responses are not aligned with Library 2.0, as she focuses on her lack of time and how she has already taught students to search the catalog. She mentions that ditching Dewey is a hot topic, but she doesn’t go into why it’s a hot topic. She even says that it got “ugly” without giving context.
This blogger is not putting the needs of the users first. Rather, she is going by the libraries who do not embrace change. It’s easier to go with the way that things have always been. I can agree that shifting a whole library away from Dewey can be a challenging and time-consuming project. However, there can be ways to mitigate this challenge. Maybe the elementary school librarian can host an event with other school librarians. However, with Library 2.0, and putting the users first, we have to find a way to change along with the needs of a patron.
Sources:
Franzen, M. (2022, June 22). Alternatives to the Dewey Decimal System | Book Riot. BOOK RIOT. https://bookriot.com/alternatives-to-the-dewey-decimal-system/
Thompson, J. (2018, August 22). Galiwin’ku library closes book on the Dewey Decimal System to prioritise Yolngu culture. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-22/remote-galiwinku-library-closes-book-on-dewey-decimal/10147024
Why I won’t Ditch Dewey – Elementary librarian (2023, February 9). Elementary Librarian. https://elementarylibrarian.com/why-i-wont-ditch-dewey/
There are many examples of various items inLibraries of Things , Blues’ Bags , Book Club Bags. I decided to go out into the wild (local libraries) to see what my libraries have to offer. Of course, I decided to venture out on a Sunday when my local libraries are closed. So I packed some muffins and orange juice and headed out to the Orange County Libraries, which are open on Sundays. I ended up at the Cypress Public Library. They have a fabulous Library of Things, which exceeded my expectations. You can check out games and the like, but what stood out were items such as a pasta maker, dog agility set, tilt stand mixer (similar to KitchenAid) , jump starter with air compressor, and a mini electric pressure cooker.
However, there is also a Children’s Library of Things, which I had never seen before. There are backpacks for Kindergarten Readiness that focus on math, understanding feelings, and celebrating differences. There are also family and community backpacks. These backpacks are a valuable resource for families preparing for kindergarten and beyond. The families can focus on certain aspects of getting ready for school, whether it be academic or social.
I find the Library of Things children’s backpack to be important. They are a form of outreach. While taking various MLIS classes, I find myself wanting to be that type of librarian: archivist, school librarian, etc. However, the one that has stuck with me the most is being an Outreach Librarian. The backpacks are a great Outreach-To-Go program. Families may not have the time, opportunity, or transportation to attend events to prepare children for schooling. The library can fill that gap. Families can work on academics and social skills on their own time.
The Library of Things for children can also fit an inclusion gap. Some children with disabilities, such as autism or ADHD, can get overwhelmed easily in an environment that is overstimulating. These bags are a great way for children to gain these skills while taking any neurodivergent sensitivities into account. This makes the library more accessible, which is what we want in a hyperlinked world.
I’m always thrilled when my MLIS courses have intersecting ideas. Aside from Hyperlink, I’m also taking Professor Buckley’s Outreach class. In that class, we are learning how to create engagement with the community to plan meaningful outreach. Part of what I have been fascinated with is how creative many libraries have been in creating outreach that literally goes into the community when community members can’t get to the library.
The intersection of the hyperlinked library and outreach is something that I’ve been thinking a lot about this semester. How can we reach new communities through creative ways? Warner (2024) discusses ways to revolutionize the library, what is offered, and how to do it. She describes using kiosks as an alternative means of outreach, “ It might be at the kiosk that the potential library cardholder first discovers that libraries offer more than just books but also technology, health and wellness items, and museum passes. This is an excellent way for libraries to alert a growing community to their offerings, bringing them physically into the library buildings.”
Warner is thinking outside the box (and in the kiosk) to consider how to reach different communities. As populations grow and the needs increase, libraries have to think about creative ways to reach those communities. Reading this article had me thinking about how we can use the kiosks aside from reaching out to communities.
California State University at Long Beach uses kiosks to distribute short stories that are 1 minute, 3 minutes, or 5 minutes long. While the kiosk looks very futuristic, the stories aren’t written by AI. They are written by authors who contribute the short stories to the university press. This is a great way for students to take a study break and read some short fiction!
These kiosks are innovative ways for libraries to share stories, books, and outreach!
Kiosk at Cal State Long Beach
Camacho, D. (2024, October 2). New library kiosk offers fast fiction for busy students. Long Beach Current. https://lbcurrent.com/artslife/2024/10/02/new-library-kiosk-offers-fast-fiction-for-busy-students/
Warner, L. (2024, January 17). Revolutionizing Public Libraries: Three ways that alternative service delivery strategies can meet. . . Medium. Retrieved November 15, 2025, from https://medium.com/@lauracwarner/revolutionizing-public-libraries-ff7fed3d12c5
I’ve been thinking of who decides what stories and books we get to keep since reading a new book a few weeks ago. The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World’s Most Precious Manuscripts is a nonfiction story about a librarian, Hidara, who is trying to save modern and ancient manuscripts from crumbling or being lost.
In the case of the Librarians of Timbuktu, not having access to information can be a form of censorship. Many places visited by Haidara are in truly remote places that required him to travel by foot, boat, and/or camel through the desert, sometimes for days. Some of the families he visited lived in tents or small houses far away from what we would consider civilization. He pays families for books they kept buried and hidden in sand, caves, or trunks, and plans to place them in a library. Some of the books are badly damaged and require preservation. I haven’t finished reading the book, and the Taliban is now part of the story, which will lead to more censorship.
I have mixed feelings about what Hiadara is trying to do. He is trying to preserve and create access to a wider audience. But, in doing so, he is literally taking the stories away from the families who may never see these books again. These books have been in some families for decades and centuries.
In contrast, there are libraries in Chinguetti, in eastern Africa, that will not be preserved. Some of the libraries have manuscripts that are old and crumbling, and some librarians of private collections refuse to move the texts. If left there, they will disintegrate in the Sahara Desert, along with the structures that house them.
Either way, each example is having “access to the stories of the world, collected, catolgues, and placed on a shelf waiting to be discovered” (Stephens, 2019. ) In these cases, they are waiting to be discovered across desert landscapes.
I don’t have an answer as to which way is correct: to save or to leave them in their space/family. However, it comes down to telling stories and who is the keeper of stories and knowledge. Do we share it or keep it with us? While there is no right answer, I think most of us would agree to share and to connect.
Sources
Hammer, J. (2016). The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World’s Most Precious Manuscripts. Simon and Schuster.
Mauritania’s ancient libraries could be lost to the expanding desert. (n.d.). Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2023/mauritania-libraries-desert/
Please see Canva link below to view my Innovation Roadmap presentation. I outline my idea of a mobile Makerspace that can travel to seniors in different living facilities!
I found myself thinking about the question, “Who is the library for?” as I finished the Module 3 and 4 readings. This question has been floating in my mind for some time. It first arose last Spring when I was visiting a public library in the Texas Panhandle. The library was quiet, almost sterile, with one or two patrons reading at tables. My friend, I, and her tornado of a toddler entered looking for books to read. We were shushed multiple times in the course of ten minutes because the toddler was excitedly searching for books and speaking loudly. I didn’t feel like we were welcomed there, even though we were in the kids’ section. My friend also noted that there are regular patrons at this library who frown at noise and children.
This library experience reminds me of “The User is Not Broken.” I don’t want to besmirch the whole library based on a short visit, but I felt like we were broken. We didn’t fit the mold that the community expected. This one experience sparked my thoughts on who the library is for. After reading Modules 3 and 4, I can confidently say that the library is for everyone, even the tornado toddlers and those who shush them.
One way to make the library for everyone is to shift to a hyperlinked library using participatory culture. The experience I had was reflective of the path to the hyperlinked library. Everything should be connected with the needs of the user, with the user being at the forefront. Change has to occur, even though it may scare some. Leaders in the profession need to shift to “a broader view of what’s possible in a community-based space focused on helping people” (Stephens, 2016). There can be time for quiet, but also time for participation, play, and learning.
To move forward, libraries should focus on “building connections and seeking ways to engage the public and promote curiosity, challenge us all” (Stephens, 2016). One of my favorite examples of libraries changing and meeting the user where they are at is when the Linda Lindas played at the Los Angeles Public Library. It was during the pandemic, so there weren’t any patrons. But the idea of a punk concert at a library embodies the hyperlinked library: a little chaos available to anyone with a computer. It allowed viewers to see the evolution of the library from a quiet, passive space to one that can open itself up to loud things and new ideas. The hyperlinked library gives its users places to connect.
In a survey, 63% of library users shared that it’s important for “public libraries to provide free events and activities, such as classes and cultural events, for people of all ages” (O’Brien, 2019). Some libraries are following suit, there are libraries in Southern California also hosting concerts, albeit not punk ones. Cultural events in my area include a Sew It Goes workshop where you can make your own luchador plushie as well as adult storytime in Spanish. As I enter the final semesters of the MLIS program, I am looking at ways to bring the community together in the library, and even outside of it.
The quote below, from the blog The Free Range Librarian, really embodies what I would like the future of libraries to look like:
“We have wonderful third spaces that offer our users a place where they can think and dream and experience information. Is your library a place where people can dream?”
Take a look at the Linda Linda’s performance at the Los Angeles Public Library:
Epitaph Records. (2021, May 21). The Linda Lindas – “Racist, Sexist Boy” (Live at LA Public Library) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5AhU5Q7vH0
O’Brien, C. (2019, June 24). How San Francisco’s public libraries are embracing their changing role. Shareable. https://www.shareable.net/how-san-francisco-public-libraries-are-embracing-their-changing-role/
Hello! My name is Bernadette Escamilla, and I’m in my penultimate semester of the MLIS program. I only have e-port left after this semester. I’m excited that this is my last full semester of my MLIS. While I enjoy being in school, it’s difficult being a full-time student and full-time adult! I’m focusing on the public librarian pathway, with an eye toward young adult or teen librarian. I’ve taught middle and high school special education for the past 15 years. I stepped into a new role as a high school Reading Specialist last year, and I’m excited to see how what I learn in the class can add to my new role.
I took this class because it, and Dr. Stephens, came highly recommended in both Discord and Facebook groups. I also liked the idea of a Hyperlinked Library, and I was interested in learning about a user-centered and playful library.
I’ve shared some pictures below of my husband, our dog (Apollo), and some of my favorite places that I’ve traveled to.
Kiosk at Cal State Long Beach
