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I was quite moved by Pam Sandlian-Smith’s TEDx Talk and the story she told about the young boy who asked if he could hold a puppet show at her library. She later discovered that he and his father were unhoused but would be moving for a new job, a new apartment, and away from her library. Sandlian-Smith stated:
Little did I know that when he asked that question how important it was for him to have that space to create, to think, to fulfill some dreams. He needed someone to have the instinct to say “yes,” and I’m so grateful that I did. He needed somebody to be on his side. Isn’t that what we all need? (TEDx Talks, 2013)
As we move through the course, each module has been about ways hyperlinked libraries can say “yes” and why these new models of librarianship should say “yes.” In doing so, they innovate and adapt in clever and inspiring ways to meet the needs of their communities. Equally heartening are the communities that continue to invest in their libraries, optimizing existing structures, renovating old ones, and building new facilities that welcome and offer comfort as well as opportunity. It is a public acknowledgement that the library is valuable, relevant, and necessary.
The Anythink Nature Library looks to be a prime example of one of the new models of librarianship; it is an unconventional concept whose purpose is to fulfill a community need. What caught my attention as I explored the Nature Library’s website was, oddly, the Frequently Asked Questions section. It reads mostly like a series of yes-answers: “Will there be non-traditional items available for checkout (such as camping gear)? Yes! … Will there be indoor and outdoor gathering spaces? Yes! … Will there be nature-based programs such as plant walks, foraging or outdoor education? Absolutely!” (Anythink Library, 2025).
As remarkable as the Anythink Nature Library will be, many libraries still manage to say “yes” while also working with fewer resources; there are numerous examples of libraries adapting in smaller, yet arguably essential ways. Klinenberg (2018) describes several libraries that provide safe places for social connection. With programming as unorthodox as a videogame bowling league held in the basement, a library says “yes” to building relationships, even with a modest budget.
Sandlian-Smith closes her TED Talk urging the audience that the next time someone asks, “Why do we need a library?” to reflect with, “Who else is going to do this?” But I think the answer is also, “Because, as much as they can, libraries say ‘yes.’”
References
Anythink Library. (2025). Anythink Nature Library. Retrieved July 17, 2026, from https://www.anythinklibraries.org/anythink-nature-library/
Klinenberg, E. (2018). Palaces for the people: How social infrastructure can help fight inequality, polarization, and the decline of civic life. Crown.
TEDx Talks. (2013, December 16). What to expect from libraries in the 21st century: Pam Sandlian Smith at TEDxMileHigh [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa6ERdxyYdo
Iris – I appreciated these ruminations on saying yes and what that might mean for the culture of the library as well as the perception of the library by those it serves.