Category: Reflections

Reflection Blog #5: Infinite Learning for Library Folk

My personal journey as a library professional has been steeped in infinite learning through informal engagement but also frequent professional learning experiences (PLEs). I realized quite early on that I would have to be a sponge and allow myself to be open to all potential learning opportunities if I were to be a facilitator of the best possible experiences for my patrons. Every single day has been a chance to learn from my colleagues and patrons alike. As library professionals we are not merely serving as liaisons to information, but builders of a structure of interconnectedness that invites everyone to learn and collaborate (Stephens, 2016).

Continue reading “Reflection Blog #5: Infinite Learning for Library Folk”

Reflection Blog #4: 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🗣️🆘🙏✅🙌

The value of storytelling has never been more powerful as libraries have shifted toward becoming community hubs and away from the notion of being book warehouses. Libraries and library staff might arrange an environment for a community to form by providing programming events, but sharing stories with each other is a necessary step for a sense of community to grow and thrive. I previously explored storytelling via a traveling exhibit where veterans shared their stories through tattoos. This inspired me to ask my colleagues about transformative experiences that patrons have shared with them. In my experience, these heart-warming stories tend to accumulate quickly for public library workers, but I’ve selected a few short anecdotes to share anonymously.

Continue reading “Reflection Blog #4: 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🗣️🆘🙏✅🙌”

Reflection Blog #3: UDL as a Bandage for Anti-DEI Policies

As I worked through the material for modules eight and nine in our course content, I kept feeling drawn back toward the Teaching & Learning EDUCAUSE Horizon Report from 2025. Two sections kept gnawing at me: inclusive learning environments and federal policy shifts blocking inclusive innovations. The key takeaway from the EDUCAUSE (2025) report states that inclusive teaching strategies “boost[s] student retention, success, and engagement” (p. 8). I don’t believe that this claim comes as a surprise to anyone in the library world who has worked directly with marginalized patrons.

Then this question loomed in my mind: the facts are apparent and the news is dire, so what can we do about it, especially if we are scared?

Continue reading “Reflection Blog #3: UDL as a Bandage for Anti-DEI Policies”

Reflection Blog #2: Illinois Libraries Bridge the Gap Between Veterans and their Communities

Veterans are a unique community who chronically underuse their resources but also are frequently neglected by greater society. While reading through papers at the crossroads of libraries and veteran needs, I discovered the estimate that only 20% of veterans utilize their benefits (Adamich, 2018). I shared this statistic with veteran friends and they expressed that many veterans carry fears of judgement and medical paper trails that restrict their career opportunities. There are many obvious ways that libraries can attempt to be a beacon for this community through providing information, but I began to wonder: how can libraries become environments of connection and interaction for veterans?

Continue reading “Reflection Blog #2: Illinois Libraries Bridge the Gap Between Veterans and their Communities”

Reflection Blog #1: Libraries as Digital Community Hubs

As I work through this course I am continually drawn to the concept of librarians as Digital Care Workers who help their communities dissolve the barriers of accessibility and close the digital divide. I have had several interactions as a library paraprofessional which exposed the reality that this divide still exists in present day and it is not limited to age groups despite the notion that Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha are digital natives (Gun, 2023). A couple of years ago I had an interaction with a shy eighteen-year-old patron who worked up the courage to ask me how to use email—from step one of creating an email address—because they never had a computer at home. I have had many similar interactions over the years which have revealed that being skillful with a cellphone did not mean those same skills were always transferable to a computer interface.

Continue reading “Reflection Blog #1: Libraries as Digital Community Hubs”