Cat's Corner

The open-air amphitheater of the Salt Lake City Library is a central hub for gathering and hosts free performances and programs.
Image source: Safdie Architects

I have been putting off writing this blog post because, I’ll be honest, reflecting on the future of libraries and library work has had me in a bit of a tailspin lately. The fatalistic part of me thinks that the future, in general, feels so unstable, and libraries, more specifically, feel doomed. As Eric Klinenberg says in his book Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life (as quoted in an interview with Gaetani, 2018):

“social order now feels precarious” and our “collective project is in shambles.” Ultimately, “the stystems we build in coming years will tell future generations who we are and how we see the world today. If we fail to bridge our gaping social divisions, they may even determine whether that ‘we’ continues to exist.” (quest. 4)

As I think about how libraries impact our society – and what might happen if we were to lose them – my thoughts turn to the idea of community and “third places.” A “third place” is a social environment that is separate from the predominant two social settings in humans’ lives: the home (first place) and the workplace (second place). The term was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenberg in his 1989 book The Great Good Place: Cafés, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community (second edition published in 1997), in which he describes “happy gathering places…’homes away from home’ where unrelated people relate” (p. ix).

What Makes a Third Place?

Oldenburg defines third places by eight generally-shared characteristics:

1. Neutral Ground: participants have no obligation to be there – financially, politically, legally, or otherwise – and are free to come and go as they please;
2. Leveler: third places put no importance on an individual’s status in society, and there are no prerequisites or requirements for participation;
3. Conversation: playful conversation is the main focus;
4. Accessibility & Accomodation: third places must be open, readily accessible, and accommodating to the needs of all occupants;
5. The Regulars: regular participants help set the mood and tone of a third place, attract newcomers, and help newcomers feel welcome and accommodated;
6. Low Profile: third places feel simple and homey, without extravagance or pretense, and are accepting of individuals from all walks of life;
7. Playful: the mood and nature of third places is playful, full of wit and banter, and generally free from tension and hostility;
8. A Home Away from Home: in third places, occupants feel the same sense of belonging, warmth, connection, and protectiveness and possession that they feel in their own homes.

Third places unify communities without barriers, allow for networking and the sharing of resources, foster intergenerational relationships, provide free unstructured exploration, and promote social interchange and the exchange of ideas. Unfortunately, urban planning and capitalist interests have led to a decrease in an already-low presence of third places in the U.S (as compared to other countries around the world). Oldenburg argues that the decline of third places has contributed to the deterioration of community and civility and led to increased isolation and division within American society.

This is where the public library steps in to play a vital role.

In our digital age, with the internet and e-books, audiobooks, online libraries, online databases, streaming services, and online shopping, the public library is no longer only (or the primary) place to access books and information. Now and on the horizon, public libraries need to meet not only the information and digital needs of patrons, but also serve as community hubs and social services, or “third places.” As the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown showed us, while technology will continue to make our lives more convenient and help connect us to each other, digital connectedness cannot make up for a lack of physical human connection, social interaction, and cultural exchange.

How Can Libraries Function as Third Places?

In his 2001 book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community, Robert D. Putnam discusses two types of social capital: bonding, in which people with a similar sense of identity are brought together, and bridging, in which disparate groups of people are brought together in a common cause. Libraries can provide both bonding and bridging, by giving community members a place to meet with others like them (bonding) as well as by providing a space and programs and services to allow community members to come together in spite of (or because of) differences (bridging).

Libraries are one of the only truly free, accessible community spaces that remain in existence in the U.S. While libraries at their foundation fulfill the eight characteristics outlined above, Colorado’s Anythink Library is a stellar example of how libraries can foster these ideals to more richly function as third places. Anythink‘s whole philosophy is based on the idea that community members can do anything they can think of there, instructing patrons to “find delightful opportunities to learn about anything under the sun in the most beautiful, comfortable spaces. Our libraries are community assets that belong to you…The more imaginative and collaborative we can be, the better we can serve our customers” (Anythink Libraries, n.d., brochure).

I spent some time in Spain several years ago (*see images below), and I fell in love with the abundance of third places and how easy it was to find community there. Our infrastructure in the U.S. is so vastly different that it is difficult to create third places that so conveniently and easily meet the needs of our sprawled-out society. However, Anythink is doing just that. With seven branches plus outreach services, Anythink is bringing third places to the members of the Adams County community. An example of this is their Community Center Branch in Thornton, Colorado. Partnering with the city of Thornton, the library is housed within the Community Center and includes a reading fireplace, study rooms, teen space, children’s space, and a studio makerspace, in addition to recreational spaces such as a gym, dance studios, and boxing gyms, as well as shared spaces perfect for community events and gatherings (community center amenities are available for a very nominal fee, ranging from $2.00 – $5.75 daily for Thornton residents) (City of Thornton, n.d.).

I am also quite inspired by Anythink’s Nature Library that is under construction in Thornton. In a society such as ours, where being outdoors often means being alone (either on an isolated nature trail or in one’s own private backyard), the potential for a common outdoor space to become a third place for Thornton community members is promising.

While I have mostly focused on physical third places here, I don’t want to overlook the potential for online third places to also meet the needs of communities in today’s digital age. During the Covid-19 crisis, libraries helped fill the role of third-place when they moved services online to offer virtual homework help, storytimes, yoga classes, concerts, Zoom social hours, and more. In this way, the Internet has become a kind of a third place as digital communities have emerged to meet the needs of a growing digital society. There are so many possibilities for libraries to fulfill the needs of communities as third places, both physically and digitally. Wood states, “Whether onsite or online, libraries have proven their third-place designation” (Wood, n.d., para. 2).

My Reflection on the Future of Libraries as Third Places

Learning about the importance of third places, and how libraries can act as third places, will inform how I look at my work as a librarian moving forward. While I love books and reading, and that was definitely a driving force in my decision to pursue librarianship, my love for community and serving and connecting with my fellow humans is at the forefront of my passion for this work. I am committed to better meeting the needs of my community through library spaces, programs, and services to foster improved social connection, mental health, digital literacy, and accessibility. Historically, third places have often been the backbone of human rights movements (Oldenburg, 1997), and while the future remains uncertain, I have hope that libraries and librarians will continue to serve communities as third places through their constant committment to providing free access to information and services.

*Third Places in Europe

Clockwise from top left: a public “platz” in Salzburg, Austria allows for social gathering and impromptu encounters; an intergenerational game of “parchís” in a “plaza” in Alicante, Spain; a “piazza” in the pedestrian zone of Bologna, Italy welcomes families and friends to gather while walking and cycling and visit in groups on building steps, city walls, and chairs; children meet to play at a “plaza” in Alicante, Spain; a public art installation in a “plaza” in Madrid, Spain invites conversation and connection.

References

Anythink Libraries. (n.d.). Anythink brochure. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://www.anythinklibraries.org/sites/default/files/imce_uploads/Anythink%20Brochure.pdf

Anythink Libraries. (2012, October 31). A day in the life of an Anythink Library [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/VLUFz5aGFQc?si=QRXqRrLeiIOKFeGU

City of Thornton. (n.d.). Thornton community center. City of Thornton: Parks & Recreation. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://www.thorntonco.gov/parks-recreation/recreation-facilities/thornton-community-center

Gaetani, M. (2018, November 11). Q&A with Eric Klinenberg. Stanford University: Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. https://casbs.stanford.edu/news/qa-eric-klinenberg

Oldenburg, R. (1997). The great good place: Cafés, coffee shops, bookstores, bars, hair salons and other hangouts at the heart of a community (2nd ed.). Da Capo Press.

Putnam, R. D. (2001). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community. Simon & Schuster.

Safdie Architects. (n.d.). Salt Lake City Public Library. [Photograph]. Retrieved on November 20, 2024, from https://www.safdiearchitects.com/projects/salt-lake-city-public-library

Wood, E. (n.d.). The rise of third place and open access amidst the pandemic. American Library Association: Intersections. Retrieved on November 19, 2024, from https://www.ala.org/advocacy/diversity/odlos-blog/rise-third-place

Anne Lamott Quote.
Image Source: Because All The Books

I had an unexpected reaction reading an article about library environments, and I have been pondering on it for a long time now. It took me to a vulnurable place that I wasn’t sure I wanted to explore more deeply. But, it is still on my mind so I am now putting pen to paper – digitally – and getting personal.

I have written briefly here about how my mom found her home in public libraries all through her life. To really understand what I mean when I say the library was my mom’s home, you have to understand my mom. It’s hard to depict my multi-faceted mother with mere words. She was robustly healthy, fiercely independent, a tall towering tree steady and rooted in my life.  She was brilliant and loved learning and teaching. She was also mentally ill. My mother loved me deeply and gave me everything, yet my childhood was unstable. There were times we struggled to make ends meet, and there were periods of homelessness in her life, when, while we were with my dad, she slept in her car or in storage units or at rest areas and campgrounds.

Mom using the library payphones, 1990ish

Through it all, there was the public library. My mom thoroughly utilized all the public library had to offer. During the heat of the summer, we took advantage of the cool air conditioning, free entertainment (books, videos, magazines, and books on tape all in one place and all free!), cultural/park passes, summer reading programs, and access to payphones, copy machines, and, later, computers. We took our piles of borrowed books next door to the park to read while my mom napped in the shade of a willow tree. In the winter, we went to the library to escape the snow, shortened days, and our own cabin fever. We met up with friends and browsed the stacks while our moms did whatever moms do when they can stop worrying about their children for a few moments. We stocked our own bookshelves with books purchased for pennies at the annual library book sale. In a childhood filled with change, the public library was a constant in my life.

Where I spent countless hours:
The Troy Public Library (Troy, Michigan)

My mom died 2 years ago of an autoimmune illness compounded by Covid. For many years prior to Covid, my mom lived alone (90 miles from her closest family), worked a part-time fast food job that helped meet her social needs as much as it helped supplement her social security payments, volunteered with several local organizations (including a family history center and a local bookstore), and spent the rest of her time at her small public library.  Like many older adults, the coronavirus pandemic had a profound effect on her health and quality of life. She suddenly found herself completely isolated and cut off from her entire world. In my mom’s case, she did not have internet access except at the library. When Covid shut down the world, our family (scattered throughout California, Utah, and Georgia) tried to stay connected with weekly Zoom calls. When my mom’s library closed its doors, not only did she lose her local social community, she also lost access to her family. I remember her speaking about how disappointed she was when her library had to close its doors, and how relieved and thrilled she was when they reopened. At the time I tried to discourage her from visiting even after they reopened, concerned for her health and safety. I didn’t truly understand just how much she relied on the library until after she passed and I thought about how lonely her last few years of life had been.

Mom using the library computers, 2021

Reading this article helped me further understand just how vital public libraries can be to so many people: ‘Free, non-judgemental, accessible’: How your local library is a sanctuary of health and wellness

The article speaks of an “epidemic of loneliness” (Angela Savage, as quoted by Hasan, 2023, para. 11) and how libraries can help combat loneliness. Because many people who face mental health issues are left alone, it can be hard for them to trust, to feel they can share their stories without judgement. The library can be a sanctuary, as a place that is “free, non-judgemental, trusted, and accessible to everyone. There’s no stigma involved in coming into a library and we feel that we can offer safe and welcoming spaces for people who might otherwise experience discrimination” (Savage, as quoted by Hasan, 2023, para. 15).

Libraries can provide a range of services that support social connection and contribute to physical and mental health.  Libraries can co-design programs and services with community members to create user-centered experiences, such as book clubs, craft groups, game nights, movie nights, conversation clubs, etc. In addition, libraries can also connect patrons to local mental health resources and information. In some cases, libraries provide necessities that many people, especially low-income, unhoused, disabled, and senior patrons, depend on for quality of life.

I love this 2018 video from Libraries Change Lives (an initiative of State Library Victoria and Public Libraries Victoria) that talks about some of the things the public library has to offer and how libraries can change lives:

Watching @michael ‘s lecture video Covid and Libraries (2022), it was so interesting for me to learn about how various libraries around the country handled the pandemic shutdowns.  I learned of so many creative ways that libraries helped their communities remain connected, and I think about how beneficial some of those services would have been for my mom at that time if she had had access to them. Particularly, I love the idea of penpal services to homebound patrons, Anythink’s process of reaching out to seniors in their library database, and Alameda County Public Library’s Kind, Connected Conversations (slides 6-8).

While we hopefully will not face pandemic-level shutdowns again for a long time, reflecting on the pandemic has made me so much more aware of the life-changing potential and power of libraries, and how I can best meet the needs of library patrons in their day-to-day lives. I feel a tremendous responsibility to take a whole-hearted approach as I move forward in my career, to remember and consider all library patrons, and to serve all library patrons, in whatever capacity they need. I know that for some the library truly is their home, and library services can be life-saving.

References

Because All The Books. (n.d.). Sanctuary in the library. [Image with Words]. Pinterest. https://pin.it/437kWQUmV

Hasan, T. N. (2023, June 27). ‘Free, non-judgemental, accessible’: How your local library is a sanctuary of health and wellness. SBS Bangla. 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

Public Libraries Victoria. (2018, November 7). Libraries change lives – Campaign launch [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/jGfSZsE0kAI?si=sJhEkb4fBG37IFKe

Stephens, M. (2022). Hyperlinked library master lectures 2022: Covid and libraries. [Lecture Video]. Panopto. https://sjsu-ischool.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=40c6f8af-beab-4fe2-9068-aef3013e9ff1

Vijayakumar R. (2012, July 24). Troy Public Library. [Photograph]. Foursquare City Guide. https://foursquare.com/troypubl3915871?openPhotoId=500ecf88e4b03fb3d37c37ba

image source: Hafuboti

As I have learned more about the concept of a “hyperlinked library,” I have realized that it is woven into every aspect of librarianship and is the heart of what I find so important and special about librarianship: the ability – and responsibility – to create connections. When I think about creating connections, I think of how important it is for each person to feel welcomed and celebrated and to see themselves in their library. This can take on many forms, but in this blog post I will focus on library collections and how library materials, displays, and book-centered programs can foster an inclusive and welcoming library environment.

One concept that has stuck with me since early in my career as an educator is Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop’s idea of books being “mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors.” In Sims Bishop’s (1990) article she states:

image source: Tandem

Books help us understand ourselves and our places in society, and they help us understand others. It is so important, then, that our book collections (and displays and programs) are wide, varied, and diverse. While specially-designated times – such as Black History Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Pride Month, Latine Heritage Month, and Native American Heritage Month – provide libraries with the opportunity to specifically highlight these communities, it is essential to create a safe and welcoming space all year long, through diverse and inclusive collections, displays, and programs.

To ensure that libraries serve as windows, mirrors, and sliding doors:
*learn about the identities, issues, and interests relevant to your community members, and collaborate with community organizations to provide personalized events and programs;
*include patrons in book selection;
*read diverse books aloud often, such as at storytimes and library events;
*include diverse people and cultures in all themes (for example: when highlighting water conservation/environmentalism, include books not only about local practices but also books about practices from various cultures and around the world);
*rethink what perspectives and positions are prioritized and privileged in books used in displays and programs (for example: when highlighting the fight for Civil Rights in America, include stories of the Black women who were not always at the forefront but were instrumental in the success of the Civil Rights Movement);
*examine which books and authors are most often spotlighted and promoted in your library, and ensure that displays include books written about diverse characters and by diverse authors, and include current stories and voices and not only books about cultures in faraway times and faraway places;
*ensure that books about diverse characters are about more than their identities; their cultures/identities are part of the story but are not the whole story (make sure we are not providing “foggy mirrors” or “too-small windows” (Enriquez, 2021));
*implement multimodal displays and programs – visual and performing arts, writing, digital composition, materials and programs designed for sensory-sensitive individuals and others for sensory-seeking individuals, etc. – to encourage engagement for all interests and ability levels
(Enriquez, 2021).

Here are some useful resources for creating inclusive libraries:

Overall
*Fostering Diversity: Public Libraries as Inclusive Spaces for Community Celebration
*Developing a Library That’s REALLY For Everyone

Collections
*Social Justice Books
*School Library Journal (Collection Diversity Audits)

Displays
*Increasing Circulation of Your Inclusive Library Collection

Programs
*Committing to Equity
*Accessible Library Programming Examples
*Programming Librarian

Read Banned Books, created by C. Kemeny Gambrell with artwork by Vivienne Strauss (used with permission): https://www.viviennestrauss.com

I can’t write about inclusive libraries without commenting on the disturbing increasing trend of book banning. In libraries across the United States, censorship and book banning has become a pervasive issue in recent years. In 2019, the American Library Association reported 377 book challenges; in 2022 that number was an alarming 1,269. According to PEN America (Meehan & Baêta, 2024), there have so far been more than 10,000 instances of book bans in the 2023-2024 school year. This number is nearly triple that of the previous school year (3,362). Organized groups are increasingly targeting library boards with disruptions and challenges at public comment sessions, primarily challenging diverse content such as books addressing racism and LGBTQIA+ issues (American Library Association, 2023).

Without access to these books, libraries cannot create inclusive spaces. However, even in areas where censorship is rampant, libraries can provide internet access, technology such as computers, laptops, iPads, and Wi-Fi, and the borrowing of e-books and audiobooks through programs and apps such as Overdrive, Libby, and Hoopla. Libraries in less hostile areas can also highlight diverse authors/works and books that have been banned/challenged. In April 2022, in response to increased efforts to remove books from library shelves, New York City’s Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) launched an initiative called “Books Unbanned,” giving teens and young adults aged 13-21 anywhere in the U.S. free access to BPL e-cards and the ability to borrow any e-book in BPL’s collection. Four other public libraries (Boston, L.A. County, San Diego, and Seattle) have since joined the program. Similarly, in July 2023, the Digital Public Library of America launched its “Banned Book Club,” which provides users with access to banned books in locations (in the U.S.) where titles have been banned (Parker, 2023). It is imperative that we act now to ensure that the right to read remains protected, through political advocacy for free expression, against censorship, and in support of libraries.

As saywhatnathan1 writes, “diversity means disruption” (2018). Creating truly welcoming and inclusive spaces requires intentionality and consistent reflection, examination, and evaluation, and it is all worth it to ensure that libraries truly are – and remain – a place for everyone!

References

American Library Association. (2023, March 22). American Library Association reports record number of demands to censor library books and materials in 2022 [Press release]. https://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2023/03/record-book-bans-2022

Enriquez, G. (2021). Foggy mirrors, tiny windows, and heavy doors: Beyond diverse books toward meaningful literacy instruction. The Reading Teacher, 75(1), 103–106. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2030

Hafuboti. (n.d.). Libraries are for everyone: English [image]. Retrieved on October 20, 2024, from https://www.hafuboti.com/2017/02/02/libraries-are-for-everyone/

Meehan, K., & Baêta, S. (2024, September 23). Memo on school book bans from PEN America. Pen America. https://pen.org/memo-on-school-book-bans-2023-2024-school-year/

Parker, C. (2023, July 25). Readers can now access books banned in their area for free with new app. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/banned-book-club-app-180982592/

saywhatnathan1. (2018, November 28). Diversity means distruption. Archival Decolonist. https://archivaldecolonist.org/2018/11/28/diversity-means-disruption/

Sims Bishop, R. (1990). Mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Perspectives: Choosing and Using Books for the Classroom, 6(3). Retrieved from https://scenicregional.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Mirrors-Windows-and-Sliding-Glass-Doors.pdf

Tandem. (n.d.). Mirrors windows doors graphic [image]. Retrieved on October 20, 2024, from https://www.tandembayarea.org/our-programs-2/book-collection/mirrors-windows-doors-graphic/