@saraschwan I am glad Anythink and the focus on civic civility and connection resonated. I am very hopeful for the future.

@terribeth I think this is a fantastic idea! Things can get very heated, especially around election time, and this could help alleviate that. It is important for people to be able to have open conversation and be respectful, and it’s also super important that our communities stay educated with politics – so that they can stand firmly beside their beliefs and ideas, and feel confident in their choices. This could also help them learn about the power that they have in their communities and where there is opportunity to present change politically.

Hi Terri,

Such a thoughtful post, thanks for sharing! For the past few weeks, we’ve been getting an influx of people coming in with so many election-related questions at my library, with some being outside of the scope of our knowledge. So it would be such a great idea for libraries to provide a space for civic engagement aside from election years!

@terribeth 100% yes! Civility in conversation might lead to empathy in action.

@michael Happy Halloween!!

Here is another witchy song lol: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU35oCHGhJ0

Happy Halloween! 🎃🍬🍭🍫

@crlhayd I’ve never been a huge fan of VR tech, only because it’s made me dizzy and feel kind of a sense of vertigo at times – but when I saw the HoloLens 2, I was like “I wanna try that!” I just think it’s a great work tool, and really great for brainstorming – as it can really make ideas come to life.

@crlhayd The Flipped Classroom has a special place in my heart! It was so apprentices to me in my days of face to face teaching that the time could be better spent on group learning/proijects instead of listening to lectures. I think this is why I was so drawn to SJSU in 2011!

@michael Thank you for sharing this – what a gorgeous, engaging space! My parents recently moved to an Austin suburb and are still trying to settle in to feel at home. I’m going to Austin in December and will definitely check this place out. I think my parents (and my kids) will love it.

@kylehanson I believe that video games can teach many different skills and are important, and it is so sad that these games can not be openly shared. I really hope the Video Game History Foundation is able to help battle this, so that these games can be played and shared again.

@kylehanson thanks for this insightful post about making sure that video games are available. When I was on a speaking tour in Germany, we visited the gaming museum in one of the cities and forgive me. I can’t remember which one where they were actually able to bring up virtual games from arcades in the 80s when I used to play those games. This is the one they showed me:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempest_(video_game)

I was obsessed with that one in 81!

@pfulumirani I absolutely love the title of this post and all you had to say about stories! ❤️ Last paragraph = 🔥

This is such a powerful reflection and testimony! The difference between Indonesia’s actual vs. needed librarians is staggering, you’re right. Also, I agree with Dr. Stephens on your last paragraph.

Wow @pfulumirani,
Thank you for sharing your experience! I had no idea Indonesia is in such dire need of librarians. Your story about making your own book collection or mini library is such a powerful reminder of how important equitable access to the library can be, especially for those not yet in school. I completely agree that visiting the library should never be a privilege, and like you, I hope that one day children everywhere around the globe will have the access and opportunity to explore the stories and knowledge libraries can provide.

@arthurkolat Wowza – the space on your wall was amazing! Thanks for laying out your connections from this inform,ation community and new horizons!

@deniseml I like these ideas. The IFLA link is super interesting. I could see it almost like a AR/VR scavenger hunt in the stacks. Non fiction books could come alive!

Denise,

I love that authors have created playlists to coincide with their books! You could take it even a step further and try to get some students to make their own playlists for some of their favorite books. It would be a chance to let them express themselves through their personal music taste, while also reading and taking part in the library.

I’ve not heard of that radio program- but that is very cool. I can’t imagine only picking 8 songs to listen to forever, because music carries so much memory with it.

I just looked into that program and found I could listen to it here:

This is just cool and if I can get these students into the playlist idea I will use this program to get them thinking.

@claireburke I agree that VR field trips by no means replace physically going on a field trip, but I do feel like they are supplemental. Maybe it wouldn’t replace field trips, but it could be “mini field trips” in between. It would allow users to go to places far away, that they probably wouldn’t be able to experience otherwise. I would have absolutely loved something like this when I was younger!

@claireburke I so agree with you about the plus and the minus of the VR field trip. I would hope that we will find a balance eventually between connecting via VR to some very far away place that it would be impossible to get to for a field trip and having that experience of going to a place with all of its sensory inputs.

@claireburke I agree with what’s been said so far by others, and with what you yourself said about VR fieldtrips! I remember reading about the senses and memory retention when I was studying for the MCAT (when I needed those memory skills the most, RIP). I like the idea of using VR to reach places that would otherwise be out of budget, but to still keep those physcial trips in place where possible. Even going somewhere local as a kid was exciting, so I think a balance could definitely be struck. Great reflection!

Hi Millicent,

I love the concept for the Anythink Nature Library and can’t wait to see what the final result will be once it opens in mid-2026! It’s refreshing to see a library model that actually encourages patrons to engage with nature, especially in a world where digital experiences and sedentary lifestyles tend to dominate. I also LOVE the fact that they included diverse voices, such as those from Indigenous and Native American leaders, in the advisory council!!

Moreover, the positive impact of nature on mental health — whether through active participation like gardening or through a passive activity like hiking — cannot be understated. It would be wonderful to see a lot more libraries adopt similar programs, even on a smaller scale, to give patrons the opportunity to disconnect from their screens and wholeheartedly experience the real world.

@inabookbind The mental health aspects of nature are so important an I appreciate you using that framework for this post highlighting the Nature Library from Anythink and other nature-focused initiatives. Forest-bathing etc FTW!

@inabookbind Thank you for highlighting how important nature is to well-being. It reminds me of an article that identifies three main trends in recent library design, one of which is “The library as a highly sustainable green building that integrates nature and greenery in form of roof gardens or green spaces in a courtyard” (p. 239). Hooray for “greening the library”!

Article is here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1N_VXFV7ELCk39e5IvvrEOyBGYdDUYYwm/view?usp=sharing