I appreciate this post as anger really is the face for all the emotions you feel underneath. There was a chart in my child’s therapists office that has anger at the center of it and then spokes coming off with so many different emotions. I really want my children to be able to name what they are feeling or the emotion they are experiencing. By doing so, one moves their brain activity away from the amygdala to the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain that helps us navigate irrational behavior – like anger.

I first learned about Dokk1 in Info 200, and have been obsessed ever since. This is such a cool use of social media, and I love the humanness of the caption. You just don’t see that everyday, especially on an account that represents such a large organization. I love it.

I’ve had several people ask me the same question when they learn I’m working towards my MLIS- and I wonder what they are thinking. I need a snappy comeback, but I usually just say they aren’t going anywhere.

I really appreciate your focus on how programming is changing and becoming more community focused. I see examples of this in some of my local libraries daily as they plan jigsaw puzzle competitions and teach teens to design and apply henna. Libraries need to reach out and see what their community members want or are interested in, and try to focus more programming on those areas.

Hi Bethany,
When you mentioned examples of animal-based interventions in your post, what were you referring to?
Our library has been hosting kitten adoption events. Held in our meeting room, a local non profit brings in kittens and the public can come in and adopt a kitty. One attendee mentioned they came because the quiet environment is much more suitable to their child’s needs, as the shelters are so loud with all the animals.
We also have a organization that brings in therapy dogs and young readers can read to dogs (who often are sleeping) thereby working on their reading skills with the comfort and ease of an animal who isn’t making eye contact with them.

Hello. This is a test of linking a favorite video of mine without pasting in the URL.

Thanks for this video! I’m glad it works…I’ll have to figure out how to insert the HTML — does it only work if you’re the author of the site? I may stick to pasting in URLs!

I feel like I have heard a lot about Gwinnett County Public Library system through the LIS program. I was wondering if there was any opinions on the reasons why? This is just out of curiousity. Is it because of the huge population they serve and some of the innovative services they offer?

Hello Professor Stephens! I just want to verify the time for this meeting. Will it start at 1PM PST?

@celimiranda Yes! My apologies for missing that. Adding it above and on the chat page. TY!!

@michael Will this be recorded? I work my second job on Sundays – my shift starts when this meeting starts.

Thank you for providing this information!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Dr. Stephens!

An unexpected boon! Thank you very much, Dr Stephens!

Thank you so much!

Ah, thank you so much. I picked up some work shifts and haven’t spent much time with my family in order to study; this will help balance me out!

@acorey @allofbethany @msandoval @valancy Glad to do it!

@irisab Glad to do it. Sent you an email…respond when you have time. 🙂

This is great for the public’s mental health! Someone who was/is in a bad place may need to see this and dream, or at least feel a little bit better.

There was a recent Reddit thread in my community about how unfortunate it is that many open-air seating and meeting options created during the pandemic went away. People liked having streets closed down and spaces made for connection. It’s great to see libraries innovating to create outdoor community areas.

This a great idea! Libraries should be doing everything they can to increase their footprint in the community, as one of the increasingly rare completely free, open resources. I wonder if there are any plans to include any non-traditional library material, a kind of Library of Things. It’d be great if people could zip over to a local library kiosk, instead of running over to the Home Depot or Best Buy, to pick up a tool for some minor housework or a piece of audio equipment for a podcast/stream.

@emtaggart I like the name, “Outpost” It sounds very rugged! This would be fitting, as stories can take you on an adventure! @louis I also like the idea of LOT, like tools, being incorporated into one of these devices. However, I am curious to know how theft would be prevented on any of the more valuable items? Bulletproof/break-proof glass and other materials, like if there was an iPad or very expensive tool? There probably would be a value limit to what was in there.

@emtaggart @Louis @acorey I am thrilled to see this type of innovation as well. I like the idea of the library of Things being available too. Also tech such as cellular hotspots. I think it would be fine to offer some of those things as well.

@michael Agreed! My library has one or two for checkout and I never see them in. It gives the community some more digital equity with having these available. All you need is a photo i.d., for a library card, to check one of these out.