Hi Cassie,
I was thinking about the heat and cold from walls of windows as well. I love to have open windows that let in light but direct sunlight could make rooms uncomfortably hot and the reverse in winter time, the lack of insulation could make the rooms cooler than necessary. I also wonder about what damage direct sunlight could do to a library’s collection.
Like you I think a lot about form versus function. Bad user design for the sake of aesthetic really annoys me. For example there is a nice park just outside my neighborhood that has no sidewalks to reach it from the neighborhood.

Cassie – I agree with your thought about balancing services for all – housed and unhoused etc. This bit from Agresta resonates:

However, public libraries have long served a progressive, interventionist agenda, putting knowledge directly into the hands of the poor, the immigrant, and those historically excluded from certain educational institutions. If no better resources can be cobbled together, isn’t it against the spirit of the library to turn away a person in need? It remains to be seen how this commitment will affect middle-class willingness to fund public libraries.

Written in 2014 it’s very interesting to think what it looks like now in 2024 as libraries moved toward a more wholistic and human services (many times with partnerships or social workers on staff) approach.

Great blog. Your post made me also consider potential challenges or limitations of these new technologies and services. For example, it made me think about what some potential drawbacks to having wifi-enabled benches or cell phone lending would be.

Cassie, I appreciated your consideration of how the 1-hour limit on your library computers seems to stand in opposition to other libraries embracing a faster pace of technology innovation. It reminds me of my own library, which turns off building wi-fi after closing so that people are not encouraged to “loiter” around the library. In our case, I think the policy is oriented around a safety perspective. I imagine your library’s policy is about equalizing use, so that everyone has a chance to hop on the computers. But, in both cases, it feels like the policies are a bit rigid and go against a broader spirit of making the library a welcoming, safe place for folks to hang out.

@grimaries The cell phone lending programs are so amazing to me. I love the idea of getting such a ubiquitous device into the heads of folks who need them for various access and life needs.

After taking teen services last fall, I really appreciated reading your post and how hyperlinked communities impact this age group in particular. You made me think what you meant by fight for compassion” as a driving force behind library services, and how I see compassion manifesting in my work as a librarian.

Thank you for this reflection! It was timely for me to read. I brought my teen into our local library’s teen space for the first time last week, and she ultimately felt uncomfortable there even though we were so excited to visit. I’ve been reflecting on it since. There were many “right ingredients” in the space, but something wasn’t clicking overall. It was SO quiet. No one spoke to her, but they watched her. She’s shy about her reading choices (so the quiet + watching her was eeek). It was a challenge to browse by genre. We will work on articulating the experience so we can share feedback so they’re aware of some of the feelings and fears teens may have while browsing.

@grimaries I totally agree that listening is a key component of how we make change. I also appreciate your focus on listening to staff as well and that’s something that Michael Casey and I really tried to promote in all the writing we did back in the day.

Hi Cassie,
This is a great visual. You are definitely talented. My husband is a huge horror fan, too. His tastes run toward the 1980’s but I will recommend those titles to him.

Sorry if this is an obtuse question but I ask because they are so cute. Did you draw/design the creatures or were the open source?
Have a great week,
Carly

Hi Cassie,

Love seeing your blog as an infographic style. Canva is a great tool! If you haven’t already, especially if you have a free Canva account, you may want to check out Adobe Express, as we have paid accounts through SJSU. It’s a very similar interface to Canva.

The D&D program sounds amazing. It’s always nice to be able to bring your personal passions to library work. What age group is the program aimed for?

@grimaries I love that you mention the human aspect of the profession., That is what this class is all about!

Welcome to #hyperlib!

Love the infographic you made in Canva! I really need to play around with that more.