The public library’s mission has changed from a simple repository to a community center, where learning experiences, cultural resources, creative making, and community interaction take place.
Public libraries in Memphis, Tennessee could not be more perfect examples of how public libraries are more than simple repositories and are instead vibrant community centers. In his 2021 article “How Memphis Created the Nation’s Most Innovated Public Library”, Richard Grant writes about the changes that Memphis Public Library director Keenon McCloy made when she took on the position. One of the most impactful changes was the addition of their Cloud901 teenage learning facility that has a state-of-the-art recording studio, robotics lab, and video lab. These are things I never could have imagined a library having when I was growing up. Creating Cloud901 has provided a space for teenagers to brainstorm, create, or just hang out. They have helped cultivate a hyperlinked environment specifically for teenagers, who can be often forgotten or ignored in our communities.
First and second floor outlines of Cloud901 in Memphis, Tennesse
What I found most impactful, however, is that the city of Memphis chose to invest in their public libraries during a time when public library budgets all over the country were being slashed (Grant, 2021). It is absolutely heartwarming to see that cities are investing in public libraries and therefore their own communities. And these investments are not just happening in big cities. Take the public library I work for as an example, which is located in a small town in Colorado of less that 6,000 people: the town provided funding to buy two properties behind the library to expand it because they know that it is an investment for their community. With these new properties, they are hoping to expand the children’s and teen’s spaces and perhaps add a special tween space. I think that, even though the federal government has made a statement to museums and libraries that they are not a priority to them (as seen through the March 14th Executive Order Continuing the Reduction of the Federal Bureaucracy), communities big and small are or have already been investing in public libraries because they know that it is a community hub and not just a repository of books and other digital media. I’m excited to continue seeing how different communities create or expand hyperlinked environments in their public libraries!
References
Exec. Order. No. 14,238, 90 F.R. 13043 (2025). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2025-03-20/pdf/2025-04868.pdf
Grant, R. (2021, November). How Memphis created the nation’s most innovative public library. Smithsonian magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/memphis-created-nations-innovative-public-library-180978844/?fbclid=IwAR1KhgGc_cXHfCduhqGtJ1Wi5Y2jRho1yW1Q62QjCNC5o2Qs9eLeGnzqqIM
Memphis Public Libraries. (n.d.). Cloud901 features. https://www.memphislibrary.org/cloud901/features/
Memphis Public Libraries. (n.d.). Cloud901 teen learning lab. https://www.memphislibrary.org/cloud901/
Theeuwes, J. T. (2024, May 22). How public libraries are building community. Gensler. https://www.gensler.com/blog/how-public-libraries-are-building-community
P.S. What I have loved the last few weeks of this course is that I always leave at least one reading when a sense of renewed hope, which I very much need during these trying times.
Hey, Esperanza!
This was a great post. I agree, the Memphis Library is something to be amazed by, not just for how it looks or operates, but also for how it integrates the community and strives for inclusivity. I also agree that it was astonishing that the city of Memphis chose to increase funding for the library, especially in a time of uncertainty for the profession. There really is much to be learned from here.
@eestradalopez I’m really glad you did a deep dive on cloud 901. However, I wanna drop all the way down to your PS.
It makes me happy that some of the readings have given you a sense of hope. There’s not a lot of hope going around right now in many places, and I totally understand how it can be a struggle, especially as you were preparing to join a profession that some folks have looked askance at. I really believe the way forward is focusing on hope and bringing joy to people’s lives and offering access to technology, reliable information, and resources.