The Hyperlinked Bookworm

Community is at the heart and soul of library work. Many of the readings from Module 5 Hyperlinked Communities emphasized the importance of reaching all members of the diverse communities libraries serve, and providing adequate access to meet their different needs. 

I really enjoyed the reading in the Hyperlinked Communities module by Jessica Klinker about the healing power of books. In her blog post, she highlights the importance of books for showcasing diverse perspectives and experiences, as well as providing different formats of books so all patrons can access them (Klinker, 2020). Klinker poses an important question: how do we reach the people who aren’t already reading? As I mentioned in my Assignment X post on the Four Space Model, the library is so much more than books. However, I also agree with Klinker’s take that books can serve as both mirrors and lenses: a way to see oneself reflected in a story, and also a way to gain new perspectives and see the world from others’ points of view. As a bookworm myself who finds comfort and solace while reading a good book, I want to ensure that libraries provide all patrons with access to books. Klinker describes various formats of books (audiobooks, e-books, large print, different languages) that help expand access to books for different types of readers. At the library I work at I learned about another format, VOX books, which are children’s books with attached audio narration of the stories.

Many of the other resources in the module express similar ideas of centering diversity and accessibility in library spaces. For example, the Multnomah County Library evaluated the diversity within their staff and made changes so that it better reflected their community (American Library Association, 2019). One comment in the video that stood out to me was the positive reaction from patrons and that it created a more welcoming environment. Furthermore, I think back to a previous module in the course that discussed self-service libraries that extended the hours of public access availability (Zulkey, 2019). This is another form of increasing library accessibility for users who may want to use the library outside of typical hours.

 Creating inclusive, accessible library spaces and services is central to my library practice philosophy. This module has helped me to contextualize the diverse needs of library community members and ways in which libraries can meet these needs. When making changes to libraries, I plan to keep this perspective in mind and work to overcome possible barriers to access. 

To end this reflection blog, I want to share a quote that really resonated with me about library accessibility:  

“One book does not fit all–there isn’t one magical book, or even canon, that will speak to every reader. The answer is access and choice” (Klinker, 2020).

 

References:

American Library Association. (2019, June 17). Multnomah County Library: Creating conditions for equity to flourish [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKGlxh-zc0Y  

Klinker, J. (2020, July 24). The healing power of books: Using reading to address social and emotional needs. Gale Blog. https://blog.gale.com/the-healing-power-of-books/

Zulkey, C. (2019, September 3). Automatic for the people. American Libraries Magazine. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2019/09/03/automatic-people-self-service-libraries/

 

The core concepts of the Hyperlinked Library include participation and fostering human connections, and the early modules in this course emphasize collaboration between libraries and their communities to provide meaningful library services. One model that provides a lens to examine the types of services libraries can provide is the four-space model developed by Danish researchers Dorte Skot-Hansen, Casper Hvenegaard Rasmussen, and Henrik Jochumsen. These researchers have shared their model at library conferences all over the world, influencing library visions such as that of the DOKK1 library in Denmark, and encouraging collaboration with other disciplines such as architecture and urban planning (University of Copenhagen, 2017). I was intrigued after reading the impact case of this model in Module 3 and wanted to explore it further in Assignment X.

What is the four-space model?

The model provides a framework to support the goals of the library, which the researchers identified as: experience, involvement, empowerment, and innovation (Jochumsen et al., 2017, p. 40). To achieve these goals, the library has four different spaces:

Inspiration Space: 
This space is for meaningful experiences that transform perceptions. Examples of such a space include the art gallery in my nearby library showcasing inspiring works of art from local artists and the DOK Delft library’s Heritage Browser allowing its users to share photographs and stories.

Learning Space:
This space provides a place for exploration and discovery, allowing for people to expand their knowledge through access to information. Examples of learning spaces in the library that come to my mind are Project Read, an adult literacy learning program, and library children’s play areas that offer children opportunities to learn in interactive play environments. 

Meeting Space:
This space is where people can come together and interact with one another through both accidental meetings and planned meetups. Library meeting spaces provide a safe space where people from diverse cultural backgrounds can meet and engage with one another. For this, I think of patrons at my local library who have become friends and converse with each other when they both visit the library, as well as students who use the library meeting rooms for study groups.

Performative Space:
This space offers users the ability to create and innovate. What first comes to mind as an example of performative spaces in the library is makerspaces. At my local library, the makerspace provides equipment such as 3D-printers, sewing machines, Cricut machines, and more tools for patrons to bring to life their imagination and creativity. As shared previously on this course website, the UCF Hitt Maker Podcast Studio allows its users to create their own podcasts. 

One initial curiosity I had was whether this Danish model could be applied to US public library systems in the same way. The impact case answers this as the researchers developed the model based on visiting libraries and interviewing library managers across multiple countries, including Denmark, Norway, and the United States, before synthesizing what they found.

As a bookworm myself, I love borrowing books from the library and am grateful for the book repositories that exist in libraries. As a future library professional, however, I want to go beyond book collections in my library practice. To me, the four-space model is a way to view library services and evaluate what they bring to community members. With these spaces, libraries can connect communities in ways that inspire, empower, and encourage innovation and experience. I plan to incorporate these guiding principles into my own library values.   

 

References:

Jochumsen, H., Skot-Hansen, D., & Hvenegaard Rasmussen, C. (2017). The four spaces of the public library. In D. Baker & W. Evans (Eds.), The end of wisdom? The future of libraries in a digital age (pp. 39–44). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100142-4.00002-6 

University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Humanities (2017, August). Library development: From collection to connection. In Impact of humanities research: 24 case studies. https://287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/4-Spaces-Model-from-Univ-Copoenhagen.pdf

 

Hi Everyone!

My name is Amanda and I am starting my third semester of the MLIS program at SJSU. 

I am interested in both public and academic librarianship and hopefully will gain more insight into what career path I want to pursue as I continue on in the program. When I initially applied to the program, I was especially curious about cataloging and data organization. This summer, I have the opportunity to complete a cataloging internship and can’t wait to gain hands-on experience in this field.

The title of this course intrigued me and I’m excited to explore the concept of the hyperlinked library this semester. The idea of a participatory service model and focusing on user-centered library services aligns with my own philosophy. I’m looking forward to a semester of learning how emerging technology and trends can be utilized in library spaces to create communities and support human connections. This blog site will show my journey as I explore these topics and gain a better understanding of what the hyperlinked library entails!

To live up to the blog name, I’ll end this post by sharing some of my favorite recent reads: Homeseeking by Karissa Chen, All Systems Red by Martha Wells, Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng by Kylie Lee Baker, The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo, and The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson.