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Note: From Central Library [photograph of the Central Library building in Multnomah County], n.d., Multnomah County Library. https://multcolib.org/hours-and-locations/central-library

One of the resources included in this week’s module that I enjoyed was the video created by the Multnomah County Library titled: “Creating conditions for equity to flourish.” The video began with an acknowledgement by the director of libraries of the Multnomah County Library system, Bailey Oehlke, that Portland Oregon is one of the whitest cities in America, and has had a history of excluding many people based on racial and ethnic differences. I believe before any library can establish hyperlinked communities they need to acknowledge the historical barriers to entry that many of their patrons have had to face when accessing library resources. 

An important step the Multnomah County Library System took was to hire Sonja Ervin as their Equity and Inclusion manager. A powerful statement she made was, “we very often hear we need to diversify which in my opinion is the worst thing we can do” (American Library Association, 2019). Her justification was that when you bring diverse people into an organization and system that is not inclusive or equitable you run the risk of having unhappy staff and people quitting. One way they have combated this is by allowing staff members to establish internal groups like the Black Cultural Library Advocates (BCLA) which creates a space for patrons and staff to do outreach and programming together. They also established the “We Speak Your Language” team where they hired over 80 bilingual staff members to better serve their immigrant and refugee communities across all their library locations. As their director of Neighborhood Libraries, Rita Jimenez, expressed, this team was not only an asset to the library through their passions, skills, and knowledge but also for their commitment to serving their communities (American Library Association, 2019). Being the son of immigrant parents and being bilingual, I would really be interested in working with a team like this or establishing these types of resources in the institutions I work with in the future. 

References:

American Library Association (2019, June 17). Multnomah County Library: Creating conditions for equity to flourish. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKGlxh-zc0Y&t=352s

Note: From A Vibrant and Light-Filled Library Recalls the Shape of an Open Book (photography of the Valley-Hi North Laguna Library in Sacramento, CA), Archello. https://archello.com/project/valley-hi-north-laguna-library

The photograph I included in this post is of one of my favorite public libraries in my area. I remember when it was being built because the community college I was attending at the time was across the street from the building. The first time I walked into the library, I was shocked at how beautiful and open the building was. It had dedicated sections for children, teens, a computer lab for adults, and even private study rooms. It also had a front lounge area with seats and tables where one could eat a snack and/or lunch, and clean public restrooms accessible near-by. I did not realize it at the time, but many of the services, amenities, and resources offered by the library were in line with the characteristics of a transparent library. This is why for this post I wanted to explore the topic of transparent libraries and the positive impact they have on their patrons, library staff, and the community as a whole. 

What is a transparent library? Is it a building with see-through walls? Perhaps, but joking aside, a transparent library is a user-centered institution that not only builds trust with all its patrons, but actively involves them in the programs, services, and resources it offers them. A transparent library is made up of 3 key elements: open communication, adapting to change, and scanning the horizon (Casey & Stephens, 2014). 

Open communication is essential for transparent libraries because it establishes internal and external lines of communication between patrons, library staff, and the broader community. Having open lines of communication between patrons and library staff allows libraries to connect with patrons on a deeper, more interactive level, and receive helpful feedback about what library services are needed and/or not working.  For example, say a library hosts weekly storytimes for children at the library for families with young children, they may want to create and give out surveys (in-person or via text/email) to the parents about whether their children enjoy the program and/or if they have any suggestions about books that could be included in the next story time. Other tools library staff could use  to connect and engage with patrons could be blogs, wikis, community open houses, and outreach events (Casey & Stephens, 2014). 

Another aspect of transparent libraries is their ability to adapt to change. When libraries are structured for constant and purposeful change it reduces the negative impact that change has on both the staff and patrons (Casey & Stephens, 2014). For example, if a library knows that the local middle/high school is going to resume attendance in a month, library staff could start planning and/or brainstorming ideas on how they can promote books, services, and/or programs that are enjoyable for teens. Often public libraries are reluctant to engage with teenagers because they equate them with rowdy behavior that impedes other patrons from accessing library resources. Instead of rejecting them, libraries need to understand that teens need to talk and socialize, and that carving out a space for them in the library is a great way to show them that they are a valued part of the library community (Casey & Stephens, 2008). They can also employ dedicated teen librarians or youth specialists on their team, establish protocols for inappropriate behavior, and hire security guards if needed (Casey & Stephens, 2008). 

Lastly, transparent libraries need to scan the horizon or recognize trends that can lead to innovation and improvement (Casey & Stephens, 2014). A common trend is that more and more people are seeking human connections online via social media platforms, online gaming, and streaming media sites. Libraries need to recognize the importance of integrating social mechanisms into their catalogs and creating programs and services that are engaging, fun, and relevant to their patrons (Casey & Stephens, 2014). A way they could do this is to train and/or hire designated staff to create social media pages that not only promote library programs and services to patrons, but also provide a way for patrons to connect with their local libraries in a more interactive way. Libraries should keep patrons in mind before implementing any new programs or services, and always remember that without trust it is impossible to connect to patrons in any meaningful way (Schmidt, 2013). 

References:

Casey, M., & Michael Stephens (2008). Advocacy/Engaging Library Users: Embracing service to teens. TTW | Tame the Web. https://tametheweb.com/2008/05/15/embracing-service-to-teens/

Casey, M., & M. Stephens (2014). The Transparent Library. Library Journal. https://tametheweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/TheTransparentLibrary2.pdf 

Schmidt, A. (2013). The User Experience: Earning trust. Library Journal. https://287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SchmidtEarningTrust.pdf

Hi everyone, I hope the semester is treating you all well so far. For my first post I created an infographic on Canva to introduce myself. Enjoy 😉