Innovation Strategy & Roadmap: Democracy Lab

Although we have shockingly poor literacy levels in our state, as we look toward 2026 I can think of no bigger concern than the pending election year and 250 anniversary. This combination of factors sets up conditions for a perfect storm of misinformation and disinformation, which could have permanent ramifications for not only libraries but the structure of the entire country. As noted in the studies cited below, civics knowledge is already tenuous.

Democracy Lab

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To take this situation and turn it into a positive, I’m proposing an interactive Democracy Lab. Visitors will be able to explore foundational and key concepts related to our democracy and its history through an array of both passive and active programming. We will have a thematic package each quarter, and a new module each month, to encourage repeat visitors.

References

Babits, C. (2023). Fun and different course: How gamification transformed an online U.s. history survey. Teaching History, 48(1), 64–75.

New Study Finds Alarming Lack of Civic Literacy Among Americans. (2024, February 12). U.S. Chamber of Commerce. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/civics/new-study-finds-alarming-lack-of-civic-literacy-among-americans

The State of Civics Education in the General Populace. (n.d.). Retrieved September 30, 2025, from https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/election_law/american-democracy/our-work/state-civics-education-general-populace/

Tripodi, F. B., Stevenson, J. A., Slama, R., & Reich, J. (2023). Libraries Combating Disinformation: From the Front Line to the Long Game. The Library Quarterly, 93(1), 48–71.

When & Why Did America Stop Teaching Civics. (2024, September 20). Sandra Day O’Connor Institute. https://oconnorinstitute.org/research2024/

Winthrop, R. (2020, June 4). The need for civic education in 21st-century schools. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-need-for-civic-education-in-21st-century-schools/

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