This photo of Dokk1 at night radiates the core feeling of my inspiration report: joy and happiness. Can we reliably replicate such a highly personal quality? What can we learn from the happiest countries on the planet?
The Pursuit of Happiness: What can we learn from global innovations?
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8 thoughts on “Inspiration Report: The Pursuit of Happiness”
Wow! I love this! In brainstorming ideas for my inspiration report I came across public library cabins in Norway. They are kind of like Free Little Libraries but much bigger. I didn’t use these for my report, as I think they probably wouldn’t translate as well in a country with a less robust social safety net. What a great point though that happiness and well-being should be at the center of what we do!
Thank you for mentioning the cabins – I can’t wait to look it up! Best of luck with your SJSU journey and beyond 🙂
Hi, Heather!
I love that you chose happiness to focus on for your Inspiration Report. I found the Public Library Act interesting. I didn’t know that type of Act existed. The Public Library Act highlights how important libraries are to their communities. 24 Hours in a Wellbeing Economy sounds idyllic compared to our working norms here in the US. Great report!
-Jenn
Thank you Jenn, it made me wonder how our libraries would be different with that structure. The wellbeing economy was new to me, something I discovered while researching the project, but it is very similar to how libraries function isn’t it? It was great being in class with you this semester. If you’re ever in Traverse City please feel free to drop in to our library and say hi!
@hharrisbrady You really start off with a bang with the bubble image! It perfectly encapsulates happiness. Using data, examples, and images, you make a strong case for improving our national happiness. I appreciate that you ended on a positive note with ways that American libraries are incorporating happiness. Thank you for your post!
Thank you for checking in! Best of luck with your SJSU MLIS journey 🙂
Hi @hharrisbrady.
Your presentation offers a compelling and well-researched look at how the principles underlying the world’s happiest countries can meaningfully reshape library practice. I especially appreciated how you connected cultural well-being philosophies with concrete tools like the scorecard and staff review framework, showing that happiness isn’t abstract—it can be intentionally built into library systems. Your vision of libraries as catalysts for communal joy and cohesion feels both timely and deeply achievable.
I wish you the best of luck in pursuing your goal of helping to shape professional practices for the next generation of library services. We need more people creating joy and happiness out there.
Warmly,
Bevin
Thank you! Best of luck with your SJSU MLIS library journey 🙂 Heather