According to Professor Stephens’ (2022) lecture, he communicates that “hyperlinks are people that can occur in conversations, in learning experiences, in sharing, and in performative pieces in any number of things that might play out in our hyperlinked library model” (0:47-1:01). Libraries are at the heart of one’s community, where their ultimate goal is to connect and educate individuals to equal and equitable library resources and services. And libraries’ roles as book repository and computer lab centers have evolved and gone beyond new forms of engagement where they offer a wide variety of full services that benefit their patrons’ social needs as well as their physical and mental well-being. An exemplary model of this service would be the Community Closet, which is in the basement of the Capital Areas District Libraries (CADL) in Downtown Lansing Library. I found the Community Closet to be fascinating because of the idea of it being open to all members of the community and they can obtain whatever hygiene or personal items they need without being questioned, judged, or obligating to apply for a library card. This led me to explore other CADL featured projects and their partnerships with other organizations such as Fill the Shelves, Food Packs, Micro Food Pantries, and Casual with a Cause. It amazes me to learn that libraries have taken the initiative to “reduce or remove barriers to become better supportive agencies” (Forrest, 2022, p. 64), especially to help those most vulnerable or underserved populations to feel more inclusive.

The Toronto public libraries take it up a notch by partnering with the Personal Care Bank organization to install cabinets around the outside of the facilities’ buildings, which are stocked with basic personal care products that anyone can take as well as donate what they are able to. This project is unique because it eases the minds of community members who have had to make sacrifices and do without these basic essentials, which they now have full access to 24/7. They can secure unused and donated items that would “improve their confidence to manage their own health and well-being” (Greenwood, p.24).

In Wisconsin there are public libraries who are lending a helping hand by presenting extra benefits for people in need such as addressing the homeless crisis and how to improve their state of sustainability. An example is of the Brown County Public Library where they have a program called Community Resource Tuesday, which allows for patrons to meet at an appointed time with social services providers about mental health issues, housing or sheltering information, food insecurities, etc. Their Central Library also contains a hydroponic farm and garden that grows produce and is later made available to all those in need. I also discovered the Fond du Lac Public Library implemented safe spaces and programming in times of harsh and cold weather months, such as the Book Chat program. This program is held on Tuesday mornings near their built-in fireplace. All patrons are welcome to sit by the library’s fireplace to bask in the warmth and indulge in a book, work on their devices, or have a pleasant conversation with another person. Most unhoused patrons usually occupy this space because they find solace in the quiet as well as immerse in their own thoughts or express their interests with others. These kinds of good deeds and contributions epitomize @michael notion of how they are “steeped in humanism, compassion, and understanding should be the cornerstone of what we do, and why we do it, for all members of our communities, including the underserved” (Garcia-Febo, 2018).

References

Brown County Library. (n.d.). Brown County Library. https://www.browncountylibrary.org/

Burman, D. (2023, August 10). Free hygiene products available at some Toronto library branches through the Personal Care Bank. CityNews Toronto. https://toronto.citynews.ca/2023/08/10/free-hygiene-products-toronto-library-branches-the-personal-care-bank/

CityNews. (2023, August 10). Toronto public library teams up with the Personal Care Bank [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/K-XLoPKTrJM?si=0lYdGz_FoVV7Frlj

Fond du Lac Public Library. (n.d.). Fond du Lac Public Library. https://www.fdlpl.org/

Fetalvero, S. (2024). Hyperlinked communities. Canva. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGJk70IeHc/L2Lx2qPxChxPZUDvq5uP8Q/view?utm_content=DAGJk70IeHc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=editor

Forrest, M. (2022). Public libraries and the Social Inclusion of homeless people: A literature review. Pathfinder: A Canadian Journal for Information Science Students and Early Career Professionals, (3)1, 64-80.

Garcia-Febo, L. (2018, November 1). Serving with love: Embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion in all that we do. American Libraries. https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/11/01/serving-with-love/

Greenwood, C. (2022). Healthy library, healthy life. Incite, 43(6), 24.

Stephens, M. (2022). Hyperlinked library master lectures 2022: Hyperlinked communities [Video]. Panopto. https://sjsu-ischool.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=3eacdb23-84fd-49e5-9975-aef3014b3ed2

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. (2023, December 19). How Wisconsin libraries are helping meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. https://dpi.wi.gov/news/dpi-connected/how-wisconsin-libraries-are-helping-meet-needs-people-experiencing-homelessness

Central Issues for Libraries to Re-think their Services to Teens

Everyone needs a space in the library they can call their own, to provide them with a sense of security, as well as sending a strong message that they are welcome into the environment. But sometimes young adult services get the short end of the stick because they are given the insufficient amount of attentiveness or lacks a connection with this demographic of individuals in comparison to children and adult services and programs, which in turn discourages teens to consider stepping into a public library. A survey and interviews administered to 25 teens who attend a technology and urban high school within the United States were asked a series of questions on “how the prevalence of digital technology has influenced their perceptions and use of libraries” (Agosto, Magee, Dickard, & Forte, 2016, p. 248). When it came to inquiring about the reasons for not using their school or public library, the adolescents’ collected data indicated the following:

• 19 or 76% of the teens expressed that “library equal books”
• 13 or 52% of participants felt that their school and public libraries’ resources and collections needed maintenance or reevaluation
• 10 or 40% saw libraries as an ancient ruin or thing of the past
• 6 or 24% of the students perceived libraries as uninviting, especially if they had a previous negative interaction with librarians and/or their staff (Agosto et al., 2016, pp. 257-258).

Although there were students who admitted to finding the library a useful resource due to purposes related to autonomy, socialization, personal preferences, and access to technology. This data was still overshadowed by those who were non-library users.

In addition, their space within a public library setting seems too “’dull’, morgue-like, ‘boring’, and not designated for teens’ needs” (Li, Ha, & Aristeguieta, 2023, p. 54). But the presentation of teen spaces goes beyond the physical capacity of colorful furniture and walls along with a comfortable lounge-seating area. While living in a predominantly technology-driven and social networking universe, Michael Stephens (2010) found that the “Pew Internet & American Life Project reported 85% of teens aged 12-17 engaged in some form of electronic personal communication, which includes text messaging, sending e-mails, or posting comments on social networking sites”. The creation of a virtual library space can bridge the digital and knowledge information gap. No matter the physical and/or virtual spaces, the construction of a young adolescent library workspace must have multipurpose functions, integration of youth participation with the guidance from adult mentors, as well as communicate teen ownership. The examples of Mindspot and Tulare County’s Teen Digital Media Lab will show how “young people’s learning is shaped by technology and collaboration” (Stephens, 2010):

Mindspot the Movie: The Library as a Universe

The traditional library system that was once seen to only house and preserve physical items, such as books and periodicals, is “being transformed by transliteracy and exemplified by library services like Mindspot” (Andretta, 2009, p.12). Transliteracy is a pedagogical method that encompasses “reading, writing, and a range of platforms, tools, and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks” (Libraries & Transliteracy, n.d.). Mindspot is a library project associated with Denmark’s Aarhus Main Library, which is geared toward creative driven-user adolescents and what recreational and educational activities they find relevant and appeals to their interests. As you can see in the video, those involved in the project are made of library professionals known as Mindkeepers who solicited the young people’s feedback as well as documented their experiences and thoughts pertaining to how a library should be constructed and marketed to teens (transformationlab, 2009, 1:25-1:38). This project would not have come alive without the help from the Mindspotters who young library ambassadors are hired to spot trends and ideas that were suitable in the development of the Mindspot project (transformationlab, 2009, 1:39-1:50). This collaborative project also included assistance from external cooperations and young innovators. The Mindspot Universe consists of engagement with the community and outreach (e.g., schoolteachers and youth clubs) using the Spotmobile caravan as well as teens relishing in the unorthodox library space where they can relax, lay down or sit-up, and enjoy snacking and drinking. Teens can also accommodate in a variety of encounters such as musical performances, information searching, gaming, film marathons, etc. Mindspot allows teens to enhance their skills through the exploration of their interests and through the unique attributes of the library.

Tulare County’s Teen Digital Media Lab

Another teen hands-on involvement project that reminisced that of the Mindspot design was when in 2011 Tulare County’s Teen Services Librarian, Faythe Arrendondo, received a $28,000 grant to her department, which she invested in buying MacBook Pros, blogging camera equipment, and iPod touches for young individuals to “tap into their technological creativity” (CSACCounties, 2014, 00:45-1:58). One of the ways these young people were able to become innovative thinkers and creators was when the teen advisory board decided to utilize their new technology by producing a new and improved Summer Reading Program for Teens. Since their previous Summer Reading programs were lackluster or too juvenile, the teens decided to take full advantage and leadership in inventing their own summer reading challenge based off the game Clue. These adolescent individuals were involved in the script writing that pertained to their peers’ characters (not their own). They filmed, edited, and uploaded their videos to the library’s website, so that on a weekly basis the audience could piece together the murder mystery (CSACCounties, 2014, 3:50-4:40). This experience, along with Mindspot, are perfect examples of teen participation in the development and implementation of services and programming regarding their needs and the desires of their adolescent peers. With their participation in the design and improvement of their libraries’ spaces and services, this sends the message that teens are a valuable asset to the librarianship world.

References

Agosto, D.E., Magee, R.M., Dickard, M., & Forte, A. (2016). Teens, technology, and libraries. The Library Quarterly, 86(3), 248-269.

Andretta, S. (2009). Transliteracy: take a walk on the wild side. World Library and Information Congree: 75TH IFLA General Conference and Council, 1-13.

CSACounties. (2014, March 26). Tulare County’s teen digital media lab—2013 [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/TpMfNgY9j4Q?si=pMBJJKxpiWo4tVC7

Fetalvero, S. (2024, June 22). Our reinvented teen spaces & services [Image]. Canva. https://www.canva.com/design/DAGI7Kqyo4o/jh1YSMn668xgAO7wlc0R5g/edit

Li, X., Ha, Y., & Aristeguieta, S. (2023). Teens’ vision of an ideal space: Insights from a small rural public library in the United States. Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, 18(4), 52-67.

Libraries and Transliteracy. (n.d.). What is transliteracy?. WordPress. https://librariesandtransliteracy.wordpress.com/what-is-transliteracy/

Stephens, M. (2010, March 2). The hyperlinked school library: engage, explore, celebrate. Tame the Web. https://tametheweb.com/2010/03/02/the-hyperlinked-school-library-engage-explore-celebrate/

transformationlab. (2009, April 20). Mindspot the movie: The library as a universe [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ixsOLvLSARg?si=cmVCYCZHwWwlacpP

Greetings to all my INFO 287 peers!

I apologize for being late to the party, but glad to be a part of this class and amongst a community of splendid and bright individuals like yourselves. 😊

My name is Samantha Fetalvero. I am in my final year in the SJSU MLIS program. If all goes well and I can keep my head above water, I plan to graduate in the fall of this year. I currently work as a Seasonal Library Aide in the San Joaquin Central Valley, which is where I have been born and raised. At first, I was not sure about working with the public since I am an introvert, but now I feel like the “Energizer Bunny”, and I cannot get enough working at the card and circulation desk. It is one of my favorite clerical duties. I also have a part-time job as a student assistant with San Jose State University iSchool as a Zoom trainer. And this semester I have decided to take three summer courses. It is a bit of a rocky beginning, but I am hoping I will be able to kick it in gear and persevere this summer semester. I have great ambitions of starting in a public library setting (which I am already doing), but as time goes by and I gain more experience and figure out what areas I am most interested in, I would like to move into academic librarianship. Areas that pique my interest right now are cataloging, metadata, Storytime with the children, and collection development.

Once I heard that blogging was part of the criteria for this course, I was ecstatic because I had not had the chance to use WordPress since my initial encounter with it when I began the program in the Spring of 2022. I want to see how I will be able to expand my blogging skills. I was also interested in this course because I am curious to learn from my fellow peers about how their libraries (or libraries they know of) take advantage of their spaces in unique ways that they help serve their communities.

In my spare time, I love reading romance (as you can tell by my photo and please no judging…😊). Whenever I want a break from reading that genre, I sometimes like to check out young adult graphic novels or reading about certain mental health illnesses that are personal and touching to me. If I can find an excellent either graphic novel or nonfiction read through audiobooks, then I will definitely invest with one of my Amazon Audible credits. I think my favorite audiobook read was Invisible by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, especially because of the various Hispanic representations in that book. And I like to find easy dishes to make for myself. Something with not too many ingredients. To relieve stress, I am a fan of working out (e.g., Pilates, strength training, barre, and treadmill). But I am too embarrassed to step in a gym, so all my workouts are conducted at home on almost a daily basis.

Most of my quality time is spent with my three cats, who on occasion cause chaos but I still love them. Once I am done with school though, I plan on learning Spanish and Tagalog as well as try to get in touch with my artistic and craft side. I am thinking along the lines of painting or drawing. And I would love to see a ballet show at some point.

Best of luck to everyone this semester! Let’s finish strong!