{"id":38,"date":"2026-06-28T11:33:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-28T18:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/?p=38"},"modified":"2026-06-28T19:42:39","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T02:42:39","slug":"trust-be-curious-transform-and-dont-do-it-alone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/2026\/06\/28\/trust-be-curious-transform-and-dont-do-it-alone\/","title":{"rendered":"Trust. Be Curious. Transform. And Don’t Do it Alone"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In some of the stories Michael <\/a>has shared it\u2019s apparent that some libraries and staff still struggle with viewing users almost as adversaries or challenges. When we find ourselves asking something like \u2018how do we protect the library from users?\u2019 that signifies a fundamentally flawed relationship to our user-base. To break out of that way of thinking we have to (1) understand what it means for the library to belong to its users, and (2) respond with curiosity and compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At least some of the pressure libraries feel comes from trying to do everything, all at once, and trying to do it alone. We live in a society where we view abundance as coming from the top of the social-economic hierarchy and flowing downward. Large companies “create jobs and opportunities” for workers, billionaires engage in philanthropy, charities provide for the \u2018needy\u2019. Therefore we see the library as a provider and therefore — unfortunately — as being above our most vulnerable users. Then we run into issues with trying to pour from an empty cup. That view is false. Workers create value for companies through their labor and it\u2019s the people on the ground that make the biggest difference. Value flows UP<\/strong> in our society regardless of what the CEOs and billionaires say, which means the abundance actually lies at the bottom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we see our users and our community as allies and partners <\/em>we open up new possibilities for both our users and for the library itself. Instead of trying to be <\/em>every solution, be the vehicle for the solutions the community has to offer. Ask people what they need, what would make their lives better. Then ask people what solutions they <\/em>have for the issues their community faces. Bring services to them where they are. Make it easier for them to come to you. Ask them for help <\/em>and partner with groups in the community to expand services. The library doesn’t have to do it all or be the only answer, but it plays an important role in making these things happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I was really moved by the Wash & Learn<\/a> program because not only was it bringing library services and supports to people when it would be convenient for them, it was also run by young volunteers who no doubt gained skills and insights about what their community needs. Libraries belong to users, so they should be tools that help users and communities help themselves<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo by Matt Seymour<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a>
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I think part of the solution displayed here is thinking about users as more <\/strong>than library users. They are also teachers, parents, singers, hosts, designers, and so much more. They are also drivers, eaters, shoppers, and just people who need to do laundry so they have clean clothes to wear next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For my own work, I was really excited to learn about Commons in a Box<\/a> created by CUNY. It is exactly the kind of tool that I\u2019ve been looking for or thinking about building to help communities connect and create together. I have two projects where I would like to try to implement this and I am so excited to learn more about how to create and support communities through platforms like this through experimentation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In some of the stories Michael has shared it\u2019s apparent that some libraries and staff still struggle with viewing users almost as adversaries or challenges. When we find ourselves asking something like \u2018how do we protect the library from users?\u2019 that signifies a fundamentally flawed relationship to our user-base. To break out of that way … Continue reading “Trust. Be Curious. Transform. And Don’t Do it Alone”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":825,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[5,10,4,12],"class_list":["post-38","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-summaries","tag-community-empowerment","tag-humility","tag-participation","tag-partnership"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/825"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":45,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38\/revisions\/45"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/yknode\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}