I get up, get dressed, eat breakfast before heading out into my shop. As I stretch and look around, I wonder, do I need a table saw? I visit a friend and take a seat in their gourmet kitchen. As we chat over a fine wine, we ask, do they need a meat clever? I… Continue reading Does a Library Need Books, and Other Silly Questions
In 2010 I spent over half the year in East St. Louis helping to develop a set of grant proposals requesting a bit over $32 million in federal stimulus funds. Little did I know this would be my capstone project as changing funding priorities increasingly pulled me away from a community I had come to… Continue reading A tinkerer, a traditionalist, and a change agent walk into a library one day…
In my last post I introduced the engaged public library as a defining transition underway across our country. Rather than a specific end-product, the engaged library is a user-driven, ongoing process of co-created and co-delivered services. Thus, while some aspects may remain core to many public libraries, ultimately every public library will look as unique as it’s community… Continue reading Public Libraries Exemplifying Various Trends
I have been a board of trustee for the Champaign Public Library since November, 2014 and am chair of the newly created Visioning 2020 committee. I accepted the appointment because I am excited by what I see as the opportunities for libraries moving forward, and want to make sure Champaign Public Library continues to evolve… Continue reading Public Libraries: The engaged library
This past year, the Ferguson Public Library provided a strong example of the value of a library, especially in times of community struggle. During the Q&A portion of his presentation as part of the Information City CU lecture series, Scott Bonner, library director, mentioned that his leadership choices in Ferguson arose from the philosophy of ethics… Continue reading Community Engagement Bibliography
