The institution of the library is an embodiment of Madison’s statement. It provides free access to books and other forms of information that citizens can use to better themselves, and thereby, society. The public can use the knowledge found within a library to guide decisions made during self-government. Instead of a king making decisions, Madison saw a wise, educated public guiding America.

It has been said that the library is the poor man’s university. For a library, just like a university, is a promoter of knowledge. If one wanted, and had the will, one could obtain the same knowledge gleaned in a university by studying the stacks. Granted, a diploma does not accompany such endeavors, but knowledge will have been gained, nonetheless. It is this principle that Andrew Carnegie promoted: the idea that knowledge should be free to all. Andrew Carnegie’s ideals helped to form the modern public library into what it is today.¹

Today’s public libraries are incorporating advances to technology into their paradigms, making computers, e-readers, 3D printing, internet access, laser cutters, and much more available to the public. The public library has evolved beyond a bastion of democratic sustenance to include remedies to social justice issues. The services that modern public libraries provide not only encompass the distribution of knowledge that Madison imagined, but access to services and programs that fill the void in many urban and rural communities. Not all families are able to afford access to the internet. This is an especially prevalent issue in rural communities where internet can be scarce.

With the importance of libraries for a successfully functioning democracy plain to see, why then is the IMLS being threatened once again? For those that do not know, the Institute of Museum and Library Services provides federal assistance to America’s public libraries. The current administration tried in the 2018 budget to dismantle the IMLS, but Congress, thankfully, rejected the proposal.² The White House is attempting again in the 2019 budget to dismantle the IMLS and thereby defund beneficial IMLS-funded programs. The IMLS is only 0.006 percent of the federal budget but does so much for public libraries and for the strengthening of democratic society. ³ To see a full listing of IMLS grant funded programs, visit the IMLS grant search database. https://www.imls.gov/grants/awarded-grants

We will have to wait and see how Congress votes for the 2019 budget. But, in the meantime, let’s do our part to encourage our representatives in Congress to support the IMLS, and to remind them of the importance of public libraries in a society.

References

[i] https://www.thenation.com/article/libraries-are-a-space-where-everyone-belongs/

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Ibid.

The post Libraries Are For Everyone first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

One of those libraries is the Mansfield/Richland County Public Library, halfway between Columbus and Cleveland, in Ohio. Anticipating that people may find this new service a little odd, the library staff prepared an FAQ section on its site to explain it. The library FAQ asks “How does lending bikes fit within the mission of the library?,” and responds “The answer to this question lies in Access. The Library’s goal is to level the playing field for our customers, offering FREE access to materials … they may not be able to purchase for themselves. In our opinion, the next evolution of libraries is, in part, offering access to health and wellness information, health education or health and wellness training and tools.”[1]

This new type of library collection requires new forms of community partnerships. In Mansfield, the library partnered with Richland Public Health and Richland Moves to create the collection. In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, a local health network, the city government, a bike shop, and active transportation enthusiasts all got together with the library to create the collection. At the Portneuf District Library in Chubbuck, Idaho, East Fork Bikes, a local bike shop, was a primary partner. In Barberton, Ohio, the library checks out bicycles through its participation in a regional bike share program.[2]

Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, director of innovation and user experience at the Kent District Library (KDL) in Central Michigan said, “A ‘bike culture’ is growing in the county and offering circulating bikes to KDL patrons supports this great effort and brings awareness to biking whether it’s for fitness or enjoyment …. It’s been fun to talk about this new service with our community partners. Their eyes light up and they get excited. It’s one more thing for them to fall in love with at KDL.”[3]

Want to get started building your own circulating bike collection? A number of resources already exist! Camrose Public Library in Alberta, Canada, makes its bike borrowing agreement available online, so you can see what goes into checking them out.[4] Mansfield Public Library also makes its borrowing agreement available online. They also have bike safety guidelines available to patrons.[5]

Josh Berk, executive director of the Bethlehem Area Public Library in Pennsylvania, rides one of his library’s bicylces at the ribbon cutting of Bike Bethlehem. Photo Courtesy of Bethlehem Area Public Library.

Librarians have also prepared instructional materials for other librarians interested in expanding their collections to include bicycles. James Hill from the Athens County Public Libraries in southeast Ohio wrote a chapter on how to increase “physical activity with a library card” by checking out bicycles. His library has been circulating bicycles since May 2013.[6] Josh Berk, the executive director of Bethlehem Area Public Library in Pennsylvania, shared his experiences lending bikes in a free webinar held in Fall 2017.[7]

Public libraries aren’t the only libraries checking out bicycles. Roanoke College Library in Virginia checks out bicycles, as does the University of Georgia Libraries and Keene State College in New Hampshire, and many of college libraries in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.[8]

Not sure if you’re ready yet to start checking out bicycles? There are plenty of other things you can do to support bicycling! For instance, you could join libraries like Mesa Public Library in Arizona that check out bike locks for patrons who bike to the library but forget a lock.[9] Or you could do what Oakland Public Library does, and check out bicycle tools at the library.[10] Or you could copy Berkeley Public Library, and put up a 24/7 Bike Fix-It station outside your library.[11]

Join the conversation on bicycling and libraries! At the 2018 meeting of the Public Library Association there will be a whole session on how bicycles and public libraries can come together.[12] The organizers are part of a group on Facebook called “Biking Librarians” that exists as a forum for librarians interested in “incorporating bicycling into their outreach services and programming schedules.”[13]

North American public libraries that check out bicycles (Are we missing you? Add your information in the comments below!)

1. Athens County Public Libraries (Ohio) – Book-A-Bike – https://www.myacpl.org/about/bikes/
2. Avon Lake Public Library (Ohio) – Borrow a Bike – http://www.morningjournal.com/article/MJ/20170905/NEWS/170909765
3. Barberton Public Library (Ohio) – Bike Share Program – https://www.ohio.com/akron/writers/barberton-residents-and-visitors-can-borrow-bikes
4. Bethlethem Area Public Library (Pennsylvania) – Bike Bethlehem – http://www.bikebethlehem.org/
5. Camrose Public Library (Alberta) – Bike Borrowing – http://cpl.prl.ab.ca/about-us/policies
6. Centerburg Public Library (Ohio) – Bike borrowing program – http://mountvernonnews.com/article/2017/02/24/borrow-a-bicycle-from-the-centerburg-library-this-year/
7. Dallas County Library Association – Book-A-Bike – http://www.theperrychief.com/news/20170713/book-bike-program-offers-day-long-access-to-bicycles-at-perry-public-library
8. Fitchburg Public Library (Massachusetts) – Bicycle collection – http://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/news/ci_31023460/you-may-be-able-borrow-bike-at-fitchburg
9. Georgetown Public Library (Texas) – Bicycle Checkout – https://library.georgetown.org/bicycles-are-available-for-checkout-at-the-library/
10. Kent District Library (Michigan) – KDL Cruisers – https://www.kdl.org/take-spin-kdl-cruiser
11. Mansfield/Richland County Public Library (Ohio) – Check out a bike – https://www.mrcpl.org/whats-new/bike-lending-program/check-out-a-bike
12. Meigs County District Public Library (Ohio) – Book a Bike – https://www.meigslibrary.org/node/639
13. Meridian Library District (Idaho) – Book-A-Bike https://www.mld.org/book-a-bike
14. Montgomery County Public Libraries (Pennsylvania) – Bike Share Program – http://www.ptma-mc.org/programs/free-bike-share-program/
15. Portneuf District Library (Idaho) – Circulating bicycle collection – http://www.portneuflibrary.org/unique-collections.html
16. Sierra Vista Public Library (Arizona) – Borrow-A-Bike – http://www.sierravistaaz.gov/city-departments/library/borrow-a-bike/
17. Stark County District Library (Ohio) – BikeSmart – https://starklibrary.org/home/services/bikesmart/
18. Winter Park Public Library (Florida) – Checkout Bikes – http://archive.wppl.org/info/checkout-bikes.html
19. Grand Rapids Area Library (Minnesota) – Community Bike Share – https://www.getfititasca.org/non-motorized-transportation

References

[1] Mansfield/Richland County Public Library. 2018. Bike Lending Program Survey Results & FAQs. https://www.mrcpl.org/whats-new/bike-lending-program/bike-lending-survey-results-summary-and-faqs.

[2] Paula Schleis. 2017, May 23. Barberton residents and visitors can borrow bikes. https://www.ohio.com/akron/writers/barberton-residents-and-visitors-can-borrow-bikes.

[3] Kent District Library. 2018. Take a Spin with a KDL Cruiser. https://www.kdl.org/take-spin-kdl-cruiser.

[4] Camrose Public Library. Undated. Bike Borrowing Agreement. http://cpl.prl.ab.ca/about-us/policies/bike-borrowing-agreement.

[5] Mansfiled/Richland County Public Library. 2018. Check out a bike! https://www.mrcpl.org/whats-new/bike-lending-program/check-out-a-bike.

[6] James Hill. 2017. Book-a-Bike: Increasing Access to Physical Activity with a Library Card. In Audio Recorders to Zucchini Seeds: Building a Library of Things. Santa Barbara: Libraries Unlimited. http://www.letsmovelibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Book-A-Bike-Chapter.pdf.

[7] Josh Berk. 2017. Bike Bethlehem! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qE06Rsl5WI&feature=youtu.be&t=4m58s.

[8] https://www.roanoke.edu/inside/a-z_index/sustainability/rcycles_bicycle_sharing_program / https://sustainability.uga.edu/operations/transportation/bulldogbikes/ / http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/borrow-a-book-borrow-a-bike-a-library-linked-bike/article_d5fec2a6-af9a-52a9-8ccf-b7fa0c3dba70.html  / http://startthecycle.ca/partner-locations.php

[9] Mesa Public Library. 2018. Stuffbrary. http://www.mesalibrary.org/find/stuffbrary.

[10] Hard Knox Bikes. 2017. Need to borrow a bike tool?! https://hardknoxbikes.com/2017/06/20/need-to-borrow-a-bike-tool/.

[11] Berkeley Public Library. 2014. Tool Lending Library. https://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/locations/tool-lending-library.

[12] PLA 2018. 2018. Libraries Taking the Lane: Using Bikes to Connect Communities. http://www.placonference.org/program/libraries-taking-the-lane-using-bikes-to-connect-communities/.

[13] Biking Librarians. 2018. Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/bikinglibrarians/.

The post Bike Check-Out: Coming Soon to a Library Near You? first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Unsurprisingly, both librarians discussed the prevalence of downloading and streaming collections, such as Overdrive and Hoopla. Many users, they stated, rely solely on digital borrowing without ever physically visiting the library. Listeners called into the show excitedly touting these services and praising their ease for those with an on-the-go lifestyle.

During this conversation, Dunn indicated she was unaware libraries offered this service. Once aware of it, her reaction was positive. This response does not particularly surprise me, as many members of our community are unaware of our e-offerings, despite my library’s marketing efforts.

Another takeaway was that while circulation of physical items may be dropping, more people are visiting the library for programs. The importance of family library programs was discussed, as well as the role of the library as a community center. Foot traffic for these types of events and resources is higher than ever in many public libraries, and both Kiley and Krieg-Sigman spoke about their significance.

This episode mirrored many other discussions I have been seeing in the library industry over the last few years. Library users generally have a positive view of what we offer and like that we are more than just a traditional repository for books. This drives home the importance of thinking outside the box and offering more untraditional services. Digital lending and increased programming are just the first step of this, but both are excellent examples of learning and responding to our patrons’ needs.

Additionally, this episode drives home the importance of marketing our services. Dunn clearly possesses a love for libraries but still did not know about our digital initiatives. As such, it is likely that many members of our communities who do not frequent public libraries are also unaware. This is certainly something to keep in mind as we evaluate our offerings.

Have you noticed similar trends in your library? How relevant do you feel to your community? Share your thoughts in the comments!

References

[1] “How Relevant Is Your Public Library to You?” Interview. October 25, 2016. Accessed November 28, 2016. http://www.wpr.org/how-relevant-your-public-library-you.

The post Public Libraries: How Relevant Are They? first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The clickbait headline the New York Times used was “Why Libraries Are Everywhere in the Czech Republic.”

A normal person wouldn’t find that to be clickbait and would simply say to themselves, “Probably because of some law passed in the early 1900s soon after Czechoslovakia emerged as an independent country.” And then they would move right along in the Internet to see if anyone has come up with a new potato chip flavor.

But we in the library community are not normal people. You, especially, seem pretty odd to me. I mean that in a good way. And when we read “Why Libraries Are Everywhere in the Czech Republic,” our hearts start racing. Our eyes bulge alarmingly from our sockets. We tremble. We are excited! Because we hold in our hearts a secret dream, a vision that we dare not name. We know it’s mad. We don’t speak of it even among ourselves, sometimes not even to ourselves. Actually, this would make a really good clickbait title for this article: “The Secret Dream all Library Workers Share but Will Never Admit.”

We secretly believe that the whole world should be a library. That we should be able to borrow everything for free. Just so long as we bring it back. It should mostly be books, though.

Books, clothes, cars, books, power tools, furniture, telephones, books, glassware, pens, cleaning supplies, Caravaggio paintings, houses, and books. If store after store in my city were libraries loaning all these things, along with books, if every house on my block were a library house that I could check out for three weeks, I’m not sure I’d really need to own anything. There is your strange paradise, maybe even a secret restatement of reality itself: The world is really a library. Everything is free. But everything is borrowed.

Here is how clickbait really works. It leads you into imagining something wild and wonderful. It may not even be conscious, but it sets your heart aiming for the stars. And then when you click, and that clickbait article is fleshed out, you are left with the corpse of your mighty dream. It sits deflated in your hands and you feel so embarrassed that you ever hoped for so much that you go ahead and read the article like it was all perfectly reasonable all along and never broke your heart at all.

Libraries aren’t everywhere in the Czech Republic. In 1919, Czechoslovakia passed a law requiring every community, no matter how small, to have a library. Well, that’s not so bad, I guess. I can live with that. Oh, except they got rid of that law fifteen years ago and lost 11 percent of their libraries since then.^[1] The New York Times could have written an equally accurate article with the headline, “Why over 600 libraries have closed in the Czech Republic.”

 At this point you are probably wondering, “What does he have against this innocent article in the New York Times about Czech libraries?” It’s a long list, so I’ve decided to go with just this one thing. Sure it’s petty, but you should see how petty the rest of my list is.

At some point in the not very long New York Times article, we come to the following paragraph: “Czechs developed a strong reading habit, and even today, those who visit libraries buy more books — 11 a year, on average — than others.”^[2]

I don’t know about these budget-slashing Czechs, but at my library we’ve got tons of books. One doesn’t buy them. We loan them out for free. That’s sort of the point.

Reference (click at your own peril)

[1] Hana de Goeij, “Why Libraries Are Everywhere in the Czech Republic,” New York Times, July 21, 2016.

[2] Vit Richter, director of the Librarianship Institute of the Czech National Library, ibid.

The post Czech All the Libraries, or the Secret Dream of Librarians first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Dr. Briony Birdi, a lecturer in librarianship at the Information School in Sheffield, England, was interviewed by BBC, and when it was suggested that public libraries are “dead in the water,” she wrote her own response: “Libraries aren’t over, they will just look different.”[3] And perhaps this will be the case. Public libraries in England are rolling out Wi-Fi for all their (remaining) libraries, as well as adding digital and e-lending options in order to stay up to date. They are trying to stay relevant in a society where the use of public computers and book checkouts is in decline.[4] But in the future, will the face of public libraries be a volunteer?

Volunteers are a part of the fabric of a public library, whether in the United Kingdom or in the United States, and help with necessities like administration, program assistance, and shelving, but Birdi points out that “some politicians and other commentators seem to forget that there is an important distinction between volunteers used to supplement an existing service, and volunteers either replacing the specialised roles of paid library staff, or working in ‘community-run’ libraries.”[5] There are success stories with running a community library, but as discussed in “Words With Jam,” it depends on very specific circumstances and affluence. Communities with disparity and poverty are not necessarily the right places to remove public libraries with the expectation that those communities will then run them themselves. Volunteering at a library requires time and commitment, and beyond that, a community-run library still requires money in order to function. Birdi also adds that people working in community-run libraries feel in competition with public libraries and don’t have access to the same level of resources and connections.[6]

Because of all these aspects, Birdi sees “an utter lack of consistency of provision across towns and cities.”[7]  Librarian Ian Anstice, who runs Public Libraries News, states that “[England’s] public library system used to be envy of the world. Now it is used as a cautionary tale that librarians use worldwide to scare their colleagues.”[8] He also states that what’s happening now with the addition of community-run libraries “atomises the public library system into various local clubs, run by people often without any training.”[9]

One thing is very clear with all these cuts: It is the underprivileged members of society that are really the victims. And perhaps Anstice is correct that American public libraries might indeed view what’s happening in England as a cautionary tale. But all’s not lost in England as Birdi concludes: “[P]ublic libraries haven’t disappeared yet – but if we stop talking about them…we’re not exactly contributing to a rosy future.”[10]

References

[1] “Libraries: The decline of a profession?” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[2] “Libraries lose a quarter of staff as hundreds close,” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[3] Briony Birdi, “Libraries aren’t ‘dead in the water’ – even if some have given up,” Conversation, March 30, 2016.

[4] “Libraries lose a quarter of staff as hundreds close,” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[5] Briony Birdi, “Libraries aren’t ‘dead in the water’ – even if some have given up,” Conversation, March 30, 2016.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ian Anstice, in “Libraries lose a quarter of staff as hundreds close,” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[9] Ian Anstice, in “Libraries: The decline of a profession?” BBC, March 29, 2016.

[10] Briony Birdi, “Public librarianship research is dead in the water – isn’t it?” Information School News (Sheffield), February 5, 2015.

Resources

Voices for the Library

Public Libraries News: Practicalities

Words with Jam: Who Do We Want Running Our Libraries?

The post Cuts Too Deep? England’s Public Libraries in Trouble first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Resources Related to This Podcast:

Engaged and Inclusive: Institutional Approaches to Racial Equity and Social Justice – PLA 2016 Conference Program Handouts and More Information

Madison, Wisconsin Racial Equity and Social Justice Initiative

Madison, Wisconsin Neighborhood Resource Teams

Equity and Equality are Not Equal

Local and Regional Government Alliance on Race & Equity

The post FYI Podcast – Engaged and Inclusive: Institutional Approaches to Racial Equity and Social Justice first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

The 2016 contest is still open, and the deadline for entries is April 30, 2016. The award ceremony will take place in May at the 29th International Book Fair in Turin, Italy. Read more about the contest and its rules for submission here.

The three categories for entry are fiction, documentary, and advertising. Below are some notable selections from previous years.

Fiction

Non parlate (dir. Davide Pettarini), which won the first year, tells the romantic story of a librarian and a patron who communicate only through the titles on book covers. Some films can be funny in describing the various types of patrons and their behaviors. This is the case of I lettori (dir. Francesco Minarini), A biblio life (dir. Edoardo Orlandi) and La biblioteca dietro le quinte (dir. Lisa Contini e Alessandra Gaias). Patrons, especially young students who usually spend the whole day in public libraries, are depicted while eating secretly, sleeping, freezing for air-conditioning, looking desperately for a seat, even having sex! Librarians, too, are described in their typical commonplaces and traits. In Lib(e)rando libri (dir. Lorenzo Debernardi), characters from classic literature come to life in front of a patron who is walking around in a public library.

Documentary

Marius (dir. Chridtine Pawlata and Nicola Moruzzi) is based on an interview to a Roma teenager who learned to read and write Italian thanks to the lessons provided by volunteers in a public library. The public library is “the best place I’ve ever known,” he says—because he does not have to feel ashamed there. It is a story of how public libraries, as nonjudgmental and neutral places, change lives. Paradisi Project describes a group of high school students looking for books and information about the fourteenth century paintings in a chapel in Terni, Italy. The film shows their visits to the city library and archive and their final discovery that art scholars had different interpretations of the paintings through the years.
In the films of this category, public libraries are often presented with interviews to patrons and staff.
Non pago di leggere (dir. Christian Biasco and Francesca Terri) is about the campaign against public lending right introduced by a European Union directive.

Advertising

In this category, films must be a maximum of two minutes. La biblioteca è +teca (dir. Andrea Pecora) was shot in some of the best Italian public libraries, located in the metropolitan area of Milan. The film effectively represents what you can experience in today’s public libraries: drink coffee, play chess, learn to dance, attend a concert, read while biking, etc. Scegli la tua storia (dir. Nicolò Favaro) featured a book domino chain as an original way to promote the library space.

Watch more submissions from previous years to get inspired. Because IFLA is a partner, the contest’s judge panel is international. One judge is Siobhan Reardon, President and Director of the Free Library of Philadelphia and Secretary of the Standing Committee of the IFLA Section on Metropolitan Libraries

Note: The Italian Library Association runs Librariana, a unique virtual reference desk about libraries and librarians in arts and literature. One of the founders of the contest, Gabriele De Veris, a passionate librarian in the city of Perugia, Italy, contributed to the subtitling in Italian of Ann Seidl’s The Hollywood Librarian, which became popular in the Italian library community after its first screening in 2010.

The post Apply for the 2016 AIB/IFLA Short Film Contest first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

New Visions Replace Old Stereotypes
In the Pew 2015 report, Americans said public libraries impact their lives in many ways. Americans are creating new visions about library services and public libraries are responding to their needs.  Traditional stereotypes about libraries are being replaced by new paradigms about libraries and librarians. Library users’ demands have reached an impasse—one group hopes libraries will maintain its rich legacy of printed books, another constituency envisions a virtual library-scape that creates community and tech spaces inside the library building. Like much else in this fast-paced, technology-driven information world, things in the library world are changing, but its direction and focus remain the same: service and information needs.

Americans See Public Libraries As Important Community Anchors
Americans consider libraries to be important community anchors.  2/3 of all Americans believe that closing their local library would have a major impact on their community. The most frequent users—Hispanics—were in a library almost once a week compared to other users’ average of two to three times a month.  No, online help hasn’t replaced the in-person services of a librarian. Although the report sees a continued decline in library usage: 53% of Americans in 2012, 48% in 2013, and 46% in 2014, this is offset by a trend in mobile usage—mobile access to library resources has taken on more prominence and has risen 39% since 2012. In particular, African-Americans, Hispanics and low-income Americans (earning less than $30,000 a year) represent key demographic groups that the public library serves. These groups represent 76% of all library users in the United States.

Americans Want Libraries To Advance Education, Improve Digital Literacy, and Reach Special Needs Groups In the Community
The Pew Research report’s respondents wanted libraries to provide programming and services to the community. Specifically, the public overwhelmingly wanted programs that addressed these needs:

• Early literacy—85%
• Resources aligned with local school programs—84%
• Digital and computer literacy—78%
• Online security and privacy protection information—76%
• Services for the military personnel and veterans—74%
• Reading and Work spaces for patrons—64%
• Services for immigrants and 1^st generation Americans—59%
• Local business and Entrepreneur programs–52%
• 3-D Printing Services and Digital Tools—45%
• Meeting Rooms and Cultural Events—30%

The American Public Library– Not Just About Borrowing Books Anymore
The Pew Research report 2015 suggests that borrowing books seems to remain “the province of the well off and the well educated”—80% of college graduates and 76% of households with incomes over $75,000 still come to the public library to borrow a book when they probably could well afford a latte and bookstore. By contrast, getting help from a librarian seems “the province” of lower household incomes (49%) and African-American (52%) users. The report found that library users come to their local library for a variety of reasons:

• To find an inviting place “to sit, read, study or watch or listen to media.” Hispanics, African Americans, lower-income Americans, and the young utilize library computers and access the internet more often than other groups.
• To access research for school and work—60%
• To check or to send emails—58%.
• To borrow e-books—e-book usage increased 6% this year as public awareness grows.
• To seek health information—63%
• To learn about new technologies—users want to find 3-D printers and digital design programs—70%.
• To learn about community events and resources—a new role for libraries—an anchor of civic activism—68%.
• To find out about jobs or pursue job training—73%.

Library users are filing tax returns or enrolling in ESL classes.  Yes, libraries are experiencing a “crossroads moment.”  Library users aren’t coming to their library just to borrow books anymore. The 2015 report determined that “as Americans’ interests in personal enrichment and entertainment are reshaped so have Americans’ library needs.” American libraries, in turn, have provided new services and have reshaped and redesigned library spaces.

Libraries Essential Role–Literacy and Love of Reading
Americans view their local libraries positively and see them as having a special role in learning new job skills and providing services to their community.  The majority of Americans—almost 78%—still values the library’s universal role in promoting literacy and love of reading among people.According to the Pew Center’s 2015 report, libraries continue to enjoy community support.  The Pew Research Report 2015 suggests that the public library stands at a crossroads.  Americans believe in their libraries.  Americans trust their direction.  They will follow their lead.

[1] Horrigan, John R. “Libraries at the Crossroads.” Pew Research Center Internet Science Tech RSS. Pew Research Center, 15 Sept. 2015. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

The post Public Libraries in 2015–A Crossroads Moment first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

We’ve certainly had our smattering of “Why Libraries Matter” and “Do we still need libraries?” like the speech Sari Feldman, 2015-2016 ALA President, gave to the City Club of Cleveland [Why Libraries are More Important than Ever]. After stumbling upon Why Libraries Matter (The Nation) and In Praise of Libraries (The Rotarian), I wanted to take a closer look at how public libraries around the country are grabbing headlines. In search of an answer, I spent some time crawling through news aggregators attempting to gather insight on just how our nation’s public libraries are faring in the general press.

Much of what we see is generated via press releases, like those about summer reading programs. Press releases also garner media attention for the introduction of new services (see ‘Denver Public Library’s new on-site social worker settling into job’, The Kansas City Business Journal’s coverage of their libraries lending hotspots as is done in Seattle. Local broadcasts are also providing archived videos such as CBS8’s (San Diego), “Mayor presents plan to increase Internet speeds at public libraries.” Collectively, positive upbeat coverage bodes well for all public libraries everywhere.

When libraries can control the narrative through press releases—great! But that is not always the case. Public libraries have seen their fair share of budget woes in the press during the last several years. The New York Public Library’s budget crisis and deterioration of their three library systems remains highly visible in that city’s top dailies (see NYC public libraries urge reversal of recession-era funding cuts, Boost city funding for New York’s public libraries (Editorial), and most recently, Queens, Brooklyn and New York public libraries rally to restore $65 million in funding cuts). Just a bit north from there, the Boston Public Library finally solved its missing Dürer and Rembrandt prints (Daunting Search Paid off for the Library) but not after much ado in the Boston Globe as well as the resignation of the BPL’s President Amy Ryan.

Whether public library headlines are in the form of editorials, opinion pieces, commentary, or news stories, librarians must take charge of the conversation and, in some cases, consider how to change the narrative. One way is having library advocates issue guest editorials, letters to the editor, and opinion pieces. So wonderfully did Wilford Adkins, president of the Montclair Public Library Board of Trustees, address the crowd at the MPL’s Under the Covers Benefit, “Affirming and assisting the Montclair Public Library,” that his speech was issued as a guest editorial.

Announcements regarding new officers and key personnel are typically picked up by the media. Recently, Crain’s Cleveland Business brought public libraries to the eyes and minds of its readership with the coverage of Felton Thomas’ PLA presidency [Felton Thomas voted 2016-2017 president of Public Library Association]. This type of coverage in the business press elevates public libraries and librarians simply by the audience it reaches: local community, government, and business leaders.

As I wrap up my coverage of public libraries in the headlines, I am reminded of a famous quote attributed to Jim Morrison, “Whoever Controls The Media, Controls The Mind.” What has your experience with the media been? If you have a local story you would like to share, please comment below.

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The report begins with a look at The Public Library in the Digital Age and shows how public libraries are poised to play a leading role in helping communities and individuals adapt to our changing world. It names three key assets that the value proposition of the public library is built around: people, place, and platform. The people focus reflects the focus shift from building collections to building human capital and puts people at the center of the library’s mission to inspire and cultivate learning, advance knowledge, and nurture and strengthen communities. In this new environment, librarians will need to be able to anticipate community needs, manage and adapt to new technology, and use data to best advantage. An intelligent community is the goal, rather than large circulation numbers.[3] For the aspect of place, more of a focus is being put on the library as the “family room of a community,” as Akhtar Badshah stated.[4] You immediately get this sense of the library as a place to simply spend time when you walk into a children’s area and find kids playing together with library toys while their parents chat, or you come upon an afternoon of chess or video games. In addition, the report notes that in an increasingly virtual physical libraries are community assets. For the library to be a platform, it has to provide a place for participation and learning, a place where assets are available. Users may customize this platform and adapt its resources to their individual needs. [5] For example, we can provide chairs and tables for business meetings and programs, as well as classes that give an overview of the business resources available to entrepreneurs and programs that can help them connect to resources to develop their businesses.

Finally, four strategic opportunities for libraries are presented.[6]

1. Aligning library services in support of community goals.
2. Providing access to content in all formats.
3. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of public libraries.
4. Cultivating leadership.

To ensure success, libraries must provide services that support community needs and not just exist as the cool new thing. They need to offer access to content in all formats by working with creators, publishers, and government. They must work toward transforming standard operations to ensure library sustainability. To be able to accomplish any of these, libraries have to actively develop leaders who can go out and become an active part of their community, learning the needs from the people.

The report also spotlights lots of exciting ideas and examples of new ways public libraries are working to meet the needs of their communities. Check it out at http://csreports.aspeninstitute.org/documents//AspenLibrariesReport.pdf .

References
[1] The Aspen Institute. “About the Dialogue.” The Aspen Institute Communications and Society. 2015. http://csreports.aspeninstitute.org/Dialogue-on-Public-Libraries/2014/what-is (accessed February 19, 2015).

[2] —. “Members of the Dialogue on Public Libraries Working Group.” The Aspen Institute Communications and Society. 2015. http://csreports.aspeninstitute.org/Dialogue-on-Public-Libraries/2014/participants (accessed February 19, 2015).

[3]  “Members of the Dialogue on Public Libraries Working Group.” The Aspen Institute Communications and Society. 2015. http://csreports.aspeninstitute.org/Dialogue-on-Public-Libraries/2014/participants (accessed February 19, 2015). Page 11.

[4] Ibid. Page 13.

[5] Ibid. Pages 17-18.

[6] Ibid. Page 33.

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