Library Futures Conference Roundup, pt 1

I had the mind-blowing pleasure of attending Imagination to Transformation, the Mid-Atlantic Library Futures Conference, on Monday and Tuesday. I have lots of notes notes notes, a swirl of ideas, and a pile of inspiration. In the interest of sharing the goodies, I'm posting my notes in a fairly raw form with limited commentary. Get it right or get it written, right?

Before I get into my notes, a big thank you to the New Jersey State Library (esp. Peggy Cadigan) , Palinet (Catherine Wilt, Ann Yurcaba, Diana Bitting), and all of the organizers for all their hard work and for doing a fantastic job! Great speakers, great space, great conference!

For those of you following along at home, conference materials and handouts will be posted on either the conference website and/or the conference blog.

OK, here are my notes from:

LIBRARY SPACE: IS IT THE LAST FRONTIER OF THE DIGITAL AGE
Jeffrey Scherer of Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle, Ltd.

(BTW, this is a highly filtered report. Scherer talked a lot about lighting, about environmentally friendly building design, and many other fascinating topics. I highly recommend you take a look at his whole presentation when it's posted to the conference website.)

• The library in 2030 will be as different from today’s library as today's library is from the library of 1930.
  


• The library as a central place is the only single political agent that can affect change at all levels. Our neutrality is an important tool for us to think about.
  


• The library is an agent of these four elements of our lives: live, work, play, learn.
  
  
• We are a service profession that delivers great content, struggles with technology and frets over cash. The real decisions are made around cash. If you reflect on the fact that Americans spend as much on Halloween candy as they do on library books, you see that the $$ is there.
  


• We need to stop focusing on what is not possible, and focus on what is possible. It’s important to be optimistic. If you focus energy on what’s not possible, you’ll never create the possible.
  
  

Quotes:

• "Our eyes connect our emotions."
• "Love is probably the central focus of great libraries"
  
  

Guiding principle: We need to create space for spontaneity and socializing: the library as 3rd place (agora)

Carleton college did a survey of alumni: 40% of graduates married other Carleton students; 40% of those people met in the library. Why? Because they were in a different social space than if they had met at a football game. Being in a library raises our commonality; transcends our boundaries.

Applying the lessons: How to create a 3rd space:

• Reading nooks with back to wall (people love to curl up)
  
• Daylight and views
  
• Computer tables (missed some of what he said on this)
  
• Offer a variety of options
  
• Self-controlled lighting
  
• Daylight and good views
  
• Gossip corners that don’t interfere with others
  
• Homelike features; fireplace, natural flooring
  
• Group seating that can work with one to three people
  
• Privacy (acoustic and visual): people want to get information in private
  
• Visibility of service points and collection
  
• Come out from behind the desk and greet patrons. There has to be a transformation in this area!
  
  

Other key points

• "I want to do it myself" Trend to self service is huge.
  
• "Help is on the way" but only if you need it. (Point of need service delivery)

Tags:
library futures, future of libraries, mid-atlantic library futures conference, libraries