We are researching the topic of how librarians can plan for the future in their libraries. In architectural school, the "Environment' and "Environmental Design" were at the root of all my design considerations. Most of us in class thought, "We've got this. We can be agents of change for good. Our values and caring for our planet through intelligent design are going to help everyone."  The "Almost" in the title of the following intensive and exhausting-to-read (for me at least!) article sums up the results of our youthful, optimistic dreams.

This is this a photo of weekend's New York Times Magazine cover, stark white letters on unrelieved black, small enough to make you really look and read. The exclusive Two-Part issue of August 1, 2018 - Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change - is so overarching a topic that it must be considered by all community leaders as they try to plan for services that are foremost on their users' minds and strive to meet just their basic human needs.

The publication clearly and in plain words puts before our eyes for all to see, the feet-of-clay history of what we have done since we were all warned that climate change was real and how it could affect our lives.

Our global climate affects our jobs, our health, immigration intensity, food and water supplies, demand for science-literate citizens, our power supplies and the willingness by our community's institutions to embrace adaptability. We have no exact idea how this issue will devolve but one thing is certain; it will and we must consider our environment in every decision we make when planning our libraries.

The chapter titles of Part One are riveting. As you begin to read Part Two, you'll get the drift of where this is headed.

1. 'This Is the Whole Banana', Spring 1979

2. 'The Whimsies of the Invisible World', Spring 1979

3. 'Between catastrophe and Chaos', July 1979

4. 'A Very Aggressive Defensive Program', Summer 1979-summer 1980

5. 'We Are Flying Blind', October 1980

6. 'Otherwise, They'll Gurgle', November 1980-September 1981

7. 'We're All Going to Be the Victims', March 1982

8. 'The Direction of an Impending catastrophe', 1982

Here is the link to the full on-line publication (with awe inspiring photos).

Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change By Nathaniel Rich Photographs and Videos by George Steinmetz

Thank you everyone #alaac18 for coming to our presentation.

Here's a little GIFt for you - a few visual memories from NOLA (click on it)

If you have questions after you receive our NOTES, we will happily assist. Posting them within a week the ALA Conference Sessions Postings site.

Chicago PL pushes boundary of "Library Commons".

Chicago Housing Authority & Chicago Public Library Partner Up, Bring Mixed-Income Housing and Libraries Together

The City of Chicago is "beginning of construction on three innovative co-located housing and library developments being built across the city. (Beginning with the) Taylor Street Apartments and Roosevelt Branch Library, with construction also getting underway at two co-located developments in the West Ridge and Irving Park communities. Mayor Emanuel announced that plans will continue for two additional CPL branches using creative interagency partnerships — one in the CHA’s Altgeld Gardens community and a new branch in the West Loop to serve its rapidly growing community.

“Libraries serve as community anchors, making knowledge and learning accessible for everyone,” said CPL Commissioner Brian Bannon. “The new co-located libraries will help to sustain strong neighborhoods, and provide a place for all community residents to gather, share and succeed.”

“This project bringing together housing with a neighborhood library will be paramount for our community,” said Alderman Jason Ervin, 28th Ward. “This investment shows our residents that no matter what your income is or what neighborhood you live in, if you call Chicago home you should have a range of housing options to choose from.”

"Over the past six years, Chicago Public Library has witnessed one of the largest capital investments in recent history. Through City investment and innovative partnerships, the Library has seen over $200 million of new capital projects and investments in the people and programs that activate our community anchors. By the end of 2018, we will have 11 new library buildings and 14 additional locations with major renovations and expansions. Embedded in these locations and other locations citywide is our innovative way to serve children and teens. CPL will have added new early learning play spaces at 28 locations and new teen spaces at 19 locations."

Source: Mayor Emanuel and City Officials Break Ground on Innovative Branch Library Projects

from princh.com

We've heard this in various versions especially this past half year when Federal Funding for libraries in America is under attack. This article (click on the graphic above) articulates 4 core concerns of library users that are well worth reviewing.

1. A Good Range of Books - including free access to various ebooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and newspapers!
   
2. Longer Opening Hours -after work/school or during the weekend.
3. Core Library Service for Free - access to information but also to the library’s facility (use entices new library patrons)
4. Help from Knowledgeable Librarians - representing the human Google of your local community. You have THAT covered right?

Click on this image to open the beautifully produced vid in a separate window.

princh.com

I note that Libby, the Overdrive App is referenced in this Danish article. @OverdriveLibs

Part Two of the princh.com article, "5 other services users wish to find in a library (and how libraries offer them)"  can be read here: http://bit.ly/2ujOQOv

Link to Session/Workshop Information

We are look forward to meeting librarians and trustees at the @ONLibraryAssoc Ontario Library Association Super Conference #OLASC in Toronto this Friday, 3 February.

Our Session and Workshop  - "Communicate Effectively with Design Professionals" - will introduce and develop the concept of the the Library Building Program Document as a comprehensive method for organizing your library’s requirements and communicating them to library users, board, city or municipal councils and the architect.

We believe that the librarian is the person who should lead the Library Building Project and we do everything we can to support you with tools to help you systematically navigate your Library Building Project. There is no need to reinvent the wheel or feel unsupported.

We help librarians lead the pre-planning phase of the library building project and offer and explain the use of methods and strategies to use throughout the design development phase that help you retain control of your design into the acceptance of construction drawings.

So that you are familiar with the visual language that designers use, we will introduce you to adjacency charts; bubble diagrams; construction drawing schedules and Room Data Sheets . We will workshop three of these with exercises so that all our attendees can get hands on experience of the work involved and gain some experience for when you begin the design conversation with your architect.

ScreenGrab:

England is getting Her Library on! 
UK neighbours follow suit.

We could take a page from the experiences these struggling libraries have been enduring for years and what they propose to do about the public's

http://bit.ly/2gcQXZB

This time it's the Fort Washington branch of the NYPublicLibrary that has the attention of writer, Sarah Laskow at Atlas Obscura and Brent Bambury at CBC Radio.

These forgotten apartments where people lived with their families and in most cases, took care of the fabulous libraries, have come back into focus. ‎Librarians are beginning to imagine a new purpose for these neglected spaces. 

http://bit.ly/2fICzfX

‎&

http://bit.ly/2dEjasB

‎ScrnGrbCred: AltasObscura.com, CBC.ca/radio

Librarians and their Libraries have shifted and morphed with us since we had papyri and charcoal, flint and bone. It is our contention that, as our world becomes ever more connected and the individual in contrast senses a growing seclusion and remove, libraries will provide a Commons, a safe Place to be together, and a repository of our past, present and future musings - be they on tape, in a book, in bytes in the Cloud or on a Holodeck. 

Leave it to the brilliant and out-of-the-Box-Aussies to publish this piece "Libraries of the Future are going to change in some unexpected way", in a Business/Tech section.

from Business Insider Australia

Chris Weller in Business Insider Australia reports from an interview with David Pescovitz, (who has not Tweeted yet has 758 followers on Twitter!) , co-editor  @BoingBoing and research director at the Institute for the Future , that the Libraries of your Future are going to be there with you. 

They might not look like today's libraries but they will fulfill our deep societal need that will expand beyond our imaginings with information we haven't yet dreamed of and provide access to technologies not yet invented.

We change, Libraries change and, because we are libraries, they will keep pace and stay with us no matter where we go.

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American Libraries Mag

Turns out that librarians and libraries are doing a great job at keeping up with competition from both obvious - box store book stores - and obscure sources - multi national uber-corporations.

In this book review in @amlibraries American Libraries Magazine: "The Purpose-Based Library Finding your path to survival, success, and growth" by John J. Huber and Steven V. Potter, you will read...

"Bill Gates’s quote should have you, as a member of the library profession, doing backflips. Librarians are specifically trained to gather, manage, and use information. If we take Gates’s words at face value, libraries should be the most competitive organizations on the planet."

Turns out that libraries are doing a great job in this regard.

...and that, my library friends and colleagues, should make you all feel very good about your work today!

Here's a sample of the ideas celebrated by Huber and Potter:

"To successfully compete, libraries must embrace the words of Bill Gates. 'Libraries must gather, use, and manage information in a way that large for-profit companies cannot.' So the question is: What competitive advantages do libraries have that these organizations do not? Let us count the ways:

• Libraries have more locations across the country than any other organization.
• Libraries have a personal presence in every community in the country.
• Library staff interact with their customers face-to-face.
• Library staff are trained and skilled to gather, archive, and manage information.
• Library staff are well educated and motivated to make a difference.
• And most important, libraries and their staff have a powerful, game-changing common purpose.

To go beyond survival, to succeed and grow, libraries must embrace and leverage these competitive advantages."

from: ALA Store

You may purchase the book at this link.

"...the hardest truth: that to be in the middle class, just working hard and playing by the rules doesn’t cut it anymore. To have a lifelong job, you need to be a lifelong learner, constantly raising your game." T. Friedman

See Mr. Friedman's OpEd here.

All change is inexorable. This change has already swept over us.

As a society we have been too slow to recognise it. Librarians have always designed spaces for people to meet, learn, research and work; for people who view the world as their home and their shared place of business as their own. 

Although Mr. Friedman's words make some of us uncomfortable and others even frightened, they are true. We have moved on. We are part of a global economy - a global web of opportunity - that we have never experienced before.

We can't go back. Our children don't want to go back. The globe, our planet is their future; their opportunities are quite literally a world beyond ours. We reside in a world where, as life-long learners already appreciate, libraries will continue to play a pivotal role.

Since the Towers fell in NYC; since I worked at a maximum prison; since my mother thought me how to carry my keys - points out - in my hand when walking to my car; I have thought a lot about my personal safety and what I would do, could do, "should anything happen".

Well "anything" happens all the time now. We are none of us as safe as we imagined we were yesterday or last year.

Tomorrow we present a Webinar for the Southern Ontario Library Service for librarians who are developing their management skills.  In it we talk about "The 3rd Place" and "The Commons" with respect to how librarians are providing space in their libraries for individuals in their communities so that they feel like they are a part of their physical community - not just the on-line one we are becoming so used to. 

Librarians are on the forefront of societal change especially concerning how we interact and how we find our place in our community.

In light of this article from the Atlantic - CITYLAB, our message rings both sickeningly hollow and loudly. 

How can we go into a public space and feel safe? How are these violent actions that are happening globally and involving our physical safety, affecting our behaviour in our cities, towns and in our libraries?

Indeed.

‎Learn more about the issues involving challenges to collections for your library users in the GLBT community and how to safeguard your GLBT materials during ALA's GLBT Book Month this June.

All info and details about speakers, outcomes and details for payment in this article.‎

http://www.ala.org/advocacy/webinar-intellectual-freedom-for-all

Register by 11:59am, 14 June. 

ScrnGrbCreds: ala.com

Congrats to Anne Bailey and her great staff at TPL!

http://m.thestar.com/#/article/news/insight/2016/01/03/why-toronto-public-library-is-creating-its-first-book-lending-kiosk.html

17 feet below ground, in a concrete bunker...the (NYPL)...is expanding.

Yes, the NYPL had to reevaluate and re-imagine expansion. The solution is clever, practical, secure and technically smart.

"The Bryant storage space consists of two floors, the first of which was put into use in the late 1980s, while the second floor, dug out but not finished back then, has lain fallow. Now, to accommodate the books long housed in the original 105-year-old stacks, a part of the library whose future is still under discussion, the second floor is being turned into a state-of-the-art storage hub."

Here's the link to the full article in the NY Times.

Not surprising data.
A little chilling for those of us who made friends on the playground and in class but true nonetheless and we have to deal with this in the library world and our daily lives 

How do we relate to our next generation ?

http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/08/06/teens-technology-and-friendships/

The Ottawa Public Library in partnership with the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) make a documentary: The Human Library.
Video in this link.

http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/human-library-stories-trailer-1.3166914

We had the chance to check out this amazing space and concept in San Fransisco today.

 .

"Noisebridge is a physical space open and welcoming to all, providing infrastructure and collaboration opportunities for anyone interested in programming, hardware, crafts, science, food, robotics, art, and technology. We teach, we learn, we share. With no leaders, we have one rule: 'Be excellent to each other'."

at Noisebridge today

Got your attention?

This summary article (Wiley.com) written by Lluis Anglada, Director of the Department of Libraries, Information and Documentation of the Consortium of University Services of Catalonia (CSUC), of his paper, Are Libraries Sustainable In World Of Free, Networked, Digital Information? gives us the straight goods about the future of libraries and a formula (yes, a mathematical formula!) to help us find our way into our future as viable libraries.

Are Libraries Sustainable In World Of Free, Networked, Digital Information? and available open access here  talks "...about the sustainability of libraries in a world where information is increasingly digital, networked, and free, based on a speech he gave at the 22nd Bobcatsss conference in Barcelona, January 21-24 2014."

He proposes that "the same stages and library events have taken place in all countries and in all library types, but not at the same time. Therefore, the different phases that libraries passed through to become automated are similar in each country, but they occurred in different years (Anglada , 2006)." And "a division of the recent history of libraries  (can be organised) into three major phases over the past 50 years."

Mechanization, a period characterized by the construction of new buildings and mechanization of processes; Automation, in which networks of libraries were created, OPAC was introduced and union catalogues were created; and Digitization, in which electronic journals and books appeared and documents stored in libraries have been digitized (Buckland, 1992)

Here is a portion of his discourse on the third phase:

"During the Digitization phase, however, despite librarians’ ability to adapt (both in terms of their own roles and how the library space is used), the speed of change has been so great that dysfunctions (defined as the difference between expectations and realities) have continued to increase. For example, duplication in catalogs as a result of one book being catalogued more than once; the ‘Googlization’ of information, while library catalogues – once so innovative – have failed to keep up with; and the failure of libraries to sufficiently adapt their services to meet users’ changing expectations. As a result, applying the formula to the Digitized library shows a clear downward trend in terms of its sustainability."

It continues:

"Basically, libraries are suffering from the fact that the public perception of them remains attached to the printed book, which – with the advent of the Internet and digitization of information – is no longer valued as much as it was. Among other things, this has led to the steady decline in library budgets – both in real terms and as a proportion of the overall university budget. Some classic library services are also experiencing significant declines – loan transactions, reference inquiries, and displacement of the starting point for literature searches from the library catalogue to and A&I service or the internet, for example."

and concludes:

"We need to establish a new stereotype of ‘library’ in people’s minds, one that is not based on physical elements – buildings and books – but on the role of providing support and assistance in the difficult process of using information and transforming it into knowledge.

The creation of this new perception must be performed by the current generation of young librarians – “those who are inheriting renovated libraries but also a mental image that is associated with becoming less powerful for society. This is the challenge and responsibility for young librarians: to create a new perception of our profession.”

The following quote made news this week. I am amazed:

“It's time for a paradigm shift to one in which public leaders engage with their communities and take action based on the voices of their constituents. (And where communities demand that kind of interaction.) So go, get out there, engage your elected and appointed leaders, and use your voice to impact positive change.”

This quote is taken from “100 Great Ideas for the Future of Libraries -- A New Paradigm for Civic Engagement”, written by Rebecca Fishman Lipsey and “Co-authored by Francine Madera, MADERA inc." as reported in the Huffington Post on-line.  Posted: 01/29/2015 3:53 pm EST Updated: 01/29/2015 3:59 pm EST” 100 Great Ideas for the Future of Libraries -- A New Paradigm for Civic Engagement | Rebecca Fishman Lipsey

The ideas quoted are indeed ‘great’. I am so pleased you have discovered them, but they are not new. No, Ms. Fishman Lipsey and Ms. Madera, what you write about is not a “New Paradigm”, though I do admit each generation comes to the hard, cold truth in their own time. Congratulations! I hope the librarians who read your article do the research they do so well and discover the know-how, in existence for over 30 years, which leads them through this process that, among many other concepts, includes "Civic Engagement".

Many times have I heard this refrain and for years I have read articles urging librarians to use this or that 'innovative idea' to keep libraries fresh and in touch with their communities.  I am dispirited that intelligent people do not use common sense! Then I battle incredulity over the fact that such a well-educated and seemingly intelligent group of people can remain so ostrich-like in the face of tried-and-true, long used techniques to achieve success as librarians in their communities.

Why make your job difficult? Why reinvent the wheel? Why not use the body of knowledge passed on to you by your colleagues over generations to help you do your work? Perhaps it’s easier to read about ‘new ideas’ than to do the work of recognizing and adopting the planning process that has led to the success of librarians who have delivered truly brilliant and responsive libraries to their communities.

copyright PLAN22

For years, we and our esteemed colleagues have been guiding public librarians in the process of community building and outreach; preparing them to determine their needs and enabling them to talk effectively to their communities, boards and architects. This process includes Strategic Planning and architectural pre-programming.  I will not apologize for saying this even though each generation must come to learn the terminology the hard way.  Sometimes a strategic plan is quite simply a strategic plan. If community based Strategic Planning is not done, you will not achieve the type of library specific to your community's needs. Changing the terminology will not make it any easier to do.

All the issues Ms. Rebecca Fishman Lipsey and Ms. Madera bring up in their article are valid. However all these issues have been around since architects and librarians jointly conceived and built libraries in this modern age. Librarians, please read the vast amount of literature available that guides you, minute by in-depth step, toward a successful library building project. As librarians you have the skills to locate, read, grasp and avail yourself of this information. You have the intelligence and the knowledge to lead your library building project with the full support of your community, lawmakers and users. It is hard, constant, diligent, detailed, attention-demanding work. It is worth it.

The American Library Association (ALA) is open and clear in their support for you and your community to achieve the library that your community needs. The Library Bill of Rights Library Bill of Rights | Advocacy, Legislation & Issues supports all the work needed to achieve not only your library facility but also a satisfied constituency. Architects, Urban Planners, Interior Architects, Landscape Architects and other professional organizations that include the Project Management Institute PMI - the World’s Leading Professional Association for Project Management are resources available to you at every turn, and throughout your project. Use them. Research how these professionals actually do their jobs, you will find that they have the knowledge to support your work.

book cover

Sandra Nelson, of Sandra Nelson Consulting , is the author of Strategic Planning for Results and Implementing for Results: Your Strategic Plan in Action, the current Public Library Association strategic planning how-to book. Strategic Planning for Results - Books / Professional Development - Books for Academic Librarians - Books for Public Librarians - PLA Products - ALA Store 

To quote Ms. Nelson:

“The Strategic Planning for Results process has been refined by 30 years of public library planning experiences and reflects today's best practices. The process takes between three and four months and engages stakeholders from the staff, the board, and the community. The final plan describes the library's service priorities and explains how the staff will measure progress toward meeting those priorities. Creating a strategic plan is just a preliminary step in the real work of moving the library forward.(our emphasis) A plan is of little value unless it is implemented and Implementing for Results: Your Strategic Plan in Action is the most practical tool available to guide your implementation efforts.” 

While it may be exciting for each generation to discover a way of making library spaces better for their communities, it still remains that this process takes energy, research, determination, dedication and plain, hard work. No single news release is going to make it easy for anyone but perhaps it will inspire you to do the work that needs to be done. Good luck!

For a concise, easy to read outline of why you will meet success through tried and true, good old Strategic Planning try quickly reading this document by Ms. Nelson: tab_3_handouts.pdf

This beautifully paced TedxMildeHigh 2013 presentation by Pam Sandlian, Rangeview Library District director and the recipient of the 2010 Colorado Librarian of the Year Award presented by the Colorado Association of Libraries, is popular on YouTube, and timeless.

I want to include it in our space for the record.   

screen shot: Ms Sandlian

London, England rebrands their libraries as "the Idea Stores"

She presents her story so simply and well. Her point is clear and easy to grasp... libraries are important now, they always will be, to everyone for his or her own reasons and for democracy to flourish.

Related articles

'Anythink' library district wins highest honor for libraries

In the Country of Anythink

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It is essential to tell the truth about how your library is important to your community. Tell it like it is, to everyone, over and over, in thousands of ways. They will hear you.http://digitalinclusion.umd.edu/content/survey-analysis-results

Quote from the article:

"Research from the Public Library Funding & Technology,¹Opportunity for All,² and Pew Internet³ studies show that libraries are vital digital hubs that provide access to public access technologies and digital content, and that millions of people rely on the public access technologies and services provided by public libraries. When taken together, these studies also show that success in an increasingly digital social and economic context requires a comprehensive approach to creating digital inclusion so as to ensure that there is opportunity for all communities and individuals regardless of geographic location, socio-economic status, or other demographic factors."

"Based on a national survey conducted in Fall 2013, our analysis provides insights into how public libraries help build digitally inclusive communities."

"Our map is now nationwide!

Created in partnership with Community Attributes Inc. as part of the Digital Inclusion Survey, our data visualization tool maps all public libraries using the FY2011 Public Library Survey data file released by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for library locations. The tool overlays Census data (demographic, economic, health, and education) from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year dataset (2007-2011). The map also includes selected Digital Inclusion Survey data from participating libraries, thus showing the roles that libraries play regarding digital inclusion in their communities.

Want your library's Digital Inclusion data on the map? Participate in the 2014 survey, set to launch in September 2014."

Related articles

Re-envision our public libraries

Every library is facing this issue. Some realise it sooner than others but all libraries are making changes to their 'business model' - yes, it is a business model - the way you do business.

Take heart, everything changes and not all chages are bad for libraries or the pursuit of knowledge. What goes around comes around in unexpected ways. Librarians are masters of going with the flow - of life, of information, of democracy and freedom.

The Skokie Chamber of Commerce meets in a section of the public library where the reference collection was once kept.(Photo: Anne Ryan, USA TODAY)

This piece from USA Today is just one of the hundreds of articles on this subject making the  rounds today on Twitter and Blogs across the world. You may want to check it out.