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2016 ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS • ORLANDO

COGNOTES 15

Librarians Need to Expect More for Bigger Impact

Lankes challenged workshop participants to consider how they could turn the conversation toward the people rather than the buildings and the books.

By Talea Anderson, Washington State University

On June 27, David Lankes, together with the Expect More Collaboratory, EveryLibrary, and Tech Logic, presented “Expect More: Workshop on Communicating the Value of Librarians,” designed to start librarians thinking about how to better advocate for themselves and for libraries. Lankes is a professor at the Syracuse University iSchool, winner of the ALA’s 2016 Ken Haycock Award for Promoting Librarianship, and author of The Atlas of New Librarianship and Expect More: Demanding Better Libraries for Today’s Complex World.

Lankes began by problematizing the word “advocacy” as it relates to librarianship. “What you’re doing is not shouting at someone for 30 seconds,” he said, “This is about relationship building.” Lankes criticized the media outlets and advocacy organizations that aggressively insist that every closed library is a failure for society. He noted that this discourse often reduces libraries to a kind of “porn of materiality” in which the library is depicted as a beautiful structure and collection of books. Ignored in these depictions is the library staff who keep libraries running with their particular dedication and expertise. Lankes challenged workshop participants to consider how they could turn the conversation toward the people rather than the buildings and the books.

Lankes further remarked on problems in branding and marketing of libraries. Rather than targeting outreach to library users, he said, libraries should consider the many taxpayers who never visit a library, but still sustain it with their votes. Specifically, he and copresenter Rebecca Miller decried library marketing that is defensive rather than pointing to the positive impact of libraries in communities.

Through breakout sessions, the leaders of the “Expert More” workshop demonstrated strategies for evolving a positive library brand, identifying community partners, and developing relationships with these people. For more about the Expect More Collaboratory and similar workshops, see http://davidlankes.org/?p=8090.

The Only Place You Find Success Before Work is in the Dictionary

By Caroline Gardner, Simmons College SLIS

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) President’s Program featured a talk from the former president of the Walt Disney Imagineering division, Marty Sklar, who spoke June 27 about his latest book, One Little Spark, as well as lessons he learned throughout his many decades at Disney.

Sklar spoke fondly of his time with the Imagineers, reflecting about his team’s creativity and innovation and the importance of library programming for children. He told stories about going to the public library and used book stores in Long Beach, California, as a child, and how discoverability and brows-ability were crucial to developing his creative eye and learning things he may never have sought out on his own.

“If you don’t fail from time to time, you’re not doing anything new,” Sklar told the audience, encouraging librarians to attempt new things. He placed emphasis on those in the profession who work with children.

Following Sklar’s talk was a panel featuring Erica Fortescue of the Center for Childhood Creativity; Brian Lee of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Architecture; Tony Tallent of Richmond Library; George Schaefer of Clemson University; and moderated by Phil Morehart of American Libraries and the Dewey Decibel podcast.

American Library Association Black Caucus Unveils “Reading is Grand!”

During the ALA Annual Conference and Exhibition, Kevin Watson, president of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA), announced that three libraries will receive the 2016 Reading Is Grand! Celebrating Grand-Families Telling Our Stories @ Your Library grant. Reading Is Grand! is a celebration of the important role African American grandparents and older adults play in the lives of children.

Sparta Public Library, Sparta, Illinois; Queens Public Library/Langston Hughes Community and Cultural Center, Corona, New York; and Zion-Benton Public Library, Zion, Illinois, were selected winners based on the level of creativity and originality of program criteria, action plans, level of involvement of grandparents in the activities, and impact of the program on the community.

The winning library programs:

Sparta Public Library

The purpose of the Reading is Grand! program is to host a public program targeted toward multiple generations: grandparents, parents, children, and grandchildren, while sharing values handed down from one generation to the next. The program will embrace the past while encouraging the future in order to leave a legacy for children and grandchildren by inviting the community to attend the program, “Let’s Celebrate a Glimpse of Me: The African American Legacy.” This educational initiative will be led by African American grandparents who will share the goal of improving the quality of life among African American families and other nationalities. This event will be a hands-on and visual exercise focused on helping grandparents and their grandchildren share knowledge and experiences by telling their stories.

Queens Library/Langston Hughes Community and Cultural Center

The program’s theme, “Storytelling and Poetry in the African and African American Tradition,” will explore the role of poetry and storytelling in the African American tradition. Workshop sessions will give seniors and children the opportunity to write their own poetry and/or stories. The special guest will be poet and storyteller Barbara Bethea. The program will consist of Bethea telling African or African American folktales, followed by poetry or storytelling workshops in the library’s courtyard. The grandparents will also have the opportunity to share stories with children that were told to them when they were young or that they tell to their grandchildren today. The program will culminate with the grandparents and children having a chance to share a sampling of multicultural works, picture books, and folktales.

Zion-Benton Public Library

The purpose of Zion-Benton Public Library’s program is to connect generations, primarily grandparents, with their grandchildren through verbal and written stories, utilizing books, and music. The program, titled “The Grandparent Connection: Tell Me a Story!” will be set up in a “fair” format and will be arranged in different stations around the library. The décor and music will focus on African American artists and artworks from the Harlem Renaissance and music from jazz to funk to hip hop. Each station will have a different theme or purpose. They will include: stories which focus on oral storytelling and will offer read-aloud storybooks depicting African American culture. Other stations will include crafts, games, snacks, information about library resources, and information for grandparents on connecting with their grandchildren.

Each grant-winning library receives $500 used to supplement their Reading Is Grand! program.

The 2016 Reading is Grand! Celebrating Grand-Families @ Your Library selection committee includes Chair Dr. Claudette S. McLinn, Kevin Watson, Carolyn Garnes, and Dr. Sujin Huggins.