The document discusses many exciting opportunities for public libraries today, including expanding their collections beyond books to include lendable items like tools, musical instruments, and technology. It also discusses opportunities like providing more programming and spaces for creation, collaboration, and community building. The library system can help its member libraries explore these opportunities by connecting libraries to each other and their communities, sharing resources and best practices, and providing training and support.

1. If
you
could
indulge
me
for
a
moment
1

2. "What
are
some
of
the
most
exci8ng
opportuni8es
facing
public
libraries
today
and
what
steps
might
a
library
system
take
to
help
a
member
library
explore
and
implement
one
of
these
opportuni8es?"
Crea%ve
Connec%ons:
Expanding
Opportuni%es
for
Library
Expression
Changes
in
role
in
community,
especially
regarding
lendables
and
use
of
space;
a
library
system
can
help
connect
libraries
to
each
other
and
their
communi%es
in
this
changing
landscape
2

3. 3

4. David
Lankes:
“The
mission
of
librarians
is
to
improve
society
through
facilita8ng
knowledge
crea%on
in
their
communi8es”
4

5. • Streaming
video
and
audio,
digital
archives
and
more
• Try
before
you
buy,
can
be
preloaded.
Laptops
and
even
hotspots
(like
the
NYPL)
• Fishing
poles,
cake
pans,
kniQng
needles,
tools,
musical
instruments,
video
produc8on
equipment,
curated
kits
for
learning
a
par8cular
skill
• Seeds
and
even
plots
of
land
for
learning
growing
prac8ces
(Onondaga
PL),
people
-­‐
Human
Library
events
events
and
Brooklyn
Public
Library’s
Bykln
Skillshare
where
community
members
lend
their
skills
and
knowledge
to
patrons
5

6. • Number
of
homeschoolers
has
doubled
in
past
15
years
• Comfortable
chairs,
cafes,
games
• Ann
Arbor
District
Library
has
wide
range
of
instruments
and
effects
pedals
and
a
local
musician
recently
had
a
record
release
party
for
an
album
recorded
using
only
these.
Many
libraries
now
rent
out
their
spaces
for
weddings
and
other
events
• Computer
centers
with
range
of
instruc8on,
video
and
audio
produc8on
studios,
digital
conversion
equipment
• 3D
scanners
and
printers,
mul8media
produc8on
suites,
power
tools
• Blending
of
leisure
and
technology:
HOMAGO
(Mimi
Ito:
Hanging
Out,
Messing
Around,
Geeking
Out)
6

7. • Etsy
partnership,
Shark
Tank
events
• Notaries,
genealogy
experts,
copyright
specialists,
digital
archivists,
programmers,
ar8sts-­‐librarians
• Increasingly
standard
and
broadened
to
include
tablets
and
specialized
computers
• Wider
range
of
training:
Excel,
Photoshop,
Wordpress,
to
CAD
soaware
and
advanced
coding
• Rock
concerts
and
bacle
of
the
bands,
poetry
slams,
plays,
movies,
live
streaming
events
(World
Cup)
• High
Plains
Library
District
in
Colorado
used
a
BTOP
grant
to
establish
a
computer
center
housed
in
a
community
shelter.
7

8. • Library
as
publisher:
support
authors
and
ar8sts
in
every
step
of
process
(from
NANOWRIMO
to
prin8ng),
ar8sts
in
residence
• San
Franscisco
Public
Library
has
a
full
8me
social
worker,
and
every
month
in
the
library’s
auditorium,
agencies
set
up
booths
offering
resources
and
services
geared
to
the
homeless,
such
as
eyeglasses,
vaccines,
shoes,
and
haircuts.
• Upper
Hudson
installed
solar
panels
in
2012
that
provide
over
1/3
of
the
building’s
power
• BOCES
and
more,
OSHA
training
• Home-­‐based
business
to
realtor
cer8fica8on
to
business
incorpora8on
(Chicago
Public
Library
recently
partnered
with
6
area
startups
for
a
demo
day)
8

9. • OverDrive
and
more
• Upper
Hudson
collec8ons
• OCLC,
current
challenges
related
to
lack
of
consistent
records
in
Horizon
• Expand
idea
of
resource
sharing
to
include
ideas,
programs,
best
prac8ces,
and
library
staff
9

10. 10

11. • Explore
possibility
of
digital
document
delivery
&
expansion
of
physical
delivery
to
include
non-­‐book
items
• Provide
resources
for
specialized
collec8on
development
(e.g.
graphic
novels).
Extend
E-­‐resources
to
local
collec8ons:
Archives,
and
Denver
Public
Library
partnered
with
local
musicians
to
stream
their
music
to
cardholders
• Widely
research
grant
possibili8es
for
libraries
and
create
resource
pool.
Expand
outreach
to
challenged
popula8ons.
• Increase
training
to
member
libraries
based
on
desired
subjects.
Provide
educa8on
and
resources
on
growing
issues
such
as
copyright
and
patron
privacy
• Expand
online
social
networking
and
provide
new
in-­‐person
networking
opportuni8es
11

12. • Searchable
inventory
of
items
for
loan
at
each
library,
including
areas
of
specializa8on
• Same
for
non-­‐shared
digital
materials
such
as
digital
archives
• Also
for
materials
and
equipment
available
at
each
library
that
are
not
loaned
out:
scan,
fax,
etc.
12

13. • Study
rooms,
conference
rooms,
archives
and
local
history,
crea8ve
spaces
such
as
maker
labs
• Casual
spaces,
coffee
shops,
vending
machines,
outdoor
spaces
such
as
gardens
13

14. • Encore
supports
integra8on
into
catalog
14

15. • List
of
past
and
current
partnerships,
with
contact
informa8on
• List
of
poten8al
supports
at
every
level
• Include
organiza8ons
with
similar
missions
to
libraries,
libraries
and
educa8onal
organiza8ons
outside
our
system,
social
service
organiza8ons
15

16. • Browsable
and
searchable
index
of
physical
and
virtual
resources
for
grant
and
programming
ideas
and
support
(area
organiza8ons,
books,
websites,
blogs,
listservs)
• Archive
of
programs
descrip8ons
and
materials
from
member
libraries
(MERLOT:
Mul8media
Educa8onal
Resource
for
Learning
and
Online
Teaching,
PRIMO:
Peer-­‐
Reviewed
Instruc8onal
Materials
Online,
Make
It
@
Your
Library)
• Collec8on
of
materials
created
at
member
libraries
available
for
reuse
by
others
• Contact
informa8on
and
subject
special8es
for
member
library
of
staff
willing
to
share
(guide,
run,
mentor).
Example:
Gordon
Noble
E-­‐reader
training
16

17. • Library
passport,
Link
Economy:
one
library
recommends
another
(Macy’s
to
Gimbels
in
Miracle
on
34th
St.)
• Social
meetups
online
and
in
person
to
share
ideas,
deepen
our
sense
of
community
• Patrons
have
more
tools
and
more
exposure
to
are
libraries
• Harwood
Ins8tute’s
Turn
Outward
model:
“Turning
Outward
makes
the
community
and
the
people
the
reference
point
for
geQng
things
done.”
Finding
more
ways
to
engage
our
patrons
and
listen
to
their
needs
17

18. 18