slides from LILRC July 20, 2021 presentation

1. FOSTERING A
CULTURE OF
CREATIVITY
IN LIBRARIES
MEGAN LOTTS, ART
LIBRARIAN
RUTGERS, THE STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY

2. OUTLINE FOR
THE DAY
Creativity...A state of mind & definition
Creativity...Engagement and Partnerships
Creativity...Assessment, Buy In, & Failure
Creativity...The Art(s) & Unique Collections
Creativity...Active Learning & Play
Creativity....Projects

3. CREATIVITY:
A STATE OF
MIND

4. DEFINING
CREATIVITY

5. THE
PROCESS
OF
CREATIVE
THINKING

6. CREATIVITY IS
CONTAGIOUS

7. PARTNERSHIPS
& TURNING
OUTWARD

8. EMPATHY,
ASSUMPTION
, AND
INCLUSION

9. CREATIVITY
: ACTIVE
LEARNING
& PLAY

10. CREATIVITY
IS NOT
ABOUT
SPACE

11. ARE
ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS
REALLY
SO DIFFERENT?

12. CREATIVITY:
FAILURE

13. CREATIVITY:
ASSESSMENT

14. ENGAGEMENT
& WORKING
CREATIVELY
(MODEL)

15. WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCK

16. EDIBLE BOOKS

17. EXHIBITS

18. EXPERIENCES WITH LIVING ARTISTS

19. EMBEDDED LIBRARIANSHIP
Have questions or need help with the
Rutgers University Libraries?
Ask the Art Librarian…
Megan Lotts, Art Librarian / megan.lotts@rutgers.edu
Spring 2020 Reference hours
Feb 17 – April 30
Ask A Librarian: Mondays
7-10pm
Art Library: Tuesdays
11am-1pm
Blake Hall: Wednesdays
2:30pm- 3:45pm
Civic Square: Thursdays
2-3:30pm
@MCLotts

20. LEGO

21. COLORING

22. RUL BUTTON-MAKING INITIATIVE

23. BANNED BOOKS WEEK-FREEDOM TO READ GRANT

24. ZINES
Libraries & Centers
Library/Center Campus
Open after
10 p.m
Group
study
rooms
OIT Lab/
Printer
Scanners Macs
Library of Science and Medicine Busch
Mathematical Sciences and
Physics Library
Busch
Alexander Library College Avenue
Art Library College Avenue
Digital Humanities Lab (in
Alexander)
College Avenue
East Asian Library (in Alexander) College Avenue
Robert Wood Johnson Medical
Library
College Avenue
Special Collections & University
Archives
College Avenue
Chang Science Library Cook
School of Management & Labor
Relations Library
Cook
Douglass Library Douglass
Fordham Lab/Commons Douglass
Media Center Douglass
Carr Library Livingston
@RutgersLibraries
@ rutgerslibraries
@RULibraries
youtube.com/
rutgerslibraries
A Pocket Guide
To
New Brunswick
-
Visit
Us
at
a
Reference
Desk
-
Chat
live
with
a
librarian
(10
am
-
10
pm)
libraries.rutgers.edu/help_chat
-
Email
a
Librarian
(Responses
typically
within
24
hours,
excluding
weekends
and
holidays)
reference@rutgers.libanswers.com
-
Call
the
Library
libraries.rutgers.edu/contact-us
All
Rutgers
libraries
offer
these
services
during
open
hours:
-
Mobile
Printing
(black
&
white;
most
libraries
also
have
color)
-
Scanning
to
print/email/fax
-
Course
Reserves
-
Interlibrary
Loan
(get
books
from
other
libraries
if
Rutgers
does
not
have
a
copy)
-
Poster
Printing
(for
a
fee)
Unique
Spaces
in
the
Libraries
-
Group
Study
Rooms
libraries.rutgers.edu/group_study_rooms
-
Digital
Humanities
Lab
libraries.rutgers.edu/digital-humanities-lab
-
Fordham
Multimedia
Lab
libraries.rutgers.edu/fordham
-
Margery
Somers
Foster
Center
libraries.rutgers.edu/foster
-
Special
Collections
and
University
Archives
libraries.rutgers.edu/scua
1
Events
at
the
Libraries
Welcome
Week
Exhibitions
Pumpkin
Decorating
Open
Access
Week
Button-making
Banned
Books
Week
The
New
Jersey
Book
Arts
Symposium
Stressbusters
Data
Week
&
more…
Find us on Social Media
&
Online at
libraries.rutgers.edu

25. URBAN SKETCHING

26. RU CREATIVE

27. CONCLUSION

28. FINAL THOUGHT

29. LEARN MORE...

30. QUESTIONS &
THANKS
Megan Lotts, MFA, M.L.I.S
Art Librarian
Rutgers, The State University of New
Jersey
(848)932-7189
megan.lotts@rutgers.edu
www.meganlotts.com
Twitter: @MCLotts

31. BIO
Megan Lotts is the Art Librarian at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, where she teaches research workshops,
builds collections, facilitates programming and events, and closely engages with students and faculty researching in the Arts.
Lotts has presented her research both nationally and internationally and has published articles in portal: the Libraries and
the Academy, Art Documentation, Journal of Library administration, College and Research Libraries News and is currently
working on a book for the American Libraries Association focusing on creativity and play in libraries. Her research interests
include creativity, outreach & engagement, makerspaces, play, and the work of library liaisons. She is known for her work
implementing LEGOâ play, a culture of creativity, and curating the exhibition spaces at the Rutgers University Art Library,
as well as teaching a semester long seminar “Playing to Learn in Higher Education.” Megan earned her MFA (2004) and
MLIS (2007) from University of Wisconsin-Madison and has a BFA in Painting (2000) and BFA in Art History (2002) from the
University of Illinois- Champaign-Urbana. She currently lives in New Brunswick, NJ and continues to create site-specific
conceptual works of art.

32. ABSTRACT
In the 21st century there is a constant rise in library patron needs and expectations.
As dwindling budgets and less staff prevail, libraries are looking at new models of
outreach and engagement to prove their value. Looking through a “creative” lens
focuses on “what is possible” and encourages individuals and organizations to work
in unconventional ways while using tools which are readily and easily accessible for
teaching, learning, or solving problems.
Creativity and playful experiences can be freeing and allow for spontaneity, which
is crucial when performing scholarly research, solving problems, or honing life-long
learning skills. But also, these casual teaching moments provide opportunities for
patrons to engage with library staff in non-traditional ways. Playful learning is a
dynamic and creative way to highlight collections and services which can also be
assessed to help capture and share the value and importance of an organization.
Throughout this presentation viewers will learn more about creativity in libraries, the
skills and tools needed to “be creative”, and how to implement and embrace a
culture of creativity within their own work lives.

33. REFERENCES & ADDITIONAL READINGS
• Lotts, Megan. “Low Cost High-Impact Makerspaces at the Rutgers University Art
Library.” Art Documentation 36, (Fall 2017): 345- 362.
• Lotts, Megan. “On the Road, Playing with LEGO, and Learning about the Library: The
Rutgers Art Library Lego Playing Station, Part Two.” Journal of Library Administration
56, Iss. 5 (Summer 2016): 499-525.
• Lotts, Megan. “Playing with LEGO, Learning about the Library and ‘Making’ Campus
Connections: The Rutgers Art Library Lego Playing Station, Part One.” Journal of Library
Administration 56, Iss. 4 (May 2016): 359-380.
@MCLotts

34. REFERENCES & ADDITIONAL READINGS
• Lotts, Megan. “Building Bridges, Creating Partnerships, and Elevating the Arts.” College &
Research Libraries News 77, no. 5 (May 2016): 226-230.
• Lotts, Megan. “Implementing a Culture of Creativity: Pop Up Making Spaces and Participating
Events in Academic Libraries.” College & Research Libraries News 76, no. 2 (February 2015):
72-75.
• Kranich, Nancy, Megan Lotts, and Gene Springs. “The Promise of Academic Libraries Turning
Outward to Transform Campus Communities.” College & Research Libraries News 75, no. 4
(April 2014): 182-186.
@MCLotts

35. REFERENCES & ADDITIONAL READINGS
• Lotts, Megan and Tara Maharjan. “Engagement, Learning, Outreach, and Fun in 60 Seconds:
Button Making at the Rutgers University Libraries.” College & Research Libraries News 79, no.7
(2018): 364-368.
• Lotts, Megan. “Coloring outside the Information Literacy Lines”. Association of College &
Research Libraries and American Library Association Instruction Section Newsletter 34, no. 2
(Fall 2017): 5-6.
• Lotts, Megan. “Woodblock Woodstock: The Drive By Press at Morris Library.” College &
Research Libraries News 74, no. 2 (February 2013): 86-89.
@MCLotts