This document discusses advancing creativity and engagement in and outside of art libraries. It promotes implementing a culture of creativity through various programming ideas like Lego play, edible books, exhibits with living artists, embedded librarianship, zines, urban sketching, instant photography, and more. The document emphasizes that creativity helps build community partnerships, encourages collaboration, and teaches valuable skills like creative thinking and problem solving. While budgets are tight, libraries can be creative with low-cost, high-impact events and share their value through engaging programming.

1. ADVANCING A
CULTURE OF
CREATIVITY &
ENGAGEMENT BOTH
IN AND OUT OF THE
ART LIBRARY
MEGAN LOTTS, ART
LIBRARIAN
RUTGERS, THE STATE
UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY

2. CREATIVITY:
A STATE OF
MIND

3. DEFINING
CREATIVITY

4. THE
PROCESS
OF
CREATIVE
THINKING

5. PARTNERSHIPS
& TURNING
OUTWARD

6. CREATIVITY
IS NOT
ABOUT
SPACE

7. CREATIVITY:
FAILURE

8. WHAT DID
YOU LEARN?

9. ENGAGEMENT &
WORKING
CREATIVELY
(MODEL)

10. WOODBLOCK WOODSTOCK

11. EDIBLE BOOKS

12. EXHIBITS

13. EXPERIENCES WITH LIVING ARTISTS

14. 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

15. LEGO

16. COLORING

17. RUL BUTTON-MAKING INITIATIVE

18. ZINES

19. URBAN SKETCHING

20. INSTANT PHOTOGRAPHY

21. WHY DOES CREATIVITY MATTER?
Creativity strengthens ties with
local communities and surrounding
neighborhoods, which builds good
will for the Libraries.
Working creatively encourages
engagement which helps form
partnerships and promotes cross
disciplinary collaboration which
can bring new users to the library.
You can’t learn from a book what
you can learn from a creative
ephemeral physical or virtual
experience with a librarian or
living artist.
Creative engaging events can
provide hands-on learning
experiences which can hone
creative thinking and problem-
solving skills, which are tools that
are essential when performing
scholarly research.
You don’t need a lot of money to
be creative with engaging
services or events. Be resourceful,
get to know your community and
your local media source who can
help with publicity.
Lastly, being creative and turning
outward can help libraries and
organizations tell their stories in
interesting ways which shows
impact within their communities as
well as showing their value as a
crucial component to the culture of
learning.

22. FINAL THOUGHT

23. LEARN MORE...

24. SIX WORD STORIES

25. CIRCLES

26. DRAW YOUR FAVORITE BREAKFAST

27. 3 IDEAS

28. WHAT DID YOU
LEARN TODAY?

29. 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

30. 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 more. In 2021 the American Libraries Association published her first book
Advancing a Culture of Creativity in Libraries: Programming and Engagement and Lotts is working on her second
book “The Playful Library” forthcoming July 2024. 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.

31. 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,
SOLVING PROBLEMS, AND EMBRACING CHANGE.
CREATIVITY AND PLAYFUL EXPERIENCES CAN BE FREEING AND
ALLOW FOR SPONTANEITY, WHICH IS CRUCIAL WHEN
PERFORMING SCHOLARLY RESEARCH, SOLVING PROBLEMS, AND
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 AND
CHANGE WITHIN THEIR OWN WORK LIVES.

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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