CONVERSATIONS

STARTERS LIS 808

CHAPTER 1: THE ARAB SPRING

What are some of your communitys goals that the library could use to shape
themselves around?
This question is intended to get community members and stake holders to
consider what goals and objectives they are currently working towards, would like
to work toward, etc., that the library could help them achieve?
In addition, this could be the beginning of a community member realizing that they
are the owner of the library, and therefore its actions should support the
community in all that it does.

CHAPTER 2: THE ARGUMENT FOR BETTER LIBRARIES
What are some ways that your library can foster a role and responsibility in
creating a more informed citizenry? Are there ways that your library is
already doing this that you can share?
This question is intended as a way to hone in on the programming and
outreach necessary to be the library that our democracy needs us to be.
This question is also a way for some libraries to share ways that this
responsibility has been realized in this own communities, to foster debate
and inspiration for other libraries considering tackling this role.

CHAPTER 3: THE MISSION OF LIBRARIES: EXPECT MORE THAN BOOKS
How does your library support the intellectual and creative endeavors of its
community members?
This question is meant to bring the Library of Congress excellent mission
statement to the forefront of conversion asking practitioners and
community members where their institutions priorities really lie.
This is also a way for librarians and community members alike to think of
programming and services that could serve to support the intellectual and
creative goals of the community what populations in your community could
use the library to their benefit?

CHAPTER 4: FACILITATING KNOWLEDGE CREATION
What are some of the ways that your library educates users on issues of
online privacy and intellectual safety?
This question is meant to be a brainstorming space for libraries to engage
with a complicated issue teaching patrons the ways their information is
being monetized and how they can protect themselves from intrusive
monitoring by both the government and private companies and
organizations as well.
This also provides a space for libraries that have engaged with this issue to
share their successes and failures as well.

CHAPTER 5: IMPROVE SOCIETY: EXPECT GRANDER
How is your library working to fix the broken knowledge infrastructure in your
community? In what ways is your library fostering creators and entrepreneurs
throughout your community?
This question is intended to provide a concrete example of how a library can begin
the fight against a broken infrastructure system without it seeming like a goal too
big for any library to handle. Instead, asking about support for creators in the
community seems manageable and a benefit for everyone in the community, not
just the creators, themselves.

CHAPTER 6: COMMUNITIES: EXPECT A PLATFORM
How is your library allowing the community to share its passions? What are some
ways that your library could allow for library users to become educators at the
library?
This question is meant to ask libraries if they are supporting the passions of their
library users not just through collections, but also through sharing knowledge.
This question continues the thread of the importance of knowledge and learning
above collecting resources, and brings into focus the importance of allowing library
users to showcase their expertise.

CHAPTER 7: LIBRARIANS: EXPECT BRILLIANCE
What are some ways that your librarians are part of a larger participatory culture?
What are some examples of times your librarians have worked together for a larger
goal or outcome?
This question is intended as a way to sum up one of the larger points of the
chapter, being that librarians should focus on being more flexible and holistic.
This question is also intended to nail down ways that librarians from different
departments, with different specialties, can use those skills in novel ways for the
greater good of the library on the whole, instead of just their department goals.

CHAPTER 8: ACTION PLAN: EXPECT MORE
What are some things that your library has tried that have been successful despite
hesitation? What are some things that have gone badly despite support from
management and library members?
This question focuses in on the aspect of play in creating a great library. This asks
both librarians and library members to ponder the importance of trying new things
despite the potential for failure, while also asking for reflection on past programs,
services, and activities.