At my library we’re in the midst of redesigning our entire website in-house using Drupal, and I’m learning tons from our esteemed web designer (and Karaoke maven) CourtieBeeds.  User experience, information architecture, navigation tests, designing for mobile-first, etc.!

As a content writer first and a web designer pretty much dead last, it’s fun to play around with how my skills fit into the mix.  My latest project has been figuring out what content we want to display on our “About Us” page. How do we make it informative but also super fun to read?

In these situations it’s always really helpful to prowl around for inspiration on the internets (which, by the way, are AMAZING guys) and I found all the inspiration I needed right here: www.madebysofa.com

Just scroll down and look at the staff profile in the lower right corner.  Pause to appreciate its beauty. Then, mouse-over said profile and die from the magic of it all.

Please excuse a little bit of a braggy post today:

Oh, what’s that?  You can’t quite make out what it says?  No, don’t be silly, of course I don’t mind: “To Rachel, Great to meet and eat deer together in Lawrence. Dl Woodrell.”

Just a few weeks ago, my library played host to the phenomenal Daniel Woodrell and his wife, author Katie Estill. Continue reading →

We’re renovating our library right now, and one of the most exciting new features will be a creative lab with fancy computer software, a soundproof recording studio, keyboards, videocameras, green screens, even a scanner / fax (how innovative!). This is extra exciting to me since creation in libraries is so near & dear to my heart.

I think my library director said it well when he told our newspaper that libraries can be creation hubs where we provide “precious and expensive resources” to help the people in our community grow vibrant local arts and businesses.   I’ve  long been a fan of Chicago Public Library’s YOUmedia project and Skokie Public Library’s Digital Media Lab, and Barrington Library has a great media lab, too. (Hey, all these libraries are in Illinois!)

We’re envisioning this space as a combo artsy / techie / entrepreneurial space, and have been trying to strike just the right balance in our planning and especially in the name.  Today I trolled the internet looking for inspiration in Hackerspaces, which are known for often clever, sometimes terrible names.  I think I’m gravitating to “Collaboratory.”  I’m also morbidly attracted to “HackGyver,”  “Hammer Time” and “Curious Forge.” Check out some other examples after the jump!

What do you think would make a good name for a library creative lab? Continue reading →

One of my favorite Kansas colleagues is headed to San Fransisco next month to give an “ignite talk” on lifelong learning in libraries.  I have no idea what an “ignite talk” is, but I already love it!

To prep for her talk, she put a call out to Kansas librarians to share ideas about how lifelong learning happens in each of our libraries, whether it’s programs, events, spaces, training, web events, materials, etc.  She’ll be turning our feedback into a word art slide show that shows all the different ways we’re getting at this key library function.

As I sat down to answer her question and shoot some photos her way, I was just really proud of what my library’s been working on.  Our Thrifty Gifter series, which taught our community about hands-on DIY crafting, upcycling, frugality, metalworking, and knitting.  Our recent “Meat and Greet” Kansas Day celebration which ditched the butter churning and anthems, and instead introduced community members to local ranchers, who talked about animal husbandry and sustainable food while the audience enjoyed free tasting portions of their meats.  We’ve had fun teaming up with local foodies to offer events like Coffee Tastings, where we talk about how coffee is grown and techniques for tasting, roasting, and brewing.  And currently we’re in the middle of a series of Financial Wellness Clinics, which cover budgeting, saving, investing, love & money, and more.

The more I hone the practice of librarianship, and especially events and programs, the more I’m convinced that libraries thrive when we offer what our communities actually want to know, instead of what we think they ought to know.  In my community, that means arts, local foods, sustainability, civil war history, basketball, and lit… and the weirder, the better.

What event have you loved at your library, lately?

While I’ve been taking a mini-breather from the virtual world, my colleague and fellow beer-drinker Susan Brown has just launched a swanky new blog: 658point8.

658.8 is the Dewey Decimal number for books about marketing, and that’s what you’ll find at her site — practical marketing advice for public libraries, from branding and advocacy to the cutthroat politics of moving bulletin boards in the library lobby.

Susan would actually never call it cutthroat — her blog is so much more pragmatic and genteel than that.  Stroll on by when you get the chance!

So, this is happening tomorrow.  Stoked!  My library just finished processing Watkins’ book, and I’ve been having fun flipping through its gorgeous silkscreened pages.  Propaganda?  Freak Power??  Check.

The best part has been going around to museums & galleries in town to tell them about the event.  They unfailingly say something like: “Oh, I remember DJ’s lawn mowing service from when he was a little boy!”  “Our community watched DJ grow up.”  I love it when people come back home.  Welcome home, DJ — we’ll see you tomorrow night at the library!