Program Outline

Soaring to Excellence

People Watching with a Purpose: Meeting Needs Before They Need It

Guest 1: Ann Bishop, PH.D. Associate Professor, GSLIS, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Library schools across the country are incorporating something called "community informatics." We'll be taking a look at just what this is--and what it looks like.

Guest 2: Nancy Kranich, former president of the ALA, leader and published author in community engagement and libraries. Former Assoc. Dean of Libraries at NYU.

Ann Bishop:

Definitions of Community Informatics and What it Looks Like

Library projects that exemplify

Puerto Rican Cultural Center & Paseo Boricua Community Library Project (Chicago)

Nancy Kranich:

Community Engagement in Libraries

Libraries roles in critical engagement

Democracy
Bensenville Public Library
National Issues Forum
Universal Service Programs

WHY Do It?

Taking the "asset based" approach to communities; not viewing patrons as being in positions of "need" empowers them (reasons from Nancy and Ann and implications for libraries).