We love public libraries. We love the Aspen Institute. We love public libraries and writing for the Aspen Institute. Check out Kirsten Wyatt’s article on takeaways from “Role of Libraries in Advancing Community Goals.”
Shot One: Your Local Library: The Ultimate Community Engagement Center
ELGL members are anecdotally seeing that Hurst’s research is true in their communities. Citizens are paying their bills online, engaging in city discussions via social media, and receiving customized news and information in their inboxes.
An analogy is that local government digital services are like a salad bar: a virtual buffet of choices from which citizens can pick and choose how they engage based on their personal tastes and aptitudes. For some citizens, especially those who have grown up with technology, this salad bar is easy to navigate. But for others, low level digital literacy is akin to approaching that salad bar without a plate. Local libraries play a critical role in ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table in our digital world.
Read the rest of Kirsten’s article.
Shot Two: Podcast: Rethinking Public Libraries from ICMA 2016
In a special episode recorded at the ICMA Conference in Kansas City, MO, ELGL co-founder Kent Wyatt interviews Amy Garmer, Director of the Aspen Institute Dialogue on Public Libraries. The interview covers a wide range of topics including:
- Working for U.S Senator Sam Nunn
- Virginia vs. Texas
- Mt. Rushmore of Books
- Are libraries overlooked and underappreciated?
- Four model libraries
Supplemental Reading
Aspen Institute report explores how libraries can nurture innovation
The Aspen Institute Dialogue on Public Libraries
ICMA to Launch National Library Survey
Working Together to Close the Digital Divide
Report: Rising to the Challenge Re-envisioning Public Libraries
Freedom and Connectivity: Advancing the Freedom to Communicate in the Americas
Smart Libraries: Community Development Through Innovation and Partnerships