More than Books

From my very first IST 511 class I learned that libraries are more than just books. I have learned that libraries and librarians are going beyond the collection centered worldview in which patrons achieve knowledge through picking up a book. That's not to say that books aren't important, but that they aren't the be-all, end-all of libraries. And while I have seen and heard of libraries facilitating knowledge through conversation I have also witnessed libraries and librarians who are holding on to the collection centered worldview with an iron fist. So when I read Barbecue? Flamenco Dancing? Learning Gets Interactive I actually got really excited.

Today a copy of American Libraries came in my mailbox and conveniently today was also the day that I had to sit around my apartment for hours on end waiting for the cable company to come by. So I had time to sit down at my desk and read through some of the articles. Right away an article caught my eye. The article was entitled Barbecue? Flamenco Dancing? Learning Gets Interactive. It was written by Judy Rosenfield about a recent program that was held at Louisville Free Public Library in Kentucky. The article discussed how Louisville Free Public Library had put on a How-To-Festival in which people could turn up at the library and be taught things like how to do magic tricks, or how to grill the perfect steak. The library noticed that it had a community that loved to learn new things, but often lacked the time and space to hold classes that would teach these new experiences. So the library saw a need and fulfilled it. According to the article, the library got over 100 people and community groups to volunteer their expertise and over 1000 people to come and participate (Rosenfield, 18). I thought this was a wonderful example of how libraries are more than books on shelves. This library saw that their patrons wanted to learn and have hands on experience so they brought in experts to facilitate a conversation, to help the patrons learn. Granted not every community wants to have a how-to festival, but the point is that libraries are listening to their communities and giving them programs that they want, regardless of whether it  relates to what people think of as typical library programs.


Rosenfield, J. (2012, Nov). Barbecue? flamenco dancing? learning gets interactive. American Libraries, 43(11/12), 18-19.