I saw a notice recently about a library awareness campaign running from the Jefferson County Public Library. 
This is interesting advocacy strategy and one more way to help drive traffic to the library’s site. After a period of several weeks, the library will post a survey testing the knowledge its visitors, with an opportunity to win gift cards worth $70. You’ll find more detail, plus learn some things about the library at the DYK page.
A radio spot that aired today on Colorado Matters, a program broadcast through Colorado Public Radio, is worth a listen. This feature highlights examples from throughout public libraries. Visit Libraries as Job Centers, but don’t stop with the synopsis, which doesn’t do the radio feature justice. After the feature, you’ll hear a great joint interview with Mary Stansbury (DU) and Megan Kinney (DPL).
Seriously, give it a listen.
I paid a recent unscheduled visit to the new Southglenn Library, a branch of the Arapahoe Library District. Hearing reports about the design of this library, I was interested to find out what was new, what was tried and what was true.
What greeted me was an open layout, a sense of airy space, and a notably clean view from one side of the library to the other.
Continue reading ‘Tour a new Arapahoe Library District branch’
In rural NE Colorado, the directors of several public libraries gathered last Friday to network and commiserate on the success of their services to their communities. Judy, Shelley and I had the good fortune to share information and lunch with this bunch. We met downstairs in the recently-renovated Akron Public Library, which is such a warm and cozy space. What a great community hub! See our Flickr account for more photos, including the wonderful interior.
For small libraries in Colorado, staffing and volunteers are particularly crucial for day-to-day operations. Directors wear a dozen different hats, so to take time away from daily work for this kind of networking and information sharing is no small decision. Our thanks to all of those who made the trip, and to Jan McCracken, Akron’s director, for hosting!
You may have missed the September 12 official unveiling of the Rangeview Library District’s latest (some would call radical) movement away from its traditional library brand into a new style.
Anythink(tm) “celebrates imagination, play and interactivity.” In the official Anythink announcement, you’ll note a decidedly strategic absence of the tried-and-tired verbiage and emphasis typical of library press releases. Included is a YouTube-hosted “Anythink Branimation.” Pop on over to the site; this is an innovative and bold direction for Rangeview Library District, well worth watching.
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