Creating a community-led library

<!DOCTYPE HTML> <html class=" no-js" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/commons/scf.min.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/libs/social/subscriptions/components/hbs/subscriptions/clientlibs.min.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/commons/cards.min.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/libs/social/tally/components/hbs/voting/clientlibs.min.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/reviews.min.css" type="text/css"> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/utils.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/jquery/granite.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/foundation/clientlibs/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/foundation/clientlibs/shared.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/thirdparty/underscore.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/moment.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/thirdparty/backbone.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/thirdparty/handlebars.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/commons/scf.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/oclc/clientlibs/social/commons/scf.min.js"></script> <script src="/libs/social/subscriptions/components/hbs/subscriptions/clientlibs.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/commons/cards.min.js"></script> <script src="/libs/social/tally/components/hbs/voting/clientlibs.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/reviews.min.js"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/tally/voting.min.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/subscriptions.min.css" type="text/css"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/comments.min.css" type="text/css"> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/tally/voting.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/subscriptions.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/comments.min.js"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/tally/rating.min.css" type="text/css"> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/hbs/tally/rating.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/jquery.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/jquery/oclc.min.js"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/apps/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/jquery-ui.min.css" type="text/css"> <script src="/apps/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/jquery-ui.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/jquery/animation.min.js"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/jquery-ui.min.css" type="text/css"> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/granite/jquery-ui.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/foundation/clientlibs/jquery-ui.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/thirdparty/ckeditor.min.js"></script> <title>Creating a community-led library </title> <meta name="oclcdate" content="07/10/2024 10:00:00.000" /> <meta name="description" content="Libraries are increasingly turning to community-led approaches to ensure that their services and resources meet local needs effectively. This process involves actively including community members in decision-making processes, but the path to getting there can look different from library to library. We spoke with Loveland Public Library Director Amy Phillips to learn more about how her library is using a method called u-lab to guide their efforts to better understand community needs and align them with planned outreach efforts. U-lab is a collection of open-access online courses based on Theory U, a change management method developed by researchers at MIT. After participating in online discussions through u-lab, Amy saw the potential to use this strategy at Loveland. When the George Floyd protests began gaining momentum in 2020, Loveland library staff wanted to respond with resources for their community, and Amy thought u-lab could be a promising tool to guide the project. " />  <meta name="DC.Title" content="Creating a community-led library" /> <meta name="DCTERMS.Alternative" content="Creating a community-led library"> <meta name="DC.Subject" content="" /> <meta name="DC.Description" content="Libraries are increasingly turning to community-led approaches to ensure that their services and resources meet local needs effectively. This process involves actively including community members in decision-making processes, but the path to getting there can look different from library to library. We spoke with Loveland Public Library Director Amy Phillips to learn more about how her library is using a method called u-lab to guide their efforts to better understand community needs and align them with planned outreach efforts. U-lab is a collection of open-access online courses based on Theory U, a change management method developed by researchers at MIT. After participating in online discussions through u-lab, Amy saw the potential to use this strategy at Loveland. When the George Floyd protests began gaining momentum in 2020, Loveland library staff wanted to respond with resources for their community, and Amy thought u-lab could be a promising tool to guide the project. "> <meta name="DC.Publisher" content="OCLC" /> <meta name="DC.Creator" content=""> <meta name="DC.Contributor" content=""/> <meta name="DCTERMS.Created" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CTDF" content="2024-7-10"> <meta name="DCTERMS.Issued" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CTDF" content="2024-7-10"> <meta name="DCTERMS.Modified" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CTDF" content="2024-7-10"> <meta name="DC.Language" content="en_US"> <meta name="DC.Modified" content="2024-7-10" /> <meta name="DC.Rights" content="https://policies.oclc.org/en/copyright.html" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Creating a community-led library" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@WebJunction" /> <meta name="twitter:domain" content="www.webjunction.org" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Libraries are increasingly turning to community-led approaches to ensure that their services and resources meet local needs effectively. This process involves actively including community members in decision-making processes, but the path to getting there can look different from library to library. We spoke with Loveland Public Library Director Amy Phillips to learn more about how her library is using a method called u-lab to guide their efforts to better understand community needs and align them with planned outreach efforts. U-lab is a collection of open-access online courses based on Theory U, a change management method developed by researchers at MIT. After participating in online discussions through u-lab, Amy saw the potential to use this strategy at Loveland. When the George Floyd protests began gaining momentum in 2020, Loveland library staff wanted to respond with resources for their community, and Amy thought u-lab could be a promising tool to guide the project. " /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.webjunction.org/content/dam/WebJunction/Images/webjunction/2024-07/Loveland-Library-table.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.webjunction.org/content/dam/WebJunction/Images/webjunction/2024-07/Loveland-Library-table.jpg" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="WebJunction" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Creating a community-led library" /> <meta property="og:locale" content="en_US" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/creating-community-led-library.html" /> <meta property="og:description" content="Libraries are increasingly turning to community-led approaches to ensure that their services and resources meet local needs effectively. This process involves actively including community members in decision-making processes, but the path to getting there can look different from library to library. We spoke with Loveland Public Library Director Amy Phillips to learn more about how her library is using a method called u-lab to guide their efforts to better understand community needs and align them with planned outreach efforts. U-lab is a collection of open-access online courses based on Theory U, a change management method developed by researchers at MIT. After participating in online discussions through u-lab, Amy saw the potential to use this strategy at Loveland. When the George Floyd protests began gaining momentum in 2020, Loveland library staff wanted to respond with resources for their community, and Amy thought u-lab could be a promising tool to guide the project. " /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/creating-community-led-library.html"/> <link rel="alternate" href="https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/creating-community-led-library.html" hreflang="en"/>  <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "NewsArticle", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://www.webjunction.org/news/webjunction/creating-community-led-library.html" }, "headline": "Creating a community-led library", "image": "https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/WebJunction/Images/webjunction/2024-07/Loveland-Library-table.jpg", "datePublished": "2024-07-10T10:00:00.000-04:00", "dateModified": "2024-07-10T10:05:51.869-04:00", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "WebJunction" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "WebJunction", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/oclc/logos/webjunction/newsarticle_webjunction.png" } } } </script>  <link rel="icon" href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/images/favicon.ico" sizes="32x32"/> <link rel="icon" href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/images/icon.svg" type="image/svg+xml"/> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/images/apple-touch-icon.png"/> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof String.prototype.trim !== 'function') { String.prototype.trim = function() { return this.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, ''); } } </script>  <script src="/etc.clientlibs/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/modernizr.min.js"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/thirdparty/bootstrap3.min.css" type="text/css"> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/clientlibs/social/thirdparty/bootstrap3.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/apps/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/jquery-ui/source/jquery-ui.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function ($) { $(function () { yepnope([{ load: '/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/jquery.easing.js' }, { test: $("#faq-set").length, yep: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/faqs-functions-v0.1.js'] }, { // FancyBox for modals: http://fancybox.net test: ($("a.modal-media").length || $("a.modal").length || $("a.img-gallery").length || $("a.modal-iframe").length || $(".modal-youtube").length), yep: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/fancybox/jquery.fancybox.pack.js', '/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/fancybox/jquery.fancybox.css', '/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/fancybox/helpers/jquery.fancybox-media.js', '/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/modal-functions-v0.1.js'] }, { // Sitebar show/hide test: ($("#sitebar-sites").length), yep: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/jquery.hoverIntent.minified.js', '/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/sitebar-functions-v0.1.js'] }, { // Showhide test: ($(".showhide").length), yep: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/showhide-functions-v0.1.js'] }, { test: $.autocomplete, nope: '/apps/oclc/clientlibs/oclc/jquery-ui/source/jquery-ui.min.js', complete: function () { if ($("#search-terms").autocomplete) { $("#search-terms").autocomplete({ source: function (request, response) { var s_siteVal = $("#s_site").val(), s_clientVal = $("#s_client").val(), uri = '/apps/oclc/suggest?q='; uri = uri + request.term + '&site=' + encodeURIComponent(s_siteVal) + '&client=' + encodeURIComponent(s_clientVal); $.ajax({ url: uri, dataType: "json", type: "GET", success: function (data) { response(data); } }); //ajax closed } //source closed }); //autocomplete closed } if ($("#result-search-terms").autocomplete) { $("#result-search-terms").autocomplete({ source: function (request, response) { var sr_siteVal = $("#sr_site").val(), sr_clientVal = $("#sr_client").val(), uri = '/apps/oclc/suggest?q='; uri = uri + request.term + '&site=' + encodeURIComponent(sr_siteVal) + '&client=' + encodeURIComponent(sr_clientVal); $.ajax({ url: uri, dataType: "json", type: "GET", success: function (data) { response(data); } }); //ajax closed } //source closed }); //autocomplete closed } } }]); }); }(jQuery)); </script>  <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.typekit.net/xyd8noe.css"> <script src="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/jquery.url.min.js"></script> <script src="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/toggle-show-hide.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/en-US.js"></script> <script> (function($){ $(function() { yepnope({ test: $('div.form').length > 0, // test whether the a form exists on the page with "validate" class yep: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/jquery.validate.1.11.1.min.js','/etc/oclc/js/forms-functions-v0.4.js'] }); }); })(jQuery); </script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/cq/personalization/clientlib/underscore.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc.clientlibs/cq/personalization/clientlib/personalization/kernel.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> $CQ(function() { CQ_Analytics.SegmentMgr.loadSegments("\/etc\/segmentation"); CQ_Analytics.ClientContextUtils.init("\/etc\/clientcontext\/default", "\/content\/webjunction\/news\/webjunction\/creating\u002Dcommunity\u002Dled\u002Dlibrary"); }); </script>  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/oclc-webjunction-v2/main.css?v=20241030"> <link href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shThemeDefault.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <link href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shCore.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>   <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdn.cookielaw.org/consent/8c739978-b99d-473d-b8ee-5dd1952d4507/OtAutoBlock.js"></script> <script src="https://cdn.cookielaw.org/scripttemplates/otSDKStub.js" data-document-language="true" type="text/javascript" charset="UTF-8" data-domain-script="8c739978-b99d-473d-b8ee-5dd1952d4507"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> function OptanonWrapper() { } </script>   <link rel="preconnect" href="https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com"/> <script type='text/javascript' id='vwoCode'> window._vwo_code || (function() { var account_id=751037, version=2.0, settings_tolerance=2000, hide_element='body', hide_element_style = 'opacity:0 !important;filter:alpha(opacity=0) !important;background:none !important', /* DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE */ f=false,w=window,d=document,v=d.querySelector('#vwoCode'),cK='_vwo_'+account_id+'_settings',cc={};try{var c=JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('_vwo_'+account_id+'_config'));cc=c&&typeof c==='object'?c:{}}catch(e){}var stT=cc.stT==='session'?w.sessionStorage:w.localStorage;code={use_existing_jquery:function(){return typeof use_existing_jquery!=='undefined'?use_existing_jquery:undefined},library_tolerance:function(){return typeof library_tolerance!=='undefined'?library_tolerance:undefined},settings_tolerance:function(){return cc.sT||settings_tolerance},hide_element_style:function(){return'{'+(cc.hES||hide_element_style)+'}'},hide_element:function(){return typeof cc.hE==='string'?cc.hE:hide_element},getVersion:function(){return version},finish:function(){if(!f){f=true;var e=d.getElementById('_vis_opt_path_hides');if(e)e.parentNode.removeChild(e)}},finished:function(){return f},load:function(e){var t=this.getSettings(),n=d.createElement('script'),i=this;if(t){n.textContent=t;d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(n);if(!w.VWO||VWO.caE){stT.removeItem(cK);i.load(e)}}else{n.fetchPriority='high';n.src=e;n.type='text/javascript';n.onerror=function(){_vwo_code.finish()};d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(n)}},getSettings:function(){try{var e=stT.getItem(cK);if(!e){return}e=JSON.parse(e);if(Date.now()>e.e){stT.removeItem(cK);return}return e.s}catch(e){return}},init:function(){if(d.URL.indexOf('__vwo_disable__')>-1)return;var e=this.settings_tolerance();w._vwo_settings_timer=setTimeout(function(){_vwo_code.finish();stT.removeItem(cK)},e);var t=d.currentScript,n=d.createElement('style'),i=this.hide_element(),r=t&&!t.async&&i?i+this.hide_element_style():'',c=d.getElementsByTagName('head')[0];n.setAttribute('id','_vis_opt_path_hides');v&&n.setAttribute('nonce',v.nonce);n.setAttribute('type','text/css');if(n.styleSheet)n.styleSheet.cssText=r;else n.appendChild(d.createTextNode(r));c.appendChild(n);this.load('https://dev.visualwebsiteoptimizer.com/j.php?a='+account_id+'&u='+encodeURIComponent(d.URL)+'&vn='+version)}};w._vwo_code=code;code.init();})(); </script>  <script> dataLayer = [{ 'site': 'webjunction', 'language': 'en_us' }]; </script>  <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl+ '&gtm_auth=iGoSLkTwa8G0GRiDWDJMVw&gtm_preview=env-2&gtm_cookies_win=x';f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-TC83QFB');</script>  </head> <body class="oclc">  <noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-TC83QFB&gtm_auth=iGoSLkTwa8G0GRiDWDJMVw&gtm_preview=env-2&gtm_cookies_win=x" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>  <noscript> <div class="nojs-caution"> <p> <strong>JavaScript is currently not supported or is disabled by this browser. </strong> <br> Some features of this site will not be available. Please enable JavaScript for full functionality. <br> </p> </div> </noscript> <DIV class="header_microbar iparsys parsys"><div class="section"><div class="new"></div> </div><div class="iparys_inherited"><div class="header_microbar iparsys parsys"><div class="sitebar parbase section"> <script type="text/javascript"> (function (OCLC, $) { OCLC.empty = function (data) { if (typeof (data) == 'number' || typeof (data) == 'boolean') { return false; } if (typeof (data) == 'undefined' || data === null) { return true; } if (typeof (data.length) != 'undefined') { return data.length == 0; } var count = 0; for (var i in data) { if (data.hasOwnProperty(i)) { count++; } } return count == 0; } $(function () { var microLinks, sitebarName, sitebarLink; if (!CQ.shared.User.isInitialized() ) { CQ.shared.User.init(); CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.loadProfile(CQ.shared.User.data.userID); } if (CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.getData().authorizableId === 'anonymous') { $('#sitebar-contents').append(''); } }); }(window.OCLC = window.OCLC || {}, jQuery)); </script> <section class="micro-bar" id="micro-bar"> <div class="cont-page mod" id="sitebar-contents"> <div id="oclc-return"> <a href="https://www.oclc.org" title="OCLC.org Home">OCLC.org</a> <ul id="sitebar-sites" style="display: none; "> <li><a href="https://www.oclc.org" title=""><span class="oclc-return-home">OCLC.org Home</span></a></li> <li><a href="https://www.oclc.org/research/home.html" title="">Research</a></li> <li><a href="https://help.oclc.org/" title="">Support & Training</a></li> <li><a href="https://community.oclc.org" title="">Community Center</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.oclc.org/developer/home.en.html" title="">Developer Network</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.webjunction.org/home.html" title="">WebJunction</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> </DIV> <div class="cont-main"> <div class="header iparsys parsys"><div class="section"><div class="new"></div> </div><div class="iparys_inherited"><div class="header iparsys parsys"><div class="header parbase section"> <header> <script> (function ($) { $(function() { yepnope({ test: window.location.search != null && (window.location.search.indexOf("urlf=") >= 0 || window.location.search.indexOf("urlm=") >= 0), // test whether the url querystring has a parameter yep: ['/apps/oclc/docroot/js/urlmapper.js'] }); }); })(jQuery); </script> <script type="text/javascript"> (function (OCLC, $) { OCLC.logout = function() { if (_g && _g.shared && _g.shared.ClientSidePersistence) { //_g.shared.ClientSidePersistence.clearAllMaps(); } if( CQ_Analytics && CQ_Analytics.CCM) { //CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.clear(); //CQ_Analytics.CCM.reset(); //CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.loadProfile("anonymous"); CQ.shared.Util.load(""); } } OCLC.empty = function (data) { if (typeof (data) == 'number' || typeof (data) == 'boolean') { return false; } if (typeof (data) == 'undefined' || data === null) { return true; } if (typeof (data.length) != 'undefined') { return data.length == 0; } var count = 0; for (var i in data) { if (data.hasOwnProperty(i)) { count++; } } return count == 0; } $(function () { var headerLinks, headerName, headerLink; if (!CQ.shared.User.isInitialized() ) { CQ.shared.User.init(); CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.loadProfile(CQ.shared.User.data.userID); } if (CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.getData().authorizableId === 'anonymous') { } else { headerLinks = $('<ul class="header__profile-links">') .append('<li><a title="Sign out" id="signout-link" href="#">Sign out</a></li>'); if (!OCLC.empty('')) { headerLink = CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.data.path + '.form.html'; headerName = CQ_Analytics.ProfileDataMgr.data.formattedName; headerLinks.append('<li><a title="View or edit your account info" href="' + headerLink + '">' + headerName + '</a></li>'); } $('#header__profile').append(headerLinks); $("#signout-link").click(function(e) { e.preventDefault(); OCLC.logout(); return false; }); } }); }(window.OCLC = window.OCLC || {}, jQuery)); </script> <div class="cont-page"> <section class="header__pre"> <div class="skip-nav visuallyhidden"> <p><a href="#main-content" title="Skip navigation and go directly to page content">Skip to page content.</a></p> </div> <div id="url-mapper-msg"></div> </section> <section class="header__top"> <a class="header__icon-button hide-desktop" id="mobile-menu" href="#">Menu</a> <div class="header__brand"> <div class="logo globallogo parbase">  <a href="https://www.webjunction.org/home.html"> <img src="/content/dam/WebJunction/Images/logo_webjunction.svg" border="0" title="Go to WebJunction.org home page" alt="WebJunction | The learning place for libraries." class=""> </a> </div> <div class="logo-secondary globallogo parbase">  </div> </div> <div class="header__controls"> <script> var contentLink = ''; </script> <ul class="universal-links"> <li> <a href="https://learn.webjunction.org" title="Go to Courses">Go to Courses</a> </li> </ul> <div class="header__profile" id="header__profile"></div> </div> <a class="header__icon-button hide-desktop" id="mobile-search" href="#">Search</a> </section> <section class="header__bottom"> <div class="topnav"> <script> (function ($) { $(function () { yepnope({ test: $.hoverIntent, // test whether hoverIntent nope: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/jquery.hoverIntent.minified.js'], complete: function () { yepnope({ load: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/mainnavigation-functions-v0.3.js', '/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/jquery/jquery.ba-outside-events.js'] }); } }); $(window).bind("load", function () {}); // Not sure why this is here. }); }(jQuery)); </script> <nav> <ul id="main-nav"> <li class="main-nav-item"> <a href="https://learn.webjunction.org/" title="Course Catalog" rel="/content/webjunction/nav-menus/course-catalog.html" class="main-nav-link dropnav">Course Catalog</a> <div class="dropnav-cont hidden-all"></div> </li> <li class="main-nav-item"> <a href="https://www.webjunction.org/events/webjunction.html" title="Webinar calendar" rel="/content/webjunction/nav-menus/webinar-calendar.html" class="main-nav-link dropnav">Webinar calendar</a> <div class="dropnav-cont hidden-all"></div> </li> <li class="main-nav-item"> <a href="https://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics.html" title="Topic areas" rel="/content/webjunction/nav-menus/explore-topics.html" class="main-nav-link dropnav">Topic areas</a> <div class="dropnav-cont hidden-all"></div> </li> <li class="main-nav-item"> <a href="https://www.webjunction.org/wj-projects.html" title="Our projects" rel="/content/webjunction/nav-menus/webjunction-projects.html" class="main-nav-link dropnav">Our projects</a> <div class="dropnav-cont hidden-all"></div> </li> <li class="main-nav-item"> <a href="https://www.webjunction.org/about-us.html" title="About us" rel="/content/webjunction/nav-menus/about-us.html" class="main-nav-link dropnav">About us</a> <div class="dropnav-cont hidden-all"></div> </li> </ul> </nav> </div> <div class="search"> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/coveo/css/CoveoFullSearchNewDesign.css"/> <script src="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/coveo/js/CoveoJsSearch.js"></script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/coveo/css/oclccoveosearchextension.css"/> <div class="oclc-coveo-search"> <section class="search-box"> <div id="searchbox" class="CoveoSearchInterface" data-pipeline="webjunction"> <div class="coveo-search-section"> <div class="CoveoSearchbox" data-enable-omnibox="true" data-inline="false" data-enable-wildcards="true" data-enable-search-as-you-type="false" data-enable-query-suggest-addon="true" data-enable-query-syntax="true" data-enable-field-addon="true" data-auto-focus="false"> </div> </div> </div> <div> <input type="hidden" name="resultsPagePath" value="/content/webjunction/search-results.html" id="resultsPagePath"> <input type="hidden" name="accessToken" value="xxc839667d-dd5e-474e-b3ab-c84b434185fe" id="accessToken"> <input type="hidden" name="searchUrl" value="https://platform.cloud.coveo.com/rest/search" id="searchUrl"> <input type="hidden" name="searchWord" value="Search WebJunction" id="searchWord"> </div> </section> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> //This is to fix the issue with amlib and olib where there are multiple //standalone searchboxes on the same page. This disables all searchboxes //except the last one. coveo doesn't support instantiating multiple global //search boxes on the same page. $('body').find('.oclc-coveo-search:not(:last)').remove(); var searchResultsPage = $('#resultsPagePath').val(); var accessTokenVal = $('#accessToken').val(); var searchUrlVal = $('#searchUrl').val(); var searchWordVal = $('#searchWord').val(); document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() { Coveo.SearchEndpoint.endpoints["default"] = new Coveo.SearchEndpoint({ restUri: searchUrlVal, accessToken: accessTokenVal }); var root = Coveo.$$(document).find("#searchbox"); if ("" != searchResultsPage && null != searchResultsPage) { Coveo.initSearchbox(root, searchResultsPage, { Searchbox: { placeholder: searchWordVal } }); } }); </script> </div> </section> </div> </header> </div> <div class="customjavascript section"> <style> /* TEMP - delete after 2024-09-02 */ .header__top .globallogo img { height: 2.5rem; max-width: 100%; } @media screen and (min-width: 576px) { .hide-desktop { display: none !important; } } .header__bottom { align-items: end; position: relative; justify-content: space-between; } .header__top, .header__bottom { display: flex; flex-flow: row wrap; gap: 1rem; } /* End TEMP */ </style></div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="main-content" class="cont-page mod"> <div class="parsys_column interior-content"> <div class="parsys_column home-content-c0"> <div class="cont-page mod crumbs-tools"> <div class="breadcrumb"></div> </div> <div class="page-content no-nav"> <div class="par parsys"><div class="parsyscolumncontrol section"> <div class="parsys_column cq-colctrl-lt5"> <div class="parsys_column cq-colctrl-lt5-c0"> <div class="col0 parsys"><div class="news parbase section"> <div> <article> <h1 itemprop="name">Creating a community-led library</h1> <h2 class="sub">Loveland Public Library's u-lab initiative in action</h2> <div class="news-stats"> <div class="news-summary"> <div class="detail-text"> <span itemprop="creator">WebJunction</span> / <span itemprop="datePublished" content="10 July 2024"> <strong>10 July 2024</strong></span> </div> </div> <div class="clear"></div> </div> </article> </div></div> <div class="text parbase section"> <div style="float: right; padding: 5.0px;" class="image"> <figure class="figure-stack-image"> <img src="/content/dam/WebJunction/Images/webjunction/2024-07/Loveland-Library-table.jpg" alt="Two smiling library staff members standing at a table with a sign that reads ‘Loveland Public Library where you can’" title="Loveland Innovation Celebration" style="float: none;" width="325"/> <figcaption style="text-align: left;"> <em>Photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/LovelandPubLibrary/posts/pfbid04yGwSK83ABQnr5XCMyJGk6GzvBaD9FiNVeh7DdRzgFQzpvG262rJytNqGUzNGmFnl">Loveland Public Library</a> on Facebook</em> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Libraries are increasingly turning to community-led approaches to ensure that their services and resources meet local needs effectively. This process involves actively including community members in decision-making processes, but the path to getting there can look different from library to library. We spoke with Loveland Public Library (Colorado) Director Amy Phillips to learn more about how her library is using a method called u-lab to guide their efforts to better understand community needs and align them with planned outreach efforts.</p> <p>U-lab is a collection of open-access online courses based on Theory U, a change management method developed by researchers at MIT. After participating in online discussions through u-lab, Amy saw the potential to use this strategy at Loveland. When the George Floyd protests began gaining momentum in 2020, Loveland library staff wanted to respond with resources for their community, and Amy thought u-lab could be a promising tool to guide the project.</p> <h2>A new path to community collaboration</h2> <p>U-lab is part of the larger ecosystem, which offers programs, certifications, learning resources, and on-demand courses. U-lab course tracks are designed for either individuals or groups. The courses are free, although an application is required to participate in u-lab 2X, the group track. The application process is intentionally simple and accessible to maximize impact and lower the barrier to entry. Once a group is accepted, all resources are free, including four live online trainings and a toolkit to help guide the process for project participants.</p> <p>“Instead of just popping out a fully formed program like a book club or a speaker and saying, ‘Here you go,’ it’s a chance for us to explore what’s happening in the community, where the community is at, and what the community needs,” Amy explained.</p> <p>Initially, the Loveland team wanted to consider developing an anti-racism toolkit, but the project outcome changed as they went through the u-lab steps and gathered community feedback.</p> <p>“As we went along in the process, we found that there were different needs in the community that we originally had not anticipated,” Amy said. “And that was really one of the best things that came out of it—that we knew what we wanted, but we didn't know what the community wanted.”</p> <h2>Partnering with Loveland community members</h2> <div style="float: right; padding: 5.0px;" class="image"> <figure class="figure-stack-image"> <img src="/content/dam/WebJunction/Images/webjunction/2024-07/Loveland-Library-Safety-Forum.jpg" alt="Group of people in discussion seated around a table " title="Community conversation" style="float: none;" width="300"/> <figcaption style="text-align: left;"> <em>Community conversation, image courtesy<br /> Loveland Public Library</em> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Loveland, Colorado is a quickly expanding community of around 80,000 people, located an hour north of Denver. The demographics of the city are also changing and evolving in terms of political views, age, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation—all factors that are important to consider when planning library programs that serve the community holistically. This kind of rapid expansion comes with both growing pains and opportunities to fill needed gaps in community services—all factors that contributed to an ideal time to try a new approach like u-lab.</p> <p>Amy also emphasized the importance of finding resources that are accessible and affordable, which made u-lab’s free resources a great fit for the library. The program is scalable, and timelines are flexible.</p> <h3>Diving into u-lab</h3> <p>The u-lab process blends elements of other community-led planning models with design thinking, with emphasis placed on examining and understanding the environment you’re working in—referred to as the ecology. The process is also rooted in a concept called appreciative inquiry—guiding project leaders to ask introspective questions before each step of the process.</p> <p>Like other community-led models, u-lab recommends starting by forming a core group of project leaders, and then identifying key community partners and beginning to cultivate working relationships grounded in trust. Initially, this group included a core team of library staff and community partners, including representatives from organizations like the Salvation Army and local school districts.</p> <p>The appreciative inquiry model helps to inform the process, especially while you’re building your team of project participants and stakeholders. Amy gave some examples of questions her team asked throughout this process, like “What is your focus in the community? What excites you about what you're doing? What are some of the challenges you’ve met? How do you see the library fitting in with this work? And, who else should we be talking to?”</p> <p>Amy emphasized that this final question about who else we should be talking to is key in continuing to facilitate the network-building that is so crucial to a successful project.</p> <p>Through asset mapping exercises, both in-person and virtual, using tools ranging from Legos to online whiteboards, the team assessed current community resources and envisioned future possibilities.</p> <p>“The first thing you do is to get a picture of what currently is in the community, and that's actually a lot of fun,” Amy said. “You can either do it in person with things like LEGOS and pipe cleaners and milk cartons and things like that, or you can do it online on a whiteboard.”</p> <h3>An unexpected result</h3> <p>Over the span of a year, the project evolved from initial discussions on an anti-racism toolkit to addressing broader community desires for targeted outreach and a central information hub.</p> <p>“We started out with the idea of an anti-racism toolkit, and what we ended up hearing was people needed space to come together, and access a clearinghouse of information and resources [on social justice issues].”</p> <p>Project outcomes included offering tables for organizations to showcase their work and resources, partnering on programming to highlight community efforts, and facilitating connections between organizations for mutual support. The library is also developing plans for mobile outreach using a van to bring resources directly to communities, to address gaps in accessibility and help more members of the community engage with the library.</p> <p>Central to their efforts is promoting library spaces as hubs for community empowerment and support on social justice issues. This evolution showed that u-lab methods can grow and adapt to projects of all sizes, always keeping a strong focus on community impact and empowerment.</p> <p>The community response to the library’s efforts has been positive. Cultivating intentional relationships and seeking community input has helped build trust in the library as a supportive and inclusive institution, and the team hopes to build on this positive experience with their next initiative.</p> <h2>Looking back, looking forward</h2> <div style="float: right; padding: 5.0px;" class="image"> <figure class="figure-stack-image"> <img src="/content/dam/WebJunction/Images/webjunction/2024-07/Loveland-library-kids.jpg" alt="Large group of children standing in bubbles and holding a sign that reads ‘We love our library’" title="Mesa Public Library Bikes & Books " style="float: none;" width="350"/> <figcaption style="text-align: left;"> <em>Photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=896265135876105&set=pb.100064778796144.-2207520000&type=3">Loveland Public Library</a> on Facebook</em> </figcaption> </figure> </div> <p>Asking questions is just as important at the end of the project as it is throughout all the iterations that led there. Amy described how valuable this reflection is when assessing the project’s success: “It isn't just getting data; it's reflecting on what we’ve learned.”</p> <p>U-lab offers tools and recommendations to help participants measure outcomes, including a story canvas, which guides participants through the process of building and tracking outcomes at multiple points throughout a project.</p> <p>What’s next for Loveland? The library team plans to build on the success of their first project by tackling adult literacy needs in the community, including digital literacy and English language learning. While they know adult literacy is a need in the community, they’re putting their lessons learned from the first project into action, starting with an open-ended mindset, and allowing their community partners to help guide them to the eventual outcome. And Amy’s biggest piece of advice for other libraries considering u-Lab: “Just be aware that this is a journey, and keep an open mind and adjust.”</p> <p>Loveland Public Library’s openness to try a new path to planning helped them empower their community through inclusive programming and resources. Through collaborative efforts, they've identified and met local needs, especially in areas like social justice and supporting marginalized groups. This approach has made their initiatives more inclusive, responsive, and sustainable. Stay tuned for what’s next, and let us know if your library decides to give u-lab—or another community-led planning process—a try.</p> <p> </p> <ul> </ul> </div> <div class="highlightbox section">  <div class="hbox "> <div class="highlightbox parsys"><div class="text parbase section"> <h2>Additional resources</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.u-school.org/">u-school for Transformation</a>: Learn more about the background and origins of the u-school.</li> <li><a href="https://www.u-school.org/programs#u-lab">u-lab cycle</a>: Get started here—browse all u-lab learning opportunities.</li> <li><a href="https://www.u-school.org/offerings/ulab2x-2024">u-lab 2x</a>: Learn more about the team-based u-lab track, hosted each year over a four-month period, free for all participants. A simple application is required.</li> <li><a href="https://www.u-school.org/resources">u-school tools</a>: U-school methods and tools, which are freely available for everyone to use, including 3D mapping, stakeholder interviews, the Four Levels of Listening, and more.</li> <li><a href="https://www.u-school.org/theory-u">Theory U</a>: Explore the philosophical framework behind u-School and u-Lab, with links to books, videos, and other resources.<br /> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>  </div> </div> </div> <div class="parsys_column cq-colctrl-lt5-c1"> <div class="col1 parsys"><div class="relatedtopiclist parbase section"> <div> <div> <div class="list parbase section"> <section class="quicklinks"> <h1>Related Topics</h1> <div class="list-cont"> <ul id="linkList"> <li> <a title="Advocacy" href="https://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/advocacy.html">Advocacy</a> </li> <li> <a title="Outreach" href="https://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/outreach.html">Outreach</a> </li> <li> <a title="Partnerships & collaboration" href="https://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/partnerships.html">Partnerships & collaboration</a> </li> <li> <a title="Programming" href="https://www.webjunction.org/explore-topics/programming.html">Programming</a> </li> </ul> </div> </section> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> </div> <div class="more-cta"> <div class="productaction iparsys parsys"><div class="section"><div class="new"></div> </div><div class="iparys_inherited"><div class="productaction iparsys parsys"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="cont-page extra-info"> <div class="purposestmt iparsys parsys"><div class="section"><div class="new"></div> </div><div class="iparys_inherited"><div class="purposestmt iparsys parsys"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="footer iparsys parsys"><div class="section"><div class="new"></div> </div><div class="iparys_inherited"><div class="footer iparsys parsys"><div class="footer section">  <footer class="page-footer">  <div class="cont-page"> <div class="par parsys"><div class="parsyscolumncontrol section"> <div class="parsys_column cq-colctrl-lt6"> <div class="parsys_column cq-colctrl-lt6-c0"> <div class="col0 parsys"><div class="customjavascript section"> <p><a href="https://www.oclc.org/" title="Visit oclc.org"><img src="/content/dam/oclc/design-images/home-page/footer-logo.png" alt="OCLC logo" class="img-nobrdr"></a></p></div> </div> </div> <div class="parsys_column cq-colctrl-lt6-c1"> <div class="col1 parsys"><div class="text parbase section"> <div> <div class="social-intro"> <p><b>Follow<br /> WebJunction:</b></p> </div> <div class="social-accounts" style="float: left;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WebJunctionNews" title="Like WebJunction on Facebook"><img class="img-nobrdr" src="/content/dam/common/images/social-icons/footer/footer-facebook.png" alt="Facebook"/></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMYoXOxB8TwPOLtcgTh21hw" title="Watch WebJunction videos on YouTube"><img class="img-nobrdr" src="/content/dam/common/images/social-icons/footer/footer-youtube.png" alt="YouTube"/></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/webjunction" title="Connect with WebJunction on LinkedIn"><img class="img-nobrdr" src="/content/dam/common/images/social-icons/footer/footer-linkedin.png" alt="LinkedIn"/></a> </div> </div> <div style="clear: both;"> </div> </div> <div class="customjavascript section"> <style>.copyright #ot-sdk-btn.ot-sdk-show-settings{border:none;padding:0;font-size:12px;color:#455560;background:none}.copyright #ot-sdk-btn.ot-sdk-show-settings:hover{background:none;color:#455560;text-decoration:none}</style></div> <div class="text parbase section"> <div class="copyright"> <p><span name="Sprinkles:copyright-current-year" class="cq-rte-sprinkles"><a href="https://policies.oclc.org/en/copyright.html" title="Read the OCLC copyright policy">© 2024 OCLC</a></span> </p> <p><a href="https://policies.oclc.org/en/copyright/trademarks.html" title="View the OCLC and Affiliate Trademarks and Service Marks PDF">Domestic and international trademarks and/or service marks of OCLC, Inc. and its affiliates</a></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.webjunction.org/sitemap.html">Site map</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.webjunction.org/about-us/terms.html">Terms of service</a></li> <li><a href="https://policies.oclc.org/en/privacy/privacy-statement.html">Privacy statement</a></li> <li><a href="https://policies.oclc.org/en/privacy/cookie-statement.html">Cookie notice</a></li> <li><a id="ot-sdk-btn" class="ot-sdk-show-settings">Cookie settings</a></li> <li><a href="https://policies.oclc.org/en/accessibility.html">Accessibility statement</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.oclc.org/en/trust/compliance.html#trust-certifications">ISO 27001 Certificate</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> </div> <div style="clear: both"></div> </div> <div class="connect-bar mod"> <div class="cont-page">  </div> </div>  <div class="cont-page copyright"> <div class="text parbase"> </div> </div> </footer> <script> (function ($) { $(function() { yepnope({ test: ($(".event-listing-show").length), yep: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/js/event-functions-v0.2.js'] }); }); })(jQuery); </script> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript"> (function ($) { $(function () { yepnope([{ }, { test: (window.location.href.indexOf("search-results") != -1), nope: ['/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shCore.js', '/apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shAutoloader.js'], complete: function () { SyntaxHighlighter.autoloader('java /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushJava.js', 'js jscript javascript /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushJScript.js', 'plain text /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushPlain.js', 'bash /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushBash.js', 'csharp /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushCSharp.js', 'css /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushCss.js', 'groovy /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushGroovy.js', 'perl pl /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushPerl.js', 'php /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushPhp.js', 'python py /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushPython.js', 'ruby /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushRuby.js', 'sql /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushSql.js', 'xml /apps/settings/wcm/designs/oclc/syntaxhighlighter/shBrushXml.js'); SyntaxHighlighter.all(); } }]); }); }(jQuery)); </script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Creating a community-led library