Librarians Get Their Geek On

My name is Laura and I geek civic engagement and writing. In addition to being a reference librarian I also have the task of providing programs for adults at our Central Library. As a member of Iowa Partners in Learning, a volunteer coalition which supports public deliberation in Iowa, I have had the opportunity to have National Issues Forums at the Central Library. One was on democracy and another on the healthcare system in which we partnered with the Hoover Presidential Library. In October 2008, I was a co-presenter at the NCDD (National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation) conference in Austin, Texas. Our presentation was on the importance of libraries in promoting civic engagement in our communities. This event generated interest from all over the United States.

Libraries are not just for books. They have become an important social aspect in our communities. When someone loses a job, they don’t have the money to pay for Internet service. The library is where many people are turning for job seeking online.

Not everyone is a reader. The library provides a wide variety of audio books. One of the programs I started at the library in collaboration with the Drake University Adult Literacy Center is called, “Literacy in a Different Way.” We bring readers and non-readers together to talk about books that may also be available as audio books. The idea is to encourage an interest in literature regardless of the format. One new reader was so excited she checked out the large print book and the unabridged audio book and followed along to help improve her reading skills. Working in a library is also a great atmosphere for someone who geeks learning. Another program that has attracted many people from the community is a free writers’ workshop which meets once a month. We average about 15-20 members each month. You could say I also geek being a librarian.

Laura is a librarian from Iowa.