Library as Place: Tales from the Community Learning Commons

• staff from Richmond Hill PL
• (link to slides #1803)
• RHPL is heavily used
• used library space for trade show type events to showcase local businesses, artists, authors, crafts people
• also did Extended Study Hall program where the lib was open two hours later than usual exclusively for the use of post-secondary students (also professionals...like people studying for CA exams) during exam times...staffed only by security guards...had in-house access to lib resources and computers...peeps had to be there when the library closed and re-admittance was not allowed
• Technology Fair: invited vendor sales reps, did internet classes, drop-in tech help, invited staff from local tech stores and held a "Teen Technology Mosh Pit" in which teen volunteers helped peeps with their tech questions
• also included adaptable technology
• Health Fair: had a "fair"-like atmosphere, kept it local, building relationships with local health care providers (used previous room-bookings as leads)
• interesting approach to the "library as place" mind set...don't have to squirrel programs away in meeting rooms, use the whole space