VIEWPOINTS

Micro Connections
— Linus Tan

Identifying the possibility for connections between the Louise Riley Library and its surrounding communities

Libraries are critical components of a city's knowledge and social infrastructure. They serve as learning centres and provide reliable information to the community. They also serve as meeting hubs for various communities in the neighbourhood. While the digital technology of the twenty-first century first called into question traditional library operations, libraries have evolved and found new footing in our present information age. The way we obtain and consume information has changed dramatically, but our need for shared, community-centred spaces to learn and connect with others is unlikely to change anytime soon. How are libraries, particularly the Louise Riley Library, meeting this need and building relationships with the communities it serves? 

My aim in understanding the relationships that exist between the library and its communities is two-fold: to reveal the value of existing connections which are often taken for granted, and to speculate on future opportunities that build on these connections. Our world is a matrix of connections—connections between people, between situations, and between ideas. Additionally, my focus is on micro experiences that connect the user to the library. Micro experiences of libraries are the tiny, fragmented encounters that add up to create our implicit appreciation of a library. Micro connections are thus the individual transactions that connect the user to the library, and in doing so, its community to their learning experiences. 

Some of the transactions between library and user appear so common that we overlook their significance; for example, the process of checking online to see if a book is available for loan, or searching online reviews to decide whether to read a certain book. Another example of a micro-experience is going online to see the real-time occupancy times before deciding whether to make a trip to the library or to delay it (see Figure 1). Though these small experiences occur outside the library, and can occur during any part of the day, they have a significant influence on our cumulative library experience. When these transactions don’t work as we expected them to, we instantly react, believing that our convenience is hampered. What we may not realize is that for some people, these micro connections influence their impression of the library and facilitate their relationship with it, more than the library’s physical space. It is only by bringing library patrons’ attention to these micro connections that we can discover new and significant ways to further connect the library with its communities.

Since I have never visited Calgary, the remote residency provided a new way of appreciating and analysing one piece of the city’s social and knowledge infrastructure. My understanding of the neighbourhood was narrative-driven; I learnt about the area by interviewing local experts regarding their experiences there, accompanied by annotations made on Google Maps during the interview sessions (see Figure 2). This vicarious learning offered me insights into the visions, limitations, and operations of the library. [1]

During the residency, I spoke with the following experts and stakeholders who have vested interests in strengthening the library’s engagement and integration with its surrounding communities:

• Olivia Veltom, Transit Planner for Northwest Calgary,

• David Down, Chief Urban Designer for the City,

• Druh Farrell, Former City Councillor for Ward 7,

• Catherine Hamel, Associate Dean & Professor at the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, University of Calgary,

• Danielle Nauss, Librarian at Louise Riley Library, and

• Adrian Wolfleg, Elder from the Siksika Nation.

These interviews lasted an hour each, arranged by amery Calvelli from d.talks and Myke Atkinson from the Calgary Public Library. The experts were also paired with one another in these interviews, which resulted in a fruitful exchange of ideas. The following three themes arose from the pairings:

• Between-space and travel,

• Distributed and situated learning, and

• Connecting to and among different communities.

Below, I discuss the micro connections between Louise Riley Library and its patrons through the above three themes. 

Between-space and travel

Louise Riley Library is the surrounding community’s third place. It can even be seen as multiple third places in one, offering different things to different community members. “Third places” are the sites at which we spend most of our time, after our home ("first place") and our workplace ("second place"). Coined by Ray Oldenburg, third places offer communities a place to exchange ideas, have fun, and form relationships in a public space.[2] An example of a third place within Louise Riley Library is the Children’s Space. At home and at school, children are expected to listen to and follow the instructions of their parents and teachers. In comparison, the library offers a place of exploration. It is a place that empowers children to make their own decisions in exploring any library materials that interest them. Furthermore, the Children’s Space allows parents and caregivers to connect and socialize with each other. This is an example of how third places can bridge social divides in neighbouring communities, by providing spaces that welcome a diverse range of patrons to recognise and converse with each other over shared experiences.[3]

To which communities can the Louise Riley Library offer a desirable third place in the post-COVID era? One example are entrepreneurs and start-ups. Often, these small, new businesses begin with little capital while their founders balance full-time jobs to bring in cash. Libraries may serve as a third place to these entrepreneurs, a space away from the expectations of home and the office where they can concentrate on their venture. Entrepreneurs are typically enthusiastic learners, consuming as much knowledge as possible to maximise their chances of business success.[4] Furthermore, businesspeople focused on delivering a positive local and social impact can benefit from access to local demographic information, something the library can provide. Not only does the physical location give entrepreneurs a dedicated space to work on their business, but the library may also hold vital information that they may need.

Louise Riley Library is a metaphorical transit station where passengers come to connect with stories and knowledge. Situated along the Route 201 (Red Line) light railway transit line, it is two stations outside of downtown, functioning as a link between the city centre and the outlying suburbs. Residents of Calgary's northwest suburbs travelling on the light railway pass by the library on their way into the city. Since the LRT service timetables are 15 minutes apart, travellers who have time to spare in their commute can pick up library books and other materials and catch a subsequent train within a reasonable time frame. While Louise Riley is much smaller than other Calgary public libraries, its useable physical area may not be a significant factor in determining the library's value to the community. In fact, location is possibly a strategic advantage to the communities in the vicinity and potentially those along the Route 201 line. 

Is it possible to further integrate the Louise Riley Library into the transit system since it is already a metaphoric station? One reason to consider this is because the Louise Riley Library is located on a prominent transitional area, where the light rail system, bus lines, bicycle pathways, and the Trans-Canada Highway intersect. On the surface, it may appear unlikely that libraries and transport infrastructure share any common goals. However, if a city aims to become a smart mobile city, where residents use information technology to connect with alternative modes of transportation to access education and jobs, libraries may play a more important role than the city realizes. A library can leverage its role as a community gathering space to connect communities to different modes of transport. This arrangement is currently being trialled in Columbus, Ohio's Smart Mobility Project, where the city is using Linden Branch Library as a smart mobility hub for the neighbouring communities to access car-share spaces, dockless e-bikes, and e-scooters.[5]

Distributed and situated ways of learning

Louise Riley Library connects patrons through distributed learning. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Louise Riley Library provided ‘click and collect’ services so that users could continue to borrow library resources. Essentially, the library gathered and delivered the materials to patrons for them to enjoy in their own setting. This is not particularly new since patrons could already put materials on hold for collection. The intriguing part: because patrons were unable to browse the library’s collections in person, the restrictions provided Louise Riley Library with the opportunity to direct the patrons' attention to specific content at the collection point. During Indigenous History Month in June, for example, Louise Riley Library created and disseminated resources in book bags for patrons to take away and learn about Indigenous history in Canada. Because there was only one point of contact where patrons could pick up their materials, the book bags in the window display piqued some patrons’ curiosity, and they then inquired about the book bags.

While COVID-19 travel restrictions may have prevented patrons from visiting the library, there are other ways of borrowing materials without entering the facility. One example is to  introduce book vending machines at community centres around the area, allowing members to borrow library items at any time of day without having to travel to the public library. This idea was demonstrated when, in 2015, Oregon’s Hillsboro Public Library opened their Book-O-Mat machines in the Civic Centre Plaza to bring more opportunities for their members to borrow library materials.[6] As Louise Riley Library continues to expand how it delivers materials to the community, these services become the micro-connections between patrons and the library; small but significant moments where patrons benefit from the library services. Since patrons do not need to physically go to the library to borrow the materials, the effort needed to maintain such initiatives can easily be forgotten. Additionally, such distributed ways of learning are just some of the library’s efforts to bring knowledge to their community. The library also continues to improve its facility services as a knowledge hub for patrons to seek out information.

Louise Riley Library also connects people through situated learning. Louise Riley Library, like other Calgary public libraries, provides patrons with the chance to learn about Indigenous culture directly from Elders and Knowledge Keepers: a service called the Elders’ Guidance Circle (see Figure 3). In contrast to how the library distributed materials to patrons through their ‘click and collect’ service, this service enables patrons to gain knowledge in a situated setting; through a conversation with the Elders and Knowledge Keepers.[7] There is an abundance of Indigenous knowledge and oral histories waiting to be shared with those who seek it, with over 1200 stories dating back 9700 years. Knowledge is acquired from an Elder when one desires to learn. The Elders then use stories to verbally pass on knowledge to those seeking to learn. This is comparable to how I learn vicariously via the experiences of the interviewees: they share their stories, through which I learn to appreciate the library and its surroundings.

Similar to Indigenous knowledge sharing, situated learning works well for sharing experiences, combatting stereotypes, and building healthy relationships among people of different backgrounds. Louise Riley Library (and perhaps other Calgary libraries) could consider implementing the Human Library concept.[8] A not-for-profit organization based in Copenhagen, the Human Library created a programme where a reader ‘borrows’ another human (someone with personal experience in a certain topic) to have a conversation and learn more about that person’s experience. In this programme, which can be deployed in a variety of virtual and in-person settings, the host site provides a safe and inclusive space with simple rules, enabling conversations that are not normally accessible and/or comfortable to people. While these conversations do not typically last long, it enables patrons to learn about people they may not often encounter. In this situated learning, the library provides a safe meeting space for patrons to converse with a diverse range of people, which ultimately provides patrons with the opportunity to create their own micro-connections with different communities.

Connecting to and among different local communities 

Louise Riley Library catches different communities into their society. Many community identities can exist in a single neighbourhood, such as young families, creatives, and seniors. However, not all communities are equally represented in the area. While patrons may not find all the services provided by Louise Riley Library to be useful, the library strives to meet the needs of its many user communities by offering a broad array of services. Patrons can browse programmes offered by the library (see Figure 3 below) according to their interest and/or life situation, such as toddler classes, English conversation sessions, and technology upskill programmes.

Other recent library services include a mental health desk to provide patrons in need of support with timely information and assistance; this service is particularly appropriate to current circumstances, given the pandemic's significant consequences for mental health. Even though such programmes are short, possibly even one-offs, these offerings demonstrate how the Louise Riley Library connects with different communities and how it looks for ways to fulfil the changing needs of its community.

However, as the city's population grows and the range of communities expands, how can the Louise Riley Library continue to connect with communities given its limited resources? One approach is to think of the library as a facilitator, rather than an active stakeholder, of such connections. Using the technology upskill programme as an example, Louise Riley Library may recruit specifically youth volunteers to assist older adults in technological training. This programme not only improves technological literacy, but it also fosters interactions between two communities that may not otherwise interact. To recruit volunteers in this specific age range, Louise Riley Library can collaborate with nearby schools to establish a school programme where young people are encouraged to volunteer.

In the brief time I've spent learning about Louise Riley Library from various experts, I've grown to appreciate how the library listens to and connects with its communities, as exemplified through its services and programmes. Though the library's experience touchpoints are small and dispersed into the diverse communities, each touchpoint taps into specific needs within the community and therefore helps to establish a strong connection between the library and its patrons. As the library continues to cultivate these relationships with its communities, so too will the opportunities – to strengthen its identity as their local social and knowledge infrastructure – grow.

References

[1] Charles C Manz and Henry P Jr. Sims, “Vicarious Learning: The Influence of Modeling on Organizational Behavior,” Academy of Management: The Academy of Management Review 6 (January 1981): 105–13

[2] Ray Oldenburg, The Great Good Place, 3rd ed. (Da Capo Press, 1999).

[3] Stuart M. Butler and Carmen Diaz, “‘Third Places’ as Community Builders,” Brookings (blog), September 14, 2016, https://www.brookings.edu/blog/up-front/2016/09/14/third-places-as-community-builders/.

[4] Jane Cowell, “Libraries and Entrepreneurs: Let Me Introduce You,” Medium (blog), June 14, 2017, https://janecowell8.medium.com/libraries-and-entrepreneurs-let-me-introduce-you-ff59cbfb24d8.

[5] Cailin Crowe, “The Library Is a Smart City’s ‘Hub for Digital Intelligence,’” Smart Cities Dive, January 27, 2020, https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/library-smart-city-hub-digital-intelligence-inlcusion/569012/.

[6] Hillsboro Oregon, “Book-O-Mat,” Government website, Hillsboro Oregon, accessed September 19, 2021, https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/126/1736.

[7]  Calgary Public Library, “Meet the Elders,” Calgary Library website, accessed September 19, 2021, https://calgarylibrary.ca/connect/indigenous-services/elders-guidance-circle/elders/.

[8] “The Human Library,” The Human Library Organization, accessed September 19, 2021, https://humanlibrary.org/about/.

Linus Tan: is a researcher and team developer at Design Factory Melbourne, Australia. His research focuses on architectural and design teams’ learning and reflecting behaviours to enable team members to use their tacit knowledge in their collective design processes.

Linus was a Critic-in-Residence at the Calgary Public Library as part of the 2021 WriteON program and the Amend series. Co-produced by d.talks and the Calgary Public Library and supported by Calgary Arts Development, the residency explored the role of public infrastructure at a neighbourhood scale, seeking to understand the relationship between the public realm and the community.