SocialLibrary

The best quote from this article appears in the middle,

"The library can be seen as a public space. It is one of the few non-commercial spaces in the city and also one of the few places with silence zones and no ringing mobile phones (more might come…). Then there is the democratic dimension, the libraries are where a mix of ages, income groups, young and old share the same place. The potential seems to exist for the libraries to play an even more vital and active role as public spaces. This was the conclusion at the conference in Odense, where one of the key strategies of the city, is to select a new location for a central library that would help Odense  to transform from industrial city to a city that has a broader profile and that is rooted in knowledge, culture and education."

“It inspires me to see what other people have done,” says Susan. “Some of these ladies have spent years doing their projects and this is the way for someone else to admire all that effort.”

“The Sewing Bee program is part of a larger effort by The Pickering Public Library to expand our community outreach opportunities to include more drop-in for adults,” says Clair Schillaci, outreach librarian.

DISCLAIMER: Pickering Public Library is my library system. 

Hurley and West Hurley libraries NY are planning an event involving trucks to which Library Director Tracey Pause said "the even probably attract children up to age 9 or so." I think they are aiming low; everyone loves Big Trucks.

While not my usual fare but just as responsive are the initiatives coming out
of New York Public Library as they release their Digital Collections API.
This will free up a wealth of cultural and historical data to the community so
that it can find new and exciting ways to interact.

This is another signpost towards the end of websites as we move increasingly
towards an api-driven web? I don't know but it will certainly interesting to watch.

After months of imagining, the virtual subway library is a reality. But the library appeared not in Miami where it was dreamed up by art students nor New York where those students placed their imagined library. No, its in Philadelphia, where the Free Library of Philadelphia in a partnership with a coffee shop. 

Writes Heather Acerro, in ALSC Blog,

"The installation is the tenth of eighteen Smart Play Spots that will be installed 
across Minnesota by the museum as part of their community outreach efforts. So what makes it Smart? The space is designed to encourage preschoolers and their grown ups to play, sing, read, write and talk together."

[...]

"Children ask to visit the library and once they are here they never want to leave."

Profile of the innovative and community focus work done at Chattanooga Public Library's 4th Floor and Harvard's temporary storefront Labrary.

Love the sense of fun associated with this program.

Love this photo. CEO Donna Bright of the Ajax Public Library (My hometown library) appearing at the local McD's McHappy Day event.

This sounds like a great opportunity for librarians (and museums) in the GTA. Great line up of speakers, including Jason Griffey (LibraryBox), Nate Hill (4th Floor Chattanooga), and Susan Considine (Fayetteville FabLab).

The Bubbler, "refers to how creativity bubbles up from the population"  described as "pop-up events held at locations throughout the city" of Madison Wisconsin, writes Lauren Pongan for the Daily Page. 

She goes on to say, "The library, especially the Bubbler, hopes to help by hosting pop-up workshops, offering drop-in hours at an animation lab, and bringing programs and technology to places where teens spend their time.

"It's not classroom-style alone," [Teen Services Librarian Jesse] Vieau says of the Bubbler's instructional style. "It's not a lecture. It's a more informal learning environment with experts who can teach hands-on activities instead of just theory."

Birmingham Archives and Heritage launches two new mobile apps which allow clients to access their library digital collection and their city in new exciting ways. Dozens are described as a browsable collection of twelve stories from collection. Trails is a map overlay of the City of Birmingham, bring the library's collection to the street.