OCLC

OCLC, in partnership with the Association of Small and Rural Libraries, will guide a cohort of fifteen libraries serving populations less than 25,000 through planning and implementation of flexible spaces which support participatory learning and underscore libraries' role as critical community anchor organizations. Participating libraries will be introduced to the principles of placemaking, community engagement, and human-centered space design. After conducting community input, action planning, and prototype activities, the libraries will implement a learning space using a starter set of materials. In partnership with their local communities, these libraries will reimagine and reconfigure their spaces to support socially engaging and active programming. Resources, process, and experiences of the cohort will be evaluated for effectiveness and scalability; case studies and associated content will be shared broadly on WebJunction.