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Introduction: Trends

“Libraries’ eagerness to embrace changes in society, while retaining the foundations that have made them trusted, welcoming places for everyone, make them ideal partners in the digital age. In fact, libraries, more than any other institution, have the stature and capacity to make the promise of the knowledge society available to all Americans.”

-- Aspen Libraries Report

With the new insights we have gleaned from both the texts and our class discussions,  we were excited to examine a real-life library and see if they were reflective of some of the movement we see in libraries in general.  Librarians are the new pioneers for this era of innovation, and play a key role as guides for the public towards a more inclusive and innovative community-centric model within this 21st century frontier.

Our group essentially did the same thing as throwing a dart at a board. None of us have been to the Tracy Library in San Joaquin County, so our evaluation was based on what information we could gather online and by interviewing staff over the telephone.

 

The impression we were left with was mixed. The Tracy Library does have growth potential in terms of current trends in libraries, and could certainly benefit from improving their digital profile. Jennifer took a look at their community profile, Melissa looked at the vocabulary they currently employ, and Tiffany did the analysis. You can click on the tabs above to examine each of those areas. 

 

Some of the trends we looked at included digitization of materials, digital tools, community outreach STEAM/STEM and maker programming and general community programming

 

Their strengths include programming. They have a comprehensive calendar of events. But our examination revealed areas that were ripe for improvement. 

We hope you enjoy perusing our site and our examination of the Tracy Library. 

EXTRA: "What’s happening today impacts what happens tomorrow." Learn how to pivot and transform in response to community needs. Focus on the Future: Trends in Libraries

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EXTRA:  "Each collection is available to help libraries and librarians understand how trends are developing and why they matter." Add this to your librarian toolbox. Source: http://www.ala.org/tools/future/trends

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