2024 Core Forum

7:45amBus Departs Hilton8:00 – 8:45amTour of SPPL Mobile Library8:45-9:30amTour of George Latimer Central Library (SPPL)9:30amBus Departs George Latimer Central Library10:00 - 11:00amTour of Minneapolis Central Library11:00amBus Departs Minneapolis Central Library11:15amBus arrives back at Hilton

Saint Paul Public Library:
 
About the Mobile Library
 
Saint Paul Public Library's Mobile Library is a vibrant and dynamic community resource, bringing the rich offerings of the library directly to neighborhoods throughout the city. This innovative service is a testament to SPPL’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone, regardless of location, can benefit from our vast collection of materials, resources, services, and programs. For many community members, the Mobile Library serves as their home library, and they rely on the vehicle’s visit for similar services found in a library building. By    meeting Saint Paul residents where they are, the Mobile Library fosters joy of discovery, supports lifelong learning, and strengthens community connections in all corners of Saint Paul.  
 
After more than 19 years traversing all corners of the city, the Bookmobile, as it was formerly called, reached the end of its useful library life. In August 2024, the SPPL replaced the old vehicle with a state-of-the-art vehicle—the Mobile Library—that provides new and expanded services based on community feedback.
 
The Mobile Library is more accessible, efficient, and better reflects Saint Paul’s rich diversity by offering books in multiple languages and displaying vibrant art. In addition to a revolving collection of books for borrowing, residents can participate in ever-changing programming for all ages and connect with a digital navigator to answer technology-related questions and get access to broadband internet. The vehicles wrapped with original artwork created by a community artist.
 
About the George Latimer Central Library and Nicholson Commons
 
One of Saint Paul's most historic structures, the George Latimer Central Library is the largest Saint Paul Public Library (SPPL) housing approximately 350,000 materials in its collection and welcoming over 300,000 visitors annually.  
 
The building was built 1914-1917 for $1.5 million. Architect Electus Litchfield used Italian Renaissance Revival style design and was heavily influenced by New York’s J. P. Morgan Library (1906). Features include arched windows, Palladian style entrances, large stonework, balustrade surrounding the building, rondel features near the arched windows, use of classical columns and pilasters, and cornice capping the structure.  
 
The City of Saint Paul and The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library have funded two major renovations of the building since its construction. A $15.9 million renovation 2000-2002 was designed by the architects at Meyer, Scherer, and Rockcastle (MSR). A $1.3 million renovation 2015-2016 was designed by Lawal Scott Erickson (LSE) Architects.  
 
On the second floor, the Nicholson Commons is one of the architectural highlights of the library. Featuring large, arched windows, angel friezes, and painted ceiling beams, the room originally served as the main reading room. In 2002, the room was endowed with a $1 million gift from local philanthropists Richard and Nancy Nicholson.  
 
In 2022, using the Nicholson endowment, SPPL worked with MSR to engage community members to create a plan for service, space, and user experience improvements to Nicolson Commons. Through community engagement they established the guiding principles of creating a space that is welcoming, empowering, and flexible.  
 
The first phase of improvements was completed in summer 2023, which include a reconfigured public computer area, the installation of additional electrical outlets, and updated meeting rooms for improved co-working experiences. There is designated reading, studying, and browsing areas with comfortable seating and improved lighting.
 
The next phase of this project is now underway focusing on additional study spaces on the main level of Nicholson Commons. The third phase will include repurposing the balcony for increased use and appreciation of its stunning views of the Mississippi River and Rice Park.  
 
Hennepin County Library:
 
About the Minneapolis Central Library
 
Minneapolis Public Library was founded in 1885 and opened in the city’s first public library building on 10th Street and Hennepin Avenue in 1889. In 1961, a larger and more modern building was constructed on the present-day location. The current building, opened in 2006, houses the largest collection of items in the Hennepin County Library system, along with the Cargill Gallery, a library-based gallery space committed to community-engaged group exhibits, the Teen Tech Center, special collections, an auditorium, and several meeting rooms. With over 600,000 visitors per year, the Minneapolis Central Library is an integral part of downtown Minneapolis.

Registration:
Core/MLA Members - $79
Non Members - $99

How can a renovation include marginalized and emerging communities? Can a larger collection actually limit inclusion? Learn techniques from the private sector - retail and restaurants - that help you understand the needs of diverse communities, plan space for inclusion, analyze circulation efficiency and avoid zone conflicts.

Registration:
Core Members - $119
Minnesota Library Association Members - $119
Non-Members - $149

As the role of the library continually evolves to serve all ages of lifelong learners, careful consideration and planning in design allows your organization to shine as a true, multi-generational community asset. While the professional world grapples with the nuances of a "five-generation workplace," libraries are uniquely tasked with serving the full population not just as a library, but as a flexible community center. Doing so successfully requires a level of adaptability and creativity that begins with the built environment and supports and enhances programming, planning and services long into the future. Nationally, a number of library systems are adopting hybrid partnership models that further blur this line between traditional library, community center and senior center through blended funding methods and creative wide-reaching partnerships. Whether your system is on the leading edge of pioneering new possibilities or enacting small, incremental changes locally, our team of library and design professionals will inspire creativity and energy to improve the lives of your community members of all ages.   Viewed through the lens of recently-opened and currently in-design library projects, as well as national perspectives on emerging best practices, topics will include diversity, equity and inclusion, accessibility, patron awareness, organizational partnerships and advocacy.

Whether you are working on a small renovation or a new building project, it can be overwhelming. Stress can come from not knowing what questions to ask and the fear of not knowing what you don't even know. In this presentation will help give people the vocabulary and knowledge base to know enough to able to walk the walk and talk the talk when working on facility projects. It will start at the macro level of a project and work down to the micro level, along the way teaching someone the knowledge and process needed to make their project a success.

With building projects, bigger isn't always better. This case study of a library renovation and addition project illustrates how the concept phase help the library organization prioritize needs, re-set the building for decades of service, and create an award-winning, community-beloved asset.

Integrating the information gathered from community engagement processes into the building design is an important part of the community engagement process that is rarely discussed. This presentation will use case studies of engagement processes to demonstrate how the engagement input was integrated into the design process and show examples of how exactly it became a part of the community's library building and programming. Learn how to properly gather community engagement information to be used in the building design how to participate with your design team to integrate it. Community engagement that reaches out to underserved and culturally diverse populations by going to where they already are; where the learn, live, work and play is vitally important. Gathering information in ways that connects with these populations is crucial in understanding their needs will be an important part of this presentation as it connects with and provides direction to each of the audiences own libraries.

How does an academic library balance being an open, welcoming space and creating a safe environment for their community? Are there areas in your building that are always buzzing with activity? Can we protect those students if the worst happens? What is the difference between a quiet space and an isolated space? Academic libraries are consistently viewed as the heart of campus and as the heart, how can we fulfill our mission but protect our people? Who are the on-campus partners available for support? Join us for a frank conversation with academic librarians representing a spectrum of institutions from large public to regional comprehensive Hispanic-Serving to small private, as we discuss these challenges and more. Our panel of librarians, campus safety staff, and architects will share experiences, best practices, and resources.

Do you want to keep bees at your library? Are you not sure if you do? Would you like to find out some great ways to get started? Or how your community might find value in it? Then come to my sweet session about honeybees and libraries. Where I can give you some beginner tips, and talk about programming and community involvement.

AI is making lots of headlines, but how can we harness its powers for good? We are working on a series of much-needed renovations and remodels to create user-centered spaces that make our students feel comfortable and welcome. Recently we've begun exploring the use of generative AI to help us envision possibilities for existing spaces and take a "shortcut" through the design process by allowing us to share AI-generated ideas and images with the university's remodel and construction services unit. Ultimately, the use of AI tools in the design process could save both time and money, while opening new possibilities and ideas that we might otherwise overlook.

In this presentation we'll share examples of how our library is experimenting with generative AI tools to support building improvements, get better feedback from users, and support library space design that will support campus diversity and inclusion goals. We'll also host a discussion among attendees about how cutting-edge AI tools could be used, or are already being used, to support facilities enhancements in other libraries.

For decades we have discussed what the libraries of the future would be to have a direct impact on the health and wellbeing of those who work and visit. For decades we have forecasted building designs that could have a direct impact on climate change. Those libraries have been built, are being built, and are in design. The 2030 challenge for buildings impacting climate change is upon us in a few short years.

Come and learn the best practices that are having an impact on the lives of so many community members across the nation through the healthy and sustainable libraries they have built and how they are contributing to diminish climate change through the 2030 challenge and COTE Top Ten Principles. This session will provide information from case studies and current methods that are being successfully used and implemented along with ways to fund these needed methodologies such as how to access federal funds from the Inflation Reduction Act.

The focus of this presentation will be to share best practices and lessons learned in building a public safety and social service collaboration. These two presenters have been working together for several years (one from the security and safety side and the other from the social service side). Utilization of technology to address both of these issues will also be shared.

Libraries are more than repositories of information—they are evolving community and student hubs,  fostering holistic wellbeing, interactive learning, and hybrid environments. We will explore current trends shaping both academic and public library spaces to support the diverse needs of their communities, students, and patrons. We'll begin by examining wellbeing-focused design trends, from biophilic elements and wellness spaces to outdoor areas that enhance personal growth and community success. Next, we'll delve into interactive spaces, discussing the evolution of children’s areas, the rise of family rooms in both public and academic libraries, and how libraries are becoming hands-on environments for making and creativity. Finally, we'll look at the hybrid revolution, unpacking how libraries are adapting to support hybrid learning, flexible staff workspaces, and reimagined user spaces like study rooms and pods to meet the demands of both in-person and digital interactions. Join us for a thought-provoking session on the future of library design that aims to equip you with insights for creating more inclusive, versatile, and engaging library spaces.

Explore how artificial intelligence can revolutionize libraries by enhancing accessibility, streamlining operations, and fostering community connections. In this session, Brian Pichman will share innovative AI applications tailored for libraries, focusing on open and transparent solutions that empower both public and academic institutions. Discover strategies for integrating AI technologies in marketing, user interaction, and information dissemination, ensuring libraries remain at the forefront of knowledge and technology in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

While many associate creativity with individual work in the fine arts, creativity–the development of a valuable new product, idea, or problem solution–is vital to innovation, solving problems, and facilitating change. While some elements of creativity are dependent on a person’s inherent interests and abilities, creativity is significantly influenced by a person’s context. In other words, an individual’s creativity largely depends on whether their environment supports creative work. Creativity is constantly demanded of libraries as they face challenges and bans, technological changes, and fluctuations in the characteristics and interests of their user populations. While the value of creativity may seem obvious, the practices needed to cultivate it in the workplace are less understood. This presentation will draw on both quantitative and qualitative data collected by the presenter from academic library staff and leaders over the last several years to identify barriers that both library staff and leaders face when trying to cultivate a creative work environment. It will then provide attendees with specific strategies that can contribute to a work environment that encourages creativity among employees while countering destructive environmental elements that can contribute to bullying, low morale, and burnout.

Library renovation projects are filled with surprises, pitfalls, and endless decisions - far more than an inexperienced leader will generally expect. Panelists represent a broad spectrum of librarians, partners, and professionals who are integral to any facility project. Three of the five panelists are in leadership roles at public university libraries somewhere in the renovation process and the others hold key roles in keeping renovations moving and on track. Two are in the midst of renovations - one for their entire building and the other on the next step of a phased building renovation. The third will soon be kicking off a whole building renovation. Through the planning and renovation process, they have gained experience collaborating with architects, project managers, campus stakeholders, and their library colleagues to design a library to serve their campus community for years to come. This presentation will provide insight from the perspectives of library leadership, architects, and construction project management. They will discuss the importance of developing and maintaining partnerships with stakeholders on campus and beyond, navigating the complicated landscape of construction and renovation, fundraising, the best and worst parts of renovation, and lessons learned.