Library Camp is back and will take place at the Ann Arbor District Library on Friday, April 12, 2019!
This free unconference at AADL is aimed at library and information science professionals, paraprofessionals, and students at all levels. The goal is to discuss and expand our thinking on library practices, trends, challenges, and to share our ideas, success stories, and not-so-successful stories. Take a look at last year's schedule for an idea of the sorts of topics we have addressed.
Please register in advance so we know to expect you. All sessions will be held at the Downtown Library.
This year, we'll start with a session of Library Island, an open-ended professional development activity designed by library innovator Matt Finch. According to Matt, "Library Island is playful and intense. It’s a simple game played with nothing more than office furniture, pens, and paper, but it swiftly leads to rich and complex scenarios. The fictional setting allows us to explore structural issues, political challenges, and even some of the disruptive behaviour that professionals may face from their users, within the relative safety of a “make-believe” context."
After lunch, we'll break into unconference-style breakout sessions, filling a blank schedule for the afternoon with ideas and suggestions from attendees. Bring your ideas and quandaries. AADL staff will be on hand to help with directing the conversation, but like any unconference, the event is led by whoever shows up!
Here's the plan:
9:00-9:30 am — Welcome and Bagel Breakfast
9:30-12:00 - Library Island
"Library Island is an activity which simulates five years in the life of a nation’s library services. Participants become librarians, government officials, or community members on this island and face the challenges created by conflicting wants, needs, and limited resources. There is an Indigenous community and colonial history to be reckoned with, plus a range of political interests with their own agenda for the library." - Library Island concept creator Matt Finch.
12:00-1:30 pm - Lunch (on your own)
1:30-2:00 pm - Breakout session 1 (topics determined by attendees the day of)
2:15-2:45 pm - Breakout session 2
3:00-3:30 - Breakout session 3
3:30 pm - Conclusion
Attendance is free, but please register so we know how many to expect. Hope to see you on Friday, April 12, 2019 at Library Camp 2019!