Author: Skye Corey

Interested in learning about creating physical spaces that promote wonder in your library? If so, read on for a quick summary of two Monday sessions that were phenomenal!

Stories are all around us – on our shelves, in the hands of excited patrons, on the ears of children and caregivers who attend storytime, and, according to David Cobb, keynote speaker for RUSA’s President’s Program, within the physical spaces in which we work. In his presentation titled “Be Our Guest: Creating Immersive Guest Experiences in Libraries,” Cobb urged us to listen to the current stories that our physical spaces are telling us, and then pushed us to consider whether these narratives were actually meeting the needs of our patrons and whether or not they were also giving patrons a sense of surprise and delight. They must, said responder John Blyberg (assistant director for innovation and UX at the Darien Library), reach beyond the veil of memory to touch wonder.

This year’s Opening General Session found an auditorium full of librarians on their feet, giving Michael Eric Dyson a standing ovation – and for good reason. In addition to quoting Tennyson, referencing Foucault, and rapping to Snoop Dogg, Dyson re-articulated and reaffirmed why we do what we do.