Meet Your 21st Century Library

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May2014_LibraryFeat1 Self checkout is just one of the many features moving the library system into the 21st century. (Photo courtesy of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library)[/caption] By JILL BOOGREN The Homework Center is packed with people of all ages working with tutors. Almost all of the 30-plus computers in the main room are in use. Teens hang out at a table chatting. A young girl sits at a terminal and plays a Spongebob game; her friend looking on exclaims, “How’d you do that”?! Over the loudspeaker is an announcement for a free poetry reading and conversation, with cookies. It’s Wednesday afternoon at Rondo Community Outreach Library, but it could be just about any day at any St. Paul Public Library (SPPL). As the world moves online, our local libraries are on fast forward. “Libraries are evolving just as fast as technology is,” said Ann McKinnon, director of communications and marketing for The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library. “And they’re anticipating the changing learning needs and styles of people they serve.” Beyond the stacks of books are CDs, DVDs, printers, scanners, copiers, and computers. And then there’s the invisible but ever-present internet. It’s already been possible to browse materials and search databases from the library website. But now you can check out eBooks, magazines, and music, and even take classes online. Freegal lets you download up to three songs a week, yours to keep, at no cost. Over 80 language classes from Transparent Language Online are available to library card holders, and Treehouse teaches basic coding skills to build your own website and create a mobile app. Cost prohibitive for most people, these are completely free and available through the SPPL website. “We’re about democratizing access to sophisticated software and to highly technical and creative kinds of software,” said SPPL Director Kit Hadley. The library has always been about access, and that is especially true for technology. The first time using a computer for many people was, and still is, at the library. Not everyone owns a computer, and not every household has internet. Yet technology is changing everything about how people work, apply for jobs, and learn. “People who don’t have access to technology can get left behind in a hurry,” said McKinnon. “The library is a great way to be on the train. And stay relevant. And adept enough that you can keep up with the rest of the world.” Rondo Branch Supervisor Charlene McKenzie said there’s a great need for access to computers and the ability to scan and make copies, as well as instruction around those things. A lot of curriculum is taught for basic computer skills, from using the internet and social media to creating an Xcel spreadsheet. The SPPL WORKplace program gives one-to-one help writing resumes and looking for jobs, and holds workshops on running a business. Rice St. has a “Tech Petting Zoo” that lets people try out an e-reader or other digital device. Technology aside, libraries are being used differently now, too. Having storytimes for kids is not new, but now they’re offered in eight different languages, including Karen (at Rondo and Rice St.), Oromo (at Rondo), and Mandarin Chinese (at St. Anthony Park). This is very intentional. “What children need to learn is love of reading, language, narrative,” said Hadley. “We want their parents to be their first teachers. They can teach in any language.”
May2014LibraryPhoto_2 The outside appearance of the Hamline Midway Library, opened in 1930, masks the 21st century library housed inside. In addition to books, there are CDs, DVDs, printers, scanners, copiers and computers--and now you can check out eBooks, magazines, music, and even take classes online all through the modern library system. (Photo by Jill Boogren)[/caption] More and more, libraries are playing the role of community centers, what Hamline-Midway Library Manager Mark Kile calls a “community living room.” At Hamline-Midway this spring, Ruthanne Bredenberg and Tim Hegman led a Swedish weaving class. May is Monarch Month: Butterfly art by Andrea Martin is on display in the children’s area; a workshop on Raising Monarchs will be held May 31; and soon a master gardener will be creating a butterfly garden out front. At Rice St., volunteers from Collectors’ Corner (in partnership with the Science Museum) showcase rocks and fossils for kids to trade; Toastmasters meet; and on Mondays teens enjoy the Library After Dark. At Merriam Park there’s a Doctor Who group, and in Paw Pals, kids read to dogs. At various locations, films are shown in the “Women’s Human Rights Film Series” and in the labor history series. Not everything happens inside library walls either. You can already use the website from anywhere, and now there’s a mobile library App for the android and iPhone that lets you browse and put a hold on materials, register for classes, check out an eBook, download music, and more. It’s already had 1.2 million visits since 2011, its first full year available. Library staff go to other locations, too. A Bookmobile brings books to hi-rises and other locations, and a mobile WORKplace brings skill-building tools to a broader community, especially settings where non-English speakers congregate. János McGhie, associate librarian at Rice St., calls it a "blurry library." “We’re not just a building, we serve the whole community,” he said. McGhie takes a suitcase full of iPads from the Rice St. Library up the road to the Teen Zone at Marion St., where kids can try them out. Part of the Createch program, this is a collaboration between the Science Museum and St. Paul Parks and Recreation to give kids a chance to experiment. One day it’s exploring helium ballons, another it’s creating things with dowel rods and rubber bands, while another it’s circuit bending, or creating sound art, with Beatrix*JAR. Here, the spirit of HOMAGO – Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out — is alive and well. A mantra that has been embraced by SPPL, HOMAGO is seen as an important part of development and learning. It’s not about finished products or specific outcomes. No pressure, just play. No matter what changes take place in technology or how people want to use their library, its core mission, affirmed Hadley, is the same: to support learning, whether it’s for school, work or fun. “The library is the place where people can pursue their lifelong learning ambitions,” said McKinnon. ”It’s free for everyone, accessible to everyone, because there’s a library in every neighborhood.” The Friends of the St. Paul Public Library invite you to share your library story at #BecauseOfTheLibrary on Facebook and Twitter.

Local Library Locations and Hours

Hamline-Midway

1558 W. Minnehaha Ave. Mon. and Wed. noon-8pm; Tues., Thurs. and Fri. 10am-5:30pm; Sat. 11:30am-5pm; Sun. closed

Merriam Park

1831 Marshall Ave. Mon.-Thurs. 10am-8pm; Fri.-Sat. 10am-5:30pm; Sun. 1-5pm

Rice St.

1011 Rice St. Mon. and Wed. noon-8pm; Tues., Thurs. and Fri. 10am-5:30pm; Sat. 11:30am-5pm; Sun. 1-5pm

Rondo

461 N. Dale St. Mon.-Thurs. 10am-8pm; Fri.-Sat. 10am-5:30pm; Sun. 1-5pm

St. Anthony Park

2245 Como Ave. Mon. and Wed. noon-8pm; Tues., Thurs. and Fri. 10am-5:30pm; Sat. 11:30am-5pm; Sun. closed

Bookmobile

Has stops throughout St. Paul. For schedule and locations, contact 651-266-7450 or see www.sppl.org/bookmobile

To Get a Library Card

You can apply for a library card in person at any Saint Paul Public Library. Bring a current picture ID with name and current address (or a piece of recently received mail with name and current address). Children can get a card if they meet the same ID requirements as adults, or if they're with a parent or guardian who does. They can also present a postcard mailed to them by the Saint Paul Public Library (and can request a card be mailed to them). There's no minimum age.

Website

For a list of programs, go to www.sppl.org and select Events + Classes then browse by location or type of activity.

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