REPORT BY MILLICENT MLANGA,

LIBRARIAN IN CHARGE, KILIFI

COMMUNITY LIBRARY.

NEXT LIBRARY CONFERENCE, 20TH 25TH JUNE 2014

AT CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US.

REPORT ABOUT THE

CONFERENCE AND
OUTCOMES.
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REPORT BY MILLICENT MLANGA, LIBRARIAN IN CHARGE, KILIFI COMMUNITY LIBRARY.

The NEXT Library Conference 2014 was an international gathering of forward-thinking library
professionals, innovators and decision-makers who are pushing boundaries and making changes that
support learning in the 21st century. I was privileged to be among the 12 Next Library 2014 Scholars;
courtesy of Bill and Melinda Gates foundation.
Created by Denmarks Aarhus Public Libraries and first presented in 2009, the purpose of the NEXT
Library Conference is to look ahead and explore the continuously evolving nature of the public library in
the 21st century. For the first time and in partnership with Aarhus Public Libraries, the Chicago Public
Library and the Urban Libraries Council hosted the Next Library Conference to North America on June 20-
25, 2014, at the Chicago Public Library.
NEXT Library is more than a conference; it is a community that has grown to include over 500 library
leaders and innovators from around the world. The NEXT Library global kaleidoscope includes Australia,
Austria, Bhutan, Botswana, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, China, Columbia, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt,
Faroe Islands, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, New
Zealand, Nepal, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Uganda, UK, Ukraine, USA and Vietnam.
This year's theme was, Accelerate Learning, encouraging libraries to push boundaries, lead and
accelerate changes in support of 21
st
century learning and create connections between people across
disciplines and countries. Sessions at the Next Library Conference concentrated on the following topics:
1. PATRON AS THE CENTER OF DESIGN: These sessions highlighted the critical importance of co-
creation in supporting a community of learners.
Exploring how Human Centered Design principals can be applied to program and service
development.
Discovering how libraries are involving patrons and communities in their service and
program design efforts.

2. LEVERAGING PARTNERSHIPS FOR ENHANCED LEARNING OUTCOMES
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Exploring the libraries' role in building more effective and comprehensive learning ecosystems
within communities. Participants shared ideas, experiences and best practices that help their
libraries create collaborative relationships that best support learning for diverse patron groups.
3. LEARNING THROUGH CREATION
Participants shared their experiences, ideas, opportunities and challenges of engaging users in
creative activities. These sessions invited conference participants to connect with and explore
emerging practices in connected learning, maker spaces, arts and STEM(
science,technology,engineering and maths) learning initiatives within libraries and other
institutions.
4. LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY FOR LEARNING
Identifying, exploring and discussing technology trends or breakthroughs that lead to new models
of learning, training and connecting - from simulations to gaming or interactive learning to virtual
schools. Exploring how libraries can use technology to accelerate 21st century learning.
LIBRARIES IGNITING LEARNING
Libraries are already centers of lifelong learning. They are places where people of all ages learn
and create rather than consume and check out. Broadening their roles as community leaders and
resources for 21
st
Century learning requires change in how libraries think, operate and engage the
community. Six strategies for libraries to ignite learning are:
1. Understanding and embracing the librarys role as a learning institution.
This involves
Understanding and communicating why learning is a key library priority
Maximizing staff capacity to make learning happen
Identifying and measuring relevant learning outcomes rather than materials used and
program attendance
Creating internal connections among library learning programs and external links with
programs offered by other community learning institutions
Placing the learner at the centre when planning and designing learning experiences
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Aligning learning resources,tools,staff and facilities to achieve learning outcomes

2. Offering high quality learning programs based on research about what works.
Examples of new library learning programs include:
Learning labs for teens that blend skilled adult mentors with digital tools and traditional
media to make learning relevant, empower and motivate learners to identify and pursue
their true passions
Continuous reading programs that engage readers and connect to school learning
programs and other community literacy efforts
New learning models such as science cafes that support science,technology,engineering
and math(STEM) skills for teens, adults and programs that encourage independent
thinking, initiative and do- it- yourself creativity
Gaming activities which teach critical thinking, problem solving, decision making and
design skills.
3. Building strategic partnerships to form learning networks that broaden impact.
Libraries can become community learning hubs by;
Identifying community needs and embracing a shared purpose
Knowing the community landscape including the organizations that are involved in
learning, the programs they deliver, the audiences they serve, the capacities they
have, and the opportunities for collaboration
Building stronger networks by identifying intersections between library learning
programs and those offered by other learning institutions
Initiating and leading learning networks by using the librarys track record as
community anchor institution
Coordinating online systems that support learning and information exchange
Building sustained partnerships with school systems that connect outcomes from
library learning programs with school curricula, recognize and support school priorities,
and promote constant information sharing.

4. Increasing staff capacity to support shared learning strategies
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Libraries can meet new staffing needs by:

Looking for employees with learner-focused skills when filling vacancies
Creating a new staffing structure that make carrying out the librarys learning
role an essential senior management responsibility
Providing professional development opportunities for staff to develop new
skills, assume new roles, and increasing understanding of new learning
research and outcomes
Leveraging partnerships to draw on other organizations staff capacity to
support learners in new ways
Seeking public/private partnerships and grants to carry out new programs and
provide funds to fill staff needs
Working to transform library and information science degree programs to meet
new staffing needs
5. Designing space around learners priorities
Rethinking rather than rebuilding beginning with the question what do we want to happen in
this space? Rather than, what do we want to put in this space?
Creating a small business incubator with work stations, meeting rooms, and business
resources to meet both learning and operating needs of a growing independent
business sector
Converting a traditional general service library branch into an e skills and job
learning centre to address high unemployment
Designing learning labs that can provide opportunities for youth ;supported by adult
mentors and can build on their own interests, use diverse media and interact with
peers
Integrating branch libraries into schools, where appropriate, to provide high quality
learning resources in schools that provide high quality learning resources in schools
that might not otherwise be available because of tight budgets
6. Raising the librarys profile as a community learning leader
Many community leaders, citizens, users, and even library staff still think of libraries as book
repositories .Libraries can raise their profiles as learning leaders by;
Thinking more like educators than service providers

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