Libraries: the next generation

When I tell people that I am enrolled in the University of Arizona/School of Information Resources and Library Science with hopes of becoming a public librarian, some of them look at me like I am crazy. I have been asked more than once “Why are you doing this? Libraries are obsolete.”

Yes, technology has certainly changed the way information is accessed, but that does not mean public libraries are no longer relevant. It does mean, however, that they must rethink their role and position within the community. Changes to the traditional way of doing business must be made or many of them will become a thing of the past.

The same can be said of museums. There is a lot that librarians and libraries can learn from our cultural counterparts, and I found the assignment to watch segments from the Smithsonian-sponsored conference titled (Re)Presenting America: The Evolution of Culturally Specific Museums (2012) stimulating.  The final panel, titled “A Work in Progress” was particularly interesting. Four individuals representing smaller museums discussed their institution’s mission and what they are doing programmatically to support that mission. Carlos Tortolero, Founder and Director of the National Museum of Mexican Art located in Chicago, IL. was a dynamic presenter. Thirty years ago he got together with a group of friends – all teachers – to create the Museum because there was no place for members of the local community to go to see their own art.  Skeptics said at the time that there is no way you can 1) put a museum in a working-class neighborhood, 2) put an art museum in a working-class neighborhood, and 3) offer free admission.

Despite these naysayers, the National Museum of Mexican Art is considered a world-class museum that is the only Latino-focused museum accredited by the American Association of Museums. It is also an affiliate museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

Mr. Tortolero stated that it is important for a museum to be a part of the community, not apart from it. To that end, the National Museum of Mexican Art allocates 1/3 of its annual budget to education. After citing some specific examples of their outreach efforts, he summed it up this way: “We are everywhere” (2012).

Additionally, the Museum runs programs on site that have been developed in response to community needs. For example: they register people to vote, they hold an annual Queer Prom attended by students from across the mid-west, and they are involved in health fairs and classes. Mr. Tortolero told the audience that 200 women 55 years of age and older attended a workshop taught by a nurse practitioner on how to do breast self-exams.

This is the same vision I have for libraries, particularly in rural communities, where the network of social service agencies may be non-existent. Through collaboration and innovation, a library in a small community can be a lifeline for its residents.

I tried to find other examples of museums as community partner. There is a wonderful resource titled Urban Network: Museums Embracing Communities (2003) that is the result of a grant funded by the National Recreation Foundation. Edited by Jennifer Amdur Spitz and Margaret Thom, the book documents the process of creating a museum consortium, the programs each member developed to reach new audiences, and the lessons learned. The synthesis of key steps summarized in Figures 1 – 6 in Section III, titled Program Development Blueprint, and Section 4 on Evaluation, particularly the discussion about creating and sustaining relationships, is the best I’ve seen on these subjects without being overly long or academic (pp. 26, 28, 32, 34, 42-48).

That being said, I was disappointed in the case studies found in Section 5. They seemed so pedestrian: staying open late on a Saturday night once a month and waiving the fee (pp. 50-57); giving free admission tickets to local nonprofit organizations to distribute (pp. 84-89); inviting a dance troupe to teach classes in an art museum (pp. 90-97). Don’t get me wrong – these are all wonderful activities but, at least based on the descriptions, they weren’t as cutting-edge as I’d hoped they’d be.  Then again, all of the participating museums were big institutions in large cities, including The Field Museum (Chicago), The Brooklyn Museum of Art and The American Museum of Natural History (New York), The Exploratorium and the Oakland Museum of California (San Francisco By area). Given their histories, these activities probably are cutting-edge.

I know more examples are out there; I just need to keep looking and networking with colleagues. Ultimately, however, I think the difference between a traditional museum and one that might be considered more of a cultural center is leadership. Based on my experience with non-profit organizations, those that are doing remarkable work have a leader like Carlos Tortolero: someone with integrity, a vision, passion and willingness to do things differently if required; the skill to bring people together; value whatever gift they bring to the table, whether it is time, talent and/or treasure, and to inspire collaboration; and the ability to listen and respond based on what he/she hears with creativity and enthusiasm.

Here’s hoping I get the opportunity to work with someone like Mr. Tortolero in a public library that, without losing sight of its mission, plays a meaningful role in the lives of the community’s residents.

References

Simon, N. (2010, October 24). Community Museums and Museum Communities. (Web log comment.) Retrieved from http://www.shareable.net/blog/top-10-open-participatory-museums-redefining-how-public-engages-culture.%20

Smithsonian Institution. (2012). Introduction. (Re)Presenting America: The evolution of culturally specific museums. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCGwilzYlDk.

Smithsonian Institution. (2012). Panel: A work in progress. (Re)Presenting America: The evolution of culturally specific museums. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRKV20LDVsY&feature=relmfu

Spitz, J. & Thom, M. (Eds.) (2003). Urban network: Museums embracing communities. Chicago, IL: The Field Museum.