Taking Stock in Sticky Notes: how it all started
Contributed by Studio Rhode Team Member Margaret McNulty
Leslie's
concept was to discover a collective identity for Woonsocket in an
innovative way. She had participated in a Health Equity Zone meeting and had
met Rui Almeida from the city planning department. Rui described the future
plans for Woonsocket with great enthusiasm. This inspired Leslie into thinking
of a way for the library to empower our residents and contribute their input towards
the future plans for our city as well. How could the library assist in helping
our community to become more involved in city government, to be active learners
at any age, and to bring the community together? Who are we as a community? Woonsocket
Rhode Island, once steeping with strong French Canadian roots, is now a diverse
population divided into culture pockets across eight square miles. Who are
we collectively as a people? What are our stories, how are we living in our
present, and what are our hopes and visions for our city's future? These are
our essential questions, but how could we build community?
On
February 6, 2017, we set out to attend the Studio Rhode Next Generation Library
Challenge workshop at the Warwick Public Library Idea Studio, conversing on the
drive there as to how to communicate the big idea onto paper. This is where the
sticky notes come in to the picture! A stockpile of sticky notes in a rainbow
of colors were the centerpieces on the work session tables. Presenters from
Apple Inc., the RI Office of Innovation, and the RI Office of Library and
Information Services coached and motivated us to write down all of our thoughts
for using technology and, in doing so, we quickly organized our big idea into
neat, manageable columns of goals, objectives, timelines, measures and
resources. Let's begin the application process!
Once
informed that the initiative was set up to be completed in a rapid burst of
action and that the initial application deadline was fast approaching, our work
was cut out for us in developing our library vision in just 11 days. Leslie and
I sat opposite each other in the Harris Library's conference room, surrounded
with our laptops, water bottles, legal notepads, and fine point pens as we each
chose an application question to answer. I lined the sticky notes in order down
the center of the table for ready reference as we began our rough drafts. We
shared several intensive work sessions over the next few days and were nervous
but relieved to successfully submit our completed application on time. On
February 23rd, we learned that we were a finalist to move on to the final round
of the challenge. These colorful jottings became a valuable resource as we
expanded on our first application answers and submitted the final round
application on March 10th.
Leslie
and I and our Studio Rhode Team were beyond excited on March 20th to
receive an email from the Office of Innovation stating that we were awarded the
Studio Rhode Next Generation Library Challenge. This is an amazing gift to
Woonsocket, and the Harris Library Board of Trustees and library staff are all
grateful for this opportunity to offer our community Apple technology and the
creation of a digital studio lab within the library through an additional gift
of funds contributed by the Carnegie Corporation.
#StudioRhode Timeline
January 23, 2017 -- The Governor announces the Studio Rhode Next Generation Challenge
February 6, 2017 --
The Next Generation Library Challenge workshop was held at the Warwick Public
Library. Libraries from across the state worked with the Office of Innovation,
the RI Office of Library and Information Services, and Apple Inc. design and tech experts to re-imagine their
services to provide 21st century solutions for the problems of Rhode Islanders
February 17, 2017 -- The
initial application is due
February 23, 2017 --
Harris Library is a finalist to move on to the final application round
March 10, 2017 --
The final application is due
March 20, 2017 --
The Harris Library was awarded the Next Generation Library Challenge initiative
March 27, 2017 --
Busy week of completing initiative paperwork and setting up accounts with Apple
Inc
April 5, 2017 -- Apple Inc trainer visit at Harris
Library to kickstart a project planning conversation
 |
We begin the process of re-imaging the Harris Library at the Warwick Library workshop - Photo credit to the Office of Innovation
 An Apple Inc. trainer visited the Harris Library on April 5th and guided us through the planning process for our project called "My Woonsocket Life" Photo credit to the Office of Innovation |
