This was the group presentation I did for my final project for LIS 701 Intro to Library & Information Science, Summer 2012. Dominican University.

1. HAROLD
WASHINGTON
LIBRARY CENTER
Heidi Lundquist, Lynn Tarkowski, Jamie
Winchell

2. What are your experiences with the
HWLC?
 Lynn: first time visiting!
 Heidi: first time back since the late 1990s…
used to hang out, study, read.
 Jamie: study, hang out, HS senior research
tour.

3. We love this place!
After our joint & respective
tours of the HWLC, we had
the same reactions and
convictions:
•“this place is amazing!”and
•“I have chosen the right
field.”

4. Harold Washington Library Center
Statistics
Statistics January-
May
Circulation 400,421
Holds 120,604
Visitors 708,135
Internet Sessions 163,050

5. Artwork everywhere.
Sleeping Beauty (5th floor)
Architectural models for the HWLC (8th floor)
Carriona Figure No. 2
(top of escalator to 3rd floor)
Architectural model
for Cloudgate

6. 3 points of entry
Main Reference Desk YOUMedia
Popular Library

7. Computer Commons
 133 Internet-only, 37 Internet + word
processing, & a handful of express computers
 Self-reservation system for two 1-hr
sessions/day
 60% use computers for job searching
 “Cybernavigator” + free workshops
 Privacy screens
 Unfiltered
 Security guard roving

8. Security Issues
 Mr. Peters:“anything you can imagine” has
happened there.
 Roving & stationed security guards, 2 undercover
police officers
 A court order needed to ban a person (and it has
happened).
 Sexual activity
 Drinking alcohol
 Vandalism & theft
 Hard maple furniture; nothing is upholstered.

9. Library Reference Collection
Waiting for you to visit on the 6th floor!

10. The Popular Library
HWLC, 1st Floor
“A branch within a branch.”
-
-Carolyn Mulac Division Chief for General Information Services, HWLC

11. 10,000 circulating items
• Books, CDS, DVDs, VHS Tapes
• Audio books, Playaways
• Designated Hold Area-for self reserves
Original Concept began at the Central Library Location
• Revived in 2000 as Media Express, then Chicago Public Library Express
• 2003 became the Popular Library again

12. Intended design
• A quick area
• No computers or places to sit
Busiest Times
• 11am-1pm lunch
• 5pm-7pm evening

13. • Self Check Station
• Circulation desk
• Small reference desk/standing kiosk
Staff
• 2- Level I librarians
• 1-Level II librarian
• 1 –Librarian Associate
• Circulation Staff-however they report to the
main circulation desk of the library center

14. Thomas Hughes’ Children’s
Library
•Children birth-8th grade
•Toddler books, fiction & non-fiction
easy readers, readers & elementary
books.
•Foreign language section

15. Children’s Library Services
•16 unfiltered computers
•School groups & other programming

16. “Rahm’s Readers”
“You are what you read”

17. Times are tough…
With the January 2012 budget cuts:
• All ordering is centralized
• Pages have been eliminated
• No programming budget for the Children’s Library
• Unit heads & closed departments work reference desk shifts

18. THE TALKING BOOK
CENTER

19. The Talking Book Center
 Free service
 National Library
Service program
 Visual, physical, and
learning disabilities
 Nationwide

20.  Digital audiobooks and downloads
 Braille books
 Magazines and radio shows
 Newspapers
 Computer programs
The Talking Book Center

21. YOUMedia: a Digital Library Space for
Teens
 “The philosophy behind the creation of the Chicago
Public Library's YOUmedia was to enable teens to be
more than just consumers of digital media, but to be
creators as well. Through the activities of making and
doing, YOUmedia addresses two significant challenges
facing urban public libraries today:
 The shortage of authentic, engaging physical and
virtual spaces for teens in public libraries; and
 A lack of meaningful opportunities for teens to learn
digital media skills while also gaining relevant new
entry points into library resources.” -http://www.youmediachicago.org/10-
philosophy/pages/56-philosophy

22. “hanging out”
Teens can hang with friends, work on homework, check out boo
Circulation of YAL titles went up 400%!

23. “messing around”
… check out a laptop, play video games, experiment with technolog

24. “geeking out”
… or take a workshop on digital photography, or digital music productio

25. Innovation + YOUMedia
 Design & layout are research-based
 Staff are flexible to users’ needs & interests
 3 branch library YOUMedia programs
 President Obama wants to replicate 30 across
the country.
 Video here

26. SPECIAL
COLLECTIONS

27. Special Collections
 Rare
books, archives, art
 Non-circulating
 Conservation is
extremely important
 Staff cuts have made
this more difficult

28.  Focus: Chicago
 Exhibits: Harold Washington, Civil
War, costume designs
 Reading Room for research: Chicago
neighborhoods, World’s
Fair, theater, Civil War
Special Collections

29. Brian Bannon, Commissioner
Photo from http://www.wbez.org/blogs/bez/2012-05/new-library-chief-brian-bannon-tech-savvy-says-hes-librarian-first-
99664
•Recent upheaval in CPL Administration:
Commissioner of 18 years resigned, 5
upper-level administrators have retired.
•Brian Bannon, age 37, was hired in
March 2012.
•Technology is essential for people to
make their lives better
•New media can show us where
libraries are headed. The “future-
focused library.”
•Libraries can be public spaces for
performance and art exhibitions.