Activating Inclusive Library Design

***BEFORE YOU REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR PLEASE REVIEW IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION BELOW***

How does the physical design of a library affect inclusivity? Libraries are no longer merely repositories of books: they are cross-generational community centers, sites for early voting, tech training hubs, destinations for youth to study or hear book readings, and a source of English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, citizenship classes, and food drives. Libraries have increasingly become refuges during climate catastrophes and ground zero for emergency responders. The more accessible and inclusive our libraries are designed, the greater their impact on communities and the greater good. Transportation, access, master planning, and interior amenities all play a role in inclusive library design. Each location must meet diverse needs and elevate engagement with safe, accessible, and welcoming spaces.   

This webinar will draw upon the UK Design Council Principles of Inclusive Design, which defined inclusive design through eight principles: Responsive, Convenient, Understandable, Welcoming, Inclusive, Accommodating, Flexible, and Realistic. We will discuss the power of design and community and staff engagement to reach these goals in our public spaces, featuring examples from recent branch design, facilities planning studies, staff and community engagement, and strategic planning work with library systems such as San Francisco Public Library, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Hennepin County Library, and Pierce County Library System.

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Go beyond inclusive design (safety, ease, dignity) to create transformational library spaces that elevate and welcome all;
• Reflect on the need for community engagement in library planning, which should be wide-reaching, soliciting opinions from library system leadership, local staff, patrons of the current library space, and especially the needs of community members who do not use the library in its current form; and
• Consider how the library must seamlessly connect to broader circulation and transportation infrastructure in the area, including access for those who walk, bike, or use public transit.

Who Should Attend

This webinar is intended for all public library staff.

Panelists

Elaine Asal (she/her) is a principal and strategy director in the Gensler Baltimore office with a focus on workplace strategy, visioning, stakeholder, and community engagement. Elaine has worked in strategic planning and facilities planning across the U.S. in library systems such as the Enoch Pratt in Baltimore, San Francisco Public Library, and Prince George’s County in Maryland. She has also helped to organize a network of library designers at Gensler to share best practices, opportunities, and challenges. Over the course of her career, she has worked across a wide-ranging portfolio of projects, with a particular focus on the not-for-profit and social innovation industry. Elaine expertly weaves best practices and research from across the firm, with a deep understanding of organizational culture and a mission aligned perspective. Active in the local social enterprise community in Baltimore, she fosters connections across organizations and identifies opportunities for partnership and collaboration.

Scott Duimstra (he/him) has worked in public libraries for over twenty years, with the last twelve years in library administration. Originally from Michigan, he obtained his MSI from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. His work has allowed him to focus on library services, library facility planning, and strategic initiatives. In October 2023 Scott became the library director for Hennepin County Library (HCL), where he directs library operations for HCL’s forty-one libraries. 

  

Important Registration Information

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Accommodations

This live webinar will be captioned in English (United States). Zoom desktop client or mobile app is required to access captions.

Attendees using screen readers are advised to turn off speech prior to joining the Zoom event because PLA webinars make extensive use of chat functionality. Attendees who find chat distracting may wish to disable it in the Zoom event, as PLA moderators will verbally highlight important topics raised in chat and chat transcripts will be provided post-webinar.

If you have a physical or communication need that may affect your participation in this webinar, please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752) at least two weeks prior to the webinar. Without prior notification of need, we may not be able to provide appropriate accommodations for the live event.

Archived Recording

If you're unable to attend this live webinar, an archived recording will be available to all registrants typically within 1–3 business of the live event. Access to closed captions will be provided in the webinar recording.

Tech Requirements

This webinar will be presented using the Zoom platform. Please review Zoom technical requirements and support information, and test your connection.

Once you've joined the webinar, there are two ways to connect your audio: via computer (VoIP) or via telephone. No microphone is required. PLA works with its webinar platform provider to assure the highest quality audio is being delivered to attendees. However, variables over which PLA has no control—such as the speed of your Internet connection or traffic on your local network—can affect the end quality of the webinar audio delivered by your computer. Each webinar’s audio is also available by telephone via a toll number, so we recommend you have access to a long-distance enabled phone as a backup in case you experience audio issues with VoIP. If you do encounter any problems during the webinar, you will receive a link to its archived recording within a week of the live event and can review anything you missed.

Contact

This webinar is presented by the Public Library Association (PLA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA).

Questions about this webinar? Please contact us at plawebinars@ala.org or 800-545-2433 ext. 5PLA (5752).