Libraries Venturing “Outside the Lines” Next Week
by Laurie Dale Marshall, Adult & Teen Services Librarian
It’s that spirit of seeing ordinary things in a whole new light. Like inventing your own lyrics to a famous song. Or grabbing a novel and reading the last page first.
Venturing “outside the lines” can offer unexpected rewards.
Next week, “Outside the Lines” is the theme at the Estes Valley Library. And we’re not alone. “OTL” is a national effort to spotlight and celebrate the innovation and creativity happening on a daily basis at America’s libraries. As this celebration enthusiastically announces: “Libraries are dynamic centers for engagement that help everyone to be their best.”
Among the goals of Outside the Lines:
- Welcome creativity, customer curiosity, culture, community, and creative spaces.
- Highlight how libraries are relevant to people’s lives.
- Be active. Get folks engaged.
- Aim for the extraordinary—and the unexpected.
- Most importantly—have fun.
Credit to Colorado’s libraries, who started this effort in 2014. The movement’s gone international, with participating libraries in Africa, Europe, and South America.
Outside the Lines is an excellent fit for the Estes Valley Library, as this celebration aligns with our strategic goals.
“Community” and “Curiosity” rank high among our key values. And next week’s activities embrace at least four of our twelve Comprehensive Objectives, all of which grew from careful listening to public feedback. We’ve been working to create programs and services that Stimulate Imagination, Express Creativity, Satisfy Curiosity, and Connect to the Digital World.
We’ll be inspiring opportunities for all of these goals over the six-day period from this Sunday, September 10 through Friday, September 15.
This Sunday is the debut of our new podcast: “Dewey Discuss”, where you’ll soon enjoy audio files of Library staff and special guests discussing great reads and topics of interest related to the great activities at the Library.
The Library Facebook page will be a source of inspiration this Monday, with the launch of the Poetry Prize Machine. Check out our Facebook page to find out the location of library vending machines that redeem mini-poems, book quotes, and surprises created on our 3D printer.
Next week, you just might see librarians in unexpected places—“outside the lines” of our physical library building. You can find librarians on bicycles on Wednesday, delivering books around town. And on Thursday, we’ll be at the Farmers’ Market, offering not only our weekly book sale cart but spontaneous story readings, and library fun for all ages.
Our Tech Team invites us to satisfy curiosity with a special event exploring “The New Era of Electric Vehicles” this Monday, September 11, at 7 pm (register at estesvalleylibrary.org).
Outside the Lines 2017 is a worthy prelude to what 2018 has in store. On the horizon for next year is a new Maker Space creative zone on the second floor—just one of the benefits to be yielded from this fall’s upstairs renovations.
Check out the full schedule of “Outside the Lines” happenings at estesvalleylibrary.org or on page 3 of the newest issue of Gatherings. We look forward to seeing you next week—on that exciting frontier that is “Outside the Lines”.