“When in doubt, go to the library.”

– Hermoine Granger (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling)

I am a library science student based in Melbourne, Australia. I’m passionate about literacy and have volunteered in academic, school and public libraries, and have loved every minute of it. I spend a lot of time on #librarytwitter, stalk /libraries on Reddit for fun, read library news voraciously, and I have a lot of thoughts about this inspiring, fascinating, occasionally frustrating and utterly essential industry. Like many industries, libraries and associated institutions are going through a lot of disruption at the moment and it’s as exciting as it is disconcerting. My aim on this blog is to bridge the gap between library professionals and the people we serve, share insights into the industry, and generally make you excited to connect with your local library.

As I’ve also got an underutilised journalism degree burning a hole in my bank account, I thought it might be fun to put it to use. I’ve also travelled quite a nomadic existance for the last 5+ years due to my online job, so I’m keen to learn about how libraries are managing disruption worldwide.

Here I plan to post about many topics about the industry, including:

• Literacy – including information and media literacy, which seems to be in decline at the moment due to the fast spread of information online facilitated by the 24-hour news cycle;
• Language – including language learning, how we use language in and around libraries, and how to encourage dialogue in our communities;
• Learning – I’ve heard the library called ‘the people’s university.’ I like that, and particularly want to focus on public and school libraries in this area;
• Community – libraries are an example of the elusive ‘third place’, somewhere removed from commerce and the home, and provide a vital meeting space for a diverse populations across the world;
• Design – libraries have been changing the way they build, renovate and consider the needs of the population in their physical space;
• Access – How can libraries make all people feel welcome? Whether LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, mental health concerns or other requirements, this is an important question facing libraries today.

Above all, I hope I can make you laugh, think, and most importantly, visit the library more often. I feel that libraries really are the heart of any community, and facilitate free, open access to some of the world’s great works. Libraries truly are The People’s University.

Connect with me at:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/libthghts

Facebook: http://facebook.com/libthoughts

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/libthoughts/

Pinterest: pinterest.com/librarythoughts