Participatory Culture in Action at Your Public Library VILSC 2018 Presented by: Rebecca Baugniet, Library Assistant, GVPL Karen Sharkey, MLIS, Public Services Librarian, GVPL Devon Tatton, MLIS, Public Services Librarian, GVPL Chloe Beardmore, DigiLab Volunteer Jeet Ajmani, DigiLab Volunteer

5-8 minutes

What do you think of when you hear 5 minutes Small group – top three words/terms that they associate with PC. Report back. “PARTICIPATORY CULTURE” ?

Participatory culture is a culture with relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic engagement, strong support for creating and sharing one’s creations, and some type of informal mentorship whereby what is known by the most experienced is passed along to novices. A participatory culture is also one in which members believe their contributions matter, and feel some degree of social connection with one another. – Henry Jenkins, Mizuko Ito, and danah boyd Rebecca – GVPL Values: Collaboration: We engage and work in partnership to meet community needs Inclusiveness: We respect diversity and provide open access for all in welcoming physical and virtual spaces Innovation: We commit to continuous improvement in library service delivery Sustainability: We deliver reliable and relevant services and remain resilient in times of change UVIC: Develop new methods to enhance community members' knowledge of and ability to participate in library activities and events, and to discover the extensive resources available

Tenets of Participatory Culture 1.  Low barriers to entry for artistic expression and community engagement 2.  Support for sharing creative works and ideas 3.  Network of informal mentorship There are three central tenets to participatory culture as defined by Jenkins. The first is that a participatory culture requires communities with low barriers to entry for participants to engage in a community and share their ideas and artistic creations. The second is community support for sharing work and ideas. The breakdown in the division between producers and consumers of media content and the focus on a "do-it-yourself" culture where teens can create their own artistic works is an example of this culture of supportive sharing of creative works and knowledge. Finally, participatory culture involves the creation of a network of informal mentorship where the most knowledgeable members of a community share their experience with more novice member. The "connected learning" framework developed by Ito et al posits that technology can be used to facilitate this informal peer-to-peer learning.

The Participatory Library Participatory Culture in Libraries: From Library 2.0 to the "Participatory Library" Library 2.0 Apply "Web 2.0" technologies to library service User participation in library systems The Participatory Library Focus less on tech and more on participation User participation in the design of library services Participatory culture in libraries was initially talked about under the theory of library 2.0. Library 2.0 was developed as a new paradigm for library service that applied the interactive aspects of Web 2.0 technologies to encourage library patrons to participate and shape the development of library systems like OPAC catalogs. The Library 2.0 model has been accused of being too vague, too focused on technology, and too faddish.  In 2007, Lankes, Silverstein, and Nicholson  developed the idea of the participatory library, which is a model of library service in which library users contribute to library programming and systems rather than being the recipients of "top-down" library systems (Deodato, 2014). The participatory library model is not only focused on technology, but on the engagement that technology enables.

Why is it important? Karen: Libraries moving from transactions to relationships By including a broader spectrum of representation, actively seeking input from different groups of patrons we can learn how better to serve our communities Building something stronger and more relevant to communities By inviting meaningful participation of all members in our community, this has the potential to be a useful tool in our work towards reconciliation

A few examples of participatory culture in action at GVPL Seed Library Emerging Local Authors Collection IntegrateArts Festival DigiLab

How to Avoid the Institutionalization of Teen Participation 1. Rethink traditional expectations Librarian as facilitator Process over product Recognize and promote diversity within teen demographic 2. Provide opportunities for authentic responsibility Teens are not merely "advisors" Teens hold decision-making authority Informal peer-to-peer learning is prioritized 3. Overcome known barriers Avoid dictating what, where, when and how Promote spontaneity Consider unique needs of neighbourhood Library staff immersed in teen programming are well aware of the temptation to revert to more traditional, or institutional forms of teen participation, where a task or project is assigned and steps are outlined with instructions and timelines to ensure the program goals and outcomes are met. Embracing the theory of participatory culture in libraries requires a considerable loosening of the reins and abandoning expectations of how a program “should” go. This requires rethinking the traditional role of the librarian, from creator of programs to facilitator of programs. Librarians also need recognize the diversity of the demographic they are serving and ensure that services and programs don't cater to only one faction. This involves recognizing and respecting teens' decision-making authority and checking themselves and their inclination to control. These steps will help avoid institutionalizing teen participation. 

Challenges Time We work in institutions Changing expectations – staff and patrons Recommendations Managing expectations Start small Think about the scope Consistency

Participatory culture as service model: removes traditional barriers, increases engagement, empowers patrons Librarians are facilitators or mentors, not administrators or dictators Culture of participation is expected in today’s digital-age: embrace it! Conclusion Harnessing participatory culture as a framework for a library service model has the potential to increase engagement, empower patrons in their new role as media and information producers, and remove traditional barriers to information access. By acting as mentors or facilitators, instead of administrators, library professionals can create a space for authentic creativity and peer-to-peer learning experiences, while providing patrons with the tools they need to navigate new media. The culture of participation is now expected by library users; by embracing it, we can ensure that their actual needs are being met, and that library users of all ages can take ownership of their space within the library, and within the community. By doing so, we can empower our patrons to direct their own experiences, learn from one another, and craft information-seeking strategies that will prove functional in the new media age.