Lost in the Library? Never Again with User Centered Design
Thursday, March 22, 2018, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Pennsylvania Convention Center, Ballroom A
What’s more important than the way someone feels when entering your library? Whether a customer is new to our country or new to our doors, libraries can create environments that are welcoming to all. In this interactive session three seasoned speakers and practitioners will share tools and recommendations to create intuitive wayfinding, user and staff focused design, and advice for ensuring fully engaged and strategically located staff who approach customers with ease.
An online version of this concurrent program session was also presented during the PLA 2018 Virtual Conference.
At the end of this session, participants will:
1: Understand the principles of user-centered design as it relates to new and at-risk populations
2: Learn techniques to use with all staff in working with new and at-risk customer without barriers between them such as desks and screens
3: Learn how to identify and address challenges new library users face who are new to the concept of the public library or from at-risk populations
The session organizer(s) identified this session as appropriate for:
Level 1: People with no previous knowledge of the topic.
This session will have: Medium interaction (example: single speaker/panel with questions or discussion throughout)
Handouts: Download 1
Track: Invent
Tags: Spaces and Places, Buildings and Facilities, Equity of Access, Inclusion, Multicultural Services, User Experience (UX)
Presenters
Bridget Quinn-Carey, CEO
Hartford Public Library , Hartford , CT
Bridget Quinn-Carey is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hartford Public Library. Prior to joining HPL, Ms. Quinn-Carey served as the Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, and Interim President/CEO of the Queens Library. She has over 25 years of experience working in libraries. Ms. Quinn-Carey has a BA, MLS and MBA. She is a member of ALA, BCALA, PLA, CLA, and NYLA.
Maxine Bleiweis, Principal
Maxine Bleiweis and Associates, LLC , Bridgeport , CT
Maxine Bleiweis brings 40 years of direct experience with public library services and user-centered design. She learned that energizing staff at all levels of the organization to deliver service from the library customer's perspective was a bigger challenge than having the best design. She has developed techniques and processes to take staff from ?no? to ?of course? by helping them gain the stills and confidence to shed barriers to service and engage with their community.
Margaret Sullivan, Principal
Margaret Sullivan Studio , 10010 , NY
Margaret Sullivan is a leader in visioning, programming and designing innovative cultural centers, with a focus on public libraries. She skillfully collaborates with stakeholders and the design team to represent a holistic understanding of the 21st century public library delivery service model and is a leader in translating these innovations into physical spaces.