What does it mean to Evolve? Why do Libraries need to Evolve? Through this session Brian Pichman of the Evolve Project discusses the importance of redesigning library spaces to make them more interactive and collaborative. The Evolve Project is a collaborative platform that aims to change the way people see libraries through the injection of technology that fosters collaboration and exploration. These technologies include laser tag, Sphero Balls, Sifteo Cubes, interactive Legos, and so much more! Also, discover what other libraries have done to build maker spaces, fab labs, and other creative concepts that you can start today!

1. Presented by: Brian Pichman of Evolve
Project
Evolveproject.org
NEFLIN 2013: Maker Spaces and Fab Labs: Designing Interactive Library Spaces
Wednesday, June 19th , 2013

2. Things We Will Discover
 Main Themes around Engagement
 Design Concepts
 Fab Labs & Maker Spaces
 Promotion of New Space
 Funding

3. LIBRARIES NEED TO EVOLVE
http://www.bilinguallibrarian.co

4. Dangers Facing Libraries

5. Dangers Facing Libraries

6. Dangers Facing Libraries

7. Create a Public VALUE
 Not be a “process” but an experience
 Move from physical to digital
 Create new ways to learn and explore
 Libraries should be creating stories
 Libraries HAVE TO BE ENGANGING!
 Shift Focus To
 Innovation, Interaction, Discovery, Collaboration
and Invention

8. What Does Your Community Ask
For?
 Study Rooms / Homework Area
 Open Areas
 Tech (Computers)
 Business Centers
 MakerSpaces
 ?Others?
What do these things have in common?

9. Libraries need to find ways to engage their
patrons…a redesign of your library is one way to
accomplish this.

10. Libraries Have To Be Engaging
 Encourage Creativity and Invention
 Allow Discovery
 Increase Collaboration
 Generate Interaction
 Foster Innovation

11. Creation and Inventions

12. Discovery

13. Collaboration

14. Interaction

15. Innovation

16. Key Design Concepts

17. Key Design Concepts
 Adding Color
 Art
 Have Open Areas
 Furniture
 Modularity

18. Adding Color
 White = Boring
 Teens/kids are in white schools. How do they see
your library?
 Parks are typically colorful
 Painting walls is an inexpensive redesign
 Use Fun Colors
 Be Bold!
 Children Areas should use bright attractive areas.

19. Art
 Have patrons create the art
 Donate it to the library
 Mix it up as often as you like. There is no cost.

20. Open Areas
 Open Space!
 Seating
 Tables
 Multi Functional Areas
 Less Closed Rooms
 Activity Rooms, Meeting Rooms, etc

24. Furniture
 Fun Colors

25. Modularity
 Allows you to always change your
environment
 Put things on wheels
 Desks
 …No Need For Shelves To Be On Wheels
 Don’t fasten furniture to floor…
 no one will be stealing a desk

26. Collection Concepts
 Rotating Collection
 Provides an “always new” environment
 Child Friendly Shelves
 Bin style shelving, so children can “flip” through books
 Props to show collection (not books)
 Interactive Book Ends
 Allow children to find, discover, and hear reviews of books, all
via a touch screen computer mounted at the end of a the shelf
 End Caps Displays / Shelf Displays
 Use different colored books to reflect seasonal themes
 (Green and Red = Christmas)
 Merging Easy Readers with Junior Books
 Most children have to go back and forth between the sections
finding the books they like. Not many other libraries separate
like this. We can still maintain the J and E labeling though.

27. Workflow Concepts
 Self Check Out Units
 Even children are highly receptive to the ability to do
things on their own and utilize technology
 Mobile Check Out / Catalog Units
 Allow people to use an iPad to either search or check
out material
 Standing “Help Desk”
 Have one or two people at a single circulation desk
 The rest are out on the floor to offer suggestions, help, and
guidance
 Have Children/Youth Libraries in an easily
accessible area.

29. Evolve: A Library Playground
 Fab Lab / “Hackerspace”
 A location where people with common interests
(usually in computers, technology, science, or
digital or electronic art) meet, socialize and/or
collaborate.
 Can be viewed as open community labs
incorporating elements of workshops and/or
studios where people can come together to share
resources and knowledge to build and make
things and ideas.
 Combining the positive & fun aspects of
schools, museums, and playgrounds into one

30. Collaborative Areas (Either Network Based or In A Room)
Provide Tools (Hardware and/or Software)
Learning Labs or Training Centers
Types of MakerSpaces

33. Music / Graphic Design / Video Editing

34. 3D Printing

35. Allen County Public Library

36. Multimedia Room
 Room Set Up Features:
 Clickers
 Allows for jeopardy style gaming
 Smart Board (interactive white board)
 Full DVD/BluRay/Sound System
 Easy to use and start (Touch Panel System)
 You Can Use This Room For
 Jeopardy
 Movie Nights
 Presentations / Interactive Style Board Game Night
 Create a Business Plan, Project Plan, etc

38. Fill The Space With Fun Interactive Technology
Allow People to CHECK THINGS out
INTERACTIVE
TECHNOLOGY

39. How will you start funding your next project?
Funding

42. http://www.indiegogo.com/

43. Social Media

45. Libraries have to be
engaging.
Libraries need to find ways to engage their
patrons, both while at the library and away
from library. ..introducing innovative
technology and services is one of these
ways.
Final Thoughts

46. Building That Public Value
Libraries can no longer be just about “books”;
instead they must position themselves as
community anchors; providing for the general
needs as well as the endless learning
possibilities.

47. Contact Me
 @bpichman
 815.534.0403
 bpichman@evolveproject.or
g
Brian Pichman
Credits:
Photography: Joni Kat Anderson | jonikatanderson@gmail.com |
773.357.PICS (7427)
Graphic Art Design: Michael Porter
Library Designs/Library Furniture: Scott Fairbanks | LFI | libraryfurniture-
intl.com

48. Smart Tables
 Interactive Touch
Table Top
 Easy to load and
install games
 Up to 8 children can
play, 100 finger
touches

49. Laser Tag (Yes inside the
library)
 Ubisoft Laser Tag
System
 Up to 8 can play
 Multiple different
game scenarios

50. Meet Sphero.

51. Creation Station – Sifteo Cubes
Small LCD screens that
can sense when there are
nearby cubes and react
accordingly

52. Creation Station – Lego We-Do
Robotic Legos that
move;
teaches how to
program
through a GUI interface

53. Creation Station - Why
 Creation:
 Allows children to learn in new exciting ways
 This type of environment will encourage more
families to come into the library with their children
 Design Concept
 Six Touch Screen Computers so children can
learn, build, share , and interact with the creation
sets

54. Little Bits
 littleBits is an opensource library of electronic
modules that snap together with tiny magnets
for prototyping, learning, and fun.

56. Gaming Stations
 Kiosks setup with:
 Xbox 360 Kinect and Wii
 No Time Limits
 This will encourage kids to learn to share and
maintain the open environment
 Limiting Heavy Users: Librarian asks: “would
you mind letting someone else play… here let me
show you something else”
 Gaming stools next to the Kiosk so children
can make it their own friendly environment
 “Sound Proof” Felt Barriers

57. Gaming Stations - Why
 Involvement and communication
 Attract new target audiences
 Economy makes it hard for kids to experience
gamification
 Gamification is the use of game design
techniques and mechanics to solve problems and
engage audiences
 Video Games are actually “stories” with a plot
and theme.
 Encourages kids to come to the library
 familiarity.

58. The Menageri-E
 A “Digital Petting Zoo” or “E-Bar”

59. The Menageri-E – Why?
 Low Pressure, No Sale Environment
 Allows people to learn and interact with
technology without having a sales person
 Leads to discovery of new technology and
ability to make comparisons
 A great way to offer training and learning of
existing devices so patrons can decide what
technology best suits their needs
 A great community addition

60. The Open Play Coliseum
 Imagination Board
 Allow children to submit reviews of books using a
giant white board as the backdrop.
 Kids can draw on white board to tell a story
 Play A Movie…All Day.
 Include related books -> with a “map” to find them
 All day activities that are related to the playing
movie providing a story hour all day
 Display a child driven art gallery – children can opt
to make them “circulating”

62. The Open Play Coliseum –
Why?
 Encourages creativity
 The imagination board allows children to tell other
children (in their own words) what they think of a book
 Crafts are fun, engaging, and helps children learn
 White board allows for fun and interaction
 Building a review with video is helpful to a child’s
development (telling a story)
 The “story all day” motto allows people regardless of
work schedule to come in with their children to
participate in craft building and fun
 The art gallery idea would allow children to express
themselves and take pride in their work as family and
friends “check out” their material

63. Music Station

64. Music Station - Why
 Interactive and Fun
 Music is an exploration, and listening to new
music genres/styles expands their knowledge
 Reflects the interest of the community

65. Children’s Collection
 Rotating Collection
 Provides an “always new” environment
 Child Friendly Shelves
 Bin style shelving, so children can “flip” through
books
 Bright, Fun, Attractive Colors.