We all know what the typical library computer space looks like — rows of computers, each one occupied by a single person using the technology on his or her own. The underlying notion driving this configuration is that people need access to information, and that this access is optimized when each person is left alone to use the computer and internet (with assistance from a librarian when a need arises). This is the “access to information” model, and libraries have long excelled at providing this form of access.
There is another model that is experiencing tremendous growth and excitement—innovation spaces—physical places that foster community, collaboration, and creation. The notion behind these spaces is that creativity and innovation are stimulated when people and ideas come into contact with one another, not when they are isolated. There are many types of innovation spaces—hackerspaces, makerspaces, coworking spaces—all of which are founded on the “access to each other” model.
In this talk, Chris presented the concept of innovation spaces, provided a tour of different types of spaces, and discussed the economic, social, and technical drivers of this movement. Thoughts on the important role of libraries in providing such spaces for their communities were also shared.
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Innovation Spaces - English
1. Innovation Spaces
From Access to Information to Access to Each Other
Chris Coward & Dilini Wijeweera
Contexto Digital
Bogota, Colombia
17 October, 2013
6. Smart Cape, South Africa
Santiago Central Library, Chile
Photo: Francois Bar
Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam
Seattle Public Librar
Photo: Librarian in black
8. TASCHA research in Ghana
1/2
3/4
2/3
of users come
with others –
family, friends
and colleagues
of users find
sharing physical
space made
coming to venue
more productive
of users
interested in
environments
that support
better
collaborative
group work
Best, M., Garg, S., & Kollanyi, B. (2013). Understanding & rethinking shared access: How people collaborate & share knowledge & technologies in Ghanaian cybercafés.
12. “Fundamentally, innovation is about how
human beings get inspired to look in new
places, work together and react to the
unwelcome and the unexpected”
-- Matt Kingdon
This presentation aims to spark dialogue with those familiar with the Access to Information model and surface another model -- Access to Each Other. Our argument: libraries have an enormous opportunity to foster the creativity and innovation of its patrons. We suggest innovation spaces tap a vast and unmet demand for physical environments built around ‘access to each other’ catering to how people want to use technology. We think libraries can leverage existing common features of physical space and strong community presence to become providers of Innovation Spaces.
Focus in on improving innovation, specifically, individual innovation of patrons of a library. And fostering innovation in very specific ways – through design of space along with staffing, programs, and operations. This isn’t about innovative library services as a whole, though there is some overlap.
This talk is inspired by a quote from Clay Shirky, new media specialist and professor at NYU.
Most libraries, all over the world, when it comesto computers and the internet, exemplify the “access to information” model. This model’s objective: equip libraries with public access computers to enable people to obtain critical information and to communicate with family and friends.
Access to information model is seen in many places (pictures from various visits).Spaces designed to facilitate 1:1, private use of computers. This is a good model. Computer access is a valuable service. We have no critique of this form of information provision. It’s proven successful in every corner of the world, and it should continue. But…we argue that while this model is good for access to information, it is not sufficient when the objective is to stimulate creativity and innovation.
From the previous pictures you would think that 1:1 is the best or only configuration. Yet the real question is how do people want to use technology?
Many people want to use information technology with othersTASCHA’s research on cybercafé users in Ghana showed that one half of the visitors came with their friends, family or colleagues; two thirds of the users reported that sharing the physical space made coming to the venue more productive for them, and; three quarters of the users were interested in environments that support better collaborative group work (Best et al.: 2013)
Introducing a framework for understanding innovation spaces Illustration helps describe how Innovation Spaces function and helps focus attention on the major components that require attention to understand the emerging innovation spaces movement. We see Innovation Spaces at the intersection of three journeys depicted by the 3 intersecting circles:the individualthe organizationthe enabling environment All of this takes places within the broader context of societal and economic drivers This presentation focuses on the individual journey, with some attention to these external drivers
Defining innovation For our work we adopt the notion that innovation is part of a continuum that leads from imagination, the process of bringing to mind things that are not present to our senses, to creativity, the process of developing original ideas that have value, to innovation, the process of putting new ideas into practice (Ken Robinson). Entrepreneurship could be a next step in the process of commercializing the new idea that was put into practice. But, this is not our primary concern.
Rather, our interest is on what stimulates creative thought and innovation in ways that fulfill individual aspirations for work, hobby or personal growth. We are interested in innovation in its broadest sense, as it occurs in all realms of an individuals’ life. This diagram shows the process by which an individual gains the creative confidence and sense of self-efficacy that enables the type of innovation we believe these innovation spaces foster. Many experts contend that creative confidence and self-efficacy are skills that are most needed in an ever changing society It is in this context we choose to focus on the individual and explore opportunities by which an individual might be able to develop and enhance their capacity for innovation.
If our focus/goal is helping individuals become innovative -- we need to answer a fundamental question. Where do good ideas come from? This question also forms the title of a book by Steven Johnson about the sources of innovation.
One reason the answer is deceptively elusive is a common perception that creative thought and innovation occurs when a person is left to think on his/her own. Research however, says this picture is largely untrue. This is the lone thinker myth. It isn’t how innovation occurs.
Rather, good ideas – and most of the innovations from the industrial revolution onwards – occur when ideas come into collision with each other. As individuals have opportunities to interact with other individuals, ideas bounce around, allowing people to refine and further develop their own ideas, while simultaneously providing stimulus to others and their ideas. For innovation to occur, it follows that we need spaces that encourage this form of interaction. This is the access to each other model.
Another way to look at this is through the prism of social media. As everyone knows, social media is extraordinarily popular and powerful. They are online social spaces that connect people to each other. Innovation spaces can be consideredthe physical analogue. Physical social spaces that complement and amplify online social spaces.
Next, a tour of innovation spaces in society and some reasons for their emergence.
First, a look at why these spaces have emerged. Broadly, there are two relevant institutional environments to our discussion, and they correspond to the stage of life one is in: Learning -- typically when we are young and in schoolProducing -- when we enter the workforce where we spend our adult lives in some sort of “producing” mode Ideally, the access to each other model would be vibrant in both these spheres, but this isn’t the case
While these images are an over dramatization, most people would agree that neither our schools nor workplaces stimulate creativity to the extent that need to. Critics of our current institutions claim our educational systems and offices are still dominated by a mechanistic, industrial model. While this is changing and some great examples exist of creative spaces (Google’s offices for example), a majority of the world’s learning and producing spaces are not configured for this sort of interaction.
But even if all schools and workplaces were designed to foster creativity, there is still another problem. These two spheres do not allow for activities that are not endorsed or encouraged by the learning and producing institutions. What if you are in the workforce but want to develop new skills, switch careers, start a business, or otherwise experiment with technology in a social environment? Where do you turn?
Historically, coffee shops and other third places have filled a critical role in fostering innovation outside institutional lines. In 17th and 18th centuries, coffee houses were credited with much of the innovation in England during the enlightenment age. Philosophers, artists, scientists, others congregated in coffee shops to discuss, debate, share, spark new ideas (Johnson). Today, perhaps not so much. In many places, people are plugged into their laptops. And they are not typically seen as places for communities of interest to converge in the same way that they were used in the past.
Other places have emerged to fill this very urgent and deeply felt need. While we will discuss other drivers later, at one level, this narrative at least partially explains the rise of these new spaces. There are many types of Innovation Spaces --Coworking spaces, Hubs, Hackerspaces, Makerspaces, Fab Labs, etc. Importantly, they are open to anyone, any age, any profession and mostly focused on adults.
First category:coworking spaces, or hubs. Coworking is a shared work environment where members have access to facilities such as a desk, meeting space, office equipment, kitchen and other amenities. Typically attracting people with shared values and involved in complementary enterprises. As such, built around fostering a community.
Coworking spaces host events, offer trainings, maintain job boards, and hold social gatherings. Aimed at deepening a sense of community, while offering a venue to learn new skills and try out one’s own ideas with others. Images of Impact Hub, Bogota offering; Weekly lunchesNetworking eventsTraining programsFlexible work spacesGroup activities
Nairobi’s iHub is one of the best known in the international development community. It has evolved over time to meet needs of its community.
These spaces do not need to be fancy. Some of the most vibrant spaces have inexpensive furnishing and flexible designs.
This image is taken from the DeskMag survey. Shows characteristics people ascribe to coworking spaces. Note to librarians – the word “information” does not appear
Coworking spaces are experiencing explosive growth. Over 2000 coworking spaces worldwide Note 22% of people who worked at officers. Exemplifies earlier point that traditional offices do not provide such environments.Low percentage who mention libraries
Next, makerspacesor hackerspaces. Very different from coworking in many aspects. These spaces are oriented around the DIY (do it yourself) culture. DIY, taking things apart to learn how they work, re-mixing, building things to one’s own specifications is very empowering and can unleash enormous innovation. Hacker/maker spaces want to help others become similarly empowered
Hacker/maker spaces have an emphasis on electronics and building physical objects. A core piece of equipment is the 3D printer, and these are becoming more and more affordable.
One example -- Robohand Some people claim huge future impact. Just as PC unleashed digital revolution, 3D printing and convergence of digital with physical is unleashing another revolution.
Hacker/maker spaces are not necessarily expensive. Please withhold judgment for now. Just think about whether people in your community might benefit from these. Will show examples of libraries with makerspaces, even small rural libraries.
Hacker/maker spaces are also experiencing explosive growth. Lots of innovation comes out of environments of scarcity. Very popular in places with few resources.
Driving forces Changing nature of workConcern for sustainabilityChanges in technology
Now subject of libraries.Should they offer these types of spaces and services?Are there successful examples?If you want to create one, how to do it?
At one level, every library provides space and programs for its patrons to be creative. However, they tend to be for children (arts and crafts), and for activities that do not involve technology
But for some reason, we don’t extend this same mindset to the technology arena. Eg: At the same library as previous slide a sign over the computer area states that children may NOT interact with others while using the computers. This is representative of traditional mindset in libraries -- driven by the access to information model – suggesting that the interaction with a computer should be 1:1So question remains, outside of children and non-tech activities, can libraries serve as innovation spaces for adults to interact with technology and each other?
While very nascent, there is a growing movement to equip libraries with hackerspaces and coworking spaces. We argue that there is a strong need for public libraries, with their truly public mission, to develop spaces that meet this need. Most maker/hacker/coworking spaces have membership fees associated with them, and so there is a place for places that are truly public -- either free or with low user fees. And that can reach broader cross sections of society.
Example: Chicago Public Library
Fayetteville Public Library. Very rural part of New York. Population – about 4,000
Creating innovation spaces TASCHA’s research on innovation spaces has surfaced a number of principles that are common to all of the types of innovation spaces we’ve discussed.These principles can be used by any organization (including libraries) interested in creating such spaces. The emphasis on principles is to avoid this being a checklist. The reason being that each community needs to come up with a space that meets its own contextual needs. What works in one place might not in another. At the center is design intentionality. Design intentionality shows that to achieve any of the 5 principles requires intent. Serendipity can be planned for. Flexibility is planned for. It takes conscious effort to make these principles come to life in an innovation space. Next several slides will show examples.
Fostering a feeling of belonging to a community is often seen as the most important design concern. Epitomizes ‘access to each other’iHub research (and others) shows community at the heart of an innovation space
Many programmatic ways that innovation spaces foster community
Serendipity is the accident of finding something good or useful while not specifically searching for it. While serendipity cannot be predicted, it can be facilitated and accelerated when it is explicitly designed into the environment. The need to use entrances, stairs or lifts, the need to eat, are all tools that force collision and promote microbursts of social interaction. ExamplesCoffee and food tablesBlackboard where people can write what they’re up to when they come in the morning, or where they need helpPart of the job responsibility of the space’s host. Toronto’s Center for Social Innovation calls these people “community animators”
Flexibility is associated with, and is an integral component of all the other principles. Flexibility supports the manner in which all other interactions can take place. Planning flexibility is a critical choice for designing and operating. Changing spatial configurations of furniture, equipment and other fittings and events should be welcomed and accommodated as far as possible.
Tinkerability, a way of approaching a question or problem in a playful, exploratory, and often iterative style. This approach is often trial and error. Failing, evaluating and persisting are essential characteristics of the tinkering process. Also agility and the ability to use existing resources in new and context-appropriate ways.
The ability to play which is not limited to literal play. Rather, about a mentality that is not all serious. The state of mind when you are energized and fully engrossed in an activity is also play, even when it is work. The engagement of body and mind to broaden boundaries; with physical opportunities and visual cues for risk free competition and imagination, the whimsical and colorful; all fully intent on freeing the mind.
Two final images, illustrating the sustainability driver and mindset. Addis coworking space uses shipping containers. Making use of available materials.
Impact Hub in Bogota, turning a container into a coffee shop.
