Creating for Your Community

Mesa County Libraries have launched a Kickstarter campaign for an app that they believe fills a “gap in the information ecosystem for their patrons.”(Enis) The app, Wild Colorado, gives information about animals indigenous to the region and allows users to take photos and share their experiences. Joseph Sanchez, director of MCL, recognized that his community is very outdoorsy and enjoys activities such as hiking and fishing. He also noticed that the library wasn’t “doing anything directly to offer patrons a resource that complements those activities.”(Enis) Sanchez wanted an app that was easy to use and specific to the Colorado region. He is also hoping that this app will draw patrons in their 20’s and 30’s who might not use the library. “ MCL recently drew a crowd of young, infrequent visitors with an art exhibit devoted to custom fishing flies.” (Enis)

Sanchez definitely understands his community and is designing resources to meet their needs. “ We’re attempting to find ways to create viable and usable local bodies of knowledge that have meaning and value for our patrons.”(Enis) Sanchez is finding ways to turn his libraries into local platforms for his patrons, and by doing so, hopeful draw in more. This example can be modified to fit different communities and their needs if librarians are willing and wanting to create those types of resources.

Source

“Mesa County Libraries Launches Kickstarter for Colorado Wildlife App.” Library Journal. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. <http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/11/technology/mesa-county-libraries-launches-kickstarter-for-colorado-wildlife-app/>.