C23 Virtual Program

Virtual Program | November 1-2, 2023

Please note: All times below are Eastern Daylight Time. Please register for only one session per time slot so everybody may take part. But definitely join us for the opening and closing each day and help us build community!

REGISTRATION (FOR ALL)

Wednesday, November 1

1:00 – 1:30 PM

Welcome + PROJECTions

We’re thrilled to welcome you to our second virtual conference and to introduce the following PROJECTions:

The 5 P’s of Library Makerspaces

Presenter: Ammon Shepherd, University of Virginia

Over the past 9 years of participating in and running a university library makerspace, I have found that our users do five things consistently. These are the Five P’s of our makerspace: Prototyping, Presentation, Preservation, Products, Partnerships. This PROJECTion shows the importance of each ‘P’ and the unique position the library plays in cultivating the five P’s of making at the University of Virginia.

Sound Advice: Audio Booth Spaces as a Community Resource

Presenter: Nicolas Aponte, University of Miami

Library audio booth spaces have evolved into vital resources, offering patrons private and soundproof environments for content creation. These spaces cater to local podcasters, musicians, and content creators, while also fostering community collaboration.

We could do that: The Origin of UTC Survivor

Presenters: Remington Cross and Emily Thompson, University of Tennessee – Chattanooga

UTC Survivor is exactly what it sounds like: a grass roots, student-led Survivor game running throughout Spring semester. It means something different to everyone. For some folks, it’s just fun. For others, it’s skill building and fodder for their reels. It can even be the way participants remember why they came to college in the first place. The UTC Library Studio makes it possible, and is the reason we posted Season 3 in July and are gearing up for Season 4 in Spring 2024.

Making Marginalia: Developing an Experimental Makerspace Collection

Presenter: Leanne Nay, Indiana University

Libraries and library makerspaces are engaging students in new ways, but they maintain strict rules regarding the use of print materials. For centuries, libraries have discouraged behaviors such as doodling in the margins or dog-earing pages and often penalize users for their discretions. As library makerspaces invite users to move from information consumers to creators, they ought to consider if there is value in preserving, sharing, and even soliciting marginalia from their communities.

The “In the Margins” project at the Wells Library Makerspace at Indiana University is a collection of books, journals, and activity books that encourages students to contribute to the pages within. This presentation will explore the beginnings of this project and consider the following: What is gained and what is lost when users are invited to underline, highlight, and doodle in library books? Can user-generated materials bring greater value to the creative culture of the library?

Teaching Music Production with Digital Audio Workstations

Presenter: Michael Standard, University of Tennessee – Chattanooga

When patrons see workshops on Music Production and Digital Audio Workstations, they are often have a high level of interest, but a low level of skill. For these patrons, it is especially important to keep the projects in these workshops approachable, digestible, and that the patrons stay motivated and excited. This virtual presentation will provide a brief overview of my techniques and materials for teaching Music Production using Digital Audio Workstations. My techniques include using personal identity (especially the patrons’ letters in their name) to generate musical melodies. Patrons use software to pair their melodies with an accompaniment of any genre they like. Music Production basics such as time quantization and MIDI are also part of the skill-building. This presentation will hopefully foster discussion and ideas from the audience for other Music Production teaching techniques.

1:35 – 2:35 PM

Concurrent Roundtables

Everybody’s So Creative! Supporting Creativity and Mental Health in the Neoliberal Academic Library**

Presenter: Sarah Kantor, University of Tennessee – Chattanooga

One of the joys of working in a creative technology space is the opportunity to be creative and support the next generation in their creative pursuits. But, for the creative thinker, adapting to the expectations of the neoliberal university can take away much of the satisfaction of this creative work. How can the creative person fulfill the productivity expectations of the neoliberal university landscape without leading to burnout?

This roundtable will feature a lively discussion of the adaptations, skills, and tips for finding professional success while also maintaining mental health and mitigating mental exhaustion.

**This roundtable will not be recorded and any notes will be kept anonymous in order to preserve all attendees’ privacy.

The Vital Role of Sustainability in Makerspaces

Presenter: Rachel Segrest, Seattle University

Makerspaces and creative technology spaces provide unique environments where almost anything can happen. Here users can explore the physical and digital aspects of our world and beyond. These incredible spaces allow us to consider how elements of our lives connect with each other from coding LEDs then incorporating them into a bike frame, repairing worn clothing or getting to know someone you would’ve otherwise missed while attending a workshop. Makerspaces create possibilities for how we approach our lives be it by making our own items, editing or altering existing possessions, reusing materials, engaging with different populations or approaching learning from a new perspective. In this round table discussion, we will share ideas and discuss how we can use creative spaces to make a more sustainable and equitable society.

2:40-3:40 PM

Concurrent Roundtables

AI Literacy Roundtable Discussion

Presenter: Chelsy Hooper, Auburn University

How should creative technology areas in libraries react to the prevalence and shifts of ChatGPT or other AI apps and generative AI art tools? This session will present the various ways AI literacy is beginning to be addressed on our campus through in-house workshops, collaborations across campus and with other cross-campus entities, and online resources. Specific activities and examples of workshops and collaborative events will be shared, mainly focusing on LLM’s such as ChatGPT and generative AI art within the Adobe Creative Cloud applications. We invite attendees to share their “AI on campus” experiences and join in a group conversation on AI in creative technologies in libraries.

Creating Community in Creative Spaces

Presenter: Erica Ervin, University of Michigan

Across academic libraries many varied spaces and resources there are missions commonly shared, one being the goal of ensuring the library is accessible, welcoming, and affirming to all. However, we know that there are perceived and real barriers to inclusion in our spaces, studios, and labs. In this roundtable, we will discuss barriers to inclusion and how creative spaces can be a place where all, and particularly marginalized populations, can feel a sense of belonging. This includes examining how libraries’ creative spaces unintentionally or otherwise ask users to assimilate, the formation of communities in these creative spaces, and what impact belonging has for their users. After our discussion we will share our notes to continue the conversation with those who work in creative technologies and spaces in libraries and/or are interested in these areas.

3:45 – 4:00 PM

Closing & Adjourn Day #1

Wrap up the day and share highlights with your ACTAL friends and colleagues.

Thursday, November 2

1:00 – 1:35 PM

Welcome + TechSmith Sponsored Presentation

Start off Day 2 with a hello from organizers and a feature presentation from the good folks at TechSmith.

1:40 – 2:40 PM

Concurrent Roundtables

Graduate Assistants in Creative Technology Spaces

Presenter: Adam Rogers, North Carolina State University

Graduate Assistants (GAs) can be an incredible boost to the success of creative technology spaces in academic libraries; in our spaces, they have brought technical expertise, valuable teaching experience, and leadership skills to their roles. For the GAs themselves, these positions can provide unique and valuable experiences that complement academic work and enhance their portfolios in job-seeking both in traditional academic roles and elsewhere.

With contributions from present and past GAs, we’ll share experiences and accomplishments, roles and responsibilities, and challenges we have faced. We’ll also give insight into how to advocate for these placements both internally and with academic partners, talk through financial and other logistical concerns, and give space for audience members to share their experiences with graduate students in their own spaces.

Impact and value of digital initiatives, makerspaces, and associated services: how do we measure the use and benefits of creative technologies in libraries?

Presenters: Stephanie Chen, Declan Synnott, and David Hackett, University College Cork

The purpose of this roundtable is to establish a framework for assessing the impact and value of digitally enhanced initiatives offered in a university library.

Digital initiatives in libraries often focus on the most recent technologies to keep facilities and resources as up to date as possible which require elevated levels of investment. These can include things like makerspaces, media labs with specialist software and hardware, loaning of digital equipment, virtual reality spaces, and studio resources.

As these initiatives become more and more established in libraries, the question of evaluating and quantifying the impact of these costly spaces and services is increasingly important.

Through facilitated peer discussion, attendees will build a means of assessing the success, impact, and value of new technology-rich spaces. This roundtable aims to provide a discussion around how an integrated service delivery model can be established by sharing existing assessment and evaluation methods. These may range from usage metrics to case studies to user feedback. As various levels of experiences and perspectives will be present, attendees will have a broadened approach to service delivery of digital initiatives and technology-rich spaces.

Navigating the Tenure / Permanent Appointment Pathway

Presenter: Emily Thompson, University of Tennessee – Chattanooga

You got the job! Now you have to keep it. This roundtable is a conversation between those who have achieved tenure or permanent appointment and those who are looking for tips and tricks on staying organized, getting published, and finding service opportunities.

2:45 – 3:45 PM

Concurrent Roundtables

Donning the Librarian’s Hat: Working in the Library When You Don’t Have a Library Background

Presenter: Michael Standard, University of Tennessee – Chattanooga

Multimedia creative spaces in libraries demand skills that overlap with many other careers and workspaces. This means that the people working in these spaces may not be librarians by training or degree. So, how can we learn to speak library, and how does that change how we communicate with our patrons and colleagues? This Roundtable is an opportunity to discuss the realities, challenges, and opportunities for ‘Non-Librarians’ as they step into library roles. We might know cameras, microphones, editing software, and lighting. But, the library-specific work, such as circulation, can often be a learning curve. This Roundtable will begin with open-ended questions to begin the discussion. Questions and discussion points will include skills which may or may not be relevant from previous careers, the experience of learning to talk and think like a librarian, and the kinds of challenges that are presented by adapting outside work to the library. The participants will continue the discussion, and after the discussion has continued, thoughts or questions from any audience members who are listening in will be encouraged and debated.

If You Build It They Will Come: Exploring Makerspace Development, Growth, and Sustainable Operations

Presenter: Alyssa Wharton, University of North Carolina Wilmington

Want to start a makerspace for your students? Is your fledgling makerspace floundering? Are you established and dealing with daily challenges? We’ll navigate makerspace development from start to sustenance through different cases, sharing challenges, and trading ideas. This is an opportunity to discuss cultivating a community, introducing new services, and dealing with growing pains. Our presenters will reflect on their experience with new and evolving makerspaces both academic and public, and open a discussion for audience insights and experiences.

Strength in Numbers: Building Shared Knowledge Practices through Open Dialogue

Presenters: Lisa Hooper, Tulane University, Ian Mellor-Crummey, Rice University, Troy Davis, William & Mary, Meaghan Moody, University of Rochester, and Winifred Metz, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

With traditional, paper-based music librarianship as a first true love, time and developing trends have found me leading my department in a pivot toward a modern conception of Media Services. One that means pitching, building, promoting, and supporting a creative technology lending collection and related programming. The learning curve is tremendous, and the niche quality of this field means I have had to reach out (passively and actively) to peers and role models in the field to learn from their experiences. In my role of moderator during this session, I will bring those connections, experiences, and questions to surface.

3:50 – 4:00 PM

Closing & Adjourn Day #2

Wrap up the day with your ACTAL friends and help us ready ourselves to launch into the future as an organization!