Community college and even university libraries are joining a trend seen in public libraries with programs and events like makerspaces, comic and gaming conventions, NaNoWriMo, and various book clubs and programs. These programs and events provide students with low-stakes opportunities to read, write, create, interact, and critically engage outside of the classroom. Events like these also offer students the ability to explore their personal interests related to pop culture, and students are active participants and creators rather than passive audience members.
In the fall of 2014, Moraine Valley Community College in Illinois hosted a Graphic Novel Symposium that also featured gaming. The event was highly collaborative with faculty, and it was provided an extracurricular extension of classroom lessons and learning. "Although graphic novels are works of art and literature in their own right, they can also be used as a familiar entry point to introduce complex academic subjects." Creative thinking, reading, art, interdisciplinary relationships, critical thinking, and team-building were some of the other key goals of the event. Faculty members lectured, local comic store owners were on site, and students had opportunities to explore different board games over the course of the 2-day event. There was also a cosplay component where students could dress up and role play as anime, manga, gaming, or other characters. According the video below, the entire campus got involved with the symposium and even incorporated it into curricula. Moraine Valley is planning another symposium for this fall.
In the fall of 2014, Moraine Valley Community College in Illinois hosted a Graphic Novel Symposium that also featured gaming. The event was highly collaborative with faculty, and it was provided an extracurricular extension of classroom lessons and learning. "Although graphic novels are works of art and literature in their own right, they can also be used as a familiar entry point to introduce complex academic subjects." Creative thinking, reading, art, interdisciplinary relationships, critical thinking, and team-building were some of the other key goals of the event. Faculty members lectured, local comic store owners were on site, and students had opportunities to explore different board games over the course of the 2-day event. There was also a cosplay component where students could dress up and role play as anime, manga, gaming, or other characters. According the video below, the entire campus got involved with the symposium and even incorporated it into curricula. Moraine Valley is planning another symposium for this fall.
In current news, a community college student is trying to get graphic novels banned from the college because she finds them obscene. She is a 20-year-old student who brought her parents in on the complaint.
Hudson County Community College Library is one academic library that has created a makerspace, also sometimes known as a hackerspace, in the last few years. Makerspaces can involve technology like 3D printers, circuit boards, LEDS, or button makers, but they can also include low-tech projects like knitting, jewelry-making, or photo image transferring. Hudson's library runs their space which opened in the fall of 2014, and they offered 2-3 programs per month in the spring semester including some "DIY" open hours during which students were invited to "creative, innovate, and learn."
Several college libraries participate in NaNoWriMo, the National Novel Writing Month program where participants across the globe are challenged to write 50000 words in the month of November. Illinois's Oakton Community College's library participated in NaNo in 2012, 2013, and 2014. In 2014 they hosted several events related to the program, including: a kickoff event; several write-in sessions held at different times on at least 9 different days; and in 2012 they held a post-NaNo workshop in early December that covered topics like revising, editing, rewriting, and celebration. A pre-NaNo workshop in 2013 taught students how to register and use tech tools for the program. This workshop was advertised on Facebook, and the overall program was discussed on Oakton's "Booktalking" blog called "What's on my Nightstand?" Joliet Junior College, also in Illinois, also participated in NaNo. Here is an example of one JJC student who participated.
Book clubs, summer reading programs, and one book, one university events are popular programs at colleges and universities. A random Google search resulted in a plethora of examples. Illinois Central College's summer reading program for 2015 began on May 18 and runs through July 31. Participants are asked to read 4 books, magazines, e-materials, 24 hours, or 1400 pages during that time and turn in reading logs. They will have a chance to earn various prizes. A LibGuide was created with more information about the program. Holyoke Community College's book club continues through the summer with discussion meetings. Middlesex Community College Library sponsors an informal book club once per month each semester. Mesa Community College invites the public to attend their book clubs. One student said, "I've always liked to read, but I don't have a lot of friends who read. So this is a good opportunity for me to share thoughts with others who have read the same book. Everyone who was there WANTED to be there." Phillips Community College's book club participates in other activities such as charity fundraisers. Some colleges like Mohawk Valley Community College sponsor book clubs as student organizations rather than library-sponsored programs while others, like the Middlesex Community College, have book clubs co-sponsored by the library as well as other departments.
To read scholarly and professional discussions of these types of creative library programs, please check out the following articles or ask me for my annotated bibliography.
Farkas, M. (2013). In practice: Libraries as publishers. American Libraries 44(7/8), 25.
Gauder, H., Giglierano, J., & Schramm, C.H. (2007). Porch reads: Encouraging
recreational reading among college students. College & Undergraduate Libraries
14(2), 1-24.
Goldberg, M. (2012). Extracurricular reading: Creating and sustaining on campus book
clubs. Reference & User Services Quarterly 51(3), 231-234.
Harris, J. & Cooper, C. (2015). Make room for a makerspace. Computers in Libraries
35(2), 5-9.
Lotts, M. (2015). Implementing a culture of creativity: Pop up making spaces and
participating events in academic libraries. College & Research Libraries News
76(3), 72-75.
Watson, A.P. (2012). NaNoWriMo in the AcadLib: A case study of National Novel
Writing Month activities in an academic library. Public Services Quarterly 8(1),
136-145.
