New ALA Editions Workshop will show you how to open your library to entrepreneurs and independent workers

For Immediate Release
Mon, 10/24/2011 - 11:50

Contact: Dan Freeman
Publishing (pub)

CHICAGO - ALA Editions announces an exciting new workshop, Making Space for Entrepreneurs and Independent Workers with Meg Knodl.

A creative, influential and energetic demographic is eager to use your library. According to U.S. Census data, startups created 28.7 million jobs from 1997 to 2005, while corporations showed a net loss of 11.4 million jobs.  Most of these new jobs belong to entrepreneurs, freelancers, contractors and the self-employed who comprise the ever-growing so-called Free Agent Nation.  Public Librarian Meg Gerritsen Knodl, who moonlights as a coworking center librarian, will share her first-hand insights on how to adapt the concepts of the coworking movement for your library.  Four pillars of coworking—community, collaboration, openness and sustainability—are all ingredients that libraries can offer. This ALA Editions workshop will show you how to open your doors to these patrons.

Topics include:

• What is coworking and why should libraries care?
• Configurations for formal and informal coworking spaces
• Programming models, such as Summer of Smart and TechCocktail
• Ideas from nonwork gathering spaces , such as the Maker movement and  826 Valencia
• What libraries can offer entrepreneurs, freelancers and the creative class

Registration for this ALA Editions Workshop is available on the ALA Store at both individual and group rates. The workshop will be a single 90-minute session that will take place at 2:30 p.m. EST/11:30 p.m. CST/12:30  MST/11:30 a.m. PST on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011.

Meg Gerritsen Knodl is a senior librarian for Communications and Community Engagement at Hennepin County Library, Minn., where she coordinates blogs, public training and social media efforts for the entire 41-library system. She is also coworking Librarian for CoCo in Minneapolis and St. Paul. In addition to being a 2011 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, Kane Consulting named her to its 2010 Twin Cities' Top 25 Most Influential Social Media Professionals on Twitter.

ALA Editions Workshops are designed to give you and your staff the opportunity to participate in a hands‐on learning experience that will help you make the best technology decisions for your library.

ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness, and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide.