Experience

Here at Lib-Laboratory, we want you to be able to explore and learn in the way you feel most comfortable.

If you need a study room on your own, all but 3 are first-come-first-serve.

If you thrive off of input, come into one of our group work rooms and if there’s space, sit down and work there.

If you don’t need either, you can use one of our many reading chairs and/or study tables in the library.

If you need a class, we have those.

If you need some one-on-one work time with a librarian, you can “reserve a librarian.”

If you need to have a meeting, you can reserve on of our group meeting rooms ahead of time or come into one, first-come-first-serve.

Coming to learn or practice dance on your own? You can book a group room for 10 minutes to an hour at a time. Our rooms have windows, but we have pull-down screens in case you aren’t ready to showcase your skills to a crowd. Just be aware we have security cameras that we keep an eye on, but we won’t judge your abilities. We watch them for your safety.

Every week, we have a showcase night that changes nights each week for those who want to showcase or watch others demonstrate whatever they’ve learned.

Want to participate? Ask a librarian how!

Learn

If you want to learn something, we’ll figure out how to teach you and/or give you the space and resources you need to learn.

Have a skill or expertise you want to share? Call, email, or come in and let us know!

Check out our calendar for specific dates and times!

Have something you want to learn, but you aren’t sure where to learn it? Come in!

You can come in on your own and use our donated resources, bring your own resources, or come to one of our classes.

Not sure where you start? Ask a librarian, and they will be able to help you find the resources you need to get started.

Our classes are designed with you in mind. If you register, talk to our librarians and instructors about any specific learning needs you have, and they can work with you. They are constantly changing their lessons to better fit your needs, so if you need help, they will try to get you what you need.

Our classes always have:

• Some sort of handout or online resource you can refer back to
• Learning/Instruction time
  • Some classes are more lecture-based, and some are more hands-on. It just depends on the topic.
• Time for questions and answers
• Time to work or try it out on your own with support
• No shame. You’re here to learn, and if you don’t know something, say it. We don’t allow you to be looked down on for a lack of knowledge. We’re here to help you learn it.

Ways to learn:

• On your own
  • In an individual room
  • In the computer lab
  • At one of our many tables
• In a class
• In a group room
  • As long as they’re space, certain group rooms are open for everyone working on anything
• In an interest meeting
  • Various interest meetings happen that are open to the public. Check out our calendar for their meeting times.

 

Staff

Our staff want to help you learn, explore, and grow. They don’t know everything, but they are equipped with the knowledge to help you find what you’re looking for.

Need a book? Need information for a class? Need to learn how to create a resume? Need to learn how to read music? Need to learn how to quilt?

Our staff can help you answer those questions. They connect you to the physical and digital resources you need to succeed.

No inquiry is too small or not important enough. You and what you need are our focus.

You can “reserve a librarian” once a week for half an hour, or you can stop by any day, and as long as someone is available, they will be able to help you.

Trust us, you aren’t bothering them.

Are they working with someone else? Check in at our help station at the reference desk, grab a recyclable ticket, and continue working if you can until someone becomes available to help you.

Our Adult Services librarians rotate shifts. There is one librarian out at the Reference Desk who is ready to answer your questions. The other is in the back preparing programs.

Our Children’s Services librarians rotate shifts as well. There is one librarian out at their desk in the Storytime Theatre area who is ready to answer your questions. The other is in the back preparing wonderful programs and storytimes.

Our Adult and Youth Services Assistants rotate between the back and the floor, but you can mostly find them checking in on our meeting rooms or roving the stacks to make sure no one’s stuck on a project.

Our Computer Assistants are always stationed in the computer lab. They can help you with most computer inquiries, but check in with our programs or librarians to learn specific skills like:

• Learning how to use a computer
• Learning how to use email
• Scanning documents
• Creating a resume
• Writing a cover letter
• Using Microsoft products
• Using Adobe Photoshop
• Creating business materials
• And more!

Our branch staff includes:

• One FT Manager
• Four FT Librarians
• One FT Circulation Supervisor
• One FT Computer Supervisor
• Two FT Circulation Assistants
• Two PT Circulation Assistants
• Two FT Computer Librarians
  • These librarians are computer experts, who set up and design programs specific to computer skills.
• Two PT Computer Assistants
• Two PT Adult Services Assistants
• Two PT Youth Services Assistants
• Three PT Pages

All of our support services are hosted through the main Library Services Center, which is downtown.

Floor Plans

We have designed our space with learning in mind. Some learners work better in groups; some work better alone. Our spaces are designed to meet the needs of all learners.

(This is not exact, but it’s my concept idea. The large meeting rooms are able to be transformed into dance spaces and more. It would also be a lot bigger. -Stefany)