In this month’s Tech Talk, Michael speaks with Brian Pichman and Dave Hesse of the Digital Innovation Department at the Mokena (IL) Community Public Library District about the Evolve Project, their innovative redesign of the Children's Library which brings interactive and collaborative spaces into the children's areas of the library. NCompass Live - April 25, 2012.

1. TECH TALK WITH
MICHAEL SAUERS:
THE EVOLVE PROJECT
Evolveproject.org Presented by: Brian Pichman & Dave Hesse

2. Future of Libraries
 Dangers Facing Libraries
 Books
 People are able to get “e-books” from local resources
and subscription based services starting at $10.
 Free e-book content out there as well.
 Internet
Ican access this from home, get a $30 subscription to
the internet.
 Reference Help
Ican access this from home using free blogs and
other tools.
So why would I want go to the library?

4. Create a Public VALUE
 Not be a “process” but an experience
 Move from physical to digital
 Create new ways to learn and explore
 Libraries should be creating stories

5. Evolveproject.org EVOLVE
Into Your Future

6. Evolve Project’s Themes
 Innovation
 Interactivity
 Collaboration
 Discovery
 Adventure
 Engaging
 Exploration
 Educational

8. Themes: Innovation
 Innovation [in the public sector] must be an
original disruptive act
 Innovation is the embodiment, combination,
and/or synthesis of knowledge in novel,
relevant, valued new products, processes, or
services
 Innovation generally refers to the creation of
better or more effective products, processes,
technologies, or ideas
 Innovation signifies a substantial positive change
compared to incremental changes.

9. Themes: Interactivity /
Collaboration
 Interactivity and collaboration leads to
discovery of new ideas and processes.
 Both create engaging environments, which is
necessary and paramount for a child’s
development and educational needs.
 These will then lead to adventures and
discoveries, that will be a longer lasting
memory than just “getting” the information

10. Evolve: A Library Playground
 Fab Lab / “Hackerspace”
A location where people with common interests,
usually in computers, technology, science, or
digital or electronic art can meet, socialize and/or
collaborate.
 Can be viewed as open community labs
incorporating elements of workshops and/or
studios where people can come together to share
resources and knowledge to build and make
things and ideas.
 Combining the positive & fun aspects of schools,
museums, and playgrounds, into one “entity”.

11. Evolve Project Intro Video
http://youtu.be/gFaXvkrd-

12. Current “New Technology”
*Smart Tables
*Multimedia Room
*Laser Tag

13. Smart Tables
 Two Smart Tables
 Interactive Touch
Table Top
 Easy to load and
install games
 Up to 8 children can
play, 100 finger
touches

14. Multimedia Room
 Room Set Up Features:
 Clickers
 Allows for jeopardy style gaming
 Smart Board (interactive white board)
 Full DVD/BluRay/Sound System
 Easy to use and start (Touch Panel System)
 We use this rooms for :
 Jeopardy
 Movie Nights
 Presentations / Interactive Style Board Game
Night

16. Laser Tag (Yes inside the
library)
 Ubisoft Laser Tag
System
 Up to 8 children can
play
 Multiple different
game scenarios

17. What makes up the new “Childrens Area”
Read up on the project’s progress at www.evolveproject.org

18. Outcomes of Demo Design
 Sifteo Cubes
 Children loved them
 All understood
 No need to show
them, most got it right
away
 Eager to check out
 Sphero Balls
 Beyond amazed
 Wanted to know when
they could check them
out and be first on the
list.

19. Creation Station
 Area includes (oh, this can all be checked out
too)
 Lego Education
 Interactive Motorized Lego’s
 Sifteo Cubes
 Interactive cubes that sense when other cubes are
nearby
 ScienceKits
 Sphero Balls

20. Creation Station - Why
 Creation:
 Allows children to learn in new exciting ways
 This type of environment will encourage more
families to come into the library with their children
 Design Concept
 Five Touch Screen Computers so children can
learn, build, share , and interact with the creation
sets

21. Gaming Stations
 Have Kiosks setup with:
 Xbox 360 Kinect and Wii
 No Time Limits
 This
will encourage kids to learn to share and
maintain the open environment
 Gaming Stools next to the Kiosk so children
can make it their own friendly environment
 “Sound Proof” Felt Barriers

22. Gaming Stations - Why
 Involvement and communication
 Attract new target audiences
 Economy makes it hard for kids to experience
gamification
 Gamificationis the use of game design
techniques and mechanics to solve problems and
engage audiences
 Video Games are actually “stories” with a plot
and theme.
 Encourages kids to come to the library
 familiarity.

23. The Menageri-E
 A “Digital Petting Zoo” or “E-Bar”
 Containing:
 Tablets (Andriod and Windows)
 Ipads
 E-Readers (Kindle, Nook, Sony…)
 Have Fact Sheets about each technology

24. The Menageri-E – Why?
 Low Pressure, No Sale Environment
 Allows people to learn and interact with
technology without having a sales person
 Leads to discovery of new technology and
ability to make comparisons
 A great way to offer training and learning of
existing devices so patrons can decide what
best technology suits their needs
 A great community addition

25. The Open Play Coliseum
 Imagination Board
 Allow children to submit reviews of books using a
giant white board / green screen as the backdrop.
 Kids can draw on white board / tell a story
 Play A Movie…All Day.
 Include related books -> with a “map” to find them
 All day activities that are related to the playing
movie / related books…a story hour all day
 Display a child driven art gallery – children can opt
to make them “circulating”

27. The Open Play Coliseum –
Why?
 Encourages creativity
 The review board allows children to tell other children
(in their own words) what they think of a book
 Crafts are fun, engaging, and helps children learn
 White board allows for fun and interaction
 Building a review with video is helpful to a child’s
development (telling a story)
 The “story all day” motto allows people regardless of
work schedule to come in with their children to
participate in craft building and fun
 The art gallery idea would allow children to express
themselves and take pride in their work as family and
friends “check out” their material

28. Computer Lab
 Remodel the desks of the computer lab
To Flip-It Desks. Allows for more space and can be
used as a desktop or a worktop.
 We have a laptop training lab in the works, we
can use those as usable mobile stations for
the children to use.
 Kidsare more capable to
using a laptop correctly
since most families don’t
own desktops

29. Music Station
 Music Pods – Relax
and play music off
computer
 Tablet Devices to
play and stream
music from our self-
hosted music
system
 Ampjuke

30. Music Station - Why
 Interactive and Fun
 Schools are cutting music programs
 Promoting the Arts – recorded music can be
saved and shared
 Music is an exploration, and listening to new
music genres/styles expands their knowledge
 Reflects the interest of the community

31. Children’s Collection
 Rotating Collection
 Provides an “always new” environment
 Child Friendly Shelves
 Bin style shelving, so children can “flip” through books
 Props to show collection (not books)
 Interactive Book Ends
 Allow children to find, discover, and hear reviews of
books, all via a touch screen computer mounted at the
end of a the shelf
 Merging Easy Readers with Junior Books
 Most children have to go back and forth between the
sections finding the books they like. Not many other
libraries separate like this. We can still maintain the J and
E labeling though.

32. Workflow Environment
 Self Check Out Units
 Children are highly receptive to the ability to do things
on their own and utilize technology
 Mobile Check Out / Catalog Units
 Allow people to use an iPad to either search or check
out material
 Standing “Help Desk”
 Either a single Circulation Clerk or one Page that can
man it while circulating the floor.
 Offer suggestions, help, and guidance
 Head of department will be on floor in an
accessible area so children can interact
comfortably

33. Contact Us
Brian Pichman Dave Hesse
 @bpichman  @dhesse75
 815.534.0403  815.534.0402
 bpichman@mokena.lib.i  dhesse@mokena.lib.il.us
l.us