Feb 22, 2018 Do Space – Digital Matters in Omaha, Nebraska
Greetings,
I just returned from the American Library Association Midwinter Conference held in Denver, Colorado. I was there to attend national committee meetings; however, in-between those gatherings, I did what everyone does at a large conference: pick up the convention guide and look for interesting professional development presentations.
The Marriott Library’s Creativity & Innovation Services department is embarking on a future project called the Digital Matters Lab. This new service point, to be located on level 2 of the Marriott Library, will incorporate other campus entities from Fine Arts & Architecture and Humanities. The Marriott Library’s emerging technology units like the Media Studios (Audio and Video Studios), GIS, Augmented/Virtual Reality, and 3D Printing services will be a major part of the Digital Matters Lab.
What are other institutions in this country doing with similar New Media/Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship endeavors?
This symposium caught my eye:
Do Space: Technology for Everyone (Symposium on the Future of Libraries)
Do Space is a new kind of technology library launched in Omaha, Nebraska and recently featured on NPR’s All Things Considered as well as the 2016 American Libraries Design Showcase. Operated by an independent nonprofit organization, Do Space aims to empower the community through access to technology and innovative learning experiences. Executive Director Rebecca Stavick will discuss the vision behind the project, lessons learned during its first year of operations, and how the community’s response to this experimental space can help us better understand the future of public libraries.
Do Space is located in Omaha, Nebraska. Housed in a vacated Border Bookstore big box store, it functions as a privately funded community technology library.
Their goal is to democratize technology and empower users to embrace and understand technology. This is facilitated by granting access to software, computing, and new tech. Do Space provides technology education to under served communities in the Omaha area like seniors, students, and minority populations.
Technology for everyone.
Two things struck me that Do Space was doing in the realm of emerging technologies:
- Computer coding. Many tech jobs require coding experience, but gaining the Computer Science degree is expensive and time consuming. Intensive boot camp coding helps coders gain relevant experience in a short amount of time.
- Cyber Seniors. What opportunities are there for Senior Citizens to gain access to New Media and cutting-edge technologies?
Robert Nelson | Assistant Head of Creativity & Innovation Services – Media Studios
robert.nelson@utah.edu
View the original article on the Creativity and Innovation Services Blog
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