Check out this great lesson plan on Allen Ginsberg: poetry & politics, sponsored by American Master’s (PBS). There’s a lot that could be tweaked in these lessons to combine library research, internet research/evaluation, technology skills, and critical thinking skills. In my Lib300 class, students are each assigned an American roots musician to research. They then create annotated bibliographies and advanced PowerPoint presentations. Part of their research is to identify why this particular artist was important socially and culturally to the history of the United States. I like the American Master’s idea to use the Beat Poets! -LF

It’s no secret that libraries are struggling with issues such as shrinking budgets, dwindling literacy skills, and increasing demands from patrons. Unfortunately, being aware of pertinent issues affecting the library is only half the battle; creative employees are needed to generate ideas that will provide solutions to the challenges libraries face.

Creativity—the ability to make connections from disparate sources into a new whole—is not exclusive to artistic types. Librarians are in a natural position to develop new ideas that could ultimately impact their entire organizations. Yet, many librarians appear uncomfortable with allowing their creative potential to completely surface. How can librarians get in touch with their creative potential to help transform their library?

Our hope is that this blog will serve as an energetic forum for the promotion of creativity in libraries, emerging technologies, and imaginative library instruction. Please join in on the conversation, collaborate, and share your starry dynamo ideas!