Thanks to Tracey Sorenson, Menomonie Public Library, for these three takeaways from the Public Library Association Conference.
- There are a lot of very competent people working hard to ensure both democracy and justice for all of us, and especially for the marginalized. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and keynote speakers Bryan Stevenson, Ruha Benjamin and Sean Sherman were so inspiring. They came at the state of our world from many different angles, which I appreciated, but the underlying message was empowerment and hope. We still have the power and what can we do with it?
- Personality tests might not be as helpful for work environments as something that focuses more on work traits like the 6 Types of Working Genius. With a tool such as this, the focus is more on traits that impact work, job satisfaction and team success. This could create an environment where workplaces can better leverage employee talents and abilities and people are less likely to take offense to critique since it is not about their personality.
- A Sensory Museum…mindblowing!!! This is one of the things I learned about at the conference that I would really like to implement: a pop-up museum with sensory experiences and activities, designed specifically for teens and adults. Kids get so many opportunities to play and use all their senses, and adding this for adults and teens is so clever! It can also be very inexpensive, which is another win. The teacher in me wonders about doing a museum for different populations; one for people with dementia and neurodivergent needs and one for adults and teens that is more play focused.