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MLIS Students Collaborate in Creation of New Library Model

04/13/2011

The iSchool is pleased to announce that students in the LIS 2830: MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR LIBRARIANS course had the opportunity to collaborate with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh on a real-world project. The result? The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) will unveil a new service model on April 15, 2011, as it brings library services to the Pittsburgh Public Market on Smallman Street in the city’s Strip District.  This new service location will provide complete library services to the public right from one of Pittsburgh’s most bustling shopping and business areas.

The initiative is the first realization of the Carnegie’s LYNCS (Libraries in Your Neighborhood, Community, and Schools) project.  It is referred to as a “Library without Walls,” and will provide complete library services out of a 200-square-foot area in the Pittsburgh Public Market.  As part of their coursework, graduate students in the Library and Information Science program partnered with administrators from CLP on elements ranging from the initial surveys to promotional materials to designing the facility.

In the Strip District facility, the services available will include computer and Internet access, books, and DVDs, as well as other information resources.  The satellite at the Pittsburgh Public Market will be staffed by professional librarians and will be open during the market’s normal business hours (Fridays from 10am-6pm; Saturdays from 9am-5pm; and Sundays from 10am-4pm).

“The project provided our students with a wonderful opportunity to work on something that will become a reality…a project that addresses planning, design, sourcing products, and crafting marketing materials,” explains Dr. Susan Alman, instructor for LIS 2830. “In addition, they worked with professionals from CLP on many aspects, which was an invaluable experience for the students. They will spend their professional lives as librarians working as part of a team. This gave them a taste of that collaborative environment.”