The Future of Libraries

Ronni Abergel, Ann Dixon, Sarah Ham, Anne-Rachel Schiffmann and Janet Smyth

2:30pm

Wednesday, October 27

Throughout history, the role of the public library has adapted to the times and the community it lives in. Perhaps the most dramatic shift has occurred within the last 20 years. In Canada, the local library is often the first place new Canadians visit, as a place to learn about the community, join language classes, and to receive crucial access to the internet and other technologies that assist with job searches and networking with others. The support and access models of libraries, such as the Oodi Central Library in Helsinki, Finland, are increasingly going beyond book lending, to provide additional resources such as sewing machines, music studios and tools. Are libraries taking over where community centres left off? Are books being pushed off the shelves? Pull up a chair to this lively conversation between experts from some of the most progressive libraries in the Nordic region and Toronto, about the renewed goals of libraries and their impact on education, innovation and community development.

Participants include:

Ronni Abergel, Founder, The Human Library Organization
Ann Dixon, Author, Friends of Homer Library bookmobile
Sarah Ham, Library and Archives Canada’s Youth Advisory Council
Anne-Rachel Schiffmann, Director at Snøhetta

This event will be moderated by Janet Smyth.

English captioning is available for this video. Please click the ‘CC’ button in the video toolbar to turn it on.

This Nordic Talk is presented in partnership with Harbourfront Centre as a preview to Nordic Bridges.

Panel Discussion

Throughout history, the role of the public library has adapted to the times and the community it lives in. Perhaps the most dramatic shift has occurred within the last 20 years. In Canada, the local library is often the first place new Canadians visit, as a place to learn about the community, join language classes, and to receive crucial access to the internet and other technologies that assist with job searches and networking with others. The support and access models of libraries, such as the Oodi Central Library in Helsinki, Finland, are increasingly going beyond book lending, to provide additional resources such as sewing machines, music studios and tools. Are libraries taking over where community centres left off? Are books being pushed off the shelves? Pull up a chair to this lively conversation between experts from some of the most progressive libraries in the Nordic region and Toronto, about the renewed goals of libraries and their impact on education, innovation and community development.

Participants include:

Ronni Abergel, Founder, The Human Library Organization
Ann Dixon, Author, Friends of Homer Library bookmobile
Sarah Ham, Library and Archives Canada’s Youth Advisory Council
Anne-Rachel Schiffmann, Director at Snøhetta

This event will be moderated by Janet Smyth.

English captioning is available for this video. Please click the ‘CC’ button in the video toolbar to turn it on.

This Nordic Talk is presented in partnership with Harbourfront Centre as a preview to Nordic Bridges.

Harbourfront centre logo Nordic Bridges Logo

Panel Discussion

Featured Authors

Ronni Abergel is a journalist and social change activist. He is the creator of the Human Library and founder of the Human Library Organization (HLO). Widower and father of two, he was born in Copenhagen with stints to the Sinai and US. He is leading the work of the HLO to embed the Human Library in communities around the world.

Read more about Ronni Abergel

Ann Dixon serves on the board of Friends of the Homer Library and helps to operate BOB (Books On Board) the Bookmobile, after many years as a librarian in Alaska. As one of a team of volunteer drivers and bookmobile librarians, she is fulfilling a longstanding dream of bringing books directly to children in underserved places. Ann is also the author of nine books for youth and a recipient of the CLIA award for Contributions to Literacy in Alaska. She reads, writes, and gardens in Homer, Alaska. Visit her online at kidlitnorth.blogspot.com and anndixon.net.

Read more about Ann Dixon

Sarah Ham is a student and writer whose natural habitat is the library. They are currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree with an English and History double major and a Greek and Roman Studies minor at Carleton University. As a member of Library and Archives Canada’s Youth Advisory Council, and a long-time volunteer at the Ottawa Public Library’s Ruth E. Dickinson branch, Sarah is invested in the caretaking and creation of stories. Although they have published a few short stories and poems, their hope is to eventually complete and publish one of their many longer works in progress.

Read more about Sarah Ham

Anne-Rachel Schiffmann

Anne-Rachel Schiffmann brings 25 years of design experience to her position as Director at Snøhetta. Her expertise anchors a range of award-winning projects, including the Calgary Central Library, the Ryerson University Student Learning Center and the SFMOMA Expansion. She is currently leading design efforts for the Summit One Vanderbilt Observation Deck in New York City, the Burnside Tokyo restaurant and art space, a cottage on Lake Muskoka and Snøhetta’s ongoing work re-envisioning Ford Motor Company’s R&E campus in Michigan. Anne-Rachel is a registered architect in New York and a member of the American Alliance of Museums.  

Read more about Anne-Rachel Schiffmann

Janet Smyth is an arts programme consultant specialising in strategic planning of events, programmes and projects for children, young people, educators and care-givers within festivals and creative spaces. She has worked with the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the National Galleries of Scotland, Seven Stories in Newcastle and is currently Children’s and Families Programmer for International Literature Festival Dublin, Programme Consultant for the Bath Children's Literature Festival and Reading is Magic virtual festival, Children and Families Programme Curator for the Boswell Book Festival in Scotland and Programme Consultant for the TIFA Kids 2021 Festival.

Read more about Janet Smyth