Just Talk: Between the World and Me book discussion by UCCS Kraemer Family Library under CC by 2.0
Beginning late last spring, the Interactivity Foundation has been working with a few public libraries in Wisconsin to develop a pilot program to initiate and support community-based discussions. Under this pilot program, we have now facilitated four separate discussion series in two different libraries. In mid October, we will also be facilitating discussions of a new topic at a third public library location.
- In early August, and working with the Monroe Public Library in Monroe, Wisconsin, we facilitated discussions by two separate groups of Food: What Might Be For Dinner.
- In mid-September, we facilitated a discussion of The future of K-12 Education at the Spring Green Community Library.
- Also in mid-September, we facilitated discussions by two more groups at the Monroe Public Library on The Future of Higher Education.
- And in mid-October, we are scheduled to facilitate two sessions of at the T.B. Scott Free Library in Merrill, Wisconsin on “Constructing the Future of Greater Merrill,” a topic developed jointly with the library and other area civic organizations.
Continuing this fall, we will be analyzing the feedback from these discussions to determine whether there are opportunities, going forward, to help train (and provide other support) for any library staff, volunteers, and/or others in the community who may be interested in facilitating future community-based discussions in these or other public libraries.
If you would like more information about this pilot program, please contact IF Fellow & Projects Administrator Pete Shively.