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What are you thinking?

Pam Sandlian Smith

Notes from Anythink's Director

And then we turned 10.

As we celebrate Anythink’s tenth anniversary, we have an opportunity to revisit the past and look to our future. I have been reminding everyone that we are only 10 years young in the development of a new style of library. We have accomplished more than we could have imagined, and yet we have so much to discover and learn as we move forward.

Inventing Anythink was a journey of deliberate intention as we assessed our strengths and candidly addressed our weaknesses. Our library had been the poorest-funded library system in Colorado until voters passed an increase in our mill levy in November 2006. We went from the poorest to the second-poorest funded library in 2007.

We were filled with a sense of optimism for our future. Our Board of Trustees supported a major shift in organizational philosophy in 2008, which informed our 2008–2010 Strategic Plan. Anythink became an experience library. From our 2008-2010 Strategic Plan:

We think that using libraries should be a great experience. When you walk in the door, it should be filled with great books, movies and music. It should also be easy to find the things that you are looking for, as well as surprising when you find new things you didn’t know existed. We do everything possible to help you feel smart in our libraries, not intimidated. We are merging the comforts of the traditional library with innovations for our future.

Our libraries belong to everyone.

They are beautiful, cultural environments, operated by caring, passionate people who welcome one and all. As uplifting public gathering spaces, our libraries contribute to a higher, more rewarding quality of life. They offer opportunities for transformational experiences of the mind and spirit, making them uniquely viable centers for the community as a whole, and cherished resources for individuals who live and work here.

This decision to become an experience library established a path that focused on people as our key mission. Our library connects people with ideas and information, supporting learning from introductory levels to mastery. As we evolved, we created unique spaces, collections and programs to fulfill the library’s mission of opening doors for curious minds.

Fast forward to 2019. As we turn 10, we look forward to evolving and expanding our library services to ensure success for our growing Adams County community. We understand how important the library is to the lives of our residents. During our strategic planning research, people told us how Anythink has impacted their lives. Our community loves and respects the library — and they asked us to do more. They asked for more programs, more support for our children and additional programs for seniors. They asked for more books, more hours and more space.

Our library district responded in 2018 by conducting another series of town hall meetings to better capture the imagination of our community. The results indicate that the idea of a library expands to encompass fluid, flexible gathering spaces. People envision a place to connect with nature through gardens, outdoor amphitheaters, harvest tables and rooftop gardens. People asked for additional learning opportunities for children and adults alike.

Supporting our youth is a universal priority. Making sure that children have access to libraries, early literacy programs, and bountiful rooms filled with wonderful literature sets children up for lives filled with wonder, imagination and a love of reading.

Anythink continues to explore the role of the library in three key areas: community, culture and career.

Community: In his book Palaces for the People, Eric Klinenberg talks about social infrastructure and how this ingredient is essential to community well-being and happiness. He discovers that public libraries are cornerstones in their community for creating safe spaces to gather and connect with other people from all walks of life.  Anythink creates opportunities to have discussions and better arguments. This year we had nearly 200 people join Priya Parker, author of The Art of Gathering, at Anythink Wright Farms. Ms. Parker created a gathering where strangers felt safe to be authentic and vulnerable. Attendees expressed a desire to have even more opportunities to connect with each other. The library also worked with the Aspen Institute Citizenship and American Identity Program to host “Better Arguments: Tech Boom Tensions.” Over 100 people convened to discuss issues of growth and equity.

Culture: We believe that everyone is creative, and we support the creativity of our staff and our community. Creativity is all about problem-solving, and experiencing art, music, theater and dance. Creativity is the quest to become quintessentially human, to express a pursuit of dreams. Through experiential programs and partnerships, Anythink is a place to play, to experiment and to create. Our library is working with the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, the Children’s Museum of Denver, as well as other cultural institutions to bring art, nature and science programming to Adams County.

Career: Imagine a traditional library filled with books. Now transfer the concept of the book to people- and organization-led expertise. Expanding the concept of libraries from places that check out books to places that provide workforce development and support entrepreneurs is key to our expansion of supporting our community. Anythink plans to expand programs, classes, and spaces to create more opportunities for people to discover their potential.

Some people think that libraries are irrelevant. At Anythink, we have moved from the traditional library to a place that is elevating the quality of life in Adams County. We are working in partnership with our municipalities, our economic development agencies, our local experts and artists, and our cultural partners in the Denver metro area to provide a platform for learning, experiencing and gathering.

If you take a moment to remember where you were at the age of 10, you might be filled with optimism, wonder and awe of discovery. There is so much more to learn, so much opportunity ahead. That is the path that we envision for Anythink. As we look to our future, we are collaborating with our community to expand our spaces, to deliver the most inspiring and efficient libraries, and to support the hopes and dreams of every person in our community.  Because at Anythink, now more than ever, we believe that anything is possible.

– Pam Sandlian Smith, Anythink Director ■

Send your questions or feedback to ithink@anythinklibraries.org or comment below.  

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