I can’t believe I have reached the final leg of my journey as a Mortenson Associate. Each day I feel as if I am getting closer to reality, but for now I am trying to enjoy the time I have left the best I can.

On Monday morning, we had sessions on information literacy (with Peggy!) and research data management. The term “information literacy” was coined in the 1970s, but it did not get recognition for some time. With the abundance or overload of information we can easily access nowadays, information literacy is becoming more important not only in libraries but also in everyday life. Information is power, and we as librarians should not only know how to differentiate evidence-based information with unreliable misinformation/disinformation, but we should also be able to teach this to others, especially to students and help them become creaters as well as consumers of information, and encourage proper information sharing. I strongly agree that multilingual information is important for equity, to provide an equal standing point to all students regardless of region. As for research data management, our library had thought of creating a unit to assist our faculty with data management plans (DMP), so I have studied the basics but this was a good opportunity for me to broaden my knowledge on the subject. I think data management will increasingly become more important as our focus is moving toward open access and sharing information, so we should be ready to assist researchers in organizing and sharing their research data. The Research Data Service unit of the University Library offers consultation, presentations, workshops (in person and online), templates, guides, activities, newsletters – a variety of ways to support researchers in data management, and they also provide a campus repository, Illinois Data Bank to deposit and publish data.

In the afternoon we headed to the Urbana Free Library to visit their Teen Open Lab. The library had extensive discussions with teenagers coming to their library and at schools to hear their opinions and what kind of space they wanted in a library. The teen librarians at Urbana Free wanted to create a teen-driven space where they could be themselves, try to find out who they are, not be afraid of making mistakes, and support each other. The lab is inside an auditorium, but since it is a shared space, they have to set everything up and tear it down everyday. There are no learning objectives, and it is a flexible, open space, so teens can come to play video games, use 3D printers, sewing machines, create artwork, try out instruments – be creative on their own. I could see that the teen librarians were very passionate and devoted to provide a fun and safe environment to the teenagers in the community. Afterward, we attended a special Thanksgiving dinner hosted by Altrusa, a foundation that provides various services to those in need in local communities. We were grateful for their generosity and hospitality. I had my first taste of an American Thanksgiving dinner, and it was wonderful.

Our two-day trip to Chicago was on Tuesday and Wednesday. It was raining by the time we dropped off our bags at the hotel we were staying, but although the weather was not on our side, the visit to Upshot Agency was interesting. It was a chance to learn about what you can do as a librarian beyond the walls of a library in the traditional sense. We also got a slight peek into the world of marketing – I was excited to work out that Upshot was in charge of the launch campaign for Bibigo! I also thought that the ways to “work smarter” mentioned at the end of the session is applicable to all fields: aligning and shifting your strategy with your organization, developing your brand and reframing your role, embracing evolution and anticipate the future to get your organization future-ready.

Our next visit of the day was to the ALA Headquarters. I always knew that ALA was a large organization, but still it was surprising to find out that ALA had quite a lot of international members, more than I thought – from 83 countries. Their five strategic initiatives included advocacy, information development, professional development, equity and sustainability. I could see that they were working very hard to promote the work of librarians, search for opportunites of funding, provide updates on the field of library and information science for training and guidance, and preparing a stage, online and offline, for librarians to interact, share, and create new ideas. They were increasing their focus on international projects as well, searching for better ways to actively engage with librarians across the globe. We also had the chance to meet with Marianna Tax Choldin, who was the founding director of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs. We could not be here if it wasn’t for her, so we were all grateful for her efforts to bring about a platform for international librarians to learn and share their experiences.

The next day we went to the University of Chicago for a tour of the Regenstein Library and the underground storage, Joe and Rika Mansueto Library. The Regenstein Library is the main and largest library in the UChicago campus. There are reading room spaces on all five floors, with tables and chairs, carrels, group study rooms and lockers for patrons to keep their bags. The library has approximately 4.5 million books in print, and 2 million of them are stored inside Mansueto. I particularly liked the services for patrons they provided at Regenstein, such as Paging & Pickup, and Scan & Deliver. I was also excited to take a tour of Mansueto and getting a chance to see how the automated robotic system works. They kept it quite cold inside the storage to protect the materials, with a temperature of 15.5°C and 30% humidity. The shelves were high and narrow to store as many books as possible in the space given. Most of the books are stored in containers (or bins, the staff used this term more often), but oversized books, non-books and archival items were placed on racks. Maintenance is required, but their system allows most of the work to be done in the office area. The building design was fascinating, not one that you would usually see for a high-density storage, and that is precisely what makes the facility unique, besides their system and technology. It is situated right next to the main library building, with the transparent windows forming a giant dome, attracting students, faculty, and visitors alike. Good in all ways, inside and out. There was a study space on top of the storage area, and I could see why it was a popular spot among students. We also had a chance to look around the Presentation and Conservation labs, and learn about their digitization policies and conservation practices. Afterward, we visited the YOUmedia studio, Children’s Library, and Makerspace at the Chicago Public Library. All of the librarians we met were very passionate about their work, trying to provide a more exciting and engaging experience to their patrons. I am always impressed when I meet teen librarians, because for me it seems like a challeging job, but they look like they truly enjoy working with the teens to create a place where they don’t have to pretend, they can be comfortable as they are, feel safe and comfortable – a space where it is fine to make mistakes because you can always take something from that as well. One more thing to note: the Winter Garden on the top floor of the library building was beautiful – a great venue for weddings and parties.

On Thursday we visited the Campus Instructional Facility (CIF) of UIUC, which opened two years ago. It was an opportunity to see different types of classrooms, more hybrid, engaging spaces for students to gather and learn. I could see why the classrooms were heavily used and popular among the faculty. The smart glass system was interesting – electronic glasses tinted according to the time of day and weather. The next session was about the Preservation and Conservation services of the UIUC University Libraries. I enjoyed learning about the policies and practices since conservation has long been an area of interest for me, although I think it will not be easy to step into the field as of now. In the afternoon we had some time to prepare our post program action plans – not necessarily a grand one, but an idea we could pitch and implement when we return to our institutions.

On Friday, we went on our last field trip of the Mortenson Program, a visit to Arthur, an Amish country in Illinois. We had a chance to take a tour of an Amish home, and hear about their lifestyles and beliefs. They were not living as secluded as I thought they would be – they were adapting modern technologies into their lifestyles in ways they can, and it was interesting to see the ways in which they were creatively making it work. I particulary liked and agreed to what our host said about technology, that how the people use it is more important than the technology itself. It was also nice to visit the Arthur Public Library and see how a library could adapt and work in a different environment from most. I found out that there were Amish novels, and got some names of famous authors in the genre, so I definitely want to check them out. I wish I could have a chance to visit the community again. Living without smartphones – it will be challenging, but I think it will be comforting as well, without the chaos of the outside world. It was a wonderful way to wrap up our 4-week adventure.

The Mortenson Center Associates Program was a great opportunity for me to step outside of my bubble – learn about the services provided in different types of libraries, see various facilities and technologies the libraries offer, getting a taste of other communities and cultures, collecting ideas about how to plan for the future, and best of all, meeting passionate, inspiring librarians, including my fellow associates! I couldn’t have completed the program without their help, and I feel lucky that I had a chance to meet them all. Special thanks to Clara, Peggy, Uyen, Amara, Barbara, and Amani for their efforts in preparing for the program, hosting us associates and taking good care of us – I will always be grateful. We still have sessions on Monday and during our final presentations scheduled for Tuesday, I will get to share a little more insight on what I have learned and what I want to do when I return, but I can’t help feeling a bit sad, as I know the end is near. However, the end is just a new beginning, right? And I want to believe, that although we all live in different areas around the globe, we will one day have a chance to meet again. Thank you to everyone who were with me and helped me along this journey.