Taking stock – some final thoughts on the 2023 Mortenson Associates Program

In my reflection on the first 10 days of the 2023 Associates Program I mentioned that if there was no more to come the program would have already been worth it the trip from Germany to the USA. Now that has been drawing towards the end I can confirm: There was a lot more that came. There were so many opportunities to come to know people, places and library practices in a comparatively short period of time. I always just find it interesting how things are organized and function elsewhere – already this provides opportunities to learn and reflect one’s own practice. E.g. there are no library districts for public libraries or faculty status for librarians in university libraries in my country.

And there are no signs as these …

For me as a “back office person” in a national library with job responsibilities predominantly without direct contact to users the focus of the program on user services, user experience and creation and management of space of all sorts was a good exposure. All we do in the back office is eventually (and hopefully) serving users. I also liked the mixture of academic and public libraries we visited because it showed how diverse services and spaces are depending on the community. Sometimes it would have been nice to have more time for reflection and exchange among the participants of the program – both with respect to presentations and tours as well as our experiences from home.

So I am going back maybe less with plans for concrete projects to implement in my library (except for the action plan) but a determination to stay open-minded, to welcome pragmatism and to always ask the question: For whose benefit? The German National Library is currently working on a vision or 2035 – although still work in progress, but one overarching theme will be to take the perspective of the users into account with everything done at the library. The focus of the 2023 Mortenson Associates Program matches very well with that.

What I am certainly taking home is an assortment of pens which will serve as a memory of Champaign-Urbana and a token for the overall generosity and friendliness whether in a professional or a private context we encountered.

Thank you, Clara and Peggy, for designing and conducting a great program, Uyen and Amara, for your practical support and Barbara and Amani for your company! Esra, Library Buddy, thank you for the great trip to Meadowbrook Park. And dear 2023 Associates Colleagues – it has been a pleasure to meet and work with you!

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