Hi, my cheerful reader,
It appears the spirits above inclined unto us to enjoy this transition stage of the caterpillar, and we are going to do just that. You know when a caterpillar eats enough to grow fully, it becomes a pupa. This pupa finds a protected spot to hang on to undergo a tremendous change. This is a crucial transitional stage in the life cycle of a butterfly.


After eating so much as a caterpillar to become a pupa, I found myself on the 13th floor of the Michigan Plaza, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Illinois. An inscription on the wall that first greets you when you step out of the elevator at the 13th floor reads “To Promote Library Service and Librarianship.” That is the headquarters of the American Library Association (ALA), the voice of America’s libraries. The director of international and chapter relations, Michael Dowling, welcomed and served us with the rich history and values of ALA. As an international member who joined ALA the day before this visit, I am very glad to be part of the oldest, largest, and most influential library association in the world. An association that is inclusive, effective, and responsive to the needs of its members is the best protected spot any pupa like me can hang on to transform. I learned more about the ALA Divisions and Round Tables and how I can create my own journey by participating in any. The benefit of connecting and collaborating with many librarians with diverse backgrounds across the globe is healthy for my professional development and career.


Chicago is known for its skyscraper architectural designs, but what got me stunned is a library with an oval glass capping a grand reading area of 180 seats and utilizing a 50-feet underground high-density storage system that retrieves materials within a 3-minute average time using robotic cranes. There was no way I was going to leave the University of Chicago campus without taking a photo at the Joe and Rika Mansueto Library which has the capacity of housing over 3 million volumes in the UChicago Library. Interestingly, books are sorted and shelved by size and not by call numbers, and according to the tour guide, the library design is comparatively considered the most functional and most cost-effective option with respect to book storage capacity. The Mansueto Library system provokes foresight thinking in the quest to develop and manage repositories whilst creating enough reading space for users.
The Chicago Public Library (Harold Washington Library Center) was another sight to behold. The numerous user-centered services and programs offered at the Harold Washington Library Center (HWLC) are marvelous and mind-blowing. Moving from where it used to be to where it is now tells how the library is transforming to meet the needs of its community. The impact the YOUmedia space is having on teens is evident and fantastic.





We were also lucky to meet Akito Tsuda at the Special Collections & Preservation Division of the HWLC where his Pilsen Days photographs were exhibited.
He expressed his gratitude to the people of Chicago for how they value his photographs.
Still in Chicago, at some point, I thought our theme had been revised to “Transforming LIBRARIANS: New Roles & Impact”, Liz Aviles is the reason. A Senior Vice President, Strategy & Cultural Insights for AMP (formerly Upshot Marketing), who was employed because of her library background to provide research support to the Chicago-based creative marketing agency and has over the years evolved to become a member of the strategy and executive leadership team of the agency. Liz highlighted how we can use our skills in library and information science to lead, as well as to work in other industries. It was an awesome hectic time in Chicago which was worth every penny.


Earlier in the week, prior to the Chicago trip, we spent a whole day at the innovation hub of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) is like a Silicon Valley to UIUC as far as teaching and learning is concerned. This was my first time seeing such a center with innovation spaces to support teaching and learning. I was exposed to the different educative approaches, and advanced instructional technologies used to promote innovative teaching and transformative learning experiences. I learned how to use the 3D printer; recorded a video interview at the media hub and participated in some other hands-on learning activities at the virtual reality lab.



I learned how journaling can enhance my communication skills, and how as a librarian I can use it as a tool to document novel insights and best practices I come across.

Cheelan Bo-Linn (Senior Specialist in Education, CITL) educated us on the Best Tips and Strategies for Workshops.
At the end of the session, I learned how to identify relevant learning outcomes to create workshops and training programs that engage participants.


The Libraries for Sustainable Development session with Clara (Director of the Mortenson Center) revealed so many new roles librarians can adopt to help our communities meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By the end of that session, I was able to draft a Sustainable Development Chart for my library. Clara urged us all librarians to unite in information and act together in ways that will help our communities meet the SDGs.


One of the factors that ensured that my “Mortenson Egg” didn’t rot in its shells is the grant of $4,000 to support my participation in the program, thanks to a generous donation from the Dean of Libraries and University Librarian for UIUC, Claire Stewart.


I was eager to meet Claire and express my heartfelt gratitude.
Thankfully, on Tuesday June 11, 2024, we had a brief and interactive session with the Juanita J. and Robert E. Simpson Dean of Libraries and University Librarian.
Claire shared with us how the UIUC Library is transforming and highlighted some challenges the library is facing in that transition process. A ‘soundbite’ from that session that keeps ringing in my head is “I will take the decision and explain to you why I took that decision”, one of Claire’s responses to a question on her leadership style. That sounded like a ‘D’ personality style with shades of ‘i’ and ‘S’ when assessed with DiSC.

The evening before our trip to Chicago was spent with the Champaign-Urbana Club of Altrusa International District Six, a group mostly made up of women who are determined to better their community through leadership, partnership, and service.

As librarians determined to transform our libraries to make an impact, there were a lot to learn from the Altrusans: how they are bridging the literacy divide gap in their communities, how they raise funds to facilitate local projects, and how they connect with other clubs for international projects. It was my first time getting to know about Altrusa International and I was already willing to join.



The pupa (transition stage) in the life cycle of the butterfly is crucial because this is when enzymes are released to develop its wings, new legs, new eyes, new mouth, etc. to complete the change process and emerge as a butterfly.
“Ye spirits above, may you let me live to see the successful end of the wheel of change I’ve set in motion…” – Efo Kodjo Mawugbe (In The Chest of A Woman)
My cheerful readers, let’s continue sharing in the prayers of Nana Yaa in Efo Kodjo Mawugbe’s play for the spirits above to let us live to see the successful butterfly that emerges out of this pupa.
Cheers!
Please read about my experiences and reflections for weeks 3 & 4 here.
