A year ago, County Manager Mark Schwartz called for libraries to engage the public in envisioning our future.
Last summer, Arlington Public Library held “Future of Libraries” conversations with staff which included in-person and virtual meetings and a digital staff survey. In the fall, the library conducted a search for an outside consultant to lead the public-facing portion of the project. Accenture was awarded the project.
Engaging the Public
Accenture will develop future state scenario concepts with accompanying visuals of potential Arlington Public Library experiences, services and interactions.
Community members, library staff and County stakeholders will provide input into scenario development. These scenarios will be pushed out to active library patrons and Arlington residents via a digital survey and through a community engagement day aimed at attracting non-library users.
Participants will be asked to prioritize and consider tradeoffs among scenarios. The process will assist in establishing priorities for moving the library forward in a resource-constrained environment. A final report will be delivered with the results of the community engagement and recommendations for implementation will be provided.
Next Steps
Site visits by Accenture staff at libraries. Accenture staff will observe programs and patron engagement at various locations. They will not visit all locations due to time constraints and will see a representative sample of library locations.
Interviews with the Public. Accenture staff will conduct intercept interviews with a sampling of the public at sites across Arlington County. These are informal conversations meant to capture people where they work, play and live.
Co-Creation Workshop led by Accenture. Invited community members, a limited number of staff from the library and other County departments, and County stakeholders will gather at Central Library to dream big about libraries. Senior library leadership will observe but not participate.
A digital survey created by Accenture will be distributed in early May. Flyers with QR code will be displayed at all library locations and linked here in early May.
Community Voices Day on May 21 at Shirlington Libray facilitated by Accenture. This will be a chance to attract non-library users and for anyone interested to take part in evaluating and prioritizing scenarios. Flyers will be provided for all locations to promote the event once details are finalized.
If you have questions or want to share your thoughts, email: libraries@arlingtonva.us.
Arlington Public Library is launching a new art program—The Incubator—to provide opportunities and space for artists to showcase their work in a public setting. Each library location features opportunities for artists to display their artwork and to engage the public.
The Incubator will spotlight local artists and community arts so that a greater number of diverse perspectives can be seen and more voices can be heard.
According to Arlington Public Library Director Diane Kresh, "This all-ages catalyst will allow community members—ranging from teens to older adults—to participate in a creative community dialogue and to express themselves. It’s a perfect extension of our maker program and makerspace, The Shop and our signature community engagement program Arlington Reads."
Artists interested in showing their work in a temporary exhibition at the library should submit an application. The library accepts proposals on a rolling basis. There is no application fee or age restriction for submissions.
The library has a long-standing tradition of showcasing temporary and permanent art at its library locations. Partnering with Arlington Arts, Arlington Public Art’s Portable Works collection, community organizations and individuals, the library promotes art as a means to inspire, to connect and to facilitate thought-provoking and timely conversations.
How to Apply
Complete the online application, including:
- List of work, describing the title, medium, size and sale price or insurance value of each work. Please include “NFS” if work is Not For Sale.
- Short statement of the work. Consider discussing technique and materials used and/or themes addressed.
- Three to five images of your work. (Accepted formats: JPEG, PNG)
Submission Process
Artists are invited to submit a proposal with a common theme, style or medium.
- Artists will be notified within 3 months.
- Artists may resubmit new work after one year of exhibiting at the library.
- Exhibition applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
- There is no application fee or age restriction for submissions.
Media Contacts
Anneliesa Alprin
Communications Manager
aalprin@arlingtonva.us
703-228-6329 (o) / 703-843-8658 (c)
Henrik Sundqvist
Communications Officer
nsundqvist@arlingtonva.us
703-228-0590 (o) / 571-970-8608 (c)
Annual Reports
Awards
2021
Penguin Random House Library Award for Innovation
2017
Urban Libraries Council Top Innovator Award
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments - Climate and Energy Leadership Award
Virginia Association of Counties Achievement Award
2015
Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Business Award
2012
Sustainable Libraries Award
2011
Outstanding Public Program Award
Outstanding Achievement in Local Government Innovation Award
Arlington Reads brings authors and readers together to talk about the important topics of our time.
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