Contact Name: Mimosa Shah mshah@skokielibrary.info
Type of Initiative: Civic Engagement 

Description:

There is no time like the present to provide clarity and direction to those seeking to make their voices heard. For the edition of the Civic Lab – which occurred on Inauguration Day – we created a pop-up display in our lobby inviting community members to learn about how they could contact their elected representatives. We provided a handout with details on how they could reach out to local, state, and federal representatives. We also had a display that included a thought bubble with the following question: “Which issue(s) would you like your elected representative to know about most?” Patrons could pick up a post-it note and a sharpie to write their most pressing concerns, and over the course of four hours, we had a snapshot of what concerns were more pressing for our community. The post-it activity and handouts generated thought-provoking conversations and dialogue with patrons. One mother and her teenage daughter talked about the ways they were advocating for clean water on their block, and how much more urgent their cause now. An elderly man expressed his frustration with being able to talk to his representative directly, and wanted to know tips on how to make his opinions known to the right people. Altogether, the activity was well-received and something we intend to educate and inform patrons on throughout the year.