In the months preceding the 2016 election, our community had questions about many issues in the news. Recognizing that libraries can leverage our information skills and values to facilitate exploration and deeper understanding of topics like Black Lives Matter, actions at Standing Rock and executive orders, a clear challenge emerged: to provide patrons with not just facts and resources, but with opportunities for critical reflection on topics impacting their lives.

"Civic Lab" pop-ups are facilitated events and discussions on topics of interest and import to the community. Each includes core questions as well as curated resources for further learning, exploration and reflection. The "Civic Lab" highlights staff information literacy expertise while exploring issues relevant to our service population. Patrons engage in personal, approachable, informal learning around major topics through reputable, curated resources—allowing them to first understand, and then respond to, topics in the news.

Patrons are developing stronger news literacy and civic engagement skills, in particular in their recognition of the value of seeking out quality resources and reflecting on them critically. One participant volunteered that “You need to have good information to make up your own mind. If you have bad information, someone is making up your mind for you.” Participation in pop-ups and use of curated handouts demonstrates that participants are consuming and considering news more actively.