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Tactical urbanism for librarians : quick, low-cost ways to make big changes

2017

Format:	Book
Author:	Munro, Karen, 1973- author.
Title:	Tactical urbanism for librarians : quick, low-cost ways to make big changes / Karen Munro.
Publisher, Date:	Chicago : ALA Editions, an imprint of the American Library Association, 2017.
Description:	ix, 164 pages ; 23 cm
Summary:	The term "tactical urbanism" is a new phrase for a type of action that has existed for centuries: actions designed to improve a city or neighborhood with minimal oversight, budget, or delay. It's usually local, immediate, and accomplished without a lot of training or resources. Munro shows that, although libraries have reputations as traditional and bureaucratic, they are also communal systems which can utilize the grassroots, humanist values of tactical urbanism.
Subjects:	Library planning. Libraries and community. Libraries and metropolitan areas. Libraries -- Sociological aspects. Libraries -- Case studies. Organizational change. City planning -- Citizen participation. Urban renewal -- United States -- Citizen participation -- Case studies.
Other Title:	Quick, low-cost ways to make big changes
Notes:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 147-156) and index. Text in English.
Contents:	An introduction to tactical urbanism -- Tactical urbanism case studies. Sidebar : some useful urbanism concepts -- A realistic tactical approach. Sidebar : how about tactical business practices? -- Library case studies -- Library meets city -- Coming back to earth -- A library leader's guide to building a tactical library -- Twelve steps to becoming a tactical library interventionist. Sidebar : tactical follow-ups and where to find more -- Summing up.
LCCN:	2017007493
ISBN:	9780838915585 0838915582 * 9780838915844 * 9780838915851 * 9780838915868
Other Number:	985446891
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Library Journal Review

Munro (head, Univ. of Oregon Portland Lib. and Learning Commons) aims to motivate readers to enhance their libraries by connecting with the surrounding communities. The author explains that tactical urbanism is "any action designed to improve a city or neighborhood with minimal oversight, budget, and delay," and builds excitement by including case studies, from a library that did away with the Dewey decimal classification in favor of a new method to systems that transformed abandoned big-box stores such as Walmart into library buildings. Munro lists takeaways and describes what success looks like. When discussing larger-scale examples, she predicts that readers may have some hesitation or fear and accordingly simplifies the process into 12 steps. Though works such as Mike Lydon and Anthony Garcia's Tactical Urbanism: Short-Term Action for Long-Term Change thoroughly covers the topic, this book is unique in its attention toward librarians' role in the movement. VERDICT With a plethora of small- and large-scale, real-life examples, as well as tips on implementing changes, this selection will inspire librarians and library staff to identify and solve problems.-Katie McGaha, County of Los Angeles P.L. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Implementing change can challenge librarians who feel constrained by red tape. Tactical Urbanism for Librarians can inspire their efforts. Likening libraries to urban environments because of their (usual) organizational structure and public services, the author provides a practical guide for quick, low-cost ways to make big changes. Librarian Munro (University of Oregon Portland) specializes in library design and outreach. She also relies heavily on case studies and interviews with urban-change agents and librarians. Generally, tactical urbanism refers to temporary, cheap, usually grassroots local intervention to improve the community. The term is explained through four innovative nonlibrary case studies and five library case studies. In each example, Munro analyzes the conditions and causes of the need, and the nature of the intervention. Follow-up interviews for several of the projects flesh out the process. Of particular use is Munro's synthesis of tactical tips and steps for becoming a tactical library interventionist. Munro's writing is practical and casual; her positive tone helps librarians feel that they, too, can spearhead collaborative tactical change. This slim volume is a joy to use.--Farmer, Lesley Copyright 2010 Booklist

Summary

Tactical urbanism, a global grassroots movement to improve cities by and for the people who live in them, has applications that are tailor made for libraries. Tactics like "start small," "value intangibles," and "bundle pragmatics with delight" can help libraries engage with their users while also solving immediate problems. Best of all, these projects can be lightweight, inexpensive, and quick to realize. Here, Munro offers plentiful examples from cities and libraries that show where tactical urbanism is happening now and making a difference. A quick-start guide that inspires and empowers libraries to launch their own tactical library projects, this book addresses such topics as

useful urbanism concepts such as placemaking, pink zones, design thinking, and optical leverage; 12 steps to becoming a tactical library interventionist; 4 tactical urbanism case studies, such as the Astoria Scum River Bridge, Park(ing) Day, and Self-Gentrification, with discussion of why they matter to libraries; 5 library case studies, including Library Box, Boston Street Labs Storefront Library, and a "Dewey-Less" Library System, that demonstrate how libraries can apply tactical urbanism concepts; how cities and libraries can overlap initiatives, spotlighting real-world examples; and ways that library leaders can cultivate a tactics-friendly organization.

This book illustrates how tactical urbanism offers librarians the tools to deliver fast, inexpensive, and innovative projects with big impact.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	p. ix
1	An Introduction to Tactical Urbanism	p. 1
2	Tactical Urbanism Case Studies	p. 17
	Sidebar: Some Useful Urbanism Concepts	p. 35
3	A Realistic Tactical Approach	p. 41
	Sidebar: How About Tactical Business Practices?	p. 48
4	Library Case Studies	p. 51
5	Library Meets City	p. 67
6	Coming Back to Earth	p. 119
7	A Library Leader's Guide to Building a Tactical Library	p. 125
8	Twelve Steps to Becoming a Tactical Library Interventionist	p. 137
	Sidebar: Tactical Follow-ups: Where to Find More	p. 143
9	Summing Up	p. 145
	References	p. 147
	Index	p. 157

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