No longer mere repositories of books and information, libraries and museums are becoming hubs of civic engagement and “community living rooms” – places where people come together to discuss the issues affecting their communities and the world. Civic reflection is an effective tool as museums and libraries make this transition, helping staff members and visitors to not only read, learn, and think together, but talk together about civic issues.
CCR Director, Adam Davis, lead a discussion with representatives from cultural museums across Chicago.
Benefits:
Enhanced facilitation skills that enable librarians and museum staff to lead meaningful discussions with visitors, community members, and colleagues.
Strategic shift to thinking about libraries and museums as places where people learn from books and exhibits to places where people learn from each other.
Opportunity to engage new communities and populations -- i.e. younger audiences, adults who bring their children to libraries and/or museums, etc.
Libraries are ideally situated to nurture... democratic practices. Libraries are open to all; they contain books and other materials that can provide people with a common experience and vocabulary... Libraries, which are often seen as products of democracy, can also be seen as engines of democracy, as places where people go to engage with one another and to begin making a difference.
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--Adam Davis
Director, Center for Civic Reflection
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Civic reflection at its best is infused with this spirit of critical generosity. It is a process that acknowledges that we need one another to unmask prejudices that inform our beliefs and also to share our inspirations.
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--Lisa Lee
Director, Jane Addams Hull-House Museum
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CCR brings a remarkable level of thoughtfulness and honesty to everything they do. Their input helped to raise the bar on the content and messaging for the "What's Your Calling?" Campaign and it was a pleasure to collaborate with them.
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--Danny Alpert
Executive Director of the Kindling Group, Director of "The Calling"
