EDITOR'S NOTE
Universal Themes
by Brandi Scardilli
Stories need protagonists. For the plot to feel satisfying, you need someone to root for: the “they” in “and they lived happily ever after.” As we’re making room for more diverse stories, people are realizing that there’s universality in the specific. (Pixar’s Coco has been cited as a shining example.)
This is true of this issue’s feature articles. Public librarian Jessica Hilburn details how to go about creating a social media strategy based on her personal tips (page 12). All types of libraries can take her advice to implement their own strategy. Dave Shumaker continues his Information Industry Leaders series by interviewing SAGE executives who share their company’s progressive history (page 15). SAGE is a model for any company looking to be more inclusive and proactive. And Anthony Aycock shares his experiences working in a state legislative library. He has a specific job title, but, with some exceptions, it’s not that much different from working in any other library (page 19).
Two more examples of specific-yet-universal stories: Justin Hoenke talks to Tjinder Singh from the band Cornershop about the creative process (page 4), and Terry Ballard shows how a Nebraska makerspace is helping to bridge the digital divide (page 6).  |
