by Anne Fields and Karen Diaz
“In their thoughtful and well researched, Fostering Community in Academic Libraries through Digital Storytelling, Karen Diaz and Anne Fields have given us a vision of the library, of the university community, re-invented through the sharing of stories. While they refer to aspects of their vision as utopian, and their efforts in developing the work at Ohio State University do suggest an inspired idealism, their thinking is deeply grounded in the writing of numerous educational theorists and practitioners. They successfully link the methods my colleagues and I developed at the Center for Digital Storytelling, to numerous kindred projects that share narrative and reflection at the heart of their practice. In particular, their chapter on the role of Social Technologies, Stories and Libraries illuminates that the speed and glitz surrounding Web 2.0 networking convenience must be balanced with the “slowed down” thoughtfulness that reflective storytelling can provide. Through this study, they conclusively demonstrate that there is a converging interest in using various story-based work to build community among faculty, staff, and students. This book is vital not just because it documents how Digital Storytelling has transformed parts of the educational environment, but it suggests ways that story can transform education as a whole.”
Joe Lambert,
Founder and Director
Center for Digital Storytelling