Recognized as Canada’s High Tech Capital, with close to 900 high-tech and life sciences companies calling Markham home, our community has been vocal about its technological needs. In response, Markham Public Library began hosting maker and coding events, launched a digital media lab, purchased 3D printers, and developed a series of programs for technology learners. However, knowledge gaps in our workforce challenged efforts to engage staff with these new services. So in 2015, we embarked on a culture-shifting journey to improve staff digital literacy skills and to develop appreciation for the important role technology plays in our community.
To help staff fully realize their status as Tech Workers, we organized our first staff conference, a series of hands-on tech workshops, a digital-artist-in-residence program, a 3-day digital intensive training program, a TEDxMarkhamLibrary conference, and more! This session will share best practices for launching similar organizational change initiatives.
Learning Outcomes
Participants will learn about the importance of adapting and linking company culture to large-scale service model changes.
Participants will take away best practices and tips from Markham Public Library’s experience, which can be applied to their own organizational change initiatives related to technology.
Participants will learn how to prepare for and overcome challenges that may be encountered while cultivating their library’s technoculture, based on the actual challenges encountered by Markham Public Library staff.
