F03: Labs for Libraries: social innovation for designing our future
Session Description
The City of Vancouver’s public sector innovation lab, called the Solutions Lab, began in January 2017 as a way to grow collaborative leadership through the City’s Healthy City Strategy. The lab is focused on experimentation and learning to develop, test, and scale social innovations that contribute to a healthy and green city by:
• Shifting organizational culture
• Building innovation infrastructure
• Unlocking the potential of people
• Growing authentic partnerships
• Telling stories of change
Sponsored by the Public Libraries Interest Group, this session will delve into the landscape of social innovation labs by telling the story of the Solutions Lab, exploring social innovation practices and methodologies, and brainstorming how they might be applied to a library context.
Speakers
Lindsay Cole, City of Vancouver
Biography
Lindsay Cole is currently leading the creation of the Solutions Lab at the City of Vancouver – a place where breakthrough, transformative solutions to some of the city’s most complex problems are being sought. She’s worked on a variety of projects with the City, including leading the planning and public engagement process for the award-winning Greenest City Action Plan. Prior to joining the City, Lindsay co-founded and co-directed Sustainability Solutions Group, a workers cooperative consulting company doing climate change and sustainability work. Lindsay is also an economic development volunteer, PhD student, and the parent of an incredible 10 year old.
Lisa Gibson
Biography
Lisa Gibson is a consultant with over 20 years’ experience in local and international community engagement, social innovation, planning and social justice work. With experience from Canada to Nepal to Nigeria, she brings a wealth of insight about how to dive into the heart of complex social and sustainability issues to embed systemic change, transform belief systems, and construct alliances across diversity. Lisa’s work focuses on a range of issues, including belonging and resiliency, sex work policy and practice, homelessness prevention and diversity education. She co-created and is an instructor in Simon Fraser University’s Certificate in Social Innovation.
Heidi Schiller, Burnaby Public Library
Biography
Heidi Schiller is the Assistant Director of Public Service at the Burnaby Public Library. She first learned about social innovation labs as the Head of Vancouver Public Library’s Collingwood Branch, where she participated in one of the City of Vancouver’s Solutions Labs focused on building Resiliency and Community Connections. Intrigued, she joined the City’s Solutions Lab Community of Practice and began learning about social innovation and its applications in a public library setting. Before becoming a librarian, Heidi worked as a print news reporter and health educator in Bellingham, Washington.