The Engaged Library, National Gaming Day, "Angel Child, Dragon Child"
You heard about it at the Town Meeting, you read about in "On the Boardtalk:" the Engaged Library. A report from a study by the Urban Libraries Council reinforces what we already know: libraries are in a unique position to become a vital part of their communities, to be "engaged" with their communities. It's more than being a community center--though that is certainly a great thing, and part of being and Engaged Library. It means being a center where people gather and discuss and learn and network and interact. But it means also going out into the community, becoming involved outside the walls of the library, perhaps even becoming one of the leaders moving the community forward, building its networks and resources for the citizens.
This might mean that the library--staff and trustees--will need to step out of the traditional box of library services, maybe even outside the comfort zone. We want people to come to the library but can the library demonstrate that it cares about the community, that it is a part of the whole, looking to the needs of the people and doing what it can to respond? We have examples in Iowa of libraries who have been instrumental in applying for grants that benefit not just the library but with a greater reach, doing good for other parts of the community. Never mind, for a moment, what other libraries are doing. What does YOUR community need, and are there ways in which the library can help meet those needs? I read in Library Journal yesterday about a branch of the San Diego Public Library that was concerned about the nutrition of many of the children in the community who visited the library often during summer; the children ate good meals during the school year, thanks to the federal hot meal program, but were at risk during the summer. Working in partnership with other agencies in the community they were able to bring about a summer program for meals for those children. Yes, that's a large city and maybe that isn't a need in your community but it's an example of a library that stepped outside its usual services to look for ways to be engaged with the community. What do you see when you look outside the box of traditional services, what are the possibilities in YOUR community? What can your library do to be engaged in the community. It doesn't have to be huge, it can be listening and watching at meetings of Kiwanis or Rotary and thinking about how the library might fit into what's happening--or what the community wants to happen. Look outside the library to the community, be "engaged." --Karen
Links from today's podcast:
Games and Gaming Resources wiki
National Gaming Day (at I Love Libraries)
SWILSA Events and Displays page
No comments:
Post a Comment