
Building Connections Through Conversation and Engagement
“Communities are human systems given form by conversations that build relatedness.”
—Peter Block, Community: The Structure of Belonging
This week, we turn our attention to the heart of our work: community. As Peter Block reminds us, communities are shaped by the conversations that foster connection and belonging. In the hyperlinked library, our role extends beyond providing resources—we become facilitators of dialogue, creators of inclusive spaces, and active participants in the lives of those we serve.
We’ll explore how libraries can engage hyperlinked communities through various avenues: leveraging technology tools, hosting place-based meetups, and implementing engagement strategies designed to enlighten and entertain. These approaches are not just about outreach; they’re about weaving the library into the fabric of the community, ensuring that our services resonate with and reflect the diverse voices we aim to support.
As you engage with this module, consider how these strategies can be applied to your own practice. How can you foster genuine connections within your community? In what ways can the library serve as a platform for shared experiences and collective growth?
Let’s explore the ways we can build and sustain hyperlinked communities that are dynamic, inclusive, and deeply connected.
Lecture Recording
Things to Read
- Stephens, M. (2019) “Libraries in Balance” in Wholehearted Librarainship, p. 78
- Stephens, M. (2016). “Reaching All Users” in The Heart of Librarianship, p. 41
- Older but Useful Resources:
- My #HuntLibrary Project: Using Instagram to crowdsource the story of a new library.
- Pewrainangi, S. (2014). A beautiful obsession.
- West, J. (2014). 21st century digital divide.
- Boyd, D. (2016). What World Are We Building?
- Dixon, J. (2017) Convening Community Conversation.
- Smith. C. (2017). Madison’s Library Takeover.
Current Thought
- Garcia-Febo, L. (2018). Serving with love: Embedding equality, diversity, and inclusion in all that we do.
- Lauersen, C. (2018). Do you want to dance? Inclusion and belonging in libraries and beyond.
- Klinker, J. (2020). The Healing Power of Books.
- Williams, A. (2021). How Libraries Are Bridging the Digital Divide.
- Greenwood, C. (2022). Healthy Library, Healthy Life.
- Hasan, T.N. (2022). ‘Free, non-judgemental, accessible’: How your local library is a sanctuary of health and wellness.
- Warner, L. (2024). Revolutionizing Public Libraries: Three Ways that Alternative Service Delivery Strategies Can Meet the Challenges of a Booming Population
- Lauersen, C. (2025). The necessary nearness – an ode to bookmobiles
Things to View
- Oak Park Public Library. (n.d.). IdeaBox Collections. (Older but super inspiring!)
Things to Explore
- Community Engagement at SJPL
- OCLC (2015). The Library in the Life of the User.
- Jensen, K. (2017). Libraries resist: A round-up tolerance, tolerance, social justice and resistance in US libraries.
- Anderson, N. (2018). Curated resources on diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and equity for libraries
- Heresay Storytelling (2018) http://heresaystorytelling.com/
- Oak Park Public Library (2019). A New Kind of Summer School.
- Jensen, K. (2022). As Seen on #BookTok: Inspiring Young Readers, TikTok is a Boon for Books.
- Potter, N. (2022). Instagram for Libraries.
- American Alliance of Museums. (n.d.). Gender Transition and Transgender Inclusion in the Museum Workplace: A Toolkit…
- CBOX (n.d.). Commons in a Box.
- CUNY (n.d.) CUNY Academic Commons.
- Memphis Library. (n.d.) Cloud 901 Lab