Libraries are more than a book depository: They are gathering places for the community. They can, and should, fill a need in the community. A library is a place where people come together to “connect” with like minded people (Hassan, 2022). Gone are the days where a library was only a place to read and check out books. When I became a manager of the library in my community I started looking for ways the library could serve the community. We have made some connections, but have a ways to go.
I gave a series of history presentations about a year ago and found that while the attendees really enjoyed the presentation, what they really enjoyed was the discussion afterwards. This got me thinking about how important social connections are. Social connections are important for the health and wellbeing of people (Hassan, 2022). Especially so for older patrons that find themselves isolated. Let me explain with two stories:
Our library hosts a knitting group and have done so for years. A woman from this group told me that without the knitting group, she would have gone ‘crazy’ after the loss of her husband. She told me about how lonely she was and that she looks forward to getting together with the knitting group each week. She actually told me that the group saved her life because she had thought her life had lost all meaning after her husband died. It turns out, this group is about much more than knitting.
We have another program called Penny University. It is a coffee klatch discussion group. It is named after the coffee houses in 17th century England that were popular in college towns. Students and professors would gather at these coffee houses and talk about the important topics of the time: science, politics, philosophy and such. Then people from the community would stop in and for a penny cup of coffee, say they were getting a university education just by joining in on the conversation. Thus, these coffee houses became known as Penny University. So once a week, I make coffee and sit around the table with about 10 or so patrons and discuss the day’s topic. Our topics are picked by the group and we sometimes even stay on topic. The conversations are always lively. First and foremost, this group meets to socialize with their peers. Secondly, they hope they can learn from the topic or offer someone else their opinion on the topic. They certainly don’t come for the coffee. Many members of this group have told me over and over that this discussion group is the highlight of their week and that they look forward to the next meeting.
While we have had success with these two programs, we can do more for other groups as well. The hard part is to find out what the community needs. We cannot wait behind the circulation desk and hope the community walks through our doors and makes their needs known. We can use social media to reach a portion of the community, but that doesn’t reach all. There are so many different Information communities that we have not been able to connect with.
We have to do better. It seems that to find out what the community needs, we must get out and into the community. No more hiding in the library.
Outreach opportunities bring us into the community to meet new people. Here are some outreach options that we need to be exploring:
Preschool Children
Instead of waiting for them to come to us, we should visit daycare centers (Casey, M. E., 2007). Right down the road, in walking distance, there is a preschool. I took a walk the other day and introduced myself to the director. I invited them to bring the children in for a tour. However, when I offered to come to their school for a storytime, that is what really piqued their interest. I even offer to bring some books and with our mobile circulation computer, check out books to the little ones. These visits have not been scheduled, but I am excited to meet the little ones and introduce them to the library and all that we offer. I hope to build a relationship with the children and the staff of the preschool.
School children
School children are at an important stage in literacy development. Gaining a love of reading at a young age can help them in school, language, comprehension, and so much more. We should really be reaching out to this age group. The logical place to start is at the schools. Many elementary schools in our area bring their students to the library for tours. I try to make these visits as fun as possible. They get a tour, story, and usually a scavenger hunt with prizes. However, one visit isn’t enough to make the library a habit and favorite place.I would like to come to the schools for their open houses and have library information ready to hand out and have library card sign-ups.
We are also partnering with the Lunch at the Library program this summer. Our library will be going to the school that is serving lunch and providing activities to the children there. We will have a storytime, games, crafts and other activities. By doing this, we can bring the library to where the children are. We can use this as an opportunity to promote other library resources, but more importantly, we will have a chance to build lasting relationships with children.
Teens
We have not been able to connect with teens. We have several programs geared toward teens. We have started a chess night for the teens, but so far, have only attracted families with younger kids. We have also started an “Open-Lab Study Hall” homework event. It has only been going on for two weeks, but so far, no one has attended. To promote these programs, we have left flyers at all the middle schools and high schools.I realized that to find out what teens want, I need to meet them where they are. I need to make connections with the Junior and Senior high schools, perhaps even attending events or even table events such as back-to-school nights. I also would like to look into setting up some volunteer opportunities for the high school to fulfill their graduation requirement. This would give teens a chance to see what the library has to offer.
Families
Today’s families are busier than ever. In many cases, both parents work, they have after school sports, homework, and many more obligations. We need to find a way to help these families. We can go to these sporting events with a Pop-up library. We can go to community events with information for families. We are looking into purchasing a Bibliobike. With this, we hope to go to where children are with impromptu storytimes and books to check out.
Seniors
Older adults seem to be the largest group that uses the library. This isn’t surprising, because they have more time on their hands after retirement. We can partner with the local senior center to reach older adults. Our library system is going to start a library by mail service to shut-ins. I have been thinking about bridging the gap between seniors and children with several programs. Such as an adopt a grandparent program where a school age child is partnered with a senior living in a retirement home. Another option is to have teens or college age students coming in and helping seniors with technology questions.
However we do it, outreach is going to be essential to reaching the community. It all starts with relationships and partnerships. Having the library out and in the community will give us a chance to see what the community wants and give the community a chance to see what the library has to offer.
Source List
Hasan, T.N. (2022). ‘Free, non-judgemental, accessible’: How your local library is a sanctuary of health and wellness.
Casey, M. E., & Savastinuk, L. C. (2007). Library 2.0: A guide to participatory library service. Medford, N.J: Information Today.
Minkiewicz-Martine, Katherine (2021). Healdsburg Tribune. Wheeling out words to the Healdsburg community. https://www.healdsburgtribune.com/wheeling-out-words-to-the-healdsburg-community/
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