{"id":43,"date":"2026-07-13T23:02:27","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T23:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/revolvinglibraries\/?p=43"},"modified":"2026-07-13T23:03:54","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T23:03:54","slug":"innovation-strategy-and-roadmap-the-brookmere-public-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/287.hyperlib.sjsu.edu\/revolvinglibraries\/2026\/07\/13\/innovation-strategy-and-roadmap-the-brookmere-public-record\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovation Strategy and Roadmap: The Brookmere Public Record"},"content":{"rendered":"

What is the idea?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>Brookmere Public Record: <\/span>A newspaper published by the Brookmere Public Library community<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

The Brookmere Public Record is a community-driven newspaper led by staff at the Brookmere Public Library. It aims to fill the need for hyperlocal, accessibly-written information about the City of Brookmere\u2019s operations. Topics include urban planning, public safety, waste management, schools, economic development, and finance and administration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since 2005, nearly 40% of all local newspapers in the United States have shuttered, (Metzger, 2025). This troubling trend has left countless smaller towns without journalists to explain the effects of systemic forces on communities and scrutinize the decisions of powerful institutions. The absence of local news, often referred to as \u201cnews deserts,\u201d is alarming given local news consumptions\u2019 association with civic engagement, (Barthel et al., 2016). Conversely, a lack of local news correlates to political polarization, increases in crime, and excessive public spending, (Haddock et al., 2026a; Haddock et al., 2026b).<\/span><\/p>\n

Newsgathering processes require information literacy knowledge practices like the ability to assess authority, develop lines of inquiry, understand the information creation process and recognize that knowledge is produced through sustained discourse, (<\/span>Association of College & Research Libraries, 2016<\/span>). By educating residents of Brookmere on how to report and write a news story, library staff will bolster the community\u2019s sense of agency and understanding of local democratic processes. The program will also fill a critical need for local news.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mission & Institutional Context<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

The Brookmere Public Library\u2019s mission is to empower, inspire and eliminate barriers with resources and experiences. Its vision is to evolve and respond to the changing needs of the community.<\/span><\/p>\n

The widespread adoption of the internet undermined local journalism\u2019s financial model, forcing newsrooms to merge with other newsrooms, lay off a significant portion of their staff, or close entirely. In Brookmere, a major part of the local news ecosystem has vanished. The publications that do still exist employ very few staff and are tasked with covering larger geographic areas. This has left the City of Brookmere, a mid-sized city, with a need for news produced by and for the people of Brookmere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Brookmere Public Library (and public libraries in general) is positioned to aid in this need because librarians are experts in information literacy. The library also provides a space for people to meet, conduct interviews and write, and provides proximity to many of the city\u2019s public records, which are printed and kept at the main library.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Brookmere Public Record would advance the library\u2019s mission because the program would empower Brookmere residents with the ability to navigate today\u2019s increasingly complex and technology-mediated information environment. By learning the newsgathering process and developing stories of interest to them, Brookmere patrons will simultaneously learn about and participate in media production and democratic processes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Action Brief Statement\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

For staff:<\/b><\/p>\n

Convince<\/b> library staff and administration<\/span> that by<\/b> investing resources into the Brookmere Public Record<\/span> they<\/b> will help serve a critical local information need and learn about and connect with their patrons <\/span>which will<\/b> promote the production of local knowledge, spark ideas for improved library services, and foster the community\u2019s digital and information literacy skills<\/span> because<\/b> it aligns with the library\u2019s mission and vision to empower and inspire<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the public:<\/b><\/p>\n

Convince<\/b> Brookmere patrons<\/span> that by<\/b> participating and investing resources into the Brookmere Public Record<\/span> they will <\/b>develop useful research skills and feel more connected with their community<\/span> which will<\/b> promote civic engagement and the production of local knowledge<\/span> because<\/b> it aligns with the library\u2019s mission to empower and provide resources and experiences<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Inspiration<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Library Newsroom Project, Sunset Park branch, Brooklyn Public Library, New York, 2025.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n