Building Community Engagement and Outreach in Libraries

Libraries seeking to grow or enhance community outreach will welcome Building Community Engagement and Outreach in Libraries to assist them in planning and executing engagement programs.

Eight chapters offer a variety of methods and strategies that library managers can employ to broaden and enhance their libraries’ community engagement activities.The volume includes both theoretical frameworks and strategic case studies.Readers will learn how to plan and execute successful community engagement programs with tips on providing leadership for working with staff, fostering relationships with community partners and using assessment to plan for future programming. Specific applications of community engagement practices include using data to inform stakeholders, providing health literacy workshops, staff training for community programs, outreach to engage the community with archives, working with underserved communities and diversity training.

This is an important addition to the literature on how libraries can work with their communities to provide critical services and resources. Providing valuable insights about the diverse ways that outreach can be accomplished within and through our communities, this volume serves as a significant resource for both library managers, their staff and their partners.

Kathryn Moore Crowe, Associate Dean for Public Services and Associate Professor, retired in 2019 from the University Libraries, University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Her 42-year career as an academic librarian began with a focus on information literacy, reference services and collection management. Later, she transitioned into administration, learning spaces and assessment while leading the public service units.  Her responsibilities also included promoting the Libraries’ services and resources both within and campus and in the broader community.

Joanne Hélouvry is the Branch Manager at the Hamilton Branch of the Enoch Pratt Free Library in Baltimore, MD. Starting her career in public libraries, Joanne transitioned to academia for 18 years as a Research & Instruction librarian where she managed the public services side of a mid-sized academic library. She recently returned to public libraries to become more involved in community outreach and serving the public. She enjoys connecting with community organizations to provide needed services at a busy urban branch of the library. Joanne’s interests include management, leadership, assessment, library spaces, and, of course outreach.