Librarians and library workers are critical actors in shaping the future of our communities and libraries. In this session, we will talk about what it will take for each of us to lead our libraries in this environment. By engaging local community members in authentic conversations and making their aspirations and concerns the reference point for taking action, we open up new possibilities for increasing our impact. We will use tools prepared by the American Library Association’s “Promise of Libraries Transforming Communities” initiative--a partnership between ALA and the Harwood Institute of Public Innovation--and other frameworks to unleash possibilities for occupying a more visible, valued role in our communities.

1. Turning Outward:
Engaging Our Communities
Presentation by
Nancy Kranich
Rutgers University
April 1, 2015
1
Iowa Libraries Online Conference
Iowa State Library

2. Overview of Webinar 6:
Naming and Framing Public Issues
1. Bowling Alone
2. Community Engagement
3. Informed and Engaged
Citizenry
4. Libraries Engage
Communities
5. Turning Outward
6. Meaningful Actions
7. Learn More
8. Q&A
2

3. Highland Park (NJ) Public Library
 Public loves
HPPL
programs
 Wants
opportunity
to interact
 Wants more
access to
local issues
3

4. Bowling Alone
 Americans increasingly live
disconnected lives from each
other and from the institutions of
civic life
 Low voting turn out
 Curtailed work with political parties
and service organizations
 Join fewer groups
 Attend fewer community meetings
and political events
4

5. Withdrawal from the Public Square
 Far too many have
fleed the public square
 No means to engage
 Loss of public space
5

6. Democracy’s Challenge:
Reclaiming the Public’s Role
 Bystanders instead of
active members with
a sense of ownership
in our democracy
 Consumers in
democracy, rather
than citizen
proprietors
6

7. Hearing the Other Side
 Few opportunities that
expose Americans to
diverse views
Diana Mutz

8. The Informed Citizenry
 Our founding fathers
proclaimed the necessity of
an informed citizenry
 American life encourages
voluntary associations as
well as promoting civic
organizations such as the
newspapers, the post office,
public education, higher
education, and libraries
8

9. Informed and Engaged Citizenry
 Information alone does
not guarantee citizen
participation
 Information and
engagement must work
together
 Engagement marks a
critical point where
community and individual
information needs
intersect
9

10. People Want to Engage
Make a Difference
 Safe spaces
 Trust
 Citizen’s role
 “our” problem and not
“their” problem
 Where to turn?
 Catalytic/boundary
spanning institutions

11. Libraries Engage Communities
 Tough economic
times for libraries
 Democracy needs
libraries to engage
in the civic life of
their communities
 Many libraries are
moving from an
informed citizen
model of service to
an engaged, strong
democracy model 11

12. Why Libraries?
 Trusted
 Safe spaces
 Neutral
 Boundary spanners
 Catalytic
 For everyone
 Build community capacity
 Advocate intellectual freedom values
 “Places essential to the political processes of
democracy”—Ray Oldenburg, The Great Good Place
12

13. Salt Lake City
Public Library
“… a library is more than a repository of
books and computers - it reflects and
engages the city's imagination and
aspirations.” -- Moshe Safdie, Architect

14. Turn Outward Toward the Community
 Generate constructive
and inclusive public
discourse
 Envision a greater sense
of possibility
 Act with intentionality
 Achieve shared goals
 Increase relevance,
significance and impact
 Transform libraries and
librarians

15. 15

16. Common Starting Points
Starting Point
1. ID problems
2. Visioning
3. Aspirations
What we Get
– Rooted in
Complaints
– Blame
– Wish lists
– Disconnected
from Reality
– Based on reality
– Focus on
community
What it Creates
– Problem lists
– No shared sense
of direction
– False hope
– Not rooted in
people’s reality
– Shared aspirations
that roots work
– Possibility

17. Community Conversations
Identify Aspirations
1. My aspirations for my community are:
_______________________________________________________
2. The Challenges we face in reaching these aspirations are:
_______________________________________________________
3. The changes needed in our community to reach our aspirations
are:
_______________________________________________________

18. Public Knowledge
 Shift our thinking to turn outward and recognize
new opportunities and connections
 Listen and act on what we hear
 Know our value – uncover where we fit, and
challenges we can address
 Build relationships & collaborate

19.  Apply deep knowledge rooted
in the community
 Reflect the reality of people’s
lives
 Uncover a sense of common
purpose
 Set and deliver upon realistic
expectations and promises
 Act intentionally to reflect
aspirations and concerns
 Align strategies with community
aspirations
The 3A’s of Public Life
Authority, Authenticity, and Accountability

20. Innovation Spaces
 Convene monthly
 What are we learning?
 What are the implications?
 Apply what we learn
 Remain accountable for our actions
 Become more intentional—wakeful and
aware—about the choices and judgments we
make
 Identify possibilities for moving ahead

21. Actions That fit Community
• Develop strategies that achieve results and
also build community
• Identify and act on specific pockets of change
that align to local context
• Focus on creating conditions
necessary for community change
• Determine “who to run with” as partners
• Develop networks for innovation/learning
21

22. Calibrating the Work
Community Rhythms
• How broad and deep is the community’s leadership?
• How strong and constructive are the community norms?
• How broad and deep are the informal networks and
links?
• How strong is the collection of catalytic organizations?
22

24. 24
Source: Working Together Project, Community-Led Libraries Toolkit,
http://www.librariesincommunities.ca/resources/Community-Led_Libraries_Toolkit.pdf

25. Finding the sweet spot
25
Main
Concerns &
Special
Issues
Public
Capital
(Community
Conditions)
SWEET SPOT  Social Gatherings
 Interaction Spaces
 Boundary Spanning
Organizations
 Safe Havens for
Decision Makers
 Strong, Diverse
Leadership
 Informal Networks
 Conscious
Community
Discussion
 Community Norms
for Public Life
 Shared Purpose

26. 26
Provide Civic Information
 E-Government
partnerships
 Local information
sources
 Emergency
providers
 Government and
community
organization
partnerships

27. 27
Promote Civic Literacy
 Include civic literacy as part
of 21st Century literacy
skills
 Partner with other civic-
organizations to elevate
the competency of citizens
and enhance civic
engagement

28. 28
The Library as Community-Wide Reading Club.
 Public, school, and academic
libraries are hosting community-
wide One Book/One Community
reading clubs.

29. Convene Public Forums
 Host public deliberative
forums that offer citizens
a chance to work
together across the
spectrum of thought
 Convene participatory
forums in conjunction
with groups like Iowa
Partners for Learning

30. Des Moines Public Library

31. Collaborate with Community Partners
 Virginia Beach
deadlocked over
redevelopment
 Citizens, and public
officials worked with
librarians to name,
frame, and deliberate
about local issues
 Built capacity of
community to work
together

32. Core Principles of Public Engagement
1. Careful planning & preparation
2. Inclusion & diversity
3. Collaboration & shared purpose
4. Openness & learning
5. Transparency & trust
6. Impact & Action
7. Sustained engagement &
participatory culture
32
Source: National Coalition on Dialogue and Deliberation, International Association for Public
Participation, and Co-Intelligence Institute

33. Conclusion
 In the words of Robert
Putnam, “Just as one
cannot restart a heart
with one’s remote
control, one cannot
jump start republican
citizenship without
direct, face-to-face
participation.
Citizenship is not a
spectator sport.”
33

34. Libraries and Civic Engagement
Connect with Us
 Libraries and Civic Engagement blog:
http://discuss.ala.org/civicengagement/
 ALA Connect: Libraries Foster Community Engagement
 Subscribe to ALA’s Community Engagement listserv:
1. Go to: http://lists.ala.org/wws
2. Click on “View All Lists”
3. Scroll down to deliberate@ala.org
4. Click on “Subscribe

38. Thank You!
Contact information
Nancy Kranich, nancy.kranich@rutgers.edu