This month I read A Place at the Table: Participating in Community Building by Kathleen de la Peña McCook. The back of the book states: “From urban giants to small towns across the country, there is a palpable hunger for a greater sense of community. Libraries, as they continue to provide a vital public service, are in a unique position to help satisfy this hunger. Unfortunately, they are often left out of the discussion initiated by theorists, writers, planners, activists, and civic planners.”
In Chapter 5, McCook shares five case studies of librarians who are involved as community builders. Following the case studies, McCook writes on pages 68 and 69, of the “values of librarians who build community:”
- Community Involvement
- Awareness of Community Issues
- Connection as a Responsibility
- Integration of Service
- Community Building as a Value
- The Library Can Make a Difference
She explains each one, but the one I will point out for your consideration is Connection as a Responsibility. McCook furthers this model on page 99:
Librarians who build community will see joining and participating in community associations as a responsibility that will, in the end, lead to greater library use and support. If attendance at community events is perceived as a burden, the goal of community building will not be met. Librarians who attend community events with an open mind and heart will be overwhelmed with opportunities to connect individuals as well as associations in urgent need of information to resources that can be found at the library.
Although the Community Tool Box identifies the library as a passive source of information or meeting room space, connected librarians will be assertive providers of information as it is needed because they will be present at the time of need.
On page 106, McCook shares a three-part solution to get librarians to the table:
- a restructuring of the work of frontline librarians,
- the administrative commitment to active participation of librarians in community initiatives,
- the efforts of national leadership to secure librarians a full partnership in policy implentation.
and
McCook continues
These actions are not impossible. The shift of the 1990s to accommodate technology followed this same three-part solution:(1) work was restructured to require and accommodate technological skills, (2) administrative commitment reallocated staff and capital resources, and (3) leadership established an Office for Information Technology Policy within the ALA and identified technology partnerships.
It is a compelling read. This book also made me think of the ALSC Strategic Plan and our Core Ideology: “Creating a better future for children through libraries.” The ALSC core organizational values that embrace McCook’s call to action to sit at the community building table are Collaboration, Integrity & Respect, Leadership, Community, Equity of Access, and Excellence & Innovation. How are you connected within your community? As always, comments are encouraged.
Information Literacy Assessment: Standards-Based Tools and Assignments by Teresa Y. Neely is on tap for next month’s Professional Reading post.