{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"ALSC Blog","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog","author_name":"Alexa Newman","author_url":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/author\/alexa-newman\/","title":"Engaging Your Community : What Does That Mean?","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"Dgt0qeJQnN\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2017\/11\/engaging-community-mean\/\">Engaging Your Community : What Does That Mean?<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/2017\/11\/engaging-community-mean\/embed\/#?secret=Dgt0qeJQnN\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Engaging Your Community : What Does That Mean?&#8221; &#8212; ALSC Blog\" data-secret=\"Dgt0qeJQnN\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script>\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n<\/script>\n","description":"A definition Community engagement is an important emerging trend in public libraries.\u00a0 What, exactly, is community engagement, you ask? Well, according to Dr. Crispin Butteriss of Bangthetable.com, it can be described as both a process and an outcome.\u00a0 In other, words it is both a noun and a verb. \u00a0Butteriss further describes it as \u201cthe process of getting people better connected into the community and for ensuring that the services they were designing me[e]t the specific needs of the people they are working with.\u201d Applying the principles of community engagement specifically to libraries has been the focus of ALA\u2019s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative.\u00a0 The LTC initiative \u201cseeks to strengthen librarians\u2019 roles as core community leaders and change-agents.\u201d On a regional level, RAILS (Reaching Across Illinois Library System) has formed a community engagement networking group. I am my library\u2019s youth liaison to the community.\u00a0\u00a0 I do outreach with several different agencies,..."}