Connected communities exhibit high levels of social capital. Libraries can contribute to this by creating spaces and programs that encourage interaction among patrons — and that help individuals connect with others outside their existing social circles.
What makes partnerships valuable? Our research shows that partnerships are beneficial for libraries when it comes to program design, program planning, program implementation, program impact, and capacity building.
What makes a partnership effective? Our research highlights five key factors that contribute to the success of a partnership: strategic alignment, effective teamwork, communication and expectations, interpersonal / relationship qualities, and tackling operational concerns.
How do libraries interact with their partners? Our research shows that partnership interactions come in all shapes and sizes, and that deep engagement is key to effective collaborative programming.
What do library partnerships focus on? Our research indicates that collaboration can help libraries create a wide range of programs, and that partnerships are an effective way to further libraries’ community engagement efforts.
How do libraries define the publics they serve? Our research shows that when thinking about their programming audiences, libraries are thinking about both the community on the whole and about specific groups.
We know that libraries do some of their best work when working with other community organizations. But how exactly do they do this? Who are libraries partnering with, and how are they interacting with their partners? What kinds of partnerships work well, and what makes these effective? And how can partnerships be leveraged to support libraries’ programming goals?
During the pandemic, programming librarians drew upon knowledge of their communities to succeed. What do these skills look like, in practice?
When you set out to plan a new program for your library, you likely think about content first. What information will you cover? What will the program be named? What are your goals, and how will you achieve them based on your budget and resources? This is the process we have come to know as “program planning.”
Library workers need to be skilled in outreach and marketing so they can promote their libraries’ programs and services and advocate for their organizations. But in many MLIS programs, skills like outreach and marketing — things that many programming librarians do every day, but that fall outside the “typical” librarian job description — often go untaught, leaving workers to learn on the job.
