« RI Library Day | Main | School libraries invited to apply for Sara Jaffarian Award »
Libraries as Community Catalysts: A New IMLS Report
By Donna DiMichele | January 26, 2017
A recently issued report from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Reinvestment Fund provides frameworks for libraries and museums to connect with their communities. Produced as part of the Community Catalyst Initiative, the report is a handbook for libraries and museums to position themselves as critical sites within broader social and institutional networks that support community well-being.
“Strengthening Networks, Sparking Change: Museums and Libraries as Community Catalysts” combines findings from a literature scan and input from the library, museum and community revitalization fields with case studies about the experiences and vision of museums and libraries working to spur change in their communities. It describes the complementary conceptual frameworks of social well-being and collective impact and explains how libraries and museums can use these concepts to partner with community-based organizations, government agencies and other cultural or educational organizations. It catalogs how partnerships are initiated; what tools and methods are available to assess community need and evaluate impact; and the skills and competencies needed to sustain partnerships.
Read the complete IMLS press release
Topics: Future of Libraries, IMLS, News & Information, Resources | Comments Off on Libraries as Community Catalysts: A New IMLS Report
Comments are closed.