Community Engagement

Identifying and working effectively with partners can greatly enhance the impact a library has within a community. Your library already has wonderful partnerships with other organizations, but it is always good to keep an eye out for new opportunities for collaboration and cooperation. Many libraries find it easy to partner with local early childhood groups, schools, daycares, and organizations in the community as these organizations have similar goals when it comes to early literacy, educational opportunities, and family support. Chances are that your library already has partnerships in place with some of these organizations that you can continue.

If you are not sure where to start with community partnerships, a good starting point can be to reach out to those existing partners to introduce yourself and get to know the organization and staff directly. When forming new partnerships, it can be easier to reach out to other organizations with a specific purpose or project in mind. For example, you can offer to provide storytimes at local HeadStart programs and circulate titles at those locations.