Community Engagement

Partnerships are a great way to increase the reach of library services and engage folks in your community. Your library probably already has partnerships in place, and those are a great starting point especially if you are new to your job. You also might have the opportunity to forge your own partnerships. You may have some ideas already of who you would like to work with, but here are some ideas:

• After-school programs (YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs)
• Bookstores
• Community or neighborhood centers
• Parks and recreation departments
• Scouts associations
• Parent associations

Besides the direct benefits of partnerships to your library, partnerships can also help your community by making it easier for them to access services through multiple locations. Families with children may not have a ton of spare time, and partnerships that combine library and other community services can allow your patrons to enjoy multiple things at the same time, rather than choosing one over the other due to a lack of time.