Community Dialogues to Enhance Inclusion and Equity in Public Libraries

Abstract

Over the past decade, public libraries have shifted from quiet repositories of knowledge to raucous centers of public engagement. Public libraries seek to fill the educational and social gaps left by other informal education organizations (such as museums and science centers) that target specific populations or require paid access for their resources. These gaps are filled by hiring social workers, providing accessible makerspaces, developing English language learner (ELL) programs, facilitating hands-on STEM activities, providing information about community resources and social services, providing summer meals, and much more. But what are the next steps to continue this high level of engagement? By utilizing a Community Dialogue Framework (Dialogues), libraries have engaged with new members of their communities to reach groups not currently benefiting from library services, provided equitable access to new resources, engaged with new partners, and - in the time of COVID - began to address the digital divide in their communities. An examination of forty public libraries’ engagement with and learning from Dialogues was conducted using a qualitative approach and reflexive thematic analysis. An account from a librarian who hosted multiple Dialogues is also presented as a first-person narrative describing their methods and successes using the tool. Benefits and practical considerations for conducting Dialogues are discussed in the results section, followed by limitations and recommendations for further research in this area.

Learning about what is most important: incorporating values into the design of learning experiences

“…The tools and process help to fill a gap by enabling libraries to collect community data in a more systematic manner (Campana et al , 2019) and builds upon previous work around community engagement and community-led efforts (Holland et al , 2021; Freudenberger and Hildreth, 2020a; Williment and Jones-Grant, 2012). This more systematic data collection can lead to the data being more useful and actionable in a library’s work and the development of community data-driven services that are rooted in shared values.…”

“…However, for a more effective design of learning experiences, he also calls for two additional practices to be adopted: the aesthetic – considering the design of the immediate learning experience, and the value context – which accounts for the values and political environment of the learner, to help design learning experiences that are more relevant and meaningful for the intended users. Many libraries tend to consider some of these aspects, particularly the individual learners and the design of the learning experience (Mills, 2021), even bringing together community members to engage in dialogue and work toward equity-related outcomes for library service (Holland et al , 2021). However, it is possible that some libraries are continuing to work from their own understanding of the learners’ values and their socio-cultural contexts instead of trying to gather this information from the learners themselves through a collaborative process.…”

“…The library field has recognized this and embraced social justice as a key area (Jaeger et al , 2016), and many libraries have worked to support underserved groups experiencing information poverty (Shen, 2013) and close gaps in access to technology and other digital resources faced by these groups (Jaeger et al , 2012). In addition, libraries’ inclusion and equity efforts have been enhanced by engaging diverse community groups in conversation together (Holland et al , 2021) and by facilitating opportunities for underserved groups to lead or share in decision-making (Freudenberger and Hildreth, 2020b). However, many libraries continue to face challenges with implementing effective community-centered social justice work and engaging underserved groups.…”