The 12 Steps to a Community-Led Library

by Audrey Barbakoff, Noah Lenstra

Libraries want to be more responsive to their diverse communities. Yet many libraries lack the structures, cultures, and mindsets to sustain community-led methods. This book lays out an evidence-based, twelve-step process that will help you transform your library in ways that serve your unique community effectively. Whether you’re an administrator, middle manager, or a front-line library worker, the concrete strategies presented here will show you how to integrate community-led planning into your day-to-day activities. Anchored in original research by its authors and bolstered by real-world examples, this book

Genres: Nonfiction, Professional Development

216 pages, Paperback

Published December 18, 2023

Reviews

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic work read. The sections and chapters very clearly break down all the steps to take in order to make your library more community-focused. I appreciated the authors taking it into details and sharing both "pitfalls" but also advantages to each and every step. Even as a single small branch Branch Manager within a larger library system I feel empowered now to take the steps to embed my library even further into my community - and I'm so excited to do so! There are about 30 Post-It Flags in my borrowed copy to annotate next time I'm at work. This book was perfect for a project I'm doing with a colleague to help spread the word to peers about the benefits of community partnerships.

[Rachel]

Valuable and actionable guide for engaging community members in library planning. Could be a companion for community based objectives in strategic planning or a standalone guide to collaborative community planning (CoLaB model = Community Led Capacity Building).

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not really useful to me now, but a very useful book in general.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a helpful guide that gave me things to think on, though it is geared toward a larger library environment.