The Role of Public Libraries in Community Building |
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| Authors: | Rachel Scott |
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| Institution: | 1. Seattle Public Library , Seattle, Washington, USA rachel.b.scott@gmail.com |
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| Abstract: | King County in Washington State is home to two large urban library systems, King County Library (KCLS) and Seattle Public Library (SPL). KCLS and SPL are effectively building community through their library service. Professionals in the fields of library and information science, public libraries, and community development discuss these successes and the ways that public libraries can build a strong community. Five facets of community building are explored: (1) how libraries serve as a conduit to access information and to learn, (2) how libraries encourage social inclusion and equity, (3) how libraries foster civic engagement, (4) how libraries create a bridge to resources and community involvement, and (5) how libraries promote economic vitality within the community. |
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| Keywords: | public libraries community development community building library access equity social inclusion civic engagement economic vitality |
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