Community Engagement in Public Libraries: Practical Implications

BackgroundCommunity Engagement is an important ethical imperative in research. Although substantial research emphasizes its real value and strategic importance, much of the available literature focuses primarily on the success of community participation, with little emphasis given to specific community engagement processes, mechanisms and strategies in relation to intended outcomes in research environments. The systematic literature review’s objective was to explore the nature of community engagement processes, strategies and approaches in health research settings in low- and middle-income countries.MethodsThe systematic literature review design was informed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We searched for peer-reviewed, English-language literature published between January 2011 and December 2021 through three databases on the internet (PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar). The terms "community engagement," "community involvement," "participation," "research settings," and "low- and middle-income countries" were merged in the search.ResultsThe majority of publications [8/10] were led by authors from low- and middle-income countries, with many of them, [9/10] failing to continuously include important aspects of study quality. Even though consultation and information sessions were less participatory, articles were most likely to describe community engagement in these types of events. The articles covered a wide range of health issues, but the majority were concerned with infectious diseases such as malaria, human immunodeficiency virus, and tuberculosis, followed by studies on the environment and broader health factors. Articles were largely under-theorized.ConclusionsDespite the lack of theoretical underpinnings for various community engagement processes, strategies and approaches, community engagement in research settings was variable. Future studies should go deeper into community engagement theory, acknowledge the power dynamics underpin community engagement, and be more practical about the extent to which communities may participate.

Aging populations challenge public libraries to adapt their materials, services and programming to maximize the wellbeing and functional capacity of older adults and enhance their social participation and security. For older adult patrons using public library spaces and services, the capacity to which the public library has been able to deliver on these qualities remains unclear. In the past, libraries and library staff have been critiqued for narrowly interpreting the needs of older adults, concentrating on aging as a loss or deficit. To understand the current state of Canadian urban public library services for older adults, publically accessible texts, documents and reports made available on five public library systems' websites were analyzed. This analysis uncovered certain gaps in adherence to key guidelines in the Canadian Library Association's Guidelines on Library and Information Services for Older Adults and revealed a lack of integration of older adults' own ideas and feedback for their programs and events. The incorporation of a critical gerontology approach throughout the analysis begins to elucidate this study's findings and calls for the questioning of current conceptualizations of older adults and the library services created for them. Public libraries are uniquely poised to engage with older adults and the addition of a critical gerontology lens in library practice and research will aid in the refocusing of resources and policies to more responsively support older adults' evolving needs.

A Review of:
 Sung, H. Y., Hepworth, M., & Ragsdell, G. (2013). Investigating essential elements of community engagement in public libraries: An exploratory qualitative study. Journal of Librarianship and Information Science 45(3), 206-218. doi: 10.1177/0961000612448205
 
 Objective – To examine characteristics of a community engagement (CE) initiative in a public library in order to identify and describe essential elements of CE and develop a model for CE in public libraries.
 
 Design – Case study.
 
 Setting – A public library in a mid-sized city in England, United Kingdom.
 
 Subjects – An unspecified number of community members, library staff, and external agency staff participating in a community news program.
 
 Methods – There were 12 semi-structured interviews conducted with library staff, community members, and participants from 12 community news agencies operating under the umbrella of a larger community news organization. The authors directly observed an unknown number of undescribed program meetings and events. They also performed document analysis on unspecified government policies, media reports, and program publications to corroborate the information gathered from their interviews and observations. 
 
 Main Results – The data were analyzed in an inductive manner using ATLAS qualitative data analysis software. Results are described in a qualitative manner and do not correspond directly to the individual methods used. The coding of data from interviews and observations (which are not analyzed separately) resulted in the identification of seven themes related to community engagement in libraries: belonging, commitment, communication, flexibility, genuineness, relevance, and sustainability.
 
 Conclusion – The “essential elements” model that was developed from this case study can be applied by other public libraries in their processes and practices, and can contribute to the creation of a more genuinely community-driven approach to service.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to Europe’s largest displacement of people since World War II, with significant substantial numbers of Ukrainian refugees seeking shelter in neighbouring countries. International research attests to the crucial roles public libraries can play in the reception and integration of refugees. However, diverse professional and geographical contexts and sociopolitical landscapes in which libraries work to support refugee reception and integration processes, necessitate ongoing and renewed focus on the topic. Therefore, this study examines how public libraries in Hungary and Poland responded to the influx of Ukrainian refugees, investigating their roles, programmes and partnerships. Using mixed methods, the study analyses previously unexamined 2018 questionnaire results and conducts 12 subsequent interviews with library staff. Findings reveal that libraries addressed a spectrum of user needs falling into three broad phases. Initially, they focussed on primary needs during the first phase, transitioning to settlement-related needs in the second phase. Variances between Poland and Hungary emerged during this phase, with Hungary primarily serving transient refugees and those with Hungarian backgrounds, while Poland saw a higher number of refugees of Ukrainian background settling. In the final phase, libraries emphasized literacy, integration and cultural support, aligning with reading and collection-oriented services. Service provision was characterized by nontraditional services in the first phase, non-collection-oriented services in the second phase and collection-oriented services in the third phase, with information provision central to all three phases. The study underscores public libraries’ role in addressing community needs, rooted in their core values of inclusivity and community engagement. However, their effectiveness hinges on inclusion in community-level efforts, awareness among new groups and securing economic and political support. Further research is warranted to explore library services to refugees globally amid increasing global migration and to understand the experiences of refugees using library services.

This article examines a community engagement process developed as part of leadership training for clinical trainees in the Oregon Leadership Education for Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LEND) Program in a complex community with diverse families who have children with disabilities. The goal is to examine the process and lessons learned for clinical trainees and their mentors from such a process. This is a case study conducted as community-engaged action research by participant-observers involved in the Cornelius community for the past 4 years. The authors include faculty members and clinical trainees of the Oregon LEND Program at the Oregon Health & Science University, families with children with disabilities in the community, and city officials. It is a critical case study in that it studied a community engagement process in one of the poorest communities in the region, with an unusually high population of children with disabilities, and in a community that is over half Latino residents. Lessons learned here can be helpful in a variety of settings. Community engagement forum, community engagement processes, a debriefing using a seven-element feasibility framework, and trainee evaluations are key elements. A community engagement forum is a meeting to which community members and stakeholders from pertinent agencies are invited. Community engagement processes used include a steering committee made up of, and guided by community members which meets on a regular basis to prioritize and carry out responses to problems. Trainee evaluations are based on a set of questions to trigger open-ended responses. Lessons learned are based on assessments of initial and long-term outcomes of the community engagement processes in which families, community members, local officials and LEND trainees and faculty participate as well as by trainee participant-observations, end of year evaluations and trainee debriefings at the time of the initial community assessment forum. The thesis that emerges is that community engagement processes can afford significant opportunities for clinicians in training to develop their leadership skills toward improving maternal and child health for minority families with children with disabilities while building capacity in families for advocacy and facilitating change in the community.

BackgroundCommunity engagement (CE) is becoming relevant in health research activities; however, models for CE in health research are limited in developing countries. The Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) conducts research to influence health policy locally and also internationally. Since its establishment in 1994 with the mandate of conducting relevant public health studies in the middle part of Ghana, KHRC has embarked on a series of clinical and operational studies involving community members. In these studies, community members have been engaged through community durbars before, during and also after all study implementations. Lessons learnt from these activities suggested the need to embark on further CE processes that could serve as a model for emerging research institutions based in African communities.MethodsInteractive community durbars, workshops, in-depth discussions, focus group discussions and radio interactions were used as the main methods in the CE process.ResultsCommunity members outlined areas of research that they perceived as being of interest to them. Though community members expressed continual interest in our traditional areas of research in communicable, maternal, neonatal and child health, they were interested in new areas such as non- communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Misconceptions about KHRC and its research activities were identified and clarified. This research provided KHRC the opportunity to improve communication guidelines with the community and these are being used in engaging the community at various stages of our research, thus improving on the design and implementation of research.ConclusionKHRC has developed a culturally appropriate CE model based on mutual understanding with community members. The experience obtained in the CE process has contributed to building CE capacity in KHRC. Other health research institutions in developing countries could consider the experiences gained.

The Mission of "Little Star":Juana Manrique de Lara's Contributions to Mexican Librarianship Phillip Jones (bio) In the wake of the Mexican Revolution and after a year studying library science in the United States, Juana Manrique de Lara returned to Mexico City to begin work as library inspector for the Federal District. The story of her life and career in public and children's library service and library education is an historical narrative of both her emerging profession and her nation. This study focuses on Manrique de Lara's formative years (1899–1925) as she acquired an education and began her life's work in the midst of Mexico's prolonged civil war and subsequent reconstruction. Foremost, this study is a tribute, intended to share what too few librarians, even in Mexico, know: Juana Manrique de Lara helped establish librarianship in Mexico and passed her enthusiasm for the profession to a generation of librarians. Every society of the West today needs a certain number of doctors, magistrates, soldiers, and librarians—to cure their citizens when sick, to administer justice to them, to defend them, and to make them read. —José Ortega y Gasset, "Misión del bibliotecario" You have no idea of the enthusiasm I had, the love I felt for my profession. Indeed, it was my life, and they paid me. —Estela Morales Campos, "Entrevista: Juana Manrique de Lara" In the summer of 1924 and in the wake of the Mexican Revolution, twenty-seven-year-old Juana Manrique de Lara returned to Mexico City fresh from a year of study at the Library School of the New York Public Library to begin work as inspectora de bibliotecas (library inspector) for the Federal District. Manrique de Lara's mission, so well articulated over the course of her nearly forty-year career, was to recognize and respond to the needs of Mexicans of all ages for reading and for public libraries. In the midst of civil war she acquired an education, forged a career, and [End Page 469] Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. Juana Manrique de Lara, first professional librarian of the Departamento de Bibliotecas. In Estela Morales Campos, Educación bibliotecológica en México, 1915–1954 (Mexico City: UNAM, 1988), 97. made lasting contributions to librarianship in her homeland. The depth and reach of Manrique de Lara's work are reflected in her professional passions, which first encompassed children's library service, expanded to public library management, and then found tandem expression in teaching library education and as a government-appointed library consultant. Remarkably, as a young professional she succeeded by both conforming to and defying bureaucratic practice to bring children's library service, public libraries, and library education to the federal government's attention in the midst of and following the Mexican Revolution. There is very little scholarship that mentions Manrique de Lara and even less that examines her life and work in any depth. Accordingly, piecing together Manrique de Lara's early life and career is a challenging task. To do so, one must draw from a limited number of articles or sections of monographs, a single interview, contemporaneous government sources, and Manrique de Lara's own writings, almost all of which are Spanish-language materials published in Mexico and found in few public, university, or research libraries across North America. The foremost scholarship on Manrique de Lara is the work of Mexican library historian Martha Alicia Añorve Guillén, whose master's thesis led to two published articles on Manrique de Lara's contributions to the federal [End Page 470] government's library programs and to children's library services during the 1920s. Her conclusion, based on close comparisons of Manrique de Lara's early articles and Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) documents, is that although no official attribution was ever made, we can infer that the SEP heard and incorporated Manrique de Lara's suggestions into its now-landmark library planning between 1920 and 1924.1 Ample, yet not abundant in number, Manrique de Lara's own writings comprise the most compelling testament to her life, work, and ideas. With the exception of children's stories...

The objectives of this article are to discuss the process of community engagement experienced to plan and implement a pilot study of a pharmacist-provided MTM intervention focused on reducing the use of medications associated with falling, and to present the research methods that emerged from the community engagement process to evaluate the feasibility, acceptance, and preliminary impact of the intervention. Key lessons learned from the community engagement process also are presented and discussed. The relationship building and planning process took twelve months. The RE-AIM framework broadly guided the planning process since an overarching goal for the community partners was developing a program that could be implemented and sustained in the future. The planning phase focused on identifying research questions that were of most interest to the community partners, the population to study, the capacity of partners to perform activities, process evaluation. Much of the planning phase was accomplished with face-to-face meetings. After all study processes, study materials, and data collection tools were developed, a focus group of older adults who represented the likely targets of the MTM intervention provided feedback related to the concept and process of the intervention. Nine key lessons were identified from the community engagement process. One key to successful community engagement is partners taking the time to educate each other about experiences, processes, and success and failures. Additionally, partners must actively listen to each other to better understand barriers and facilitators that likely will impact the planning and implementation process. Successful community engagement will be important to develop both formative and summative evaluation processes that will help to produce valid evidence about the effectiveness of pharmacists in modifying drug therapy and preventing falls as well as promote adoption and implementation of the intervention in other communities.

Political discourse: Do public libraries serve as a fertile ground?

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic skin disease endemic in at least 88 countries where it presents an urgent, albeit often “neglected” public health problem. In this paper, we discuss our model of decolonial community engagement in the ECLIPSE global health research program, which aims to improve physical and mental health outcomes for people with CL. The ECLIPSE program has four interlinked phases and underpinning each of these phases is sustained and robust community engagement and involvement that guides and informs all activities in ECLIPSE. Our decolonial approach implies that the model for community engagement will be different in Brazil, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka. Indeed, we adopt a critical anthropological approach to engaging with community members and it is precisely this approach we evaluate in this paper. The data and material we draw on were collected through qualitative research methods during community engagement activities. We established 13 Community Advisory Groups (CAGs): in Brazil (n = 4), Ethiopia (n = 6), and Sri Lanka (n = 3). We identified four overarching themes during a thematic analysis of the data set: (1) Establishing community advisory groups, (2) CAG membership and community representation, (3) Culturally appropriate and context-bespoke engagement, and (4) Relationships between researchers and community members. During our first period of ECLIPSE community engagement, we have debunked myths (for instance about communities being “disempowered”), critiqued our own practices (changing approaches in bringing together CAG members) and celebrated successes (notably fruitful online engagement during a challenging COVID-19 pandemic context). Our evaluation revealed a gap between the exemplary community engagement frameworks available in the literature and the messy, everyday reality of working in communities. In the ECLIPSE program, we have translated ideal(istic) principles espoused by such community engagement guidance into the practical realities of “doing engagement” in low-resourced communities. Our community engagement was underpinned by such ideal principles, but adapted to local sociocultural contexts, working within certain funding and regulatory constraints imposed on researchers. We conclude with a set of lessons learned and recommendations for the conduct of decolonial community engagement in global health research.

IntroductionParticipatory research involving community engagement is considered the gold standard in Indigenous health research. However, it is sometimes unclear whether and how Indigenous communities are engaged in research that impacts them, and whether and how engagement is reported. Indigenous health research varies in its degree of community engagement from minimal involvement to being community-directed and led. Research led and directed by Indigenous communities can support reconciliation and reclamation in Canada and globally, however clearer reporting and understandings of community-led research is needed. This scoping review assesses (a) how and to what extent researchers are reporting community engagement in Indigenous health research in Atlantic Canada, and (b) what recommendations exist in the literature regarding participatory and community-led research.MethodsEleven databases were searched using keywords for Indigeneity, geographic regions, health, and Indigenous communities in Atlantic Canada between 2001-June 2020. Records were independently screened by two reviewers and were included if they were: peer-reviewed; written in English; health-related; and focused on Atlantic Canada. Data were extracted using a piloted data charting form, and a descriptive and thematic analysis was performed. 211 articles were retained for inclusion.ResultsFew empirical articles reported community engagement in all aspects of the research process. Most described incorporating community engagement at the project’s onset and/or during data collection; only a few articles explicitly identified as entirely community-directed or led. Results revealed a gap in reported capacity-building for both Indigenous communities and researchers, necessary for holistic community engagement. Also revealed was the need for funding bodies, ethics boards, and peer review processes to better facilitate participatory and community-led Indigenous health research.ConclusionAs Indigenous communities continue reclaiming sovereignty over identities and territories, participatory research must involve substantive, agreed-upon involvement of Indigenous communities, with community-directed and led research as the ultimate goal.

The study examined the impact of economic recession in library and information services amongst public libraries in Lagos State. Data were collected with a self-designed questionnaire administered to forty-one (41) employees in the public libraries within Lagos State. The data were analysed with descriptive statistics such as frequency counts, percentages, mean and standard deviation while the hypotheses were analysed with Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) tested at 5% level of significance. Findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between economic recession and library services. There is a positive significant at 0.582 at 5% (p=0.00<0.05 but negative relationship at 1.72-0.523, p<0.05 for economic recession and provision of library services; this implies that economic recession has a direct and an inverse influence on the provision of library and information services. The study recommends for adequate funding, library advocacy amongst the youth in the society, sustainability of public-private partnership embarked upon by the Lagos State Government.Keywords: Economic Recession, Lagos State, Public Libraries, library Services

ObjectivesDevelopment of a Community Engagement Package composed of (1) database of community engagement (CE) experiences from different contexts, (2) CE learning package of lessons and tools presented as online modules,...

The paper discussed the re-equipping of public library systems and services in Nigeria thus providing 21st services to clients. 21st century library and information services are characterized by advancement in the use of electronic means in the accessibility, retrieval and dissemination of information. This paper was introduced by a description of the nature and purpose of the public library. The meaning of information age which is a key feature of the 21istcentury and its implications for library services were also discussed. The key features and requirements of automation and computerization of library services and how the public libraries can join their counterparts in advanced countries and other Nigerian academic libraries were looked at. Such features as acquisition and installation of computers, software selection, acquisition and installation requirements. Two surveys carried out in Nigerian public libraries were reviewed as related empirical studies used to show what the picture has been like with regards to automation and adapting to the requirements of the information era. Problems of the Nigerian public libraries in this era and the way forward for the libraries and librarians to join the trend in the new information environment with other advanced countries were discussed. Key words: Nigeria, public library, information services, problems, opportunities.

This thesis is an investigation into the community engagement relationship between Zindowe Mberengwa community and the Midlands State University, drawing on the asset-based community development theory, supported by Heifetz’s concept of adaptive leadership and Nyerere’s concept of ujamaa. The nature of the study is centred on the relationship between the university and the community, focusing on the relationships of power, asset recognition, and collaboration during the decision making process. The region selected was the Zindowe village, under Chief Nyamondo, in Mberengwa South. The purpose of the study was to examine the extent to which the engagement and relationship between the university and the community facilitates community ownership over decision-making and shared ownership of knowledge with a view to developing greater self-reliance and sustainable development in the Mberengwa community. This was a qualitative case study design, using the interpretive paradigm. The methods of data collection included documentary analysis and interviews with university staff. Community members were also interviewed using focus group discussions. Observations and a transect walk were undertaken with key participants in the community. The sample size was made up of 18 university staff members and 32 participants from the community. The total number of participants was 50. The study used the adaptive leadership, asset-based community development and ujamaa theories to analyse the findings. The findings suggest that the initial approach to the community was consultative but needs-based rather than asset-based. Nevertheless, the community gained new skills such as bee keeping and literacy. However, the university leadership did not follow the principles of adaptive leadership which emphasise ongoing dialogue and clarification of competing goals and values and collective ownership over decisions. There was a tendency for the university to own the project to the extent that the ujamaa principles of family-hood and community self-reliance were under threat during a disorganised phase of tensions where there was community withdrawal from activities. A significant, and unusual outcome of this disorganised phase was the decision by community members to take control by creating their own constitution and appointing a community coordinator to act as mediator between the university and community. This resulted in the community realising their own assets and working towards self-reliance and a more sustained and equal partnership with the university. Findings showed that there were number of challenges faced by the university and the community engagement process at the Midlands State University. These included limited communication because of a lack of community representation in the two major university committees which were responsible for the decision-making. Finally, it was evident from the findings that the university staff were overworked and they were not awarded an incentive for community engagement work which to them, came in as an extra load. There was a sense that the community’s indigenous knowledge was an asset to the university but it did not result in meaningful co-creation of knowledge that benefitted the community. The study recommended that there should be stakeholder inclusion in strategic committees between those who crafted the policies and those who were supposed to implement them; thus ensuring listening to the community voice which would then lead to a more trusting relationship and finally the successful shared ownership of the project. The study further suggested that the university should adhere to and implement policies consistently in order to minimise the tensions and misunderstandings and that the engagement process should encourage communities to realise their own assets from the outset. As a result, there is a need to have a more value driven university community engagement, which will enable critical thinking and embrace sustainable development; for example, universities should play a leading role in incubating industries within the communities by providing education and skills so that the communities can solve their own problems and build expertise on a larger scale at community level with a view to expanding their economic empowerment. Finally, the study also recommended that there is a need for the university to revisit the policy on university community engagement with particular attention to the lecturers’ teaching loads and rewards or incentives. A model is offered as a guideline for the community engagement process. In conclusion, it is important to note that the Midlands State University initiated this project in good faith with attention to the community’s needs. The phases of ‘forming’, ‘storming’ and ‘norming’ in many ways followed a normal growth process of group interaction. In spite of the challenges, the community did benefit in different ways as indicated by the women’s focus group when they said: “we are now able to pay fees for our children.” Any criticism of this project should therefore be taken in the spirit of critical inquiry with a view to improving the project.