Community engagement is a common component of successful public library programs worldwide. This is because library user needs are most adequately addressed through a dynamic approach, which involves ongoing feedback and input from the groups being served and incorporates this into policy, administration and most crucially, services and programming.
John Pateman and Ken Williment do a great job of creating a blueprint for the community-led public library, which blossoms from this concept of community engagement. The book is well organized for use in conceptual study, as well as provides easy-to-follow successive steps for practical implementation. The chapters begin by describing the process of initial engagement of the community and move through the processes of assessing user needs, strategizing outreach efforts, and preparing and training staff, both in technical - as well as in social skills.
In addition to the social focus, this guidebook addresses institutional requirements, such as potential restructuring projects and evaluating the community-led services. The authors address how community input can drive the different facets of public library services, including collection development, information ethics with respect to ICT access and censorship, and even library administration decision making to support specialized programming. The only missing piece in this model is that the library staff working on the front lines, such as outreach and service staff and community development librarians are not engaged as stakeholders in the development process for library services, but merely as instruments.
Overall, this is a wonderful presentation of a thoroughly developed evidence-based model for community-led public library services. The information found in this book could be used by stakeholders at all levels locally and internationally, including policy makers, library authorities, researchers, library schools and professional organizations, who are looking for an approach to address the gaps in their local public library services. It is an inspiration to research and action and definitely a recommended addition for the traditional professional library as well as for the specialized library for community advocacy.
