Serving Communities: Inclusion-centered leadership practices that engage the community in actionable science
Serving Communities Framework and Curriculum
Adults can address a range of pressing issues when and if they have the ability to access and understand scientific information that is meaningful to them, their families, and communities. This includes health concerns such as the COVID-19 pandemic, lead in drinking water, food insecurity, and environmental impacts including climate change and energy security. These are all issues that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, underserved populations (Grusky, et al 2017; Chetty et al 2019). Library directors, and their staff, often find themselves with opportunities and even clear calls to action to support the community in accessing information resources related to these types of science-related topics. In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), now classifies public libraries as essential community institutions (ALA 2011).
About the Serving Communities Framework and Curriculum
The Serving Communities Framework and self-paced curriculum was co-developed by Cornerstones of Science, representatives from over 20 public, county, and state libraries, as well as over 30 team members and advisors from academic institutions and applied research fields, and practicing experts in library information and informal science. It is premised on the idea that, if library directors and managements have inclusion-centered leadership skills, attitudes, and practices, they are better able to partner with underserved communities around actionable science and provide the services needed to support the community’s ability to respond and build resilience. The creation of the curriculum was funded by a grant (RE-250085-OLS-21) from the Institute of Museum and Library Services
Learning objectives
The Serving Communities Framework and Curriculum will provide library directors with:
- greater knowledge of the communities that are not being served (and how the director’s operational decision-making, like budget and resource allocations may be related to this);
- greater knowledge and skills of how to position you and your library to be more inclusion-centered;
- improved communication skills and habits to better articulate and know how to engage underserved communities; and
- greater understanding of the role that actionable science plays in community issues that impact underserved groups in the community you serve. Inclusion-centered skills will also improve empathy, self-efficacy, and confidence in community engagement with underserved partners.
What do library directors think?
Library directors who tested the Framework and Curriculum shared their thoughts and experiences:
“Serving Communities Framework and Curriculum helped me focus on a path that serves the community best, [to improve services] to portions of the community that I am not already serving, that we could really expand our service and really incorporate services to underserved communities and people.”
“The Serving Communities Framework is a self-assessment tool. You are able to determine where you are and chart a path form personal improvements.”
“Get ready to get uncomfortable. Get ready to look at a different point of view, a different perspective. Get ready to think differently.”
“It is often said, that libraries operate in financial, space and staff constraints and therefore can only do so much. The real question is, even within those constraints, ‘How can I re-prioritize my operational decision-making using those same resources, to attain a new level of equity, inclusion and access to actionable science programs and services?’ ”
“The Framework has been useful to gauge where I am at with my community.”
“Once a week, I would take the lessons learned and inform the staff on the information and then delegate who needed to be responsible for the integration into our operations. For instance, I have given a copy of the Framework to our programming and services group who now is reviewing all programs for intentionality and ability to reach vulnerable groups in our community. I handed the Glossary to our Marketing and Communications group.”
Get started
The Serving Communities Framework and Curriculum are freely available through Cornerstones of Science. As you explore the resources, remember that they are self-paced tools and you can focus on the parts and sections that are most relevant to you, your library, and your community.
References
ALA (2011). ALA commends Sen. Reed for efforts to ensure FEMA provisions includes libraries as temporary relaction facilities. Accessed October 2024. https://www.ala.org/news/2011/01/ala-commends-sen-reed-efforts-ensure-fema-provision-includes-libraries-temporary
Grusky, David, Varner, C., and Mattingly, M. (2017). “State of the Union: The Poverty and Inequality Report.” Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality. Special Issue, Pathways Magazine. Accessed October 2024. https://inequality.stanford.edu/publications/pathway/state-union-2017 .
Framework and curriculum
Explore the Serving Communites Framework and the five self-guided modules to learn more inclusion-centered leadership.