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No longer merely repositories of books and information, libraries are increasingly hubs of civic engagement and "community living rooms"—places where people come together to discuss issues affecting their communities and the world. In the Riverside County Library System (RCLS) in California, civic reflection has been playing a part in the evolution of the 21st-century library.
In the fall of 2009, Project on Civic Reflection associate Ryan Lewis led a facilitation training for Riverside County librarians on behalf of the California Council for the Humanities. The training, led by PCR associate Ryan Lewis, prepared the librarians to participate in a new council initiative, Making a Difference (MAD), funded by the California State Library. MAD provides library staff with training in facilitating civic dialogues and with resources for offering theme-based programs. The MAD pilot launched in late 2009 and ran through June 2010. Branch librarians chose the material for discussion and developed their own public programs on civic engagement, focused on issues of community concern. For many, actually leading a program—as opposed to providing space and introducing featured speakers—was a challenging and rewarding new role. Noted one participant after the training, "My fear was a 10 (10 being sheer panic) at the beginning and now it's the opposite. I KNOW I can do this."
"From the beginning," said RCLS head administrator Mark Smith, "we recognized that this project had the potential to have a transformative effect on our staff. In particular, we hoped that our staff would develop the ability to see their libraries and themselves differently, that they would come to regard the library as a meeting place and a crossroads for the community." Evaluations of the pilot suggest that these hopes were realized. Participants identified several key outcomes, among them the expansion of existing partnerships and the development of new ones, bringing new patrons and audiences to the library, forging closer relationships with civic and political leaders, attracting new volunteers, and strengthening professional relationships with others in the Riverside County Library System. Some branch libraries offered intergenerational programming and forged new partnerships with schools. Among respondents, 100% said they had formed new partnerships, and 83% reported having deepened existing ones. In a closing debrief, pilot participants concluded that civic reflection had worked to attract and engage patrons, with the library resources and with one another.
Says California Council for the Humanities Director of Programs Vanessa Whang, "We are heartened by the results of this program and the librarians' embrace of becoming catalysts for civic dialogue. . . We plan to expand the program and are delighted to have the Project on Civic Reflection and the Riverside County Library System as partners." Added CCH's Senior Programs Manager, Felicia Kelley, "Civic reflection proved to be a wonderful addition to the professional 'tool box' of the Riverside librarians, and will be of great value as they continue to develop and practice their skills in dialogue facilitation during the next phase of the project."
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