The document discusses community engagement and partnerships for libraries. It defines community engagement as building relationships with community members to work together towards improving the community. Partnerships are collaborative relationships between organizations to achieve shared goals through dividing labor. The presentation provides tips for trustees on listening to community needs, focusing on quality over quantity of partnerships, and expanding networking roles. It also offers strategies for intentional planning, turning outward to engage the community, developing strategic community connections, and using social media to build relationships. The keys to successful partnerships are setting clear expectations, maintaining trust, having a shared mission, and evaluating outcomes. A memorandum of understanding can outline the goals, commitments, responsibilities, and decision-making process of a partnership.

1. Community Building and
Engagement:
Partnerships at Work
NHLTA Conference
May 23, 2016
Presented by Deb Hoadley

2. Definitions
 Community engagement process of
building relationships with community
members who will work side-by-side
with you as an ongoing partner with
the end goal of making the community
a better place to live.
 Partnership is a collaborative
relationship between entities to work
toward shared objectives through a
mutually agreed division of labor.

3. Culture & Philosophy
 Beyond outreach
 Inclusive
 Failure is okay
 Support & training
 Not one and done
 Time
Trustee Tip:
People are the
assets, not the
books.

4. Listen & Learn
Think about what
you can offer
◦ Connections &
relationships
◦ Space
◦ Staff
◦ Volunteers
◦ Skills
◦ Collections
◦ Programming
◦ Services
◦ Marketing &
promotion

5. Intentional Planning
 Don’t just fill a need
 Use data
 Library mission
 Say yes with possibility and within
reason
 Look for unique resources & skills
Trustee Tip:
Do a few things
excellent; not all
things just okay.

6. Turn Outward
 Create conversations
◦ What is working?
◦ What is possible?
◦ What shall we do to achieve it?
 Training needed
◦ Facilitation
◦ Interviewing
◦ Networking
Trustee Tip:
Everyone should be
having these
conversations – not just
the director. Trustees,
Friends, staff, and other
stakeholders.

7. Strategic Connections
 Review library plan
 Establish partnerships that enhance
library’s capacity, impact & ability
 Participate in community discussions
 Engage with experts
 Support innovation

8. Networking
 Bridge & connector
 Not a sales pitch (again?)
 Build relationships
 Open & willing
 Captive audience
 Collect business cards
 Follow-up
Trustee Tip:
Expand your role to
include networking.
Support this throughout
all levels of the staff.

9. Social Media – Use it!
 LinkedIn – business audience
 Twitter – short message for library to
engage
 Facebook – builds relationships

10. Partnership Plan
Parts of the Plan
 Define need
 Start process
 Maintain
partnership
 Evaluate
Barriers
 One dominates
 No clear purpose
 Lack of
communication
 Hidden agenda
 No evaluation
system
 Resources needed
outweigh the
benefits
Trustee Tip:
Not every partnership
will work. Accept
failure and move on.

11. Keys for Success
 Set expectations
◦ Who is leading?
◦ What are the roles and responsibilities
 Recognize & allow differences
 Clear purpose & shared mission
 Commitment from administration
 Develop & maintain trust
 Focus on process & outcomes, not
structure & inputs
 Evaluate & measure

12. Memorandum of
Understanding
 Background and description of the partnership
 Goals of the partnership
 Commitments and guiding principles
 Partnership opportunities
 Process
 Responsibilities and accountabilities of both parties
 Responsibilities and accountabilities of (Library)
 Responsibilities and accountabilities of (Organization)
 Decision-making

13. Resources
(Click on title to open link in browser)
1. ALA Transforming Libraries with
Turning Outward from the Harwood
Institute
2. Turning Outward Quiz
3. The Aspen Institute Dialogue for Public
Libraries
4. Aspen Institute – Action Guide
5. Partnerships: Frameworks for Working
Together
6. Sample 1: Memorandum of
Understanding
7. Sample 2: MOU

14. Questions & Comments
Success stories?
Challenges?
Questions?
Contact Info:
Deb Hoadley, Hoadley Consulting
debhoadley@hoadleyconsulting.com