The Role of Public Libraries in Community Building

Abstract King County in Washington State is home to two large urban library systems, King County Library (KCLS) and Seattle Public Library (SPL). KCLS and SPL are effectively building community through their library service. Professionals in the fields of library and information science, public libraries, and community development discuss these successes and the ways that public libraries can build a strong community. Five facets of community building are explored: (1) how libraries serve as a conduit to access information and to learn, (2) how libraries encourage social inclusion and equity, (3) how libraries foster civic engagement, (4) how libraries create a bridge to resources and community involvement, and (5) how libraries promote economic vitality within the community. Keywords: public librariescommunity developmentcommunity buildinglibraryaccessequitysocial inclusioncivic engagementeconomic vitality Notes 1. In addition, I occasionally reference the Kitsap Regional Library system, a neighboring urban library system that provides useful examples. 2. Other venues serving these needs include, but are not limited to, The Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, The Head Start Program, and international centers for immigrants and religious institutions. 3. Some Communist countries used public libraries to keep track of people and what they were reading. For this reason, many new immigrants associate libraries with the government trying to keep track of them.