Working Together

Noah Lenstra is Professor of Library & Information Science in the University of North Carolina at Greensboro School of Education, USA. Jenny Bossaller is Professor in the School of Information Science & Learning Technologies at the University of Missouri–Columbia, USA. Lynn Silipigni Connaway is a researcher, educator, librarian, and former Executive Director, Research, OCLC, USA.

• Part 1. Overview of Partnerships and the Foundations of this work1. Overview of Partnerships and Public LibrarianshipPart 2. How to Partner and Build Relationships 2. Something Old, Something New: Community Problem Analysis and the Public Library Partnership Lifecycle model3. Identifying and Approaching Partners4. Identifying and Leading Coalitions and Multi-Sector Organizations5. Aligning Mission and ValuesPart 3: From Relationships to Actions: Tools for Partnering with Purpose6. Design Thinking as a Strategy to Act Together7. Acting Together: What does it look like?8. Aligning Roles and Responsibilities within the Partnership and Deciding what Type of Partnership to DevelopPart 4: Financial and Record-Keeping Aspects of Partnerships9. Documentation for Partnerships10. Don’t Be Afraid to Talk Money, or the Allocation of Resources Across OrganizationsPart 5. Analyzing Successes and Shortcomings, Sustaining Partnerships11. Evaluating and Assessing Partnerships12. Sustaining / Ending / Renewing Partnerships13. Celebrating and CommunicatingPart 6: Conclusions and a Call to Action for Librarians and their Partners 14. Conclusions and a Call to Action for Librarians and their Partners

Library community partnerships have the power to increase capacity, reduce feelings of isolation, and create stronger, connected communities. Working Together: Powerful Partnerships that Transform Libraries and Communities shows libraries and their partners exactly how to make this happen. This book skillfully interweaves decades of community research with 'Voices from the Field' that complement the academic discussion by sharing authentic experiences, challenges, and successes from practitioners. Together, the research and real-world voices offer practical models for communication, planning, and collaboration. The book aligns closely with the American Library Association’s 'Libraries Transforming Communities' initiative.By identifying the 'cracks' in the community pyramid where needs go unmet, libraries can build strategic alliances with organizations positioned to fill them. Exploring key areas such as social and health information and services, community resiliency, education, technology, workforce development, and cultural partnerships, the book demonstrates how libraries can serve as powerful community hubs. Rather than offering generic advice, Working Together provides librarians with a clear framework and real-world voices to move from isolated efforts to partnerships that genuinely transform both libraries and the communities they serve.