A small "public library" committee is trying to start action to that goal in Byron, MN, a rich, professional suburb of Rochester Minnesota with the Mayo Clinic. Our community started as a small 600 pop. rural farm community and has grown over the years to a bedroom community of Mayo Clinic professionals, senior citizens, and a superb flourishing elite school system. We would like to have a small library. We have received funding support of the Byron Community Foundation to develop an information sheet for distribution to Byron organizations for a later community support survey. I have read your helps and they're great, but wonder if you might have any specific info for our situation. appreciate your wonderful website.
Hi Jane,
Welcome back to the Community Tool Box and Ask an Advisor, we're here to help. Thank you for including us in your exciting new endeavor of building a small library in your community, I hope that we provide you with useful and directly applicable information that will assist you in reaching your goal. So, from what I understand you're in the beginning stages of this endeavor, having received funding from a local, community foundation to develop and distribute literature to organizations regarding an upcoming community support survey. Is that correct? Now, I must admit Jane that I'm not exactly sure what type of help you want from us, but I have some ideas and resources from the Community Tool Box about getting an initiative off the ground and eventually, books in hand (because as we all know, reading is fun-damental). Sorry about that, anyway I think that you're definitely thinking clearly about what needs to be done and you're off to a great start by providing information about the library initiative to potentially key players and stakeholders and then gathering information to gauge community support - you've just got to love data (at least I do). Well, the good news is that your community foundation already knows about the library initiative and by giving you funding, regardless the amount, it is showing that it is supportive. Hopefully, based on this initial support more funding will be forthcoming down the road. Keeping them apprised of how you're spending their money and providing them with information about your efforts on a regular basis is what it's all about in cultivating and maintaining good working relationships with funders - communication is the operative word. That said, as you are so keenly aware, there is so much more to think about than building a building and populating it with various and sundry volumes. I would be remiss in my duties if I did not provide a comprehensive list of areas to think about moving forward. Within these 7 areas there are specific types of actions that need to be seriously considered if you are to get the library initiative off the ground: 1) an assessment of community needs and resources (which you’re already doing – yay), getting the library initiative on the public agenda, and choosing relevant strategies to do so; 2) communicating in such a way that it promotes interest and encourages involvement in the library initiative; 3) developing a strategic plan and organizational structure (you already have a committee which is a good start); 4) designing and adapting the library for different cultures and communities; 5) engaging in direct action campaigns, media advocacy, and responding to opposition (I know, who can argue against a library, but be prepared nonetheless; 6) being able to write grants, prepare an annual budget, and plan for financial sustainability (you can’t rely on the community foundation forever); and 7) conducting a social marketing effort that promotes awareness, interest, and planning for the long-term sustainability of the library. Now I want to share with you a number of resources from the Community Tool Box that will help you address each area I mentioned. If you go to the Community Tool Box home page you'll see "Learn a Skill (how-to information)" in the upper left corner. Click it on, then click on Table of Contents. I am going to list the 7 sections I think will be most relevant to you including related chapters and associated toolkits. Before I do, let me say there is a lot of great information in the CTB that was provided by some of the best minds in community development so you can trust the content. Okay, here we go:
Community Assessment: Information about how to assess community needs and resources, get issues on the public agenda, and choose relevant strategies (Chapter 3. Assessing Community Needs and Resources and Chapter 4. Getting Issues on the Public Agenda, and toolkit 2. Assessing Community Needs and Resources).
Communications to Promote Interest and Participation: Communications that promote interest and encourage involvement (Chapter 6. Communications to Promote Interest and Chapter 7. Encouraging Involvement in Community Work and toolkit 1. Creating and Maintaining Partnerships).
Developing a Strategic Plan and Organizational Structure: Information about developing a strategic plan and organizational structure, recruiting and training staff and volunteers, and providing technical assistance (Chapter 8. Developing a Strategic Plan, Chapter 9. Developing an Organizational Structure for the Initiative and Chapter 11. Recruiting and Training Volunteers, and toolkits 5. Developing Strategic and Action Plans and 15. Improving Organizational Management and Development).
Analyzing Community Problems and Designing and Adapting Community Interventions: Information about analyzing community problems to design, choose, and adapt interventions for different cultures and communities (Chapter 17. Analyzing Community Problems and Solutions and Chapter 18. Deciding Where to Start, and toolkits 3. Analyzing Problems and Goals and 7. Developing an Intervention).
Organizing for Effective Advocacy: Information on advocacy principles, advocacy research, providing education, direct action campaigns, media advocacy, and responding to opposition (Chapter 30. Principles of Advocacy, Chapter 32. Providing Encouragement and Education, Chapter 33. Conducting a Direct Action Campaign, Chapter 34. Media Advocacy, and Chapter 35. Responding to Counterattacks, and toolkit 10. Advocating for Change).
Generating, Managing, and Sustaining Financial Resources: Information on writing grants, preparing an annual budget, and planning for financial sustainability (Chapter 42. Getting Grants and Financial Resources, Chapter 43. Managing Finances and Chapter 44. Investing in Community Resources, and toolkit 14. Writing a Grant Application for Funding).
Social Marketing and Sustainability of the Initiative: Information on conducting a social marketing effort (promoting awareness, interest, and behavior change), and planning for long-term sustainability (Chapter 45. Social Marketing of Successful Components of the Initiative and Chapter 46. Planning for Sustainability, and toolkits 13. Implementing a Social Marketing Effort and 16. Sustaining the Work or Initiative.
Admittedly Jane, this is a lot of information, but I wanted to take a comprehensive approach so that everything I think you need is provided. Soooooo, with that I bid you best of success through thoughtful and careful planning, organization, and focused efforts. Again, thank you for taking the time to visit with Ask an Advisor. If you have any other questions or need more specific advice please don't hesitate to be in touch, that's what we're here for and we want to help. Remember, you're not alone! Best to you.
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