Community Engagement Report and Toolkit

MLA worked with CSV to produce a Community Engagement Report that underpinned the creation of the Community Libraries Programme. An accompanying Toolkit to help library services put community engagement plans together was also produced.

Community Engagement in Public Libraries: a Report on Current Practice and Future Developments

This report provides a definition of community engagement for public libraries, argues for the benefits to both the service and to communities, and makes recommendations to build the capacity of library services to work in this way.

Report (PDF 503 KB)

 Appendix A: Steering group members (PDF 11 KB)

 Appendix B: Library services involved in the project (PDF 242 KB)

 Appendix C: Background to community engagement (PDF 35 KB)

 Appendix D: How community engagement links with government policy agendas (PDF 25 KB)

Community Engagement in Public Libraries: a Toolkit for Public Library Staff

The toolkit is intended to provide an introduction to Community Engagement for library staff and managers. It offers some suggestions on how to identify what your library is already doing in this area and to build on it for the future. There are case studies from a number of library services and top tips from staff already working in this field. There is help in planning community engagement work, developing new partnerships and building staff support.

 Toolkit (PDF 599 KB)

 Appendix A: Understanding community engagement (PDF 36 KB)

 Appendix B: Case studies (PDF 355 KB)

 Appendix C: Planning community engagement (PDF 12 KB) |

 Appendix D: Further reading (PDF 28 KB)

 Appendix E: Volunteer management checklist (PDF 29 KB)

 Appendix F: Staff training guidance notes (PDF 54 KB)

 Appendix G: Ideas for community engagement projects (PDF 22 KB)