Community Engagement
Roundtables(CERs)
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To fill the research gap on library-community partnerships during emergencies, the project utilized a web-based Illinois case study survey (Year One) to uncover initial findings related to library-community partnerships, and two Community Engagement Roundtable (CERs) (Year Two) discussions to discuss survey results, recommendations for partnerships, and to raise the conversations to the national level.
Click on the links below to view findings from each of the activities.
Illinois Libraries Survey
Year One activities focused on a case study survey of Illinois multi-type libraries to uncover initial findings related to library-community partnerships during community-wide emergencies.
The executive summary report combines key information from the three documents below. Click on the link above to view or download the executive summary.
Project team member Jessie Chin and iSchool graduate student Yuefan Zhou conducted a textual data analysis of the survey responses. It generated summarized conclusions for each of the survey’s three areas: emergencies, scope and nature of partnership, and role of libraries in partnership. Click on the link above to view or download the textual data analysis report.
Project team members Lian Ruan, Kelda Habing, and Chenglin Mao created data visualizations of the survey responses in each of the survey’s areas using pie charts, bar graphs, tables, and other methods. Click on the link above to view or download the survey data visualizations.
On July 29 and 30, the Libraries as Partners project team members Jessie Chin, Sharon Comstock, and Karen Brown gave a survey findings summary presentation to the project’s state and national advisors. The presentation covered important survey findings, key takeaways from the findings, and areas of inquiry that need to be other addressed in the project’s Year Two Community Engagement Roundtables and future research. Click on the link above to view or download the presentation slides.
Community Engagement Roundtables (CERs)
Following completion of the survey, two two-day Communtiy Engagement Roundtable discussions were prepared to build on the survey findings and bring the conversation to the national level. The roundtables brought together staff from multiple types of libraries and representatives from community emergency response agencies to discuss library emergency partnerships. Discussions especially focused on participants’ responses to the Illinois survey findings, gaps in and challenges to library partnerships, and strategies for successful library partnerships. One roundtable occurred in February 2025 and one in March 2025 with both events covering the same topics to reach as many participants as possible.
The project’s CER facilitator, Dr. Karen Brown, provided a report which combined the common themes and major findings from both roundtables. Click on the link above to view or download the report.
On March 28, 2025, Dr. Karen Brown gave a CER findings summary presentation to the project’s state and national advisors. Click on the link above to view or download the presentation slides.
Project White Paper
Coming Soon!
Click on the link above to view or download the CER 1 schedule of activities, Lian Ruan’s introductory presentation from Day 1, and facilitator Dr. Karen Brown’s slides from both days of CER 1.
Click on the link above to view or download the CER 2 schedule of activities, Lian Ruan’s introductory presentation from Day 1, and facilitator Dr. Karen Brown’s slides from both days of CER 2. Several CER 2 panelists also provided slides which are included in the CER 2 documents.
