Community Outreach

From petting zoos to field trips, these initiatives forge strong ties with communities.

The hallmark of community schools is free wrap-around services, and more federal funding for community schools means more accessible assistance for those in need.

Inspired by books, Georgia students and school librarians take action to promote empathy, inclusion, and community engagement in this new initiative from Cicely Lewis.  

Well-organized literacy programs help kids in detention access and talk about books. 

In schools big and small, programs and partnerships with community members benefit everyone. Here's what some librarians are doing.

Nearly all librarians, school and public, consider EDI/DEI in collection development, according to SLJ's recent survey. Leadership however, drew criticism for paying lip service to these efforts or, in some cases, bending to patron pressure, without real support for diversity, equity, or inclusion. 

 Meet kids where they are—on the red-hot video-sharing app.

As the country continues to deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, there is a growing need for volunteers across many sectors. The following roundup of ideas and resources, including online volunteer databases where you can search by activity and location, will help you get started.

Libraries' initiatives range from loosely structured book clubs and virtual places to talk to meeting children’s fundamental needs: providing Wi-Fi and reading material.