Gail Griffith
February 24, 2010
What is an engaged library?

aligned with community priorities
building social capital

Connection
Power
How connected are you?
What does your library have to crow about?
Words That Work
Weak Words

Good
Nice
Worthwhile
Strong Words

Critical
Essential
Vital
Words that Work:  It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
Dr. Frank Luntz, 2007

Map Your Community Connections

Where are you already strongly connected?

What other connections would benefit the library?
Process
What the library did
Results
How did the customer/community benefit?
Why should they care?
Substitute strong words for
weak ones
Avoid library jargon
Avoid 'flavor of the week'
Use words and phrases that are authentic to you
Show what you're passionate about!
In one sentence....
Strengthen the statement you came
up with earlier
strong words
Why should they care?
How does the community or the listener benefit?
What's your next opportunity
to engage your community?
Visibility
Community Engagement
Jot down ONE connection per Post-It note:
All the external boards, commissions, committees,
task forces, clubs, service groups, churches, etc. of
which you are a member.
All community groups whose events, receptions, openings, galas, fundraisers,
celebrations, etc. you have attended in the past year.
Post all your notes on the map provided.  Add more as you think of them.

It's OK to have a group represented more than once.