Libraries as a Community Anchor

This project combines economic and community development with the reinvention of the library as an engine of both. 

SUMMARY

The goal of this project is to produce and test a reliable model for civic and economic community development with the library at its hub. This model will be reliable, flexible and scalable. It will comprise a set of common features that all communities require in the 21st century, and provide design principles and processes that allows each community to build out the model according to its unique interests and needs.

About

This project combines economic and community development with the reinvention of the library as an engine of both. For two years, Maverick and Boutique has led a process to bring this project into reality across urban NJ, partnering with the State Libraries, LibraryLinkNJ and other key stakeholders. The project is now ready for implementation.

We begin with an asset- and opportunity-based approach. We believe that many solutions reside—albeit frequently hidden—within communities themselves.  We believe that engaging citizens in envisioning, designing and being part of the solutions to their challenges, rather than merely being recipients of outside problem solving, begins a process of powerful forward momentum toward building capacity for sustainable well-being.

With regional stakeholders on board, this project is currently awaiting resources to begin its in-depth local planning process in multiple locations. There are two core ways to support this work: talk to us about resources that could provide for the planning and piloting of this project in one place or across multiple locations; partner with us to bring this to more places or develop and connect the project.

Partners: Maverick and Boutique, the NJ State Library, Library Link NJ and the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association, etc.