The public library is often called on to be “all things to all people.”  As the list of “all things” continues to grow it is getting harder to deliver on this expectation.  Partnering with community can be the answer to solve this need.  Identifying the needs of community and then partnering with the correct resource can be a win-win solution for patrons and others.  There is no need to recreate the wheel and there are significant benefits involved for the library and the community partner.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Assess the community’s needs and inventory what the library can/should do
• Identify community partners
• Assemble the “ask”
• Build benefits package – to portray the message “how the partner benefits from an alignment with libraries?”

Nicolle Davies – Biography

Nicolle Davies is a library leader, speaker, and consultant.  Davies serves as the State Librarian for Colorado.  She holds both a Master’s in Public Administration and a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences.  Davies served as the Executive Director of the Charleston County Public Library in South Carolina, and the Arapahoe Library District in Colorado.  She was named Library Journal’s 2016 Librarian on the Year.  Before coming to libraries, Davies worked in broadcast journalism and public relations.  She is considered an expert in policy design, advocacy, leadership, public relations, and communications.