We’re compelled, as librarians, to try and answer to all of our communities’ needs. But with growing demands and tightening budgets, it becomes increasingly challenging to stretch our capacities. Sometimes all we have to be is the connectors! Community Outreach Manager Katie Reineke will discuss ways the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library Outreach Department has leveraged successful community partnerships by connecting subject experts to their residents. She will also share clever tools EVPL Outreach has applied to continuously expand its reach with the same staff and budget for 3 years. 1 hr / 1 LEU
Date Recorded: 9/4/2025
Format: Archived YouTube Video
Presenter: Katie Reineke, Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library
Resources:
- This Google Folder contains the following documents:
- Outreach Partner Form template
- Outreach Form Questions document
- EVPL Outreach Events Calendar spreadsheet with column headings
- Community Touchpoint Map instructions
- Touchpoint Companion spreadsheet with column headings
- Learn more about Book and Cook program
Embracing the old saying “the more you know, the more you grow” holds true for Libraries, but with just a little adjusting, “the more you are known, the more you’ll grow.” Expanding outreach allows the community to know and acknowledge the Library as a thriving community service. Using this idea the Floyd County Library Director Melissa Merida will share their library’s expansion of services over the last 5 years through creating unique service locations including an art museum, a digital library branch, and a satellite library in a local college library. Their approach through a low cost commitment to deliver creative outreach points of service without a bookmobile will be highlighted and tools for successful events will be shared . “Our growth in branches, funding and services is not due to any one thing, it is due to staff being committed to dream big and finding a way to say “yes” to community events and partnerships.” Allowing people to SEE the Library in new and unique ways that has people asking for library locations in their neighborhoods. The ideas that will be shared can be duplicated or may inspire your own creativity.
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