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The Role of Small Public Libraries in Community Economic Development Norman Walzer and John Gruidl Rural communities in Illinois struggled through the 1980s as they lost population and economic base. Employment declines and loss of retail businesses forced many young families to migrate to larger metro centers for better economic opportunities. The end result is that small towns became bedroom communities for larger centers or, in some instances, lost most of their economic viability. While not all small rural communities were affected to the same extent, they also did not respond in the same ways to the economic difficulties. Some communities adopted a passive policy toward the economic restructuring, accepting the adverse economic consequences. Others mounted an aggressive campaign to revitalize the local economy through a variety of public and private strategies. Common to most rural communities is a loss of professional resources and talent, the very traits needed to formulate the implement effective strategies. Successful communities build on local resources and formulate action plans based on local assets. One local asset that typically is not fully used is the local public library. The library is often the best equipped institution in the community to assist in revitalizing the local economy and in preparing a community to assume a more productive role in the new information-based economy. In 1994, the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University, in cooperation with the Illinois State Library, undertook a program to prepare librarians for a new role in local economic development. This program involved a series of workshops at which librarians learned to become more actively involved in economic development efforts. This article describes the activities involved in the "Preparing Librarians for a New Role in Local Economic Development" project and the resulting initiatives started by public librarians. We also examine the successes from these efforts and the attitudes of librarians toward continuing these activities in the future, based on a mail survey of librarians in Illinois. Program Description In 1991, Secretary of State George H. Ryan established a Library Panel to hold public hearings and determine the needs for library services across Illinois. During the hearings, it became apparent that the role of librarians, especially in rural communities, could include more active participation in local community development efforts. Libraries represent a potentially untapped resource in many communities, and libraries often contain information that could be used by local businesses in daily operations, if business leaders were more familiar with library holdings. At the same time, some libraries do not enjoy the local support that might be available if they were more integrated into overall community efforts. The Preparing Local Librarians for a New Role in Economic Development project had three main components. First, training seminars were provided at locations throughout Illinois at which participating librarians learned about economic development practices and the roles they might play in the process. The seminars were hosted by the Alliance, Lewis and Clark, and River Bend Library Systems and were held in late 1994 and early 1995. Presenters included librarians actively engaged in local economic development efforts, economic development/planning practitioners and library systems staff. Librarians from more than 90 libraries statewide participated in the workshops. The second component included project staff visiting participating librarians at their sites to assist in implementing community development events. These visits were held at regional locations, usually in a Library System office, so that participants could work together on projects and leam from each other. In total, 10 site visits were made in fall 1994. A set of eight guidebooks were published providing step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish an activity, such as 50 "Establishing Community Connections" and "Developing a Community Fact Sheet." The third component of the project was a satellite teleconference and a videotape. A satellite teleconference was presented in October 1994 to inform library trustees and other personnel about roles that libraries could play in community development efforts. The program also described successful projects in Illinois and other states and provided an introduction for others who might be interested in the future. A 15-minute videotape provides a brief introduction for their trustees, local economic development groups and other community members. Economic Development Activities of Libraries The following examples of economic development activities are from libraries that participated in the project. These profiles illustrate possibilities available and are neither comprehensive nor reflective of all libraries. Geneseo The library became a member of the local chamber of commerce and gradually expanded its cooperative efforts with the chamber. The library director and a library trustee attend chamber meetings and functions. The chamber newsletter also lists items regarding library services or materials. The library has hosted a "before hours" meeting of the chamber, enabling the library to showcase equipment and materials of interest to the business community. The library director and chamber director then created a "wish list" of business materials. Since the library service hours are more extensive than those of the chamber office, the library serves as a "branch depository" of the chamber, and business materials housed at the chamber were relocated to the library. Community information on services and tourism also is featured at the library. The chamber makes information packets available at the library for potential new businesses seeking information on Geneseo. The library director chairs the hospitality center program for Geneseo's annual Victorian Walk, the town's largest community event that brings thousands of visitors to the community. The Geneseo Economic Development Group invited both the library director and a library trustee to serve on a committee for future planning and goal setting. Requests for information from the Economic Development Database and Access Illinois are filled quickly and easily, often while the patron is waiting. Members of the business community are more aware of the library as a resource, as demonstrated by the increased volume of phone requests for information. Mt. Morris The library director participated in the community's strategic planning for community development, "Mapping the Future of Mt. Morris." As a result of that program, an economic development organization, Build Mt. Morris, Inc., was formed. The steering committee of the organization approached the library board and inquired whether the library building could serve as headquarters for Build Mt. Morris, Inc. The library board agreed to allow the organization to share the library's address and phone number, use the photocopy machine and use library staff to take messages and provide information to the public. The library director continues to pursue an active relationship with Build Mt. Morris, Inc. and reports favorable results from these efforts. Initially, some surprise was sensed from business people that the library was involved in economic development issues. That attitude has changed as the library gains more respect for serving all segments of the community, including businesses. The library director now serves on the board of directors of Build Mt. Morris, Inc. and was elected as an officer. She spearheads several projects, including grant-writing, developing a community profile and database, and compiling a list of community resources. Furthermore, she built a collection of basic business materials in the library. A survey of local businesses is being used to determine resources needed in the library and which resources are available from local businesses. Finally, from these activities, the library director reports having a better vision of how the library fits into economic development in Mt. Morris. Murphysboro The library director serves on the chamber of commerce's business development committee and the tourism committee. She assisted in the community's involvement in strategic planning and served on the steering committee for Mapping the Future of Murphysboro. The library director developed a brochure listing materials, including video and audio tapes, targeted to the business community. She is expanding her business collection to serve the antique shops now opening in the community. Olney With the Small Business Development Center and the Chamber of Commerce, the library co-sponsored a "Business After Hours" program to demonstrate 51 library resources and SBDC services for local businesses. The library's strong rapport with the business community is demonstrated by business donations of materials and dollars to the library. Attitudes About Community Development Public librarians throughout Illinois were surveyed regarding community development projects underway and activities being planned. A majority of the librarians responding to the survey were from relatively small library districts (49.7 percent) with an average service area of 10,425 residents. While many had only one or two full-time employees, some had five or more full-time and part-time librarians. This was especially true in libraries, which serve 10,000 or more residents and the average number of full-time employees was 14, based on 45 libraries responding. However, the more common situation is smaller libraries (less than 10,000 residents) with one or two full-time employees and/or two or three part-time staff. Most small public libraries in rural areas have relatively few resources with which to work. The average annual budget reported in libraries serving fewer than 2,500 residents, for instance, was $32,484 and $116,007 in libraries serving between 2,500 and 9,999 residents. Some funding is raised through property taxes, but other funding is obtained from the Illinois State Library through Per Capita Grants. In other instances, local contributions from businesses and agencies are tapped to support library activities. Business Support: Libraries traditionally serve diverse clienteles. For youth, the annual Summer Reading Program is very popular. For adults, providing access to newspapers and recreational reading is also an important function of many libraries. Many libraries now see business needs as more important as requests for up-to-date information grow. The needs will probably increase in the future. Among the smallest libraries responding to the survey, only 3.3 percent reported designating a certain percentage (15%) of the budget to business materials. In the largest libraries, 10.9 percent of the sample reported that 9.3 percent of the budget is set aside for business materials. The most substantial differences are found, however, in answers about changes in the budget allocated to business materials. Among the smallest libraries, 19.6 percent reported increases in budget allocations for business materials in the past two years. This figure was 48.9 percent among the largest libraries. A greater response to business needs from larger libraries can be expected for several reasons. First, business needs are probably greater in larger communities because of the complexity of business ventures. Second, large businesses have more specialists who recognize the value of library resources and may have more time to collect and use information before making decisions. Third, large libraries have more resources to devote to specialized collections and, for this reason, can serve businesses better with information resources and educational programs. For instance, the largest libraries, as a group, reported an average of 134,991 volumes, compared with an average of 25,800 in the smallest libraries. Being small does not prevent public libraries from serving businesses well. For example, access to a FAX machine or computer can be helpful to the success of a small business, and the library may have these facilities. Having a professional to discuss and help plan a search strategy for either an online search or interlibrary loan can be important. Providing Internet address access will be even more important in the future when local librarians are able to find key information needed by businesses. None of these important services appear in the acquisitions or circulation statistics for the library. The fact that libraries are open after many other public offices are closed is helpful in marketing a community to prospective investors visiting the community. The friendliness and enthusiasm of the staff for their community are not measured in quantity terms, but have been known to influence business relocation decisions. Reasons for Non-support: For many reasons, some public libraries do not actively support local community development efforts. The most commonly cited reason for not participating in local development efforts is that the library was not asked (21.3 percent). This emphasizes the fact that businesses do not yet think of the library as a source of information for business activities. Fortunately, librarians can remedy this situation easily by becoming actively involved in local initiatives and marketing library services better. The second most often reported (18.1 percent) reason for non-involvement is that no organized local economic development efforts are currently underway in the community. This is a common problem in rural communities where a professional staff is not available to provide these services. In an earlier study of small towns in Illinois, only 21.1 percent had a strategic plan. 1Fortunately, many librarians are familiar with planning techniques and can help local leaders on strategic planning projects. Librarians (16.5 percent) also reported neither the time nor the funds to actively participate in community development activities. Two of the most encourag- 52 ing responses, however, are that librarians were not prevented from participating because the board did not see it as a library responsibility or that the library director and staff do not have appropriate skills. Rather, the main reasons for non-involvement, except lack of time and funds, involve conditions that could be corrected with reasonable effort.
Librarians who have engaged in local community development efforts were asked which community development efforts they had undertaken in the past two years (1993-1995). The most common (47.3 percent) community development activity reported was making presentations about library services to business groups or social organizations (Table 1). This activity was reported less often by the smallest libraries, probably because of the limited number of such organizations in small communities. Second most important (44.1 percent) was inviting groups or committees to hold meetings in the library. This effort is useful because it introduces local groups to library services and the library becomes a neutral location for heated discussions about economic development. These low-cost meetings can open doors to more community involvement for the library. A third common community development effort by librarians is to attend meetings of economic development groups (34.6 percent) or the chamber of commerce (31.9 percent). While a reasonable number of libraries reported this activity, a much smaller number (2.7 percent) reported actually joining the chamber. This is an area which librarians could expand. Making a presentation or attending a meeting is one thing; actively getting involved and serving on committees is another. The latter is what builds local support for the Table 1. Economic Development Activities
53 library and ultimately makes the library a stronger member of the community. Libraries (25.2 percent) also reported promoting services such as FAX and Internet to businesses as an economic development strategy. These services are certainly important and things which many libraries can do. However, these services are limited mainly to specific businesses that need them. Providing an Internet training or awareness session, presented by library staff, could supplement these activities and increase their use. Approximately one library in five (20.2 percent) reported collecting and providing information to support economic development activities. This relatively low percentage may occur because libraries are not contacted for such information. Nevertheless, many libraries have access to Census information or, even better, have access to state or university agencies possessing this information. Several training programs were provided to acquaint librarians with the electronically accessible Economic Development and Planning Database provided by the Community Research Services at Illinois State University and the Rural Economic Technical Assistance Center at Western Illinois University. This database is a major source of information on a variety of issues important to businesses and public officials, and it is free to libraries. Call Lucinda Beier, (309/438-7771) for information about this database. Libraries also participate in ongoing community-wide events, such as festivals and shows. This involvement takes many forms, but libraries of all sizes reported high activity with an average of 78.5 percent reporting. Some libraries provide special programming for children to support festival themes. Other libraries are more directly involved in providing support activities, such as seminars at local Chamber of Commerce Trade Expos. During the past three years, overall library involvement in economic development efforts has increased, especially in large libraries. Statewide, 46.9 percent of the libraries reported substantial, or slight, increases in economic development efforts. The range of responses was from 38 percent in the smallest libraries to 56.5 percent in the largest libraries. This is an encouraging sign given the importance of local initiative, especially in rural communities. No libraries reported reducing their involvement in community development efforts. While libraries are involved in community development efforts, it is equally clear that these efforts represent only a relatively small proportion of a librarian's time. What the appropriate, or desired, involvement should be is unknown, but 90.2 percent of the librarians in the state reported spending less than 10 percent of their time on these efforts. Given that community and economic development are not primary responsibilities of librarians, these figures may be appropriate.The largest libraries (those serving populations of 10,000 or more) reported spending an average of 17.4 percent of their time on these activities, a significant difference from those smaller than 10,000 where figures in the three-to-four-percent range were reported. Also encouraging for community development efforts is that libraries reported the amount of time devoted to these activities has increased in the past three years. Statewide, 34.2 percent of responding librarians reported this trend, with the proportion increasing with library size. Only 26.3 percent of the smallest libraries reported increases, compared with 44.7 percent of those serving 10,000 or more. I reference to an earlier discussion, the explanation may be that librarians are asked to participate more and are more interested in becoming involved in these efforts as communities become better organized and focused. Larger staff and budgets provide more specialized personnel with the time to become more involved. When asked about the main obstacle to greater library involvement in community development efforts, librarians (42.6 percent) reported inadequate library budgets to build a business collection. This response was common to all size groups but was highest in middle size libraries. As noted earlier, lack of organized community development efforts was a major factor reported by 23.6 percent of the libraries, but, as one might expect, this response is most common from the very smallest libraries. Lack of interest in library resources by community development organizations was reported by 17.3 percent. The message may be that public librarians could get community economic development organizations underway, especially when public librarians have suitable organizational skills. Finally, we asked whether library involvement in community economic development efforts should increase, remain the same or decrease in the future. Overwhelmingly, 73.3 percent of responding librarians reported that the library should be more involved. This view was expressed relatively more by respondents in larger libraries, but even in the smallest libraries 67.2 percent reported in this way. No librarian reported that a lesser involvement was desired in the future. Based on these responses, the future looks good for more active participation in community development efforts. 54 Summary Business and community leaders sometimes think that the local library is there solely to lend novels to adults or lead reading groups for children. While these activities are important, libraries are identifying businesses and local development organizations as valuable clients and vital sources of support. The information age is a new era in which ties between libraries and successful businesses must be strengthened. Making libraries part of a broad support system for community economic development is a relatively recent innovation and one which must expand quickly if communities and libraries are to prosper in the information age. During 1994 and 1995, the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, in cooperation with the Illinois State Library and library systems, conducted a project to provide practical ways for librarians to support economic development efforts in their communities. The overall aim of this project was to help librarians more effectively use information resources to assist the start-up and expansion of local businesses and to support local economic development projects.
Project activities included workshops, a teleconference and set of guidebooks to help libraries participate in local community development efforts more effectively. More than 90 local librarians attended the community economic development workshops held at several locations. The workshops assisted librarians in formulating plans for outreach programs with local businesses, learn fundamentals of community economic development, and broaden the library's services through the electronic Economic Development and Planning Database. Librarians are important to local development efforts. Examples of activities by libraries in Geneseo, Mt. Morris and other communities were provided in this article. Although there is much more that can be done, these examples represent the success that libraries can have. Furthermore, the relationship with the business community will bear fruit for the library. Budget requests will be treated with more dignity and donations to the library from the business sector will increase. Respect for the library will grow in the community. Finally, this article summarizes findings from a survey of librarians regarding their community development efforts. Although librarians report that they spend relatively little time on community development efforts, this time is increasing. Many librarians indicate that they would like to be more involved in this area. It is important for local librarians to find technical support and encouragement from other librarians and outside agencies for them to meet the challenge of community development. Footnote 1. Norman Walzer and Shawnelle M. Kapper, Issues and Concerns of Small City Officials in Illinois (Macomb, IL; Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, 1989), Table 9. The authors especially thank Carolyn Lawrence and Elizabeth Rogers, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs; Brent Crossland, Illinois State Library; and the staff of the library systems who participated in the project. Special thanks to Karen Stott, Alliance Library System, and Sharon Ruda, DuPage Library System, for comments on an earlier draft. Support for the project was provided by the Illinois State Library, Office of the Secretary of State, with Library Services & Construction Act funds. Any views expressed in this article belong solely to the authors. *Norman Walzer, Director, and ]ohn Gruidl, Associate Professor, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs, Western Illinois University. 55 How Librarians Can Become Involved in Community Development 1. Define the mission of the library. What is the library's role in community economic development? What support is the library board willing to make to engage the library in community development? The answers to these questions will largely determine the extent to which the public library can be involved in community development efforts. 2. Review available state and regional resources for community development. The Illinois Economic Resource Directory can be obtained from the Rural Economic Technical Assistance Center, Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (800-526-9943). The Rural Development Resource Guide is available from the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (217-782-7500). 3. Contact local decision-makers and support agencies. Visit with community leaders, including the mayor, city council members. Chamber of Commerce director and local development organization members to obtain a clear overview of economic development efforts. Find out what economic development projects are underway and determine what information is needed. 4. Attend meetings of the economic development agencies such as the local Chamber of Commerce. The library should join these organizations, if possible, but at least express an interest in becoming involved with their efforts. Be prepared to spend at least 10 percent of your time in activities outside the library building. Find out whether the community has developed a strategic plan for community economic development. Search for a niche that the library might fill in implementing community projects.
5. Explore ways of working with your economic development groups. Each group differs in goals, objectives and projects. In some instances library involvement may not be important, but in others it can save much time and effort in assembling information. Contact state and regional organizations for assistance or identify other communities that have dealt with similar issues. The library's role can vary even among projects within the same community. 6. Develop an outreach program to development groups. Host in-house events to promote and explain the library's business collection and services. Mount a media campaign to inform businesses of your services and determine the needs of various clienteles. Some of these needs may not be currently affordable, but working with civic groups could help expand the library materials if a local need is recognized, 7. Develop a core collection of materials. Form an advisory group consisting of business and community leaders to assess the local collection and determine what additional resources are needed. Work with other librarians in the region on collections that can be shared among several libraries. Also investigate the potential for becoming an access point for the Internet and determine the costs associated with this access. 8. Invite groups and committees to meet in the library. Partner with the Small Business Development Center or SCORE chapter in offering business workshops. Agree to have a convenient place in the library where materials on community/economic development will be housed. This can be especially important because many other public offices are closed in the evening when the library is still open. 9. Make the community aware of the services provided by the library and the potential services that could be provided. This can involve presentations to service clubs, development organizations, the chamber and other business groups. Sometimes these presentations are best held in the library building if local organizations will agree to host a monthly meeting there. Resources are readily available and the presentation can be much more effective. 10. Be committed to serving the information needs of businesses and economic development groups in your community. Remember that information is key and that you know how to find it or have it already. There will be times when the library budget will not allow purchase of the materials needed, but it may be that a local business will help in the purchase if the business will benefit directly. Never be afraid to ask for support. 56 Directory, Illinois State Library
(Printed by the Authority of the State of Illinois) (X0781-5,800-3-96) Opinions expressed in signed articles are not necessarily those of the editors or the Illinois State Library
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