University of Washington

The University of Washington Information School will conduct a one-year planning project. The project is focused on describing and analyzing libraries' practices and librarians' perceptions of programs and services that are taking place outside of library walls and are intended to reach families with children under twelve in underserved communities who are not currently using libraries. (The American Library Association's National Impact of Library and Public Programs Assessment (NILPPA) report refers to these families as "non-users.") The research team will use mixed methods to develop a roadmap of current outreach practices that can facilitate replication of innovative programs and solidify partnerships with 11 participant libraries as well as develop a preliminary work plan for future research. Findings will aid understanding about non-users and provide baseline data that sets the stage for a future large scale research project.