The University of Tennessee

The University of Tennessee's School of Information Sciences will research community engagement efforts using quantitative and qualitative assessment datasets collected from rural library staff in the ten states of the Southern and Central Appalachian (SCA) region. Project personnel will partner with state, county, university, and other types of libraries in the SCA region to research community engagement efforts and to create a strategic action plan for rural libraries to further community-centered activities and processes. The planning grant will serve as a pilot and assessment test-bed for using similar strategies in rural environments nationwide. The research team will examine how to develop resources and share best practices for a systematic and strategic approach to support and mobilize rural librarians as community anchors.For more information on the project: http://scholar.cci.utk.edu/ca2ca-sca-rl