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New Library Directors Handbook
Describing Your Community
Page last modified date: 12/16/2009
You need to describe your community in order to effectively serve it. This is where a diverse range of people is essential. If you only have library users on your committee then how will you know what non-users would like to see at a library? The following questions may help.
- Where are you? Is your community growing rapidly?
- Who are you? Census data can help here. Do you have a large number of Hispanics in your community? Are people older or younger with families? Each group has different needs, so you must identify the makeup of your community in order to meet these needs.
- What do you value? What is important to you as a community? Do you want to see economic growth? Do you want to preserve your heritage?
- Where are you going? What will your community look like in a few years?