At Hopkinton Public Library in Iowa, community engagement is thriving. And the secret to this success is including community members in in the planning, from beginning to end. From an annual haunted house to community bake-offs, the library incorporates locals for ideation and program planning, so they feel invested and want to participate.
Full-time Library Director Kim Albright and her part-time Assistant Director, Michelle Bovee, run the entire show, so this kind of engagement is vital. They plan and implement all programs, handle day-to-day activities of running the library, manage social media, and oversee other communications. (I’m tired just thinking about it.) But while the duo juggles a ton, Kim believes a recent initiative is one of her greatest achievements and an incredible community asset—a new sensory-friendly space in the library.
