Results and Outcomes

The project resulted in multiple levels of impact:

(1) Rural Library Level: Translation of collected data from rural librarians shaped a framework and strategic action plan to consolidate their role as community anchors in community engagement.

(2) Rural Community Level: Provided skills enhancement and networking opportunities to library staff and is helping empower them to become community anchors.

(3) Educational Program Level: Action research experiences are getting integrated into the LIS classroom/curriculum and shared at local, regional, and national levels to help train future LIS professionals. 

(4) National level: Research results have been shared at multiple conferences and meetings of professional associations and are getting published in professional peer-reviewed journals. [See Publications and Presentations].

The blueprint of the Community Engagement Framework & Strategic Action Plan will provide initial versions of a product to be developed further and include appropriate resources and best practices. [See Research Products].