Strengthening Networks, Sparking Change: Museums and Libraries as Community Catalysts

Museums and libraries have long served as place-based hubs for members ofthe public to engage in informal learning, access collections for educational oraesthetic purposes, and participate in civic dialogue. Across the country, changingcommunity needs and priorities along with new modes of engagement have createdan imperative to connect with and serve the public in ways that extend beyondtraditional institutional formats and settings. Museums and libraries have begun torespond to this imperative. In so doing, they are connecting with the public in newand deeper ways, strengthening the social and institutional networks that supportcommunity wellbeing, and even acting as catalysts to spark positive change