Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Altadena Library Districts Invites Residents to Community-wide Town Hall Meeting

February and March have been busy months for the Altadena Library District. Inspired by the American Library Association’s nation-wide movement “Libraries Transforming Communities” and the Harwood Institute’s approach to community engagement, Altadena Library District sponsored the Community Conversations initiative across Altadena, engaging hundreds of residents in in-depth discussions in the living rooms of Altadena residents, in local organizations, and in small businesses. At each of these two-dozen Community Conversations, a facilitator led discussion, focusing on the community’s aspirations for Altadena, challenges the community faces, and concrete action steps residents can take both individually and as a community to improve Altadena.

Funded by Altadena Library District, the goal of the Community Conversations project was to examine Altadena as a whole through a positive, mediated evaluation of the community’s aspirations and goals. “In an unincorporated community like Altadena that has no inherent or governmental community center or hub, there is great potential for a longstanding institution such as Altadena Library District to fill that need in the community and become a central resource for local efforts toward community growth and advancement,” says Library Director Mindy Kittay, “The Library will use the gathered information to improve its capacity as a community connector, to strengthen partnerships between community organizations, and to evaluate its own mission and strategic plan to ensure we are meeting the needs of the community. We view this as an incredible opportunity to empower residents and ultimately impact Altadena in a positive way.”

On April 27 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., the Library invites members of the Altadena community to attend a Town Hall Meeting, where results of the Community Conversations initiative will be shared, recommendations for future action steps for Altadena will be discussed, and participants will engage in community building activities. All residents are invited to participate, regardless of whether they attended a Community Conversation or not. The Town Hall Meeting will take place at Charles Farnsworth Park’s Upper Davies Building, and refreshments will be provided. Residents are encouraged to RSVP online at www.altadenalibrary.org/town-hall-meeting.

“One of the primary goals of this project was to gather feedback about residents’ aspirations for Altadena and the perceived challenges the community faces. Beyond that, what arose from this experience were genuine connections between Altadena residents,” says Community Conversations Coordinator and Facilitator Brian Biery, “We expect to see even more of that spirit of connection at this upcoming Town Hall Meeting.”

The Altadena Library District has been providing free and equal access to information, ideas, technology, and the joy of reading to educate and empower the diverse community of Altadena for over 90 years. More information about Altadena Library District is available at www.altadenalibrary.org.