Investigating essential elements of community engagement in public libraries: An exploratory qualitative study

This article discusses the findings of an exploratory qualitative case study involving Leicester Central Library. The purpose of this study was to investigate essential elements of community engagement in public libraries. Three research methods – semi-structured interviews, direct observation and document analysis – were used to gather data. Analysis of the data suggested a model of seven essential elements of community engagement: ‘belonging’, ‘commitment’, ‘communication’, ‘a flexible approach’, ‘genuineness’, ‘relevance’ and ‘sustainability’. Implications of the model are made in conclusion for the promotion of genuine community engagement, where the community-driven approach and the organic nature of the community engagement process are seen as being paramount to engagement.