Building Public Library Community Connections through Cultural Planning

Public libraries increasingly are places for ideas and for discussion. They support citizenship, promote the traditions of free speech, stimulate the imagination and encourage ideas, contribute to building social capital and generally they are managed by skilled and respected staff who are adaptable, creative and forward thinking. Libraries can have a far reaching impact on the culture of a community, not just by their physical presence but also by the wide range of cultural activities and learning opportunities that they offer. Cultural planning now provides librarians with a new tool to build on already strong cultural foundations. Edited version of a paper given at the SA public libraries seminar November 2004.