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In her 2001 article “Where are libraries in “Bowling Alone”?” Jean Preer chastised Robert Putnam for ignoring the role of public libraries in building communities in his influential works about the decline of social capital in America. Preer’s anecdotal observations coincided with findings from our research on how public library-community networking initiatives affect community. Further inspired to study how libraries foster social capital, we partnered with the King County Library System (KCLS) in Washington State.
To expand awareness of Asian/Pacific Rim culture, and the local effects of immigration from these countries, KCLS hosted “Voices From the Rim” from September 15-30, 2001. Throughout its 42 branches in the Seattle area, different events celebrated authors and the cultural life of these countries, including storytelling, art, drama workshops, multi-media presentations, dance and music performances, from Na Lei O Manu’akepa (a Hawaiian island dance and cultural program) to Sumi-E (Japanese brush painting) and Amuta (Music from the Andes).
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We worked with KCLS to identify people’s reactions to the Voices From the Rim programs and possible social effects. We were specifically interested in ways in which the programming might have contributed social cohesiveness, social capital, and individual well-being among different stakeholders. Framed by Nan Lin’s (2001) theory of social capital theory, the methodology comprised in-person interviews with 84 program participants (from across the different programs) along with 15 follow-up interviews with select participants. Key findings indicate that people are closely tied to the KCLS system, rely on it as a chief means of learning about events, and benefit from these events in multiple ways that reflect enhanced social relationships via family and friend activities, and personal growth.
The Social Outcomes and Special Events Study was part of our 2000-03 IMLS funded “How Libraries and Librarians Help” study series in which we developed a context-based, outcome evaluation approach for assessing how different stakeholders use community programs run by public libraries.
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