Community Technology Projects: Making Them Work

Heller (digital svcs. librarian, Loyola Univ. Chicago) broadly defines community technology projects as “any technology project with a collaboration between multiple individuals and/or libraries or library-related organizations.” The author has served on numerous library technology planning committees and researched community-oriented projects in library technology over the past decade, and her expertise shines through in this guide, which covers essential information for those looking to get started on community technology projects or to improve existing ones. The author stresses collaboration and the importance of people over technology in the chapter on best practices, intended to help librarians motivate (and understand the motivation of) their communities and maintain engagement with them. A valuable chapter on case studies offers real-life examples that can be adopted to benefit other library communities. Among other important topics explored are a brief history of community in library projects, support techniques and tools, and considerations for the future.