Phase II of the Library Bridgebuilding Project Begins

A Collective Effort to Help Libraries Bridge Divides and Foster Belonging

This week marks the launch of Phase II of the Library Bridgebuilding Project—an initiative I’ve been part of since winter 2022. That first phase concluded with a comprehensive landscape analysis and the creation of the Bridgebuilding Hub in 2023. Now, I’m thrilled to help usher in this next chapter.

At its core, this project is about bridging across differences—defined as engaging with others in ways that respect identity, foster mutual relationships, seek the common good, and encourage civic participation. It’s an approach that strengthens both social capital and civic health.

A key insight from Phase I was that library professionals already know the value of their institutions. For decades, they’ve been bringing people together—through book clubs, job-seeking workshops, and everyday programs—to learn, grow, and build community. Yet, our research showed that by planning more intentionally around trust-building and measuring its impact, libraries can deepen their civic contributions, reach new audiences, and unlock new funding and partnership opportunities.

We also learned that while libraries are well-positioned to be civic hubs, they often lack the resources, planning tools, and evaluation frameworks to scale this work. Many professionals were unaware of existing tools for measuring social trust, or unsure how to adapt them to the library context. We identified gaps in tools that help libraries recognize and enhance their existing trust-building practices and operationalize social cohesion strategies. That’s exactly what this new phase aims to address.

Phase II Objectives

In this phase, our goal is to ensure that:

1. Library professionals embrace their roles as trust-builders, gaining skills and tools to foster positive intergroup contact—for example, by attracting diverse audiences, creating learning experiences across difference, and catalyzing community action.

2. A peer network emerges, where library staff support one another with stories, tools, and insights that strengthen their collective work.

3. Libraries build confidence in what they’re already doing to support social cohesion and are equipped to plan, measure, and improve their impact.

4. Libraries have access to tools and tactics for evaluating their trust-building work and advocating for its value.

Our Theory of Change

If we:

1. Help libraries enhance their existing programs that support social capital and civic infrastructure;

2. Equip staff with knowledge, confidence, and best practices for trust-building;

3. Create a sustained community of practice; and

4. Provide funding to apply and expand their efforts…

Then libraries will:

• Optimize and scale programs that foster trust and intergroup contact

• Engage more diverse community members

• Measure and communicate their impact

Leading to:

• More diverse participation

• Stronger community cohesion

• Cross-community collaboration anchored in library programs

Ultimately resulting in:

• More connected and collaborative communities

• A stronger democracy through increased civic engagement

• Libraries being recognized as essential civic infrastructure—and attracting new support accordingly

How We're Moving Forward

We’ve created a new learning community through the Urban Libraries Council website and are working to expand the WebJunction resource hub. We’re also leaning into the IREX Research-to-Change Framework to guide this next phase. Our first virtual meeting is this Tuesday at 3pm ET, and we’d love to have you join us—especially if you’re from a small or rural library system. The learning community is completely free thanks to generous grant funding, and participants will have the opportunity to apply for micro-grants to test the ideas and tools explored.

For more information, visit the Urban Libraries Bridgebuilding page.

---

Looking Ahead: A Few Resources Worth Exploring

1. Expo2025: Technology & Social Cohesion
   Hosted by the Council on Technology and Social Cohesion, this hybrid event (Thursday, June 26) explores how technology can build trust rather than erode it. Topics include:

   • Prosocial Design

   • Digital Peacebuilding

   • Deliberative Tech

   • LLMs & AI Agents

   • Tech Policy for Cohesion

2. Hey Neighbor Collective
   Check out their recent LinkedIn post featuring a helpful visual on the spectrum of social connections.

3. Connecting Through Conversations Course (Living Room Conversations)
   A self-paced 8-module course for those looking to deepen their skills in empathy, listening, and navigating tough conversations with family, friends, and community. Includes:

   • Self-assessments

   • Practical tools

   • Staff-facilitated conversations

4. Social Connection Ambassador Program (Foundation for Social Connection)
   Open to individuals from all sectors who are passionate about building community through storytelling and human connection. A great opportunity to turn stories into systems-level impact.

5. National Parks Bureau Effort
   A new initiative addressing news deserts by embedding reporters in communities and national parks to cover climate change, visitor safety, governance, and conservation.

---

Have a wonderful week,

Shamichael