While increasing demands that books be removed from shelves, librarians are also working to forge a new era of librarianship by shifting the mission and purpose of libraries in the communities they serve.

The question many are asking: what role should rural librarians play in serving the needs of their communities where there are few resources and minimal funding?

According to the Institute of Museum and Library Services, about 30 million Americans are served by the nation’s approximately 4,000 rural library systems. That’s 42% of all libraries in the United States.

The Institute’s 2020 study spotlighted the critical role libraries play in connecting community members to vital resources and programs.

“Whether the issue is education, economic development, or access to broadband, this summary shows that rural libraries are expanding their importance as communications hubs for communities,” Cynthia Landrum, the Institute’s deputy director, said.

Julie Retherford, Chetco Community Public Library’s director in Brookings, Ore., is at the front lines of both challenges.

For the last year and a half, Retherford has faced a vicious banning battle. In addition to being called a pedophile and a child-groomer, someone threatened to hang her. When asked how the banning challenges impacted her and her role in developing library programs to fill the gaps in her community’s limited services, Retherford took a breath.

“Perhaps it’s because of this battle but I’ve become more passionate about First Amendment rights and more motivated to keep libraries a place for both knowledge and in-person connection in an increasingly virtual world.”

In these post-pandemic times, in addition to their traditional role as knowledge purveyors and book lenders, rural libraries are filling the gaps of internet availability, digital equity, and community health, as well as offering more common programs including book clubs and children’s story time.

Denise Willms, director of Port Orford Public Library, describes her library as a hub for community connection and knowledge incubation.

“For our hotspot alone, my best estimate is that 35% of the usage is from people picking up internet from the library’s parking lot.”

Since the pandemic, Port Orford library continues to have increasing numbers of people who come in, often with their own computers asking for a private space to access the internet to do their schooling or their job online.

“For many folks in town, there’s either no high-speed internet available in their area, or it’s too expensive,” Willms said.

With funding now secured, Willms is eager to open their soon-to-be-completed makerspace. By providing 3D printers, laptops, webcams and podcasting equipment, community members will have access to technology tools to create in ways they can’t at home.

“We want to provide our community with access to as many opportunities as possible.”

Retherford and Maryanne Hirning of the Clatskanie Library District refer to their respective libraries as a neutral ‘third place’ outside of home and work where people can come and exist without being expected to purchase something.

As she continues to endure a brutal book banning battle, Retherford asserted, “I’m a trained librarian and neutrality is part of that. But is it really neutral to allow people to have hateful opinions and air those and force other people to live according to those same standards? To counter the attacks, we’re increasingly looking for ways to welcome anyone to come use our building for whatever purpose they want. It doesn’t matter if you check something out, or you use our reference books, join one of our classes, or work in the makerspace. Maybe you come and just sit. That is such a rare thing to be able to do, for nothing.”

David Lankas, scholar, speaker, and professor of librarianship at University of Texas, has been advocating for this ‘new librarianship’ for over a decade. In his book, The Atlas of New Librarianship, he proposes that new librarianship is not based on books and artifacts, but on knowledge and learning. In his view, the role of today’s libraries and librarians is to improve society through knowledge creation by facilitating conversation and social networking.

Dianne Connery, library director of Pottsboro Library in east Texas, is credited with creating the first telehealth program in any library, a template followed by many libraries in Oregon. Guided by Lankas’s new librarianship model, in less than 10 years her library went from nearly closing down to receiving national recognition from the Institute of Museum and Library Services for its role in serving and making meaningful impact in their community.

The biggest challenge Connery and other librarians face is garnering the media buzz and social capital needed to build consistent, ongoing community engagement.

With all the demands on rural libraries and librarians, having the time and resources to reach multiple media channels can seem nearly impossible.

Many communities are so small they barely have access to any form of local media.

“The limited media might have actually served us,” Connery said. “Instead of pushing traditional media posts, we’ve built collaborative partnerships with civic organizations, local governmental agencies, local businesses including hotels and real estate agents, schools, and gaming experts. It’s become a team effort and has resulted in grant opportunities that further our ability to become a hub of innovation and connection.”

Rutherford echoed Connery’s perspective.

“If it weren’t for our army of loyal library supporters, I’m not sure our library could have endured the attacks we’ve faced this year. Through it all, we continue to grow our library’s programming to provide more services to our community.

“Over the next five to 10 years, our communities are going to realize the powerful role that libraries have played and continue to play in maintaining our American culture and supporting the needs of our communities. If we can keep focusing on how to build a vibrant hub of learning and connection, we’ll elevate libraries to a new level of value in the communities we serve.”

Carolyn Campbell is a freelance writer.