“Together We Thrive”
LSTA Grant 10/07 – 10/09

Project Summary:

The LSTA-funded Himmel & Wilson Small Library Study recommended that “small libraries must not be seen as standalone institutions. An effort must be made to transform the small libraries into a network of service outlets.” That study also introduced three levels of library service: survivability, viability and thrivability. Thrivability has thus far been unattainable by many of the 61 libraries in the Western Region in communities under 2,500 population.

In order to “jump start” progress toward Thrivability, this two-year project will hire a coordinator to assemble a team of Circuit Riders who will travel to small libraries to help with weeding collections and to foster approaches to cooperation, including the sharing of collections, cooperative collection development, staffing, public relations, joint programming and other collaborations.

The goal is to empower these libraries to work together to provide 21st Century library services to residents of small communities in Western Massachusetts.