Civic Engagement And Connected Learning

Now let’s connect Civic Engagement with Connected Learning. You’ve probably already identified many ways in which the two connect.

In the Connected Learning Mindset module, we see that real and meaningful engagement with the library community can happen when we engage in activities that revolve around youths’ and adults’ interests, personal relationships, and present opportunities for growth and connection within the community.

These principles manifest in civic engagement in many ways.

Example: Harry Potter Fandom

The Harry Potter Alliance (HPA) was built by Harry Potter fans asking the question, “what if fans used their passion and creativity to make the world a more loving, equitable place?” Now known as “Fandom Forward,” the organization takes on a wide range of global issues from climate change to poverty through trainings, campaigns, and community building.

Now let’s look at how a library leveraged HPA for civic engagement, employing the connected learning principles.

The University City Regional Library, a branch of Charlotte Mecklenburg (NC) Library system, used its passionate HPA fanbase to engage with its community and inspire them to mobilize on issues that matter.

In their own words: “Our HPA Chapter, the Mecklenburg Marauders, was established when we wanted to start a Harry Potter book club for adults in their twenties and thirties. After a few meetings, we decided to add an HPA component to our club because it would be a great way for members to be active within our community and library branch.”

Some of the initiatives include:

• The Harry Potter Alliance’s Accio Books! Campaign: an annual worldwide book drive started in 2009. Occurring around Harry Potter’s birthday (July 31), “members of the Marauders decorate a box to be placed in the teen department area. Library customers are encouraged to donate new and slightly used books for children and teens. Each year, a site is chosen for all book donations to be delivered.”

• The Protego Campaign: “In the Harry Potter series, Protego is a shielding spell used to make a space safe. For the HPA, Protego is a campaign that was started to help transgender and cisgender people become educated and empowered. It also provides resources for everyone in our communities on creating compassionate spaces for all. We have worked with the teen volunteers and HPA members on writing letters to the governor of North Carolina calling for a reversal of HB2, a state law that did not allow transgender people to use the public restroom that matches their gender identity. This is a powerful way for us to change our local laws”.

• Creating library displays: For example, “Neville Fights Back encourages HPA members to talk about human rights and social justice. Library staff can make a display sharing information about the campaign and could easily have customers write down a social justice issue that is important to them. Staff could take those issues and post them in the library accompanied by books, or even develop a booklist that deals with that topic.”

• The A World #WithoutHermione campaign: “This campaign celebrates women and brings to light issues on gender inequity in different fields. One display I have enjoyed sharing in the children’s department is women who work in STEAM careers. The display included information about women in science and it proudly included the HPA logo. This campaign makes customers of all ages reflect on what Harry Potter and Hogwarts would be without Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Professor McGonagall, and more.

The above example embraces the Connected Learning Principles:

• Relationships: The activities done under the HPA take advantage of the Harry Potter fan community, and many of the activities above utilize the power of the relationships inside this community to amplify their message: the Protego campaign, for example, uses the size of the community to make a policy difference.
• Interests: The whole HPA is based on the interests of the teens involved, and engages them through the metaphors and causes it chooses through the Harry Potter fan universe.
• Opportunities: Through the activities that encourage youth to vote, donate books, or look into issues like involving women in STEAM, youth at the library can have opportunities to pursue these interests further and in other avenues. Throughout the programing, the participating youth also had the chance to develop skills (like working in teams, organizing for a cause, defining and working towards a goal, etc.) that can translate to future career opportunities.

“A common issue identified in [young peoples’] early attempts to produce and share stories is that they often do not appreciate the potential power of their own thoughts and words. Realizing the extent to which simple, everyday stories told with empathy, positivity and wisdom can affect others is a very empowering experience”.

— Fandom Foward/Harry Potter Alliance (HPA)

Activity #4: Civic Engagement and Connected Learning

We’ll ask you to reflect on three fronts: Connected Learning, Civic Engagement, and Library Roles and Assets.

Think about the problem of food insecurity that many communities around the nation face. Insecurity ranges from the houseless population looking for their next meal to families unsure of where that meal will come from, perhaps getting assistance from food banks and organizations that may help lessen the burden.

Now refer back to your own library roles/assets that you listed in the previous pages, plus what you know about connected learning and civic engagement. Situate the problem within your own community, and answer the questions below as a guide to build out a potential service for this hypothetical (or not!) issue. For this exercise, don’t consider the constraints of time and budget.

Connected Learning:

How does the program connect to youth’s interests? Are there opportunities for “geeking out” or “going deeper” in the program? How would you make the program inviting for youth?

What values are promoted in the service? Do these align with what youth in your community value? If you don’t have a good grasp of their values, how might you find out? Does the program touch on topics of value to both the youth and other ages in your community?

Opportunities: Does the service connect to larger issues outside your community? Do the youth have access to tangible real-world career and civic opportunities through this initiative? Are there further opportunities the library could provide for youth and the community, using this initiative as a jumping point?

Relationships: Does the service promote relationships between youth in the community? Between youth and older members of your community? Are these relationships beneficial to youth, and if so in what way?

Civic Engagement:

Attributes Is the program political or non-political? Does it touch a subject many people in the community are supportive of?

Is the program broader than a one-time community service engagement? Is the program specific and deliberate around a single issue/population/etc.?

Does the program support youth’s agency to drive its mission and the values they care about?

How does the program meet equity principles? How does the program enhance the quality of life for the community?

Library Roles and Assets

Roles

Does the library play any (or several) of the roles below in engaging with the program:

• The library is a Civic Educator: raising awareness of civics, civic engagement, and civic responsibility
• The library is a Conversation Starter: identifying challenging community issues, creating forums for sharing opinions, and developing action strategies
• The library is a Community Bridge: bringing diverse people, including local government officials, and organizations with different perspectives together to build stronger communities
• The library is a Visionary: leading efforts to develop a broad and inclusive community vision
• The library is a Center for Democracy in Action: walking, talking, thinking, and acting as the place where democracy, civic engagement, and public discourse happen

Assets

What assets does the library bring to the program? Are there any unique assets that make the library ideally positioned to offer the program?

For more information about designing programs alongside and for your community, check out the Community-Centered Services module.

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