Library and Community Factors Associated with Public Library Social Work Collaboration In the Midwest

Public library social work (PLSW) is a growing practice area. PLSW incorporates interpersonal, organizational, and community practice to address unmet staff and patron needs. PLSW ranges from engaging in crisis response to more preventative roles such as participating in strategic community conversations to address resource gaps. There is preliminary evidence that PLSW is associated with improved outcomes for patrons and library staff. However, our limited understanding of PLSW in the United States comes from on data from large metropolitan areas.

Without an understanding of the diverse library and community contexts that support current efforts to expand PLSW, new collaborations may not be sustainable. This project therefore asked what library and community characteristics are associated with existing, planned, and desired social work collaboration.

Methods

This study uses data from a 2022 survey of public library directors in 13 Midwestern states. Surveys, distributed via state librarian email lists, included topics such as library resources, funding, and patron supports. A total of 415 library directors responded to the survey. In response to questions about social work services in libraries, we coded libraries as either collaborating with social work (by hiring a social worker or partnering with a community organization to place a social worker in the library), planning a collaboration, or hoping to collaborate. Then, to understand the characteristics of libraries most likely to be at each phase, we fit multinomial logit models. Predictors included the population size of the community, community use of the library as shelter, and characteristics of the library’s mission.

Results

Only 7% of public libraries had existing collaborations—fewer than 2% of library directors had hired a social worker, while 5% had formal partnerships with a community organizations to house a social worker at the library. Only 3% were actively planning to collaborate with social work. However, many more—12% of library directors—hoped to establish partnerships.

The population of the library’s service area was positively associated with having a social worker (either by directly hiring or through collaboration) and planning to have a social worker. Population size was explained by other characteristics in multivariate analysis—namely shelter use and mission. The extent of library patrons using the library as a day shelter due to extreme weather was positively associated with both planning. Library directors who reported the mission of the library included meeting patrons needs were more likely to have existing and planned collaborations.

Conclusions

Libraries, and the organizations partnering with them, should consider the underlying differences in community context, such as shelter needs and library mission, that are most important for engaging in collaboration. Notably, communities with shelter needs met by libraries and libraries whose directors report that their mission includes connecting patrons to social services are most likely to be planning a PLSW collaboration or to be sustaining an active PLSW collaboration. Additional research could help identify which libraries are most successful in sustaining social work collaborations, and whether organizational mission or community context (e.g., sheltering need) best predicts longevity.