Building a better community: Librarians serving on community nonprofit boards of directors

Abstract

Service is a component of the job expectations and performance appraisal guidelines in many academic libraries. However, little is known from the literature of academic librarianship about whether this includes service specifically to the local community. The closest it has come are articles about librarians serving on the boards of library-related nonprofits, such as a consortium of libraries or a division of a library association. In this article, I will present the potential advantages, for both academic librarians and community nonprofits, of having a librarian on the board of directors. I will draw on my experience on the board of directors of OASIS, Inc. (Opposing Abuse with Service, Information and Shelter), a nonprofit agency in my region that serves survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual violence.