Your Name and Title: Anna Booraem, Branch Manager at the Leicester Public Library
Library, School, or Organization Name: Buncombe County Public Libraries
Co-Presenter Name(s):
Area of the World from Which You Will Present: Asheville, NC
Language in Which You Will Present: English
Target Audience(s): Public librarians, programming librarians
Short Session Description (one line): Growing Community with a Library Garden
Full Session Description (as long as you would like):
In this session, you will learn about how a handful of dedicated community volunteers, two branch managers, and the Friends of the Leicester Library took an empty plot of land on library grounds and created a space that provides opportunities for connection as well as food for the community.
Basic strategies of communication, patience, and openness to collaboration were essential in getting this project from idea to implementation. We worked through challenges of administrative changes, COVID protocols, and “who exactly is doing what” to develop a beautiful space that serves our entire community.
The Friends of the Leicester Library Giving Garden broke ground in 2021 and now provides food to our community through a refrigerator in our library’s lobby as well as at local food distribution sites. We use the garden space for children’s programs, collaborative community events, and gardening workshops.
This space has truly become a signature of our sweet rural library branch, and it could not have happened without the creativity and commitment of everyone involved.
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