Inside, Outside, and Online
DUBLIN, Ohio, June 18, 2009—
Inside, Outside, and Online, the new book by Chrystie Hill, a librarian and director of community services at WebJunction, offers practical advice and inspiration for libraries building community.
Based on a scan of the community and technology environments that libraries operate within, related literature, and the practical experiences of hundreds of library staff actively building communities through their work, Inside, Outside, and Online provides insights into the essential elements of community building through: identifying user needs and designing services to meet those needs; engaging communities with service selection, creation, and iteration; and utilizing practical new technologies.
The principles outlined in Inside, Outside, and Online can support anyone working to build a strong community of engaged, interested, and satisfied library users—no matter the size or type of library.
“I wanted to write this book when I realized through my work with library staff at WebJunction.org that the community building librarians do with traditional library services is very similar to the community building we do online with more recent services based on the Web,” said Ms. Hill. “My research shows that we are joined by the connections our services create for our communities, regardless of where they are delivered or in what format. I hope this understanding creates a new bond between librarians of all kinds.”
Inside, Outside and Online is available at libraries identified through WorldCat.org, and can be purchased through the ALA Store or other online book stores.
Ms. Hill is a librarian, writer and community builder. After a short time at the Seattle Public Library, she started It Girl Consulting, a small venture that helps libraries use online tools to build communities. In 2003, Ms. Hill joined WebJunction, the leader in online learning for library staff, where she serves as director of community services.
Ms. Hill is a frequent presenter at library meetings and conferences, and her articles have appeared in JASIST, Library Journal, and RUSQ. In 2007, she was named a Library Journal “Mover and Shaker,” the magazine’s annual list that identifies librarians who are “shaping the future of libraries.” She holds an undergraduate degree in biology and psychology, an M.A. from Sarah Lawrence College, and an MLIS from the University of Washington, Seattle.
This work is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License