Drs. Zachary Stier and Noah Lenstra presented on teaching community partnerships to a group of Library & Information Science faculty in early 2024. That conversation led to the idea of creating permanent infrasturcutre around this topic.
After working with a group of charter members to create the coalition's mission and vision, the coalition publicly launched in February 2025.
Since then the coalition has met online every two months. All are welcome to join us in shaping this online infrastructure.
As of February, 2026, one year after our launch we have 174 members from across North America. We have collected a wide range of resources to support community partnerships, presented at conferences, and held a series of engaging online conversations.
We want to thank the following individuals for coming together from May 2024 through December 2024 to help form the mission and vision for this coalition.
Kimberly Burton, Independent Consultant
Dr. Debi Carruth, Lecturer at Valdosta State University, College of Education and Human Sciences, MLIS Program; Trustee, Board of Directors, South Georgia Public Library in Lowndes County, GA
Rhys Dreeszen Bowman, doctoral candidate, School of Information Science, University of South Carolina
Leah T. Dudak, Ph.D. Student, School of Information Studies at Syracuse University and Urban Librarians Unite Research Assistant
Elizabeth Warren, Manager of Strategic Partnerships, Denver Public Library, Denver, CO
Vivian Washington, Central Library Manager, Chesapeake Public Library, Virginia Library Association, First Vice-President, President-elect, 2023-2025.
Dr. Rachel D. Williams, Assistant Professor, School of Information Science, College of Information and Communications, University of South Carolina
Dr. Joseph Winberry, Assistant Professor at UNC Chapel Hill School of Information and Library Science and founding co-chair ALA SRRT Elder Justice Task Force
