Libraries as Social Hubs

Since their inception, libraries have been ever-evolving social hubs. They serve as gathering places, elevating life in the communities they serve by fostering involvement and interconnectedness. Libraries act as social hubs not only due to the programs they offer, but simply because of their existence as a welcoming space. Public libraries are producers of trust and social capital because "they offer universal access to information services, treat all patrons equally, and provide a meeting place available to everyone" (Varheim, 259).

Locally, through the San Diego Public Library system, the "Do Your Homework at the Library" program is one way San Diego libraries serve as a social hub for connecting the community. Through this program, volunteers can help students, K-8, with their homework. Students can gather and work together with tutors to learn and get access to digital resources and other school materials they may need. These sorts of programs absolutely help to reinforce libraries as social hubs for learning and community engagement.

New Vision for San Diego Public Libraries -- The City of San Diego

Works Cited: 

Vårheim, Andreas. “Trust in Libraries and Trust in Most People: Social Capital Creation in the Public Library.” The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, vol. 84, no. 3, 2014, pp. 258–277. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/676487. Accessed 29 Apr. 2020.

"Social Role of the Library." Social Role of the Library: Libraries Matter, http://www.ala.org/tools/research/librariesmatter/category/social-role-library. Accessed 29 Apr. 2020.