This was a great OPAL session. If you don't know about OPAL - visit their web site and USE it! www.opal-online.org.
This was an interesting and informative session by the Johnson County Library, Kansas, USA. For more information on their COMMUNITY ISSUES 101 program, visit http://issues.jocolibrary.org.
I thought their program partners were very interesting because they represented such a broad background: Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, University of Kansas School of Public Administration, KCPT TV – local public TV, St. Luke’s Health System, Center for Practical Bio-ethics, Community non-profit organizations, Mid America Regional Council, Citizens Engagement Alliance, Kansas City Consensus.
The forums lasted two hours and were on various controversial topics/issues to foster dialogue among community members. The library provided information at each forum such as bibliographies and contacts, and actions to be considered which I think is a great way to help continue the conversation. However, I think it would be really good for the librarian in charge of each forum to blog the topic after each forum so that community members could respond on the blog for each topic. This would allow the library to bring in the online component of fostering community involvement and social networking online in addition to the in-person forum communication.
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