Community Engagement in Action: The Library

For the 2026-2027 academic year, please join us for our monthly Community Engagement in Action: Exploring Partnerships and Possibilities series where we will highlight the many ways Metro State and community organizations work together to strengthen our communities. These monthly sessions will explore collaborations, lessons learned, and practical approaches to creating meaningful community impact.

The first event in this fall’s series will feature Professor Jennifer DeJonghe and Professor Michelle Filkins of Library and Information Services, with an introduction by the Library Dean, Beth Clausen, on the Library’s partnership with the Saint Paul Public Library, arguably the university’s most visible and sustained neighborhood engagement effort.

Although there is currently a proposal to close the Dayton’s Bluff branch co-located with Metro’s Library and Learning Center, it is important to share what this 22-year collaboration has meant and how it has helped anchor the university in the neighborhood. Through highlights and the story of the award-winning East Side Seed Library, our presenters will demonstrate the integral nature of this partnership and how one relationship can spark and strengthen others, including the Library’s collaboration with organizations such as Urban Roots.

Please join us via Zoom.

About this series:
Grounded in the belief that lasting change happens through authentic partnership, this series will provide a space to learn from those doing the work. Presenters will share experiences from across a wide range of initiatives, offering insights into building trust, developing reciprocal relationships, navigating challenges, and creating sustainable outcomes. Whether a project begins with a single conversation or grows into a long-term partnership, participants will gain a deeper understanding of the engagement process and the strategies that support success.

Stay tuned for presentations each month this Fall from the College of Liberal Arts and more!

Connect with us by email at community.engagement@metrostate.edu.