How 4-H Can Help Libraries Address Challenges to Serving Farming Communities

• Community engagement
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: Our study found that some 4-H organizations have already formed relationships with local libraries. Rural librarians can take advantage of these relationships to host mutually-beneficial programs that will compensate for lack of staff.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to explore new partnerships: 4-H personnel are willing to explore partnerships with a variety of organizations to accomplish their goals and could connect librarians with previously-unknown volunteers, experts, and community leaders. These individuals can help libraries overcome the barriers related to understaffing.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• ICT skills and experience
  • Ability to use collaborative software: Based on interviews, 4-H agents are adept with collaborative software such as Google Classroom. Agents can use their knowledge to expose library staff to new technologies.
  • Competence with social media: 4-H personnel demonstrate knowledge of social media platforms, which they can relay to library staff unfamiliar with these platforms.
  • Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel demonstrate competence with a range of software programs and are capable of teaching these programs to library staff.
  • Access to ICT resources/training: 4-H personnel have access to technology-related trainings through UT Extension and can relay the skills they’ve gained to library staff who are unaware of these skills.
  • Using technology for agricultural solutions: 4-H personnel can make library staff aware of how certain ICT solutions can serve specific needs of farming communities.
  • Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use: 4-H personnel can dispel misconceptions and fears about technology use while equipping staff to implement ICTs safely.
  • Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems: 4-H personnel can help staff learn when to apply particular tech solutions to particular scenarios.

• Community engagement
  • Confidence in ability to train others: Library staff who lack awareness about technology may not be confident in their tech-related interactions with patrons; 4-H personnel demonstrate confidence in their training abilities and can instill this same confidence in library staff.
  • Willingness to offer training/programming: 4-H personnel demonstrate a desire to support their community through trainings.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to engage with new technologies: 4-H personnel have an enthusiasm for new technologies and can help expose library staff to these technologies.
  • Access to grants/funding: 4-H personnel are proactive in seeking out grant funding and can help library staff secure funding for technology training and resources, therefore allowing the staff to improve their awareness and competence with ICTs.

• ICT skills and experience
  • Ability to use collaborative software: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to collaborative software to help overwhelmed libraries meet their ICT-related goals and ideal outcomes.
  • Competence with social media: 4-H personnel can use their competence with social media to help overwhelmed libraries meet their ICT-related goals and ideal outcomes.
  • Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to various software programs to help overwhelmed libraries meet their ICT-related goals and ideal outcomes.
  • Access to ICT resources/training: 4-H personnel have access to technology-related trainings through UT Extension and can relay the skills they’ve gained to library staff who may not have the time or resources to attend similar trainings.
  • Using technology for agricultural solutions: 4-H personnel can take advantage of their unique relationship to the farming community to address this audience on behalf of the library.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to explore new partnerships: 4-H organizations can connect libraries with other community organizations to provide volunteers who can relieve library staff of some of their responsibilities.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• ICT skills and experience
  • Ability to use collaborative software: 4-H personnel can leverage skills with collaborative software to address patron questions.
  • Competence with social media: 4-H personnel can leverage skills with social media platforms to address patron questions.
  • Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel can leverage skills with various software programs to address patron questions.
  • Access to ICT resources/training: 4-H personnel can leverage skills gained in training sessions to address patron questions.
  • Using technology for agricultural solutions: 4-H personnel can leverage knowledge of technology solutions in agricultural contexts to address patron questions.
  • Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems: 4-H personnel can leverage knowledge of technology solutions in a range of contexts to address patron questions.

• Community engagement
  • Confidence in ability to train others: 4-H personnel can compensate for lack of confidence among library staff when answering questions.
  • Willingness to offer training/programming: Where questions may require training, 4-H personnel are willing to train library patrons.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to engage with new technologies: 4-H personnel demonstrate enthusiasm for new technologies and can address questions related to these technologies.

• Community engagement 
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H organizations with an established relationship with the library can help guide librarians to viable strategies for serving farmworkers.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can use their personal knowledge of the community to propose novel methods of community engagement.
  • Strategies for mitigating distractions of technology and enhancing the ability to focus: 4-H personnel can help libraries motivate community interest in reading, responsible tech use, and healthy habits.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• ICT skills and experience
  • Ability to use collaborative software: 4-H personnel can take advantage of their experience using technologies in collaborative settings to address the experience gap among library staff.
  • Competence with social media: 4-H personnel can take advantage of their experience using social media platforms to fill in the experience gap among library staff.
  • Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel can take advantage of their experience using various software programs to fill in the experience gap among library staff.
  • Access to ICT resources/training: 4-H personnel can take advantage of skills gained in training sessions to fill in the experience gap among library staff.
  • Using technology for agricultural solutions: 4-H personnel can take advantage of their experience using technology in support of agricultural work to fill in the experience gap among library staff.
  • Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use: 4-H personnel can take advantage of their awareness of ICT safety to fill in the experience gap among library staff.

• Community engagement
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H organizations with an established relationship with the library can offer the strengths of their personnel to compensate for the limitations of library staff.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• ICT skills and experience
  • Ability to use collaborative software: 4-H personnel can exercise knowledge of collaborative software to relieve librarians of the need to constantly learn tech solutions in this area.
  • Competence with social media: 4-H personnel can exercise knowledge of social media to relieve librarians of the need to constantly learn tech solutions in this area.
  • Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel can exercise knowledge of various software programs to relieve librarians of the need to constantly learn tech solutions in this area.
  • Access to ICT resources/training: 4-H personnel have access to training and can thus relieve librarians of the need to attend trainings for new tech solutions.
  • Using technology for agricultural solutions: 4-H personnel are clued into technology activities relevant to agriculture and can fill in this gap in library staff expertise.
  • Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use: 4-H personnel keep up-to-date on the flaws and weaknesses of technology and can fill in this gap in library staff expertise.
  • Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems: 4-H personnel are clued into technology solutions relevant to a wide range of issues and can fill in this gap in library staff expertise.

• Willingness 
  • Willingness to engage with new technologies: 4-H personnel demonstrate enthusiasm for new technologies and are eager to learn new skills that may intimidate some library staff.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• Willingness 
  • Access to grants/funding: 4-H personnel can offer strategies and advice for libraries’ grant seeking and grant-writing activities, allowing libraries to pursue funding for improved technology infrastructure.

• Community engagement
  • The partnership with 4-H can enhance the image and value of rural libraries perceived by local government: A partnership between 4-H and libraries will allow libraries to become more competitive in grant applications by showing their resourcefulness and willingness.
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: Libraries may be able to partner with 4-H organizations already receiving funding for mutually beneficial outcomes.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to explore new partnerships: 4-H organizations operate within a network of partnerships and can expose libraries to new grant opportunities.
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can connect libraries with grant opportunities sponsored by these agencies.
  • Access to grants/funding: 4-H personnel can offer strategies and advice for libraries’ grant seeking and grant-writing activities, providing a better opportunity for libraries to access grants.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• Community engagement
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H personnel can provide agricultural expertise that library staff do not possess.
  • Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H can provide insight into the motivations and pressing needs of farmworkers.

• Community engagement
  • Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel are adept at low-tech outreach and can assist library staff with these methods to reach minority farmworkers.
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H personnel can directly connect library staff with minority farmworkers.
  • Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel can provide insight into the experiences of minority farmworkers and equip library staff to serve this segment of the community.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• Community engagement
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H organizations are inherently connected with farmers and can direct library staff to farming-related patrons.
  • Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel can provide insights into the experiences of farmworkers and equip library staff to serve this segment of the community.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can promote libraries as a valuable resource for helping farmworkers accomplish their tech-related goals.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can promote libraries as a valuable resource for rural citizens to accomplish their general goals.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• Community engagement
  • Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel are adept at low-tech outreach and can assist library staff with these methods to reach patrons who are unable or uninterested in accessing the library.
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A partnership between 4-H and libraries can show the value that libraries provide to all community members.
  • Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel can use their insights into farmworkers’ experiences to better promote library services to this audience.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can help libraries customize their promotional strategies to appropriately communicate their value to farmworkers.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can help libraries customize their promotional strategies to appropriately communicate their value to rural communities.
  • Strategies for mitigating distractions of technology and enhancing the ability to focus: 4-H personnel can help libraries customize their promotional strategies to appropriately communicate their value for cultivating healthy relationships with technology.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• Community engagement
  • Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel can leverage their experience with low-tech outreach to help library staff gain better attendance at programs and events.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can leverage their knowledge of farmworkers’ needs related to tech literacy to help library staff gain better attendance at programs and events.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can leverage their knowledge of rural communities’ needs to help library staff gain better attendance at programs and events.

• Community engagement
  • Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel can leverage their experience with low-tech outreach to help library staff gain better attendance at programs and events.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can leverage their knowledge of farmworkers’ needs related to tech literacy to help library staff gain better attendance at programs and events.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can leverage their knowledge of rural communities’ needs to help library staff gain better attendance at programs and events.

• Community engagement
  • Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel are adept at low-tech outreach and can assist library staff with these methods to reach community members who are unaware of library services.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can leverage their knowledge of farmworkers’ needs related to tech literacy to help library staff raise awareness of library services among this audience.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can leverage their knowledge of rural communities to help library staff raise awareness of library services.

• Community engagement
  • Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel are adept at low-tech outreach and can assist library staff with devising strategies to use these methods effectively.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can communicate how library services and programs will help farmworkers improve tech literacy and ultimately meet their personal and professional goals more efficiently.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can improve library outreach to rural communities by communicating how its services can help community members meet their needs.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to explore new partnerships: 4-H organizations operate within a network of partnerships and can expose libraries to new avenues for outreach.
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help libraries make connections with these agencies to create new avenues for outreach.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

Beyond the scope of 4-H.

• Community engagement
  • The partnership with 4-H can enhance the image and value of rural libraries perceived by local community: A partnership between 4-H and libraries can change the common perception of libraries, showing the community that it is not only a repository for books, but also a resource for programming, technology, information literacy, and more.
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A long-term partnership between 4-H and libraries will establish a positive reputation for libraries serving farming communities.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can improve farmworkers’ perception of the library by communicating how its services can help them improve tech literacy and ultimately meet their personal and professional goals more efficiently.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can improve rural communities’ perception of the library by communicating how its services can help them meet their needs.

• Community engagement
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A partnership between 4-H and libraries allows libraries to devise new strategies and programs to serve patrons who cannot read.
  • Strategies for mitigating distractions of technology and enhancing the ability to focus: 4-H personnel can help patrons develop healthy relationships to technology and use technology productively as a tool to improve literacy.

• Community engagement
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A partnership between 4-H and libraries allows libraries to meet patron needs they cannot meet on their own, particularly needs related to technology instruction and agriculture.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to explore new partnerships: When libraries cannot meet patron needs due to lack of expertise or time, 4-H personnel can recommend partner organizations that may be able to meet these needs.

• Community engagement
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H organizations with an established relationship with the library can guide librarians to further fruitful partnerships.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to collaborate with public libraries: 4-H organizations are willing to form strong partnerships with libraries.
  • Willingness to explore new partnerships: 4-H organizations operate within a network of partnerships and can expose libraries to new potential partners and opportunities.
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help libraries build rapport with these agencies.
  • Access to grants/funding: 4-H personnel can offer strategies and advice for libraries’ grant seeking and grant-writing activities, creating a partnership in which libraries receive tangible benefits.

• Community engagement
  • Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel are adept at low-tech outreach and can assist library staff with these methods to reach new segments of the community.
  • Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H personnel can directly connect library staff with 4-H stakeholders.
  • Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel can use their rapport with the farming community to help library staff build a relationship with this population.
  • Ability to articulate the value of tech literacy for farmworkers: 4-H personnel can use their knowledge of farmworkers’ motivations and needs to encourage interactions with rural libraries.
  • Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can use their knowledge of rural communities’ motivations and needs to encourage interactions with rural libraries.

• Willingness
  • Willingness to collaborate with public libraries: 4-H personnel are willing to cultivate a relationship with libraries.
  • Willingness to explore new partnerships: 4-H organizations operate within a network of partnerships and can expose libraries to new potential stakeholders.
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help libraries build rapport with these stakeholders of these agencies.

• Community engagement
  • The partnership with 4-H can enhance the image and value of rural libraries perceived by local government: A partnership between 4-H and libraries can show local community leaders and stakeholders that libraries have valuable resources and services relevant to rural citizens and that these offerings are worth funding and preserving.

• Willingness
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help libraries overcome resistance from these agencies.

• Community engagment
  • The partnership with 4-H can enhance the image and value of rural libraries perceived by local government: A partnership between 4-H and libraries can show local government officials that libraries have valuable resources and services relevant to rural citizens and that these offerings are worth funding and preserving.

• Willingness
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help libraries receive support and a cooperative attitude from these agencies.

• Community engagment
  • The partnership with 4-H can enhance the image and value of rural libraries perceived by local government: A partnership between 4-H and libraries can remind government officials of the importance of continuing to serve farming communities.

• Willingness
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help these agencies see the value in prioritizing support of library functions that benefit farming communities.

• Community engagement
  • The partnership with 4-H can enhance the image and value of rural libraries perceived by local government: A partnership between 4-H and libraries can show local community leaders and stakeholders that libraries have valuable resources and services relevant to rural citizens and that these offerings are worth funding and preserving.

• Willingness
  • Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help libraries receive support and a cooperative attitude from these agencies.