This page allows users to navigate among the needs of rural libraries to view the solutions that 4-H personnel can provide. Click the buttons to jump to each category. The needs are listed below each heading, along with explanations of 4-H-powered solutions. Solutions are classified under the following terms: ICT skills and experience; community engagement; and willingness.
(A) Organizational Needs
1. Staff
a. Skilled staff
- ICT skills and experience
- Ability to use collaborative software: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to collaborative software to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- Competence with social media: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to social media platforms to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to various software programs to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- 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 skills to specifically benefit the farming community.
- Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use: 4-H personnel can use their knowledge of ICT flaws and weaknesses to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems: 4-H personnel can train librarians to apply particular tech solutions to particular scenarios.
- Community engagement
- Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A partnership between 4-H and libraries allows libraries to devise new strategies for ensuring staff are equipped with skills needed to serve the community.
- 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 encourage library staff to pursue skills related to these technologies.
b. Staff with complementary skills
- ICT skills and experience
- Ability to use collaborative software: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to collaborative software to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- Competence with social media: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to social media platforms to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel can use their abilities related to various software programs to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- 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 skills to specifically benefit the farming community.
- Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use: 4-H personnel can use their knowledge related to ICT safety and shortcomings to help train library staff and fill in gaps in expertise.
- Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems: 4-H personnel can use their abilities to train library staff to apply particular tech solutions to particular scenarios.
- Community engagement
- Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A partnership between 4-H and libraries allows libraries to devise new strategies for ensuring staff are equipped with skills needed to serve the community.
- 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 encourage library staff to pursue skills related to these technologies.
c. Staff capable of engaging with patrons
- ICT skills and experience
- Ability to use collaborative software: 4-H personnel can leverage skills with collaborative software to engage patrons effectively.
- Competence with social media: 4-H personnel can leverage skills with social media platforms to engage patrons effectively.
- Ability to use a wide range of software: 4-H personnel can leverage skills with various software programs to engage patrons effectively.
- 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 leverage knowledge of technology solutions in agricultural contexts to engage patrons effectively.
- Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use: 4-H personnel can leverage knowledge of ICT safety and flaws to engage patrons effectively.
- Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems: 4-H personnel can leverage knowledge of particular technology problems to engage patrons effectively.
- Community engagement
- Confidence in ability to train others: 4-H personnel can compensate for lack of confidence among library staff when engaging with patrons.
- Willingness to offer training/programming: 4-H personnel demonstrate a desire to engage with their community through trainings.
- Willingness
- Willingness to engage with new technologies: 4-H personnel have an enthusiasm for new technologies and will be able to engage effectively with patrons using these technologies.
d. Training
- ICT skills and experience
- Ability to use collaborative software: Because of their competence in collaborative software, 4-H personnel can provide training in this area.
- Competence with social media: Because of their competence with social media platforms, 4-H personnel can provide training in this area.
- Ability to use a wide range of software: Because of their competence in various software programs, 4-H personnel can provide training in this area.
- Access to ICT resources/training: Because of their access to technology training, 4-H personnel can relay the skills gained to librarians and patrons.
- Using technology for agricultural solutions: 4-H personnel can leverage knowledge of technology solutions in agricultural contexts to train library staff.
- Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use: Because of their knowledge of ICT safety and flaws, 4-H personnel can provide training in this area.
- Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems: Because of their competence in applying ICTs to particular scenarios, 4-H personnel can provide training in this area.
- Community engagement
- Confidence in ability to train others: Library staff who lack training may not be confident in their 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 train library staff in these technologies.
e. Communication skills
- 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 communicate effectively with members of the farming community.
- Willingness
- Willingness to explore new partnerships: 4-H organizations operate within a network of partnerships and can expose libraries to new audiences.
- Building on partnerships with government agencies: Where 4-H organizations interact with government agencies, they can help libraries start productive conversations with these agencies.
2. Space
3. Policy
4. Technology
a. Tech infrastructure
- 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.
5. Finance
a. Funding
- 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.
(B) Community-Related
1a. Inability to identify the needs of stakeholders
- Community engagement
- Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel are adept at low-tech outreach and can assist library staff with using these methods better identify stakeholder needs.
- Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A partnership between 4-H and libraries allows libraries to better identify stakeholder needs, particularly those related to technology instruction and agriculture.
- Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel have a rapport with the farming community and can report farmworkers’ needs to library staff.
- Willingness
- Willingness to explore new partnerships: When libraries cannot identify stakeholder needs due to lack of expertise or time, 4-H personnel can recommend partner organizations that may be able to identify those needs.
1b. Lack of awareness of the needs of patrons (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 raise awareness of patron needs.
- Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H personnel can directly connect library staff with patrons, especially farmworkers.
- Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel can leverage their rapport with farmworkers to communicate their needs to library staff.
- Willingness
- Willingness to explore new partnerships: When libraries cannot identify patron needs due to lack of expertise or time, 4-H personnel can recommend partner organizations that may be able to identify those needs.
1c. Needs of the community they serve
- Community engagement
- Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach: 4-H personnel are adept at low-tech outreach and can assist library staff with using these methods better identify community needs.
- Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: A partnership between 4-H and libraries allows libraries to better identify community needs, particularly those related to technology instruction and agriculture.
- Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel can leverage their rapport with farmworkers to communicate their needs to library staff.
- Willingness
- Willingness to explore new partnerships: When libraries cannot identify community needs due to lack of expertise or time, 4-H personnel can recommend partner organizations that may be able to identify those needs.
(C) Partnerships
1. Lack of awareness of the incentives for partners
- 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 solicit new partners.
- Leveraging pre-existing partnerships: 4-H organizations with an established relationship with the library can guide librarians to further fruitful partnerships.
- Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges: 4-H personnel can leverage their rapport with farmworkers to create avenues for partnerships with this segment of the community.
- Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities: 4-H personnel can leverage their knowledge of rural communities’ needs and motivations to encourage partnerships between rural organizations and libraries.
- 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.
Table highlights
- 4-H cannot address all the challenges and needs of rural libraries.
- Willingness is the most effective solutions cluster for addressing needs. In other words, willingness addresses the highest number of needs, followed by community engagement and ICT skills & experience.
- Community-related needs are unable to be solved by ICT skills & experience.
- Willingness depends on the attitudes and availability of individuals. At the organizational level, the partnership between 4-H and rural libraries will automatically confer the benefits of community engagement.
- To address a particular need, one solution is sufficient. It is not necessary to implement all listed solutions to address a need effectively.
- Rural librarians can make use of the solutions below to create and edit job descriptions. Hiring employees with these competencies will allow rural libraries to better address their needs.
| Needs | Solutions | |
|---|---|---|
| Staff | Skilled staff | ICT skills & experience – Ability to use collaborative software – Competence with social media – Ability to use a wide range of software – Access to ICT resources/training – Using technology for agricultural solutions – Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use – Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems Community engagement – Leveraging pre-existing partnerships – Willingness to offer training/programming Willingness – Willingness to engage with new technologies |
| Staff with complementary skills | ICT skills & experience – Ability to use collaborative software – Competence with social media – Ability to use a wide range of software – Access to ICT resources/training – Using technology for agricultural solutions – Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use – Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems Community engagement – Leveraging pre-existing partnerships – Willingness to offer training/programming Willingness – Willingness to engage with new technologies |
|
| Staff capable of engaging with patrons | ICT skills & experience – Ability to use collaborative software – Competence with social media – Ability to use a wide range of software – Access to ICT resources/training – Using technology for agricultural solutions – Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use – Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems Community engagement – Confidence in ability to train others – Willingness to offer training/programming Willingness – Willingness to engage with new technologies |
|
| Training | ICT skills & experience – Ability to use collaborative software – Competence with social media – Ability to use a wide range of software – Access to ICT resources/training – Using technology for agricultural solutions – Awareness of the dangers of ICTs and motivation to educate the community on responsible tech use – Ability to teach the purpose and uses of ICTs for addressing specific problems Community engagement – Confidence in ability to train others – Willingness to offer training/programming Willingness – Willingness to engage with new technologies |
|
| Communication skills | Community engagement – Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach Willingness – Willingness to explore new partnerships – Building on partnerships with government agencies |
|
| Partnerships | Lack of awareness of the incentives for partners | Community engagement – Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach – Leveraging pre-existing partnerships – Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges – Ability to articulate the value of libraries to rural communities Willingness – Willingness to collaborate with public libraries – Willingness to explore new partnerships – Building on partnerships with government agencies – Access to grants/funding |
| Community-related | Inability to identify the needs of stakeholders | Community engagement – Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach – Leveraging pre-existing partnerships – Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges Willingness – Willingness to explore new partnerships |
| Lack of awareness of the needs of patrons (farmworkers) | Community engagement – Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach – Leveraging pre-existing partnerships – Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges Willingness – Willingness to explore new partnerships |
|
| Needs of the community they serve | Community engagement – Low-tech (conventional methods of) outreach – Leveraging pre-existing partnerships – Empathy and understanding of farmworkers’ challenges Willingness – Willingness to explore new partnerships |
|
| Technology | Tech infrastructure | Willingness – Access to grants/funding |
| Finance | Funding | Community engagement – The partnership with 4-H can enhance the image and value of rural libraries perceived by local gov’t – Leveraging pre-existing partnerships Willingness – Willingness to explore new partnerships – Building on partnerships with government agencies – Access to grants/funding |