Community Engagement in the Digital Age: Libraries as Connectors

Abstract

Libraries have long been essential community anchors, providing more than just books and
reading material. In the digital age, their role in building and sustaining connections has
become even more critical. This study explored the status of community engagement with digital
tools as well as evaluated how libraries have become major change agents. The study adopted
an informetric research method where the source of information was google indexed journal
database. Specifically, the status of the digital age and the adoption of digital tools among
communities were studied. A major observation was that the digital age entails digital platforms
for community forums, discussion groups, and virtual events, connecting geographically
dispersed individuals or those with limited mobility. There exists a significant variation among
communities in the access and utilization of digital platforms which is a major tool of the digital
age. The variations reported were mainly caused by the community's economic status, capacity
constraints in communication networks, deployment strategies and the inability of users to select
and process information. However, technology and information access are essential aspects of
libraries' role in the digital era which makes libraries a major determinant of community
engagement in the digital age. It was concluded that Libraries' role in building and sustaining
community connections is characterised by their adaptability, inclusivity, and commitment to
serving as dynamic centres for learning, collaboration, and cultural exchange.Considering the
roles of libraries, it was recommended that digital literacy initiatives should be integrated into
library policies, libraries should prioritize digital literacy programs, and libraries should
develop policies that prioritize diverse and representative collections to serve changing
community demographics to perform the role of community engagement in the digital age.