APLA 2019

Public libraries need to evolve and grow in order to meet the rapidly changing needs of surrounding communities. In Saint John, NB, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) and the Saint John Free Public Library (SJFPL) have formed an innovative partnership whereby university students and librarians mutually benefit by researching (UNB) and implementing (SJFPL) best practices in the library.

Experiential education has the potential to increase students’ civic knowledges and aptitudes (King, 2018; Westheimer & Kahne, 2004). By engaging students in service learning with the Saint John Free Public Library, students can find applications for their disciplinary knowledge in their communities.

In January 2019, five social science students from UNB joined the Saint John Free Public Library (SJFPL) for a class project. These students gained valuable experience working with the public, identifying needs in our community, and planning/executing health programs at the library. In this presentation, we will discuss the partnership, a province wide initiative, between SJFPL and UNB, which has been ongoing since September 2018.

We will discuss future partnerships between UNB and SJFPL, offer advice to other public libraries with limited funding and the impact this partnership has had on both UNB and SJFPL.