A partnership between NCDD and the American Library Association
Helping libraries strengthen community connections through dialogue, facilitation, and public engagement.
Helping libraries strengthen community connections through dialogue, facilitation, and public engagement.
This page highlights key resources, guides, and programs developed through the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) initiative. While these materials were created to support library workers in facilitating community conversations, many of the tools, frameworks, and practices can be adapted by community organizations, educators, civic leaders, nonprofit professionals, and others seeking to bring people together for meaningful dialogue. For a more detailed exploration of the initiative, visit the American Library Association's Libraries Transforming Communities website.
About the Partnership
Libraries are among the most trusted institutions in communities across the country. They serve not only as places of learning and access to information, but also as gathering spaces where people connect, share perspectives, and work through community challenges together.
Since 2014, NCDD has partnered with the American Library Association (ALA) through the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) initiative to equip library workers with the skills, tools, and confidence to facilitate meaningful community conversations.
Together, NCDD and ALA have developed training programs, facilitation guides, online learning opportunities, and resources that help libraries:
Over the past decade, Libraries Transforming Communities has supported library workers nationwide as they step into their role as community conveners, facilitators, and leaders.
Since 2014, NCDD has partnered with the American Library Association (ALA) through the Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC) initiative to equip library workers with the skills, tools, and confidence to facilitate meaningful community conversations.
Together, NCDD and ALA have developed training programs, facilitation guides, online learning opportunities, and resources that help libraries:
- Build stronger community relationships
- Engage diverse voices in public dialogue
- Foster belonging and inclusion
- Navigate challenging and polarizing issues
- Strengthen civic participation and community problem-solving
Over the past decade, Libraries Transforming Communities has supported library workers nationwide as they step into their role as community conveners, facilitators, and leaders.
NCDD's Role
NCDD has served as a strategic partner and content developer for multiple iterations of the Libraries Transforming Communities initiative, bringing expertise in dialogue, deliberation, facilitation, public engagement, and conflict navigation.
Our contributions have included:
Our contributions have included:
- Curriculum design
- Facilitation training
- Resource development
- Community engagement frameworks
- Accessibility guidance
- Polarization and difficult conversations training
Featured Resources & Programs
Facilitation 101: Leading Conversations in Small and Rural Libraries
This foundational guide serves as a resource for library workers interested in bringing people together for meaningful community conversations. While developed with small and rural libraries in mind, the guide's principles and practices can be applied in libraries of all sizes and in a wide range of community settings. The guide introduces the fundamentals of facilitation and walks readers through the entire process of planning and leading successful conversations.
Topics include:
More than a how-to manual, the guide helps library workers understand how libraries can serve as trusted community conveners, creating opportunities for residents to connect, share perspectives, and work together on issues that matter. Whether you're new to facilitation or looking to strengthen your community engagement efforts, this resource provides a practical framework for fostering productive dialogue and building stronger community relationships.
Resource: Facilitation Guide
Accessible Conversations in Small and Rural Libraries
This guide serves as a companion resource to Facilitation 101: Leading Conversations in Small and Rural Libraries, offering deeper guidance on creating community conversations that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive. While developed for libraries, the strategies and considerations outlined in the guide can be adapted by any organization seeking to engage diverse community members in meaningful dialogue.
The guide explores how facilitators and event planners can proactively identify and reduce barriers to participation, ensuring that more people can fully engage in community conversations. It encourages planners to consider accessibility from the earliest stages of event design and provides practical tools for creating spaces where all participants feel valued, respected, and able to contribute.
Topics include:
The guide pays particular attention to engaging community members who are often underrepresented or excluded from public conversations, including people with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, veterans, older adults, unhoused community members, and others whose voices may not always be present in community decision-making spaces.
More than a checklist of accommodations, this resource encourages a broader approach to accessibility that centers belonging, equity, and meaningful participation. By helping facilitators create more inclusive spaces, the guide supports stronger community relationships and ensures that a wider range of voices can help shape the future of their communities.
Resource: Accessible Conversations Guide
Leading Polarizing Conversations
Libraries are increasingly called upon to help communities navigate difficult conversations around issues that people care deeply about. As trusted public institutions and community gathering spaces, libraries are uniquely positioned to foster respectful dialogue on topics that may be divisive, controversial, or emotionally charged.
This guide provides practical tools and frameworks for planning and facilitating conversations on challenging issues while maintaining a welcoming and constructive environment. It helps library workers assess community readiness, determine whether a topic is appropriate for dialogue, and design conversations that encourage understanding, learning, and civic engagement rather than debate or conflict.
Topics include:
The guide recognizes libraries as important "third spaces"—places outside of home and work where community members can gather, connect, and engage with one another. Providing thoughtful guidance on navigating difficult topics helps libraries create opportunities for people to explore differing perspectives, build understanding, and strengthen relationships, even when disagreement exists.
More than a guide to hosting a single event, this resource offers a framework for fostering civic trust, community resilience, and constructive engagement across differences. Every time a library creates space for people to discuss challenging issues respectfully, it helps strengthen the social fabric of the community and counteracts the forces that pull people apart.
Resource: Leading Polarizing Conversations Guide
This foundational guide serves as a resource for library workers interested in bringing people together for meaningful community conversations. While developed with small and rural libraries in mind, the guide's principles and practices can be applied in libraries of all sizes and in a wide range of community settings. The guide introduces the fundamentals of facilitation and walks readers through the entire process of planning and leading successful conversations.
Topics include:
- Understanding the facilitator role
- Setting goals and outcomes
- Creating welcoming spaces
- Establishing ground rules
- Designing conversation processes
- Building community partnerships
- Planning and logistics
More than a how-to manual, the guide helps library workers understand how libraries can serve as trusted community conveners, creating opportunities for residents to connect, share perspectives, and work together on issues that matter. Whether you're new to facilitation or looking to strengthen your community engagement efforts, this resource provides a practical framework for fostering productive dialogue and building stronger community relationships.
Resource: Facilitation Guide
Accessible Conversations in Small and Rural Libraries
This guide serves as a companion resource to Facilitation 101: Leading Conversations in Small and Rural Libraries, offering deeper guidance on creating community conversations that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive. While developed for libraries, the strategies and considerations outlined in the guide can be adapted by any organization seeking to engage diverse community members in meaningful dialogue.
The guide explores how facilitators and event planners can proactively identify and reduce barriers to participation, ensuring that more people can fully engage in community conversations. It encourages planners to consider accessibility from the earliest stages of event design and provides practical tools for creating spaces where all participants feel valued, respected, and able to contribute.
Topics include:
- Understanding accessibility and inclusion
- Identifying barriers to participation
- Planning accessible events and meetings
- Physical, sensory, and communication accessibility
- Supporting diverse participant needs
- Inclusive outreach and engagement strategies
- Creating welcoming environments
- Facilitating conversations about accessibility within the community
The guide pays particular attention to engaging community members who are often underrepresented or excluded from public conversations, including people with disabilities, neurodivergent individuals, veterans, older adults, unhoused community members, and others whose voices may not always be present in community decision-making spaces.
More than a checklist of accommodations, this resource encourages a broader approach to accessibility that centers belonging, equity, and meaningful participation. By helping facilitators create more inclusive spaces, the guide supports stronger community relationships and ensures that a wider range of voices can help shape the future of their communities.
Resource: Accessible Conversations Guide
Leading Polarizing Conversations
Libraries are increasingly called upon to help communities navigate difficult conversations around issues that people care deeply about. As trusted public institutions and community gathering spaces, libraries are uniquely positioned to foster respectful dialogue on topics that may be divisive, controversial, or emotionally charged.
This guide provides practical tools and frameworks for planning and facilitating conversations on challenging issues while maintaining a welcoming and constructive environment. It helps library workers assess community readiness, determine whether a topic is appropriate for dialogue, and design conversations that encourage understanding, learning, and civic engagement rather than debate or conflict.
Topics include:
- Understanding polarization and its impacts on communities
- Assessing community readiness for dialogue
- Determining whether a topic is suitable for discussion
- Preparing for challenging conversations
- Establishing conditions for respectful engagement
- Facilitating discussions across differences
- Responding to conflict and tension
- Supporting ongoing community relationships and trust
The guide recognizes libraries as important "third spaces"—places outside of home and work where community members can gather, connect, and engage with one another. Providing thoughtful guidance on navigating difficult topics helps libraries create opportunities for people to explore differing perspectives, build understanding, and strengthen relationships, even when disagreement exists.
More than a guide to hosting a single event, this resource offers a framework for fostering civic trust, community resilience, and constructive engagement across differences. Every time a library creates space for people to discuss challenging issues respectfully, it helps strengthen the social fabric of the community and counteracts the forces that pull people apart.
Resource: Leading Polarizing Conversations Guide
Why This Work Matters
Healthy communities need places where people can come together to learn, listen, share perspectives, and work through challenges.
Libraries are uniquely positioned to serve as those spaces.
Through Libraries Transforming Communities, NCDD and ALA are helping library workers build the skills and confidence needed to foster meaningful dialogue, strengthen civic life, and create more connected communities.
Libraries are uniquely positioned to serve as those spaces.
Through Libraries Transforming Communities, NCDD and ALA are helping library workers build the skills and confidence needed to foster meaningful dialogue, strengthen civic life, and create more connected communities.