Sharing Digital Navigators Among Public Libraries

Library Directors Reflect on the Sharing Model:

"This project was definitely the first step in what should be the upcoming mode for libraries to tackle the digital divide. For small and rural libraries, the idea of having a digital navigator on staff is out of touch. One must consider the barriers these libraries face financially and physically. To me, the director of a small library, the most important aspect of this project was the facilitation of sharing a crucial resource. Patrons have come to expect on-call tech support for daily life." (Derby population is 12,359 according to 2023 Census.) - Krissy Warrenger,  Director, Derby Neck Library 
 

"Overall, this regional sharing model is an effective way to expand the reach of services and resources within geographical areas. As libraries are already accustomed to sharing materials, creating a regional network of digital navigators is a logical extension of shared services." (Naugatuck population is 31,634 according to 2023 Census) - Jessica Jahnke, Director of the Howard Whittemore Memorial Library 
 

"This program is also useful [for larger libraries] for sharing best practices in digital navigation work. The field is changing, and it is helpful for partner libraries to know what constitutes good digital navigator service, and also to know what may or may not be standard practice in the field." (Bridgeport population in 2023 was 148,012.) - Elaine Braithwaite, City Librarian at the Bridgeport Public Library
 

"Thanks to our regional navigator speaking fluent Spanish, our existing program greatly expanded into the English Language Learners (ELL) population of West Haven. I do not think this could have happened without this program and our shared navigator."  (West Haven population in 2023 was 55,100.) - Colleen Bailie, Director at the West Haven Public Library 

Lessons Learned

• Sharing a navigator pool among large and small libraries brings benefits to both. 
• Small libraries gain the ability to provide services to residents and connect with new community organizations. 
• Larger libraries, even those with existing navigation programs, suddenly have access to a more diverse pool of navigators, some selected for their fluency in languages other than English.  
• Libraries with existing navigation programs found that collaboration stimulated a fresh review of best practices gained from up-to-date training and the shared navigators' participation in monthly peer-to-peer problem-solving discussions.
• All libraries discovered that the relative autonomy granted to shared navigators to follow leads provided by clients opened up relationships with new community partners.