Metropolitan State University: Connecting with Community Through a University-Public Library

This chapter describes Metropolitan State's unique relationship with the community and, particularly, a major community partner: the Saint Paul Public Library (SPPL). The SPPL-- which consists of a central library, twelve branch libraries, a bookmobile, and a website-- is an institution that provides both materials and services to the public. The authors analyze the development and impact of this unique partnership, exemplified through a joint library that has resulted in significant positive change in both the university and the community. Students, faculty, community members, and community institutions have all been affected by this unusual collaborative, and it has generated many service-learning opportunities. The goal of the chapter is to highlight the important outcomes of this partnership and explain how university-community collaborations can transform learning and the quality of life in a community. (authors)