Big Ideas: Way Beyond Books: Community Resources

As the gaps in social safety nets have grown larger, public libraries have found themselves filling in. In 2020, Jackson County Library Services hired a Library Social Worker, and the Community Resources Department has grown from there. Today, JCLS employs a team of Community Resource Specialists with the knowledge and professional backgrounds to connect community members with resources that address mental health challenges, substance abuse, food or housing insecurity, and more. Hear directly from Community Resource Manager Thaddeus Crawford about the work the Community Resource team does every day at our libraries.