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Warren Library seeks community input

The Warren Public Library is looking for ways to help Warren grow.

And if you’re a resident of the city of Warren, the library wants to hear your ideas.

The library is participating in a program titled “Turning Outward.” The program is designed to help libraries strengthen their role as community leaders and bring about positive change in their communities.

“We want to know what you want from the community, not just the library,” said Kelli Knapp, director of the library. “Libraries are kind of community hubs, unless we get out and talk to people we really don’t know what they want. This is an exercise in getting us to turn outward and get more comfortable talking to people.”

The library held their first “Community Conversation” last week. The conversation allowed Warren residents to air their thoughts and concerns regarding the direction of the city.

Many of the concerns voiced by attendees were related to declining population in the Warren area. Another concern was the direction of development in downtown Warren.

“We are sort of in a transition period where we just completed a downtown plan,” said Alex Shreffler, a trustee on the Library’s Board of Directors. “The goal is to move the plan forward and bring more businesses to downtown area.”

While the library does not have a pool of money to fund all of these ideas, they do possess the resources needed to make changes in the community happen.

“There are all kinds of things we can help facilitate, we have resources, meeting space, and we know people,” Knapp said. “There are a lot of things we can help make happen.”

The library will be hosting another Community Conversation on Wednesday, May 6 from 6:00 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. The meeting will make place in the library’s Jefferson Room as the library looks for more input from city residents.

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