Knowing Communities: A Review of Community Assessment Literature

Since the late 1800s library and information science (LIS) publications have discussed community assessment as a process for librarians to acknowledge the distinct needs and interests of their communities and respond by meeting those needs. The varied publications on the topic do not authorize any community assessment model or conceptual framework as the professional standard. This literature review examines community assessment publications, primarily in LIS. Instructional resources and publications provide a variety of suggestions for methods of conducting community assessments, while case studies illustrate the successes and challenges of various methods. Librarians must continue community engagement and advance cultural awareness in community assessment.