Unlocking the Democratic Potential of Urban Planner–Librarian Collaborations

Abstract

Planners and librarians work in complementary fields with common civic engagement and empowerment goals. This essay argues that urban planners and librarians stand to benefit mutually from interdisciplinary collaboration in four key areas: democratic access and participation, information literacy and capacity building, trust and social capital, and evolving institutional relevance. My commentary draws from a review of relevant literature, personal experiences collaborating with librarians on the Planning Free School of Chattanooga, and the perspectives of participants who joined the initiative.