Who is your community? I moved to Iowa City from Kentucky almost one year ago to begin working toward the joint English PhD and Master’s in Library Science at the University of Iowa. As an undergraduate, your community sometimes forms naturally, especially at a smaller university like the one I attended, through the people in your dorms and classes, your coworkers, and those you meet in clubs and student organizations. As a graduate student, I worried that moving several states away from the small area of Kentucky where I had spent my life would be lonely, but after a year in Iowa City, I have found the opposite to be true. This summer, I am working as the Community Feedback Framework Intern for the Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation. In this position, I'm working on examining current best practices for how libraries can engage intentionally and effectively with the communities they serve.

Five years ago, I was sitting at a desk a lot like the one I’m sitting at now, doing similar things. In 2021, I taught ESL and adult continuing education classes in Houston, Texas. Teaching both new and established residents made it clear that anybody, from anywhere, could make Houston their home. Working closely with my community, I discovered one of the most important requirements for my students to establish themselves successfully: literacy. Both in language and technology, literacy allowed my students to thrive, get jobs, and build a community. To support our neighbors in this mission, we provided English language classes, adult-focused technology classes like the Microsoft Suite, and free laptops for students and jobseekers alike. My organization couldn’t enhance literacy alone—we relied on community volunteers for tutoring, partenered with local private companies for access to educational programs, and received funding from both state and federal government to purchase and donate laptops.