Voices and Votes: Democracy in America
Shreve Memorial Library
Innovation Synopsis
In December 2022 and January 2023, Shreve Memorial Library hosted the Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibit. This Smithsonian exhibit, sponsored by a grant from Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, was on display at our North Caddo library branch in Vivian, LA.
Challenge/Opportunity
- Lack of civic engagement programming at the library
- Lack of school participation at the North Caddo Library
- Lack of civic related resources in Vivian, LA
Key Elements of Innovation
Shreve Memorial Library formed four partnerships to help increase our engagement. The library partnered with Centenary College and Louisiana State University in Shreveport. These partnerships enabled us to provide engaging speakers and discussion programs.
Secondly, the library partnered with North Caddo Elementary/Middle School and North Caddo High School. This gave the library an opportunity to invite the schools to attend programs and view the exhibit.
Achieved Outcomes
Local students in Vivian, LA attended the exhibit and participated in discussions about democracy. The high school students attended a lecture, and they also had the opportunity to discuss democracy while touring the exhibit. The elementary school students toured the exhibit, then participated in a game called "Agree/Disagree" that led to great discussions about democracy. The elementary students also had the opportunity to participate in a mock election.
