Magazine Feature
Issues That Matter: Forums Build Civic Engagement
Sno-Isle Libraries (SIL) debuted Issues That Matter forums in 2010
as a series of community discussions and debates. These forums convene
residents from communities across the entire two-county library
service area (Snohomish County and Island County, WA) to engage in
important community conversations on relevant, high-profile topics.
Through these events, the library extends its neutral stance to enable
civil, open discussion on controversial topics with the guidance of
several panelists and a program moderator. Sessions are recorded
and streamed live on Facebook. The forums connect citizens in the
communities we serve with local experts, stakeholders, and community
leaders.