Abstract
One practice ground for democracy often overlooked is the academic library. In fact, until recently, academic libraries were “conspicuous by their absence in the engaged university” (Westley, 2006, p. 200). Although academic libraries are well recognized for their role informing scholarship, promoting access to a diversity of ideas, and serving as depositories for government, community and other useful information, many are just now beginning to move up the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum (2014)--a widely recognized descriptor of levels and resources of public participation processes--from informing toward involving, collaborating and empowering future citizens in the issues of the day. Academic librarians are natural allies in the quest to create a more engaged citizenry given their liaison responsibilities across the curriculum with such campus “hubs” of democracy (Carcasson, 2008) as political science and education, journalism and social work, and communication and Cooperative Extension.