COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS
Community Conversation Series offers patrons an opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions with experts and each other. These events aim to foster connection and promote understanding, allowing for interactions that may not always occur in everyday life. Each conversation is guided by a facilitator and subject matter experts. We ask participants to follow a list of community agreements, or norms, which gives everyone shared responsibility for creating a safe, inclusive space.
Community Roundtables are an exciting new initiative designed to foster open dialogue and discussion among diverse members of the community. Building on the success of our Community Conversations, these roundtables create in-person and authentic opportunities for communication and collaboration.
Each roundtable is structured around a broad theme, related to the previous Community Conversation, with three corresponding discussion prompts. Unlike the Community Conversations, which feature dialogue between a facilitator, expert panelists, and program attendees, the Roundtables break attendees into smaller groups of 6-10. These groups engage in round-robin style discussions, guided by a trained staff facilitator at each table.
Our goal is to promote a culture of inclusion, connection, and conversation. We often find that community members want to continue the conversation after the event, and the roundtables provide the perfect opportunity to do so. Attendance at the previous conversation is not required, making these events accessible to all.
Community Conversations: Sustaining Democracy
August 29, 2024
Smoky Hill Library
"What are the different ways that we vote, when we're even outside the ballot box?"
EVENTS
Carousel of Community Conversation Events
Community Conversation: Decoding Fact from Fiction
2025 SCHEDULE
PART ONE
Community Conversation
Topic: Navigating AI Advancements, Risks and Responsibilities
Date: February, 27, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Smoky Hill Library
Community Roundtable
Topic: Technological Advancements and Us
Date: March 12, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Smoky Hill Library
PART TWO
Community Conversation
Topic: Confronting the Moral Dilemma of Homelessness
Date: May 15, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Sheridan Library
Community Roundtable
Topic: Homelessness
Date: June 26, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Sheridan Library
PART THREE
Community Conversation
Topic: Decoding Fact from Fiction in the Era of Disinformation
Date: August 7, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Koelbel Library
Community Roundtable
Topic: The Information Age
Date: September 25, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Koelbel Library
PART FOUR
Community Conversation
Topic: Aging Radically: Embracing the Challenges and Gifts
Date: November 20, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Eloise May Library
Community Roundtable
Topic: A Conversation on Life
(and death 🙂)
Date: December 11, 2025
Time: 6-7:30 PM
Location: Eloise May Library
PAST EVENTS
2024 Community Conversation Series Recap
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
Confronting Homelessness
Navigating AI Advancements, Risks and Responsibilities
Privilege, Power, & Poverty: From Division to Inclusion
Sustaining Democracy
Confronting Homelessness
Navigating AI Advancements, Risks and Responsibilities
Privilege, Power, & Poverty: From Division to Inclusion
Sustaining Democracy
Community Conversation Series FAQs
-
We encourage participation but feel free to observe or join in as your comfort level allows.
-
Please use the form in the event registration to note any interpretation services needed.
-
For our selection of panelists we look for subject matter experts who can provide a wide range of perspectives. We want panelists who reflect what we know about the world and who help us see ourselves and we also want panelists to provide new perspectives and help us understand the lives and experiences of others