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Introduction : Why You Need This Book and How to Use It Public libraries are always on a quest for innovative ways to serve their communities, and librarians are always striving to find exciting programs, new technology, and interesting information to share. Today, at a time when funding and support for public libraries is more in flux than ever, it is vital to explore all possible avenues to support all the things you want to do. If you want cutting-edge technology and programming, it only makes sense to at least consider some cutting-edge ways of getting them. Why not turn to your communities, both local and worldwide, and ask them to help you achieve your goals? Crowdsourcing and crowdfunding are tailor-made for organizations like public libraries, which might not have the staff for huge projects or the resources for large-scale fund-raising endeavors, but that want to increase community participation and engagement. In reading about the success other public libraries have had with both these concepts, it is my hope that you will find inspiration for your own projects. This book is intended for librarians who want to more actively engage with their communities. While geared more specifically toward public librarians working with adults, teens, and children, it may also be useful for managers, library administrators, trustees and board members, or any- one who has an idea they’d like to make happen at their library. It doesn’t matter what department you work for if you have a project that might benefit from community assistance in some way, you should definitely explore the concept of crowdsourcing. This book is intended to be a useful reference for anyone who would like to know more about the pros and cons of crowdsourcing and