Virtual communities are not only a response to the current needs of societies affected by the pandemic and the need to maintain social distancing but also an opportunity to strengthen community relations regardless of the place and even the language spoken by its members. Communities are also a place to share experiences and an arena to discuss broad topics that, through different perspectives, are in-depth, non-obvious, and allow us to build solutions for the future. These were the goals behind the creation of the EBSCO Community, a platform for sharing ideas and networking on topics related to openness, interoperability, and inclusion that are critical to the library community worldwide.

To help you make the decision to join the international community of librarians, developers, researchers, and students united around the theme of Open within the EBSCO Community, here are 6 reasons why you should join us and become an active member:

1) Networking

Until recently, the world was closed to meetings, workshops, conferences, and trade shows. Communities like the EBSCO Community allow you to maintain professional relationships, and they also allow you to make new ones. They provide a place to meet like-minded people and discuss their views. The world will open up, but the opportunities to participate in virtual events will stay with us forever. Think of the EBSCO Community as a place where you can invite for international projects, meet experts and participate in international collaborations. Share the link to EBSCO Community, promote the articles published on our platform in your social media, and actively support its development.

2) Thought Leadership

The EBSCO Community invites members of all academic levels to join. We have students who are members, and we also have experts who participate in collaborative content creation. These experts are also guests in our debates, discussions and webinars. It is worthwhile to join the community, to learn from the experts, but also to discuss the issues they raise. Have a question for an expert? Use the Contact an EBSCO Community option.

3) Content and Information

If you use the EBSCO Community to connect with and learn from leaders in the library community, think of the community as a place where you can easily find information about open solutions. EBSCO Community editors strive to keep you up to date on key developments, projects, and trends. Sign up and choose from a list of topics that interest you and receive news about them.

4) Feedback

The EBSCO Community is a place to exchange ideas and opinions. Our goal is to give a voice to a community that is actively engaged in the development of science based on the openness model. If you are looking for a space to discuss your ideas, a group to conduct surveys, or build working groups, please don't hesitate to contact us, and we can help set it up in the community. Whether you're looking to connect in a peer-to-peer or peer-to-expert model, contact us, suggest a topic, and find the best way to reach out to members who can constructively help you develop and evaluate projects such as articles, conferences, or workshops.

5) Inspiration

Some people present ideas, others get inspiration from them. Stay on top of trends, explore new topics in the EBSCO Community and benefit from the knowledge of others. The more active you are, the more you will be able to learn and interact with your peers.

6) No Cost

You're probably convinced by now, but if you need an additional reason, here it is. Whether it's sharing knowledge, contacts or inviting you to participate in EBSCO Community events, everything is free. Join today. And invite your colleagues.

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Photo by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash