According to Robert D. Putnam, the author of Bowling Alone, social capital is “…the social networks that contribute to the welfare of both individuals and communities.” Across the country, many communities are suffering from the decline of participation in social networks. According to Jeanetta Drueke, a librarian at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, libraries can help to build up social capital by filling their traditional role as aggregators of information, in this case, compiling and publicizing lists of local organizations. See this article for details:

• "Researching Local Organizations: Simple Strategies for Building Social Capital." Drueke, Jeanetta. Reference & User Services Quarterly, Summer2006, Vol. 45 Issue 4, p327-333

(availiable through LiLI in Academic OneFile)