The Sacramento Public Library and Abridged by PBS KVIE are launching “Tell me more,” a community storytelling project designed to bridge the gap between traditional newsrooms and the people they cover. Starting November 10, library branches across the county will transform into listening posts where residents can share the untold stories, challenges, and joys of living in the Sacramento region through interactive prompts and direct engagement with journalists.
As reported by Abridged, the Sacramento Public Library was one of only eight libraries nationwide selected for a competitive national grant from More Perfect and the Urban Libraries Council. The goal is to build a scalable model for local news collaboration that puts community members at the center of the journalistic process, ensuring that the stories shaping the region aren’t just decided in a newsroom, but are informed by the people living them.
Bridging the trust gap in local news
Many residents feel their lived experiences are overlooked or misrepresented by traditional media. By moving the newsroom into the library—a space already viewed as a trusted, neutral civic institution—this partnership attempts to dismantle those barriers. According to the Sacramento Public Library, the initiative aims to amplify perspectives that have been historically marginalized, helping residents see their own lives reflected in the local narrative.
The mechanics are simple but intentional. Patrons visiting participating branches will find postcards with prompts designed to spark deep reflection: What story about your community should be shared? What keeps you up at night? Who is someone everyone should know about? What do you wonder about life in Sacramento?
Beyond the postcards, the project introduces a human element. Staff from both the library and Abridged will wear “tell me more” buttons, signaling their availability for meaningful conversation. Abridged reporters and editors will also host listening sessions at select branches, moving from the role of “story-teller” to “story-listener.”
“Together, we hope to amplify voices and perspectives that have too often been overlooked by traditional media and help more of our community see their experiences reflected and heard.”
The civic stakes of community-centered journalism
Why does this matter now? By partnering with the Sacramento Public Library, Abridged is using the library's position as a dynamic civic institution to revitalize the flow of information.
This approach shifts the power dynamic of reporting. Instead of a reporter arriving at a scene to extract a quote for a pre-written story, the “Tell me more” project asks the community to define what is news. This is a move toward “community-centered journalism,” where the public helps shape the editorial agenda.
A national model for democratic revitalization
The involvement of More Perfect—an alliance dedicated to revitalizing democracy—suggests that this is about more than just filling a newsletter. It is an attempt to treat information access as a fundamental component of a healthy democracy.
The project is designed to be a blueprint. By testing this collaboration in Sacramento, the Urban Libraries Council can determine if this model of “newsroom-in-the-library” can be replicated in other cities to combat misinformation and rebuild trust in reliable local information.
For the average Sacramento resident, the impact is immediate and tactile. Starting the second week of November, the library becomes more than a place to borrow books; it becomes a forum. Whether it’s a concern about housing, a celebration of a local hero, or a question about the city’s future, the project provides a direct line to the people who document the region’s history in real-time.
As the project rolls out, the feedback gathered will flow directly to Abridged editors and reporters, potentially altering the trajectory of the region’s news coverage.
