Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance - Issue 15, June 2014 Implementation of the Caribbean Local Economic Development Project (CARILED) began in 2012 in seven countries with a duration of six years, to support sustainable economic growth in the region. CARILED has introduced the idea of local economic development (LED) to the development debate in the region and has also brought the organisational capacity of local government, and local government’s role as facilitator of LED, to the fore. This paper assesses organisational behaviour and capability in local government in Jamaica to determine the state of readiness for a developmental role. The paper draws on two sets of research data to aid its analysis – a capacity audit (CAPAUD) conducted in 2010 and an organisational analysis (OA) commissioned by the Ministry of Local Government in 2010, both of which targeted a sample of local authorities in Jamaica. The study found that, when assessed against established criteria for an LED organisation - ie research and information provision; marketing and coordination; learning and innovation; and leadership - local government’s institutional and organisational capacity for development is unevenly distributed. For instance, local leaders understood organisational purpose but efforts to give effect to this appeared undeveloped, sporadic and uni-directional. It was also evident that participatory strategies are used to gain information from communities but these were often devoid of systematic research methodologies rendering formal community impact on local planning negligent. There is strong potential for the kind of administrative leadership required by a developmental local government to evolve, indicated by the quality of training, quantum of managerial/supervisory staff, and stability of staff establishment. However, this potential is threatened by the deficiencies in the non-traditional functional areas that are strategic to the organisation’s effectiveness as a facilitator of LED, ie alignment of community engagement/interface with LED priorities, diffusion of information technology in organisational processes, and use of policy analysis and development. These findings contribute important policy relevant information to regional discussions on the construction of alternative solutions to institutional and organisational problems in response to the economic crises of small island developing states (SIDS).

Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance - Issue 15, June 2014 The paper considers the role of the public library as a community hub, engagement space, and entrepreneurship incubator in the context of the city, city governance, and local government planning. It considers this from the perspective of library experts and their future visions for libraries in a networked knowledge economy. Public libraries (often operated by or on behalf of local governments) potentially play a pivotal role in positioning communities within the global digital network. Fourteen qualitative interviews with library experts informed the study which looks at how the relationship between digital technology and the physical library space can potentially support the community to develop innovative, collaborative environments for transitioning to a digital future. The study found that libraries can capitalise on their position as community hubs for two purposes: first, to build vibrant community networks and forge economic links across urban localities; and second, to cross the digital divide and act as places of innovation and lifelong learning. Libraries provide a specific combination of community and technology spaces and have significant tangible connection points in the digital age. The paper further discusses the potential benefits for libraries in using ICT networks and infrastructure, such as the National Broadband Network in Australia. These networks could facilitate greater use of library assets and community knowledge, which, in turn, could assist knowledge economies and regional prosperity.