Traditionally, libraries were about collections, librarians managed books and people used those books. Benchmarking was based on statistics that counted numbers of books, numbers of people, and numbers of loans. In today’s world, the role of libraries is about communities, people and spaces, and the old metrics are no longer relevant in measuring the success of libraries and their role in supporting their communities.
This is a practical manual for all library types that addresses the changing role and provides librarians with the resources and tools required to manage the change process. It will assist librarians of all levels of experience and also library students to learn more about the communities they serve and to build effective services and valued programs that will make a measurable difference in these communities and for the individuals who live there.
The manual is designed to be stepped through from beginning to end; it is not a potluck of ideas to dip into and choose from. The chapters form a comprehensive and flexible plan in three stages that allow librarians to assess their community and develop a plan that will work for their individual needs. The author stresses that good results require effort: scrimp on the research and the results will be poor, a waste of time and resources. So this is not a ‘quick fix’ short cut, it is a comprehensive plan for changing the way the library serves its community so that the library continues to be an effective and valued resource.
The guide begins by defining the changing role of libraries in the twenty-first century, with a brief reflection on the history and traditional role of libraries, and the influences that have changed libraries over the decades. It then quickly moves onto templates and exercises for developing a modern Mission Statement and provides many examples. This first section of the book also outlines the process of developing a Community Profile and how to use this to understand the needs of the community.
The second section builds on the first to develop effective programming with planning detail such as team building, timelines and budgets. Budgeting and funding are discussed at length and includes examples of different types of budgets and funding models. Partnerships, collaborations and grants are covered at the end of this section.
The final section covers implementation and evaluation processes. It is the leveraging of evaluation that provides the momentum for further success. This is key and possibly the biggest change for libraries. This section demonstrates how to use evaluation tools to be effective, provides the justification for libraries to be supported and provides direction to show how libraries can grow in their communities.
A comprehensive manual that is both informative, with theoretical discussion about the changing role of libraries, and practical, with comprehensive planning tools and templates. It should be valued by both library students and practicing librarians.
Moreton Bay Region Libraries
© 2016 Corrinne Hills
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00049670.2016.1240025