Becomming an "Old Home Place" Library - Part One - Growing Your Library

Never forget: It's about an emotional connection

You and I realize that it is increasingly difficult for small and rural libraries to continue to survive. We know that a creative transition is necessary to ensure viability--one that includes translating into not only a center of information, but also one of local culture. Our goal should always be to grow services and relationships.

We also know that distributed forms of information have forced the central role of the library to modify. Individual communities with inventive and resourceful library boards and directors should be charged with developing some new strategy that will reflect the identity and personality of the community. This identity has the definite potential to create an "old home place" type of library environment for the locals. The idea is to build bridges where you can, and secure the faith of your residents. This will cement your small or rural library into their hearts making them come back and support your efforts. 

From the beginning, this blog has been about adjusting to, and implementing, this very specific modification. Here are the simple steps revisited:

Evaluate your customer's library experience

• Test your community: determine their opinions, ideas, thoughts, and information requirements.
• Then determine what services are most important for the pleasure and growth of your residents.
• Use this information to define the strategic direction you will need to take. 

Embrace new information technologies in your little corner of the planet

• Create a Vision . . . Tagline, Website, Brand, Advertising Strategy!
• Create a volunteer team that is tech savvy. 
• Create an advisory team that will keep abreast of current technologies and free informational Websites.
• Create a partnership with your local organizations, businesses, and groups to construct local educational opportunities, linked services, and cooperative skills. Get everyone involved!

Preserve the culture and historical value of your community

• Support and secure an emotional link through community history and memory projects.
• Focus on the personality of your town by reinforcing the identity of your residents.
• Begin a participatory archiving process for community pride. 
• Secure a community founded and funded informational, educational, and historical project that everyone can get involved with.

Experiment with creative spaces in your town

• Don't be afraid to ask: Capitalize on what's already out there by crafting small individual spaces within the community that draw attention and interest toward your library.
• Put up signage at the school, community college, fire hall, or VFW. 
• Be open-minded and creative concerning the use of your library space.
• Don't be afraid to start something! 

Brought to you by The Settlement Library Project:
Serving People, Broadening Perspectives, and Sharing Resources in Libraries



Image:  http://www.sugarpiefarmhouse.com/the-old-homeplace

Handbook for Small, Rural and Emerging Public Libraries

Book Review
Relevant for any era



Public libraries and library services are not necessarily about full-service to all communities, but rather, providing library services to municipalities that are not a part of a metropolitan area, or to those areas that do not possess library services at all. A full-service independent library is not necessarily feasible for all communities. In the Handbook for Small, Rural, and Emerging Libraries, Anne Gervasi and Betty Kay Seibt have provided many options for library services that can best meet the needs of any community regardless of population, state regulation or policies and finances.

"The small public library should strive to be a flattering mirror of its community."

Ms. Gervasi and Ms. Seibt deal with such subject content as the steps to “getting started” through the establishment of groups; purposes of the library in your community and options for library services. Survey questionnaires are provided for the evaluation process.

Educating the novice service planner or professional librarian is discussed in terms of legalities, policies, and bylaws - a must for every community planner to stay abreast of local government, the library board, and policy makers.

Marketing, fund raising, and public relations, including facing a hostile audience, are dealt with in detail.

And the ongoing problems of physical space, evaluating an existing building, renovating, or building anew are discussed in light of operating costs, space requirements, and the depth of services provided for the public and the staff.

The Handbook for Small, Rural, and Emerging Public Libraries relates in simple and understandable language the logistics and fundamentals of choosing, hiring, paying, and training library staff; choosing and building the collection; technical processing of library materials; circulation; building and providing reference and information services; library programming and public education; library management including housekeeping, budgeting, and record keeping, and the general outfitting of the library.

"Cooperation is the key to providing the best library service for your community. Cooperative service also includes the cooperation between the library and the community it serves."

Cooperative services with neighboring libraries, community agencies, regional library systems, state libraries, other professional organizations and the people within the community are discussed as essentials in providing continued long term support systems for the library. As Ms. Gervasi and Ms. Seibt state:

“Library service is only possible when you see your library as one link in the chain of information that forges a strong, vital resource and endows a stronger, more informed, free, and independent society.”

If you are a manager of an existing library who feels the need to upgrade, alter, or revitalize your services or your place in the community, this handbook is for you. If you are not sure of your goals, what services a library should offer, or if you have no library service currently existing, you may not be aware of your options. With 189 pages, the Handbook for Small, Rural, and Emerging Libraries is a comprehensive step-by-step diagram to guide you toward the type of library service that best suits the needs and resources of your community. A must read for professional librarians, entrepreneurs, and community planners.

Title: Handbook for Small, Rural, and Emerging Libraries
Author: Anne Gervasi and Betty Kay Seibt
Edition: Hardcover
Imprint: Phoenix, AZ : Oryx Press, 1988.
Description: xii, 196 p.; 23 cm.
Subject: Library planning
Subject: Library administration
Subject: Library science
Subject: Public libraries
Subject: Small libraries
Subject: Rural libraries

Adult Non-Fiction
Call Number: Z679.5 .G47 1988

Notes: Includes bibliographies, index, forms

The Marketing Manifesto

Make it Your Public Declaration

Part of creating an image for any library includes defining the library’s belief system.

Marketing

• Marketing provides for research-based planning
• Marketing involves action: telling customers about available services and providing the expertise and support to make those services work
• Marketing allows choice
• Marketing focuses on the customer’s wants and needs

Public Relations

• Public relations views the library in terms of the community
• Public relations is part of every contact between library staff and customers
• Public relations is only one part of the “selling” process
• Public relations identifies library resources and makes them known to the public

Customer Service

• Customer service focuses on the “ultimate customer experience” possible in a library environment
• Customer service reinforces and improves existing services
• Customer service promotes an understanding and identification with library users
• Customer service responds to customer needs appropriately and conveniently

Staff Focus

• Staff focus is on the customer and the information needs of the customer
• Staff focus is active and proactive when responding to customer requests
• Staff focus is to be helpful, attentive, and accommodating at all times
• Staff focus is to create a safe and pleasant environment for all

“Customers are not captives. They will go elsewhere if not satisfied.” H. Baird Tenney

Image: guides.library.cornell.edu/HADM2243