Collection Development & Community Expectations: Managing Collections and Balancing Resources in an Era of Budgetary Restraints

On the opening day of the American Library Association
in Chicago, a panel of librarians from public and academic libraries discussed measures they have taken to stay within their budgets for acquiring library materials. Rick Anderson of the University of Utah began by suggesting it helps to understand the internal and external forces constraining collection building, including funds, staff time, library space, library policies, and community expectations. The last is hardest to gauge. Should libraries chose to purchase everything that members in their communities desire or should they try to get only materials that will be popular with a predetermined minimum number of library members? What holds enough value (hard to measure) to justify cost (easier to measure)?

Stephanie Chase of the Seattle Public Library continued, telling about how libraries manage in periods of short budgets. To make up for not having as many new titles as readers would like, she emphasized marketing the available collection, especially titles that were little-read when new. Having strong, effective readers’ advisory service can connect members with these less recent books and relieve pressure for new titles. In lean times, she also suggested limiting the number of holds members can make, which makes them make choices similar to those the library has to make and shortens reserve lists that trigger purchasing of additional copies. She thought it a mistake to buy bestsellers disproportionately in lean times.

Chase also thought weeding must continue in lean times. Shelves in popular reading collections need to look fresh to attract readers; removing worn, battered volumes is especially helpful. At her libraries, circulation statistics have shown borrowing up in weeded areas even without significant new purchasing.

Michael Santangelo of the Brooklyn Public Library compared managing an electronic material collection in lean times to reality TV. If a database does not get the votes (visits or document downloads), it is this week’s cut. And there is always someone sad at the passing of a databases out of the collection. How to count the votes is the challenge, as every vendor reports different measures. The librarian’s task is to determine which databases have really provided the most service (not visits or searches) and which combinations of databases cover topics essential to members’ needs.

Santangelo issued several warnings. 1) Consortium purchases save money but they also introduce instability into the collection as groups may change vendors every year looking for better deals. 2) Ebook subscription plans may highlight highly popular materials but they also drag along materials of little interest. Study costs carefully before taking a package deal. 3) Having multiple platforms to provide ebooks from various vendors confuses readers and librarians. 4) Loyalty to vendors can stabilize an online collection and sometimes win discounts but do not go so far as to sign onto new databases just because a favored vendor recommends them.

Re-examining How We Work: What Should We Do With the Staff?

In these days of smaller workforces and technology-based services, the subtitle of this program held at the beginning of the third day of the American Library Association Annual Conference in Chicago was layered with foreboding . Before reading the program description (and even after reading it), I anticipated hearing predictions of layoffs and further budget cuts in libraries. I expected a gloomy message but found instead a panel of speakers who seemed somewhat upbeat. Reduced workforces were still a given, but the speakers seemed to assume that was an opportunity and there would still be funds to redesign library public and staff spaces utilizing new furniture.

The first speaker, Christopher Stewart of Dominican University, spoke about the demand for more public space in academic libraries, which becomes possible when libraries reduce their workforce. Meeting rooms, study commons, and even production studios can be added when staff and workspace is reduced. Stewart also said that academic libraries are trying to get their professional staff into private offices away from the public – not something most public libraries will do. Increasingly, some staff have to share desks or tables, which he says works well with low-complexity job employees. Despite having little space of their own, he said employees work best when they have some control over their personal work space, needing good lighting, free from distracting talk or music, with counter spaces, storage, and equipment. High-complexity, high-responsibility employees need more space and privacy.

Whereas the library was once a grocery, it is now a kitchen, according to consultant Joan Frye Williams. The factory has turned into a laboratory, where people come to innovate and create. The public and the staff are being moved into flexible spaces. Focusing on staff, she said that she sees more emphasis on team work and less working alone. The staff is clustered into more collaborative spaces with fewer barriers to separate departments. All work in progress is on display for team comments. Williams warned that this model may be popular but does not work well for all. It assumes all employees will be extroverts.

Designer Elisabeth Martin spoke about the five kinds of work spaces: refuge (for 1 or 2), enclave (3 or 4), team (5 to 8), assembly, and community. The type of work of an organization determines how much of each type is needed. The current trend is toward more collaborative and community efforts, so meeting spaces are being added in libraries. She also posed that modern organizations are moving away from having distinct departments. With less privacy, she thought it particularly important that workspaces be comfortable. She even likes incorporating comfy chairs (some with movable desk tops) in employee spaces.

Joe Agati of AGATI Furniture showed a variety of office pieces and systems. He said that to some extent, modern workers need to learn to go digital and get rid of things. Clutter seemed to be non-existent in most of his photos, but he showed that there were special drawers for shoes and purses (some things employees always have). The most unusual item was a workstation including a treadmill.