Hage: The Future of Public Libraries

[Pat Wallace <DENWALL@AOL.COM>]

Messages  forwarded by Pat Wallace,
Chair of the Hawaii Working Group  /ALA-SRRT-AIP/ from PUBLIB

The following forward has been cross-posted; please excuse any duplication
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From: Christine Hage - Rochester Hills
<hagec@metronet.lib.mi.us>
Director,  Rochester Hills Public Library,  Rochester, MI
To: Multiple recipients of list <publib@nysernet.org>
Subject: The Future of Public Libraries
Date: Jan 23, 1997

My outlook for public libraries is much brighter than the one described
by Larry Naukam.  I acknowledge that there are many libraries that are
working under duress, but not all libraries are.

Now I'm a library director and my image of our library and staff might be
different from the staff's, but we're doing well.  We only put librarians
on our Youth Services, Outreach Services and Adult Services desks.
Ourcollection development efforts have greatly improved in the last few
years, partly due to more money for materials and partly due to a greater
focus on the part of our librarians to attend to collection development.

We continue to meet the challenge of integrating technology with our
traditional services.  Our public and staff is excited about  our new
way of doing business.  I think staff morale is higher because of the
challenges offered through the WWW, free public access to the Internet,
etc.

Our Outreach Services has flourished working with new audiences
who struggle with disabilities, literacy problems or mobility.  We've
embraced assistive technologies to the fullest degree we can.

I'm very optimistic about the future of our public library.  I think we do
a great job and if usage is any indication so does our public.

Take a look at John Berry's most recent editorial in LJ.  He too is
optimistic about the public library.

Again, I realize that many libraries are facing budget cuts, downsizing,
rightsizing or what ever you want to call it.  But many of us are doing
well.  In many ways, we're working smarter too.  Our circulation has gone
up by 50% in the last few years (mostly as a result of a new building),
but staffing has gone up by about 6%.  We use technology to handle some
of  the mundane things and reserve our staff for things directly related to
public service and collection development. Our future looks brighter
than ever!

Christine Lind Hage     http://metronet.lib.mi.us/ROCH/rhpl.html
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Here is a response to Hage from PUBLIB.  I'd like to suggest
that anyone on this list having thoughts to share with Mr.
Sweeney re the future of libraries might also share them with
the members of this list, or if not that, with me: denwall@aol.com

Forward:
From: richard sweeney lib fac/staff <rsweeney@megahertz.njit.edu>
University Librarian, New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)
Robert W. Van Houten Library, University Heights, Newark, NJ
To: Multiple recipients of list <publib@nysernet.org>
Subject: Creating Libraries and Services With Wow!:
Date: Jan 26, 1997

I saw Christine Hage's comment on this list about the future public
library.  I share her optimism.

I am writing an article for Library Trends which is due April 1 and the
entire issue is a response of a dozen or so people to the Benton
Foundation's Buildings, books, and bytes: Libraries and communities in the
digital age.

I am entitling my article:
Creating Libraries and Services With Wow!:
Staying Slightly Ahead of The Curve

The Benton report suggested, among other things, that many users think
public libraries should stay slightly behind the technology curve (and
possibly service expectations of users).  I don't.

I am asking a number of people for ideas about libraries or library
services in existence, planned or possible (i.e. imaginative) which have
Wow!! (Peters).  I want to hear other people's thoughts on the future
public library services either directly or through this list.  With
permission and credit, I'd like to borrow some of the best.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Richard T. Sweeney   sweeney@njit.edu
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