GEN: Library Consultants

[Toni Buzzeo <buzzeocyll@MIX-NET.NET>]

Jo Dervan asked:

> I need some help. I recently learned of a school district nearby that
> had a consulting firm come into their libraries and evaluated the
> collections. Then the firm listed books that were outdated and suggested
> subject areas that needed to be updated. Has anyone else used a service
> like this?

Jo, similar to, but not exactly the same as, the service you describe,
our Maine State Library School Library Media Consultants will visit a
school district to evaluate library facilities, staffing, programming,
budget, and collection.  In Portland, Dorothy Gregory and Walter Taranko
visited seven years ago and wrote a comprehensive report to the
district, and individual reports for each school, that helped to inform
changes in all of the libraries in all five areas they assessed.  Their
work was invaluable!  They also came to my aid a year and a half ago
when my library media center was moving to the first floor and two
classrooms needed to be re-designed into a welcoming and functional
library.  Once again, they did a superb job.

Before using an independent service such as you describe, however, I'd
be very careful to assess both the credentials and philosophies of the
consultants being hired.

Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS
Longfellow School Library Media Center
Portland, ME 04103
buzzeocyll@mix-net.net

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