The Blog Post of November 4, 2010 (A New Library Model) began a series of Posts on topics related to a 21st Century Library Model. The series addressed new librarianship, developing technology, library relevance, adopting business acumen, seeking collaboration, library advocacy, and reference services. The three previous Posts this week elaborated on the three core components of the 21st Century Library.
For several months, library professionals at Utah State Library (USL) have been working on the tenets of a 21st Century Library Model. The 21st Century Library is an evolution from all previous configurations of libraries, and concepts of librarianship. It is born out of the external influences shaping our lives and environment in the new millennium – most significant are Technology Advances, Education Reform and Societal Changes.
In order to fulfill the USL Mission and Strategic Plan, and more importantly to address these external influences on libraries, a 21st Century Library Model emerged as a pyramid with the professional development and retraining of the librarian as its base, upon which rests the full understanding and integration of technology using business processes that form the building blocks of a 21st Century Library, that support the absolute purpose for the existence of libraries – customer centered, relevant library services for 21st Century Library customers. A visual representation of this emerging model is presented here.
USL plans include development of a 21st Century Library Toolkit of material to support the understanding and implementation of this 21st Century vision of librarianship for creating a 21st Century Library. It will expand on the various elements of the model to offer discussions, explanations, resources and examples.
This 21st Century Library Model exists because of the talent and dedication of the Utah State Library “21st Century Library Team”: Colleen Eggett, Doug Gould, Juan Lee, Cheryl Mansen, Ray Matthews, Matt McLain, Craig Neilson, Jeri Openshaw, Sara Wever, and Dr. Steve Matthews, and, because of the vision and support of Utah State Librarian Donna Jones Morris.
Interesting
Thanks. Interestingly, only 1/10th of readers were as interested in the Model as they were in the Customer. I think I’ll have to address that on Monday.
The model (after staring at it for awhile) seemed to soak in and make sense. The pyramid, the internal influences, and the external forces all make good logical sense and filter thru some of the noise of the many factors to highlight a few.
My thought is this:
I believe that part of our problem is this vaguery that we attach to our purpose. On the IFLA website it states “The public library is a locally based service meeting the needs of the local community and operating within the context of that community” Seriously? What does that really even mean…how is that helpful? A service meeting WHAT needs? I mean the sentence could be rewriten for the local butcher shop “The Snyder Bro Butcher Shop is a locally based service meeting the needs of the local community and operating within the context of that community” It is just about as useful and meaningful.
Nothing these days seems to say WHAT we do or what need we are fulfilling. Somedays I feel like I am the only person still saying “The purpose of the free public library is to create an informed citizenery that is capable of participating in self-governance.” I thought that was what the American library was for. And, from THAT comes a whole lot of ways to provide that service and to define “What” an informed citizen is. As in, does access to the Sopranos TV show help you self govern? In my mind yes, because it allows you to participate in discussions based in popular culture that lead to communication and conversation about our society, culture, way of life which is ultimately impacts our politics and how we govern ourselves.
At another place on the IFLA website it says: “The public library, the local gateway to knowledge, provides a basic condition for lifelong learning, independent decision-making and cultural development of the individual and social groups.’ (IFLA/UNESCO Public Library Manifesto, 1994) Frankly I don’t agree with this one at all. This mission makes us easily replaceable…which is really something we should avoid. In this definition you could replace public library with bookstore, Internet, social club, church group…you name it.
Now this one (oddly also in IFLA – they seem to have some confusion on what they think the library is – HAHA) this one is the best…but still not as clear and concise as it could be(the word ‘ramble’ comes to mind): “A public library is an organization established, supported and funded by the community, either through local, regional or national government or through some other form of community organization. It provides access
to knowledge, information and works of the imagination through a range of resources and services and is equally available to all members of the community regardless of race, nationality, age, gender, religion, language, disability, economic and employment status and educational attainment.”
This one is lacking because it doesn’t say WHY we do this…and THAT is the most crucial piece.
As a public library director, I fight the constant battle with the politicians, the non-user taxpayers, the staff (and frankly somedays inside my own head) of WHY do we do this…Are we still relevant? What is the point? And when I consider the 21st century library I still feel like the HOW needs grounding in the WHY.
During my MBA program they talked alot about the sustainable business. A company that makes buggy whips or wagon wheels is going to be out of business in short order versus the business that makes “accessories for things that transport people”. If libraries want to last from century to century then we have to stay grounded in WHY we are unique and then HOW to provide the service in the current landscape. But don’t let the How overshadow the Why.
NO ONE does what we do. We must always stay focused in the free and equal access to information for all citizens to create a people capable of sustainable self-government. We take it for granted, but ours is a system of government dependant upon a populace capable of sustaining it. The Roman republic only last 565 years…we are on year 235… Complacency could be the demise of not just our profession but our way of life and government.
Will we spend so much time on the HOW we forget the WHY?
As the saying goes:
“Methods are many, but principles are few;
methods will change, but principles never do.”
I think you may have hit on the fundamental basis for establishing the library’s relevance in the 21st Century, or any century as you pointed out. If I may reiterate: “The purpose of the free public library is to create an informed citizenery that is capable of participating in self-governance.”
That is what we have been lacking, a proper perspective about what is the one fundamental issue on which we can hang our hat of relevance. This may well be it. Thank you so much!