Posted on October 29, 2015 at 10:27 AM by Brian Herder
The Purpose-Based Library: Finding Your Way to Survival, Success, and Growth (2015)
John J. Huber and Steven V. Potter
American Library Association
978-0-8389-1244-7
In the years since John Huber’s trailblazing
Lean Library Management
was published, budget pressures on libraries have only increased. Yet
libraries who have adopted his strategies have turned conventional
management thinking—that if budgets are reduced, customer service
suffers—on its head. These libraries have proven that by streamlining
and improving customer services, they can eliminate wasteful activities
and bring down costs. In
The Purpose-Based Library, Huber and
seasoned public library administrator Potter build on insight gleaned
from decades of experience to demonstrate how libraries can create real
growth opportunities through concentrating on their true mission and
purpose, and without spending a lot more money. With a focus on putting
ideas into action, they point the way towards
- New ways to think about metrics
- Reexamining customer self-driven services
- Effectively leveraging the considerable footprint of libraries
- Identifying and assessing community needs and realigning library services accordingly
- Actively encouraging community fundraising
- Offering cutting-edge services and programs
Packed with boots-on-the-ground commentary, this book presents strategies to help libraries survive and succeed.