Taking Care of Business

Times are tight for education funding, so any day now, someone is going to revisit the idea that schools should function more like a business. The concept is flawed in many ways—the right to a free public education for all students places schools in a very different position than businesses—but I suggest that we not entirely reject this notion. Perhaps libraries have something to learn from the for-profit sector in the face of uncertain economic conditions.

This is not a call to drive libraries into the dysfunction of some mega-corporation, but a suggestion to look to the potential of small business practices. Consider the unwavering focus on customers as found in a mom-and-pop store, the creativity and attention to detail of a salon, the passionate dedication of a small restaurant, or even the drive for innovation and flexibility of a technology start-up company. Strong library programs share many of these qualities of success, but do we also share the other factors that propel small businesses forward?

For example, does your library have a collection development plan that details your planned spending on resources for the next three to five years? Or how about a marketing strategy that clarifies how, when, and where you will advertise library programs and services? Do you know what your customers are looking for right now and, looking forward, over the next few years? These plans are not just part of doing business; they are often the difference between success and failure. Given the high failure rate of small businesses, strategic planning in the areas of budgeting, marketing, and identifying customer needs is vital. I believe these elements are just as necessary in our libraries.

There’s a lot in the news right now about how library usage increases during recessions. What this coverage fails to mention is that library use goes up only if the library remains open. Dire warnings don’t tend to offer solutions, but they do help push us toward the next big thing; planning for success in your small-business-like library. What steps can you take to position your institution as a vital resource that provides an effective and efficient solution to purchasing, managing, and sharing resources for learning? Though it may not be the remedy for all situations, proactive planning can help establish your library’s position in the school before cuts are decided.

One place to start: a collection development plan that describes and justifies resource purchases over a three to five year cycle. How often do certain topical areas need to be refreshed? What subjects will be the focus of purchasing each year? A library advisory committee, including teachers, could help craft this document and ensure your budget as a funding essential. Such a plan also shows administrators that you are deliberate and thoughtful in your spending and provides a base from which you can address the impact budget reductions will have on the long-term health of the collection. This plan also provides a strong platform for envisioning the future by addressing changing needs.

Many librarians I know already have a collection development plan. But it’s one that exists in their heads as opposed to being deliberately shared with faculty and administrators. Budget plans that you don’t tell anyone about don’t exist. In the same way, innovative programs and services that aren’t publicized cannot help strengthen your library’s role in the school. As media specialists in Spokane, WA, and other communities around the country know, your faculty, students, and parents can be strong supporters of the library as long as they know what they are fighting for.

Times are tough, and budgets are tight everywhere, but libraries have a great deal to offer schools in these conditions as an efficient way to purchase shared resources. Our challenge is to make sure we have plans in place to explain and justify what we can do for students.