Recently in Libraries & Museums Category

Source: Tod Newcombe, Governing, August 2010

Like so many other public-sector services caught up in this recession, libraries have seen demand for their services rise dramatically while budget cuts have forced them to make painful reductions in the very services the public wants. In particular, local governments are reducing operating hours. According to a recent study by the American Library Association (ALA), nearly one-quarter of urban libraries are reporting fewer hours in 2009, compared to a 15 percent reduction for libraries overall.

Source: Jeffrey Brown, PBS Newshour, June 29, 2010

This week, librarians from around the country have gathered in Washington for the annual meeting of the American Library Association to meet with authors, share experiences and discuss topics ranging from budget cuts, branch closings and staff reductions, to technology upgrades and innovations.

To discuss the state of our library system, I talked to Camila Alire, president of the ALA, by phone today:

Source: Save Libraries, 2010

Save Libraries is a grassroots effort to compile information and advocacy resources for libraries that are facing devastating budget cuts. We are in the midst of what American Library Association and the Center for Library and Information Innovation at the University of Maryland call a "perfect storm" of growing community demand for library services and shrinking resources to meet that demand.

Source: Diane Rehm Show, June 28, 2010

Americans are turning to public libraries in record numbers for free access to resources, but many states have cut their funding. The challenges and changing roles for U.S. libraries.

Source: Inside Higher Ed, June 9, 2010

...The library will be "recycling" much of its print collection, and storing other books offsite; faculty and students will be able to send away for the hard copies via snail mail -- like Netflix.

The model Roderer and her staff are pursuing is distributed not only in the sense that every researcher's computer can access the library's website and its vaults of electronic journal articles and e-books, but in that library personnel are embedded in various departments to work with researchers on their own turf. These staffers are no longer called librarians; they are "informationists." (Roderer did not invent the term, but she prefers it to "librarian," which she says evokes envoys from a faraway building rather than information experts whose skills are applicable anywhere.) ...

...Different sorts of libraries serve different sorts of patrons, and for that reason, Schonfeld cautions against holding up the Welch as an example that can be replicated across many institutions. "Any library specialized around a certain field or discipline has the increased flexibility to serve the needs of that field only," he says, "whereas a general library has a broader constituency that it has to balance its resources across."

Source: Samantha Becker, Michael D. Crandall, Karen E. Fisher, Bo Kinney, Carol Landry, Anita Rocha, Institute of Museum and Library Services, March 2010

From the summary:
Seventy-seven million people--roughly one-third of the U.S. population over the age of 14--used a public library computer or wireless network to access the Internet in the past year, according to a new report. In 2009, as the nation struggled with a recession, people relied on library technology to find work, apply for college, secure government benefits, learn about critical medical treatments, and connect with their communities.
See also:
Press release

Source: American Library Association, April 2010

From the Library Journal summary:
The American Library Association's 2010 State of America's Libraries report collects some familiar but sobering news about the continuing importance of libraries in the recession, especially regarding job and career help, even as increased library use has not led to an increase in funding.

Among trends cited in the report:
* Internet use continues to expand at public libraries.
* Ninety-six percent of Americans feel that school libraries are an essential part of the education experience, even though funding for school libraries also lags.
* Academic libraries are experiencing increased physical and virtual use
* Library construction continued in 2009, thanks to the allocation of funds before the economic downturn, with many of the libraries boasting "green" features.
See also:
- ALA Press Release
- State of America's Libraries website

Source: Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, July 2009

In 2008, there were 197,000 librarians, 44,000 library technicians, and 101,000 other education, training and library workers.

Between 2006 and 2016, the number of librarians is expected to increase by 3.6%, while library technicians increase by 8.5% and library assistants by 7.9%. Total employment in the U.S. is expected to increase by 10.4% over this period.

Source: Emily Silverman, The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, Vol. 22 no. 4, 2009
(subscription required)

From the abstract:
The purpose of this paper is to provide suggestions for communicating library needs and opportunities to prospective donors. The paper discusses and gives examples of outreach communications that can inspire support. The paper proposes that fundraising opportunities can be communicated and enhanced through a variety of methods.

Source: Tina Keresztury, The Bottom Line: Managing Library Finances, Vol. 22 no. 4, 2009
(subscription required)

From the abstract:
The objective of this paper is to demonstrate how statewide advocacy and advocacy planning can effectively ward off major threats to library funding. The paper presents a case study of New Jersey advocacy efforts when faced with proposed legislation to halve the minimum mandated funding for public libraries in the state. The paper describes various advocacy strategies. The advocacy process has had encouraging results, although the threat of funding cuts remains. The case study demonstrates that creating a statewide task force to focus on advocacy and other advocacy strategies can be effective in thwarting legislative efforts to reduce library funding.