On 6/26/06, Jacobs, Jane W <Jane.W.Jacobs_at_queenslibrary.org> wrote:
> > Being reactive is not always the most successful business model...
> Trying to get ahead of the curve is one thing. However, it's worth
> remembering that we aren't (or at least most of aren't) businesses. We
> aren't bringing a product to market to maximize profit potential. In
> fact, pleasing our customers may bring us less funding, not more. We
> will ultimately be accountable to funders not customers and they are not
> really the same people.
Perhaps not a for-profit business, but unless you have a foundation
that's well off for the years to come then you likely depend on
someone, such as the public, for support. You also probably provide
something resembling a "service". While not a business per se, you
still need to find a place in the community. If the library doesn't
have meaning or relevancy to the community then it will be much harder
to get the millage or budget that one might need to keep "in
business". It might be a board that approves things but if the public
in general doesn't care, and budgets get tight, then it's an easier
thing to cut.
>
> The "Give the people what they want" is only valid to a certain point.
> If what people want (and many of them do) is a video game/chat room, we
> would have a hard time justifying our expenditure funds in providing
> them with it.
I suppose that would depend on the mission of your library. If it is
to collect and organize books alone, then probably not. If the mission
is also to serve the community and provide a safe environment for
patrons where they can meet and learn, then maybe so. More and more
libraries are offering game tournaments and other activities to give
younger kids a place in the community where they meet and socialize. I
believe AADL has been doing this and have been happy with the results.
It draws people in that would likely be elsewhere and makes the
library a part of their life. I personally think that could justify
some funds.
>
> There is a difference between gossip and news, objective truth and hyped
> up fiction, fuzzy as certain vested interests and media outlets would
> like to make it. There are zillions of sources for gossip/chat and
> hyped up fiction and surely libraries don't need to be providing it. We
> need to be the place where people can measure it against reasonably
> sound facts.
>
I personally think culture is worth archiving and preserving as much
as books. If your local community has a gossip rag then it's probably
worth keeping a copy as it can be useful for research in the future
about what the community was like and felt. Not everyone wants to see
the winner's history. This probably isn't what you were referring to
though.
But enough about "next generation libraries" and back to the catalog.
I agree with Ross that a more entrepreneurial type of attitude will
likely be needed in the future. What kind of services can I offer my
community? What kind of cool ways can I make those services available?
How is my community changing?
These questions I think will point to the need for a more flexible and
modular catalog, or even no central catalog at all but an array of
specific services for different goals. Certain parts of
LT/MySpace/Amazon/Google might be similar to some of these services,
but rushing out and replicating them will likely solve nothing as you
won't provide that service at that level. And it may be things such as
SMS, IM, software, TV and other technologies and not just www-based.
Thinking in terms of a business with a service to provide is likely a
good thing to do in this case. Think of a "checkout" as a "sale" and
see what kind of ideas you can think up to "increase sales". This, of
course, presumes one of your library's ideals is to spread knowledge
and literacy in the community.
And I agree that rushing out and trying to attach to every fad will
likely do some harm and waste some resources. One of the defining
features of "web 2.0" and the companies involved is the ability to
change and recover from mistakes. Your community will likely change
and your catalog/systems need to be robust enough to handle that.
If you haven't already read it I recommend reading 37Signals Getting
Real ebook. It's only available for purchase as a PDF. If your
familiar with evolution you probably already understand but I'll quote
alittle:
"Change is your best friend. The more expensive it is to make a
change, the less likely you'll make it. And if your competitors can
change faster, you're at a huge disadvantage. If change gets too
expensive, you're dead."
And from their site:
"It's unrealistic to expect perfection out of the gate. You can and
will get it wrong. The great thing with web-based apps is that you
have a built-in mulligan. Everyday you can revise and get it a little
bit less wrong."
http://www.37signals.com/svn/archives2/is_getting_real_dangerous.php
Ryan Eby
Received on Thu Jun 29 2006 - 21:28:09 EDT