Letting Go of Legacy Services: Library Case Studies

Description

The last few years have proven beyond any doubt that libraries cannot afford to coast along with the status quo. Just as important as proposing and adding new services is the sometimes unpleasant process of critically examining existing realities and letting go of obsolete or less useful programs. But instead of panicking about budgetary and staffing challenges, libraries can choose a measured, proactive response. The contributors to this practical guidebook take readers step-by-step through approaches they've used at their own institutions, offering models that can be adapted to a wide variety of settings. After reading this book, library directors and administrators will have insight into * How planned abandonment strategies grounded in assessment-based decision making can allow libraries to focus on what they do best * Commons sense solutions to "pressure points" common across many different libraries, such as difficulties in dealing with data, communicating to internal and external populations, and the ordinary day-to-day pressures of running a library * The first steps towards formulating a plan of action and then making evaluation a regular function