| Convocation on Providing Public Library Service to California’s 21st Century Population | [Back] [Contents] [Next] |
Rapid social and technological changes are dramatically impacting how public libraries deliver library services. New community expectations combined with an increased competition for funding have heightened the urgency to re-examine and rethink how libraries conduct business. As we prepare to lead library organizations into the 21st century, librarians have a significant opportunity to redefine the library's role within the broader community context. This new role has the potential to give libraries the competitive advantage to solidify our position as lead players in the community's educational and cultural mission.
This essay discusses the need to forge strong community alliances as a crucial element of success for public libraries in the next century. This perspective outlines key concepts towards effective community collaborations. It discusses a new definition and era for partnerships; calls for the transition of libraries towards collaborative organizations; and offers a new approach to the concept of outreach. The essay concludes with a strategy for change on how public libraries, in cooperation with the State Library, can redirect resources to address and enhance community collaboration and outreach.
A New Era for Partnerships
The idea of community partnerships is not a new concept for libraries. For years, librarians have been involved in working with community agencies to deliver service primarily through traditional outreach programs. The problem with this approach was that these partnerships were nothing more than an expedient attempt to provide activities which would attract users to the library. These efforts were fragmented and misguided, and usually the first casualties during budget cuts. As a result, these programs had little or lasting impact in the community.
Community collaboration is a serious and complex business. It involves a formal arrangement between two or more agencies to provide mutual support in attaining a common goal. The goal can be project- or program-based and should address specific needs of the target group. Establishing a clear set of criteria allows the library to determine the scope of the partnership, the resource commitment and the ultimate basis for evaluating the overall success of the agreement. While each library can establish its own criteria, the list should include a clear understanding of the goals, a sharing of resources, an implementation schedule and a periodic review process. An effective partnership demonstrates a reciprocal exchange of resources, maintains a balanced relationship and identifies the anticipated outcomes. Each entity is enjoined with specific rights and responsibilities that should be clearly articulated and carried out.
Building Community Connections
Community collaboration implies a strong connection to the external environment and a community-based approach to service delivery. This means that a library must commit to work together with its partner(s) to identify the issues, develop the strategy and pursue a resolution. Community collaborations should avoid duplication of service and focus on a cost-effective method to deliver service. For example, a community partnership may be sought to develop a particular expertise within the library, identify new sources for program funding, and focus on an exchange of informational resources. Partnerships may include a variety of agencies that target different groups or provide a unique service. Each partner should offer its unique orientation or strength and complement the contributions of the other.
The benefits of forming strong community alliances can be dramatic, with lasting implications. A successful alliance can strengthen ties with communities because of their impact and response to real-life needs. This relevance establishes the library as a strategic partner in enhancing the quality of life in the community and develops a broad-based political constituency.
Transforming Library Organizations
Many public libraries are not ready or prepared to foster effective partnerships. While the intent and philosophical commitment may be strong, the institutional systems are often not in place to carry out the obligations of the understanding. To succeed, library organizations must examine their missions, values and service priorities in order to ascertain whether the organizational culture is in place to nurture and sustain any collaborative initiative.
Public libraries struggle with their mission. The concepts of information, books, literacy and technology, while important, are too broad to capture the essence of what public libraries are about. They represent different things for the profession and certainly to the public. Our emphasis is too diluted to make an impact and fails to accept the reality that because of limited resources, we must prioritize and redirect our efforts. Community partnerships are an ideal vehicle to identify priorities and validate assumptions on services. An effective partnership model safeguards the community interests by focusing on results determined by multiple parties. This builds public accountability, which is crucial in meeting the needs of California's complex and diverse populations.
Barriers to organizational change such as outmoded processes or a heavy reliance on antiquated systems can impede partnerships. Libraries need to give serious consideration to new organizational structures that facilitate a responsiveness to change. This means a greater focus on external rather than internal dimensions of service. An ongoing redeployment of staff and continuous redirection of work responsibilities to focus on new models of collaboration and outreach should be the order for the "new" public library in California. Unfortunately, in the changing political climate, public libraries are abandoning their advocacy for the disenfranchised at a time when these individuals are most in need. Librarians must reaffirm their commitment to empower Californians to demand greater support for libraries. This can only happen if the public shares our vision of the value of libraries in society.
Outreach for the 21st Century
The concept of outreach for California's 21st century populations must also be redefined if we are to successfully carry out community collaborations. The current approach to outreach is outmoded and at times condescending. The term "outreach" connotes a handout and a paternalistic attitude to service delivery. This view assumes that outreach programs are marginal in the overall library purpose. They become activities instead of the mission. As a result, outreach programs have never entered the mainstream of service and come and go depending on availability of funds, grant opportunities or political pressure. These temporal infusions simply whet the appetite and raise false expectations of what effective library services should be.
California's communities deserve more and will demand better. The dramatic demographic shift to a new majority behooves libraries to change from a traditional, insular approach to one of innovation and inclusion. In California, programs such as Partnerships for Change are excellent examples of a model that worked because of systemic change and community involvement. Our communities should participate in redefining service priorities and the design of library programs. Our approach to service should be results-based to ensure that we are making long- term impact with the public dollars invested in our libraries.
A Strategy for Change
As we approach the 21st century, public libraries face daunting challenges. The need to partner with communities to create informed and literate Californians has never been as critical. Public librarianship needs leadership that will promote change in the collective library mind-set. California is faltering as a leader in innovation. The State Library needs to take a leadership position to ensure equity in library services, so that the public library system of California does not become a patchwork of have and have nots, or a cluster of the information rich and poor.
Several recommendations are in order on how the California State Library can provide leadership in this effort. First, the State Library should support projects that develop new models for collaboration and change. The criteria for this funding should include the integration of community partnerships in library service; the involvement of the community; innovation in service designs; and new models focused on community results. Additional state and federal funds should be allocated to identify public libraries that can serve as models for change and innovation, particularly as they relate to this new collaborative emphasis. And finally, the State Library should support joint initiatives between library education and public libraries that can experiment with new approaches to community collaboration. For example, funding should be provided for resident field experts and consultants to work with libraries and offer expertise and support in leading change initiatives. Both the Library of California and the new Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) should include provisions that support funding for community collaborative models. Continuing education, leadership development institutes and an ongoing commitment to eradicate the growing inequity of service should be the priority for the California State Library.
Conclusion
This strategy is suggested in order to place California once again on the cutting edge of innovation. Public libraries in California are in the midst of challenges and opportunities that will require a commitment to forge new alliances and ventures to create new information organizations. The new public library of California will be adaptive, responsive and proactive in its approach to information service. California should become a national leader in advocating for libraries that truly address the diversity and richness of our communities. To do this, we need to transition from the past and transform the future.